He sits there on the stool lost in his own mind, pondering every good thing that has happened to him for a second and every bad thing for three seconds. Blank stare on his face, so pale you’d think he was dead, but you know hes not because he hasn’t stopped ordering drinks for the past couple hours.
He sits there motionless gazing into the corner, picking up glasses and slamming them down. Then a single tear rolls down his cheek and drips off his chin, somethings not right. A well dressed, handsome kid sits at a bar poisoning himself to ease the pain. He hasn’t moved an inch in over an hour, but he has been gripping a small shot glass tightly in his left hand.
The glass looked like a speck compared to the mound of glasses on his right side. There was something about his eyes that stood out, the deep stare he was currently trapped in showed that he had seen something horrible. He wouldnt let go or loosen his grip on the glass, it was like he was holding on to something he didnt want to let go off, something special.
He seems as if he'd lost someone before but not to this degree.
Kimberly was in an old chair in an empty house that sat in the streets of D.C. She wore ragged clothes, and looked far older than 35. What she experienced in those years was more than many experience in a life time. In her hand she held a small object. This object struck a smile from her face as tears streamed down. Today was different. She was not at work; she was not worried; she just simply let everything her life was up to that point sink in. The object she held was more than just a children's toy; it was all she had left. It held the memory of a time when both her boyfriend and son were in her life. She knew raising her son would be hard at 16, but when her boyfriend decided to join the army, the difficulty truly set in. She fought for 18 years to make the best possible life for her son, but what she really needed was to be harder on him. It was too late now. She knew he had a drug abuse

problem, but addressed the issue with love because she knew he had been through a lot without a father in his life. He knew his mother loved him, but his decisions reflected he had no idea. The depression was too much, painkillers were the only friend he wanted in life. Now Kimberly only had a memory to remember her son by. The toy she held was given to her son by his father when he came home from war on
Christmas, only to be killed when he was deployed again. Although the house was empty, she did not embrace lonliness. The toy she held kept the presence of her loved ones.
As she glared at herself from outside the tinted store window, she debates whether or not if she has the right anout of yarn to last her. Wanoyna Eisenberg pushed down on her face to watch the wrinkles and imperfections slowly retract back to acceptable. She winced at her flakey, alabaster skin that used to be at the end of every compliment. She began to focus on herself, then to admiring the young man working the register, then back at the reflection she wished didnt belong to her. Her brittle and veiny sand paper hand brush out and tuck the split ends and knots of the old women's thin grey hair. The women's eyes fill with tears and a drop runs the course of the crevices on her face. As she strangles the knitting needles in her hand to try to forget what she sees, she closes her eyes, and imagines herself 40, even 50 years earlier. Her eyes shutter open and she doesn't begin to recognize the person she dreamt up, and honestly, she's not sure if she remembered her at all. Waking up to the realization of her appearance, she pushed back her hair, worked so hard to make hersef presentable, and recalled her dead line, "I'm late"..
Sitting in his house, his huge vacant house house he was by himself. Crippled by debt, lonely, and depressed. How did he get himself to this point. A month ago he was on top of the world. He had everything he wanted at his fingertips. Now he

