EN 2382,

Spring 2024
Participating
Students:
Caru D. Aguilera
Kai Alanis
Anali Arriaga
Samuel H. De La Cruz
Alyssa R. Elizondo
Sydney J. Elizondo
Maximus N. Escobedo
Aidan E. Garcia
Kendall A. Hall
Briana C. Heggy
Starr M. Lawson
Chiara Angelyn O. Maldonado
Kaitlynn N. Murphy Herrera
Martha E. Nava
Madeline A. Ortega
Ashlin Padilla
Cole B. Pinkerton
Sydney A. Reyes
Ambar R. Rissopatron-Salas
Cheyenne A. Ruiz
Olivia R. Shook
Jayleane Valverde
 Caru Aguilera
“Restoring the Glow”
Once upon a time, there was a strange kind of animal called the Lumifluffs,
and they lived deep within an emerald forest. These little shining creatures
danced among the vegetation, casting a soft glow that illuminated even the
darkest evenings. The Lumifluffs maintained the equilibrium of the forest by living
in complete peace with nature and following the guidance of the age-old Tree of
Seasons.
As the years went by, the once vibrant forest started to perish as a weird
chill covered the area. Confused by this sudden shift, the Lumifluffs went to the
elderly and knowledgeable Tree of Seasons for advice. The tree explained the
facts with a sorrowful heart: their habitat was under the shadow of climate
change.
The Tree of Seasons whispered, "Shrinking Light, decreasing Hope; only the
Spirit of the Elements can bring our world back into balance."
A courageous Lumifluff named Willow set out on a quest to find the
mysterious Spirit of the Elements, who was rumored to hold the key to bringing
the world's equilibrium back, out of an intense desire to restore their beloved
forest. She faced several difficulties on her journey, including strong storms,
blazing wildfires, and large stretches of desolate terrain.
Willow continued despite her small light flashing in the shadows. She walked
through freezing arctic tundras and burning deserts with firm purpose. She made
friends with animals from all over the world while traveling, including migrating
birds trying to flee the changing climate, elephants looking for water in dry
savannas, and polar bears clinging to melting icebergs.
Willow eventually arrived in the hallowed Grove of the Elements, home of the
Spirit of the Elements, after a difficult trip. The spirit expressed via a voice as old
as time itself the power of cooperation and solidarity in the face of difficulty.
Together, they worked a rebirth spell that awoke the sleeping spirits of nature and
brought life back into the forest.
The Lumifluffs cheered as the woodland bloomed again, and their happy
dance echoed through the trees.
Their voices mixed with the whisper of the wind and the flutter of the leaves,
and they sang, "Balance restored, harmony renewed."
With a heart full of thanks and hope, Willow made her way back home.
Despite the long and difficult journey, she had discovered that, when united as
one whole, even the tiniest creatures could have a significant impact. The
Lumifluffs finally returned to their life in a glowing forest, a symbol of the strength
of bravery, resiliency, and the magic of friendship. The end.
 Kai Alanis
“Salem’s Cows”
There once was a beautiful strawberry blonde nurse who lived in the
outskirts of Salem named Bridget Bishop. She lived in a cozy cottage and had a
beautiful, flourishing garden. She grew her crops and herbs and used them to
cure the townsfolk of ailments ranging from a serious illness to a simple
headache using her custom teas. She worked near the schoolhouse with her door
opened, ready to welcome anyone who needed help.
One day, when she was waiting in her office, she saw a carriage going
towards the town square.
There stood a tall cowboy named Samuel Buentello who spoke with a thick
western accent. He asked the town for land to occupy for him, his wife, and cattle.
Bridget, sensing they came from far away, offered them help and told them of the
large plains near her cottage.
When Bridget and her new neighbors arrived on the plains, Samuel was so
thankful to her, offering her a small wheel of cheese his wife made as a way to say
their gratitude. Bridget appreciated the gesture and offered to celebrate Samuel
& his wife's new beginning.
Two winters passed, and Samuel went into town so he could speak with
Bridget. There, he told her how he and his wife were wanting to start a family, but
they needed help. Bridget, feeling sorry for her friends, gave Samuel tea said to
help his wife. Bridget was glad to help those whom she so deeply cared for, and
she would’ve loved to see them grow their family together.
A freeze had fallen on Salem again, and Bridget went one morning to the
Buentello household to check on how Samuel’s wife was doing. As she walked
towards their plain, her nose picked up the overwhelming stench of manure.
