2026 Winners

6th Grade 1st Place Benada Ballagat In the morning I woke up. I was anxious. Sudenly, I blinked my eyes and I find myself at a unknown place. It was a forest but not a normal forest a magical one. It was cold and after some time had passed the snow started falling. I was walking when I spotted a cristal globe staying in the air. In the middle of it was a flower. I touched it from curiosity and my whole body turned green. I have turned into a flower fairy. I was flying in the air. With so much difficulties I tried to fly but the snow made it more and more difficult. I flyed for some minutes and I find myself before an wood little house. I knocked on the door. A fairy opened it she was a fairy like me. She told me to after her. After I walked through the door I collapsed on the floor. When I woke up I find myself in a beatiful room lying down at sparkling bed. When I got out of the room the same fairy that had taked me inside intruduced herself her name was Iriai. Later she presented me to the queen the queen allowed me to stay but, the needed help with the work. And now I officially have a job. My job is to go with other fairys to save the flowers which have the risk of disappearing. Me and Iriai had to go to save a flower. This flower grows at a place were dragons live. Even though fairys and dragons at this place were friends this place was far away. We had to fly for to days and nights. When we arrived there we meet the dragon leader. The dragon leader telled us where we could find the flower. We found the flower and after we collect what we needed to save it we thanked the dragon leader. And after that we flew back to the palace. Saving that flower with Iriai made us proud. Some days have passed. Some fairys were being ready to save another flower. I was selected to go too. To save this flower was difficult because this flower blooms once 500 years. And it was found at the highest mountain. When we arrived there it was snowing. We spotted the flower, it was shining in the middle of the snow. It was a golden flower which can do magical things. After we collected what we needed to save the flower we flew back to the palace. Some time had passed and we have saved so many flowers. Suddenly the queen called me. She said that my work there had been amazing an it was time for me to go back to my world. To go back to my world she needed to do a soup for me. But the soup needed a special ingridient and the ingridient was the nectar from a rare flower. This flower grows at the eagles land and to go there was dangerous. So the queen gave me a liquid who can make me invisible. I drank the liquid when I was near the eagles land. After I collected the flower I flyed back to the palace. The queen made the soup for me. I said goodbye to all the fairys and hugged Iriai and than I drank the soup. When I woke up nothing has changed around me. I was in my room lying down at my bed. But the important thing is that I came back to my world with unforgettable memories. 6th Grade 2nd Place Sonora Sopoti Brezhdan If there were three doors one of them is dark, shadowed, another sparkles like gold, and the other door is an old door from wood, I would go for the old wooden door. You might wonder why. It’s because even though something might look old its still worthy. If I go for this door there might be something better than the other doors waiting for me inside there. I imagine as if i went inside there and saw piles of gold and other worthy things that might change my life forever. You know…life isn’t always about beauty from the outside but for the beauty inside. The soul, the heart, that’s the beauty, the real beauty. Now I opened that door and what I saw there really but really made me think I made the best choice. Inside there was rivers, waterfalls, and fields full of flowers. After, I passed the rivers, waterfalls and the beautiful fields I saw another door behind that door was everything I could ever imagine. There not only were fields, rivers and waterfalls but there were piles of gold, pearls and silver jewellerys. The real beauty the real worth of something is the inside not the outside. The outside of something lies don’t believe what you see from the outside, always see the inside the beauty of the soul. It might not be always easy for us to understand the worth of something but as time passes we all see the inside of something and that’s when we realise if we made the best choice or not. It’s hard to understand what others have in the inside. Sometimes you don’t even know to what to listen to your heart or your brain. We don’t always make the right choices but even if we chose the wrong thing we can’t lose hope. A better future might be waiting for us. We should keep up with our dreams and wishes. Life sometimes can be hard and we don’t even think clear. But patience is the key. There is always a light in the end of the tunnel. Always but always know there is a second chance in life. It was that door, that old dirty door that changed my life forever, it changed my path, my future, it even changed me. It changed me because it told me that decisions are hard but some of them are a part of our future. My life behind that door was hard to unlock but i did it. Hope is the one thing that everyone feels comfy relying on. 6th Grade 3rd Place Imron Bajaj Gjasht I chose the third door because I thought it would be the safe door I entered inside. Atthe other side it was world war tow. I saw some dead I took his armor to be safer and his gun. I didn’t want to kill any people so I thought to be a medik. I saved people after people. And I sayed God pls let me save one more. I tryed to save as many people as I can. While i was swaying ore enemies shot at us. I hide and I played dead. That day I saved 72 people from dying. I was orerd by the chif of the miletery. Then a door was in front of me I walked in and I was on my bed. I thought this was a dreem but I still had the world war tow suit on. Til this day I don’t know how I went in the past? I got dressed and I burned the clothes because I was scared but I was prowd for saving 72 people. Tow years later the first and second door was in front of me again. I enterd the first door. On the other side I was in a forest. I wsaw a road and a bike. I padeled the bike but I found out I was a endles lop. I saw three people. I syed help help. Nothing. they didn’t say anything. I was scared because I thought they wasn’t people but demons. I heard a strange nois from behind I turned my head. There was nothing. I was going to run at three people but they weren’t there. But I still ran. I got tired. I sleeping in the forest with the bike. When I woke up I saw the first door. I walked in it and I was in bed but the bike was still with me. A year later the second door was in front of me till this day I don’t dare to open that dore. My brother wasw walking to the door. I stoped him but I was poshed in by my brother. In the other side I was in a roon full of buttons a round 100 I pressed the first fifty some butons gave me ne water food and gave me a marker I colored the butons I had presed. I presed and presed buton after buton and I got a strange drink. I was thirsty so I drank it I saw a buton that was a difereent color I preesed it. And I was in bed but with the marker in my pocket. Tow hours later I woke up. I was in the hospital. I found out I was in coma but the marker the bike and the suit. I didn’t have a brother I sayed to my self but who was that. Till this day. I remember the litel boy how pashed my in te second door.

