The Caught Happy and Sad

Chapter 1

 

A monkey lost its bananas. He wanted more because he was King Monkey. He traveled a long long distance and finally found pineapples and he thought, “Are pineapples good?” He tried and he puked. He said, “I need a companion,” so he robbed a store and took a big fat cat named Pig. Now King Monkey had a friend. They journeyed long. Back at King Monkey’s old forest the animals were really happy because King Monkey left and King Monkey ate all the bananas so the animals hid the bananas. Now the animals ate the bananas. So King Monkey returned and said, “Me and Pig are so hungry.”

The animals gave Pig and King Monkey lots and lots bananas and everybody was happy but then God Monkey slaved everybody. They ate all the bananas and King Monkey said, “We want freedom,” but the God Monkey said, “Never!”

So the King Monkey said, “We’ll leave,” so all the animals traveled and found a new forest with lots of bananas and the Monkey God was gone and everybody was happy. Parades happened and the King Monkey was a god.

 

Chapter 2

 

Pig the cat stole something really cool but a bad guy named Grok wanted it because he was the last Gorilla. But nobody knew that so he was a bad guy. So a Pig knew that he was lonely and he knew that in that gem there were more Gorillas. So one night Pig took the gem and when Grok came Pig gave Grok the gem and Grok spilled out baby Gorillas and so Pig was the hero and Grok was not lonely and everything was peaceful. Then another Monkey came and tried to overthrow King Monkey so he burned the forest but just in time Grok and his huge spaceship saved the Animals so Grok and the Animals split the ship in half.

 

Chapter 3

 

Now the Animals starting planting trees and they built a huge tree fort and then the Animals got their own ship. Then the God Monkey came and started a war. You’re asking me, where are the guns? Well the animals had blow pipes with darts and catapults would launch rocks. The animals were going to lose but Donkey Kong came and smashed the ship. The animals thanked Donkey Kong, then Pig and King Monkey went to the pond and a ghost went out and said, “I shall give you two powers, Pig fire and King Monkey water. You shall lead your kingdom to peace.” Then the ghost handed the two heroes pipes, one for Pig and one for King Monkey. One was fire and one was water. A god king tried and tried to win. They lost as the animals wanted to go back to earth.

They did and created a huge tree fort which was guarded by a river that surrounded the fort. There was one way across and started a guard system but to ruin the party, the God Monkey attacked and got his house on fire and his army got splashed with a tidal wave. The God Monkey surrendered after two years of fighting.Then the animals attacked the God King and won then left. Now they were emperors. Pig said, “Let’s have a party,” but they now that the god monkey will attack and dig underground and they set a trap and they won easy peasy. Then they were extremely powerful. Pig Mice and King Monkey went on their spaceship and found a new planet and they went back to earth and moved all the animals to the planet and they owned their own planet built fortresses and were happy. Then Grok visited and attacked and won but a huge rebellion came and won. Now Pig and King Monkey started a huge war and won. Then a ghost  came and talked to King Monkey and Pig.

 

Chapter 4

 

When Pig talked, the ghost said, “If you find a mouse you shall get powers.” So King Monkey and Pig found a mouse but it was guarded by a huge shark. So King Monkey got its water and took it out of the shark. Now the shark was dead. They ate the mice and got powers. Now there was a new bad guy. They were enslaved and lost their powers. There was no hope. So it was a lot of years and sadly King Monkey died so it was up to Pig. Before you knew it they were free back to their planet. Pig was the King Pig and he was unstoppable as he aged past things called humans. They attacked and lost. Then Pig went to earth and went to the place where King Monkey got him and there was one cat that he loved. She loved Pig too. They went together back to Pig’s planet came and had a baby cat. Then a witch came and tried to take the baby but when the witch was flying on her broomstick. Pig snapped it and the witch died. Then the modern ages came and the animals were using phones. It was crazy. Then the ghost came but it wasn’t the ghost, it was King Monkey. Pig’s jaw dropped and said, “You are King Ghost.”

“Yes,” said King Monkey. “Pretty cool.”                                                                                                                           

Then Pig went to the laser of death and ran through it so fast that it burned half of his face off. Then King Monkey came and healed Pig then left. Pig got some more powers. Then Grok came for a visit and never attacked, but then there he was, an old enemy with a huge army. The God King came again. The animals got their real tanks and machine gun. It was an easy win because Pig just splashed them with a huge tidal wave. Then Pig went to the river which was dried up and found the only animal that lived. There was a dead fish that was two centimeters big and was filled with bones which Pig hated but Pig had water powers so he just took out the water and killed the fish then put the water back for no reason. Then they had a problem. Dog God destroyed the city but just in time Pig escaped. He had to face his fears. He tried and but he couldn’t and it was so tough. Finally he won and got his animals back to life but they had really good news: God Monkey was dead.

Then God Dog came and attacked Pig’s village. Pig had to run away because he was afraid of dogs. He went to his most favorite place in his life, which was in the middle of the planet. That was his hideout against God Dog because God Dog hated bugs and Pig the cat loved bugs. He went there and found God Dogs and splashed them with tidal waves. Then he took his real water gun, which could kill animals. Now he wanted to form a group so he went back to earth to search for more cats. When he got back from earth, he had a whole group of cats with water guns that had bazookas that if you press for a long time it would shoot a long shark. So they had a plan and that plan was to dress up as dog guards of the palace and hopefully enter the palace and go into the throne room. By the time they got to the city, it was night time. That was good for them, because that means a lot of dogs were on guard and it made sense that they were on guard.

As they went to the palace, they had a huge security check and their plan worked and they were in the palace. Pig showed all the other cats where the throne room was and they had a little radio which connected to a helicopter that would fly on top and land on the roof. And since it was night time, guards couldn’t see them. As the two groups met up, Pig’s group and another cat’s group, they started charging to the throne room. When the busted open the doors with a grenade, they saw that the God Dog knew they were going to come. There were two tanks and five billion people and Pig knew that they were outnumbered, but since they were fighters and they wanted their freedom, they charged still. The first move that Pig did was his usual huge tidal wave, which knocked out half of God Dog’s army. As the war continued, Pig’s teammates started falling and dying. More than half of Pig’s group had been dead. There was only like twenty of them left. They kept fighting and they finally killed the last twenty dogs. Then Pig and his teammates ran out to the stairs that leads to the real throne room. They realize that they would always be outnumbered so they called for reinforcements.

But now Pig wanted at least five snipers on the roof so that Pig wouldn’t get attacked from behind and they could start working on the army that was in the throne room. Pig had one idea left to do, which was his plan B. It was to throw a huge bomb into the throne room and explode all of them except for God Dog and as the plan finally worked successfully, they asked for more reinforcements. They entered the room. The guards made up a huge wall in the middle and none of the God Dogs could get in and they would starve to death. Now when Pig and his teammates walked up the stairs, they saw that God Dog was sleeping. This was perfect because now God Dog couldn’t call for more dogs. Pig finally wanted to bring him home and torture him until he was dead. Right when he was about to die, the ghost of God Monkey came up and told Pig to finally finish him off. Pig took the knife that King Monkey gave to Pig when he was about to die and stabbed God Dog.

They went back to the city and threw the body into the throne room and all the God Dogs still thought he was sleeping. Now Pig had an excellent plan, which was to wait until the God Dogs made more medicine and when they had a lot, Pig would attacked and finally recapture his planet. And Pig’s plan worked. His people were free. They put all the God Dogs in prison where every day they would go in a room with a tarantula and if some of them survived, they would put them into a firepit and if they survived that, they would drown them and then if they survived that they would get tortured until they die. And the worst would be to make the feel like they were drowning until they would give evidence. Then they would be fed food and they would do it again and again.

As Pig and his teammates got more and more information about where his team was, they finally headed to where the dogs had said it was and they saw how it was a happy planet. It had a lot more guard dogs than on Pig’s planet. So Pig attacked and won. As they got more information about the God Dog, they went to this river that the dogs had been talking about that only God Dog could talk to. The dogs said if you take a bath in there you would become special. So, Pig took a bath in there, but it was a lie. Pig became a villain. Once Pig was about to destroy earth with a laser cannon, King Monkey showed up and said, “You are being fooled my young Jedi.”

“No I’m not,” Pig said.

“Yes you are!” said King Monkey.

“You are too weak minded. I must teach you the right ways to be a true emperor,” said Pig.

But King Monkey was too strong and wise.

Then Pig tried to get a knife and stab King Monkey, but since King Monkey was a ghost, the knife went right through him. King Monkey reached to Pig’s forehead. And Pig saw how earth was really a good planet and shouldn’t be destroyed. King Monkey showed Pig that he had been fooled by dogs. Now that Pig was in the dogs’ huge spaceship, he clicked two buttons, which no one noticed. Only his teammates. Those two buttons were to self-destruct the ship and the earth. So his teammates and him went into the space ship just before the dog’s planet and ship exploded.

Pig now had all the things he needed to destroy the galaxy, but Pig was a good guy so he didn’t. But there was only one more emperor that could destroy the galaxy. His name was Soy Sauce. The reason why he was dangerous is because he could use soy sauce to flame everyone.

Pig knew that his final destiny was to destroy Soy Sauce. When Pig traveled to his galaxy, he saw that Soy Sauce’s base was really guarded and no big ships would be able to pass. Only Pig’s transportation ship would be able to pass. So Pig knew that to destroy the force field, he would need bigger ships and he would have to go to the command center. Pig and his teammates quickly went through the force field and started attacking the force field base. But Pig didn’t really attack, he only used his big fat babies. With his big fat babies, he catapulted them into the base and squashed every body. Now that the base was destroyed, Pig was ready to attack, but he also wasn’t ready. He went to his usual dried up river, went to his base and started building a huge ship. Now Pig just had to make a huge army. Now that Pig made a huge army and huge ship, he attacked and lost but Pig realised that Soy Sauce was actually God Monkey. Pig farted when he realized that and he was so mad he kept on farting   

Pig kicked but said a baby animal Pig went to the planet and won so Pig was a really awesome but he went back to earth found the burned-down forest. Then he met four brothers: Nicholas the air, Matthieu the lame water, Gaetan the lamest earth ever, even the not flames. Pig gave them a new house but the house was filled with explosives. Pig and his teammates easily destroyed them and then went to the Doom Forest and met a girl named Ruby, but Pig was so fat that Ruby’s town fell to the Doom Forest and the villagers said to kill them. But Pig splashed them then left. Then Pig went to Siberia and learned magic and Pig went to the ghoulish and learned magic but blew the library then visited Siberia and when Pig never thought twice and kind  of made the town fall then Pig summoned Matthieu and Nicholas. Then the three men went to Ally’s house and Ally told the secret to Pig but Pig could not help it so he told everybody, and then gave Ally more food and a tent that would inflate if you pressed a button. Then the three men followed Matty and her sister to the forest and when they were trapped in the cave, Pig took a bazooka and blew up the exit. Then the tree went to Ally and he knew that Ally’s house would be attacked and get destroyed so Pig came and killed the bad guys then left. Pig had one more plan. First he summoned the rest of the brothers and people and had a huge party and everybody was happy.

The Day in Space

Earth:

One day in school the teacher announced that whoever won the art fair would get to go to space. Me and my best friend Nicky were so excited, so we got to work on our art project. We had so many ideas.

“I was thinking that we could do a 3-D neighborhood art project, or we could do a project where we could cover something up with different pieces of paper and write words on the paper,” I said.

“What I think we should do is we should make a mural of the sunset,” Nicky said. “We could add a bridge to the painting, or we could add some buildings in the background.”

This convinced me because she said that no one would do a mural and that would give them a better chance of winning.

So we got to work. I worked on the sunset and Nicky worked on the water. Then after that we worked on the buildings. We worked every day after school for two hours a day. It was so hard and tiring. We had no breaks and finally after two weeks we were done.

The day that we were bringing our painting to school and Nicky was returning the paints that we borrowed, all of a sudden she slipped and all of the paint splattered all over the painting in different colors, different shapes, and different sizes. Nicky thought it looked kind of cool, but I didn’t.

Then Nicky said, “Well at least we should bring it in, we’ll have something.” So we brought it in.

Still Earth:

Sure enough, it was the art fair. We looked around at different paintings and other art projects. There were some really cool things like texture paintings, 3-D building blocks, covering stuff up in pieces of different paper and writing words on it, and lots more.

The judges said, “Take your places.” One by one the judges came around and looked at each and every one of them. Then they talked for a little while and then they announced that they had made their decision. Lots of people from the city were there, the news reporters and more.

Then they decided to announce the winners. “The winners are Haley and Jessica! Actually, we made a mistake. It’s Skylar and Nicky!”

The news reporters rushed over and said, “How do you feel about this Skylar and Nicky? Are you excited?”

“Yes, very.”

“Thank you for letting us speak with you.”

“I can’t believed we won even though we spilled those paints on it,” I said to Nicky. Then they decided to ask Ms. Fisher how we won even though we spilled paint all over it and Ms. Fisher says,“It was an abstract piece of art.”

Still Still Earth:

“Nicky, we should start packing.”

I crossed five days left off my calendar.

“I can’t wait!” Nicky said.

***

“The day’s here, we’re going to space, it’s gonna happen!” I said.

“It’s time to board the spaceship,” said Commander Jones, the astronaut.

“Bye mom,” I said. “Bye dad.” My parents were trembling. They kept asking me, “Are you sure you want to do this? You know we’re only letting you do this because we trust you.”

Then Nicky said bye to her parents. The same thing happened with her parents.

Space:

Then I heard the Commander say, “1, 2, 3, blast off!” Off we went.

We finally got into space. It took so long. It was so dark you could see nothing from miles away. It also felt so weird when we were coming. We were floating; it was awesome. It felt like me and Nicky were flying. Then we opened the refrigerator and all the food started floating.

“Hey Nicky, I see a shooting star!”

“Wow, it’s really bright!”

Then I heard Commander Jones say, “We’re out of gas, we can’t get back!”

I started to freak out. Nicky started to cry.

I said, “How are we ever gonna get back?”

Still Space:

Then Commander Jones said, “I don’t think we’re ever gonna get back.”

Nicky and I started to think of ways to get back.

“Hey how about this button? I think it’ll help us.” Nicky pressed it.

All of a sudden I heard a boom sound. The spaceship went farther back into space. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. Then I heard a signal coming in from Earth.

I said, “Commander Jones, come over here.”

He came over and said, “That’s probably nothing at all.”

“I just looked at it and I didn’t understand what it meant. They said something like, ‘Inland, inland.’ They said it was nothing so I didn’t do anything.”

Then Nicky said, “Hey, I remember this from science. Something like when they say, ‘Inland, inland’ it means they’re coming to save you. I’m probably mistaken, it probably doesn’t mean that.”

