I am the wildest.

Feather hair falls over my shoulders,

violently hacked off, ends split

and curling

my face too sharp carved out

by endless nights of hunting

in biting wind, lashing rain or soft summer breeze

once I was a flower petal

now I am a blade, double-edged

forged from fury and ferocity

and the loyalty of the pack

I have scarred even my own

sacred skin.

Originally published in KidSpirit Online for The Heroic Spirit issue.

Alice Simmons wrote this when she was a high school junior living in Rhode Island. She spends her free time reading, acting, drawing, and eating sushi.

Artwork by Fajr Alam created when she was 15 years old. She is from Pakistan.