Eleventh Grade 2020
First Place: Arevik Sarkisyan, Tumanyan
You’re sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
It was ordinary day everything was as normal as they could be, but when I was going to my workplace I spot some new cars in front of a building. When I went in all people were changed I didn’t know any of them, then someone tuched my shoulder and then I don’t remember what happened. I woke up in a room where was just table, chair light and door. walls hade some strange black and white lines. I was there for 4 days nothing was happening I didn’t have anything to play with as to just pracktice they were not even some letters or walls or some pens or anything that I could read or writhe. I was thinking that they did it to make me crazy. On the 5thday somebody came in and tooke me to other room. There was just one man.
“Ok, you are that person who we wanted to fined, by the way you can hide yourself really good”
“But who are you why did you wanted to fined me?”
“Ok I will say it to you becouse ofter it you will be or dead or on our side. I am the criminal that all police is trying to arrest remember “ancatchable foge”? That’s me. We heare that you hade a dark past and if truly I am really shoked hwat you did, how did you hack PENTAGON!!!”
“What are you saying! I am just ordinary Web disiner”
“Ok don’t lie we know your real face. Now you are going to work for us. Dont worry we will pay you as much as you want”
I was really afraid becouse I really didn’t know what is going on. Then he said
“Ok you know you have 2 options or work for us or die”.
I was just looking at him with scared face, because I was not able to pronaunce any word I could hear my heart sound and my legs were trambling. Then from scilence I heard his angry voice.
“You are a really good actor, but it will not help you!”
Then the man who took me to this room came in and said
“We were WRONG”
And he yelled.
“Come here!”
When she came I saw a girl who was a copy of me even my todays hairstile. I felt really wick and I was almost felling down. Then the crime half surpriced half angry sayed.
“What is happening now, how did it happened, wait bouth of you hach Pentagon? Or one of you? I cant be real 2 people can’t look like each other this much, PITER! come and take them to our lab.”
Lab was cold, realy cold, there were many items and camicals there and just one person. She chaked our DNA fingertips and everything what is possiple. And when she took the results she looked at it for few seconds then looked at us really siriously and called Piter. She sayed something to him , then he went out. After a minuite I saw the crime coming in. Then they took me back to that almost empty room. But the crime stayed with me. He sayed.
“Ok now you know almost everything and I am just going to tell you that you are not that person who we wanted to fined. But still you know a lot and still you have again just 2 options 1stwe are to kill you, 2ndyou are going to work for us not as a hacker but don’t worry will fined something for you.
Now I am 98 years old many years past after that not ordinary day. And I am still working for them as a coffee maker. What a irony I never loved coffee.
Second Place: Nane Alikharyan, Vanadzor
Every time you snap your fingers you end up in a new city.
That’s how it starts.
It was a biology class when my teacher woke me up. She yelled at me and said that she’s going to call my mom. I know how it’s going to end up. No phone, no friends, no parties. Uggh…
I was waiting in the class alone to my mom and listening to music. It might be my last time of using my phone and headphones. I can’t imagine my life without them! “How I wish I would live in another city or country or maybe PLANET. Where I’m on my own.” And I snapped to the rythm of my music. I felt sun on my skin. But I’m not opening my eyes. I feel like my head is heavier and my clothes. I opened my eyes and screamed. “What? OMG where am I?” I’m in the Eygipt, I guess. Cause it seems like it is a desert and I’m all alone. I’m wearing a throne and black heavy dress. I hear the silence…
I laid down and said to myself “If it’s a dream, then I’m going to enjoy these few minuts of lonelyness”. I’m singing “Just take the step…” and I snapped again. Oh, it’s so cold. I opened my eyes. I’m laying on the ice in water. “What? How did I get here??” I’m so cold. I’m trying to realize what’s going on when I saw a pinguins near me. “Ahh…” I was scared at first. Then I slowly get closer to them and touched them. They were very soft and wet. But when one of them talked to me, then I was really terrified, “Hey girl, where did you came from?”. “OMG you’re talking, I’m losing my mind!!”