Still Still Space:

Then I heard another signal come in. It was something like, “We’re coming, we’re coming.” And then they said, “I ho, I ho.” Then I called Commander Jones over.

But then I noticed that Commander Jones wasn’t with us! He went outside of the spaceship. He was floating away and we couldn’t get him back. It was too late. Commander Jones was gone.

We were so scared, we didn’t want to go outside so that we would be lost in space too. Nicky started banging on the windows, she was really scared.

I said, “Nicky, calm down, he will come back,” but I was mistaken, I really was. There was no sight of Commander Jones.

So now we were in a spaceship all by ourselves. Nicky was not helping at all, she was just freaking out.

Still Still Still Space:

I tried to respond.

“We’re stuck and Captain Jones is gone, please help, I hope you get this message, please respond, if we die here’s what me and Nicky want to say — tell my family and friends I love them.”

“I see a flying object coming towards us! It’s bright and it looks like a spaceship. I think they’re coming to get us!” Nicky said.

“It’s not a spaceship. It’s an asteroid!” I said.

Then I saw something on the screen. It was beeping. It said: “Alert! Alert! Asteroid incoming!” We had to find a way to get back to Earth before the asteroid hit our ship!

“Nicky come down here! I’m trying to connect the wiring so that we can get back! Hold these two wires together. Then attach that button to this wire.”

Then, when we were just about the press the wire, the asteroid hit us and we got covered in rocks! Now we couldn’t move any more because the button had broken when the rocks hit it. Then we came up with a new plan.

“Maybe we could send out a message and see if someone gets it on Earth. We could also go look for Captain Jones to help us,” said Nicky.

I said, “No, no, and no,” to all of them. “I don’t know if this is gonna work, but we should try it. What if we attached the backwards button to the forward wire and got all the rocks off of us and then pressed the button to get back!”

On the count of three we decided to push it, “One, two, three! Beep!” Then I saw us go all the way down, it felt so weird.

“I can’t believe we did it!”

Then we sent a video saying that we were on our way back and they received it.

Earth:

“Breaking News Reported: Two girls stuck in space and their Commander are lost somewhere in space. Let you hear from their families. This is Skylar’s mom and dad and brother and sister. Let’s hear from Skylar’s mom first. How do you feel about this?”

“I feel very very sad about this. My daughter could be somewhere in space dying right now and I plan to sue NASA.”

“Now let’s hear from Skylar’s father.”

“This should have never happened. I expect them to get my daughter and her friend back here.”

“Now let’s hear from Skylar’s sister.”

“I hope Skylar gets back,” said Skylar’s sister.

“Now let’s hear from Skylar’s brother.”

“I hope that this never happens again and they get Skylar back,” said Skylar’s brother.

“The same thing with Nicky’s parents. Now let’s hear from NASA. NASA, how do you feel about this?”

“We’re very sorry this happened. It’s devastating and we’re trying to get them back. We have a robot going out there to try to find a trace of a spaceship.”

“That’s all we have time for. We hope they will get them back.”

Earth Again:

Back at home, Skylar’s family was having dinner. Then Skylar’s sister said, “Can I have Skylar’s room?”

“Don’t say that!” said her mother. “You’re grounded for two weeks.”

Then Skylar’s brother said, “Can I have Skylar’s phone?”

“You’re grounded too.”

Back to Earth Safe and Sound:

Before we knew it we were on Earth, there we saw our parents waiting for us. We were really happy to see them.

“Did you get our message? Did you? Did you?”

“Yes, we did.”

Later, we had a press conference with the news.

“Where’s Commander Jones?” the news reporter asked.

Nicky and I said simultaneously, “He left to go and look for help.”

“Well, that’s the end of Commander Jones,” said the news reporter.

Nicky and I said, “It was a really fun trip but very scary. We’re sorry about our commander’s passing. In honor of Commander Jones.”

Then all of a sudden someone fell from out of the sky! “Commander Jones!” the news reporter shouted, “How’d you make your way down here?”

“Ways, ways,” said the commander. “I’ll tell you. I pressed the go back to Earth button.”

“We went through all of that for nothing?” Nicky and I said.

“Thank you for being with us, this is ABC News. Next up is the car accident.”

The Back to Normal Earth:

The next morning, we came walking to school and all their teachers asked, “How are you doing? Are you okay?”

All our friends said, “How was space? Was it fun?”

Everyone was so excited to see us back. They asked them so many questions like, “Was it scary? How did you get back? Was it fun?”

Nicky and I answered, “Yeah it was really fun, but really scary.”

THE END

 

Tiger Girl

 

PROLOGUE

“I won’t leave without you!” cried Layla, Tara’s mother.                         

“Don’t worry about me. Just take the baby and go,” said Jake, Tara’s father.

They had gotten lost in the jungle after bandits had ambushed and destroyed their village. Now a pack of wolves had begun to attack them. As the wolves charged forward, Jake picked up a stick to shoo the wolves away while Tara’s mother kept going.

Layla had no choice. She picked up Tara and ran like the wind. She ran and ran, deeper and deeper, into the jungle.

 

Meanwhile, in the thick of the jungle, there was a clearing where Mother Tiger had made her den. She was letting her three cubs, Romeo, Tina and Taylor, play outside. Romeo, the oldest, sprinted away with the middle cub, Taylor, to go to the field that was close to the den so they could race and play-fight. But Tina, the youngest, was full of adventure and mischief, so she quietly sprang away and wandered farther than ever before. She ended up in a flowery clearing. She looked up to the sky and saw that it was darkening to a bright red. Frantically, she started sniffing the ground to find her way home. By now, the stars were glittering in the night sky. Still sniffing, Tina stopped dead in her tracks. Now she had another problem: a human. Curiously, she followed the scent until she found a baby, wrapped in a blanket. The blanket read T-A-R-A. Tina widened her eyes in amazement. She had heard bad stories about humans, but this one seemed harmless.

“I’ll sniff her out to see if she’s dangerous,” Tina whispered. When she laid her head down on the baby, the warmth reminded her of Mother Tiger. Oh, how she missed her mother.

Finding that the baby was safe gave her a wash of relief. She was about to take the baby home by her jaws when she stopped.

“Wait. I can’t take the human to the den. Mother Tiger would get mad. I guess I should ask first,” she said. Tina found a shady tree and carefully laid the baby down, whispering, “I’ll be back,” before trotting home.

“Mother, there is a human baby far from the den,” Tina,  said padding frantically into the den.

Mother Tiger looked sternly at her. “Tina, how many times did I tell you NOT to go farther than the territory of the cave!” Mother Tiger thundered.

“But, Mother! There is a human baby out there! Should we care for her?” Tina trembled.

Mother Tiger’s expression softened. “No type of cub should be abandoned,” she agreed.

Tina led them to the clearing and bounded quickly to where Tara lay. Mother Tiger, her cubs and the Wise Monkey were astonished to see how quiet and calm the baby was, especially since she had no parents… that they knew of.

 

Tara was wondering when her mother would come back. She had never left her alone for so long, but Tara was positive her parents would return. All she knew was that her mother had left her and given her the memory necklace, the one that her mom always wore and that her grandmother had given to her mother. “Now it is my time to give it to you,” her mother had said, hugging Tara tightly before quickly running off.

Suddenly, Tara saw some animals coming. She grew curious. She had never seen animals before. She recognized the monkey, but he was holding a stick. And the other animals? She’d never seen that kind before, even in books. Because she could not walk or talk, she just lay there with her blue eyes wide open as she made gurgling sounds of curiosity.

“If you are going to keep this young human, I must give her one power,” the Wise Monkey announced.

“What is it!?” the cubs asked, full of envy.

The Monkey stroked his wise beard, which was full of fruits he had eaten for lunch. “The power of understanding animals,” he replied.

“Oh,” they said with their eyes twinkling, except for Romeo, who was still jealous. Instead of adopting this human, why couldn’t he just play?

So from that day on, Tara was a part of the Tiger family.

 

CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNING

 

“Tara,” called Mother Tiger. “Time for dinner!”

“Coming,” said Tara.

Ten-year-old Tara was sitting on her favorite cliff, high above a lake. When she looked down, she could see the entire jungle. All of the trees and animals’ dens looked as tiny as toys. She was playing her favorite instrument, her bamboo flute, which was slung around her chest. Banana, her monkey friend, had given it to her on her 8th birthday.

She was wearing a rugged skirt and peach tank top that she had managed to scavenge at an abandoned campsite several months ago. She was also wearing a pearl necklace that her mother had given to her the minute she had disappeared. Being a human raised by tigers never really bothered her, but this day was different. She couldn’t think of this year’s birthday wish. All she could think of was finding her parents, but how could she tell this to her tiger family? Would it hurt them? She shrugged her shoulders, trying to dismiss the idea.

As Tara set down her flute, she let her dirty blond hair dangle down her waist. Her silver-blue eyes darted one last time to the lake as she climbed off the cliff and headed toward home. She had to admit, it was quite cozy. There was a small blanket that she scavenged at the corner of the den, and beside it she put all of her belongings. A tiny Teddy Bear. A bunch of birds’ feathers that she wrapped with vines. And, usually, her bamboo flute, which she had just set down next to the Teddy bear, and her pearl necklace.

Suddenly Tara heard her older tiger brother, Romeo, calling to her two tiger sisters.

“Race you!” he said, and started to sprint away from them.

“Hey, that’s not fair!” cried Tara, stomping her foot. “I want to play, too!” She charged after him, with Tina and Taylor running closely behind her.

“First,” called Romeo as he reached the den.

“Second,” called Tina as she followed him inside.

“Third,” called Taylor, padding behind Tina.

“Aw, I’m last. That’s not fair!” Tara said stomping her foot again. “Gurr!”

“Kids, it’s cattle meat today,” said Mother Tiger.

“Yeah!” They all cheered, for it was their favorite.

 

Later, Mother Tiger asked, “Your birthday is coming up, Tara. What do you want?”

“I didn’t want to tell you, but all I want is…” Tara said hesitantly.

“Go on,” said the siblings, annoyed.

Tara finally let it out. “Is my parents back.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Mother Tiger was brave enough to speak.

“Honey, but we are your real family.”  

“No you’re not. I am a human and you are tigers,” said Tara logically.

Tara heard Tina whisper, “I remember when you were a baby, I was so afraid this would happen.”

Tara looked down, ashamed of herself, but she knew she had to do this.

“It does not matter who you are. We are all family,” Mother Tiger replied.

“Yeah,” Tina said loudly. “And I was the one who found you and saved your life.”

“Mother,” Tara announced, completely ignoring Tina. “I think it is time I find my true family!” Tara stormed out of the den only to hear Tina whimpering.     

 

CHAPTER 2: A STRANGE TOWN

Tara began to sprint away from the cave. She could hear Tina’s faint voice, but did not look back.

“Not now,” Tara thought. She was desperate to find her parents. After a couple of hours, Tara was still trudging through vines and webs when she came across a meadow. The meadow was full of dandelions, marigolds and other flowers Tara didn’t even know about. The stars twinkled in the night sky, and that was the only light.

When Tara was halfway through the meadow she squinted and saw big, pointy things, and she wanted to check them out.

“Wow!” thought Tara as she drew closer and closer to the village. It seemed quite fascinating. As she examined one of the buildings, she realized that the square was made out of stone and the triangle was made out of wood. Tara went to take a look at the door. It had a monkey on it! Tara was so excited that she held on to the knob of the door, then accidently turned it.

“Oof!” She fell onto the floor.

“Oh Lord, it’s a child!” said a woman.

Tara looked up from the floor. She saw something she was supposed to be scared of, but for some reason she wasn’t: a human.

“Do you want something to eat?” asked the strange woman, trying to help her up. The woman’s voice didn’t sound like the animal voices she was used to, but Tara could understand her perfectly fine. “This must be part of my power,” she thought.

“No,” said Tara. Of course she was hungry, but she was not sure that the food was like Mother Tiger’s.

“Where am I?” She said, looking at up at a huge wooden structure with four legs and smaller structures that had four legs as well. “I hope that’s not a mother animal with her cubs,” she thought. She knew how mothers like to protect their cubs. On the other side, she saw a stone wall with a curved hole in it. When Tara tilted her head and looked through the hole, she saw more wooden cubs and a huge, soft animal. “Oh no,” she thought. “I’m surrounded.”

“You are at the home of the Rama family.”

“Oh,” said Tara, thankfully. Those aren’t animals. “So you call your den a home?”

“Yes,” said the woman confused about the ‘den’ part. “Don’t you know that?”

“No,” said Tara “I grew up in the jungle. I am looking for my parents. My dad is named Jake and my mom is named Layla.”

“Don’t you know anything else about them?” asked the woman.

“No,” said Tara “They disappeared without me.”

“Well, before you start looking, let’s get you some clean clothes and a nice jug of warm milk,” said the woman, taking her hand. “Let me take you upstairs to the bedroom.”

“What is your name?” Tara asked.

“My name is Sasha,” said the woman.

“My name is Tara.”

After that, Tara dressed neatly in a violet nightgown with lace at the bottom. It felt weird to Tara at first, but the dress began to be comfier than her old clothes. Tara began to awkwardly sit down on the soft “couch” that Sasha had directed her to, for she wasn’t so sure that it wasn’t an animal.

“Here, take this,” said Sasha, handing her a plastic cup.

“What is this?” asked Tara as she peered inside to see a white liquid.

“It is milk,” said Sasha.

Sasha was confused. Again.

After she had drunk her milk, Tara went to the bedroom to rest. Sasha had said that there was a big “bed” in the corner of the room. Tara found that bed and she had noticed that it was soft and had covers. It was warm and Tara preferred this to the floor.

Snug in bed, Tara thought of Mother Tiger, Romeo, Tina and Taylor. She heard crickets and wolves outside. She missed Mother Tiger’s warmth and protection. She missed them so much, she sobbed. But she knew that she would go through any cost to get her parents back.

It was a long, lonely night. Tara thought she could hear faint voices of her own mother singing a lullaby to her. It went like this:

Hush little baby. You are my only little sunshine. Let your inner self show and shine. Let all of this brighten your way. Good wishes to you this day. Hush little baby, I will get you a toy so it will bring you laughter and joy. So do not weep, my little one. Rest now, rest now in a deep sleep. Mommy will wake you with caring and loving eyes. Mommy will always love you, forever.

CHAPTER 4: OUTSIDE

At breakfast Tara asked, “Can I go outside?”

“Sure, after you get dressed. Let me go fetch your clothes,” said Sasha pausing.

“What exactly are you going to do outside?”

“To begin my search for my parents,” Tara said casually. She didn’t want to make Sasha feel like she wasn’t thankful for her kindness.

“Oh,” Sasha said before quickly walking away.

