A Project, a Partner, and a Map That Shouldn't Exist
Hey everyone—
Ember here. Things got weird this week. Like, “this might actually matter” weird.
Let me back up.
Group Projects: The Real Horror Story
Ms. Drayton announced a new social studies project this week: “Mapping the History of Our Place.” We’re supposed to research a part of Ann Arbor and show how it’s changed over time—and how it connects to the people who live here now.
Pairs only. No picking your own.
Guess who I got?
Eva.
Yup.
It was awkward at first. We sat on opposite ends of the rug. We each typed with our own Chromebook and barely made eye contact. I even typed “WETLANDS” in all caps on our shared doc like it would scare her into agreeing with me.
But then…
The Map
We went to the school library to find some old records. Ms. Alvarez let us into the archives room (which smells like old crayons and ghost breath).
While flipping through a binder of aerial photos, Eva found a folded paper stuck behind one of the dividers. Not part of the collection. Just jammed in there.
It was a hand-drawn map—really old, but careful. It showed the area where Thurston Elementary is now. Only… different.
- The school wasn’t there.
- The pond was twice as big.
- The entire area was marked Protected Marshland.
- And scribbled in faded ink:
Survey lines disputed. See 1954 report.
Neither of us said anything at first.
Then Eva whispered:
“Why wasn’t this in the digital archives?”
What We Think (So Far)
We haven’t found the “1954 report” yet.
But this map? It doesn’t match the boundaries used in the construction plans. According to this, part of what’s marked for demolition is legally protected land.
I don’t know if it’s a mistake.
I don’t know if someone buried it on purpose.
But I do know this:
The ghost pointed at the pond.
And now we’ve found a map that proves something was covered up.
What This Means for Eva and Me
She texted me later:
I didn’t know. I’m sorry.
I texted back:
Me neither. Let’s find out.
We’re not totally okay yet. But we’re working together now. And that feels like a start.
What Comes Next
We’re going to try to find the 1954 report. We asked Ms. Alvarez for help and she gave us this look like she knows more than she’s saying. (Librarians always know.)
I don’t know what we’ll find. But if this map is real—and I think it is—then maybe this isn’t just a ghost story anymore.
It’s a cover-up.
✌️ Ember