Born with an old soul, or an old body?

Team 3

By:Veronica Diaz

The pain struck her like lightning. The pain of 100 blows attacked her lower back and knocked her to her knees. She took deep breaths and tried to put herself together, but he pain continued to shoot up her back.

Never did she imagine that at age 22 she would be down on the ground due to back problems. These were the problems of elderly people, not active college students. And yet here she was on all fours trying not to cry from the blinding pain. This was the second time in two weeks this had happened. Last week she was merely doing laundry, bending down to grab a shirt, when another muscle spasm knocked her down. Each time it happened without warning, catching her off guard.

This time her friends were also caught off guard. It had never happened with anyone else around; they didn’t know what had happened. Should they help? Is this normal? She explained to them not to worry and to let her recover on her own.

Once the worry passed, the jokes began. “Granny Roni” was being laughed at and pictures were being snapped. She laughed and egged it on, all a charade to mask her tears and agony. It may be a serious problem, but there wasn’t anything they could do to help. At least this way she could help alleviate some of the stress and tension that momentarily filled the room.

Finally, enough time passed where she gained the strength to prop herself up. The pain was still there, but she needed to go home and manage it on her own. She knew this could longer be something she “managed”, it had to be taken care of soon before it happens at an even least opportune time.

A Warrior's Homecoming (Edited)

By Megan Dortch

As dawn broke through the clouds and into the cabin of the airplane, the passengers closed the blinds covering their tiny windows. The pilot had just announced that the plane was beginning to descend.

A middle aged man in the aisle seat wearing a crisp navy t-shirt with the logo of the wounded Warrior Project held two teddy bears in his arms. He was visually nervous as he bounced his prosthetic leg up and down. A elderly woman sitting across the aisle from him noticed  his uneasiness and ask if flying made uncomfortable. He smiled shyly and nodded. When the wheels of the plane touched down on the runway, the man gritted his teeth and clutched the teddy bears tightly to his chest while keeping his eyes closed until the plane was completely stopped.

When the seat belt light flashed off, the sound of seat belts unfastening filled the cabin and passengers jumped to leave their seats as the man with the teddy bears waited patiently for the aisle to clear. Then, he stood up and retrieved a camouflage duffel bag from the overhead compartment and walked slowly down the aisle, the two teddy bears tucked carefully between his left arm and side.

As he exited the gate, two high-pitched screams began to echo throughout the terminal .The man instantly dropped his dufflel bag and teddy bears to the floor and crouched down with open arms as two little girls with bright blond hair ran toward him. He enveloped them in his arms as tears poured down his face. A tall woman stood close by clutching a sign in her left hand that said, “Welcome home, daddy!” and her right hand tried to wipe the steady stream of tears from her face. The man motioned for her to join the embrace.

Onlookers stood by, many with tears welling up in their own eyes, as the family reunited. After a few minutes, the family stood up and the man gathered his things from the floor. As he handed the teddy bears to the little girls, he told them that he loved them and they embraced him yet again. 

Warrior's arrival moves many

By Monica McDougal

Sunlight filled the plane's cabin as passengers began to lift the blinds covering their windows. The pilot had just announced that the plane would be beginning its descent.

In an aisle seat, a middle aged man wearing a navy t-shirt marked with the logo of the Wounded Warrior Project held two teddy bears in his arms. He bounced his prosthetic leg nervously. An elderly woman sitting across the aisle from the man asked him if flying made him uncomfortable. He nodded with a smile. When the wheels of the plane touched down on the runway, the man gritted his teeth and clutched the teddy bears tightly to his chest. He kept his eyes shut until the plane came to a stop.

When the seat belt light flashed off, the sound of seat belts unfastening filled the cabin and passengers quickly left their seats. The man with the teddy bears waited patiently for the aisle to clear. Then, he stood up and retrieved a camouflage duffel bag from the overhead compartment. He walked down the aisle slowly, the two teddy bears tucked carefully between his arm and his side.

As he exited the gate, high-pitched screams began to echo through the airport. The man dropped his bag and the teddy bears to the floor and crouched down with open arms as two little girls with bright blond hair ran towards him. He enveloped them in his arms as tears poured down his face. A woman stood close by clutching a sign in her left hand that said, “Welcome home, daddy!” Her right hand wiped tears from her eyes. The man motioned for the woman to join the embrace.

Onlookers stood by, many with tears welling up in their own eyes, as the family was reunited. A few minutes later, the family stood up and the man gathered his things from the floor. As he handed the teddy bears to his little girls, he told them he loved them. The girls embraced him yet again. 

Bonded at birth

(Edited)

Through the glass of the intensive care unit, a mother sat patiently awaiting the first meeting with her newly born baby girl. The baby laid sleeping in a small incubator covered in tubes and gadgets used to assist the child's breathing and temperature. 

Although the baby, who was born just seventeen hours before, was napping, the nurse wasted no time pulling her from the warm glass box she now called home. Unhappy and alarmed by the coldness of the air outside of the incubator, the baby let out a gripping shriek. She cried out in dismay toward the nurse, wanting  back in the warm box she had become accustomed to since leaving the comfort of her mothers womb.