Tara looked at the window. It was a bright, sunny morning. She could hear the robins tweeting their little songs. This made Tara homesick. For the songs the birds sang sounded like the waking call when she was with Mother Tiger. Through that open window a slight breeze came in. The trees outside looked dressed with blossoms like the middle of spring.

Sasha came back with a turquoise dress that had bright pink roses at the side. She also brought white leggings and white strap-up shoes.

“Wow,” thought Tara, “This outfit blends with the outside.”

Tara got dressed and headed toward the door.

“Wait!” said Sasha

“What?”

“Here. Take this.” Sasha handed her a basket.

Tara looked inside. In the basket there was food, water, a blanket, a pillow, a fork, a knife, a spoon, and napkins. The night before, Sasha had taught her how to use those utensils, and Tara had no trouble at all. She said thank you and skipped down the gravel pathway.

 

CHAPTER 5: A CLUE

The sun was high in the sky. That indicated that it was the afternoon. Tara was hungry so she decided to have a little picnic and laid out the blanket on the lawn, spreading out the food. There was salad and sandwiches and fruit. Tara only ate the fruit because she wanted to save the rest for later. Besides, she wasn’t too hungry yet. She enjoyed the juicy mango, the vine of plump grapes, and the soft banana. She had eaten these before with Banana, her monkey friend. They also used to sneak past their territory to go to the grove, which was full of fruit trees, which were always ripe. Even in the winter, the fruit was tasty. Just eating the fruit Sasha had given to her made Tara more homesick. She reached out her finger and imagined Banana’s tail wrapping around it.

Tara kept on going over hills, into valleys, taking shortcuts through forests by trees. It felt like she had just walked half the country. It was starting to get a little cold so Tara rubbed her arms for warmth, but that was no use. She wished Mother Tiger were here. Sitting on the branch of a tree, she looked at the basket in her lap and imagined inside there was a portal where she could just jump in and appear in Mother Tiger’s den.

The sun was a bit lower in the sky. It had become much chillier. A beautiful red, pink and purple sunset looked like someone had just painted the sky in warm colors. She smiled at the sunset. Pink, red and purple were her favorite colors; they reminded her of hope and love. She held her head up high, looking at the sky and bumping into trees a few times. But that was okay with her. As long as she could see the sunset, she could keep going.

The sky was starting to darken now, and Tara was hungry and wanted to go back home. She collapsed near the side of the paved road under a shady oak tree. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

When Tara woke up, she saw that she had ended up in another village. But this one was more on a grassy plain. As she opened her eyes, she saw the sun just rising from the east side of the hills, casting a beautiful light. Birds were just coming out of their nests — purple, yellow, blue, red and black. As the beautiful springtime flowers waved through the soft breeze, she thought, “This is amazing.” She realized that the tree she was resting by was not an oak. It was a tree filled with beautiful pink blossoms. The other trees around her were filled with blue, violet and red blooms. Then she saw an  old woman wearing a purple shawl gradually making her way towards her.

“I didn’t expect for any humans to be around here,” she whispered. “I thought there would be animals,” she paused. “Lots of animals,” she said, looking at an open spot in the village where there were statues of tigers, eagles and rabbits. Before Tara could catch a glimpse of the rest of them, the old lady had finally gotten to Tara.

“Darling, are you Tara? I heard that you were looking for your parents, Layla and Jake.”

“Yes,” Tara said suspiciously. “Do you know anything about them?!” she said, eager to get a clue.

“Well, this might not help you, but they went to the jungle,” she paused and took a deep breath.“To run away from the bandits that attacked a nearby village,” and quietly added, “They disappeared.”

Tara sniffed, trying to control her emotions.

“Nobody knows about them now. Not even the folks that saw them run into the jungle,” the old lady said.

Tara felt her mouth tremble as she widened her eyes. She took a deep breathe and narrowed them.

“Thanks a lot!” Tara grabbed her basket and  jogged away, mumbling,” I came all this way for that? I’ll prove you wrong. I know it!”

“Wait,” called the woman in a feeble voice, but Tara was too angry to look back. Tara disliked her so much that she decided to not listen to that old lady. She did not even want to see the woman, ever again.

Tara looked down on her necklace and whispered, “Mom, I am coming for you, I promise. Just give me a hint – please – and not from an old lady.” Her necklace swayed to the right, even though there was no breeze. Well, she thought. Thanks for that hint. But I might need another one. Then Tara sprinted away.

painful

CHAPTER 6: THE ^ TRUTH

Tara was storming down the narrow road, when a young looking man with black hair stopped his chestnut stallion right in front of her. She leaned back to see that he was wearing expensive riding gear and a helmet that looked like gold. She sighed. I do not need another person to tell me some fake facts, she thought.

The man looked down at Tara, surprised.

“What brings you here, young lady? Is it the nice weather, or your mother has sent you to fetch herbs, or your father is planting corn further along and asked for your help?”

“No,” giggled Tara, her annoyance dissolving. “I’m looking for my parents, they…” but before Tara could finish her answer, the man dismounted his horse and interrupted her.

“I’ve heard, I’ve heard,” he said stroking his chin then narrowing his eyes. “People have been hearing this as a rumor,” he paused. “But I know the truth about your parents.”

“Did I hear you correctly?” Tara said, questioning him. “Are you sure?” She thought about the old lady who claimed she knew the truth about her parents. “I’ve heard this story before,” she said. “Are you sure you know the truth?”

“Tara, this is Ryan Gold at your service!” He held out his hand. She slowly gave her hand to the man, and he firmly shook it. She had to wiggle her hand free, she put her hand behind her back and wiggled her wrist to make sure no bones were broken. Then she felt a piece of paper in her hand. Tara shoved it in her dress pocket to read later.

“Is there anything you know that could help my search?” Tara said.

“There is a lot I can tell you, but this is one basic thing: They’re dead, kid, they’re dead,” said the man. “Anything else? Cause I’ve got to go soon,” he said, reaching out his hand to grab Tara’s arm after taking a few steps forward.

“No,” Tara shakily, backing away getting ready to turn and run. This is was a time that I really need Mother Tiger’s protection, she thought.

“Well then, goodbye,” he said, getting back on the horse. “Canter!” the man said to his horse firmly, and it cantered away.

Tara ran. Faster than ever before, cutting off the road and into the forest. She continued running until she heard a twig snap. Then through the trees she saw a horse with Ryan on it! Tara recognized that shiny helmet and that chestnut horse. She put her legs in a running position, but before she could react, Ryan Gold had his horse just inches away from her. She started running – under trees, over rocks, through the forest she ran. Eventually Ryan caught up to Tara and jumped off his horse.

He grabbed  her arm and said, “My mission is not complete until that baby girl is captured — and that girl is you.”

Tara lifted up her back leg and kicked him in the chest, sending him falling to the ground and buying her enough time to run.

Tara was scared and was longing for Mother Tiger more than ever. To think that Ryan Gold was her “friend!” Now Tara was on the edge of a steep hill, Ryan at her tail. Suddenly an idea popped in her head. It’s quite risky, but it’s the only way she thought. She looked up at the sky, the same scenery from last night; this made Tara feel more confident. Tara charged at Ryan and asked the horse, “Can you buck the guy off?”

“Yeah, but I never tried because Ryan would whip me. I think he knows that I hate him,” he snorted.

“Will you at least try, just for me?”

“Okay,” the horse said, tossing his head to the side hesitantly.

“Excellent! Get Ryan at the edge of the hill and while I distract him you buck him off. Okay?”

“I won’t be surprised if I become a trading hide though,” the horse commented.

Tara swerved right, then left, dodging Ryan’s arm, while the horse was dancing around pretending to follow Ryan’s commands. Their plan had begun. By doing this, Tara gave the horse a chance to get to the edge of the hill and buck. The last vision Tara had of Ryan Gold was of him tumbling down the steep hill.

“Thanks,” Tara said smiling.

“No problem,” said the stallion. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done that.”

Tara giggled. “We’ll every job comes with a price, and I’ll pay you by,” she paused then taking of his reins and gear off, “setting you free!”

“Gee, thanks,” said the stallion stunned. “Really?”

“Yep!”

“You can call me Morco, if you want to,” he said, resting his muzzle on her shoulder.

“Go now, Morco! You are a free horse. No one can capture you now!” Tara instructed with a tinge of sadness in her voice. She put her arms around his neck to hug him. Before she let go, she thought of how much she would miss him. He saved her life.  

“I’ll never forget you,” called Marco before galloping away and leaving a cloud of dust behind him.

Sitting down, sad and exhausted to see her new friend go, Tara took the piece of paper out of her skirt pocket and unrolled it. It was some sort of badge of military accomplishments. It read:

“Ryan Gold Lieutenant of the LBT (Legendary Bandit Team) attack on the Athen Village, killing thirteen people and then sent wolves to kill two escapees. Their baby still lives.”  

Tara started crying. She knew who those people were: her parents. “I guess the old lady was right,” she said between tears. “My mom and dad are dead.” For Tara now knew the painful truth.

 

CHAPTER 7: REAL FAMILY

Once she had pulled it together, Tara managed to haul herself off the ground and make her way to the road to go back to Sasha’s house. She had a hole in her heart that only her tiger family could fix. She missed them sorely.

 

Tara had walked for two hours and ended up at Sasha’s house. By now it was late evening and the sun was gone and the moon shone brightly with twinkling stars scattered across the pale grey sky. Tara decided that if she went to Sasha’s house that it would be a delay and all she wanted was to get back home. So she continued walking. Tara would miss Sasha badly, but she knew she would visit her. If she found her way back home, she would know where to find Sasha. She walked past the meadow and looked back. A tear trickled down her cheek and fell right on a dandelion. This tear was for everything: Sasha, her parents, and all the sad things that had happened in the past few days. Tara was still trudging through bushes when she saw her den, her siblings and….

“Mother Tiger!” She screamed, thrilled.

“Tara!”said Mother Tiger and Tina in unison.

“I am so glad to see you!” said Tara.

“Me too. Where have you been!?” said Mother Tiger.

CHAPTER 8: A STORY TO BE TOLD

“Well,” Tara paused. “It is hard to explain. I met a woman named Sasha and she took care of me. And I met a man and he told me that my parents were dead.” She sniffed. Tara had not gotten over that her parents died, but she managed not to cry.

“That is sad,” said Mother Tiger, for she too was surprised what her own “daughter” had been going through! Tara stepped into the cave, to see her section deserted, only her blanket and flute there. She was so glad to be home. Yes, it was different from the houses, thought Tara. But it was home.

That night Tara lay down her eyes closed thinking about the past days. Could it be true? It was hard to understand, even harder when you were brought up in the jungle. But from that day on Tara knew what family is:

Any animal or human that loves you and supports you no matter what.

The End

 

A Story of Fred and Bob

Fred and Bob are in the back garden of Fred and Bob’s house at 32 Garden’s Lane, where they keep Fred’s plane. They made a plan to only fly their plane in the summertime. So, one hot Saturday, they decided to go to Africa to see a real life lion and some elephants.

 

They started flying. Fred, who was the pilot, pushed the plane’s lift-off button, and the plane flew straight up into the air. When they looked out the windows, they saw all of their friends’ houses and they saw the highway just down their street.

 

Three hours later, they started coming into Africa. They were flying over Africa, over a little forest place. They needed to find somewhere to land because they couldn’t land in the trees.

 

Fred and Bob were cheering. They found an open space, but as soon as they looked out the window, they saw that they were on the other side of Africa, so they started not cheering. But when they landed, they were surrounded by lions and they realized they were exactly where they wanted to be.

 

While Fred and Bob were still in the plane, the lions started growling at them. They were annoyed because they thought that they landed on the girl lion. So, they started flying up, and they found out that the girl lion wasn’t dead.

 

And then they landed somewhere else, in a completely different part of Africa after another hour on the plane. They had to have an emergency landing because their legs were tired from sitting down all day.

 

They checked their watches and saw that it was midnight. They checked to see if they brought their tent and they set it up inside of the plane, because they wanted to be safe from some nocturnal creatures who could have hurt them. And they were nice and cosy in their plane.

 

The next morning, they had a little bit of trouble. Fred and Bob noticed that their plane was nearly out of fuel because the tank was nearly halfway empty. But that was not enough to get them home. So they flew up over the sea in Africa.

 

They just needed to fly one hour across the sea to South Africa and the alarm went on because they were about out of the fuel when they were just landing. They had one little tiny minute left until they ran out of fuel. So they took fifty seconds up to land, and they just made it, and they started filling up the fuel, which took a long time, because it was a pretty big plane, so they thought that they should just go get a late breakfast.

 

For breakfast, they went to a South African diner. Bob had poached eggs and Fred had fried eggs. They paid five dollars for the poached eggs and five dollars for the fried eggs. Fred paid ten dollars for both and Bob gave him five dollars back.

 

They took one hour so they went back to the plane and it was full so they flew back home. They felt proud of themselves.  

 

The end!

 

Z-Town

“Hi!!! My name is Zoran! I do not know where my Mom and Dad are. But I do know that I am a super-boy! Cool name RIGHT?!” I ask.

“Not really?!?” my best friend says. “So Zoran, do you want to come to my party tonight?” he asks.

“Sure!” I say.

Three hours later…

I walk into my friend’s house. It smells like whipped cream. I know, you might be thinking, how does whipped cream smell? Whatever…

“Hi Zoran!!!” my friend says, “Thanks for coming to my birthday party!!!”

“You’re welcome,” I say.

“There are video games that you can play. I bought this game called Z-Town!!!” my best friend says.

I say, “Sure I will play.”  

I go over to the video games in my friend’s living room. I’m the only one playing. Then I go over to the table with the cake and the… CUPCAKES!!! The cupcakes are pink. I HATE PINK, I say in my head. My friend must love the color pink!!! That is SO weird!!! I say in my head again.

The table also has drinks, food, and soda!!! and… slushies!!!

My friend turns the music up and everyone dances and dances and dances and dances and dances and dances until the investigators show up. One investigator has brown hair and the other one has black hair. They both have brown eyes.

No one notices them. Everyone just keeps dancing. The investigators take me away from the party. Then they take me to the police station and ask me a couple questions. The first one is: where do you live? The the last question is: Where are your parents? One of the investigators is named Mr. Underpants.

I tell them I have no idea where my parents are and then they let me go. I don’t feel sad or anything, I feel fine.  

I go back to the party, but when I get there, no one is there?!? I don’t feel too scared, but I do feel a little scared.

I go back to my house and try to call my friend but he doesn’t answer.  Suddenly I see this green person coming to my door outside! He bangs on my door and then a box shows up. The box says… “Choose your weapon.” There are different weapons in the box that you can use, like cool swords, knives, GUNS!!! And a cool bow and arrow.

I choose my weapon. I get a rifle and have NO idea what is happening, so I try to open my front door and then I realize the green person is a… a… ZOMBIE!!!

