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Released Reviews (8/14-8/20)

By: Nathan Krugman ’22

Singles:

“Mood Ring” – Lorde – The 3rd single from Solar Power features a more driving instrumental track that sets it apart from the other singles, “Solar Power” and “Stoned at the Nail Salon”. The lyrical critique of “wellness culture” seems to build thematically on the previous releases while succeeding where “Solar Power” fell short in musical cohesiveness. – 9/10

“Renegade (Pop Version)” – Big Red Machine (ft. Taylor Swift) – A re-release of the previously heard single from Big Red Machine’s upcoming album, this version seems to hold the hope that a re-edited version of the song that removes any explicit lyrics will increase radio plays and that Swift’s name will then bring mainstream audiences to the new project. However, the edits interrupt the narrative and flow of the piece. – 6/10

“Thelma + Louise” – Bastille – The second single from what appears to be a new album cycle for the group, this track again shows the band utilizing more and more electric and synthetic sounds than previous projects. There are some clever instrumental moments, but the track fails to be anything other than a generic, yet enjoyable, pop song. – 7/10

“Visiting Hours” – Ed Sheeran – The 2nd single from the newly announced “=” is a return to the stripped back and more heartfelt sound Sheeran sported in his first two albums and is an appreciated retreat from the in-your-face pop of “÷” and “Bad Habits”. The track sports a beautiful message but falls short of a “wow moment”.  – 8/10

“Wild Hearts” – Keith Urban – The first single from the country staple in over a year presents a song that holds a decent theme of those who follow their dreams despite society’s rejections. However, the lyrics, vocals, and instrumental all feel mediocre and, thus, fail to represent that theme well. – 6/10

“fleabag” – YUNGBLUD – The first single from the artist since their album release 8 months ago, this track carries a strong punk instrumental and a unique thematic concept. Unfortunately, the lyrics fail to live up to those successes and leave a song that is enjoyable to listen to, but disappointing to think about. – 7/10

“Chasing Stars” – Alesso, Marshmello (ft. James Bay) – A beautiful, retrospective song with solid lyrics and impressive vocal performance is hindered by Marshmello’s production. The DJ has struck again and removes any emotion or personal connection the piece could have. – 6/10

“Change My Clothes” – Dream, Alec Benjamin – Dream (a popular YouTuber)’s second single again proves that not every social media star should try music. The thematic concept is interesting, but the lyrics are shallow and Dream will never be a vocalist. The only redeeming grace is Benjamin’s vocals, but they end up clashing with Dream’s during any duetting moments. – 3/10

“One Mississippi” – Kane Brown – One of the most promising country artists in recent years sings of romantic yearning in this new single. The vocals and instrumentals are solid, but the lyrics are surface-level and fall into the realm of the generic “dude country” that has been sung to death. – 5/10

“Summer of Love” – Shawn Mendes, Tainy – The first we’ve heard from Mendes since the underpromoted Wonder album, this track’s instrumental is the star, carrying mediocre lyrics into a successful product, which is a fresh take on Mendes’s musical style. – 8/10

“Don’t Go” – Skrillex (ft. Justin Bieber and Don Toliver) – An extremely unimpressive and forgettable song with no thematic concept presents lyrics with little development or thought. Bieber’s vocals are the high note of the piece, so do not expect anything great. – 4/10

Albums:

Solar Power – Lorde – Lorde’s 3rd album was released after 4 years. Characterized by transcendental themes and more upbeat instrumentals, it is a departure from the style of Pure Heroine and Melodrama. Even with a few weak tracks, the album excels as a cohesive work of art and carries many great songs. Stand-outs include “Fallen Fruit”, “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)”,  “The Man with the Axe”, and the 3 singles (“Solar Power”, “Stoned at the Nail Salon”, and “Mood Ring”). Not a perfect album, tracks 8 and 10 feel lackluster and unfinished, but they serve their role in the overarching thematic progression. – 9/10

