The End

Dear Diary,

It’s about 12 am and we have been walking for hours. We are taking a short break. I have never felt so weak and defenseless in my life. It’s so hard to put on foot in front of the other. And to think, I have to do that a billion more times. But, it’ll be worth it. When we get there we’ll be safe. I know it’s crazy to think that everything will magically fall into place once we, illegal immigrants mind you, reach Canada. But, anything will be better than this. Got to go, we’ve got to start walking again.

8:37 pm. That’s the time we reached Canada. That’s the time everything went wrong. Once we reach the boarder, the officers there realized we didn’t have passports. We were thrown into jail. Now, the jail thing isn’t that bad really. I have a bed, and 3 guaranteed meals everyday. What’s bad is that we got separated. My dad and Mr. Petersburg got sent to a jail for males. My mom and my sister got sent to a female jail. And I  got sent to a juvenile detention center. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know how to cope with this. Everything I’ve been through, I got through with the help of my family (Mr. Petersburg included). Now what am I supposed to do?!?!? I know that prayer is the answer, but I can’t keep these thoughts out of my head 24/7.

It’s been a 23 days since I was allowed to write in you. I feel like I should start here since what I have to say is a continuation of what happened weeks ago. I was in the juvenile detention center until 1 day ago, which was yesterday. My time there was awful. The teens there were HUGE! None of them smiled. I don’t think I heard a single laugh. Anyway, fights happened all the time and I never felt safe. You know how some people say that they don’t belong somewhere. Well, that’s how I felt. I couldn’t relate to anyone on any level.

Thankfully my parents, sister, and Mr. Petersburg were released 4 days after they were arrested because they were adults. But, they had a hard time getting them to release me. I mean, what good was I to them? I didn’t even commit a crime. But long story short, we were all reunited.

I think I’m ready to close this part of my life and start a new. So, I don’t think I’m going to write in you anymore. We’ve had some good times together.

Goodbye.

Starved

Dear Diary,

I fear today might very well be my last time writing in you. You see, our food supply has been gone for the past two weeks. But, now our water has run out. We didn’t expect it to last, but with the addition of Mr. Petersburg, it ran out a little faster than we would have hoped. Don’t get me wrong, we are all happy that he is with us, and we wouldn’t change a thing. I just wish our story had a happier ending.

My dad says that we need to make the final trip to Canada by tomorrow or else we will be too weak later on down the road. In all honesty, I’m cold, hungry, wet, and just down right angry, but I will NOT let them win. I will NOT let this inconvenience take those dear to me. We WILL make it. Our people are known for their durability.

Of course, the first thing I’m going to do when I get to Canada is shower, take eat until I can’t move, then promptly fall asleep.

The New Law

Dear diary,

Mr. Petersburg had to join us in hiding. It seems we were right in assuming someone was tipping off the police. He came home one day and found three police cars outside his house. He stayed with a friend until he could make it to us. Oh well, the more the merrier I guess. But, in the short few days we have been here, a lot has changed.

Mr. Petersburg told us about how martial law had been set into play. The rules were absolutely ridiculous if I do say so my self.

1.     Caucasians and other ethnicities cannot be seen with an African American.

2.     Caucasians and other ethnicities must be home by 10 pm.

3.     African Americans are allowed to shop from 10 pm-12 am.

4.     African Americans can only get four items per person.

5.     African Americans must shop in their designated areas.

6.     African Americans are NOT allowed to be outside during daylight for any reason.

And last but certainly the stupidest of them all,

7.     African Americans cannot “mix” with another ethnicity.

These rules, these… limitations, are complete and utter rubbish. THEY DON’T EVEN MAKE SENSE.  If everyone has to be home by curfew, then who in this world is going to open his/her store for us? I’m sure it’s their plan for us to slowly starve to death.

You know, it’s sad that the only thing I found surprising is that they had the decency to say African American.

The Storm

Dear Diary,
Hey there. We arrived at the shed a few hours before sunrise and I am currently completely and utterly confused. The exact time: unknown. The date: unknown (even when I had a calendar I rarely knew). The location: unknown (though I'm sure we are about 5 hours away from Canada's boarder). As you can see, I know absolutely nothing other than the fact that we have only been here a few hours, and we already have a problem. There's a storm coming.

Now, I know what your thinking. It's just a storm. That's true, but how would you feel if the only thing separating you from pouring rain, menacing thunder, and lightening are 4 flimsy walls. I wouldn't be so afraid if the walls were, I don't know, STABLE! Not only do the walls look as if the could collapse at any give moment, but the roof has holes everywhere.


All we can do is pray.