At the last minute I shoot him (with my rifle). The zombie drops a one dollar bill and then right in front of me says: You collect a one dollar bill!!!

Suddenly I realize that I am stuck inside a VIDEO GAME!!!! And I know that because my friend told me to play on the video games and on Z-Town (the video game) was JUST LIKE THIS… I  start to freak out!!! Fortunately, I do know how to play this game so I can’t be in trouble…

I see a robber so I go outside to stop him from WHATEVER he is doing…  When I get outside he’s closer to me and I freak out. I shoot him from behind a bush. So I guess there are robbers and zombies in this game!!!

Then I see other people and they are NOT robbers or zombies. I go over to them and then they tell me how they’re stuck in the game too. They are not police like I thought they might be that are supposed to be in the game. Then they tell me how this guy named “Mr. Underpants” put us in the video game!!! The people told me how it stinks to be stuck in the video game.

Then I see this ship that has some people on it! It looks like they are more robbers and zombies!!! I try to shoot them but I only shoot three zombies.

Then I hear a noise.  “AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” I think that it’s a person so I run over, but when I get to them it’s too late… They’re dead!!! I guess the zombie ate the guy!?! That was gross to see because their body stays there. So that means game over for them! Stinks to be them!

I run over to the ship and shoot some robbers and zombies because the ship is closer than it was ten minutes ago. The robbers start shooting back at me!!! I run for my life (while shooting at them). I see a speed boat in the ocean so I hop on it and drive away!

I get behind the ship and I climb up it. No zombie or robber notices me. I see a bomb on the ground that the robbers and zombies were going to use. I light the bomb with a lighter in my pocket.

I jump all the way down to my speed boat and the bomb explodes. All the people that have been stuck in the video game clap and clap and clap!!! People start jumping all over the place!!!

They seem so happy I did that!!! Then this guy right in front of me said, “You earned $100!!!” Then I see this shop! I go in the shop and guess what it is… a weapon shop!!! I bought a desert eagle (like a handgun). I spent my money on this gun because the gun is SUPER powerful!!!

Now I have $10 left which is fine because now I know how to get money!

“Hi, My name is John Pierce,” a guy says, in the open.

“Hi? Wait, PIERCE!?! That is MY last name!!! So that means that you are my DAD!!!”  I say. “DAD!!!” I had a good feeling that he was my Dad.

I was so happy that I started happily dancing!!! All the people that are stuck in the video game laugh so, so, so, SO hard.

Right then, right in front of me the guy says: Level Up!!! “YES!!!” I say. This guy with brown hair and a shirt that said Z-Town. Then another guy with blue eyes and a green shirt comes over to me and says…

“We found out that this video game that we are stuck in is called Z-Town (I knew that!?) and to get out of the game you have to defeat the boss!”

“OK…” I say. Let’s do this!!!

One Day Later…

BOOM!! BOOM!! WOO HOO!! We defeated the boss and NOW WE LEAVE THE VIDEO GAME!!!

What, why am I still in the video game? “HELP!!! I am STILL STUCK IN THE VIDEO GAME!!!” I scream.

One week later…

“YES!!! I found this video game that is called Z-Town!!! So cool, lets do this…” A kid says. BOOM!!!

“What was that?!?!?!?” The kid yells. “AHHHHH!!! ZOMBIE!!!”           

                               The End?

WW10

INTRODUCTION

 

  / \

  l l

  l l

 < >

   ll   = = = ll

 

I was ch in my room. I needed to ch fight. I was making a blueprint.

 

  

 

NO IDEAS NONE

 

Oh hi, didn’t see ya ch there, my name is King Trumaniac. Well technically, Prince Trumaniac, my coronation is, well, was ch tomorrow. Anyway, I’m calling from the future  this is WW10 ch. Sorry, ch bad connection, I’m gonna go fix it.

 

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

 

I’m back! It’s fixed! See? No bad connection! Back to the story. I am King or Prince Trumaniac and I am in World War Ten. It started when the transformers from World War Seven came in again with more aliens and robots. The good transformers were trying to stop them, but the Decepticons (the bad guys), tried to defeat them. Then they decided they’d make a war, and so the humans formed a bigger transformer to be on their team called X-Parts. He could transform into any vehicle or any creature he wanted. It helped the humans because he could transform into a Decepticon and be a backup spy! X-Parts went onto the Decepticon’s team to spy and give inside information to the Autobots (that’s the good guys).

 

I became prince because my father was King Williamaniac and he decided that my brother, who was three years old when I was born, shouldn’t be the prince. So, when I was five and I was prince and he wasn’t, he went on to the dark side and his skin turned grey and his eyes turned red! Then, my brother made a big huge Decepticon dude called Z-Parts that can do exactly what X-Parts can do. That guy got inside information from the Autobots to give to the Decepticons. He was also a spy! That’s when the war started — one day they came across each other and they decided that the war would start then and there!

 

It started with just them, but then they called their teams and all the aliens and robots and Decepticons came on Z-Parts’ team, and all the humans and animals and Earth things and Autobots were on X-Parts’ team. Then the Earth guys took out their controllers and video game consoles and made all the Minecraft characters come out of the screen! They were all on the good guy’s team too.

 

It was on a dark night in a rocky field in the Australian outback. There were lots of stars and it smelled like smoke. It felt hot even though it was nighttime. The air tasted like bubblegum. It sounded like blasting cannons and felt like beams of light. People saw the stars falling.

 

First, the Minecraft characters took out their swords and shovels and pickaxes and axes and snowballs and all sorts of weapons. They attacked the aliens, who pulled out their laser rays. Meanwhile, the Transformers turned their arms into cannons and fought the robots. While that was happening, the humans pulled out their weapons and attacked the Decepticons. The stars fell from the sky and landed in the middle of the battle. It turns out that the stars and everything we knew about them was wrong! They were all Transformer escape pods escaping from the Ultimate Battle. They were the two sides of Minions: the Minions of Primus and the Minions of Unicron. They landed on Earth because they were trying to stop the battle.

 

The Minions had joined forces to stop the battle on Earth. They had tried to stop the Great Battle on Mars,  but in the Great Battle, the people thought they died from the fighting. But they had escaped in escape pods in the great hall of weapons and flown to Earth to stop this battle. The Great Battle on Mars had finished when Unicron and Primus had split up and made different worlds. Transformers knew about our world because it was made from the heart of Unicron. The planet the Transformers were from was Cybertron and it was formed from Primus’s heart. Then came forth in the Earth battle Primus and Unicron.

 

Next, Bumblebee and the Transformers stepped forward. Bumblebee had already lost his t-cog and his voice box. Bumblebee stepped forward ahead and pushed back the other Autobots. The only one who came on his team was X-Parts. X-Parts and Bumblebee stepped forward while all the Decepticons circled around them. The Decepticons moved in on them very quickly. Next, at the speed of light, there were two Autobots lying on the ground with their eyes closed and there were blue colors shooting out of where their hearts used to be. They were dead.

 

Next, the human said, “We have to bring out more weapons if we want to beat the Decepticons!” So, this is where it leads up to me. I’m coming in with my biggest controller, and I’m shooting out all my gaming systems and controlling them by myself. Then I go onto the App Store and I see this new App that controls everyone on my team! I was thinking Oooh! This will help! I bought it for a hundred dollars and I used it to control all the people like a little video game and make them have super fists. The Autobots come up to the Decepticons and slice open their hearts. It destroys all the Decepticons and the aliens and robots are by themselves with Unicron. My brother is in this war right now too. He is riding Unicron’s back.

 

My brother is named Happypants, which is ironic because he’s evil. He is now evolved again. He’s got silver spiky hair, four arms, completely black skin, and stretchy arms at the bottom. He likes dark pizza. Dark pizza is a type of pizza that’s kind of pepperoni and kind of olives and pickles mixed with dark evil sauce. His goal is to defeat everybody in the world and rule the world by himself. He’s riding Unicron because Unicron is the only Decepticon left, and when someone tries to defeat Unicron, and then succeeds, then he will go down in the Underworld and be able to come back up on the other team and fight them by himself. His special powers are that he can take a dark substance that he keeps in his pocket (it’s called Celestial Goo), pulls it out, and can form anything that he wants just from it. It makes me feel like I’m left out, because I don’t have any special goo and I can’t make anything with just my special goo that I don’t have. But I’m the only prince, so that counts for something.

 

Happypants takes out his goo and throws it at our team. He forms it into all the animals of the world and turns them into dark, evil, black ones with red eyes and purple spots. Now I’m feeling like he is making up a plan. What I’m going to do about it is go into the Underworld, jump up behind him, and take all his goo and punch him in his weak spot, which is the middle of his spine.

 

Right now, I am going into the Underworld and my team has defeated Unicron, so I see my brother by himself. There’s lava and rocks everywhere. There are gas zombie pig men with golden swords, enchanted skeletons, creepers, spiders, cave spiders, and magma cubes and blazes. He’s talking to all of them, telling them about his battle. He’s saying, “I’m making a plan to jump up on the other team, attack my brother, and kill everyone in the world! I will rule the world!” It’s a low, evil voice that everyone hates, because it sounds like an evil lord. His Underworld name is Lord Hapster.

 

I jump under the bridge that’s over the lava and I crawl on the bottom to get where his team is. He goes up to where his team is and gets back on Unicron’s back. All the monsters go to my team and jump up in front of them and start attacking them. I’m thinking, This is my chance! Gotta go! Very quickly! and then I jump up behind my brother and I see his green gem weak spot. I pull it out and punch it and punch it and punch it. Then, I destroy it and he falls to the ground and dies. All his team has the same weak spot, and they all die at the same time and we win the war.

 

Next, I take the Incubator Stone that I have from my dad and everyone that died on my team comes back to life when I put it on them. Then I put the incubator stone on the other team and they turn good and come back to life. That makes me feel like I’m king, and since it’s the next day, I am king! So I have a big party and I get to wear the royal crown and the royal cape. Everybody I know comes to my party, and everybody in the kingdom.

 

THE END

 

Win Torture: The History of Plot Day

Prologue

Plot Day is a day to show which three people will get to take a journey to the core. To do this they need to be smart and strong. They can only choose one weapon to get them down to the Earth’s core. This will make them true heroes if they get to the core. The day will prove who is a winner and who is a loser. There are two pits on either side of the field.

Now, Chris L. is a destined fourteen year old. Like all teens he’s waited for Plot Day since he was a baby (not literally). He’s destined to show everyone who’s boss. This story takes place about 84 years from now. Yes, it’s in the future. Now to the story!

 

July 12, 2099

Chris Londonalez

5:05 p.m.

There I was, in a pit. Really? No, I’m kidding. My dad is out buying all my materials. My mom is making me my favorite breakfast. My dad is always away doing his job as house creator. My mom is always there for me, unlike my dad. I was in my bed, thinking about tomorrow, Plot Day… hooray (sarcastic comment). Plot Day is a day where you are with a team of three people and the objective is to plan how to push the other team into this big pit. The reason why I’m so scared is because of my team. I’m stuck with Jim, the smallest kid on Earth, and Sam, the most negative kid I’ve ever met. My region that I’m representing is Hawaii. It’s 5:00 a.m. and based on my training, my 7:00 a.m. breakfast will be out in no time. We have an 8:30 a.m. game, a 10:00 a.m. game, and a 2:05 a.m. game. Our group is called The Fire Diamonds, and we are going up against The Destroyers, The Spartans, and The Olympians. They call this group the group of death. I’m going to win this for dad.

 

8:55 p.m.

We have just won our first game! By doing the two pit formation. Sam hid in the hole while me and Jim battled it out. Let me give you a fact: I love to draw strategies.

 

12:00 p.m.

We lost. Sam was busy complaining while The Spartans were sneaking up on us. They pushed us into the pit and I was really ticked at Sam. He was complaining about his back. Guess what? I didn’t care about his back at that moment! I was all muddy. I was helped out of the pit by a short young man. He was strong.

 

2:05 p.m.

We won because of forfeit. The Olympian’s capitan was home with a fever. F.Y.I. I’m running out of ink!

 

July 14, 2099

12:47 a.m.

I just got news that we have moved to the quarterfinals. People are putting bets on our loss already. Why are they betting on 14-year-olds? We are against The Galaxies. I also bought a new ink bottle.

 

6:59 a.m.

One minute before the game. I’m choosing the XV, the formation where me and Sam make an X while Jim runs straight and attacks. The pressure!

 

8:00 a.m.

They were so strong but we still won. Because he’s so small Jim tripped an unaware Galaxy player. Then Sam tripped the left warrior by tackling and I tripped the right one by sliding. Now that tomorrow is break day, I am going to go to the Salez War Shop. I will buy new armor and weapons.

 

July 16, 2099

3:56 a.m.

We have to play the number one seed team, The Water Fighters. The have no losses. It’s scary, but I’m positive we will triumph. B.T.W. We are rated number four!

 

9:09 p.m.

Our game is in eleven minutes. My game plan is to just plain attack. Lame? Not so much. I am doing this because the opposition is known for attacking. There will be a distraction in the middle. Maybe one of us could sneak around the opponents and win. Sam keeps saying, “We are so losing.” I am now totally nervous!

 

12:00 p.m.

We won. How? I have no clue. We attacked and apparently Jim “accidently” tripped a guy with a sword. Sam slid between a guy’s legs and we just rammed them all into the pit. Now for the finale!

 

July 17, 2099

8:00 p.m.

The game starts in thirty minutes. I have no plan. All these strategies are going through my head. I already can picture my mom crying. I suppose we’ll do the 3XL, the legend formation. The Cosmos will most likely choose the SFP3. We will attack and they will defend. The fight of the night, they’re calling it.

 

8:20 p.m.

Dad and I just had a conversation. He said to win. He said he loves me with all his heart. The reason dad’s so harsh is because it’s a tradition to win Plot Day. Four generations won including him. I’m going to win to uphold our history. I feel a lot of pressure, even more than I felt before. I am even nervous!

 

10:00 p.m.

We used our strength. I have a headache from what happened. I also have a headache from my worries. I always try to pump their confidence to the highest level. I learned that no one is completely hopeless. We tried hard. And it worked. We didn’t just win. We didn’t just get lucky like Sam hoped we would. Yes, we tackled them right into the pit. We won torture.

 

AFTERMATH

After the triumph, Chris moved on to not only see the core, but to be the first person ever to touch the core. He now is 62 and lives in a huge mansion with a wife and one adopted child. His parents are so very proud of him. He will always remember July 17th.

Video Games: Not Just Fun

Did you know that video games are not just for fun? Actually, video games can be used to heal mental and physical illnesses, solve important problems relevant to the development of technology and medicine, and video game experts (gamers) can actually learn new things faster than others! Video games also strengthen connections between different areas of the brain, which is helpful and beneficial towards memory and reflexes like hand-eye coordination.