SOUR – Olivia Rodrigo – The debut album from Rodrigo (originally meant to be an EP and expanded after the success of “drivers license”) received its physical release on 8/20, bringing it back into the front of musical dialogue. The album revives the punk-pop style from the early 2000s for a modern audience and showcases one of the best songwriters to find a big break in recent years. The work holds a relatable theme of how relationships are strained by and fail in today’s modern society. The immense popularity of the album makes it a strong contender for Album of the Year at the Grammy’s and follow Billie Ellish’s WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO in the impressive feat of winning that title as a debut album. Stand-out tracks include “traitor”, “happier”, “favorite crime”, “hope ur ok”, and 2 of the singles (“good 4 u” and “drivers license”), and the album impressively does not contain any noteworthy weak tracks. – 10/10

Advisory Periods: Are They Beneficial to Students?

By James Casper ’23

It is officially the 2021 school year, and that means a new schedule for the Saint Ignatius student body. This new schedule has many different aspects to it, one of these being the advisory period. The advisory periods are small twenty-minute sections of the students’ schedule that occur two out of the five school days. But what are advisory periods used for and are they even beneficial to the students’ learning process?

While some students at Saint Ignatius dislike the advisory period and may not see the value, it might actually have more pros than cons. One of these pros is that it can provide the students with structured academic, social-emotional, and future planning support (GreatSchools Staff). Advisory periods are another great way to enhance the students’ support group. They can be used as a secondary tool when the student’s counselor is preoccupied or unavailable to help them at that time.  

Another key aspect that advisories provide is direct teacher-student relationships. This relationship that the advisory teachers form with their students is critical for their growth and development as young adults. The advisors can often help the students find who they are and what they are meant to do. “The questions [advisory] helps students answer ‘What are my interests, what does the world need, and where do those two areas meet?’ are more important than any class you could take” (Vander Ark). To put it into Ignatian words, “The purpose of our education is to give a young man the tools whereby he can answer the question: What does God want from me” (Rev. Robert J. Welsh, S.J. ’54)? The Ignatian education is ever-changing, so the students must always be ready to answer that question. 

Advisories were made to form closer student-teacher relationships and build the students’ support group, but there are many smaller, more important aspects that advisories can provide. These aspects are: 

  1. Meeting new friends and forging new relationships
  2. Building new skills 
  3. Forming a diverse culture within the advisory and the school
  4. Demonstrating the unity and brotherhood that the community shares
  5. Keeping you up to date with the school news
  6. Can set students up for future success (Vander Ark)

So, next time you see your advisor or are in your advisory, thank them and remember that advisory is not just a waste of time, but rather a time for you, as an individual, to grow and discover what God wants from you. 

New Schedule Ultimately Better Than 9-Period Schedule

By Kelly Coleman ’23

It has been a time of great change for Saint Ignatius. Amidst a return to full-time school after a prolonged absence, a newly implemented school schedule has sent waves throughout the student body, and debate rages on over whether or not the new schedule is necessary. The new schedule boasts a later start time and a transition to a snaking schedule from the previous nine period day. Ultimately, this new schedule is an improvement over the previous one and provides many unique benefits for students.

Perhaps the most uncontroversial part of the new schedule is the delayed start time. Studies have shown that early school start times are a leading cause of sleep deprivation in teens and that delaying school start times allows students to get additional sleep, boosting performance in school. Aside from catching up on sleep, the delayed start allots students free time in the morning that can be spent eating breakfast, catching up on homework before the day starts, or socializing with friends before the school day.

The transition from nine periods a day to a rotating schedule allows classes to be longer and cover more material instead of it being split up over multiple days. Having classes every other day also means that students are able to pace themselves and spread their homework out over multiple days instead of doing it all in one night, which is particularly useful for students who might have practice or other after school activities to attend. The new schedule also provides students with more breaks than the traditional schedule. The 10 minutes between classes and in-class breaks allow students to recuperate energy and prepare for additional learning, not to mention the new common period bisecting the day which allows students to come into third period refreshed and rejuvenated.

