Journal Entry #17
Artemis Verona
Subject: Sick

I got sick not too long ago. Really, really sick. My temperature got to about 103 degrees, and Mommy and Daddy took me to the hospital. Mommy was really scared and crying, and Daddy tried to calm her down. Aunt Lia showed up and told me I’d be okay and tried to calm Mommy down too. And then I remember sleeping a lot. Like, it felt like days. Or weeks. I know it wasn’t weeks, but it felt like a really long time. I know I woke up a few times, but not much. It felt better to sleep. I felt so tired and hot and achy, and I just wanted to lay there until the sick feelings went away. While I slept, I had all kinds of weird dreams. But the weird thing about them is, they felt so real.

In all my dreams, a pretty woman in white came and talked to me. She looked kind of like Mommy and had the same hair, but she was different. She told me that I would be okay. She said I would heal and that she was happy to see that I was living with a loving, happy family. The weirdest part is, she said she’d see me again when I was all grown up. She knew my name and acted like she’d known me forever. It was weird, but then again it was a dream. But I kind of liked it. Usually, when I’m sick, I have really scary dreams. This was nicer.

When I woke up and told Mommy and Aunt Lia about the dream, Mommy told me it was just a dream. But Aunt Lia got a weird look on her face and asked me about the lady. When I told her everything I remembered, she smiled really big, like she’d just been told she won a million dollars or something, and she said that everyone would be okay after all. Mommy looked at her strange, so maybe Aunt Lia was just saying it to make me feel better. But Mommy also looked a little scared. Isn’t that weird? I guess when I’m older, I’ll understand.


Eva Desjardin
Journal Entry #17
Subject: Bullying

I think bullying is a serious problem, but grownups don’t always act like it is. They say that maybe you did something to cause it, or that all kids go through it, or something stupid like that. I wish they would just open their eyes and see what’s going on right in front of them. Is it my fault that I wasn’t born beautiful like Jane or adorable like Leah? Is it my fault that I don’t care about wearing what’s “in” and listening to Kodie Madison or B-Band? What’s wrong with wanting to read and wear sensible clothes? We’re told to be ourselves, that we’re all unique. But the people who actually try to be themselves are the ones that suffer. They’re called “ugly” and “four-eyes” and “loser” and all kinds of bad words.


But the grownups say it’s my fault, that I should try harder to make friends. But how can I be friends with them if they won’t listen to me, except to find new stuff to laugh at? They won’t even let me try, so instead I limp into class late, with scrapes on my knees and dirt all over my clothes, to be yelled at by the teacher. And then I have to hurry home and clean up before anyone sees what happened to me. Maybe Mom and Dad would even say that I should try harder. So, instead, I clean myself up, fix the tears in my clothes, soak the stains out, and cry.


Leah Desjardin
Journal Entry #17
Subject: Eva

Something is wrong with Eva. She acts like nothing is, but I know. I see her sneak into the house, peeking to make sure no one sees. Then, when she thinks no one is near, she runs up the stairs and slams her door shut. I follow her up and hear her crying, real quiet, in her room. And later on, when I go in our bathroom, she has her clothes hanging up on the shower curtain rod, drying. And there’s pieces of thread on the sink. She’s been using a lot of Band-Aids lately, mostly on her knees and elbows. She doesn’t run around during recess, so I know that’s not how she’s getting hurt. At home, I don’t think she ever trips on anything. And she looks so sad when we’re going to school, even though she gets good grades. I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m really scared, though. I know something bad is making her act like this. I wish she would tell me or Mommy or Daddy. Maybe one of the grownups could make it all go away, and she’ll be happy again!