“I can say the same. Why you should talk and I’m not?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t wanted to be mean, I just didn’t know animals are talking.” I’m sure I got red cheeks. I’m getting red cheeks when I’m shy or feeling guilty.
“That’s ok. I havent seen something like you ever. What are you?”
“I’m human being”, and that time I realised that people are animals too!
“So why are you here?”
“I…I don’t know, that’s impossible to explain/” I’m almost crying “I want to go back home”.
“What did you do to come here?”
“I don’t…, Ahh I was listening to music”. And I turned on the same song. But nothing happened. “What’s wrong?” Pinguin wanted to say something when I snapped And I didn’t heared him. No it’s dark. It’s a scary plase.
“Hello? I there anybody here? Please…” And a snake slided on to my feet hugged it. “Get away!!! MOM!” I was so shaked I didn’t remember what to do. All I see is shiny skin of a snake, his bright green eyes and “Fssss…” He was going to choke me when I snapped. “Oh, It’s New York. I always wanted to be here”. I see my clothes changing every time. I’m in the middle of the street and there are people how doesn’t even notice me. I’m looking around and going to wherever my heart wants to. I asked people something, but they never answered. “Am I invisible? Why don’t you talk to me? Hey!” I was very hungry. I went to the nearest shop to buy something, but I had no money. “Hello, I sorry can you please help me, I’m very hungry but I have no money”. But shopper’s watching trough me. No answer. I looked in the mirror but there’s no reflection. “Is that true? I on my own? I’m FREE” I was very happy. I took whatever I wanted and nobody noticed. I’m listening to a song and singing “It’s my life…” I’m eating whatever I want, going wherever I want. That day I went to watch film, and to a concert. “Where am I going to sleep? It’s getting dark.” I went to a hotel. “Nobody knows if I’m taking a key of a room. I’ll stay here, in the best room. That’s what I always wanted!!!”
After a week…
“MOM where are you, I want to go home” and I’m crying. I went to police. But nobody sees me, nobody can help me. I’m snapping over and over again and saying “home”. But I’m going to weird and unknown places.
“I thought it would be cool to be on your own, but it’s awful to stay alone, nobody’s talking to you, and I miss my mom, my friend my house…”
I did it for about million times already. But I’ll snap forever to get home. “Please, please do me a favor, I’ll be a good girl, I’ll never sleep in a class again, just bring me home” Snap, and I’m near my house. I’m running to home hugging my mom and crying. “Mom I missed you so much, I love you, I’ll never make you mad again”.
“Where were you? Why did you run from school. It’s about 2 hours I can’t find you. You are punished, no phone, no friend…” OMG, 2 hours? It’s about a month I can’t get home. And I’m punished again? At least I’m home :) I was lyeing in my room and listening to music. My mom calls me to go have a dinner. I’m singing “I want to break free…” and oops…snap!!! again.
DAMN IT!
Third Place: Vahan Hakobyan, Yerevan
You’re sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
The phone rang:
-Mr Colson, it’s an emergency.
-O-ok. What happened?
-We caught the serial killer. He is in the police station.
-Ok, I’m coming!
I hang the phone. The keys of the car were on an old-fashioned table near my messy bed. I took the keys and immediately got out without even locking the door. I walked fast to my black, 1967’s but still new looking car, got into it and turned it on. Gas pedal on the floor, here we go. I was driving very fast and thinking only about getting there and find out if it was true, find out if they had caught the serial killer for real. No red light could stop me and my Chevrolet. Fortunately, it was late night, about 2:47am and there was no car on the highway. I was so deep in my thoughts, that even the buzzing radio didn’t get on my nerves. Finally, I reached to the station.
-Mr Colson, thank you for coming.
-Where is he?
-Mr Colson, I-I was going through the latest datas…
-I said where is he?
-The right door at the end of the hall. I will call some bodyguards to…
-I don’t need anyone to have my back. Thanks!
The big, fast and confident steps took me to the red room, where the killer was. I reached to the end of the caridor. The red room was in front of me. Exhale, inhale, I’m in!