6th Grade

7th Grade

7th Grade First Place Armelda Shahu Peshkopi It was a normal weekday, the teacher was giving a lesson, the sun was shining bright out of the window. Everything seemed so similar and yet so ordinary. The bell rang, it was time to go home just when I thought I wouldn’t get picked up today, I was wrong, so wrong. The trio cornored me, they were the prettiest girls in the whole school but who cares about beauty when you have a horrible personality, at least that’s what I thought. They wanted my dad’s watch, so I wouldn’t get bullied in exchange, I abhored even the thought of giving it to them, there were no teachers nearby, so you guessed it I started running for the restroom. I got lucky because they were wearing high shoes that day so I locked the door and started murmuring to myself hoping that they would go away I felt a shiver down my spine as a zophyr filled the air. When I opened my eyes I was in a desert with no idea how I got there. The place was abudant and I had a weird sense of similarity going on. As I was trying to figure out where I was and connecting the dots a scary looking creature appeared it was large in size and had an oval shape, the teeth were rock solid. As it came closer it hit me, that was a DINOSAUR! Holy, what year had I traveled to? I was still feeling lost but my legs had already started moving without my counciesness. Running for my life I suddenly tripped on a rock, that left a deep scar on my knee, but I was too frighten to care so I started running even faster, until I noticed a tent in the nearby distance, guess I must have dozen off because when I woke up I was laying down rolling over the fire, as those creatures were singing random melodies around me, I was shocked and started screaming, until one of them noticed my watch and they put me down in a hurry before their “master” came. He took one look at me and bowed down in a hurry as the other creatures did as they were told. I started getting treated as a real life godness, I showered with the best smelling flowers wore white sheep clothes and was held wherever I went, even on the restroom, but I didn’t feel happy at all. In fact I wanted to go to the real world, my home. That night I prayed and pleased to god to send me back home, and guess that worked because the moment I opened my eyes again I was in the school’s restroom as the zephyr filled the air. As I started unlocking the door I noticed my watch wasn’t with me anymore. I really started to freak out when no one seemed to be around. I begged and cried for them to come out and tell me this was a plan, but no, no one did. I got out of the school, hoping for an instant I could see a human around at least somewhere, but no, nothing in sight I could hear my voice echoing throught the building walls. The silence was suffocating and then I realised the creatures had taken my watch and studied the objects it was made off which had led of the world developing way to fast, and now the whole world was done for good. When I had regained my councesness again I was in my bed, it was the middle of the night. Maybe it was just a nightmare, but the scar was still on my knee. I guess we will never know. 7th Grade 2nd Place Isra Hoxha Peshkopi It was what I thought was a normal Sunday. My friends and I had been playing all day at the amusement park and time passed by so fast we didn’t even realise it was getting late, and we had to go home. We were walking slowly and suddenly my friend Keifer spoke: “I know a shortcut-he said,-it’s right down this alley. The alley was dark and creepy, with cob webs and cracked walls. Keifer was smiling like there was nothing wrong, but I for whatever reason felt chills go down my spine. It was just a normal alley right? We started going down the alley and right when I thought we were about to reach the end, I felt a hand on my mouth. I tried to pull away but it’s grip was too strong and then, darkness. I woke up in a creepy house with nothing but cracked walls, spider webs and destroyed furniture. My face turned pale as I realised I was tightly tied to a chair and couldn’t move. My friends woke up and we all soon realised that we we’re kidnapped. It all felt like we were watching a too realistic horror movie. It was silent but somehow the silence spoke in a way words never could. We heard the door crack open and a tall, masculine man walked in. He was wearing a black cape and a white mask with red, bloody eyes. I expected him to be holding a scythe, knife, gun, or some kind of weapon but he was holding 2 stacks of cards, one pack that read truth and the other dare. I felt a rush of nostalgia go up my spine as I remembered about the times when I would play that game with my dad. He unfortunately died last month to cancer and I could feel warm tears go down my cheek. The masked guy or what I prefer to call him “the villain” came close to me and untied me, then whispered in my ear: -Toughen up, kid! So I did. I whiped the tears of my face and stayed quiet. He grabbed the table from the kitchen, the one with the broken leg that made it shake back and forth. Then, he placed down the cards as he told us that we would be playing a game of truth of dare. The instructions we’re clear; we would all be taking turns to pick up a card and when we pick truth we have to answer the question on the back of the card truthfully and if not, we would suffer the consequences. This game ahd always been easy but this time it felt a lot harder than usual. The game started off easy. We got questions like what did you eat last night or dares like jump 3 times and land on the same spot but it soon got weird and creepy and the lights started flickering. My friend Nova was the first one who got a bad truth, that was easy if we weren’t kidnapped; “what’s the time?” We had all lost track of time because there were no windows and the sun rays couldn’t be seen in that room. She answered 2pm randomly but she was wrong and the lights started flickering terribly. For about 10 seconds nothing happened so she thought she had gotten o pass. Suddenly, an axe came flying out of nowhere and hit her right on the forehead. Then, it was my friend Keifers turn and he picked truth. The question was: “Are you adopted?” and he confidently answered no. The lights flickered and again, after about 10 seconds, the floor below him vanished and he fell into the void. After him, it was my friend Jay Jay’s turn. It was only us and “the villain” told us that only one of us could get out of this house ALIVE. We stared at each other and hugged. I was scared to death but Jay Jay was always a very optimisitic person so she calmed me down, smiled and told me everything was going to be okay. I tried to believe her but I couldn’t. As sweat was dripping down my face like rain and my hands we’re shaking I picked a dare. I felt like my soul left my body as I read the card; “Chop your hand off using the knife on the kitchen counter”. I got up and headed for the kitchen. , my legs trembling as I tried to walk. I picked up the kitchen knife, closed my eyes and prepared myself. I let out a loud sigh but Jay Jay ran up to me and stopped me from fulfilling the dare. She got the knife out of my hand and stabbed herself right then and there. I was terrified! Somehow, she still had the strength to smile to me and then she let out her last breath, fell to the ground, and died. “The villian” came up to me and started applauding. Then, he opened to door for me and I ran like there’s no tomorrow, like I would never see the sun again, because I thought I wouldn’t. After I reached the city, the first thing I did was run to the police station and when I arrived I was so out of breath that I fainted. I woke up at the hospitol and asked to see the police. When they came I confessed everything, but they didn’t believe me and even had the guts to recommend me to go see a therapist. After a lot of begging, they agreed to search the forest where I escaped from. My mouth fell to the ground as I realised there was nothing there. The police officers took me to see a therapist and I found out I was mentally sick and whatever happened was never real. 7th Grade 3rd Place Ajsel Lata Peshkopi It was a random thursday night. Me and my friends were on summer vacation. For weeks, we were planning on where to hang out for the last time before school started. Everyone had different ideas, but the most liked one was, visiting an abandoned house. The abandoned haunted house was a very thrilling one and of course the adrenaline it had. We decided to meet somewhere and start our, so called “vacation”. One of my friends knew a house where multiple people died and where legend says, their remains are still lying on the floor of that house Going to the house took about 30 minutes. When we arrived there, the smell of rotten flesh hit straight into our lungs. At first, everything was fun. We had brought torches an a camera to record the inside of this “mysterious untouched house”. We were playing around and making jokes, but we hadn’t realised it had already become dark outside. Just the thought of us, teenagers, being alone in an abandoned house hit like a zombie acopolyspe. We were packing our things to leave, when things took an unexpected dark turn. As we were leaving, the door of the building slammed shut. It was a hot summer night in the middle of august, so there wasn’t any wind outside. We tried to relax ourselves by making each other believe it was probably just a dog or cat, but it was strange since we didn’t hear nay barking or meowing. All of us tried to push the main door, but it wouldn’t budge. We pushed over and over again, but still nothing. Then one thought hit me, we had our phones with each other. I opened my phone, about to call my brother, but found out it had died. I told my friends to try calling someone trustworthy, but all of their phones had surprisingly died too. We all remembered it like the back of our hands that at the start, all our phones were 100% charged. At that time it hit like an earthquake, not only were we trapped in a haunted house, all by ourselves, but we also had no one to call or text. We were trying to run the time, by playing with each other, and also distracting ourselves from the scariness this moment actually had. We checked the time in a clock, that surprisingly still worked, and it was only 1. Some of us even fell asleep, but not me and my friend. We were up the whole time, scared that something out of the ordinary would happen. And of course when it couldn’t get any better. While we were walking around, we saw human flesh that was bit in half. Just when things couldn’t get any worse when we lifted our heads up, we saw a red liquid, dripping down, just like it was fresh. One drop fell on my hand. Out of a teenager curiosity, I smelled it. Of course. It was exactly what we imagined; fresh blood. It didn’t smell any rotten, so it didn’t have long it had been there. We went back in the room where my friends were, and one of them was awake. We stayed there talking about the abnormality this house had, when we realized it had already gone 4:30am. We were instantly relieved. It meant light was about to hit. I instantly tried waking up my other friends, but they wouldn’t move. I tried again and again and again, but still nothing. Then they all woke up, at the same time, with the same expression on all their faces, like they experienced something way worse than us. Me and my friend asked them what was wrong. They all told us, they were in a dream, where someone was trying to suffocate them. We all had some water in our backpacks, so we gave it to them. Again, we checked the time and it had finally went to six am. We all got up and tried to open the door, but this time it opened by themselves. When we got out an instant releif hit us. But it finished very soon. As soon as I got off the stairs, the wind blew a paper with some writing on it, straight in my face. I unwrapped it and it wrote: “When people show up unannounced and break in my home, I don’t usually make them feel welcome, but I made an exception for you guys, since you were so naive and childish. Let the blood on your hands right now, be a warning for next time!”-said the words written in blood. “There is clearly someone watching us from afar-” I said while looking at my hands full of blood where no one knew where it came from! Right as I said these words, someone whispered “yes” in my ear.