For example, some video games are helpful for the brain and help children get a ‘head start’ on learning (Playkids app, ABCmouse, et cetera…). Also, according to a recent scientific study conducted by scientists at Nature, people who are video game experts have an ‘increase of grey matter and increased functional connectivity between the attentional and sensorimotor networks’, which means that gamers can learn new things faster than other people who don’t play as much. Additionally, gamers can take out stress on fictional and made up characters, leading to a better emotional state. This demonstrates that people who play video games can lead a better lifestyle and can be in better mental health.

Video games can be used for development of medicine, technology, and other sciences. Recently, players of a video game called Foldit unraveled the structure of a complex retroviral protease, an enzyme that cuts apart proteins of different kinds, allowing scientists to create a cure for the virus it was a part of. This kind of video game use is known as citizen science, where people solve puzzles that cannot be solved by computers, but they think they are playing a game. This has been used to identify different wildlife calls, measure light pollution, and more! This improves the state of the world overall and is done through video games.

Likewise, video games can be therapeutic, treating mental and physical illnesses. One team of developers created a ‘Patient Empowerment Exercise Video Game’ designed to improve resilience, self-esteem, and confidence. Another way video games can be therapeutic is that developers can channel their emotions into their games, relieving problems.

As demonstrated, with further research, video games have the potential to help the world and individuals in many ways. As shown in the second paragraph, they already are, albeit in unexpected ways. Video games have the potential to unlock new discoveries, but they also can degrade the brain.

There are some games that are bad for mental health. In FPS (first-person shooter) games, players begin to develop violent tendencies the longer they play, and can become addicted, only worsening this problem. There is no way to fix this besides simply avoiding these games entirely, although they can be addictive.

As has been shown previously, video games are not just for fun, but can be used to help individuals and the world in many different ways. Also, video games have been used to cure mental and physical illnesses. In the future, we may see that video games are used to solve problems with civilization before they become serious.

 

Valley Crescent’s Discovery: Book 1

“Hey Laura! What’s up?” asked Valley Crescent.

Laura was Valley’s best friend and the school year was over so they could play as much as they wanted. “Ruff ruff ruff ruff,” barked Valley’s dog, Chico — Chee for short. “Hey Chico!” called Laura.

“Meow meow meow,” went Laura’s cat, Haley.

“Valley! Dinner’s ready! Time to come in!” called Valley’s mom.

“Okay Laura, I gotta go in. It’s dinnertime,” said Valley.

“Okay! See you tomorrow at the kickball field with Cami!” said Laura.

Chapter One

It was dinnertime for Valley and her older sister, Bella, and her younger twin sisters, Lola and Ruby. Lola and Ruby were identical, nobody could ever tell them apart. They didn’t even think of putting name tags on them. Bella was complaining to their mom, “Mom, I’m 16! I want to go to driving lessons!”

Valley’s mom said, “You have to be 16 and a half before you can go to driving lessons. Me and your father talked about that and told you!”

Valley sighed. “A full house is always busy,” Valley muttered to herself.

The twins were five years old. Ruby said, “Can we have dessert yet? We’re done with our dinner.”

“Yeah! Can we have popsicles?” asked Lola.

“Okay. What about you, Valley?” their Mom asked.

“I think I might go upstairs and read and then come down for dessert,” said Valley.

“Mom, I think I’ll have dessert now,” said Bella.

“What would you like for dessert?” asked their Mom.

“Honey, I’m hooome!” yelled their Dad.

“Daddy!” said Lola and Ruby.

“Hi, Dad!” said Bella.

“Hi, Daddy” said Valley.

“Hello, Valley! Hello, everyone! Valley, are you excited for your birthday coming up? It’s almost July 7th.”

“Yeah, Daddy! No kidding!” said Valley. “I was just about to go upstairs and read for a little bit.”

So Valley went upstairs and read until her mom came upstairs and plopped a book on her reading desk and said, “I just went to the library today and this woman came out of nowhere and gave me this book to give to a child that loves to read! It’s a big book, so you should like it!”

“Okay Mom, I’ll make sure I read it,” said Valley.

When Valley opened the book, she saw one word on the first page. It said MAGIC in cursive handwriting. That was all it said. “Ma-gic,” Valley said to herself. All of the sudden, the book picked her up and flung her out of the window. She was caught into a swirl of golden light and was sucked into the clouds. And then, she shrunk.

Chapter Two

“AAHHHH!” screamed Valley, “MOM!! DAD!! HELP ME!!”

But nobody could hear her. Ouf! Valley fell with a thump. Valley looked around and saw a huge, beautiful castle. There were no clouds in the sky. The castle had golden swirls with pink tower tops and the rest was white. She turned her head around and saw that she had wings. The wings were shimmering and pink with gold traces in the middle. “Whoa! I have wings? I didn’t know that. That must mean I can fly!” said Valley.

So she fluttered her wings for the first time and rose up in the air. “Wait a second! I don’t know how to fly! How do I control or steer this?!”

OUCH! She flew straight into a tree. Luckily the tree was as soft as clouds. The tree caught her. OAF! This wasn’t how normal trees felt. “Well, since it’s so soft, I can make a bed out of it,” thought Valley.

“Hey Valley! Can you see me?” called a familiar voice.

Huh? Valley looked around. She recognized the voice, and saw a dark figure running towards her. “Valley! It’s me!” called the voice again.

“LAURA?! You’re here too?” cried Valley.

Then she noticed another dark figure coming from the right. “Valley! It’s me! It’s Cami!”

Valley looked and saw Cami running towards her. Cami had long, dark hair and loved the color yellow. She was wearing a yellow skirt with pink high tops and a green sweater. “Guys! I didn’t know you were here! How’d you get in?” said Valley.

“We were reading a book together, but we only saw one word — MAGIC.”

“Hey! That’s how I got in too!” said Valley.

“Well, now that we’re all together, we can, um…explore this place?” asked Cami.

“Sure, why not?!” said Laura.

“We’re just stuck in this realm until we can get out. At least if we can find a way out! Let’s start with what month it is.”

“It’s July.”

“Now let’s go to the days.”

“It’s the…third, I think.”

Valley gasped. “My birthday! It’s on July seventh. We only have four days to get outta here! Wait a second…I remember from Jack and Annie that when we’re in a magical realm, everytime we leave, time stops. So my younger sisters, Bella, Chico, my Dad and my Mom are all frozen in place until I come back. So that means I won’t miss my birthday! So we have as much time as we want! This is amazing!” said Valley.

“You’re right, Valley,” said Cami.

“But I wanna get outta here! I don’t wanna wait for my birthday,” said Valley, slightly mad.

“Okay, I don’t wanna wait either,” said Laura.

“Wait! Look! A note!” said Cami suddenly.

“It says: You can get out easily, but the quest is hard. Once you finish the quest, the rest of it will be easy. Follow this map on the back, and you will succeed the quest. So, you will go to Metroll hills and follow the golden path with swirls. This is a magic note, so the words will change when you get to Metroll Hills. It’ll keep changing every time you get to a destination. Good luck!” read Cami.

“Then let’s get a move on!” said Laura.

“Well, it’s getting dark, so we should sleep in the tree that I found. It’s as soft as silk fur,” said Cami.

“Wait, you found a tree too?” asked Valley.

“Not exactly — we flew right into the middle of the tree. We went SMACK,” said Laura.

So they followed Cami to the tree made of silk fur. Cami was good at sewing and had brought her pocket sewing kit. So she took some fur from the tree and made everyone blankets. The blankets were as soft as a puppy’s fur. It was like sleeping on a cloud full of puppies.

Chapter Three

“Yawn! Good morning guys! Ready for the walk to Metroll Hills?” asked Valley.

“Okay, but Valley, don’t you think we should eat first? I found a food tree,” said Cami.

They went to the food tree that Cami found. They grabbed some plates from the plate tree, which was to the left of the food tree. They grabbed some forks, spoons and knives from the silverware tree. Then, they put some food from the food tree on their plates. Cami had scrambled eggs with bacon.

Valley had pancakes with syrup. Laura had a bagel with cream cheese. “That was a good breakfast,” said Cami. “Now let’s get a move on!”

They started their walk to Metroll Hills. It was very beautiful, but they also had to go through a creepy, scary, sinister forest filled with monster trees and bats. On the way to the forest, they passed Lunchville. They decided to have lunch since it was almost lunch. The girls all had grilled cheese sandwiches with apple slices for dessert. They started to walk again and had to face the forest. In the forest, there were skeletons and graveyards. The girls were spooked; they thought they saw a ghost. They ran out of the forest and saw a sign that said “METROLL HILLS.” The magic note flew ahead of the girls above their heads and landed in a patch of green grass. The magic note read: You have reached Metroll Hills! Beware the trolls of Metroll Hills! Your quest is to find the magic keys. But first, you have to get past the trolls. Each of you will receive a wand. Every time you complete a mission, you will receive something else. You will have to defeat the meanest, biggest troll to get the key. Laura, you will hold the key since you have the biggest pockets. Don’t ask or write how I know your name or anything about your pockets! Good luck, girls!

“Okay, that was weird!” said Laura.

“Oooohhh! Now I get it! MeTROLL Hills? Wait! Trolls are my sister’s worst fear,” said Valley.

“Hey, look! There are the wands right above us! Let’s jump up and get them!” said Cami.

The girls jumped up, but couldn’t reach the wands at first. They tried three more times before they jumped high enough to grab the wands. The girls’ wands were different colors. Valley’s was golden with pink swirls all over it. “Hey, these are my favorite colors!”

Laura’s wand was blue with white stars all over it. “Hey, stars are my favorite shape! White and blue are my favorite colors!”

Cami’s wand was red with purple polka dots. “Hey, I don’t like polka dots!”

“Well, I want polka dots! Let’s trade,” said Valley.

Valley and Cami quickly traded wands, but the trading went horribly wrong. When Cami and Valley were practicing their spells, the spells kept bouncing off the hills and straight towards them. They had keep ducking and flying to avoid getting hit. “I almost forgot I had wings! We should fly the rest of the way,” Valley said.

“Oh man! This has gone horribly wrong. Let’s trade back,” said Cami.

“Hey! I can change the color and polka dots on your wand,” said Laura.

“Okay. That sounds perfect!” said Cami.

The girls traded back as Laura chanted her spell. “Expecto patronum! Wingardium leviosa! Avada cadavra! Luminos!”

The wand was picked up and swirled around in a cloud gold glitter. The wand was transformed into having red and purple waves. It was now beautiful. “I LOVE it!!” said Cami.

Now everyone loved their wands. They practiced their spells for a few minutes until a troll popped out of a hole in the ground. The troll was huge with an army of little trolls right behind it.

“Welcome, traitors!” said the troll in a deep voice. The troll was old, wrinkly and gray. It had no hair and a shiny bald head. The key was hanging on a necklace around his neck. The key glimmered in the sunshine. “Wingardium Leviosa!” screamed Laura. The troll rose up in the air and was confused. He was grunting and screaming.

“My turn!” said Valley. “Aresto Momentum!”

The troll burst into pieces. The smaller army of trolls screamed and ran into hiding. All that was left was the key. Laura grabbed the key and shoved it in her pocket. “Okay, we got the key, now let’s follow the map to the next destination. What does the magic note say?”

Chapter Four

“‘You have completed your first mission. Laura has the key. Your next mission is to go to Stripeville, where every person has stripes like a tiger. You will have special armor with stripes so you can go undercover. You have to defeat the King of Stripes to get your next key. This time it is a red key that must be held by Cami. Good luck!’” read the note.

“So what do we do?” asked Laura.

“Didn’t you hear it? It said we have to go to a place called Stripeville,” said Valley.

“Well, it’s getting dark again. We should sleep in another fur tree. Got your blankets?” asked Cami.

They found another fur tree, but this time it talked. “Hello, you may sleep in me for the night, but you cannot come back tomorrow,” moaned the tree. “I am very old and I cannot survive that long. My name is Matila. Good night.”

So they slept in the tree and the next morning they left Matila and looked at the magic note again. They followed the map to Stripeville, where the guards stood their ground. “People with no stripes are not allowed,” read a sign. They hid behind the bush and whispered, “How are we going to get in? Our magic undercover armor hasn’t arrived.”

CLANK! The armor fell down from the sky and bonked the girls on the head. “Ugh! Let’s put on our suits and get this over with,” said Laura. She’s always so sensitive.

“Man! Who’s a crankypants today?” whispered Cami to Valley.

Valley giggled and said, “Let’s go to Stripeville and get this over with.”

The girls put on their armor. Each girl’s armor was orange with black stripes and a white belly, just like a tiger. They walked back up to the guards and the guards said, “Who are you?”

“Um, we’re villagers from Stripeville,” said Valley.

“What is your name?” asked the guard.

“Um, my name is Sally? And that’s Sammy and that’s Sara?” replied Valley.

“You may enter,” boomed the guard.

They opened the big wooden gates. Valley, Laura and Cami all walked through the gate to Stripeville. When they made it to the palace of King Stripe, they pulled out their wands and began shouting magic spells. “Wingardium Leviosa,” shouted Valley.

“Avada Cadavra! Expecto Patronum! Lumos!” shouted the girls at once.

King Stripe rose up from his throne and burst into a million pieces. BOOM! BOOM! CRASH! The girls covered their ears as the booms and crashes sounded. Cami picked up the key, which was around King Stripe’s neck, and gently placed it in her pocket. The girls rushed out of Stripeville because if the guards found out that the king was dead, they would arrest the girls. Then the girls would never get back home. The girls found the back gate and snuck out. They found Matila and said goodbye and sat on a green hill. They found more food trees and “grabbed” some lunch.

Chapter Five

“There’s only one key left. That key is very special and is supposed to be given to Valley. Now you must travel to Crayontown.. It’s called Crayontown because everyone and everything is made of crayons. The key is with the one and only, very nice Dr. Crayola Blue. You don’t have to fight him, he will just give you the key. Once you have the key, you will put all the keys in a special link and the portal will open for you to go home. You will be sucked in and fall onto your beds. Good luck!” read the magic note.

“Okaaay, let’s get a move onto Crayontown, whatever that is,” said Laura.

“Laura, you’re so funny,” laughed Valley.

The magic note mentioned that for Crayontown they would get armor that looked like crayons. Each girl got their favorite colors. Laura got sky blue. Cami had scarlet red. Valley had 24 karat gold. The girls took off for “Dr. Crayola Blue.” When they got to Crayontown, the guards stood beside the giant blue crayon gates. They opened the gates and the girls entered the crayon world. “Welcome!” said the guards.

The girls walked up to a house and rang the doorbell. An old purple crayon woman stepped out. “Hello, what are you looking for? Why are you here?” asked the old crayon.

“We were wondering where Dr. Crayola Blue works?” questioned Valley.

