2000 School Magazine

original works

SPACE SHUTTLE

A FRAGMENT ...

Neon digits pierce the blackness, Peppering the earth with tiny spotlights, The fear of black, fading deep into memory, Dissolved in the death of a thousand twilights. Beyond the pall that smothers the earth, a shuttle drifts slowing with analyst's eyes, follows contours of mountains and quiet ocean, nurtured, the protectors, the ancient skies. The shuttle moves free of gravity's grip, careless and weightless - of moon inspiration, she navigates the spotlight guides, the magic of blackness, a twilight creation. Anno Wo!sh I I Engiond The Dons Woreker7bwnsend Memorial Writers Coinp 2000

I couldn't believe it. I still can't. After all, how likely is it that I'd end up clinging to a tree in a forest in California, with a large, angry Sasquatch throwing oranges at my editor as he crouched behind a Volkswagon? But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm going to start at what can be loosely termed the beginning. It all started ... well, when it really all started was when I finished high school, and, having no idea whatlwanted to do for a living, chosejournalism because I was vaguely interested in writing and because it looked relatively easy. Heh. Compared to single-handed Iy building the Great Pyramid of Giza, perhaps. At that time, however, I didn't know that. So I went to university, and eventually got a degree, as is expected of university students' A few years later I went over to America. Let me tell you about the newspaper I work for. It's a cheap tabloid, basically. it has no class, no morals, and writing that would have to be edited in a serious way before it could even be called atrocious. I'm sort of fond of it though. Everyone else talks about getting out, getting a job at a real newspaper, but I'm happy here. It's not as though a real newspaper would hire anyone who'd worked at the New York Ace anyway. My job is mostly paranormal, X-Files stuff. You know the sort of thing ... anI was abducted by aliens who are cloning Elvis!' says New Jersey woman. " "Crop Circles Shaped Liked Michelle Pfeiffer's Nose Found in Utah!" Complete trash, but I like it. I enjoy working late hours, travelling, even interviewing all the wackos, nuts and spotlight seekers that come up with these things. This particular morning I was on the phone with a man who swore his dog could sing. I asked him what the creature sang. "Ella Fitzgerald songs, " he answered seriously. Now there's a can ine with taste. The guy wasjust in the middle of telling me about the warm-up exercises Fido had to do to improve his pitch when Scott, my editor, planted himself in front of my desk with a computer printout and an excited gleam in his eye. "Drop whatever you're doing, Fiona. I've got something much more important. "

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"I'm on the phone. "

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"So hang up. "

"I'm sorry Kenneth, I have to go, "I told the Dog-man. "I'll keep you updated on his progress, "was the answer. "You do that. " I hung up. "What is it?" I ve got a great story. Ijust got an email about it. There's been a Sasquatch sighting in Northern California. "

Meredith Goldon I I Woolcock Sculpture

"Who or what is a Sasquatch?"

"It's a Bigfoot. "

"Scott, there are so many stories about Bigfoots that even I can't wring anything new about that. " "Ah, but you're not going to call it a Bigfoot. You're going to call it a Sasquatch. And I'm pretty sure that the plural of Bigfoot is Bigfeet. " "Whatever. The thing is, no one wants to read about a Bigfoot anymore. Not even the readers of the Ace will buyinto that old turkey. Anyway, the famous sighting of the Bigfoot was in Northern California too. Won't that look a little suspicious?" "It'11 corroborate our story, Fiona. it'11 look more realistic. "

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"A Bigfoot looking realistic. Right ..."

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Uust get out there, will you? It'11 boost that paper's circulation and that's allthat matters. "

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PhDebe Coulon-MCIntosh I I Mockoy The Dons Worekerlbwnsend Memorial Writers Camp 2000

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