8th Grade

8th Grade First Place Fioela Lami Peshkopi No. no. no this can’t be happening- a woman said. I saw terror in her eyes. Not just hers but everyone elses. The ground was collapsing. Well lets go back to where it all started. Everybody in the town was rushing to get home after finishing school and work. We were normal humans…or so I thought and we were just doing a daily task right? Well, before i got to the road that leads to my house i saw smoke coming out from the mountains well first i thought that the air pollution levels were increasing because we are an industrial city, until i saw that the smoke was increasing and becoming a very big fog that covered every tall building. I got scared but i didnt panic. I couldnt panic. I was just thinking of death at that moment. I was thinking on how hard my life was since my parents and my sister died in a mysterious way. I decided i would run and tell everybody that they should shelter because because all of us can die. I ran as fast as i could and i screamed that we were all dying with my full voice but passersby looked at me like i was telling them i saw the Blue Moon. They laughed and i felt humiliated. Well maybe i was paranoid and angry from my familys death that i never got to discover the reason of. Maybe i had a type of eye sight problem like colourblind or whatever. Or maybee i was right. I felt like i was such a dumb person for doubting myself because the fog was now almost black and it was really close to us. Everybody panicked. They told me that i had casted a spell on this city because of my paranoia. People were running for their lifes but it looked like they werent running at all. The fog was pulling them back and theyre whole bodys were covered in bruises. I was standing still not knowing what to do. My eyes watered as i saw the ground shake. Cracks started showing up on it and the cracks were getting closer. Everybody further away from me, looked like they were being eaten by the ground. We were all terrefied. Just when the cracks were getting closer to me, i felt like a building collapsed on me. When i woke up, i saw myself in the same town that i was before. The same people were there. They were rushing home from school and work. But i still felt different. I saw that the sky was a shade of black and red that i have never seen before. I opened my backpack to see that i had no books, no papers, no pens, it was just my phone. When i saw my phone i relaxed and i tild myself that i could call my bestfrinds mom and that she could keep me safe. I tried to open every app but i had no signal, no contacts registered and no photos taken. It was impossible. My phone then started glitching and out of anger i threw it on the ground. I felt a wave under my feet but i couldnt do anything and i got amazingly scared. It was the same wave i felt when the earthquake happened. I couldnt panic this time too. Until i saw that the people were coming towards me. Theyre eyes were red and they had blood dripping from their fingers. I rubbed my eyes and i pinched myself to realise this was actually a strange underground world that we were all teleported to. But there was a difference. The people from my town were turned into supernatural humans. They were unexplainable species now that were teleported to this world in non-human form. I was truly scared this time. I didnt think of anyone except myself. I was terrefied and my blood went cold. Then a old woman brought up my family. I told her to stop but she kept talking. She told me that my parents were going after the supernatural. That made sense because they were both scientists. My parents were chasing them the day of their death and my 2 year old sister was on the car. They had also been victims of this so called “earthquake” but the people/creatures masked as people from my town, killed all three of them to death. She told me how my mother begged them to leave my little sister alone but it was to late. They told me that they were going to take me down in the same way but i couldnt back down. I tried to hit them with metal sticks and wood but it just passed by their bodies when i realised that they were made from fog. My mind collapsed. I was scared but i decided to run and hide. I ran as fast as i could and behind me, every building was collapsing like atomic bombs were inside them. I ran and hid behind a big oak tree. Nobody could find me there not just because the tree was big, but because it was mine and my parents favourite place. We would go there every sunset to look at the view. But now the sky wasnt orange or pink. It was dark red with a slight black colour. I saw that everything was changing. I decided i would not let this change affect the good people of my town. I walked through the forest and through the terrifying trees with big leaves. Until i saw a rope on the ground, It was floating. I had never seen something float by its self before. I decided the grab the rope and to use it because it was my only thing left and the only chance to go back to the real world. I grabed the rope and ran twoards the place where i firstly saw the strange looking humans. My mind was telling me to run away or hide in a cave where i couldnt be found for the next 80 years of my life, but my heart was saying otherwise. So i decided to do what my heart said. I found the strange human or non-human creatures and i told them that i couldnt back down. In needed to do it not only for myself or the people, but also for my mom my dad and my sister who were victims of this. I decided to command the rope and told them to tie each one up. They were all laughing but i guess the one who laughs the best is the one who laughs last. The rope did what i told it to do. It tied each one of them up and they all screamed until i felt my ears bleed. But they were all disappearing, one after another. I felt relieved. I felt like i had gotten my revenge and i truly did. I was surprised by who put the rope there but i was not caring anymore. I guess always the good wins over the bad. Life isnt so bad afterall. I got over what happened and my town was back to normal. The people thanked me but i also thanked myself. I put my peace into rest after discovering how my parents died and how i took revenge. Well i cant fully say revenge because everything happens for a reason and what goes around comes around. I wouldnt let peoples opinions make me doubt myself anymore. I would trust in my gut from now on and until forever. It was a crazy experience but i guess life was never easy, you will have adrenaline anytime no matter what you do. I am happy i overcame this and that im tearing up doing this because i solved every missing puzzle piece. Now i can say that panic just makes things worse, it doesnt solve them. But if you believe that everything happens for a reason, then its not true, because we make the reason happen forn everything to happen. Its us who do things, who are the cause to them and who also need to solve them. We make it happen and we dont make it happen. No story is horror but i guess underground is. Lets make the good out of the bad things we do. Its better to feel normal about my experience