Hello students and staff members of UAG! I’m Tyler Robey, a junior in the DDA pathway who, near the start of November, came up with two prompts that would later be turned into an art/writing-based challenge for both the ELA and DDA teachers (who chose to participate). These prompts, which I came up with late one night while trying to fall asleep, piqued my interest so much that I knew I had to share them with someone else, or risk them being forgotten. So, I gave one prompt each to the DDA and ELA teachers, and turned this into a month-long challenge, simply to see how others might interpret the prompts. The rules for this challenge were simple: each teacher had until the end of the month to write a short story or create an art piece based off of the prompt they were given. For the DDA teachers, they were to create an artistic piece that gave a clear feeling of melancholy using only bright, vivid colors. For the ELA teachers, they were to write a short story that answered the question: what does a god fear the most? Now, with the context having been explained, it is time to present the results of the November Challenge.
What do the Gods Fear the Most?
By M. Patel
Spinning the earth on her fingertip, Light stared at the marbled blue and white sphere, turn slowly, and caught a glimpse of large specks of orange, scattered from east to west, north and south. More blue than white now dominated the zenith and basal parts of the marvelous sphere she had created. A hole was opening on the most ethereal veil she had created to protect the inhabitants of this marvelous planet. Deep lines sunk into her forehead, reflecting the sorrow for creating mankind, who seemed determined to burn her glorious creation with a total disregard for the other humans and of the magnificent creation itself.
Light held her chin in one hand and continued to ponder whether humans were the problem or whether she was at fault for creating beings with intelligence and emotions; after all, all the furry, slippery and scaly creatures were just trying to survive, but Man, Man had surpassed all of them and placed themselves at the top of the chain to consume and burn everything in their path. Light’s toes began to twitch as the anger pulsed causing her to shake, sending trembles through the earth. Oh there goes, Japan again, she thought. She really needed to tremble from a different part of her body to balance those earthquakes, but for now, her anger towards the humans had found a mark. Her rage had not found full satisfaction, so she poked a finger on the other side of the globe, sparking a thunderstorm with bolts of electricity, followed by torrential rain.
Where were the other Gods when she needed someone to talk to? Winter was probably sleeping for now, Spring was probably busy planting bulbs, Autumn was probably focused on slowly dying, while summer was probably helping those thoughtless humans burn her marvelous creation. Who was left? Darkness! Darkness would be free. Let me summon Darkness! Light closed her eyes and darkness prevailed. Darkness came running up to her screaming,
“Why did you shut your eyes? You can’t just shut them every time you need therapy.
Open them, it’s a busy time for me on planet earth. Those magnificent creatures you call
humans are devouring the earth: Fires are ravaging the earth; people are lying,
cheating and stealing, morality and kindness are slipping away at a rate of an ice lolly
under a ninety degree sun. I’m all for it! Why are you getting in the way of my success?
You can’t take it can you! Me winning and you losing! Father should never have let you
be in charge; you don’t have the backbone to handle the universe! I was the rightful heir!
His eyes burned red as he yelled at his sister, and his body shook uncontrollably as he seethed and glared at Light.
“Sorry to break this to you, dearest Brother of mine. On earth men may be ruling the
planet, but here in the universe, I am the right person for the job.”
“Grrrrr!!! If you can’t handle the destruction of the planet then why did you shut your
eyes. Manage those good for nothing humans yourself. Why summon me?”
“ This is exactly the problem with those darn humans; they are all self centered, clearly
you have a strong grip on them, dear Brother. Your need to prove yourself is about to plunder the earth in darkness. Remember, mother told us, there would come a time where we would need to work together, or there would be nothing for us to rule.”
“Mom was just like you, too compassionate and always thinking about others; if you ask me, she was too soft. The ruler of the universe needs to be fierce, ambitious, and cunning. Qualities, you severely lack, dear Sister.”
Light felt her fingers tingle, turning red as her already scorching anger at humans began to sizzle with fury towards her younger brother. She reminded herself to gently place her hand on her heart and instantly felt the anger subside being replaced with the soft beats of compassion. Gliding back around to face her younger brother, she smiled, instantly releasing rays of light that shone brightly, forcing her little brother to cower away in the corner.
“Brother, as the ruler of the universe, I command you to lighten your grip on the humans, so that I may save my creation.”
“Sister, you do what you have to, but success is mine, and I intend to keep it.” He stomped off, yelling, “It’s mine! Mine!I tell you!”
Light’s rays dimmed a little as Darkness stormed off to advance his vengeance, but her father had bestowed all trust in her. She would figure it out; she had to. Light put her hands together in a ball motion, continuously circling her hands until a blue and green, marbled globe rose into the air in front of her. Light guided this new creation behind the blue, white and orange, burning sphere. I am ready she thought to herself, the fight is not over. Positioning her palms, spread over the earth she whispered: kindness rise! Her hands released specks of the brightest light to rain on her beautiful earth…
By Ms. Davenport
She doesn’t fear much. Afterall, she is God. The lord, the only one. She has so many names but like anyone else she just wants to be loved. That said, there is some destruction to get to. She needs to wipe out some of the entitlement so she’s planning a big hurricane. Last month, she had to giggle at the anxiety around the elections. As if the people have anything to do with the outcome. Sheesh. Humans are the worst! God is annoyed a lot, if she is being honest. Public picking of noses, outrageous! She hates the sound of sirens in the city and wiped out the inventor one hour too late, the bastard. God invented farts and rotting flowers to remind people to behave. It was her sort of “watch out or else” moment although perhaps she fell a bit short of the desired outcome: TOTAL OBEDIENCE. But God wanted to watch the football match on later. Frankly, it was this human invention that was keeping her from wiping them all out because they were getting on her very last nerve. But hearing GOALLLLL anywhere in the world reminded here that these tart-faced pot hole humans had the occastional bright idea. That and a piping hot cup of.. OH MY ME. She thought. The pot was empty. There was no more coffee. That, thought, God, is the ONE thing, she feared more than anything else.
Melancholy using bright, vivid colors
By Ms. Moore & Ms. Palumbo