is sitting alone in his big empty house. Stuck with an alcohol addiction and an empty wallet. 2 months ago Marcus won the lottery. It wasn't a big one, $10 million.
But to Marcus Costanza it seemed like more money than he could count. Marcus was poor growing up. He grew up in
Brooklyn. Even though he didn't have much money his mom always made sure he looked presentable. He was driven in school. Had a high motor. He ended up getting into a nice private high school on a scholarship. He did well for himself and got a scholarship to St.Johns. He now works as a manager at radio shack.
John throws his toy riddle across the room and it smashes into his 50” flat screen. He’s been trying to solve this riddle since he was 14 but with no luck. Today he just can’t take this mediocre life he’s found himself in. Every day he comes home from work, exhausted from the stressful day he makes for himself. The same thing day in and day out and he can’t take it anymore. He sits and thinks where he went wrong in life. He has a son who he never talks to and a wife who is threatening divorce. He realizes even though he has started his own business, and made good money in doing so, he wasn’t happy.
He hasn’t been happy for a long time though he can’t quite understand why. For someone who was so successful in life you would never be able to tell. His family is falling apart and
John feels as though he is wasting away his life. He isn’t sure exactly where it went wrong, maybe he was just too focused on work and not on his wife and son. He thinks back to a time when he was happy and thought his best days were ahead of him. John decides that he will turn his life around today, and there's no stopping him.
The sun is shining on the trees, birds are chirping, and a nice cool breeze is in the air. Butterflies are fluttering around and the world seems still. Jade is relaxing on a chair listening to the wilderness around her. A picnic basket is sitting at her

side. Her camera is in her hands ready to take a snap shot of anything that catches her eye.
She remembers all of the happy times with her grandmother, and all the times they came to this exact spot.
Jade's grandmother gave her a stuffed bear in this memorial spot, when she was a little girl. This object is a symbol of happiness with her grandmother. When she looks at this beloved object, her thoughts go to her grandmother. She will pass down this object through her family history.
It's Monday morning the sun is rising and Clyde is fast asleep.
He's hit snooze on his alarm 3 times. It's 7:15 his mom is screaming at him to get up. His Xbox controller still on his bed from passing out while playing last night. His room is a mess, clothes all over the floor. Drool dripping on his pillowcase,blankets over his head. Dogs barking and howling wanting to go out for a walk. His Grandma is making breakfast. He knows he's going to be late. He's too lazy to care.His hair is all messed up and oily. Next to his bed is unused tissues from the night before. His face is covered in pimples and there's a bottle of proactive in his bathroom.
The time is eight thirty sharp. Clarke sits in his kitchen eating his cereal reading the paper as if it was a normal day. But to him it is not a normal day, today he is visiting his Gand father in Lake Erie. Clarke isnt what you would call an outdoors

person.His grandfather on the other hand has lived next to a lake his hole life and loves the out doors. Clark's grand father has asked him to come out for awhile now and Clarke has finally decided to go. Clarke has lived in the city his hole life and still lives there with his girlfriend. Needless To say Clarke is not happy about it. He enjoys a very routine life and this shake up isn't what he prefers. He runs his fingers through is long black hair and adjusted his glass as he tries to read the paper but can not focus. The dream if the night prior is lingers in his mind. The dream was his grandfather and him watching a sunset. He doesn't have dreams that often so this has made him conserved and think if it means anything. The silence of the house is nothing he isn't used to. He wakes up early before his girlfriend and is by himself most of the days. For being a writer clarke is in great physical shape. he works out every morning and eat healthy.The life of a newspaper is long and not very exciting but that's the way Clark enjoys it. He is shy and loves to write. Writing is where is comfortable. He is done with his thoughts and gets up and exclaims "well lets get this over with".
Thome rubs the mirror from the condensation from the warm water. He could see his wet black hair and his jet-black eyes looking at himself. As he reaches for the towel he sees his sons bath toy and he starts to really think if he should take this opportunity to go to america and finally make it big for what hes been working on for so many years, or stay with his boy and make sure he is safe. He picks up the shaving cream and applies it generously to his scruffy shadow. He has a clean shave he did not prick himself this time. He walks in his closet to see 5 similar suits that as a boy he never even saw a suit, and changes into one. He sits on the bed thinking about if he should go or not. He walks down the steps and like always the third from the bottom has the slightest creek. He goes into the kitchen to see his son, eating breakfast and the nanny getting ready for a days worth of school. At that