Covering her nose, she went to Mrs. Buentello and asked her if the tea had helped
her. Mrs. Buentello asked what she was talking about, and that was when Bridget
realized she had been lied to. She stormed off into town towards Samuel’s small
dairy shop and confronted him about using her. Samuel denied the allegations
and kicked her from his shop.
Bridget was absolutely furious at how she was taken advantage of, swearing
to herself to refuse to help Samuel ever again. As the days went by, Bridget could
see people buying products from Samuel, and she started to hold grudges against
the townsfolk; how could anyone support such a selfish and greedy person?
Every day, the cows grew in numbers, and the city of Salem absolutely stunk
of manure, the methane gas weakening and killing many crops. Bridget felt angry
that no one was stopping the Buentellos, as they were the ones at fault.
Bridget was so angry that she cursed everyone so they would suffer as the
land had. Samuel then told the town how he caught her doing witchcraft, and out
of fear, they hung her by the willow tree. Yet the end of her life only began the
Salem witch trials.
 Anali Arriaga
“Blondina’s Magical
Paintbrush”
Long ago, there was a woman who was once in love with a king and wanted to take
away his happiness since he could not share his happiness with her. The woman stole the
princess but was caught on sight. The woman knew she couldn't outrun the guards, so
she used her fire magic and burned the trees as a distraction. The king wanted to get back
his princess, but the forest for the nearby homes was more important, and he cleared the
fires. Luckily, the damage didn’t reach the homes, but the trees couldn’t be saved. The
king searched for days, but no princess was found. The secret to how the woman got
away was with a magic barrier disguised as a wall of thorns. 18 years later, the princess
who was once lost was now a beautiful woman. Her name was Blondina. Blondina did not
have it easy; she would be doing all the chores in the tower to please the woman. As
Blondina would finish her duties, she would be able to roam around the tower with her
animal friends, a dragon and a fox. They discovered an underground staircase that led to
the basement. She found a box with her name written on it and opened it. To her
surprise, it was a paintbrush. Her animal friends decided to pick berries for her so she
would be able to paint. Once they finished, they headed up to her room. She took the
paintbrush, and with one stroke, she drew a waterfall with a nearby garden she longed to
see in the outside world. She felt the paint to see if it was dry, and then something
magical happened. Her hand went through the painting! She was shocked. Blondina took
this paintbrush as a sign to leave the tower when the woman wouldn’t notice. Her friends
tried to stop her, but she told them, “This is my chance.” Her friends wanted her to be
happy, so they would keep the woman at bay until Blondina returned. On her adventure,
she saw a man playing with his siblings, so she went up to them and asked where she was.
The man’s response was: “We are in the kingdom of Cileria.” He said his name was Ronald
and that he had come visiting from another kingdom, but he secretly was a prince. She
had a nice walk with him through the kingdom but realized the sky was going dark. She
rushed back as fast as she could, but when she passed through, the woman was already
standing there, wanting to know where Blondia had been. She didn’t budge, so the
woman started using her magic to harm her friends, then she gave it up. Blondina told
the woman she was going to meet the prince at the place where they had met. The
woman locked Blondina in the tower so she could disguise herself as Blondina to meet
the prince at the garden. One she found the prince, she started using her powers to burn
down the garden and everyone in it. Blondina came up with a plan to paint the garden
and go save the prince. Blondina rushed to find the prince, but he wasn’t alone. The
woman kept using her power with all her might to burn everything down, even the forest
surrounding the garden, but she fell at the hands of the prince. The prince stabbed her
until she took her last breath, but her flames couldn’t be contained. With Blondina’s
quick thinking, she painted a pond for the people to pass through and be able to grab
water to put out the fires. After the damage was done to the forest and gardens, Blondina
painted portals with the nearest water available when people were in trouble due to
fires. Soon, Blondina was able to reunite with her parents and lived happily with her
animal friends. The end.
 Samuel De La Cruz
“The Unchanging Season”
Flowers used to bloom in the spring. The sun would shine down warm and bright in the summer.
Autumn brought colors of joy and cool weather. Winter would come, and a blanket of snow would rush
underneath our feet. Just as beautiful as the seasons was the home that I lived in. It flourished with
colorful flowers and all the shades of green in the trees and grass. In the winter, it looked like a cozy
shed laid out underneath the snow and amongst the white sprinkled trees. Even more beautiful was
my daughter who lived there, Cornelia. Her smile was as radiant as the sun, her eyes glistened like the
stars, and her hair flowed with waves like the ocean. At the start of every season, Cornelia would
welcome them with their own song and dance made just for them, and they would change for her. Her
songs whistled through the trees for everyone to hear, letting them know what time of year it was. All
forms of life, from the air to the land and the sea, were happy because Cornelia loved them as they
loved her.
