Cosumnes River Journal

A New Friend

Getting out of the house seemed like a good idea until I realized we were going to a sports bar on a Friday night. It was just past eight o’clock, yet we had to pay an entrance fee and show our IDs just to get in. Luckily, I had a few spare bills in my wallet for “just in case” situations, although typically it wouldn’t be for this scenario.

Something in the Way She Doesn’t Move

By Brandon Karcher

At 8:33 in the morning, he looked at the register clock and clenched his brow. Heidi was three minutes late. He figured she was adjusting her apron in the kitchen in back and didn’t think much of it. She’d be out soon enough, for all the good it would do him. In another two minutes or less, she’d be at it again, adjusting her apron, her bra, pretending to be bending down to open the refrigerator, but taking an inordinately long time to do it.

*Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com*

A Brief History of My Most Defining Moments

By Camille Nye

Prom Night

A silky emerald-green dress brushes against my ankles. My heels click against the pavement, and I brush loose curls behind my ear. I’m surrounded by people dancing under fairy lights; the energy of everyone around me has me caught up in a whirlwind. In the back of my mind, I’m just thinking about how I’m going to miss being seventeen. Sitting in an old…

An Ode to My Favorite Compound

By Chio Drew

Miller Park-hunting for shells right off of the shore, as my heels gingerly sank into the sand. At that tender age, I didn’t know much, but I knew that water was home to amazing things.

Santa Cruz-my first time both witnessing and contemplating just how far the waters of the world reached.

A Quiet Tap

By Jacob Saca

The sun hung low in the sky as Matthias made his way down the familiar road toward the tavern. His wooden cane was in front of him tap–tapping to let him know what was there. The town had just finished this year’s harvest, and the whole town was abuzz about the upcoming festival. Matthias could hear children running this way and that, all chattering excitedly about what they would do during the festival. It was like the whole town was more alive, like everyone wanted time to go faster.

*Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com*

The Monet Family in Their Garden at Argenteuil

By Julia Marcotte

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The heat that August had been unbearable, but that day, in the shade of the plum trees, it seemed a bit more forgiving. A cool breeze floated up off the Seine and blew through the garden, where the chickens sputtered around, pecking at seeds and grass.

*Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com*

Dreams

By Matthew Ochoa

Dream 1

A space fills with distant pinpricks of light, drifting in a dark void, unable to return. Afraid and lost, my veins run cold and slow. Then it wells up inside me, a force starting from the depths of my being, filling me with paralyzing sludge. Then as quickly as the horror began, I awake.

*Photo by stein egil liland on Pexels.com*

Karachi’s Coolest Mom

By Omar Khayam

Unlike the other moms in Karachi, Saba’s mom was cool. She would let Saba smoke her stash and would even let Saba join in on the parties when her friends were over. Saba liked that. No other high schoolers were partying with their parents. Saba remembered being 12, walking into her mom’s room.