The killer was sitting or maybe laying on the chair with a big smile on his face. He was wearing old shoes, brown pants, a dirty shirt: too loose for him, and a dark brown jacket. He was looking like a Schizo with that messy hair, stoned but at the same time smiling face. His eyes were red with wrinkles around them. He was looking at me and laughing. I was very frustrated but I handled myself. I moved the chair back, set in front of him, crossed my arms and said:
-Name, surname, address…
-Ha-ha-ha, ridiculous!
-What made you laugh Mr “going-to-rust-in-jail”?
-Hmm, you know what? You, serious acting people are so funny. I feel like I’m sitting alone in this theatre and watching your performance named “society” or “what is the truth”.
-No time for clowning! Answer my questions!
-You see? You thought I wasn’t behaving right. You interrupted me but I was sharing my thoughts with you my fellow.
-After this conversation you’ll be able to share your thoughts with the four walls how long you want.
Suddenly, he took a knife out of his left show, ran to my back, held the knife on my throat and said with a laugh and anger at the same time,
-Call me “serial killer” or “going-to-rust-in-jail”, however you want, but you, your society, and your norms made me this. Since I was a child, I’ve been kicked and beaten daily. No place to run. At school I was bullied for my face scars and beaten by the “nice kids” saying, “let’s see how many scars can we add on this ugly face?”. And the ugly child was running to his parents to find some support, but the dad with stretched arms and hard fists was waiting to beat me for not being at school. I have been down kicked like around six thousand times and no-one lent a hand to help. But everyone became so fair after I killed a gang for beating me so hard that I didn’t even feel my bones. Revenge, revenge, revenge Mr Colson. This is what taught the life and you’ll be the next Mr Colson for making problems for me.
Suddenly the bodyguards broke in and shot him on his head. He was laying in a blood-pond.
-The job is finished Mr Colson. – said the coworker.
I went out of the station, sat in the car and drove to nowhere. His words were stucked in my head. And I drove to the house of my ex-wife who cheated me. Took the revolver. Revenge, revenge, revenge Mr Colson.
You’re sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
It was ordinary day everything was as normal as they could be, but when I was going to my workplace I spot some new cars in front of a building. When I went in all people were changed I didn’t know any of them, then someone tuched my shoulder and then I don’t remember what happened. I woke up in a room where was just table, chair light and door. walls hade some strange black and white lines. I was there for 4 days nothing was happening I didn’t have anything to play with as to just pracktice they were not even some letters or walls or some pens or anything that I could read or writhe. I was thinking that they did it to make me crazy. On the 5thday somebody came in and tooke me to other room. There was just one man.
“Ok, you are that person who we wanted to fined, by the way you can hide yourself really good”
“But who are you why did you wanted to fined me?”
“Ok I will say it to you becouse ofter it you will be or dead or on our side. I am the criminal that all police is trying to arrest remember “ancatchable foge”? That’s me. We heare that you hade a dark past and if truly I am really shoked hwat you did, how did you hack PENTAGON!!!”
“What are you saying! I am just ordinary Web disiner”
“Ok don’t lie we know your real face. Now you are going to work for us. Dont worry we will pay you as much as you want”
I was really afraid becouse I really didn’t know what is going on. Then he said
“Ok you know you have 2 options or work for us or die”.
I was just looking at him with scared face, because I was not able to pronaunce any word I could hear my heart sound and my legs were trambling. Then from scilence I heard his angry voice.
“You are a really good actor, but it will not help you!”
Then the man who took me to this room came in and said
“We were WRONG”
And he yelled.
“Come here!”
When she came I saw a girl who was a copy of me even my todays hairstile. I felt really wick and I was almost felling down. Then the crime half surpriced half angry sayed.
“What is happening now, how did it happened, wait bouth of you hach Pentagon? Or one of you? I cant be real 2 people can’t look like each other this much, PITER! come and take them to our lab.”
Lab was cold, realy cold, there were many items and camicals there and just one person. She chaked our DNA fingertips and everything what is possiple. And when she took the results she looked at it for few seconds then looked at us really siriously and called Piter. She sayed something to him , then he went out. After a minuite I saw the crime coming in. Then they took me back to that almost empty room. But the crime stayed with me. He sayed.