because even if it is something bad it will be the best mystery solving memory of my life. 8th Grade 2nd Place Jasmina Hajdari Peshkopi The earthquake happened suddenly. The ground shock, buildings moved, and people screamed in fear. I could feel my heart beating fast. When everything finally stopped, the streets were broken and the air was full of dust. In the middle of the road I saw a deep crack. It led underground, like a hidden road. While others were afraid to go near it, I felt curios. Step by step I entered the dark passage beneath the earth. The underground road was quiet. A soft light came from outside, guilding my way. Soon, I met strange people who did not seem afraid. Their faces were calm. The first person I met told me he was Time. He said people always rush and forget the present. Then, I met a woman who said she was Truth. She explained that many people avoid the truth because it is difficult, but it helps us grow. Finally, I met a small child with sad eyes who said he was Hope. He told me that even when everything is destroyed, hope doesn’t disappeare. As I walked deeper, I understood that this road was not only under the city, but also inside us. The people I met were parts of human life that we often forget. Suddenly the ground shook again: I ran back to the surface. When I came out, the road had dissapeared. The city was damaged. That day, the earthquake changed me. It broke the ground, but opened my mind. I learned that even in the darkest moments, we can discover important lessons and find strength within ourselves. 8th Grade 3rd Place Inseda Shehi Peshkopi Policeman: Okay…calm… and when you feel ready, show us how did that happened from the beginning… “This whole month has felt strange, full of weird phenomena, weirdly, strange, feeling days that I still can’t explain. The day that the miracle happened I was playing in the school and I fell…I fell on the ground like the earth was pulling me down…I felt a weird connection with earth…something I never felt before something wich I don’t know if any moment in my life I can relive or be ready to explain how it felt. My friends helped me get up…they held me for a moment, I was out of this world. I didn’t know how or what to think, I shook this feeling off and tried to go on with my day. When I was walking home I saw fairys that once appear and the second I opened and closed my eyes, they just would disappear…can I have water please… PM- Oh yes, Officer bring us some water please Of- Here Me- Thank you…they were white, magical, spongy, beautiful but at the same time I was losing my mind, what my eyes were seeing, what my mind was thinking, I don’t actually remember much, but when I close my eyes everything is standed there…in front of me… I was walking up the stairs, I was alone, my friends just left…when…the stairs just shattered and I heard a big noise…I was actually getting used to them cause just like I said, this whole month was strange, and this time, no one, nobody was scared, like they didn’t hear the loud noise they were calm like nothing happened. I was clinging onto the stairs parmaket, I was just thinking “How is this real, What am I feeling, What is going on.” I looked back and there were the fairys… the fairys wich I have been seeing the whole day…they talked to me in a soft voice. PM: You can open to us when you feel ready. Me: If I don't open to you now. I will never… I just need time, I remember all the things once again…the memories come back, those hard memories…She said to me “oh, beautiful girl…don’t be scared, leave the stairs and be free, don’t be scared that you’ll fall, I will catch you, I’m here for you, like I was your whole life…” The questions weren’t leaving my mind. Did she actually knew me my whole life…I wasn’t leaving the stairs, not now, not until I woke up from this dream, not ever…I was tired, panicked. I can’t explain how I was…She was there the whole time, watching me. I couldn’t turn my head. I was scared. She spraied me a magical dust…I felt asleep…When…When I woke up I wasn’t in my home, I wasn’t where I fell asleep. I was in a bed. Sun rays coming from the window. It felt strangely peaceful, I got up and went out. I opened the door, noise, unicorns, elfs, dragons…I closed it…I sat for a minute…thought my whole life…What did I do to deserve this…I got up and walked out…I ran……ran til my feets hurt, the weird creatures were seeing me, laughing at me, I was running when my fairy…blocked my way-”Look starling- stop running from here, there is no escape, you are chosen to an important mission…You have to stay here and be our Queen…All I could think was my family, my friends, me, my dreams…I burst in tears and couldn’t hold them back…I was desperate…I needed strength, help… Days went on, I was staying in a dark room, all alone, in darkness, in a place I haven’t heard before…In that place phenomenon changed every day, one stay sunny with fairys and unicorns around, , the other cold with mamoths, snow tigers around, like the snow age…the other happy with elfs like it was Christmas…I missed my mom, dad, sisters, friends, my mom cookings, the house smell everything that I didn’t aprecate enough when I had them… Days went on…One day like everyday somebody came in, I was used to it. Just when the door opened I said to mom angrly- Get Out, I don’t want. your. food. : “Oh, hey I’m Lilly” I turned around there was a littel girl wearing a dress, it seems like they were the Sunny days. “Oh, hi. I’m Ina”- L- “I know, I came here to help you get out this world. Every one has been seeing how you just can’t do it and they can’t see you sad and losing weight…There is this portrait…you get there, close your eyes, and you’ll be home…” I hugged her…and I went to the portal…when I was there.. I felt guilty…I didn’t aclompish there wish to have me as their queen…but hey…sometimes there are prombles and choices you can’t fix…they are things you can’t do, they are dreams you can’t make come true, they will be problems you can’t face you ain’t perfect and that is okay…I think that everything happens for a reason…Maybe I was the reason someone was happy…Maybe I was the reason someone was sad but at the end of the day this is life…yeah?! PM: (smiling) Oh yeah… Me:Unexpected moments that show you the value of everything you have…show you that sometimes is okay to say no and give up…nobody is perfect…nobody can’t do everything…show that you need to keep calm even if life is treating you bad…try to be like the stars…trying to bring light even in the vast darkness, where their light isn’t bringing much change…I learned this cause for me it was a total disaster. I wasn’t calm at all. (laughing) PM: (laughing) Me: And just like that, I opened my eyes, I was on the stairs, going up. I went to my home and I hugged my family…I felt kinda bad that I left my underground world but hey…what are you afraid of losing when nothing in this world actually belongs to you…It’s weird how we came in this world with nothing and leave with everything… News presenter: And just like that, on this going on life, this girl shows us her incredible story…I was shocked…let’s hear her interview…(start from the beginning)...

