Written by Claire Qiu from Emma Willard School, New York, USA The world had shrunk to the sound of footsteps. Theirs—sharp and relentless on the mall's polished floor. Ours—frantic and breathless. "Just talk to us!" Amelia shrieked, her voice slicing through the Saturday crowd. We dove into a clothing store, a blur of bright colors and blank-faced mannequins greeting us. I prayed the crowd would swallow us. But they were right behind us, their voices erupting into shrill, fur
Written by Vincent Lin from China They often say, no rainbow without rain. Well, the water’s poured all monsoon season — unending, interminable, rainbowless. Water curtains flood, dappled with my despair, friendships too broken to repair, my life tangled like hair. “Sissy!” calls my “friend”, and no one lends a helping hand. Under dazzling neon lights, they’re all fake as my feigned delight. Oh please... tell me what I’ve done wrong, for being born this way — born
