The Roar 2024 Winter Writing Contest – High School Runner-Up
they walk under a canopy of grey
sharing quick icy glances
fleeting moments in time
they walk, shadowed within the dark
building a white wall around themselves
a shiny facade of strength
an illusion to hide behind
yet nothing can stop them
as they slowly fade away
What else would they want?
this world is all too familiar
a scene I enter,
a door I open,
a path I take.
and before I can catch my breath
a cold wind whips through my hair
like a sword slicing crisp air
I am now numb
void of sensation and feeling
yet a thought rings again and again
a lone chime in the wind
echoing through the walls of my mind
Why am I here?
How did I get here?
the wind has now intensified
as my arms lift up to the grey sky
What happened to the color that used to be?
The sparks in our hearts?
The individuality of our minds?
No, no, I must not give in
I press the soles of my feet into the ground
but no matter how hard I try
the wind threatens to tear me apart
so I shut my eyes close
and imagine a world of my own.
Falling
Falling
Falling
I drop to the ground
and suddenly, like magic
I’m not numb anymore
I catch the warmth of my inner fire
summon the dancing flames of my dreams
up and up they rise
lighting up a new vision in my eyes
and, just like that, the wind has stopped.
The Roar 