9th Grade

9th Grade 1st Place, Tie Ejona Sopoti Peshkopi The cold breeze, gentle and steady as it was, blew through my hair as if it was trying to whisper the forbidden answers to my endless questions. My eyes were slightly narrowed, fixed on the sight in front of me, filled with a mix of desperate confusion and a glimmer of sadness that disappeared as quietly as it appeared. My breath fogged in the air as I exhaled slowly and carefully, traveling further and further up into the sunset painted sky before it disappeared like a bad dream. The air was cold and merciless, but it was a breath of relief everyone needed after the impossibly hot day. I sat on the sand a decent distance away from the chaos, knees pulled up to my chest, a notebook laying forgotten on my lap. The crash had been heard from miles away, fast and lound. The speculations had been faster, the panic spreading among the people almost too quickly. Some said there was a massive rock that crashed into the endless space of the desert. Some uttered about oil being found, some others screamed about a war so horrifying, it would wipe off most of our human species. That panic that once hunted the eyes of the children, and adults tried so tirelessly to hide behind masks of indifference, soon faded into something more primal. Confusion and then fear, deep and palpable. The Pyramids, one of the world’s wonders, so perfectly imperfect, a mystery that we never got the answers to and still embraced as something ours, had crumbled into nothingness one unfortunate day. In the gentle light of sunshine, where no secrets could be kept, the pyramids had collapsed like an exhausted bird after spending so much time flying tirelessly to protect something as fragile as life. However, not all of the Pyramids collapsed and that’s what made people wonder the most. It wasn’t long before the news went international, reporters gathered around the scene, talking almost too confidently again about something that was as big of a mystery to them as it was to us. The call had been sudden, the voices behind the other side of the phone sounding too calm to truly be calm. Harch, clear instructions that clearly weren’t suggestions but rather orders. From who? I never fully figured out and yet something at the back of my mind, final and sure in its instructions, told me I didn’t have to know. Meeting the rest of the investigation crew was about as humbling as it could have possibly been. Men and women with more than twice my experience and not too much hope about this case. Lead investigator, detective Johnson was a very straight forward and carefully constructed man. Abrasive, silent, but you could always know when he was looking at you. Being someone fresh out of school, with little experience and a mountain of determination meant I had to prove myself, and prove myself I would. The task seemed almost insurmountable, uncertain, unachievable. It had been more than two weeks of the team gathering around a lifeless mountain of rocks, and then moving to the actually stable mountain of rocks. Countless pictures, endless conversations between people that weren’t sure of where to begin and where to finish. Although those conversations were rather futile on the actual investigation. I learned a bunch of important lessons gathered around the fire, with those people I didn’t know and yet chose to open their hearts to me. To us. A family that was formed under the time slipping through our hands like golden sand, the sun burning our eyes and a fire that was almost hotter than the heat of the desert during midday. My heart ached each time we got a lead, something I had worked so hard for, sleepless nights, and every time I did sleep, the visions of this strange case haunted my dreams with a fever that was almost bordering on obsession. However, there is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin, something that follows each one of us with a carefulness that makes it seem as if its nothing but a figment of our carefully trained a built imaginations. Each lead just ended in a dead end, each questionnaire ended in confused words and uncertain eyes that widened with fear at the slightest mention of the Pyramids. Something wasn’t right, and beside our best efforts, nothing was adding up. It was almost as if searching for a piece of jigsaw from a blacked out puzzle, and our patience was running thinner by the second. Now, as every evening, I found myself sat on the ground, analysing for a clue which at that point should have been obvious as the light of day to me. This pitless abyss, endless oblivion wasn’t registering to me as it should any longer. I got up, measured steady steps as I stepped closer to the ruins of what once was a heavenly sight. Hesitantly, I let my finger brush against one of teh rocks, which, we had been told wasn’t allowed. It felt like my whole body locked up, my heartbeat pounding so hard, I thought my heart might explode in the cage that was only but my chest. In front of my eyes appeared something, perhaps someone. Its face wasn’t clear, and yet I could ever so clearly feel its heavy gaze on me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, the thin lines between reality and…whatever this was just blurred in front of my widened eyes. Then, just as suddenly I felt a strong grip on both my shoulders and the figure reluctantly disappeared and my eyes finally met detective Johnsons. He was yelling at me about rules and protocol, but I wasn’t really there physically. For the rest of that quiet evening, I couldn’t help but as myself again and again almost desperately, “Have they lied to us, all this time? But I stayed silent and prayed to whoever would listen that no one noticed this shift in the air. 9th Grade 1st Place, Tie Abel Kalaj Rreshen 10.09.2021. After a long and difficult flight, you finally arrive in Cairo. You know why you are here, everybody knows, it was over the news for the past week. The Pyramids, which have been a staple of Egypt for millennia, crumbled into dust after another quite violently. The people of Egypt and their government immediately suspected foul play, accusing the neighboring countries of attempting to destabilize Egypt's tourist based economic growth. After many years as a detective, you are hoping that there may be a more reasonable explanation as a international dispute of this level is far beyond your expertise. 12.09.2021. You decide to look at the documented footage of the pyramids before the incident, mostly just grainy camera footage from nearby kiosks and some small cuts of videos from the inside which were "graciously" gifted to you by the government. You start to notice something. Over the new year, the outer stone on the monuments has become more smooth and pale-colored, starting from the autumn of last year. Over expeditions to the pyramids that managed to survive the ordeal you’ve noticed that the pyramids further from Cairo are the most intact. You come to the conclusion that something in Cairo is causing/caused the mayhem. 15.09.2021. Its been 5 days of investigation. Quick for an offseas investigation. The scorching Egypt summer sun is almost killing you, but its been worth it as you believe you’ve finally gotten to the bottom of the case. The secrets lied in the locals, like they always do. After going door to door with a translator, you’ve found out that last year Egypt experienced its first ever acid rain, preoumably courtesy of the crude oil extraction plant that was built east of the capital. With some help from a friend who studied environmental science, you put together the pieces and ultimately form a story: the acid rain bursts from last year eroded the stone of the pyramids, causing them to retain more water than ever. The pressure inside the boiling water from the summer sun caused the rocks to expand and “explode,” making the monuments crumble. 17.09.2021. You brought your theory to the local police department, they didn’t pay you mich mind, not like you can really speak to them either. There was an air of judgement when you walked in, but you just chalked it up to being a foreigner. 19.09.2021. You’ve spent the last two days in a somber haze, somewhat “enjoying” the views of Egypt. Theres an intrusive thought in the back of your head which keeps telling you that the local authorities always knew it was their negligence which caused and presumably will continue to cause the damage to the monuments. You have a feeling your work will be swept under the rug. You take one last picture of the remaining pyramids as your car passes by. At least you will remember their previous glory. 9th Grade 2st Place Erla Prela Fierzë I was sitting in a small cafe with my sister when someone named Time came and sat in front of me. At first, I thought it was a joke, but there was something serious in their eyes. I need your help Time told me. I laughed and said? Your time how can you need my help? She said: People always blame me. They say they don’t have enough of me. They say I move too fast or too slow, but I just keep going. I have no control over what they chose to do. I didn’t know what to say, it was strange to be standing there talking to something so powerful. I asked: What do you want me to do? Time said: Remind them that I’m not the problem. I’m a gift. What they do with me is their choice. After that, Time got up and walked away. I never saw this person again from that day, and the story stuck in my mind forever.

