Cracks in the Ice
Hey again. Ember here.
It’s mid-January. The pond is thick with ice. The herons are long gone. And the ghost?
Still silent.
But not everything that breaks makes a sound.
The Division
When the construction plan was first announced, it felt like just another school thing. Parents complained. Other parents shrugged. Kids didn’t really notice.
Then people started picking sides.
Some families love the new design. They say it’s “future-forward,” “eco-efficient,” and “finally worthy of the Thurston name.” (Whatever that means.) They talk about flexible classrooms, solar panels, and a robotic lunch delivery trial.
Others—like my parents—are furious. Not because they hate nice things. But because building it here, on top of the wetland and playground and quiet, bird-filled places, feels like a betrayal.
At first, us kids stayed out of it.
But that didn’t last.
Losing My Best Friend
Eva’s mom is one of the biggest voices for the construction. She even helped design the ribbon-cutting shirts (“Groundbreakers of Tomorrow” in sparkly green font).
My mom used to carpool with her. Now they barely wave.
I didn’t think it would affect me and Eva. We’ve known each other since kindergarten. She once helped me bury a dead robin with full honors and a shoebox casket.
But lately?
She’s been different.
Quieter. Defensive. Distant.
We still sit next to each other in music class. But she doesn’t walk with me at recess anymore. And she skipped our last Nature Center visit, saying her mom “didn’t want her involved in all that protest stuff.”
That hurt more than I expected.
I miss her.
A Sign (Maybe?)
This morning, Blaise and I walked out early to feed the birds (suet cakes—we made them ourselves). As we passed the south end of the frozen pond, I saw something.
Just for a second.
Scratched into the ice—not deep, but visible in the morning frost—was the shape of a heron. Wings wide, legs trailing behind. It wasn’t a footprint. It wasn’t a joke. It was intentional.
By the time I came back with my phone to take a picture, the sun had melted the outline. Blaise said maybe I imagined it.
But I didn’t.
I know what I saw.
What I’m Thinking
- Maybe the ghost isn’t gone.
- Maybe it’s waiting for the right moment.
- Maybe I am too.
It’s hard to fight for something when even your best friend won’t stand beside you. But I’m not quitting. And I don’t think the ghost is either.
Not everything that’s quiet is finished.
✌️ Ember