moment watching his boy read a book and see how smart he has become, utters to himself “do it”. He looked down at his watch which was a family heirloom, the watch that which has been handed down from his father on his golden skin, he had to go to work. He kissed his son good bye and left for the day.
On the bus he sat, on the old worn down leather seat. It had a large rip right in between his legs. He sat staring out the window making sure to avoid any eye contact with any fellow passengers. It was a cold late night, mid march. The window was fogged over with condensation, but a small see through portion where he had wiped away the condensation. He was in a strait stare. Avoiding the madness all around him. There aren't to many normal people riding a Philly bus at 11:30. He sat there, fidgeting with a green, slightly worn eagles knit cap.
A hat he had gotten just 6 months ago. 6 months ago, when things were normal. 6 months ago when his father was still alive. 6 months ago when he enough money to get by. Now, now he's almost out. Terrified of the thought of what will become of him when he runs out, he returns to staring out the window. Looking at the lit up Philadelphia he utters "I'm gonna get out of here"
The ripples in his reflection seemed all too familiar. He gazed; not at the puddle, but at the clouded image of himself. The lanky, tower of a man looked tired. His He was full of emotion; the remnants of shattered happiness in his facial expression.
Although the man was frowning, he seemed determined. His wisdom and creativity showed through his raggedy windbreaker and ripped jeans. Examining himself, he stood completely still; his clothes rustling from the crisp wind. 'How did i let myself sink this low?' He thought. All contact with his family had ceased years ago, but still, he chased his broken past. He was lost. He pondered the realization, then continued onward through the murky puddle that was his life.

After playing with his toy monkey, Pierre pondered as he walked passed the empty room, freezing on the spot. The room collected dust, dark and mysterious. There was a missing feeling taking over the room as if someone should still be here, but isn't. The smell of his grandfather's cologne still filled the air. He wanted to cry but he ran out of tears. Instead his face was blank and emotionless. On the inside, there was anger, bitterness, and guilt built up. His long mullet blew through the hot wind of albuquerque, which was rare to come by.He always has he comb on him in case of times like this .Pierre looked like his grandfather. Freckles and thick framed glasses.
Pierre missed him very much, watching his grandfather getting mauled by the gorilla was the most tragic thing he has ever witnessed. All that was left was the monkey that played the symbol. it was now broken, dented and beat up. Similar to how he was felling right about now.pierre hated the sight of that toy, it was gave off bad vibes and memories, yet he still felt the need to hold on to it. He was just a tweleve year old boy, how could he overcome this. His parents were busy,constantly working, they spent little time with him.His father is a CEO of a computer company and his mother was a lawyer. It felt as if his grandfather was truly the only one that cared and spent time with him the most. Who will be the one to pick out his outfit, get him ready for school, take him to chior practice and just be around when he needed someone?
Pierre didnt get along with his parents, he was a an annoyance, he was misbehaved but also miss understood. If only kids could connect with him like his grandfather did. But he is gone and Pierre must move on.
As a sixteen year old Grace sat on her bed at the foster home she started falling asleep and dreaming about her life

the day of the accident. She clearly remembers almost every detail of that day. As my brother and I brother woke up in our new bedroom at our grandmother's house we heard the steady beat of the rain as it hit the roof. I still felt the saddness of not having my mother around. She permently lost custody of us.
After breakfast our grandma got ready for work and we got ready for school. Getting in the car in a huge rush, I grabbed my favorite dress up costume. As we exited our rural neighborhood we entered the highway and went on our way.
Ten minutes into our half an hour car ride I heard my grandma scream. That was the last thing I remember, I looked over to try to find my brother. He was nowhere to be seen.
Then waking up in a hospital and learning the horrible news.
A dark and depressing feeling came over me. As she woke up she cried. Going through life without anyone else was extremely difficult. All she desired was someone to call a family, and someone who loved her.
Vacant. A word that had once began a new chapter in john's life was now ending it. The word vacant carries with it an empty ring, the same empty ring that seemed so loud through out the apartment. When John and Wanda had first seen the apartments the word vacancy had excited them. They were perfect. Perfect size, perfect price, great location. They were thrilled that there was vacancy.
The emptiness in the apartment had given John a feeling of opportunity. He had graduated high school and also acquired his job as a sanitation engineer. But his biggest accomplishment of all, his most joyous achievement was finding his wife. In high school no one had expected anything of John, his own mother had planned for him to live with her forever. Yet here John was, moving into an apartment with his wife.
But now the emptiness in the apartment was heart wrenching.
John stood motionless, staring at the only item left in the place: a foam Eagle's hat. He had nothing. No job, no wife, no