The nurse attempted to soothe the baby, but eventually plopped the infant right into her mother's arms. The new mom stared at her precious girl, tears streaming down her face, smiling as the baby continued to cry, still startled from her abrupt awakening. The mother leaned closer and whispered hello to her new baby. Instantly, the tantrum stopped and the room fell silent. The baby looked up at her mother, feeling more comfortable now than since leaving the womb. The voice of her mother, the only thing unchanged since her birth, soothing any troubles the baby girl might have. She stared up at her mother as her mother stared down at her.

They sat that way for what seemed like hours, studying each others faces. The mother matching feet to kicks she felt earlier that week and hiccups to the young baby that had grown inside her tummy. The baby matching the comforting voice and heartbeat to her mother's loving embrace.

And just like that, their first of many visits ended. 

The Birth of A Bond

Through the glass of the intensive care unit, a mother sat patiently awaiting the first meeting with her newly born, baby girl. The baby laid sleeping in a small incubator, covered in tubes and gadgets used to help keep her alive.

Although the baby, who was born just seventeen hours before, was napping, the nurse wasted no time pulling her from the warm glass box she now called home. Unhappy and alarmed by the coldness of the air outside of her new home, the baby let out a shrill, gripping shriek. She screamed and cried out in dismay toward the nurse. She wanted back in the warm box she'd become accustomed to since leaving the comfort of her mothers womb.

The nurse attempted to soothe the baby, but eventually plopped the infant right into her mother's arms. The new mom stared at her precious girl while tears streamed down her face. She smiled. The baby continued to cry, still startled from her abrupt awakening. Mom leaned closer and whispered hello to her new baby. Almost instantly the tantrum stopped. The room went silent. The baby looked up at her mother, feeling more comfortable than she had since leaving the womb. The voice of her mother, the only thing unchanged since her birth, soothing any troubles the baby girl might have. She stared up at her mother, and her mother at her.

They sat that way for what seemed like hours, studying each others faces. The mother matching feet to kicks she had felt earlier that week, and hiccups to the young baby that had grown inside her tummy. The baby matching the comforting voice and heartbeat to her mother's loving embrace.

And just like that, their first of many visits, had ended.

The goose, the gander, and the eggs.

Johanna's Rewrite: Group 1:

Gander protects nest from potential threats

It was a warm Saturday afternoon, she watched as a gander stood strong and idle on the small island in the center of a pond located at the Trianon apartment complex in Topeka, Kan.

She noticed that the gander was unwavering in his stance on the east edge of the island as he watched for signs of approaching danger. Although most of his body remained still and motionless, he turned his neck at the slightest of sounds. The sounds of a cracking of a tree branch, the splashing of a fish and the honking of another goose all kept him alert and focused on the task of protecting his family. She noticed that the mother goose sat quietly several feet away and tended to their nest of unborn goslings.

At the north end of the pond, she noticed four mallards swimming and playing in the water. As the mallards began to make their way to the island, she noticed the gander quickly moved and stood directly in their path. Ignoring his warning, the mallards continued to approach the island. She noticed that when they were just inches away, the gander suddenly stood erect, spread his wings and began to hiss menacingly at them. Alarmed, the mallards formed a side-by-side line in front of him and quacked simultaneously.

As she watched for several minutes she noticed that the gander’s perseverance paid off. The mallards surrendered the fight, they left the pond and waddled over to join a group of mallards gathered under a tree.

Confident the threat had subsided, the gander walked over to his nest to ensure that the eggs and mother goose were unharmed.

She then watched as the gander went back to his initial spot on the edge of the island. As the sun began to set behind the trees she noticed that peace had returned to the pond once again.

Don't mess with this goose

Gander protects nest from potential threats

On a warm Saturday afternoon, a gander stood strong on a small island in the center of a pond located at the Trianon apartment complex in Topeka. 

Unwavering in his stance on the east edge of the island, the gander watched for signs of approaching danger. Although most of his body remained motionless, he turned his neck at the slightest of sounds. The crack of a tree branch, the splash of a fish and the honk of another goose all kept him alert and focused on the task of protecting his family. The mother goose sat quietly several feet away and tended to their nest of unborn goslings.

Four mallards swam and played in the water at the north end of the pond. As they began to make their way to the island, the gander quickly moved and stood directly in their path. Ignoring his warning, the mallards continued to approach the island. When they were just inches away, the gander suddenly stood erect, spread his wings and began to hiss menacingly at them. Alarmed, the mallards formed a side-by-side line in front of him and quacked simultaneously.

Several minutes later, the gander’s perseverance paid off as the mallards surrendered the fight. They left the pond and waddled over to join a group of mallards gathered under a tree.

Confident the threat had subsided, the gander walked over to his nest to ensure that the eggs and mother goose were unharmed. He then went back to his initial spot on the edge of the island right before the sun began to set behind the trees. Peace had returned to the pond once again.