The Millennial Box by Julie Steimle (snow like ashes .TXT) 📖

that they encouraged good writing and fostered ideas for papers. However, the class discussion was not going as well has he had liked.

"Ok, enough. Obviously this discussion needs to be a bit more objective. Let's not get personal," their teacher said.

Jeff laughed.

Mr. Humphries stopped and looked at him. "Do you wish to share something, Mr. Streigle?"

Jeff rose from his seat and shrugged. "I was just thinking that it is hard to be objective when it comes to religion."

Mr. Humphries nodded at him with a more-relaxed smile, as Jeff often spoke with a rational voice. "Good point. Perhaps then," glancing at Jeff, "we should stick to the facts, rather than belief."

Brian shook his head as he rose again. "But Mr. Humphries, most religion is belief. It's kind of hard to separate this kind of discussion from that, isn't it?"

His teacher nodded. "True. All the same, can we please keep civil?"

A general murmur of consent rumbled through the room.

Zormna snorted.

"Miss Clendar? Do you wish to speak?" her teacher asked, looking to her.

She stood up, though reluctantly. "Well, I was just thinking about what Jeff said. Isn't it obvious? We can't keep civil if we can't keep objective, can we? I know very few people who can. What you really mean is that you want us to be polite about another person's beliefs. Is that it?"

Her teacher nodded, watching her sit down. "That's it, though I do think that civility is more of what I want. Some dignified respect, please."

Zormna tried to understand but did not sit down. "How do you respect something you don't believe?"

Nodding, Mr. Humphries could see where she was coming from. "Perhaps, in respect for a fellow human being, we must tolerate other's beliefs regardless of how we feel."

She still wouldn't sit down. "But what if they believe in human sacrifice? Or what if their religion encourages people to eat dogs or something?"

A tremor of gasps and murmurs erupted from the class.

"Exactly!" Amelia said from across the room.

Mr. Humphries shook his head. "As long as the religion does not infringe on the rights of other human beings, taking away their rights while you practice your religion - then I can safely say that it is just and best if you are tolerant of their beliefs. You must let people have their freedom to believe what they like."

This seemed to satisfy Zormna's question, and she sat down.

Trevor stood up again. "Then my protest still stands."

Brian also stood up, glaring back at him. "And so does mine. I liked the poem."

Mr. Humphries nodded. "Ok, then. How about this: perhaps instead of interpreting the poem for meaning, you can tell me what you believe and why you believe it in relation to this poem." He looked over at them, watching them take this in. "You can tell me why such a poem is appropriate or inappropriate for this class, and whether it should be in our text or not. You can even make it a project so you can write to the makers of the text in protest if you like," he said, looking at Trevor and Amelia. Gazing out at them he asked, "Is this satisfactory?"

They all seemed to nod. Those that did not care just shrugged and agreed. Most didn't care. They would have to write something or other, sooner or later, so it really did not matter either way.

"Good."

"I really don't like Trevor," Brian grumbled during lunch four hours later. Clearly it still bothered him. "He's a jerk in class." He opened his lunch bag on the table and pulled out his wrapped burritos. "And the only time he contributes to anything is when he gripes about religion."

Adam shrugged. "But he does have a point. You can't force him to believe in God."

"Who's forcing him? Nobody is making him," Brian took a bite and chewed with a sulk. "I mean, do I make you? You're...what are you?"

Shrugging again, "Evangelical Christian...though I do it because my mom and dad make me."

Mark and Jonathan shared a look with shrugs. They did not have English with them, and religion was not something they talked about much. Mark was Lutheran and Jonathan was a non-orthodox Jew. And Brian being a rather opinionated Mormon, they found that it was best to make religion sort of a non-topic.

"I think," Jeff murmured aloud, "what Adam was trying to say was that making Trevor say the pledge, for example, was forcing him to verbally profess a belief he didn't hold."

Brian peered at Jeff and leaned back. "So, you've never professed a specific religion. But you've come to church with me occasionally, and you say you are religious. So what do you think about all this?"

Zormna looked toward Jeff, wondering what he might say, because she knew he wasn't just a little religious - it was part of his identity as a human being. Jeff himself believed that he was fulfilling part of a sacred prophecy by protecting her. He could read the sacred texts in the old language. He even had them memorized in parts. Eric and Alex both had whispered to her their awe of Jeff's dedication and their strength of belief that Jeff really was connected with the divine, at least in purpose - after all, he was also just a teenage boy who still had some growing up to do. And he had his flaws, which Zormna was intimately familiar with.

"I think...well..." Jeff appeared thoughtful. He paused for a while, really thinking about it. "Well, as you know, I do think about God. And I did like the poem."

Adam peered at Jeff as if he was revealing something new to his personality, as everyone still though Jeff was a bit of a hellion even though he didn't actually act that way.

"...But I can see where Trevor is coming from."

Brian nodded, sighing. "Ok, fine. But I still stand by my argument."

He then went back to eating his lunch.

"What's that?" Jonathan asked.

"That Trevor's a jerk." Brian bit in to his burrito, nodding sharply.