“Ok now you know almost everything and I am just going to tell you that you are not that person who we wanted to fined. But still you know a lot and still you have again just 2 options 1stwe are to kill you, 2ndyou are going to work for us not as a hacker but don’t worry will fined something for you.
Now I am 98 years old many years past after that not ordinary day. And I am still working for them as a coffee maker. What a irony I never loved coffee.
Second Place: Nane Alikharyan, Vanadzor
Every time you snap your fingers you end up in a new city.
That’s how it starts.
It was a biology class when my teacher woke me up. She yelled at me and said that she’s going to call my mom. I know how it’s going to end up. No phone, no friends, no parties. Uggh…
I was waiting in the class alone to my mom and listening to music. It might be my last time of using my phone and headphones. I can’t imagine my life without them! “How I wish I would live in another city or country or maybe PLANET. Where I’m on my own.” And I snapped to the rythm of my music. I felt sun on my skin. But I’m not opening my eyes. I feel like my head is heavier and my clothes. I opened my eyes and screamed. “What? OMG where am I?” I’m in the Eygipt, I guess. Cause it seems like it is a desert and I’m all alone. I’m wearing a throne and black heavy dress. I hear the silence…
I laid down and said to myself “If it’s a dream, then I’m going to enjoy these few minuts of lonelyness”. I’m singing “Just take the step…” and I snapped again. Oh, it’s so cold. I opened my eyes. I’m laying on the ice in water. “What? How did I get here??” I’m so cold. I’m trying to realize what’s going on when I saw a pinguins near me. “Ahh…” I was scared at first. Then I slowly get closer to them and touched them. They were very soft and wet. But when one of them talked to me, then I was really terrified, “Hey girl, where did you came from?”. “OMG you’re talking, I’m losing my mind!!”
“I can say the same. Why you should talk and I’m not?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t wanted to be mean, I just didn’t know animals are talking.” I’m sure I got red cheeks. I’m getting red cheeks when I’m shy or feeling guilty.
“That’s ok. I havent seen something like you ever. What are you?”
“I’m human being”, and that time I realised that people are animals too!
“So why are you here?”
“I…I don’t know, that’s impossible to explain/” I’m almost crying “I want to go back home”.
“What did you do to come here?”
“I don’t…, Ahh I was listening to music”. And I turned on the same song. But nothing happened. “What’s wrong?” Pinguin wanted to say something when I snapped And I didn’t heared him. No it’s dark. It’s a scary plase.
“Hello? I there anybody here? Please…” And a snake slided on to my feet hugged it. “Get away!!! MOM!” I was so shaked I didn’t remember what to do. All I see is shiny skin of a snake, his bright green eyes and “Fssss…” He was going to choke me when I snapped. “Oh, It’s New York. I always wanted to be here”. I see my clothes changing every time. I’m in the middle of the street and there are people how doesn’t even notice me. I’m looking around and going to wherever my heart wants to. I asked people something, but they never answered. “Am I invisible? Why don’t you talk to me? Hey!” I was very hungry. I went to the nearest shop to buy something, but I had no money. “Hello, I sorry can you please help me, I’m very hungry but I have no money”. But shopper’s watching trough me. No answer. I looked in the mirror but there’s no reflection. “Is that true? I on my own? I’m FREE” I was very happy. I took whatever I wanted and nobody noticed. I’m listening to a song and singing “It’s my life…” I’m eating whatever I want, going wherever I want. That day I went to watch film, and to a concert. “Where am I going to sleep? It’s getting dark.” I went to a hotel. “Nobody knows if I’m taking a key of a room. I’ll stay here, in the best room. That’s what I always wanted!!!”
After a week…
“MOM where are you, I want to go home” and I’m crying. I went to police. But nobody sees me, nobody can help me. I’m snapping over and over again and saying “home”. But I’m going to weird and unknown places.