10th Grade

10th Grade 1st Place Entjola Zekthi Belsh When I opened my eyes the first thing I noticed was the silence. It wasn’t the placeful kind but the heavy kind, like the world was holdin its breath a kind in 2026. Now the calendar on the wall said 2036. The doctors told me I had been in a coma for ten years. Ten years, While I slept, the world didn’t wait My parents had more wrinkles my little sister was taller than me, and my friends were stronger with adult voices and busy lives. It felt like everyone had fast-forwarded except me. Life in 2036 is confusing. Everything is digital. People talk to their watches, cars drive, and schools use screen instead of book. I feel like I’m visiting the future, but I’m supposed to live in it. Sometimes I miss the simple things- walking outside without technology everywhere, or laughing with friends who knew the old me. The hardest part is catching up emotionally. I lost ten years of memories, birthdays, and moments that I will never get back. People exept me to move on but for me the past feels like yesterday. I have to releard how to be independent , how to trust my body again ect. Still there is hope. Every day I learn something new. I’m alive and the matrs. I get a sedond cance to grow, to dream, and to create a future. Maybe waking up in 2036 isn’t the end of my story. Maby isn’t the begining of a different one. 10th Grade 2nd Place Benilda Halaj Postribë It was friday night and I got home late. Of course I found my mom laying on the sofa. She looked tired and smelled like alcohol. Last night we had a big fight. I still was mad at her, but she, no matter my actions was worried about me. Dad wasn't home and I was glad he wasn’t. he had been on a work trip with his coworkers for 5 days. I wasn’t hungry so I just gave mom a simple greet and walked to my room. I layed on my bed as I started thinking about my life overall and my college. I was feeling sick to my stomach. He was here again. I was used to his disgusting smile, hi stare that made my body burn with hate. He was here again to drive me crazy, to make me realize how much of a parasite I am, but still he knew the real me that’s what drived me mad. How he talked and made me realize how fake and how dead I am. When I first saw him, 6 months ago I went crazy. I started throwing things, yelling at him and cussing, but he stayed there like a shadow he was, staring at me at smiling, talking about me in the most quiet tone. Then his aperances became more frequent, and each time he was getting more irresistible, overwhelming. After, I met this mysterious ghost, who visited me everynight like an unwanted guest I started seing more ghost. They were ugly, but felt attractive. They were all so dead. I knew they were real, specificly him but I couldn’t tell anyone, not even my mom. If she found out that I speak and see “ghosts” she would lock me on a asalyum. She didn’t like me at all, She would say that I was losing my mind just like my father. What I could see was a curse, I’d rather experience hell twice than talk and listen to these shadows, but no I was living hell down here on earth so the only option was to make these voices stop, to shut those wide stares, to close those disgusting, goosebumping smiles. I threw my pillow towards him, but of course it passed through it’s body, whatscalled body. I walked calmly to my mothers room and grabbed the pistol from the second drawer on the right side. Then I got out of her room, while walking I saw my mother still sleeping on the sofa. She looked peaceful and beautiful. I stopped walking just to look at her, then memories of us together flashed on my eyes. Our memories before I started seing ghosts and before I became myself. I had been a ghost my whole life but I didn’t know. I continued to walk and closed the door of my room behind me. He was still there, sitting on a chair and looking at every of my movements. Tonight hedidn’t say a word, maybe he knew about my decision. Maybe thats what he wanted. My soul was full of agony, I slowly opened my window just to take a last breath of the fresh air. Today had been raining all day. He was behind me, waiting for me, as my eyes started to get watery. My hands were shaking while I was holding the pistol aganst my head. I had to end everything. I didn’t have the chance to see the beautiful sunrays, or to laugh anymore, Maybe I’ll do, maybe I’ll don’t. His skin-crawling voice whispered in my ear. -”What are you waiting?-do it.” My mom sleeping on the sofa, the fresh breeze, my tears, him and his life devastating figure, and my lifeless body on my room, he did it, he took my soul, digging deep on my heart. I lost the only thing I’ve ever had. I lost my life. 10th Grade 3rd Place Xhesika Shehu Belsh Sometimes during my afternoon, I used to get home late, because I worked a late night shift. One day I was driving home and I was also listening to my favourite song in my old crusty dusty car, it was old but I loved it. Anyway, while I was driving with the corner of my eye I took a glimpse in the rare view mirror and I saw I shadow. Not thinking much of it, thinking I was so tired and now hallucinating I got over it. I get home take off my shoes and hang my coat in the hanger. Just as I put it on the, when I turn my back the coat fell to the ground. I was so overstimulated already so I just ignored it and went to the kitchen to look for something to eat. My mum was there, she was cooking me some pumpkin soup and the second I entered the room I greeted her but she didn’t respond. This was the moment when I started to get concerned something was wrong with me too. I went to the bathroom and immideatly after it I heard my phone ring. I started at it for a split second and I couldn’t recognize the number calling me. I was preety sure it was familiar but I couldn’t recognize it. I decide to answer it and a woman starts to speak from the other side of the phone. She said: “Hi sweetie, it’s me, your mum, I made you pumpkin soup, it on the countertop.” And I answered her saying where was she because I swear I had seen her in the kitchen. She pretendes to remind me that her and my dad were on vacation, then just as I was asking her a question, she hung up saying “Sorry, I have to go, take care”, which to me was weird, because my mum never really hung up the phone without saying “I love you.” I went in the kitchen again but I saw noone but Missy my pet dog. That greet and tail wag she gave me looked like and old memory I had hidden in my drawer. But even though it felt old, I still loved him. I take the soup which I randomly and out of nowhere found prepared to eat, and sat in the dining table. I called Missy but she didn’t respond, I get up from my chair worried looking everywhere, calling Missy, but still getting no answer. I started panicking, so I get my phone out of my pocket and start searching for my mum in the Dial app. But little did I know I wouldn’t be able to see them. The numbers and names that were supposed to be organised and steady were playing tricks with me. The numbers were being displayed in front of me now, not in phone anymore. And just so you know I had an extreme fear of the number 7, I had been scared of it since I was 3, but I will explain it later why. The number 7 was laughing so evilly and micheviosly and saying you shouldn’t have disliked me EVER!!! I got scared but I couldn’t cry it felt like my eyes were glued open. There were so many 7’s dancing in a circle around me and singing the song I was scared from 7 for. There was a song that my evil, witchy neighbor sang to me when I was 2. At that point I was so scared I fainted and when I woke up I was surprinsengly in my bed. Just as I open my eyes my mum was there and it was now the next morning. I asked my mum what happened and she responded saying: “You came home last night and you were acting weird, you were dialing crazy numbers on your phone and you were staring at the wall with your eyes opened wide saying “Don’t do it please!” Turns out my mum was home all that time. That was the moment I realised something with me was wrong. I told my mum I didn’t remember any of that so she genuinely starts to freak out. She decides to get me to a psychiatric doctor. I said and claimed I didn’t need it but my mum was so worried about my behaviour so we decided and compromises to go. After 3-4 hours being inside the doctors clinic I get out with a clean bill of mental and physical health. The doctor couldn’t explain any of the things that had occurred. My mum and I go home, and my mum was finally breathing normally, because earlier that day she was so concerned about me, but now that fear was over. My mum advised me to lay in my bed until I felt better to get up. I rejected to lay down claiming that I was just fine. After some hours of me trying to figure out why I had experienced that I see my dad in my front door, the “Dad who PASSED away 10 years ago.” He said he was there to take me with him somewhere only he knew I was scared but I had missed him so much, so I agreed. He gets my hand, and we both start walking out of the room. We get out of the front door and just at that moment I hear my mum calling my name! No way I gasped and then fainted. Waking up the next day confused why I had been sleeping for so many hours, I realized I had lost my memories of the past 2 days and the last thing I remembered was leaving my shift at work 2 days ago. When I woke up I was already in the hospital where doctors were examining me and my brain. They were finding no problem until a doctor who to me looked creepy, came in. His hair was almost all grey and his eyes were different colors, probably heterclomia. He came in with his squekay voice telling me I was just like him. I asked him “what do you mean?” and he said, “ You know what I mean.” I truly didn’t know what he really meant, but I still insisted to know it. Finally, he said: “You are ill with the rarest condition, which only 10 people in the world have, one of the 10 is you and me. Even though I though I was going crazy with all these ghost-seeing, he warned me that when I reach 21 years old I would experience something that would change my life forever. NOW 5 years later, I finally understand why. He meant I will turn into the worlds next genius and itelligent person. I have now won 10 gold medals in maths for the last 9 years and 8 gold ones in physics. Since that time the creepy doctor told me that I never experienced the ghost seeing anymore And for my dad that wanted to take me somewhere, that was to show me the true me, the True Intelligent person I was, but guess that wasn’t the right time. Since the last time I saw the creepy doctor I never saw him again, some say he died after telling a girl his life secret but we’ll never know that, MAYBE on MY FRIEND’S Book that she’s writing, (Fiona) who knows?