But somewhere far away, someone began singing a song of their own. As the months passed, it
grew louder and louder. It spread so fast and far that months turned to weeks and weeks into days.
When the song reached our land, the animals, trees, and life all became fearful and stood still.
Cornelia grew very ill as a result and began declining rapidly. Still, in her sickness, she was intrigued as
to where the song was coming from and asked, “Father, take me to follow the song to the mysterious
person, please. I want to meet them before my time nears.” I exclaimed, “Cornelia, my little one, you
have nothing to worry about. It is only a sickness and will pass as swiftly as the seasons change. But if
you insist, I will take you.”
We left with nothing except ourselves and my desperation to save my only daughter. I left not
only because my daughter wished it but because I wanted to meet the one whose song was killing my
Cornelia. Our journey was long and tiresome, and along the way, the green of the trees and the grass
became more dull. Flowers were not colorful but instead pale as death. Animals were scarcely
present, and the sun could not shine through the thick fog permeating our skin. Cornelia grew weaker
and weaker the further we continued on. Soon, however, we saw a light in the distance, the only light
that shone through the fog. As we approached the light, we found a luxurious, gigantic home built
from the very trees that were cut down from the area. We knew that this was where the song was
coming from, as the house sucked the color out of every living thing.
We knocked on the door, and out came a man dressed lavishly. Inside, I could see foods from
animals of every kind imaginable. He answered, “Can I help you two?”
“We have come from far away and have heard your song,” I told him. “It is causing great turmoil
around my land and has made my daughter ill. Please, I implore you to stop. All life will cease.”
“I am sorry, but I cannot stop. This is my life, my way of survival; if I stop singing, I will not
prosper. I will die. Look at what good it’s doing for me. See all the food and warmth inside my house.
Do you see?”
I begged him again and again to stop and look around him to see the damage, but the fog was too
thick for him to see past himself. Finally, my daughter said, “Come, father, let this luxurious man live
his life, and we will live ours.” We made our journey back through the forsaken land while Cornelia was
drawing near her end. We continued on and found a shed surrounded by dried trees and dead flowers,
and animals were nowhere to be found. I peered closer and found that this shed was my own. My
daughter, now at her last breath, sang her last song and shed a tear. As I held her in her final moments,
her tear gently fell and her breath slowly faded.
The seasons changed no more. It was too hot for snow to fall, too dry for life to grow, and there
were no animals to graze the pale remnants of a once beautiful land. I lived in this unchanging season,
wishing I had done more . . . wishing I were no more. But as I looked out my window, I saw a single
colorful flower standing proudly in the spot where my daughter had shed her final tear. It was a
Cornelia flower, and in this, I found hope that maybe one day she would return.
 Alyssa Elizondo
“The Cost of Salvation”
In the confines of a laboratory, a scientist created a chamber, simulating Earth's distant
fate under the weight of unchecked climate change. Five people were subjected to the
relentless onslaught of greenhouse gases, where they experienced an excruciating
transformation. The once human subjects succumbed to a strain of a zombie-like plague as
their flesh contorted and their minds were consumed by an insatiable hunger. In a desperate
bid to contain the ravaging disease, the scientist killed the subjects and hid their bodies. But
in his haste to conceal the evidence, the scientist unknowingly sowed the seeds of an
apocalyptic nightmare upon the world as runoff from heavy storms became tainted with the
disease and seeped into the soil, poisoning crops.
In the wake of the zombie apocalypse, a teenager named Sarah and her two parents
sought refuge within the crumbling sanctuary of their home, which slowly morphed into a
prison of fear and uncertainty. Their once tranquil neighborhood descended into chaos, a
battleground where survival hung by a thread. Desperate cries echoed through the night as
neighbors turned against each other in a frantic bid for food and water. One fateful night,
Sarah began to hear the cries of her father as he was getting jumped on the street by
intruders who sought to break into their home. In a moment of raw desperation, Sarah left
the safety of their home to help her father. She killed the intruders, and their bodies lay
lifeless at her feet as her father hugged her in a shared moment of relief. Sarah had a grim
realization that she and her family could no longer afford to remain a sitting duck in the face
of impending doom, so the family of three embarked on the quest to look for a cure for the
disease. In the search for salvation, Sarah realized that the only way to cure the disease was
to implement practices that would generate fewer carbon dioxide emissions, like traveling
with bikes, using less electricity, and planting more trees and plants.