“I thought it would be cool to be on your own, but it’s awful to stay alone, nobody’s talking to you, and I miss my mom, my friend my house…”
I did it for about million times already. But I’ll snap forever to get home. “Please, please do me a favor, I’ll be a good girl, I’ll never sleep in a class again, just bring me home” Snap, and I’m near my house. I’m running to home hugging my mom and crying. “Mom I missed you so much, I love you, I’ll never make you mad again”.
“Where were you? Why did you run from school. It’s about 2 hours I can’t find you. You are punished, no phone, no friend…” OMG, 2 hours? It’s about a month I can’t get home. And I’m punished again? At least I’m home :) I was lyeing in my room and listening to music. My mom calls me to go have a dinner. I’m singing “I want to break free…” and oops…snap!!! again.
DAMN IT!
Third Place: Vahan Hakobyan, Yerevan
You’re sitting in front of a criminal, having a conversation. Things are not the way you expect them to be.
The phone rang:
-Mr Colson, it’s an emergency.
-O-ok. What happened?
-We caught the serial killer. He is in the police station.
-Ok, I’m coming!
I hang the phone. The keys of the car were on an old-fashioned table near my messy bed. I took the keys and immediately got out without even locking the door. I walked fast to my black, 1967’s but still new looking car, got into it and turned it on. Gas pedal on the floor, here we go. I was driving very fast and thinking only about getting there and find out if it was true, find out if they had caught the serial killer for real. No red light could stop me and my Chevrolet. Fortunately, it was late night, about 2:47am and there was no car on the highway. I was so deep in my thoughts, that even the buzzing radio didn’t get on my nerves. Finally, I reached to the station.
-Mr Colson, thank you for coming.
-Where is he?
-Mr Colson, I-I was going through the latest datas…
-I said where is he?
-The right door at the end of the hall. I will call some bodyguards to…
-I don’t need anyone to have my back. Thanks!
The big, fast and confident steps took me to the red room, where the killer was. I reached to the end of the caridor. The red room was in front of me. Exhale, inhale, I’m in!
The killer was sitting or maybe laying on the chair with a big smile on his face. He was wearing old shoes, brown pants, a dirty shirt: too loose for him, and a dark brown jacket. He was looking like a Schizo with that messy hair, stoned but at the same time smiling face. His eyes were red with wrinkles around them. He was looking at me and laughing. I was very frustrated but I handled myself. I moved the chair back, set in front of him, crossed my arms and said:
-Name, surname, address…
-Ha-ha-ha, ridiculous!
-What made you laugh Mr “going-to-rust-in-jail”?
-Hmm, you know what? You, serious acting people are so funny. I feel like I’m sitting alone in this theatre and watching your performance named “society” or “what is the truth”.
-No time for clowning! Answer my questions!
-You see? You thought I wasn’t behaving right. You interrupted me but I was sharing my thoughts with you my fellow.
-After this conversation you’ll be able to share your thoughts with the four walls how long you want.
Suddenly, he took a knife out of his left show, ran to my back, held the knife on my throat and said with a laugh and anger at the same time,
-Call me “serial killer” or “going-to-rust-in-jail”, however you want, but you, your society, and your norms made me this. Since I was a child, I’ve been kicked and beaten daily. No place to run. At school I was bullied for my face scars and beaten by the “nice kids” saying, “let’s see how many scars can we add on this ugly face?”. And the ugly child was running to his parents to find some support, but the dad with stretched arms and hard fists was waiting to beat me for not being at school. I have been down kicked like around six thousand times and no-one lent a hand to help. But everyone became so fair after I killed a gang for beating me so hard that I didn’t even feel my bones. Revenge, revenge, revenge Mr Colson. This is what taught the life and you’ll be the next Mr Colson for making problems for me.
Suddenly the bodyguards broke in and shot him on his head. He was laying in a blood-pond.
-The job is finished Mr Colson. – said the coworker.
I went out of the station, sat in the car and drove to nowhere. His words were stucked in my head. And I drove to the house of my ex-wife who cheated me. Took the revolver. Revenge, revenge, revenge Mr Colson.