11th Grade

11th Grade 1st Place Sarita Sula Saranda The sage green couch groans as I move to plop myself on it. It was another day in the podcast studio with the exception that today I would get to interview one of the most known tv personalities of the decade; Elizabeth Mosley. The actress was known for countless roles in the film industry so talented was one way to describe her. Despite her ever growing fame however, she never thought of herself as less than others; helping people as much as she could; opening organizations to help children in need. She truly was an amazing human being. I set up the mics and create a cosy and inviting atmosphere in the once dull studio. This had to be perfect, I could not mess up; not today; not in front of someone I looked up to for half my life. The clock arrows were nearing 10:00, she would be here any minute now. I feel myself growing nervouse and bustling with excitement all at the same time. Taking out my phone, I open the camera, checking myself one more time. “You got this” I tell myself and take a deep breath in attempt o collecting myself. I sit on the soft couch once more and go over the sheet of paper I had written my questions on. The edges were ripped from me constantly picking on them, tearing away piece by piece as if it would help me. I catch myself doing it again and stop with a sigh. I did have some terrible habits I needed to fix. I look over to the clock on the wall once again. It had passed fifteen minutes. I furrow my eyebrows and check the time on my phone to make sure it really was 10:00 am and that the clock wasn’t broken, or even worse, that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. The clock had in fact been correct. Just as I was about to move, the door to my studio bursts open. In the doorway stands a tall and muscular man in a suit. He doesn’t knock and he doesn’t greet me either, he just moves aside to let the person behind him get in. In walks the famous Hollywood star; Elisabeth Mosley. Her high heels clink on the wooden floor as she takes a few long strides towards me, head held high, like she didn’t own anyone anything; like she was the best and there was no other like her. She was right. I had stood up without realizing and was now standing in front of her, my hand stretched out for a had shake and a huge grin on my face; not at all like I had practiced at home in front of my bathroom mirror for hours. There she was, as beautiful as ever, everything I ever wanted to be; a star. She looks at me up and down, takes a long look at my left hand that was fidgeting with the hem of my shirt and then looks up at me with a tight smile. When I realize she won’t be shaking my hand anytime soon I drop it. After a brief exchange of words I set up my camera and we start recording. The first five minutes of the interview were going great; until I noticed that Elizabeth was beginning to slouch and shake her leg impatiently as she discreetly checked her phone multiple times throughout the interview. She lets out a long sigh and looks over at me, tilting her head slightly. Her ends seemed droopy and bloodshot red. “Are we done yet?” she asks in a manner I can only describe as being annoyed. I open my mouth to speak, but for a moment nothing comes out. I then end up asking her if she wanted to take a break. She takes one long look at me as if asking if I was serious and then rolls her grey eyes and moving her dark hair out of her face. “What I want is to go.” My eyes were wide and I stager for a response. She kicks me and lets out a long agitated sigh for the ninth time. I was sure this was the first time I had ever heard a person sigh this much. “Look dear, you obviously don’t know what you’re doing.” An “excuse me” is all I could say back. She looks over at me and makes a mocking expression, muttering something about stupid schedules and interviewers. “I don’t have time for your questions and jokes which only you seem to find funny” she motions her hands around “I have places to be. Do you know how tiring it is to go to three separate organizations a day and pretend I love huggin those dirty kids?” A shock runs through my body. The woman I had looked up to all those years was standing in front of me, but she was nothing like I had imagined. “Oh come on, don’t pretend you’re any better. I bet you’ll go home today and hate on people as you stand in front of the television while eating pizza.” I had had enough. The next few minutes pass in a blur but what I remember is telling her that I didn’t agree with any of her principles and that she was no longer welcome in the studio. Everything had gone to waste. All the years spent trying to be like her; all the preparations for the interview; everything. But I was glad for one thing; getting to know her true self and that after all it seems no one is perfect after all. We often idolize over perfect people on television without knowing a single thing about them. We look in the mirror and blame ourselves for imperfections we create in our troubled minds. But I would take being imperfect and fidgeting every single minute over pretending to be someone I’m not every single time. 11th Grade 2nd Place Mikea Kapxhiu Perrenjas My life has been…let’s say a pretty basic one. One I wouldn’t say I’m that proud of. I get up sometimes skip breakfast head to school. I’m not a good student but by manners alone and the fact that my father is the highschools english teacher has made me the “respected” student I am today. By this time, something out of the ordinary popped up so me advertisement appeared on my phone. It said Apply to become immortal now! I thought it was funny so I clicked, finished all the needed information and fastly submitted. You are now immortal, I read. Turned off my phone and moved on with my life but that feeling the idea still lingered in the back of my mind. And the worst part is, it never stopped. Finished school year after school year, made friends, started working on a decent job on my third year of university. I ended up with some girl I met at a local bar. Got married but my youth still was blooming thats the moment I realized. My family the people I lovedwere getting older and cherishing the life they had while I hadn’t grown a wrinkle yet. People went by, time flied eyes stared. I had started family after family trying to forget of this immortality of mine this “blessing.” Now it’s been at least 200 years. Im alone in a basement. I rot while others live and the worst part is I’m still sane, my mind is clear as the sky on a blessed day without any clouds nor planes polluting the view. So I think and think and the thought that taunts me the most is why did I choose it. Why did I apply for it. Was becoming immortal with it enough to see the world I love and the people in it crumble to dust and wither away. My dear life has been nothing to me. 11th Grade 3rd Place Dejna Begu Peshkopi If I saw an advertisement inviting people to apply for immortality, I would feel both surprised and curious. The idea of living forever is something most people only imagine in stories, yet if such an opportunity truly existed, I believe I would be a strong candidate. First of all, I am a person who deeply values life, growth, and learning. Life feels too short to discover everything the world has to offer. If granted immortality, I would experience different cultures, went to different places, learn and try new things, and watch how the world changes over time. Instead of fearing the passing time, I would embrace it as a chance to continuously improve myself and help people to be the best version of themselves too. Another reason is my strong character. I think being immortal would require emotional strength and adaptability to face a world that never stops changing. Life can be challenging but I do not give up easily. This resilience would allow me to carry the weight of immortality without losing hope or direction. Beyond personal growth I believe immortality would be used to help others too. A life without end would give me the opportunity to help others across generations. With my knowledge I would help them see the world differently in another perspective and make them vale the time. In another perspective, being immortal would not be that great because you will see all the people you have ever know and loved pass away and everything change. Memories will be the only thing that will remind you the past and all the great things you have ever experienced. All in all, I think that being immortal is a great opportunity to see how the world develops over time and to help others with our knowledge, but it can have its bad side too, like watching everything change deeply and watch everyone you love die.

