Stone Soup

Where young artists paint the world with words

The international literary project for students 8 - 18. Stories, poems, and art by young writers and artists since 1973.

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Beating the Storm

I zoom uphill
Take a cautious turn onto the road
Coasting downhill feels great
Like jumping in the ocean
No pedaling, a cool breeze
Still lurking in my mind
The thought of pushing the limit
To go back uphill
I slowly come across a steep hill
My thighs burn
I am going in slow motion
But it is worth going up this hill
For the thrill of going down the other side
The cool air whips across my shirtless skin
I rocket down the hill

Hill by hill I pedal
Until my body feels like one big wet noodle
A storm cloud approaches
Making it more of a challenge to get to the lake

The air feels like swimming in hot water
I finally reach the last hill
My energy bursts
Like squeezing water from a sponge

I reach the lake
Relief fills my body
First move… JUMP IN
The water is perfect

Beating the Storm Alec Zollman
Alec Zollman, 13
Strafford, New Hampshire