After ten years of relentlessly implementing practices to lower carbon dioxide levels
caused by the greenhouse effect, Sarah and her parents stood upon a grand podium where
she was to receive a national reward for finding the cure and preventing the spread of the
zombie apocalypse. On that stage, she turned to express her gratitude to her parents with
trembling hands. But as Sarah turned to her mother, to her horror, her mother's ribs were
exposed, her eyes clouded and green, and the skin on her face was decaying off the bone.
Sarah then turned to her father, whose forearms were hanging from his body by the tendon.
His jaw was broken, which left his rotting mouth gaping wide open. Sarah then looked down at
her trembling hands, and she realized her bloodied fingers were broken and decaying. Sarah
was not standing on a podium awaiting a reward. She had been standing in the middle of her
neighborhood, watching her undead neighbors burning to ash.
The events that had followed after Sarah killed the intruders had never actually
happened; the family of three never lived ten years through the apocalypse, and the cure she
believed she had discovered was nothing but a cruel illusion. The night Sarah rescued her
father from the intruders, she failed to realize that he had transformed into a zombie.
Unbeknownst to her, the embrace they shared marked the moment when he bit her, sealing
her fate as one of the undead. Together, they descended into their home looking to satisfy
their hunger, and they savagely ripped into her mother’s chest. The government's brutal
solution to contain the disease of the zombie apocalypse was to localize the disease in
neighborhoods like Sarah's and burn the zombie-infested neighborhoods along with their
people.
 Sydney Elizondo
“Lucky’s Star”
Once upon a time not long ago, there was a girl named Adriana who lived
on a dry, lonely ranch with her parents. She was tasked to do most of the
chores with the horses, so she spent time there a lot, even though she grew
bored of the ranch. She imagined living somewhere else and moving from the
place she once loved. But one night, she was still putting her favorite horse
"Lucky" away when she heard the strangest noise pass through the sky along
with a bright flash of light. All of a sudden, Lucky started to run fast, almost
seeming to follow the light. Adriana grew frustrated since she had to go run
after Lucky, but she soon grew scared. She realized that the closer she got to
the path, the brighter the light grew. The light ahead seemed to grow brighter
as Lucky galloped towards it, his mane flowing wildly. Adriana's heart raced as
she chased after Lucky. The dry grass crunched under her boots due to the
drought that had gripped the ranch for the past few years. What was once a
lush, vibrant landscape had become a brittle, barren desert, and Adriana was
all too aware of the changing climate's impact on her home. The dry air made
her lungs feel like they were breathing in smoke. Adriana tried to call out to
him, but the sound seemed to be swallowed by the brightness. When she
finally caught up to the horse, she saw a large, glowing object resting on the
ground. It looked like a piece of a falling star, but as she got closer, she noticed
it was a craft of some kind. A door opened from the side of the craft, and a
figure emerged. It was unlike anything Adriana had ever seen: a tall, slender
being with skin that seemed to shimmer like the evening sky. The being's eyes
were large and expressive, conveying both curiosity and a deep sense of
worry. The being raised a hand, and a gentle voice filled the air as if it were
speaking through the wind itself. "Do not be afraid," it said, explaining that it
was from another world and had come to Earth to observe the impact of
climate change. Adriana was shocked to learn that the changes she saw on her
ranch—drying land, dead plants, and fewer animals—were part of a larger
global shift. She was warned that if humans didn't take action, Earth could
become even more barren and unstable. Adriana asked what she could do to
help, and the being suggested starting with small actions like conserving
water, reducing waste, and encouraging others to live more sustainably. The
being entered the craft and, with a burst of light, vanished into the night sky.
Adriana felt a newfound sense of purpose. She led Lucky back to the ranch,
determined to make a difference. She couldn't change the world alone, but she
knew she could start with her home.
 Maximus Escobedo
“Favian the Ignorant”
In a land not too unlike ours, there once lived a man named Favian. Favian was a wise and formidable man, known
all across the lands for his remarkable abilities. Businesses big and small would hire him for a time to do the work of a
hundred men, and he did so with utmost efficiency.
One day, Favian was hired to cut down a forest for a small business that wanted to expand its domain. When he
arrived at the forest, he began to realize that he had not seen any wildlife, except for a pair of crows who sat perched on
a tree above him, watching idly.