Zormna chuckled. She didn't know Trevor much at all. Was Brian right, or just being a judgmental kid? Probably both. Besides, it really didn't matter to her. All she could think about was how slow the week was going.

Thursday went by just as slowly. English class was not as interesting as the day before. They read papers and discussed their sonnets. Most of the students had not even started theirs. Zormna was still agonizing over hers. She just could not figure out the rhythm and meter. And rhyming. Who invented rhyming for pity's sake?

In her next class with Miss Bianchi, they finally received the details of their assignments for the 'Christmas Around the World' celebration. Zormna tried to sign up to work on decorations with Jessica, but Miss Bianchi had taken her off that and put her on stage duty. And that meant she had to wear some red and green suit, not unlike that horrid jumper her teacher had worn, and help the performers set up.

"She just likes to dress me up me up like a doll," Zormna complained to those sitting around her in the classroom when she lost her argument with the teacher.

Jennifer chuckled, nodding. "Too true."

"It is true," Michelle Clay added, leaning in from her desk. "I overheard Miss Bianchi brag to the other teachers about how cute Zormna looked as a German bar maid."

Zormna groaned, banging her head against the desk.

"Quit talking back there," Miss Bianchi called out when she heard the thud. Though, she was smirking.

Michelle whispered lower, "She had also said that her 'small, pale, green-eyed girl' would make a darling Christmas elf."

Stacey giggled, sharing looks with the head cheerleader.

"Get that, darling," Michelle said.

Jessica rolled her eyes, tugging Zormna away as the teacher shot their corner of the room another dirty look. They weren't even listening to the recording about whatever it was they were studying in History. Zormna was glowering.

"I don't want to be an elf," Zormna grumbled, resting her chin on her desk top.

"Typecasting," Stacey muttered.

"Shut it," Jessica snapped back. Then she hissed forward. "Never mind that. Zormna - remember, you promised you'd pose for me for my art class. I need you do it at lunch with me."

Sighing, Zormna nodded. "I'll just tell the others..."

Peeking towards the teacher, Jessica added, "You can bring Jeff - if you want."

Moaning, Zormna closed her eyes. Like Joy, Jessica also had a crush on Jeff. However, unlike Joy, Jessica knew Zormna entertained no romantic thoughts toward the boy and she was not jealous.

But when Zormna left Chemistry to go with Jessica at Lunch to the art room, Darren was the one who came with them. Jessica was very disappointed.

That afternoon after school, Jeff and Zormna had to visit the school counselor. They had skipped almost three weeks of mandated counseling sessions due to holidays, sports, and life which upset their counselor to no end. And when they arrived for their session, she was practically irate that they did not feel sorry in the slightest for ditching.

" - don't you understand?" she nearly shouted herself hoarse. Her chest was heaving in exasperation. "If you do not deal with your repressed feelings, they will explode on you like a powder keg."

Zormna and Jeff shared a look, not sure they felt anywhere near exploding, let alone like a powder keg.

"Now, I know you both witnessed some gruesome things in your pasts. But by talking about it in a safe setting such as this, you can relieve the pressure and understand you are not alone," she said.

Zormna sighed heavily and folded her arms. She stared at the ceiling with nothing to say.

Urged to speak by the teacher, Jeff decided it was just best to make things up.

"Ok..." he attempted to appear like he was revealing a deep repressed secret. "I never told anyone this, but the gang I was in used to play these dares on the L. And there was this kid that...." And he went on and on with his made up tale about punking strangers and why he wanted to leave the non-existent gang that he had never been part of but everyone believed he had been in. He even made his eyes look teary - but he did that by rubbing them.

The counselor was convinced.

Zormna wondered, though, if he would ever start a counseling session with the phrase: did I ever tell you the one about the bla bla bla. He was really good at spinning stories.

Then finally Friday came. Both Zormna and Jeff were anxiously waiting for the day to end - and it was only eight a.m.

"Today will be another reading day," Mr. Humphries said, pulling out his usual stack of written papers.

The students squirmed in their seats, fearing the worst.

"Miss Clendar?" Mr. Humphries lifted up her paper.

Zormna reluctantly took it then stood, staring at the sheet. She cleared her throat.

"What I Am Devoted To. That's a hard question to answer. I have never really been devoted to anything." Zormna looked down shamefaced as she read, flushing in a way Jeff had not quite seen before. "I once was planning to be a police officer like my uncle. But since my parents were killed, I had to redirect my plans. I think if I am devoted to anything, it would be a devotion to truth...."

Jeff listened to the words she read. She always had a way of telling a true narrative without revealing the absolute truth. Like how she talked about her military school constantly, but never revealing that the school was on another planet. Or how she mentioned people she had admired, never mind they commanded space fleets so frightening that the FBI really should be worried. Or how she bragged about her former rank, never letting on that her rank was a great deal more influential than anyone realized - including the FBI.

"...however sometimes it is necessary to hide the truth," she read flushing more shamefully. "Sometimes the truth hurts more than just yourself, but others it might protect or help. I think when