apartment, just his regret and the hat. He had thrown it All away for his first passion: the eagles.
John had always loved the Eagles. Being a fan was religious for him. He worshipped the players and never missed watching a game. All his clothes were Eagle's fan wear from his shoes to his hat. When the Eagle's had made it to the Super Bowl he had no reservations to spend all his money on premium tickets. His boss had warned him if he skipped work for the game he would be fired, but what did his job matter? He was going to live his dream. He went to the game anyway, and to commemorate the moment he bought a foam eagle's hat.
But had it been worth it? He thought now. He lost his job; when his wife had discovered all their money was gone she packed everything and left. The only item left was the hat.
Everything was empty, especially john's heart. Everytime he looked at the foam eagle head it reminded him of everything he'd lost and what it was worth.
"Vacant ." John said, and it echoed through the empty apartment, ringing in his ears over and over.
As Gabby was rummaging through her drawer to find a pair of socks. She saw her old lucky socks from when she was 5. She grabbed them out and held them gently in her hands. She gazed at the white, worn out socks with pink and purple butterflies and flowers on them. She inspected the dirt stains at the bottom from always running around with no shoes on outside. These socks brought back so many different emotions and memories. She started to feel the loneliness she felt when she was five. She remembers the fight like it was just yesterday. She hears her parents screaming at each other. She was quickly putting her lucky socks on to go outside and escape from her lonely reality. She can smell the wet grass when it down poured the night before. Adventuring through the woods observing every little thing around her. She hears a faint cry, sounding like a baby animal. She began to look around as she sees a little ball of fur. She moves a couple

leaves out of the way and notices it's a baby kitten. Gabby picks it up and started to run towards the house. Not caring at all about running through the mud puddles. She has never felt so happy before. Once she goes to open the door her dad is running out of the house with all his bags. She tried telling her dad to wait and maybe this kitten can make things better but he just kept going. Gabby runs inside and sees her mom crying on the couch. She hands her mom the kitten and her mom looks up with a huge smile on her face. Gabby knew that this was the day her lucky socks came in handy. Suddenly,
Gabby hears her mom calling out to her asking if she is ready to go.
She reaches for the beef cattle tape with the feeling of disgust.
The smell of the cattle make her tense. Anna’s green eyes fierce with the look of frustration and anger. As she zones out thinking of her first time she was taught how to kill cattle.
Anna's father, john, took her to their factory in Kansas. The building was large and bland. For only being 13, Anna was nervous at what to expect. As she walked through the blue doors she noticed all the cows were lined up on a conveyer belt. Her father took her to the catwalk above the conveyer belt. He grabbed two objects that resemble a power nailing gun. He then began to tell her that it was called a stunner. He described that the stunner shot a metal bolt the size of a thick pencil, into the cattle’s brain,to cause brain damage. Knowing she was going to make a cow brain dead made her sick to her stomach. She remembers her long, curly blonde hair falling in her face as she tried not to look. She took off her glasses so things would not be as clear. Being to shy to say anything,
Anna drilled the metal bolt right between the cow's eyes. After, tears filled in her bright green eyes but did not let one drop.
Ever since that moment Anna has become very outspoken to her father. Being responsible Anna still helps out her father with work but will never enter those blue doors again. As

much as Anna cares for her father they will never see eye to eye. As she zones back in hearing her father yell her name,
She shouts "coming" with the sound of annoyance in her voice.