Memoir 

Under the Rain | Free Write 2/6/13

The rain falls slowly, drenching everything. It gently caresses all it finds, cleansing, washing away. Leaving no trace of the taint that was there before. Not even the air is forgotten. Slowly the rain clears it all away, until only the true self is left. Under the rain, nothing can hide. Except for us, as we scurry away to take shelter from it's warm embrace, from its truth. Name it sadness and grief. When it is true happiness.

Sensory Language

 Tree, Effects of the wind, Television, Squirrel, Keyboard

Wind, Singing, Rollercoaster, laughter, Typing

Sweat, Food, Dogs, Perfume, Air freshener

Food, Hair, Cardboard, Sawdust, Keyboard

Skin, Cloth, Leather, Wood, Keys

            As I sat in class, the rhythmic patter of finger’s upon keys playing like music, my mouth felt as if I had just tried to swallow sawdust. My tongue felt like leather as I tried to swallow so I could finally think straight. I had to think of something, anything to put down on my paper, yet I just sat there staring at the blank screen, my cursor making its little disappearing act, on off on off. A cold tendril of sweat ran down along my back, tickling the fine tiny hairs in its path. What to write about? What to say? My stomach grumbled, just another distraction as my body decided now would be the perfect time to remind me I hadn’t had any breakfast that morning. My hand twitched as it hovered just above the keyboard and I let out a small trill of nervous laughter. What to write about, what to do? Maybe the tree I thought to myself, yes the tree. I looked at it, its grand trunk soaring majestically upwards in the classroom. How could I have ignored it for so long? Perhaps the same way the rest of the class had, we must’ve been so engrossed in our work that we didn’t even see the long thin branches whiz past our faces in the breeze, didn’t hear the slight rustle of razor sharp leaves slicing the wind, the soft crack of swaying branches. Then came a deafening roar, as the chainsaw bit deep into its side. I lept from my chair screaming, without the tree I would have nothing to write about.

“Help” I cried to my classmates, yet they did nothing, simply looked at me in a combination of surprise and horror. Why didn’t they see? Why didn’t they help? The long brown trunk began its long fall, screaming out its final moments as it toppled to the floor. I ran around in hysterics until the paramedics arrived. “Finally, please you have to help” I cried, as they slowly approached me and the tree, quick maybe we can still save her. One looked at us for a long moment before pulling out a needle and moving forward. “Please you have to save her, you have to help” I begged as he came slowly closer. I looked back down at her frustrated that he was taking so long, then felt an icy harp sting in my arm as the strangest tingle began to spread…

Behind me | Free Write 1/28/2013

I ran, not looking back, no no never even dare to look back, if I look back I'm lost, if I look back it gets me. So I ran, ran and ran as fast as could be, fearful, terrified, trembling because it was behind me, it was coming, it was near. My legs stumbled and arms pinwheeled but I couldn't stop to regain my balance oh no I can't stop can never stop, because it's behind me, it's coming, it wants me. So I ran, ran as fast as a coursing river, as fast as my legs could go. Still, it was behind me, it was coming. I could hear it now, hear it's soft breeze like breathing, hear the light padding of it's feet upon the ground. It's was no closer than before, yet no farther either, it was behind me, and so I ran.

Today | Free Write 1/16/2013

Today is the day I fell into the black abyss. Today is the day I ran, never once thinking to look back. 

Today is the day I gave in to selfish desire, and lost everything I held dear. 

Today I gave up on hope. Today I gave up on love. 

Today, for the first time, I truely understood pain. 

Today I felt my heart torn in half. Today I watched that half fly away. 

Today I knew emptyness. Today I knew sorrow. 

Today I learned what first inspired man, to paint, to write, to create. Today I understood what made him destroy. 

Today, I saw my world torn asunder.

Intro

Hello everyone, I'm Perry Stoops. I was born and raised in Plano Texas, the youngest child of three at nineteen years old with my older brother and sister being thirty-seven and thirty-five respectively. I moved to Springfield about 8 months or so ago, both to get away from Texas and because of nearby family, and this is my second term at OTC. Currently I am going for a transfer degree in education and hope to teach history. I have a strange fascination with quotes and am an avid reader, especially of sci-fi with my favorites being Star Wars and Halo.