The addition of a snaking schedule, in which the classes you have each day rotate daily, may seem needlessly complicated at first; however, the improved schedule actually poses a unique advantage over traditional schedules. Researchers have found that the time of day at which a class is held noticeably affects student performance in that class, with classes taking place in the morning performing better and classes taken after lunch performing worse. By having classes “snake,” the new schedule prevents certain classes from always meeting at the end of the day when both students and teachers are exhausted and affords every class the opportunity to learn when students are at their most ready.

The new school schedule is ultimately better than the traditional nine period schedule and is far more beneficial to students. That is not to say that it is without its flaws (the scheduling of the new advisory periods comes to mind as a possible kink in the system), but in future years these flaws will be addressed and remedied accordingly. 

Ohio City Construction and Development Update

By Carmen Caserio ’22

Over the past few years, Ohio City has undergone an unprecedented amount of gentrification that has reshaped the neighborhood overall. While most projects have yet to be realized, the neighborhood has already been the host of such great change that it is hard to recognize it compared to just a few years ago. Whether it is new mixed use apartments, shops, or parks, these projects pose a promising future for our hometown.

Among the most promising and prominent projects in Ohio City is INTRO Cleveland, located across the street from the West Side Market. According to News 5 Cleveland, the mixed-use development is slated to become “the largest timber-frame building in the United States,” mostly made out of sustainable materials. Though a similar development in Milwaukee is designed to take the title in the near future, INTRO “will bring almost 300 apartments (10 penthouses) to Ohio City, along with 36,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a 12,000 square foot entertainment venue on the top floor.” With the project long underway, the structure itself has topped out at the designed height of nine stories. However, the outer cladding as well as the interior of the building remains to be completed, as seen in the photo below, with the completion date set for spring 2022 according to introcleveland.com. Overall, INTRO poses a unique opportunity to redefine the reputation and the skyline of Ohio City.

A current image of the structurally topped out Intro, with the next stage of construction slated to begin soon. News 5 Cleveland

In addition to INTRO, The Dexter is another apartment complex located on Franklin Circle, across from the Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital and within walking distance of the West Side Market, which was recently completed. The project, according to cleveland.com, “offers 115 apartments and more than 8,600 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.” As opposed to typical apartment complexes in Ohio City, The Dexter provides higher end living arrangements for its residents. After several months of construction, The Dexter opened this past summer and offers residents another opportunity to reside within the up-and-coming neighborhood of Ohio City.

A bird’s eye view of The Dexter following its completion in the early summer of 2021. Apartments.com

Aside from apartments and mixed-use developments, the Irishtown Bend project attempts to provide Ohio City residents with a beautiful public park that connects the neighborhood to the Cuyahoga River. Although work only began earlier this year with the demolition of two buildings located along West 25th Street, some progress has been made regarding the stabilization of the hillside that the park is designed around. In fact, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency recently voted “to devote $12.8 million in federal money to the $45 million project” (cleveland.com) toward the stabilization of the hillside. Construction of the park is scheduled to begin soon thereafter, with the finished park aimed to be completed “as early as 2025.” Though it seems a far way out, the park represents a shift in the overall atmosphere of what is becoming of Ohio City today.

A rendering of the overall design for the Irishtown Bend park. Among other features, the park includes a farm, playground, and maritime theater. cleveland.com

These three projects represent the beginning for what is to be a bright future for Ohio City. Plans for future developments will not only serve to improve the appearance of the neighborhood overall but will additionally provide better opportunities for residents to embrace the city. As a side note, just outside of Ohio City, the city of Cleveland has been the host of several infrastructure and construction updates of its own, especially seen with plans for the new Sherwin Williams Headquarters and the progress of Opportunity Corridor, a multi-million dollar roadway revitalization. While the latter aims to reduce congestion at the conclusion of Interstate 490, the former will serve to reshape the skyline of Cleveland in a significant way. Both serving residents by providing more efficient paths of travel as well as bolstering the economy, the city of Cleveland shows signs of improvement as well that exude promise. In conjunction, both Ohio City and Cleveland both show promising signs of what will become a flourishing metropolitan area that we have the privilege of calling home.