The Move

Dear Diary,
Some people are getting suspicious of Mr. Petersburg. I don't know what tipped them off though. Maybe it was all the food he bought. That must be it because we have been laying lower than low. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. My dad and Mr. Petersburg think that we should close the distance between us and Canada ASAP. When they said ASAP, I was expecting next week at the earliest. But no, we are leaving tomorrow night. The universe loves toy with me.

It's not like we have a lot of stuff to pack and I would never really think of this pace as my home. But, I had grown accustom to the homey basement. I didn't think we would have to leave so soon. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm stupid enough to think that we could stay here until the government straightened themselves out. Still, that didn't mean I wasn't going to miss the place.

So, I asked my dad where we were going next. He said an abandoned shed on the property of an old friend. It's actually located in his cow pastor. I don't really know the condition this shed is in, but from what my dad said, it's like a barn. Basically four walls and a roof. Very spacious, but no separation of any kind. In short' the shed is one giant room with a few leaks here and there. Lovely right? Of course, I'm in no position to complain. Both my parents are alive and well. My sister is 100% recovered. We are all together. What more could a person of color ask for at a time like this?

I've got to go. My mom is currently haranguing me to start packing. Until next time.

Conflict

Dear Diary,

Ever since Sam got sick, my parents have been arguing non-stop. My mom wants to get  Sam help from a professional doctor. My dad doesn't. He says that if we do that, then what’s to stop the doctor from going to the police to turn us in. He thinks that if we get turned in, then they are going to kill us ASAP.

I understand both sides of the argument. Like my mom, I feel useless. All I can do is watch my sister suffer. But, I also agree with my dad. Death is not certain for Sam if she stays hidden but, once she is exposed, its’ all over.  I don’t really know what the right choice is, but I do know that arguing isn't going to help Sam in any way, shape, or form. They need to make a decision, and fast.

Sick

Dear Diary,

This past week has been rough. My sister’s been extremely sick. She is constantly covered in a thin layer of sweat even though she is shivering. She breaks into coughing fits that stretch on forever. She looks pale and she's loosing s weight way too fast to be healthy. No one knows what’s wrong with her. Mr. Pertersburg bought some could medicine for her. He even got his hand on some prescribed flu medicine, but nothing works. She’s just getting worse and it’s not like we can take her to a doctor. My mom has been crying, and my dad is really starting to get worried. All we can do is pray. I know that God does everything according to His plan, but I really hope that it’s in His plan to save my sister. I need her here, alive. 

Bye Bye

Dear Diary,
Today Mr. Petersburg came home with not so surprising news. The government is banning the use of technology for African-Americans and people who associated with African-Americans... shocker. Let's think about this logically, okay?
1. In the 21st century, almost every job has at least one Black person at their job, school, etc. which means that almost everyone in the U.S. is associated with an African American.
2. Why would the government think that the public would be okay with this technology lock down?
3. What kind of ignoramus wouldn't realize the kind of damage this technology lock down would have on their economy?

I just don't understand the government. I can't believe that THIS was their brilliant plan.

My Room

Dear Diary,

I don't really understand why, but lately, I've been thinking of home a lot. What's weird about it is that I'm not really thinking of my whole house, but a specific room. It's the den in my basement. That room was like my personal sanctuary. I could watch TV, play the piano, sing, eat, or just sit and think there .It was also the place where I let out my feelings. I miss the burnt orange color of the walls and the way the fire place would heat up the room in the winter. I miss the chocolate colored couches and the way they seemed to swallow up anyone who sat in them.

I don't know why I keep thinking about this when all it makes me feel is angry. I'm angry that I can't just go down stairs when ever I feel. I'm angry I have no where to let out my feelings anymore. I'm angry I don't have a place to call my own. But, most of all I'm angry that my den my special place, was taken away from me so easily. I feel like the whole world just wants to cause nothing but mayhem and anguish in my life. It's difficult to look on the bright side of things when nothing good happens anymore. 

Gone

Dear Diary,

Today Mr. Petersburg heard some of his co-workers talking about a recent arrest. Apparently, a young black walking down the street "bumped" into a white teenager girl. A man standing by saw and contacted the police. The police came and arrested the man for assault. This caused African-Americans across America to protest against the police force. Even though most of the pretest was peaceful, police said that they had to take drastic measure and forcefully remove the threat. If any of the protesters used self-defense, they were immediately arrested for assaulting a police officer.

You know, I wasn't really shocked by what happened. No, we accepted that kind of reaction from the law. Their ingenuity for ridiculous punishments is impressive to say the least. What got us was that the young man walking just happened to be my sister’s good friend Ivan. We couldn't believe that he was in jail over something so... TRIVIAL! Once I found out, I was instantly bombarded by a sea of emotions. I felt hurt that people thought so low of my kind. I felt betrayed because the very government that was supposed to protect its people allowed such outrageous things to happen. I was scared for Ivan. What about his family? What if he can't adapt to prison life? What if they kill him? Lastly, I left anger. I was angry that this happened. I was angry that no one was standing up for us. But, most of all, I was angry that I could do anything to help him.

