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This collection is a collaborative effort by students in 6th-8th grades at Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy in Pasadena, California.
To honor the namesake of our library, science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, an alumna of our school, students were asked to create Science Fiction that asks "What if...," "If only...," or "If this goes on..." through short narrative, poetry, graphic fiction, drama, essay, or art & design.
To honor the namesake of our library, science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, an alumna of our school, students were asked to create Science Fiction that asks "What if...," "If only...," or "If this goes on..." through short narrative, poetry, graphic fiction, drama, essay, or art & design.
Copyright © 2022
Octavia E. Butler Library and Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy students as noted within.
All rights reserved.
1505 N Marengo Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
https://www.pusd.us/Page/49
Octavia E. Butler Library and Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy students as noted within.
All rights reserved.
1505 N Marengo Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
https://www.pusd.us/Page/49
1
One by One
by Aria Amin
by Aria Amin
I woke up with the alarm still ringing in my ear and run downstairs following the smell of french toast. I’m surprised to see my dad in the kitchen dipping bread in eggs cause usually my mom cooks. I honestly didn’t think much about it until I was served by my older sister Ruby. I asked where mom was and the room went dead silent! Ruby stuttered trying to put together a sentence when she looked at me and then looked down. I start sobbing but then, I wake up.
I run down the stairs and can’t help but notice the house not producing a single creak. I spot my sister on the front porch holding a photo of the family. I ask her where mom and dad are but she just gets up and walks away. I heard her whisper “it’s time to feed the dog.” The problem was we didn’t have a dog and that’s when I got completely freaked out. I bolted upstairs and into my parent's room where I would find only my dad snuggled up in the sheets. I went to wake him up but the second I touch him, he withers away, just then the whole room begins to vibrate.
Bzzzzzz, Bzzzzzzz my phone wakes me up with what seems like 10,000 notifications shaking the whole room. Remembering all those nightmares from before I got up and continued my normal morning routine. Brushing my teeth and hair, making my bed, and getting dressed before breakfast. I’m deeply hoping me trying to forget these dreams will set my mind back to normal. I calmly head downstairs and grab some waffles but no one seems to be awake yet. This made it extremely hard to forget about the nightmares but I just moved on with my morning. I really had to leave that house so I headed over to my neighbor's house where my best friend lives. They usually expect me there so when they didn’t answer the door, I was confused. Just then the house and everything around it begins fading, I’m left in a dark room with a small window. When I look out I see everyone I know and love.
I run down the stairs and can’t help but notice the house not producing a single creak. I spot my sister on the front porch holding a photo of the family. I ask her where mom and dad are but she just gets up and walks away. I heard her whisper “it’s time to feed the dog.” The problem was we didn’t have a dog and that’s when I got completely freaked out. I bolted upstairs and into my parent's room where I would find only my dad snuggled up in the sheets. I went to wake him up but the second I touch him, he withers away, just then the whole room begins to vibrate.
Bzzzzzz, Bzzzzzzz my phone wakes me up with what seems like 10,000 notifications shaking the whole room. Remembering all those nightmares from before I got up and continued my normal morning routine. Brushing my teeth and hair, making my bed, and getting dressed before breakfast. I’m deeply hoping me trying to forget these dreams will set my mind back to normal. I calmly head downstairs and grab some waffles but no one seems to be awake yet. This made it extremely hard to forget about the nightmares but I just moved on with my morning. I really had to leave that house so I headed over to my neighbor's house where my best friend lives. They usually expect me there so when they didn’t answer the door, I was confused. Just then the house and everything around it begins fading, I’m left in a dark room with a small window. When I look out I see everyone I know and love.
from the author: The short story One By One was inspired by a dream I had and Charlotte Vukojevich's story. When I created this piece I was thinking about my friends Charlotte & Lula who were in my dream and really influenced the story. One of the things I red that kind of created a bit of a beggining base to the story was Charlotte's story from 2 years ago for this competition. I was very inspired by the story which was called "Eclipse."
Aliens in DC
by Avery Buzzini
by Avery Buzzini
The aliens were all around us. They looked like robots but they were from space. They had come in huge flying discs and they had crashed into the white house. Some thought they were anarchists, others thought they were Aliens! But what came out of that disc shocked us all, they were ROBOTS!!! This was the day all humans dreaded the day they all got to yell the famous line of Paul Revere “THE BRITISH I mean ROBOTS ARE COMING!”
That's when I got my first clear view of them. Shiny metallic bodies like fresh quarters and eyes like hollow holes. Everyone was running everywhere. It was like a giant massacre. I had no idea what to do so I ran to my family's car but hid beside it. I was just hoping that they would not notice me and leave me alone.
I thought wrong. They came right over to me and picked me up. I could hear the gears whirring like heavy breathing and the creaking of the metal as the robot bent down. It grabbed me by the shirt and brought me up so I was face to face with it. I was staring into those deep eyes and realized I saw nothing but fear.
They did not want to be here; they had crashed in accidentally and the military was attacking them. They were scared. I tried yelling at everyone “THEY ARE NOT HERE TO FIGHT!” but no one would listen. This war was going to go on until one of the species was dead.
3
Then suddenly all the robots collapsed and the humans just stopped fighting. What happened? No one will ever know. All we know is that there are robot aliens being manufactured in space. And the worst part is there is really nothing us humans can do about it.
from the author: I had a prompt in class to write an alien story and I really liked the idea. I did the short story in class and then I decided I really liked it and wanted to submit it into the science fiction contest. I changed a few things but I really like the story.
Bug Sees
by Felipe Cisneros
by Felipe Cisneros