The Eye Book Club: All The Light We Cannot See

By JohnLuke Eicher ‘23

This week’s book: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Hello and welcome to the first edition of the Eye’s book review. This week, we will be discussing All the Light We Cannot See, a common summer reading book here at St. Ignatius. NOTE: We will be discussing major plot events so if you haven’t read it, avoid the spoiler review. NOTE PART 2: Anthony Doerr will be going to the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries in May.

Non-spoiler Review: All the Light We Cannot See is about two teenagers intertwined by fate, set in the background of Vichy France. The outstanding characteristic of this book is, by far, its emotional draw. It captivates the mind with its complex characters and elegant writing style. If you can get past the lengthy page count, All the Light We Cannot See will be a greatly enjoyable reading experience. I give this book 4/5 stars.

Spoiler Review: All the Light We Cannot See (ALWCS) is an intriguing book. The story of a blind girl and German prodigy set during WWII is going to pique the attention of anyone interested in history. Where ALWCS really stands out is its emotional depth. When I first read about the death of Werner, I was driven to audibly exclaim my frustration with the book. And the scene where Marie Laure meets up with Etienne and they discuss going to Paris resolved such a pivotal crisis of their futures. Speaking of futures, Doerr’s use of time in the book allowed for it to not only deepen interest from readers, but also provide context to the actions of the characters. His premier use of time is the last few chapters, which provide closure to the deep emotional items that Doerr has created, are interesting because they don’t give a happy ending to many of the characters. In my opinion, only Jutta and Marie-Laure have happy endings, as everyone else devolves from the war or is stuck in it. This puzzled me, but the more I reflected on it, the more appreciative I was for it. I rate All the Light We Cannot See 4/5 stars.

Bathroom Sinks Vandalized in Viral “Devious Lick” TikTok Trend

Sink with no faucet.

By Nathan Kuczmarski ’22

Sometime between last Friday and this Monday two faucets from an Ignatius bathroom vanished. Monday during the lunch period, a larger-than-usual crowd of students circulated through the area commenting on the disappearance. 

“This devious lick stuff is getting out of hand,” said one student while another gestured to a sink still with faucets asking “who’s gonna help me take this?”

Other students seemed confused after seeing the headless sinks as a senior wondered, “maybe someone’s faucet at their house broke and they needed to get a new faucet. That’s the only thing I could think of. I don’t know how to explain that.”

In the search for the cause, Assistant Principal for Student Discipline Mr. Franzinger said “it’s probably something that’s done for social media attention and popularity. I don’t know why else it would be done. Unless somebody has a future desire to become a plumber and wanted to explore some plumbing.”

Principal Dr. Anthony Fior lent more information: “I’m familiar with the recent adolescent movement of ‘devious lick’ and TikTok things where young men who are still trying to find their best selves determine it’s funny and/or cool to steal small items-–sometimes large items like buses–-and do little videos, self-serving videos.” 

Dr. Fior called the supposed robbery “foolish” and added “should we discover any of our young men, who we hold to higher standards, doing such things there will be some severe consequences.” 

In a similar tone, Mr. Franzinger, searching surveillance footage for the perpetrator, said “common sense may be lacking. Appreciation for the school may be lacking. Then who knows, some students may be missing from the community soon.” 

Neither administrators revealed any knowledge of the identity of the thief or thieves. However, a video anonymously submitted to The Eye lends more insight.