He then quickly got back to work; however, as he first swung his axe, he heard a voice: “Excuse me? Excuse me!” He
turned around to see the sight of an elegant and beautiful woman with ginger hair and a beautiful light green dress
covered with a wide assortment of flowers. “You are about to tear down my home!” she said in a steady tone. “Forgive
me, madam. I did not know there were still some that dwelled in this forest. I was only hired to cut this forest down for a
business to expand here.” The woman told him her name was Autumn. As they continued to converse, Favian fell deeply
in love with Autumn. “Beautiful Autumn, I beg of you to become my wife, and if you do, I shall cherish you and spoil you
with my riches forever.” Autumn was taken aback at first, but she could not help but also acknowledge his charming
personality, so she accepted. He told her he would give her a week to pack up her things from the forest and that he’d be
back to pick her up for her new life.
That week, Favian was hired by another business to operate at a chemical production plant on a beach. When he
arrived at the beach, his senses were bombarded. The salty smell of the ocean, the sounds of the waves crashing against
the sand, the bright and timid sun reflecting over the ocean’s surface—it was one of the most beautiful sights he had
ever seen. As he began walking to the building, the two crows from the forest arrived.
“Braaaawk! Leave, leave, leave at once! If you harm this ocean, you will harm all that is precious to you!” the first
crow cried.
“Braaaawk! Stay, stay, stay, you must! Remember all that is precious to you comes from your work!” the second
crow argued.
Favian ignored the calls of the first bird and said, "Quiet, you crazy crows! You interfere with my work!”
Favian then swayed his arm to intimidate the birds as they flew away. As Favian operated the factory, he did not
realize that all the chemical byproduct was being dumped onto the beach and the ocean. After his work was finished,
Favian witnessed a horrendous sight. The once rich and beautiful beach was now a toxic wasteland with chemicals
spread all over, killing much of the ocean life. Favian shrugged it off, knowing that he would be getting paid soon. He
then returned to the forest, where he found his beloved Autumn collapsed, her skin wrinkled and withering. He asked
her, “My love, what has happened to your beautiful skin?!” “It is only an illness, dear,” she responded. He was worried
about her health and allowed her another week to recover and pack her things. During this week, Favian was hired to
watch over and tend to a group of neighboring farmers’ crop fields while they were on vacation. When he arrived, the
birds arrived once again.
“Braaaawk! Leave, leave, leave at once! If you harm these fields, you will harm all that is precious to you!” the first
crow cried.
“Braaaawk! Stay, stay, stay, you must! Remember all that is precious to you comes from your work!” the second
crow argued.
Favian ignored the calls of the first bird and said, “Again with you crazy crows? Leave me be! You interfere with my
work!” He swayed his arm again, intimidating the birds as they flew away.
To make his job easier, Favian used high quantities of pesticides on the vegetation. While this kept the critters away
from the farmers' produce, it killed much of the nearby wildlife and environment, turning the sky gray. After his work was
done, he returned to the forest where his beloved stayed. When he arrived, he found her collapsed yet again. This time,
there were cracks in her chest, and she had a vile wheeze. He sprinted to her and asked, “My love, what is the matter?!
Why do you have cracks on your chest and wheeze so horribly?” “It is just an illness, dear,” she responded. “I have
extended your time here too long; I will take you to a village nearby where you will stay so I can finish my work.” After he
returned from the nearby village, he got straight to work cutting down the forest. When he got to the last tree, the crows
arrived once again. This time, the second crow landed on his shoulder.
“Look, look, look what you have done! You have destroyed the environment; you have harmed what is most
important to you!” the first crow cried.
“All I have done is work to get paid; that is most important to me,” Favian responded.
The second crow stayed silent.
“Your wife is in great danger because of what you’ve done!” the first crow argued.
Favian finally realized what the bird had warned him about: every time he poisoned and attacked the earth, he
harmed his beloved, Autumn. He sprinted as fast as he could to find his wife, but when he arrived at the village, it was
too late. All that remained of Autumn was the assortment of flowers from her dress. Favian felt nothing but remorse in
his heart. If only he had listened to that crazy crow. In that moment, Favian vowed to restore the environment he had
destroyed, as a final act of love for Autumn. He then made a grave for the memory of her, where he placed her flowers
on top. He wept over the flowers for days, weeks, years. One day, after the environment started to flourish once again, a
small sapling sprouted from her grave. The end.