“Oh, that’s easy! He lives just down the street on Pencil Crayon Rd,” said the old crayon.

“Okay, thank you, Miss…”

“Call me Emmy.”

“Okay, thank you Miss Emmy!” said all three girls at once.

They headed down to find Pencil Crayon Rd. They asked another crayon what house number Dr. Crayola Blue was. “Well, my name is Henry Crayon and he lives at number 16, I mean 17,” said the magenta crayon man.

“Okay thank you, Mr. Henry!” said all the girls at once.

The girls walked up to 17 Pencil Crayon Rd. and rang the doorbell. “Oh hello!” said Dr. Crayola Blue when opened the door. “I suppose you’re looking for this key?” he said as he held up the key. He handed them the key and invited them inside. “Link the keys together like this, and say the magic words,” instructed Dr. Crayola Blue. The girls put the keys together and chanted, “Let us go home! Let us go home! Let us go home!” over and over again until a gold swirl of light swirled around them. “AHHHH,” they all screamed. They were sucked into the portal and fell out of the cloud onto their beds. OOF!

Chapter Six

Valley opened her eyes. She was happy to be home. “Valley! Dessert time! We’re having ice cream!” shouted Valley’s mom. Valley smiled. She hadn’t missed a thing. She looked down and saw a golden locket around her neck. She opened the necklace and it was filled gold dust. She took a pinch of dust and threw it in the air around her. She closed the locket and shut her eyes. She had wings again, and she didn’t even have to leave her room.

THE END

 

 

Valetr Valr Vapr

Do you like monsters? Once there lived a monster called Valetor and his middle name was Valr and his last name was Vampr. His sister’s name was Vamprina Monstrina and his sister’s middle name Vayla and her last name was Vampra. One day, Vamprina Monstrina was eating breakfast. Then her brother said “Come on, let’s play at the Monstery Playground Forest!”

But their baby brother said, “Glah glah glee glo.”

Their mom said, “No sweeties, you have to eat your breakfast. And then we have to go to Florida and then we have to go to Greece and then we have to go all over the world!”

Vamprina said, “Baby didn’t want to go so we wanted to go to the Monstery Playground Forest with Baby.”

“No sweeties, we have to go! We need to monster the world!” their mom said.

“But it’s too dangerous!” the kids said.

But the baby didn’t say anything because the baby already left to go to the park. And he was saying, “Glah glah glee gloh glah gloh gloh.”

Nobody noticed that Baby had escaped. When Baby was on the Monster bars, he fell and broke all the bones in his body. Nobody knew. The police were driving on the road and they saw Baby. They called every family, but none answered but the Monster family. They had to rush back to Monsterville and they had to rescue Baby by sending him to the Emergency Room. He was crying the whole time. The kids were very worried about their baby brother. Then their mom said, “Why did you let him go to the park?”

The kids said, “We didn’t!”

“Who did then?”

“Baby went by himself!”

“Then who’s fault is it?”

“I didn’t do it,” said Vamprina. “He went on his own. Baby thought of it!”

When they arrived at the hospital, they learned that Baby had to stay in the hospital for over ten years. Vamprina and Valetor and their mom had to stay at the hospital for a verryyy long time. The end.

Two Against One (Excerpt)

Chapter 2

The nerve! Sorry, thinking aloud. I am Dusk, leader of the attack force of my Bengal tiger tribe. The Shapuraki have been trying to enslave us again and again for the past few weeks. So we decided to attack. I stabilized an attack force. The group of huts that was the Shapuraki homes were easy to find in the mangrove swamps of Bangladesh and India. I’ve heard rumors that the Shapuraki have their own religion with a god of death called Hoosee; if that is true, then he is about to have a lot of decisions to make.

Anahru was in charge of possible escape routes, but something told me we wouldn’t need them. He leaped at the huts, tore them down, and killed the occupants. We worked our way toward the center, where the leader’s extremely, big, fancy, and expertly carved hut lay. We barged through the door and searched the inside for the leader. No sign of him. Then one troop suggested we search the palace and the courthouse, which was a great suggestion, but he wasn’t there!

We were scouring his house again when a major discovered a secret trapdoor under his bed. It was hard to find because one of the Shapuraki had painted over it. Ten of us, including me, slipped into it and found a square room, ten feet by ten feet, with a card table in the middle. The ceiling was five feet high. I didn’t examine the room any further, because the table had four chairs, and in the chairs were the Shapuraki leader, and the three village chiefs!

Before they could react, I sprang onto the leader, and the other nine took the chiefs. The chiefs were the first to go. Anaru pawed the first one’s head to the ground and a troop clawed at his throat, killing him instantly. Five other troops converged on another’s chest, and the last two took the remaining one’s head.

The Shapuraki leader pulled out a spear, though he held it feebly. He “ran” toward me with his spear pointed at my face. I stepped to the side, and he rammed into the wall. I pounced on him, sinking my claws into the small gap between his ribs, puncturing his heart, and he was taken by Hoosee. We evacuated the village and went home, leaving the remains of a smoldering, lifeless, village that was once on fire.

Unicorn Rapunzel

Once upon a time there lived a baby unicorn named Sparkly and her mom and dad and a mean old witch that lived in an ugly tower. One night the baby was sleeping then the witch came and took the baby unicorn and kept her. The mom and dad were worried. The witch kept her in a tower and when the witch wanted to come up she used to say, “Oh Sparkly, oh Sparkly let down your tail!” And the witch climbed up Sparkly’s tail.

And she said to her, “You should not go outside it is a dangerous place out there someone can take you away.”

So the unicorn agreed.

Sparkly was good at art, and in the years when she was all alone she learned how to make stuff. Like ropes to ladders, to cups to bowls, to plates to dressers, to mini houses. Sparkly’s favorite colors were blue, green, and pink. She was as sweet as a cupcake. She had always wanted to have friends and play with them and go to school. She wanted to have fun and to be able to sell the things that she made. She wanted to be free and explore the world.

One day Mother was out to get dinner. Sparkly made a ladder and climbed down. She was excited to go out and see what was in the world. She went to town to explore and then she saw pictures. there was a missing unicorn, so she decided to go out and find the missing unicorn. and then she found a boy unicorn named Prince.

She asked, “Are you the missing unicorn?!”

He said, “No but I am looking for her. Are you the missing unicorn?!”`

Sparkly said, “No I am looking for her too. How about we team up together and find the missing unicorn!”

Prince said, “Yes you’re a genius!”

Sparkly said, “Let’s get started!”

But when she was walking she realized she promised her mother not to go out. She said going out was dangerous. She started getting scared. She was also curious what was going to happen. Then she thought to herself, Nah, this is not scary, I have been walking out here for hours no one stole me from my mother yet. So she kept walking. She did not care anymore. She started talking to Prince about what the unicorn looked like  and how tall and her clothes, but it could not have been either of them because they were not babies. It said on the poster “baby unicorn is missing.” The unicorn looked just like Sparkly but she was a baby so it could not be her. they did not pay a lot of attention to the parents just the baby unicorn. They kept looking and looking then there was a pack of bad guys and they took Prince and Sparkly.

Mother got home from getting dinner.

She said, “Oh Sparkly oh Sparkly, let down your tail.”

Sparkly did not let down her tail. Then Mother thought she was sleeping, so she worked to climb up herself. She had secret steps that Sparkly didn’t know about.

And then she yelled, “Sparkly!”

Sparkly did not answer so she went to Sparkly’s room. She was not there so that meant she went to town. Mother was very angry she marched all the way to town. And Sparkly was not there. Mother was worried and mad. She was worried because Sparkly disappeared and she thought the King and Queen took her back from when she stole Sparkly. And she was mad because Sparkly did not listen to her mother, well, her fake mother. Mother went to the woods to look for Sparkly because she was scared that Sparkly would find out that Mother was not really her mother.

Sparkly was so nice to the bad guys the bad guys helped Prince and Sparkly. Sparkly was as sweet as a cupcake, so she did not even notice the bad guys were being mean. She was just being very nice to them. She told them how nice they looked and told them that they were very nice.

They saw Mother running after them.

Sparkly whispered, “Can you catch her so she doesn’t catch us?”

The bad guys said, “Yes.”

Then the mother ran and then the bad guys caught her and trapped her so Prince and Sparkly could find the baby unicorn. Then they stopped.

Then she said, “I think that unicorn is me because I’ve been looking at the mom and dad they look familiar. I haven’t been out of the tower, so I don’t know any people. And I know it said a baby but I used to be a baby.”

Prince was angry and he was excited. He was feeling angry because they were looking for nothing, and he was excited because Sparkly found her real home, and they found the unicorn that was missing.

They trotted to the castle and went in and it was her family. The mom and dad were very very happy. They were hugging her and kissing her. Then they were all a happy and big family. Then Prince and Sparkly got married and they lived happily ever after. Well, not the witch. She got arrested.

THE END

Trip to Yesterday

Yesterday, I woke up with the sound of squeaks. Then I think that I know what happened. Mommy opened the fridge and Oreo was squeaking, trying to ask for Brussels sprouts. I laugh and run to the table to eat my breakfast. I run to school and see Miss Bramble. She teaches me about worms and other insects. I give her back Oreo, her guinea pig that I had at home for the weekend. I tell her she likes Brussels sprouts and she looks amazed. I remember her lifting her eyebrow and saying, “Oreo likes a lot of things, but I didn’t know that she liked Brussels sprouts!” I leave science class and think about how great my science teacher was.

The next year, I have the same impression about my science teacher. Miss Bramble is not tall but not short either. She always smiles but when someone does something wrong she still talks to them. She is very sweet and likes almost everyone she talks to. She is a friend of Mr. Z, one of the best music teachers ever.

The same year there is a sad event: the little guinea pig with the orange spots on his back from carrots dies. Everyone is very sad. The day Miss Bramble told us that was the first day I ever saw Miss Bramble be sad. Seeing her like that almost made me cry. Still now, when I think about that moment I am very sad.

Then at the end of the year, I learn that Miss Bramble will be leaving to the upper grades. I am disappointed, but then I think I will see her in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Then it is summer and I have fun with my grandparents and cousins but I still think that I will see Miss Bramble the year after.

Today I know that I was wrong, and I would not have Miss Bramble in 5th grade but I still had fun learning about earth, electricity, and mass and other fun stuff. Meanwhile, Miss Bramble bought gerbils. Well, she didn’t buy them but that is a whole other story.

Untitled

Standing on the edge of the diner on 45th street, I tap my foot impatiently. Sophia is still nowhere to be found. The clouds look soupy and fast in the fading night sky. Suddenly, I can hear footsteps rushing into the alley. Take cover! I think, and dive into the diner.

When I sit down at the counter on my favorite wobbly stool, Kate takes one look at me and says, “Jess? Oh, Jessica, is that you?” I nod tersely as she puts on her hairnet and rushes to get me a chocolate milkshake. I notice her apron and new name tag, Kate: Bartender and Intern. I choke down a laugh. She’s always hated the name bartender. When people call her a bartender, it makes her spit. Kate was my Au Pair growing up. I loved her so much. We would spend endless hours together, and she would always make everything fun. The one thing she said she would remember about me if she moved away was my adoration of chocolate milkshakes. Now, I suck the three-inch foam on top, lost in thought.

I slurp up the remains of the chocolate shake and leave a five-dollar bill under the glass. Ducking in the alley behind the diner, I strain to listen and can make out two of the mysterious figures. They’ve been all over the city, so it’s no surprise. Peeking around the corner, my suspicions are confirmed–I can even recognize even my neighbor, dressed in an overcoat, talking softly with a much shorter figure. Curly hair springs out from beneath the shorter one’s hat.

I strain to listen in. It sounds like the shorter one is demanding something of the taller one “…have to…find…murmer mutter…leave now…protect…”

The taller one sounds like he’s trying to buy more time. “…Fourteen…sure she can…mutter…murmur…please…so…” It sounds like he’s saying “Sophia” so I turn my ear power up and listen more. The tall one keeps talking. “…can’t live….please…mutter…the shorter one retorts at something he mutters. “…need her…NOW!…Jess…here…” My name comes up and I’m listening more than ever. I can barely hear the squealing tires from behind me get louder, and louder. I check my watch. It’s about 1 a.m. Sophia is long overdue. The tires squeal and ring in my ears. I whirl around to face the alley again. The two figures are gone.

CRASH!!!!

A jolt of intense pain in my left arm brings me out of my trance and gets me to look around. Through blurry vision, I see an overturned car right where the two figures were standing a moment before. Broken glass is everywhere. I look down, and a large piece of it is wedged in my left bicep. Movement brings me too much pain. Where is Sophia? Racking my brain, I come up with nothing. I can’t do it. My vision grows blurry. I collapse beside the overturned car, out cold.

I wake to the sound of sirens wailing. Voices. I hear voices. “She’s awake!”

“John, give it a rest. Give her some time.” Another voice, this one deeper than the first. Tiredly, my eyes flutter open. Three policemen are standing over me, looking into my eyes. I am extremely proud of myself for figuring that out. As one of them begins to ask me questions while the other two load me onto the cart, I somehow find the strength to sit up and survey the situation. The passengers in the car have several broken bones but none are dead, and there is no sign of the two figures in overcoats I had seen.

Who were they? What was a car doing at this part of town at one in the morning? And, most importantly, where is Sophia? I think of the curly hair I saw sticking out of the hat, and a jolt of recognition hits me.

My best friend is a spy.

 

Two Fingers (An English to English translation of “One Heart” by Li-Young Lee)

See the squirrels. When sliding

are bored

in something. The next high

is outside you, shot

at this one finish of evening.

The business of flapping

was most of the time happiness, fixing

two feelings to one collapsing unknown.

To The Moon

One Saturday calm evening a dog pack was in their house in Dog World, reading about space. In the dog pack is Milo a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog who is brown and white and is the leader, Donald the grey Great Dane dog who is the craziest, Juan the all white Havanese dog with apricot colored ears who is the frightendest, and Albert a Yorkshire Terrier dog who has an Albert Einstein brain.

“Guys. In this book, it says there is a free rocketship shuttle with all the stuff you need to go to the moon for free. You can only go to the moon. Our moon,” said Milo.

“Cool! Can we do it?” asked Donald.

“I certainly would love that and yes,” said Milo.

“Did you know that lots of people die in a rocketship. They could run out of oxygen in the ship and you could get stuck up there,” said Albert.

Juan screamed.

“No worries. They say there is only one ship left and it never runs out of oxygen. Let’s do it,” said Milo.

“Do they send it to you?” asked Juan.

“Yes. We have to call at (123) 4576-7893,” said Milo. Milo grabbed the phone and called that number then put the phone to his ear. “Yes, hi, I would like your last spaceship shuttle please. My address is Thirty-Four North on Berk Street between Fifty Avenue and Samsung Avenue. Thanks, bye,” said Milo. Milo hung up and put the phone back. “It’s on it’s way. We’re going to the moon,” said Milo.