It seems to take place inside Rade dining hall’s bathroom with white text outlined in black on top reading “we just hit an absolute devious lick.” A pixelated and barely recognizable face of a boy stands wearing a plaid shirt and the navy tie with wildcat ‘I’s on it which is dispersed to all students upon acceptance. In the background, a high-pitched, sped-up rap song echoes as the cameraman shifts to the boy’s hand. He grips a silver gooseneck-shaped faucet then lunges for the decapitated sink’s left handle letting a flood of water rocket into the air splashing against the mirror. The person can be seen through the warped reflection jumping back then quickly leaning forward again with one hand outstretched to turn off the water. The video then ends, all in under 10 seconds. 

This fall, students across the country have decided to take up petty theft as a pastime and share their finds on the social media app TikTok. This event seems to fit with the movement.

The phrase in the video “devious lick” was coined to describe the loot attained stemming from the phrase “hit a lick” which is defined by Urban Dictionary as “a successful type of theft which results in an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday for the protagonist.”

The videos are popular with over 900 million views under #lick on TikTok. Some categorize the videos as harmless pranks, but others take greater issue as they could potentially be misdemeanor or felony theft if prosecuted.

In addition to legal issues, Director of Campus Operations, Mr. Derek Egnatowski, estimated the price to replace the commercial-grade faucets could be “anything between $300-$400 each.” He continued, “when you get labor involved and the time spent, it’s easily going to approach a thousand dollars” for the two sinks. 

He also noted that supply shortages may limit the speed of replacement. “So the parts may be available but it could be an 8-10 week lead time. In that case we’re just going to try to replace the whole faucet instead of the missing or damaged parts.”

“We now have to spend money, so that all takes away from us contributing our time and our budget towards–whether it’s repairing worn out equipment, beautifying the campus, which we’re preparing to do now with the Fall coming, and all of that.”

As for student discipline, Mr. Franzinger considers various options given the trend’s influence on the event. “Should it be more severe because someone didn’t have the guts to reject one of these stupid trends? Or should it be less severe? Or neutral?”  

Mr. Franzinger then threw in “who knows, maybe I did it.” He laughed as he added, “through the secret entrance to the restroom.” 

“I just think it’s stupid,” Dr. Fior said as he broke into laughter. 

Saint Ignatius Community Reacts to Bishop Sycamore

By Carmen Caserio ’22

On the afternoon of Sunday, August 29, 2021, the highly touted IMG Academy high school football team faced off against Ohio’s own Bishop Sycamore on ESPN. Despite hopes for an even match, IMG Academy embarrassed the Ohio-based school with a score of 58-0. As a result, suspicions have ensued regarding the true reality existence of Bishop Sycamore.

According to ESPN, the school’s founder Andre Peterson claims “the school has an academic component, despite not being listed as a charter school by the Ohio Department of Education.” However, in a recent article posted by USA Today, Bishop Sycamore’s new coach explains that “‘We are not a school.’” Moreover, The Guardian reveals that “one of Bishop Sycamore’s listed addresses turned out to be a college library. Another was a training facility with no classrooms.” Consequently, the school’s existence seems, at the very least, in question. In addition, Sports Illustrated highlights that “The Sycamore roster includes postgraduate players who are as old as 19 or 20,” adding insult to injury regarding the truth behind Bishop Sycamore’s football team.  

While a multitude of articles discuss Bishop Sycamore’s rise to national attention, a variety of student reactions to the controversy provide a greater glimpse into what this issue looks like from the perspective of “fellow” high schoolers.

When asked about his thoughts on the recent events, one Ignatius student said, “It sickens me… I don’t see how faking high school is going to get you anywhere.” He went further to criticize Bishop Sycamore’s mentality in emphasizing, “If you can make the team for a school that doesn’t exist, how will you make the team for an actual college.” Similarly, a proud cross country runner exclaimed, “That was crazy!” He stressed that “That would never happen on the cross country team.” Finally, he called out the controversy in the first place, saying, “I am very disappointed in the OHSAA.” For the record, OHSAA never officially recognized the team. On a different note, Jeffrey Calkins said, “It’s funny,” looking at the entire issue from a more jovial standpoint. Lastly, one student mocked the school’s losing record, saying, “Imagine being a bunch of twenty year olds and losing to high schoolers.”

