“Don’t!” I begged. “Please, no!” but they didn’t hear me; or maybe they just did not care. Humans can be so cruel. At least- until they’re the ones in danger. Not that I blame them; anyone would be upset when they are just a few inches from the shredder; it’s just that their worry of danger extends only as far as their own safety. Beyond that, well… “Who cares what happens to the poor stack of paper,” they think, “after all, it’s just paper.”

Well, I’ll tell you who cares- paper does, because I’m the one headed to the shredder. “Why?” you ask. Because of something silly, something I didn’t even do! A dumb human scribbled all over me! “So?” you say. So I used to be a nice stack of professional tax forms, and now my honor has been destroyed. My worth is gone, and the humans have decided to shred me. I never did a thing wrong in my short life. Never once did I give a paper cut, or get wet, or lost, and this is how I’m treated?! If you ask me, it’s just plain wrong; it’s so unfair, but alas, what can I do. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Goodbye cruel world. Goodbye mahogany desk upon which I once sat so proudly. Goodbye paper clips that once held me. Goodbye stapler which once pierced my side. Goodbye tack that once displayed me on the bulletin board. But most of all, goodbye humans. Although you are so cruel, I will still miss you; though you may kill me, I will still be your beloved tax forms.

–Olivia Connolly 2015