“Great!” said Donald.

“What if we do die?” asked Juan.

“Read the page, Juanito,” said Milo. Milo handed his book to Juan. Juan read the page.

“Alright. I’ll guess I’ll try it. But if we die, God will prove me right,” said Juan.

“God proves everyone right or wrong,” said Milo.

“Did you know Jesus was a real man living on Earth? Although no man will ever see him. Only in heaven,” said Albert. Juan screamed. “We have a long life of living. We’ll be fine,” said Albert. Then, the doorbell rang. Milo opened the door. The spaceship was here. Milo took the spaceship and closed the door.

“Look everybody! It’s the ship!” said Milo.

“Came that quick?” asked Juan.

“It must have legs,” said Donald.

“Quit being ridiculous. Now let’s go to the moon,” said Milo.

“Right now?” asked Juan.

“You have to have a good night’s rest before we go to any moon. If you fall asleep while flying, we will die,” said Albert.

“We’ll be fine, now let’s go to the moon,” said Milo.

“Do you even know how to fly one of these things? You’ll need a lesson from my grandfather. He can fly a spaceship like there is no tomorrow,” said Juan.

“I need no lesson on anything, now let’s go!” said Milo. Everyone got up and went in the spaceship. Everyone closed the doors when they were all in. Milo sat in the driver’s seat. The spaceship is huge! There is even a pet cow. The cow is white with black spots and her name is Emily. Emily is a tired cow who just stands up by a side of the spaceship just eating grass and drinking water out of a bucket.

“Holy Dogbones! A cow!!! I’m gonna make some milk,” said Donald. Donald grabbed a paper cup and went to Emily. Donald put the cup under Emily’s udder, squeezed the udder, and made the milk.

When Donald finished, he drank the milk.

“Are you gonna get this thing on the roll yet?!” asked Juan.

“Alright, how do you turn this thing?” asked Milo.

“Hah, I told you you need a lesson!” said Juan. Then Milo pushed a button. That starts the engine. The engine started and it was huge.

“What the heck was that?!!!” screamed Juan.

“The engine, you moron,” said Donald. Milo put his two front paws on the steering wheel and carefully turned the spaceship around. The tip of the spaceship knocked down their house.

“Way to go, Milo!” said Juan.

“Oh, shut up!” snapped Milo. “Now you have to make this thing go fast,” said Milo. Milo put his back paw on the gasoline pedal and the spaceship went so fast everyone screamed and Juan vomited.

“ISN’T THERE SUPPOSED TO BE SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FLY THIS THING?!!!” screamed Albert. Finally, they were in the air. Everyone stopped screaming. Everyone took a deep breath.

“Eeew! Someone threw up!” shrieked Donald.

“Calm your nerves, that was me,” said Juan.

“Oh, you’re the one who’s always scared!” snapped Donald. And then, a manual slipped out from nowhere. “Hey, what’s that?” asked Donald. Donald picked up the manual. Donald opened it up. It was a manual on how to fly the spaceship. “Oh my God! This is nuts! Milo!” shrieked Donald.

“What?” asked Milo.

“I just found this manual on how to fly this aircraft!” said Donald.

“Oh, gee, how was I supposed to know that there was a manual?” asked Milo.

“It slipped out from somewhere and common sense. Of course there’d be a manual,” said Donald. Milo sighed in stress. “It says, ‘to turn the ship, you need to use the steering wheel,’” read Donald.

“I know that. This thing is like a car only in air. On the ground it’s harder. This thing is like a car. It feels like a Mercedes-Benz,” said Milo.

“What’s that?” asked Donald and Juan at the same time.

“It’s a car. It is the most comforting car and is the smartest car in the world. My dad used to have one,” said Albert.

“Kay,” said Juan. “‘To keep the ship in air, click the green center control button next to your steering wheel on the right side three times and it will drive just like a car.”

“Bet you didn’t know that,” said Donald. Milo sighed in stress as he pushed that button three times.

“Keep reading more stuff,” said Milo.

“‘If the ship runs out of fuel, call (123) 456-7893. If any other problems, call (123) 456-7893. If you run out of oxygen, call 911,’” read Donald.

“So it can run out of oxygen. We might die,” said Juan. Milo groaned. He was all wrong.

“Don’t stop reading. Continue reading after I react. I’ll let you know. Go,” said Milo.

“‘Please have no children on the ship and keep the windows down. Don’t fly this ship until or unless you know what you’re doing or until you’ve read this manual three or four times,’” read Donald.

“Sucks!” mumbled Milo.

“I was right again!” said Juan.

“Continue on,” said Milo.

“Asteroid!” warned Donald. There really were asteroids in front of them.

“What asteroid?” asked Milo.

“No, in front of you!!!” screamed Donald.

Milo looked in front. Tons of them were there. Milo screamed and steered the spaceship away from the asteroids. When they were out, everyone sighed in relief.

“I’m gonna read about if there’s an asteroid. ‘When there are asteroids in front of you, never steer the ship away from them. Press the red button four times on the left side of your steering wheel and just fly through them. The red button is a shield so your ship doesn’t get dented,’” read Donald.

“I guess Mister I Think I Can Fly A Spaceship can’t fly a spaceship,” said Juan.

“That’s it! I’m out,” said Milo.

“Perfect. I’ll fly the ship,” said Juan.

“You can’t fly this baby, you’re too scared,” said Milo.

“Scared or scary?” asked Juan, proudly.

“Scared,” said Milo.

“Fine. If you want us to die at a young age, go ahead. You’ve done the total opposite of the manual told you to do. I have no more faith in you that you can fly this thing. It’s way beyond your potential,” said Juan.

“If I can drive a car, I can drive this stupid thing,” said Milo.

“A car is thousands times below this thing’s potential,” said Juan.

“Just shut up, I know what I’m doing,” said Milo.

“Yeah, you don’t. ‘Just shut up, I know what I’m doing,’ said Milo,” said Juan.

“How dare you mock me?!!!” growled Milo.

“Ohhhh, someone made the boss mad,” said Donald.

“Thank you, Don,” said Milo. “What happens if a shooting star comes or that little flying thing that looks like rain?” asked Milo.

“You have no idea what a comet is,” said Juan.

“I only forgot the name,” said Milo.

“I’ll give you a break on that one,” said Juan.

“‘When a shooting star comes, no worries. Your ship is made to handle that without a shield or being dented. If a comet comes. Press the red button for the asteroids ten times fast and a major shield will be provided,’” read Donald.

“Can someone get me a glass of milk?” asked Milo. Juan took a cup, put the cup under Emily’s udder, squeezed it, and the milk was made then Juan gave it to Milo.

“Thanks, Doll,” said Milo. Then Juan went back to his seat.

“Keep reading, Donald,” said Milo.

“‘When you reach the moon and it’s perfectly then thousand feet under you, click the button on top of your steering wheel one time quickly and you will safely land on the moon,’” read Donald.

“Please don’t tell me that’s the last page,” said Milo.

Donald flipped back the pages to check. That was the last one. “It is the last one,” said Donald.

“You can’t put that many pages in a spaceship manual. Anything can happen in space, they need to put more information!” said Milo.

“Wait, where’s Albert?” asked Juan.

“God knows where that little punk goes,” said Milo.

“What if he slipped out the ship and went out in space without a spacesuit?!” shrieked Donald.

“He’s only a little man!!! He can’t die now!!!” shouted Juan in major fear.

“I’m right here,” said Albert from behind the refrigerator.

“Lord have mercy, you scared all of us to death,” said Juan.

“Not everyone,” said Milo.

“Quit being such a punk!” said Juan.

“Donald find what else is in the manual,” said Milo. Donald flipped through the manual.

“Aha! Found something! ‘This ship has a backup engine. If this ship breaks down, it won’t really break down because of the backup engine,’” read Donald.

“Great,” said Juan.

“Planes have back up engines, too,” said Albert. Then, a little beeping sound came off.

“What is that? Donald, does it tell you what the beep is in the manual?” asked Milo.

“‘That beep sound is when the moon is under you,’” read Donald. Milo hit the top of the steering wheel button quickly. Like a parachute, the spaceship floated slowly straight down nice and calm. Finally, they landed. Everyone sighed in relief. Milo turned the engine off, and the dog pack put on their spacesuits and went out of the spaceship. They were floating.

“Where’s the flag?” asked Milo.

“What flag?” asked Juan and Donald at the same time.

“To remember you achieved something, you put a flag on top of it to show you’ve made an achievement like climbing the tallest mountain or going to the moon,” said Albert. Milo went in the ship, grabbed the flag, and poked it on top of the moon.

“Our Earth is bigger than this,” said Albert.

“So what do we do now?” asked Juan.

“Go back to Earth I guess,” said Milo. Everyone went back in the spaceship, took of their spacesuits and started back to Earth. Milo sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine. Milo put his back paw on the gasoline pedal and started flying back. When they were in air, Juan took nap.

“Milo, Juan is sleeping,” said Donald. Donald tickled Juan’s stomach. Juan started jiggling and laughing. Finally he woke up.

“We’re almost home, buddy. You’ll take a nap when we get home,” said Donald. Then, that beep came again. Milo quickly hit the top of the steering wheel button and they landed safely on Earth right by their house again. When they exited the spaceship, they saw their house was broken down.

“What happened?” asked Juan.

“Our house is down,” said Donald and Juan at the same time. It’s because of the spaceship.

“No worries, I can fix it,” said Albert. Albert grabbed his tools and repaired their house. They went inside when that was done, and started reading about Africa.

Tom Anderson

Chapter 1: The plane

Tom Anderson was 8. He lived in New York. He was going on a trip to Paris with his parents for the week. He had been looking forward to this trip all week.

On the airplane Tom ate breakfast. He ate eggs and waffles. He also read.

“When will we be there?” Tom asked. “Ten minutes.” answered his mom. Tom felt excited because the plane ride had been boring. Ten minutes felt like a whole hour. He waited, and waited, and waited for the plane to land.

The engine of the plane made a lot of noise. It sounded like a volcano was erupting. Everyone on the plane covered their ears. When the plane finally landed, Tom was very excited to be at Paris.

Chapter 2  Paris

Tom’s hotel number was level 5 room 35-36.  Tom helped his parents unpack all of the family’s clothes, water, toys, and toothbrushes. After that, they went to the Eiffel Tower and they ate dinner there. Tom was excited to see the Eiffel Tower because he’d never been there before. Tom liked seeing all the buildings from the top. He learned that there were 1,710 steps in the Eiffel Tower. They ate fish and octopus, and for dessert they had fruit cake with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Tom liked the food because he had never tasted any of it before. After they ate, they went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and they looked through the telescope there. They could see all of the buildings more clearly. They saw the Arc de Triomphe and the Sacre Corre. Then they went to the ice cream shop, and got three ice cream cones: one chocolate, one vanilla, and finally one strawberry ice cream cone. Tom liked the day, and he felt excited for the next day, because he hadn’t been able to spend the whole day in Paris because they were on the plane.

Then Tom went to sleep. On the next day, Tom woke up, stretched, changed, and brushed his teeth. Then he went to eat breakfast. He ordered croissants, eggs, oranges, and orange juice. He liked it. After breakfast, he watched TV. He watched Wimbledon. He liked Djokovic. He also liked to play tennis. He was having fun but did not know what was waiting ahead of him…

Chapter 3: The Obstacles

After he ate breakfast, he and his parents went for a walk in the woods. When they were almost through the woods, they saw a poisonous tarantula. The tarantula was one inch away from Tom. The tarantula was black with red eyes, like a zombie. Tom felt his body tingling. Then, Tom jumped because he was scared. They ran out of the forest and went all the way back home. The family checked if Tom got hurt or poisoned, but he was okay. That night Tom felt a little bit scared and he had nightmares about poisonous tarantulas eating him. He was starting to think that the trip was not going to be fun because of the tarantula. He talked to his parents about his nightmares but his parents said that it was only a dream so he’d be fine. Tom felt better.

Then, the next day they went out for a walk but they didn’t go in the forest. Tom’s parents were still feeling a little bit scared after seeing the tarantula, because they were terrified of spiders. They walked down the street, feeling a little bit better because they knew there were no spiders on the street. There were a lot of people out, but the street was quiet. It was very hot and sunny outside.

When they were coming back, they saw a robber. He was wearing a black mask, and he was holding a bag full of money. He asked them if they had any money. They said no. But, the robber said that he had to check. He looked in their pockets and in their wallet. He found $20. He took their money and he ran away. Tom felt the same way he had when he saw the tarantula. When the robber was leaving, Tom’s family took a picture of him. Then, after he left, they dialed 9-1-1. The police caught the robber and then he went to jail. The police returned the family’s money and the bank’s money. He felt happy because they got their money back.

 Chapter 4: Fun

The next day, Tom and his family went to the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa. They took a picture of it, and it was very crowded. It was exciting because it was a very famous painting. Tom was feeling a little bit better because nothing bad had happened so far. After they went, they went to the gift shop. They bought coasters of the Louvre. Tom’s favorite painting was of lilypads and was by Claude Monet. So, later that day they went to Claude Monet’s house. They went on his bridge and they saw the lily pads from the painting. Tom didn’t want to leave to go back to the hotel because he liked being there and he felt relaxed. Tom also saw Claude Monet’s bed. It was old with red covers. It was different from his bed because it was smaller and an older style.

When he got back to his hotel, it started raining. They had been planning to go to the Arc de Triomphe,  but they couldn’t then. Tom felt sad and like he wasn’t having fun because he was remembering the tarantula. Even though he didn’t say that, his parents could tell from the expression on his face. He was looking at the floor sadly. His parents asked him what was wrong. Tom said this tarantula was still bothering him. His parents said that the tarantula wasn’t there anymore, and that he shouldn’t worry about it. That made Tom feel a little bit better.

In the hotel they all had the idea to play Monopoly and Tom had fun playing, but he would have prefered to be at the Arc. Everyone was trying to have fun and be happy but they were still feeling sort of upset. After it stopped raining, it was 2:45 PM and Tom and his family went to the Arc D’ Triomphe. They climbed all the way to the top, it was 284 steps. At the top, Tom saw the Eiffel Tower. Tom felt tired. He was getting a little bit homesick because he had been away for five days then, which was a long time. Inside the Arc, they went and got snacks. They went back to the hotel,  then they had dinner at the hotel. It was good. Tom had salmon and chicken soup. Afterwards, Tom was not feeling tired anymore. Tom wanted to go back outside again. After Tom went outside he went to bed. He was thinking about home and about his room. He wants to be home because he was feeling homesick.