When brought to the attention of our own Athletic Director, Mr. Rory Fitzpatrick expressed a similar reaction, though, in a more tempered and informed manner. Mr. Fitzpatrick explained that in years past when the Saint Ignatius football team faced off against Bishop Sycamore, he could tell that they were “not a traditional school” and typically were not as organized as other schools. Moreover, Mr. Fitzpatrick emphasized that “The fact that they are playing with older kids is a problem,” expressing concern about player safety. He concluded given the new evidence that “it would be difficult for them to ever find another game to play.”

Evidently, the series of events that have precipitated following the blowout on Sunday, August 29, 2021 have served to shed more light on the true existence of Bishop Sycamore. At this point, all we can do is wait to hear more information as the Ohio Department of Education continues its efforts to understand the reality behind the high school.

————————-

As a quick side note, I would like to thank all of those who contributed their thoughts to this article, especially Mr. Fitzpatrick and Jeffrey Calkins.

Findings

by Joseph Pandoli ’22

“Good Evening, what appears to be the newsiance gentleman?”

“You know the same old same old, Parker.”

“You better get him before there is more bloodshed, else you’re out of a job and the same goes for Hector.”

“Will do, Mr. Patterson.”

I can’t remember a single day where we had time to wind down and have a conversation with anyone at the association. It’s been so long since I was a police officer and it was surprisingly less stressful than this fairly new job. Even though this was more stressful than my last job, I enjoy working as a detective because it keeps my mind in check with what I need to do. At least I think it does.

Hector and I got to the scene as quickly as possible and when we got there, we got a terrifying scene. The victim was completely dismembered and it was hard to tell who it was. We found out from one of the friends of the victim that he had many businesses throughout Republic and Donland city. She escorted us to one of the nearest ones and found that the people in that place were also dismembered. The horror on her face led her to tears. Goosebumps were already filling up my entire body. Shivers throughout my spine and a cold feeling that we would be next. In the face of all this, Hector was as calm as a toad in the sun. He’s the one who is the most level headed out of all in the association. 

“I assume we are off to the second business complex, right Hector?

“That is correct, we must go immediately.”

When we got to the complex, we found a clump of tissue next to the front door that had a location for one of the businesses that the victim owned. 

“Stay here while I go to this place. Make sure you can handle yourself, Louis .”

“Yes,” I said nervously. 

It was revealed to me that this place was the place where the person we are looking for was. I was scared of what was going to happen. When I walked in, I had no fear or shooting them and so I did, all of them with no remorse for their actions. Apparently after shooting all of them, I made the biggest mistake of my career. This was a setup according to the back side of the tissue note I found.  

“Explode,” said someone near me.

Was this the end or was this the beginning? Instantly the building came crashing down with debris flying like it was a dust storm, and the sound from the walls colliding with each other made me ponder on something completely irrelevant to the mission. 

“Is she going to be alright, sir?”

I didn’t know why I was thinking about this all of a sudden at a time and place like this, it was almost as if time was moving slower than usual. A picture appeared in front of me of Hector getting his first mission at the association, the first time and last time I ever saw him smile. 

“Aghh!” 

I felt a stiffness in my left hand and then a crack. Blood started to come out as if it were out of a drinking fountain for no reason. I turned to my left side and saw something I would only see if I were crazy. 

“What the…Bang!”
 I looked at my left hand and saw that I was missing half of my left hand. I saw this just before something hit me on the head and left me dizzy. Just then, an emotion came coursing through my whole body. Something I never felt before came over me, and it was the feeling of accepting something. Time was really moving slower than I realized and I could still think of all this while I was falling to my fate. 

“Is this…the end…for me?” 

It was the last thing I remember saying. 