AAAAHHHH I just want this to be over...soon.

The Help

Dear Diary,

Today, we met my fathers friend who will help hide us in Orgon. His name is Mr. Petersburg. In all honesty, I never expected thhe person who is saving our lives to look so... ordinary. Mr. Petersburg is a averaged height fellow with curly brown hair and big glasses. He's not hard on the eyes, but he doesn't exactly stand out either. He has a little bit more muscle than the average man with a kind, but he's very soft spoken.

Anyway, Mr. Petersburg took us into his home (which is huge). He's letting us stay in his basement. From the outside his house look like it has three stories: the main floor, the second floor, and the third floor. But, the builders of this house started building it underground. It was a small space, not that I'm complaining, because it obviously was supposed to stay hidden.

I'm happy that my family is together and safe, but I'm not going to lie. I wish we could go home. I wish we didn't have to be cooped up in this tiny space 24/7. I'm so grateful to Mr. Petersburg. I owe the man my life. But, I can't help but think about how it was when I didn't have to rely on a stranger to do the simplest of things such as live.

The Hiidden 2

Dear diary,
Things are just getting worse. To be honest, I'm surprised we've made it this far. I'm constantly on guard. I feel like someone is going jump out of nowhere and wisk us all away. The Government has somehow convinced the country that African Americans are the reason for the United States troubles. Apparently, we slowed down the economy because we were unfit to hold a position of power. Which lead my people to hold all the lower class jobs. This created a lack a job openings for "deserving" people. Isn't that just about the stupidest thing you've ever heard? I can't believe they had the never to even think of such idiotic ideas. Amyway, I've got to go. We have to leave if we plan to Mage it to Orgon by tomorrow. Ttfn.

The Hidden

Dear Diary,

Today is The day. Today is the day that could very well make or break my family. Today, we are going into hiding. You see, racism in this country never really completely died. No, we were just good at pretending it did. Being Afican American can prove to be... difficultat times. Don't get me wrong. I take pride in being Black. I wouldn't change my race even if I had a choice. It's just that other people automatically assume things about me. That's basically the whole reason African Americans are going into hiding all over America.

It all started when the government said that Blacks are the main cause of violence in our country. Thus, they must be "delt with accordingly". We can't go into stores without being searched for weapons. Schools are still integrated, but white parents choose to send their kids where there are less (preferably none) of  my kind. We can't even go to the movies because they claim we are disrupting the publics peace. Once the African American resistance was formed, the government went into action. Apparently, Blacks standing up for their rights is illegal and punishable by death or life in prison.

So now you can see why we are going into hiding. If I'm being honest, I am really scared. It's not like I can hide my skin and waltz out of the country. My dad says that we have to leave at night. We have to move swiftly and quietly, taking only things that we absolutely need. He has a friend that can help get us to Orgon. When we get there, the plan is to lay low until we can make it to Canada. I hope we don't have to split up because there is a high chance that we will never see each other again. Oh well, all I can do is pray. Until next time.

The Holocaust

The Holocaust was the mass murdering and tortureing of Jews. During the Holocaust, Jews were taken from their homes and relocated to concentration camps. Those who were lucky enough to escape the police were force to go into hiding. Many Jews didn't survive the concentration camps. Children, women, and the elderly were often killed as soon as they arrived. Because the Nazzi's wanted a "strong and durable" work force, healthy looking people were usually kept around.

The holocaust was widely talked about in my middle school. I personally think it's because as an African American school, the realise the importance of learning and remembering past mistakes and lost lives. We read a book called Hana's Suitcase. It was a bout a little Jewish girl who's life was taken from her due to the Holocaust. We also watched a lot of videos from survivors.

Although the Holocaust is was grotesque and inhuman event, there was still good that came out of it. For instance, not every Jew died. I wish to learn the percentage of Jews that survived concentration camps. Also, a few Jews never entered a concentration camp. They have the kindness of other people to thank for that. That's why it would be nice to know the names of people who helped hide Jews.

Group Project

In class, we have been given an interesting assignment. We have to get in groups, and come up with our own community service assignment dealing with water. It really challenged us to think for ourselves. We had to sit downed carefully loan out each of our duties. It was kind of fun with the way we argued.
I really enjoyed working with my group because I don't talk to my group partners a lot. It really brought us closer together. I got to learn how different each of us think. All in all, it was a good learning experience.

Why Should I?