12th Grade

12th Grade 1st Place Laida Bllaca Fier I’m hunched over my lab, exhausted. A drop of sweat drips down from my forehead and closely misses the specimen sample. The lab plate’s reddish tint suddenly seems ominous as I reach out and place it down. However, the excitement and anticipation that take over my body feel like a knife tracing along the edges of my fingers, until I finally hand off the small, clear plate to the others. As I wait for them to insert the modified gene into the subjects, my heart seems to want to pop out of my chest. Maybe the suspense my heart anxiously feels is mixed with a hint of jealousy. Maybe, deep down, I long to become a better version of myself, too. But my thought about that question, a question that has haunted me since the beginning , “who is willing to sacrifice, and how much so, to achieve this change…is cut off by the alarm informing me that the subject has woken up. A boy, who couldn’t be older than 20, starts to wake up and as the effects of anesthesia wear off, he speaks directly to me. He tells me that the speed at which his thoughts are running makes his brain feel like, at any time, it will suddenly expand and break his head open. As he starts to be able to use his brain capacity fully something about the look in his eyes changes. It feels as if now, I’m staring at a void behind them and something in the darkness is staring back. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. As my hands shake, I drop the pen I was taking notes with the one the floor, but before it even hits it I feel the pen I feel the pen back in my hand. He tells me that time is not perceived in the same way by him. Standing there, he perceives time as measurable and touchable measurement, a field of some sorts. Like the fabric of space and time is nothing more than a sheet he can walk across from. In a moment he is in the room, and the other not. He envious as from a fourth dimension, being able to watch us and interact with us as if we are nothing but immeasurably small and unimportant beings, merely a bunch of conscious piles of matter. As I look at the machine his vitals are connected to he seems to have unlocked a little over 50% of his brain’s potential. The lights in the room Flicker a few times like a warning that in no way can impact the outcome. Then, they go out, and the room is plunged in darkness. My coworker tries to activate the backup, but to no success. The boy, who seems to be the cause of the blackout, calmly informs us that the energy he needs to feed his brain at the speed at which it’s running, is no longer sufficiently provided by the lab. He reaches his arms out at an impossibly long length and inserts these extensions of his body throughout the building’s power sockets. I urge him to talk more so I can note everything down. He, likely able to anticipate what I was gonna ask him, answers in a bland tone. When you unlock the full power of your brain, he says, what we have thought of as impossible until now is no longer such. Limits are constraints of the human mind, placed there by us to remind us of how little power we hold and how much is impossible for us to comprehend. These restrictions don’t exist for someone like him. Matter can be broken down and reshaped into any way your mind wants. His face contorts into a transparent mask. The monitor now reads 80%. We wanted him to be able to help us. To help humanity. We ask him of the questions that have been answered, about the answer of the universe and about time travel possibilities. The way he answers is vague. He says that if we truly heard the answer about the universe, we’d never be able to understand it. Humans will just never be able to go past what their mind is capable of. That some answers will never be meant for us. There is no god, for humanity created him because it couldn’t handle not knowing. But the truth stands that we are not meant to know. And as much as science advances, the restrictions of our mortal bodies, and of our human consciousness, will never be broken down. The boy slowly turns translucent. My mouth starts bleeding and I realise I had been biting down the inside of my cheek. I didn’t exped this to happen to him. And If I did, I didn’t exactly want this outcome. Nobody did. What would happen to him? Is death, his death, truly realisable, is his consciousness able to float into another dimension, another place, where he will be devoid of consequences? I realise the absurdness of our experiment. He may have been able to break free of his constraints, but at what cost? The cost of his humanity? Maybe our limits are those who make us human. Who make what we call life, able to be lived. As the thoughts race around my head, I pass out… 12th Grade 2nd Place Elidiona Toromani Remenj The sequence of the monitor finally settled into a steady rhythmic pulse a luminais green thread of data that I had spent sixteen years trying to do it. I look through the reinforced glass, subject Zero didn’t look like a monster he looked like a masterpiece. His skin looks like a real human body. The hiss of depressurization filled the sterile lab. As the mist cleared, Zero-s eyes snapped open. They weren’t blue or brown, they were a deep liquid gold. He didn’t gasp for air or panic He simply sat up his movement fluid and start to speak. “Creator”-he said, his voice sound like a metalic piece My answer was- “How do you feel” and start to work in clipboard. He turn his head around the room. I watch from security camera in the corner and he give me a charming smile that melted my heart. He finally spoke - “I feel happy and reborn again…he looked from the windows and his face shows that he was really happy and I feel glad. In that moment, looking into those golden eyes which was Staring at me, I realized I hadn’t created a savior for humanity, I had created its successor. And as the lab’s power began to flicker under his silent command, I realized I was no longer the one in charge of the experiment. 12th Grade 3rd Place Kledis Rustani Peshkopi The first time I realised that I had crossed a line no one could uncross, I was watching him breathe. He was asleep in the observation sute one arm folded beneath his head the other resting over the steady rise and fall of his chest. The monitors around him hummed softly. Tracing perfect rythms- heart rate precise, neural activity elegantly synchronized, cellular regeneration already repairing the tiny incision from yesterday biopsy. He looked human. Entirely human. And yet he was not. For decades, gene-editing had been a blunt instrument: we could snip, replace, silence. We could treat disease, sometimes even prevent it. But the genome was a language we barely understood-less a string of letters than a symphony of interwoven themes. My breakthrough was not a sharper pair of scissors; it was a translation. I discovered a way to model the genome as a dynamic system predicting not just what a single edit would do, but how it would echo through development metabolism cognition. I could compose. At first, I told myself it was for medicine. Remove the genes that predispose to cancer. Strengthen the immune response. Increase resistance to neurodegeneration. All noble goals. All defensible. But the model kept whispering possibilities. What if we optimized mitochondrial effiency beyond the human norm! What, if we rewired synaptic pruning to preserve plusticity into adulthood. What if we enhanced myofibeil density oxygen ultization, bone tensile strength? The simulations were intoxicating. Disease disappered from the projections? Those are all questions without a answears.