 

 

“So this is the place where all of this started, right Victor?”

“Of course,” said Victor calmly.

“One of the things I admire most about you is your effort, Hector. Your effort and ambition to do almost anything you set your mind to, but I know you can do everything and I assume you know that after losing her.”

“Dorsey was someone you could compare to…she was an angel,” said Hector, angrily with a stern look.

“An angel with no wings to fly, that’s how she died. She just wasn’t free enough to save herself, am I right?”

“Wow! A punch!” 

“Make that a reminder for yourself that if you push me too far, I won’t show any mercy to you or your family,” said Hector.

“Don’t worry, you won’t be alive to do it. Now!” said Victor.

“Really, this trick? You’ve always had a big mouth, but you were always a loser. 

“You’ll get what you deserve soon enough, Victor, I’ll make sure of that,” said Hector jumping from the collapsing building. 

“Heh, not this time, Patterson.”

 

 

 It was numb, my whole body. A migraine filled my head and pain everywhere except my left hand and a burning sensation that I could not figure out where it was coming from.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe with us, Louis Lawlet.

“Allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Lawlet. I am Akari Hikigaya, director of HRR in the association.” 

“Ummm…what?” I said confusedly and still in pain. 

“You might be wondering why you never heard of the HRR before in the association,” said Hikigaya.

“Let me tell you something. It was back 20 years ago right when this association started. The founder, who we still don’t know, wanted to split the association into three parts: HRR- which stands for Health, Repair, Redemption- is one of them. The founder of the association wanted all of the 3 parts to be fairly separated in work activities and jobs, but always be connected when such an event happens like this.” 

I wasn’t comprehending all of what Akari was saying, but nonetheless gave me more insight into this agency that I heard very little about. The only thing on my mind was how I am still alive and what is going to happen to me, basically anxiety and fear of the unknown took hold of my brain.

“So what is actually happening, Mr. Hikigaya?” 

“Please can me Hiki, but right now, we are going to change and repair your arm to make it more efficient and effective in your missions/assignments. Everyone in the HRR agency knows what happened to you and Hector and are working hard to have you both get back to your missions.” 

I was still worried about what they were going to do with me, especially my left arm, but somehow I felt like I could trust these people even if I don’t know them well, all this while I was being put into something that was almost like a capsule thing.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the HRR agency, I present to you the next step in humanity, the next step in Evolution!” said Hiki with enthusiasm.

Right then and now, I fell asleep but still had control of my mind. I felt like I was in another dimension, or another world. However, it was hard for me to experience what was going on, on the outside. All of a sudden I feel that if I was experiencing the same event I went through at the business complex, then everything went blank. 

“After six hours of long waiting, I present to you Louis the Etith #1,” said Hiki with no enthusiasm. 

“Why do I feel new? Explain please, anyone?” I said in confusion.

Everyone was tired and couldn’t even speak, except Hiki. 

“It took six hours for us to complete your upgrade on your arm, but for you it probably felt like six minutes. The reason being is that we used several quantum computers to help with our Etith #1 experiment on you for your hand and arm. Using the quantum computers for the purposes of the capsule-like pod, it made you enter another dimension for the allotted time it took to complete the upgrade, and that’s why it felt like six minutes for you and six hours for us.”

“Thanks Hiki, but I am still confused about what happened to my arm”

“Oh, it’s basically a normal arm with a color code, but with a few differences. Your arm acts like a separate brain. It is somewhat like muscle memory but much more intelligent. Now, your hand has more abilities at its disposal and can help you tremendously in your missions.”

At that moment, I felt amazed by my new arm and hand, but also worried if anything bad would happen. Then that’s why I worried about Hector and found out that he was in the HRR agency as well being repaired. He had the same problem as I did but on his right hand and arm. Thankfully he was alright; however, he was still distressed about something.

“I hope you are doing better Hector,” I said.

“We must go find Victor now,” said Hector with a stern look.

