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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dream, Bassett (6/12/2021)

I‌‌walked‌‌around‌‌the‌‌strange‌‌world.‌‌The‌‌people‌‌of‌‌it‌‌all‌‌had‌‌different‌‌reactions‌‌to‌‌my‌‌existence.‌‌                  Some‌‌noticed‌‌me,‌‌some‌‌just‌‌continued‌‌on.‌‌The‌‌people‌‌here‌‌were‌‌blurred‌‌and‌‌foggy.‌‌They‌‌were‌‌                 graying‌‌and‌‌any‌‌color‌‌they‌‌barely‌‌had‌‌was‌‌muted.‌‌As‌‌if‌‌they‌‌were‌‌on‌‌the‌‌verge‌‌of‌‌disappearing.‌‌                   I‌‌keep‌‌on‌‌going.‌‌Until‌‌I‌‌find‌‌someone‌‌different.‌‌Their‌‌colors‌‌are‌‌bright.‌‌When‌‌they‌‌noticed‌‌me‌‌                  their‌‌colors‌‌changed.‌‌Their‌‌skin‌‌went‌‌bright‌‌yellow,‌‌their‌‌hair‌‌was‌‌now‌‌a‌‌startling‌‌purple‌‌and‌‌their‌‌                  eyes‌‌were‌‌pink.‌‌Suddenly‌‌they‌‌pivoted‌‌and‌‌ran‌‌through‌‌a‌‌shortcut‌‌which‌‌I‌‌would‌‌swear‌‌on‌‌my‌‌                  life‌‌hadn’t‌‌been‌‌there‌‌before.‌‌I‌‌started‌‌to‌‌jog,‌‌and‌‌then‌‌run‌‌towards‌‌the‌‌shortcut.‌‌I‌‌was‌‌a‌‌foot‌‌                    away‌‌when‌‌the‌‌shortcut‌‌closed‌‌up,‌‌turning‌‌into‌‌a‌‌solid‌‌wall.‌‌I‌‌groaned‌‌in‌‌defeat‌‌until‌‌I‌‌notice‌‌an‌‌                    alleyway.‌‌I‌‌follow‌‌it,‌‌and‌‌suddenly‌‌I'm‌‌chasing‌‌the‌‌strange‌‌person‌‌again.‌‌The‌‌terrain‌‌seems‌‌to‌‌be‌‌                  evolving‌‌to‌‌help‌‌the‌‌runner‌‌by‌‌creating‌‌paths‌‌and‌‌ramps‌‌for‌‌them,‌‌but‌‌only‌‌hurdles‌‌&‌‌hills‌‌for‌‌                   me.‌ ‌I‌ ‌run‌ ‌and‌ ‌run‌ ‌until‌ ‌I‌ ‌fall‌ ‌down‌ ‌panting‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌runner‌ ‌disappears.‌ ‌I‌ ‌wake‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌cold‌ ‌sweat.‌‌‌