Today in class, I had to write a letter to a celebrity that was a spokes person for a water bottle company. "What's the point? It's not like they are going to read it," I thought. But as I began writing, I realized, I wasn't about weather or not they were going to read it. What mattered was simply this- did I do my part to make a difference? Did I do everything in my power, however little it may be, to change the world?  
I'm pretty sure that Jennifer Anniston well never read my letter, but I tried. That's all that matters. Here is my letter.

Dear Jennifer Anniston,
I'm sure you didn't think twice about being the spokes person for SmartWater. It's probably just another job for you. But, you are supporting something that is slowly destroying the world. SmartWater is one of the many water bottle companies deceiving consumers. 
SmartWater is one of the many companies that claims it's healthier than tap water. But the only thing it has that tap water doesn't is Electrolytes. Originally, Electrolytes are supposed to replenish your body after you work out. However, according to Lauren Hayward at IowaStateDaily.com, Electrolytes in SmartWater are to enhance flavor and not replenish your body. You would be better off drinking tap water and eating a banana.
The world is abusing plastic water bottles. The United States goes through 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour and only 1 out of 4 is recycled. The rest end up in India, or in our oceans. Plastic bottles are killing our wild life, and harming the environment, and your promoting that. Please, rethink giving your support to SmartWater. If you don't, you'll just one of the millions helping to harm our world.


Sincerely yours,

Haley Flemons 

Taste Test

Today in class, we had a water tasting test. Honestly, I wasn't to interested because although I knew that water had different taste, it was still just water to me. So I just sat down and took a sip of the first sample, and continued the process. What surprised me wasn't the obvious difference in taste and smell, but the results of the taste test. Tap water was unanimously the best scored water.

Before, we I though of tap water, 3 things came to my mind, Tap water isn't supposed to taste good, it's supposed to stink. and it's supposed to be an off looking color. But, boy was I wrong. It was the exact opposite. I then started to think about all the reason I thought tap water was bad in the first place. And then it dawned on me. I thought tap water was bad because everyone thought that tap water wasn't clean. But why?

The other day my class found out that most of today's big brand water bottle, is just tap water! So, how is it safer to drink than tap? Multiple test have proven that tap water is just as clean as bottled water. But, companies have planted it in our heads that anything that's not in a plastic bottle. America probably has the cleanest tap water, but we are wasting our money on something that will pollute the earth! I couldn't believe all that came from a simple water tasting test. But, I'm glad I did.

Freedom of Water

The earth is made of about 70% of water, but we think of it as ground. Our bodies are made up of about 60% of water! but we think of ourselves as solid. The air we breath has water in it, but it's not visible. It's one of the most important things in our lives, but we barely notice it.

Water can be thought of as bipolar. Water is a necessity for life, but it can kill you. Water can be found almost anywhere on earth, but only a small percent is drinkable. Water can be calm, relaxing even. But, in the blink of an eye, it can have disastrous waves that can travel up to 60 mph. Water contains minerals but,it can carry so many harmful bacteria.

DHMO or H2O

When I first read this article about DHMO, I wondered why on earth was such a thing used so much. I wanted to know how this one chemical could cause Leukemia, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. It irked me that people would sell products to us with something so harmful inside. But, not once did it ever occur to me to find out what DHMO actually stood for. Not once did it ever occur to me to break it down and see what DHMO actually was.

            When I found out that DHMO was really H2O, or water, I was shocked. It made me realize how easily I believed the false information, just because it was on a legit looking website. It made me think about all the other websites I've been on. How much false information was on those websites that I used for research? How can I tell if a website is filled with true facts? And then it hit me. I could have avoided being deceived if I had just found what DHMO was. If I had used more than one website, I would have been able to see that the information was false.

            Even though the information on the website true, I can say that I could have written an entire paper without ever knowing what DHMO was. If I don't know what the chemical is, how am I supposed to understand the problems it causes properly. My research would be incomplete. This whole thing has taught me to be more thorough in my work. It taught me in order to know your topic well, you have to look into more than one source. It taught me to look for answers instead on just out down the first piece of information I see.

Water Ownership

In the United States, ownership of water varies from county to county. It's an extremely complex system. "Water Law" includes many things other ownership such as public water (lakes and rivers), surface water (water that flows across land from rain or floods), and ground water (water found underground). Some rules are made for specific situations. But, ultimately, ownership of water is decided by leaders of a region instead of the President.

All in all, trying to locate a specific law about water ownership has proven to be difficult. It's a very choppy system. The only reason it works so well is because each region has a different water source. There is something that may not be found in another county. Therefor, it would be hard to properly control water ownership if the whole country had a specific set of rules regarding this issue. Even though you can find water practically anywhere, it's form and usage will always vary.