“Why are you so stressed, did something happen between you and Victor?”

Hector was apparently furious with what I just said and he walked out of the HRR agency. It wasn’t long until Mr. Patterson found us both and asked us some questions.

“Hello gentlemen, what seems to be the hurry?” asked Patterson.

“Well, I am just trying to get Hector to talk,” I said.

“There is no time to talk, only to assassinate,” said Patterson firmly.

“That’s right,” said Hector.

“If you are wondering where Victor has been hiding, look here,” said Patterson

It was in this file Mr. Patterson showed us Victor’s profile. I was amazed by how close this person is to Hector in terms of family.

“We have no time to waste, let’s go now Louis,” said Hector.

Hector rushed out of the door of the association and went for the other complex that Victor is hiding at. It was when I got there, I saw Hector build off with rage to the point where he screams so loudly that you could’ve heard it for miles on end. He went into the building with only one thought in his mind and that was to kill Victor, I could see it in his eyes. 

“Don’t bother coming up here Louis,” said Hector with such malice and rage.

I couldn’t believe what Hector became. I was still in shock by how fierce he got all of a sudden. I was scared to go up with Hector because I wouldn’t know what he would do to me, but I am also afraid that he might be killed by Victor somehow, ughh so many thoughts and worries.

Suddenly I heard five bangs coming from the middle floor of the building. Then he came down ominously and said to me:

“It is finished, the deed is done” 

I was scared for him because I didn’t know what happened up there and what happened to him. I was all but freaking out about everything.

When we both went back to the association, everyone started to cheer for the deed we’ve done. Everyone somehow knew that Victor was dead and that it was a major success in eliminating the victim’s enemy and avenging his death. 

“Great job guys, you totally just got promoted,” said Tony with excitement.

“Soon you guys will be working with me,” said Julie with her face all happy.

Then suddenly, I heard Hector speak again, but in a much calmer tone than before.

“Yes it is finished. I am glad we took him out as soon as possible. Now the possibilities are endless for us, right Louis?

I was confused where all this nice attitude came from within Hector, but I was happy that he was back from his miserable state.

“Yes, you’re right, Hector. Let’s see what our next assignment is.”

“Yes, you both are right. All will be revealed soon enough,” said someone in the back.

“It’s only a matter of time.”

Sightings

by Joseph Pandoli ’22

Ships sail on the grey smoke: some with decks empty, checking ropes
And one taking their last glimpses
A Seagull screeches, falling behind the wooden framed house
Five ships have draw by and away
On a full moon, we laugh together
In the mornings, I would search
Some slow days with other stories being taller than a mast
Paintings and drawings of some weeping
Others of ships
Some with sails, some with oars
Breaking apart in wild waves
With women like bleached bones on the beach looking out to the sea
Once they told me future,
It was my past that betrayed me
I prayed to God and threw doves to the wind
At last, the sun breaks away
Clouds and the light dimed in the window
The cup with bull fresh
I checked it into the soaring sky
Towards the distant ships
Ready for it’s return

I Hear Saint Ignatius High School Singing

by Joseph Pandoli ’22

I hear Saint Ignatius High School singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of IT, each one singing theirs as it should be cryptic and coded.
The Grounds Keepers singing theirs as they plant their bouquet of flowers or trees,
The Security singing theirs as they make ready for the lookout, or leave off the shift,
The Managers singing what belongs to them in their field, the Secretaries singing on the sideline,
The Builders singing as they sit on their worksite, the Students singing theirs as they prepare for class,
The Staff’s song, the Faculty’s on their way to the conference, or at Zoom, or at the office,
The Freshman Parents singing of goodbye, or of the young Freshman about to begin his journey, or of the Boy eating or working,
Each singing what belongs to the community–at school the board of education,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

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About The Eye

The Eye is the student-led publication of Saint Ignatius High School.

Editors-in-Chief: Kelly Coleman '23, Young Kim '23 & Aidan Oliss '23