Chapter 5: Going Home

The next day, they packed up their stuff and then they went in the orange taxi. They didn’t do anything interesting in the airport, they just waited. Tom felt bored, but he felt that he had liked the trip. When they got on the plane, they ate eggs, bacon, and yogurt for breakfast. It was good, and it was especially good for plane food. When they got home, Tom ran all over the place, smiling. Then they ate lunch because the plane ride to New York was eight hours and five minutes. They ate popcorn and watched the Penguins of Madagascar movie. Tom felt bittersweet; he was sad to leave Paris but happy to be home.                                             

 Chapter 6: the end               

      THE END !                                                

 

Three Fun Stories

Maddypire

There was once a vampire named Maddypire. She wanted to go to the beach. She went in her portal and finally reached the beach. She moved really fast so no one noticed. Then Maddypire put her umbrella and then she said, “My name is Maddypire.”

“Ahhh!” yelled a person.

So then, everyone in the beach ran away. Maddypire thought she saw midnight. She also thought it was her way back. So she went in the water and a shark ate her. The shark was her way back. She got home safely. Then she was covered in yucky slime and now she could never go to the beach. “MY PORTAL IS BROKEN,” said Maddypire.

Bullman

One day, Bullman was walking around and saying ‘sup. Then the people got annoyed. So then the people came up with a plan. After that, the next day, the people were wearing red shirts. They were wearing red shirts because he loved red. Then Bullman smashed everyone and one person said, ”That was a bad idea.” So then when it was midnight everyone moved to another town. Then Bullman was sad and excited. Bullman was sad because everyone left him. Bullman was excited because the houses were painted red. Everyone was partying at their new town while he was sad smashing the houses. (That was his hobby).

Penguin’s First Day At Dance Class

It was the penguin’s first day at dance class. The penguin didn’t know anyone there. But secretly Mike, the penguin at dance class, wanted to hit the new penguin named Bob. Mike had a bad day. But secretly he pushed to the wall. A moment later, Bob got a big bump. But then the teacher noticed that penguin’s class did a prank on him. Then one day the penguin came to dance class again with the big bump. Then his dance teacher Peggie said, ”We will have a performance.”

Bob was very nervous because he had a big bump and he did not know if the audience would laugh at him. Then it was the big day. Bob was second in line. After the first penguin, Bob was up and everyone gave a big loud round of applause. Then he did amazing tricks. He did somersaults. Everyone there threw roses at Bob. After everyone was done, they passed out the trophies! Then Bob was in first place. Also, guess what! Mike was in last place and did not win a trophy. When Bob got home, he got a pizza party. When Mike got home, he got grounded. Then Bob gave a slice of pizza to him. Then Mike said, “Thank you.” So then they were best friends. They went for a playdate. They went to the park, played board games and danced. One warm day, they had dance class. They yelled, “Dance class, dance class, dance class.” They were partners, nice to each other and silly. Mike was sick one day so he made a card at creativity time. He also made a letter that says:

Dear Mike,

How are you? Tomorrow is the last day. Also we are going to have a pizza party! I hope you come. I will tell you more things you can get or do like candy and watch a movie.

Sincerely

Bob,

 

Next it was the last day of dance classes before the competition. Bob was worried if Mike would come. But Mike came two minutes late when the party started. Everyone started eating and watching. No one looked at Mike.

Then when they got home, Bob’s mom said, “We are going to meet Boll the platypus and he is also my old friend in dance class, like you and Mike.” By then dad got home. Mom said to call him Bolly if you want. Then they finally reached Boll. They then opened the door. Bob’s family said hi. Boll’s mom said, “We are rich.” Then a robber blazed through the door and and almost stole $100,000,000. Then they used their dance skills and made a circle around him. Then the robber ran away. Then Bob wanted to win that much money from the dance competition.

The next day, it was the competition. Then when they reached Bob, he was third in line. Then it was his turn, so he did somersaults and spun around for about a half an hour. Then he was excited and exhausted.
When it was time to pass out the trophies, Bob was in first place and Mike was in second place. Bob got $100,000,000 and Mike got $100,000. They both lived in a large palace and lived happily ever after.

Three Hours Til Morning

I have three hours until morning. After four hours of studying your brain is mush. After one, you feel alive, after two, the subject is memorized, after three, studying is a habit, a routine. Then it falls apart. In my case, six hours, the words are just symbols in my eyes, just designs on the paper that mean nothing. The letters seem to move, and my eyes search to find anything familiar. A comma to pause the ringing sound in my ears. A period to stop the words, to keep them contained like a thin dam contains an ocean, and I’m the innocent bystander in front of the dam as it cracks. Ready to drown under the current. Nothing can hold in an ocean forever.

I look at the clock. Four in the morning. Well, a bit after that — it doesn’t matter. I hear that horrible voice in the back of my head saying that over and over again. Ever since I came to this horrible school, I’ve been hearing that horrible voice, I’ve been doing that horrible studying — that doesn’t matter. Those words on the page that are eating my brain, don’t matter. Everything is just letters remade and reimagined but at the core still just letters. And those letters are going to rule my life. And I wish that the words would just be quiet for three seconds. I could hear them chattering away in my head.

I stand up. The world swims in darkness for a moment, then it clears and I slam my textbook closed. If I go to sleep now I’ll still get — two and a half hours of sleep. That’s a lot more sleep than other students get. I sit on my bed and stare into the black night outside. Only street lights illuminate the street. Empty, so, so, empty. Not a single person, car, or stray animal on the street. I should feel lucky to have gotten into such a good school. But really all I feel is this pit in my stomach. I lie down and stare at the ceiling.

I don’t feel empty. No, I feel white hot rage that bubbles into my fingertips. It’s not my fault that I’m this shell of a person. It’s the school’s. They stole me, tried to mold me into the picture perfect student that they want to represent the school. Not the person I am now. The kind that feels emotion. Even if the only emotions I have are anger and sadness. It still counts right? It doesn’t matter — No. It does matter. I matter. My feelings matter more than my letters. They matter more than a school. They matter more than how I look to my parents when my report card comes around in a couple months. I stand up and walk to my desk. I open the drawer and fish out the matches that I had smuggled to sneak past my boarding schools harsh rules.

I was what you called a troubled kid. I smoked, I drank, I partied. And then I was sent here and I smoked, drank, and partied until they took away my cigarettes, my liquor, and shut down the parties that I threw. They never found my matches though. I strike one and let the flame illuminate the dark and consume my textbook. Then I open the window and let the splash of cold air hit me. Then I toss it into the alleyway and watch as it burns down to a smoldering mess of paper, and then stare as the fire burns out, along with the feeling in my gut. I throw myself into my bed.

Then I close my eyes and manage to drift to sleep with two hours till morning.

 

The Whale

Chapter 1: The Trip  

Ella and I were good friends. Very good friends. It all started when we went to the aquarium in Maryland on vacation.

“C’mon Ella! I can’t wait to see the whales!” I said, as I ran to the bus. I was very excited. Whales were only my favorite animal in the world. I looked back at the door to our tiny cabin, and I saw Ella dragging her bag to the bus. I grabbed her arm and pulled her on. We found a good seat in front and sat down.

“So, Ella, aren’t you excited? Whales are so cool!” I said. Ella rolled her eyes towards me and sighed. I got the point that she didn’t feel like talking to me right now. So we were silent the rest of the trip.

When we arrived at the huge doors guarding the aquarium, the bus came to a stop.

“We’re here! Let’s go!” I grabbed Ella’s long blond hair in my rush to get off. She screeched so loud, I’m sure China could hear her. I ignored her and pulled her elbow instead. She followed me and we went through the big archway. I immediately galloped to the whale section. I saw the big, majestic body of the orca whale and the bristly teeth of the humpback. Watching those whales swim and glide through the water amazed me. They were so graceful and they moved through the water like they were dancing.

We watched them for a few more minutes then I remembered I had brought my camera. I positioned it just right to get every whale in the photo. I pressed the button, but at that moment, everything changed. I saw the flash of my camera, then I heard glass shattering and I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Ella, laying on the ground, holding her leg. I heard people screaming, and then, I saw the whale. That big, majestic orca whale, out of its cage, and flopping around on the tiled floor. I panicked. My only instinct was to run. I grasped Ella and ran like I’d never run before. We got to the bus and I flew on.  I gently touched Ella’s leg. It was clearly broken. I felt so bad. I pictured the shattered glass and the flopping whale and Ella, clutching her leg. I can’t believe I forgot to turn off the flash. I knew she would never forgive me.

No,” I thought. We’ve been friends for so long, surely she’ll understand it wasn’t my fault. But she never did.

That was three years ago.

Chapter 2: McKenna       

It was the first day at my new school. I had to move schools, away from Ella, because my dad found a new job and I was excited to meet some new friends, because I had a rough summer.

I can describe my summer in two words: No fun. Whales are no longer my favorite animal, I no longer like aquariums, and I never talk to Ella. All of this is because I broke her leg and made her wear a brace for the rest of her life. But now, I’m hoping she can forgive me, after all these years, because today I was going to her house this afternoon to check on her leg. Yesterday, I thought about how bad she must be feeling right now, because it’s her first day back from school after three years and so I thought it would be nice to pay her a visit, but it’s just to check on her. I’m hoping it will have a happy ending.  

“Charlotte! Come, it’s time for school.” I heard my mom say from the kitchen.

“Coming, mom!” I grabbed my new bag and swung it over my shoulder. I hopped into my blue Ford, and we were off.

When we arrived at the front doors to my school, I stepped out of my car and climbed up the stairs to my new classroom. I walked into my room and everyone stared at me. I wanted to become a turtle and hide in my shell and never come out. I felt so bad.

“Hey. Charlotte, right? I’m McKenna,” a voice said from behind me. I turned around and saw a tall girl with big, brown eyes and long, blond, wavy hair.

“Oh, hi… McKenna. How do you know me?” I asked her, aware that people were still staring at me.

“Well, actually, I think our parents know each other,” McKenna said in a kind voice.

“Oh, that’s great,” I said, unenthusiastically. I don’t know why my mom didn’t tell me she had a relationship with someone’s parents who just so happens to be going to my new school. I’m going to have a serious talk with her when I get home.

“C’mon Charlotte, I want to show you my new bag.” McKenna grabbed my arm and dragged me to her desk.

Everyone finally stopped staring at me when I got to McKenna’s desk. When I sat down, McKenna started asking me tons of questions.

“So, Charlotte, what’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite animal? Where do you live? Who’s your best friend?”

“STOP!” I yelled. I didn’t mean to upset her, I just didn’t want to be harassed by a stranger.

“Oh, I’m sorry Charlotte. I’ll tell you things about me. So-” But McKenna didn’t get to finish, because my strict new teacher walked through the door.

Chapter 3: Detention     

It was the first day of school, and I was excited to meet this girl named Charlotte. Our parents are really good friends, so I want to get to know her.

“McKenna! Let’s go, time for school!” I heard my mom shout.

“Coming!” I yelled back. My school is within walking distance, so my mom lets me walk to school alone. It’s a big responsibility.

I grabbed my bag and ran to the door.

“Goodbye McKenna. Have a good first day of school and remember, be nice to Charlotte. Ask her questions, talk to her…”

I cut my mom off. “I know Mom,” I said, annoyed. Before my mom could ask me any more questions, I zoomed out the door.

My walk was silent, like it always was. I thought about what could go wrong with Charlotte. What if she doesn’t like me? What if I embarrass her in front of the whole class? What if we have nothing in common so she doesn’t want to be my friend?

When I finally arrived at the big doors guarding the school, I was still thinking about what could go wrong. I hiked up the steep stairs to my classroom. When I walked in, I recognized the girl my mom described to me as Charlotte. She had bright red hair and dull, hazel eyes.

“Hey. Charlotte, right? I’m McKenna.” I walked up to her from behind.  She turned around and looked straight down at the ground as she spoke.

“Oh hi… McKenna. How do you know me?”

“Well, actually, I think our parents know each other,” I responded, trying to sound casual.

“Oh, that’s great,” Charlotte said. I remembered what my mom said about being nice, so I brought her to my desk to show her my new bag that was covered with flowers. Then, I decided to ask her some questions about herself.

“So, Charlotte, what’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite animal? Where do you live? Who’s your best friend?” I asked her. I didn’t realize it would be too many questions though.

“STOP!” she shouted at me.

“Oh, I’m sorry Charlotte. I’ll tell you things about me,” I said. I felt so bad and I wanted to make it up to her. “So-” But I didn’t get to finish, because suddenly, my strict teacher stormed in the door.

“Everyone,” my teacher boomed. “Please get to your seats.”

I rushed to sit down in my seat. I could see the desks quivering as he spoke, and everyone around me was shaking. But not me. I was used to having mean teachers; I’ve been at this school for five years.

I looked over at Charlotte’s desk. She was shivering with fear. I wrote a note to her. It said: 

Dear Charlotte,

Don’t be scared. He’s just mean.

Love,

McKenna

I passed this note to her, trying to be secretive, but our teacher saw me. He walked over to me, nice and slow. I could hear the tapping of his boots against the tile floor. When he got to my desk, he glared at me so hard, I thought he was reading my mind.

“McKenna,” he said in a slow, deep voice. “Detention. I will not allow note passing in my class.” He took the note I wrote to Charlotte and he read it. I could tell by the look in his eye that he was mad. After that, he sent me to detention for a month. Charlotte mouthed the words “Good luck” to me.

Thanks,” I mouthed back to her. I was going to need it.

Chapter 4: The Reunion

I would finally get to go back to school after three years. The doctor said my leg healed enough. I haven’t been able to do half the things I wanted to do since my leg broke. I am a gymnast, so when that whale fell on top of me, and my leg shattered into a million pieces, I knew I could never do gymnastics again. I went straight to the doctor and he said I would have to wear a brace for the rest of my life. So here I am, three years later, and I finally get to go to school. I had to move schools, away from Charlotte, because my mom got a new job.

My mom asked my teacher if I could come in late, because I had a doctor’s appointment. He said that would be fine. I thought he sounded nice.

After my doctor’s appointment, I was ready to go to school. I leapt in the car, and my mom and I drove to school.

When we got there, I climbed the steps very slowly. As I climbed up the last step, I could hear a deep man-voice yelling at someone named McKenna. I waited until the yelling stopped, and then I tip-toed into the classroom. The whole room went silent.

“Hi,” I whispered. Then, suddenly, someone ran up to me and grabbed me in a tight hug. It took me a minute for me to realize who it was, but when I did, I was ecstatic.

“Charlotte?” I asked the girl.

“It’s me, Ella!” She let go of me. I felt my eyes water.

“I didn’t know you would be here,” Charlotte told me.

“I didn’t either,” I replied. Charlotte looked at my face, then to my leg.

“How’s your leg?” she asked me.

“It’s fine. I haven’t been able to go to school for three years, but it’s been alright,” Charlotte laughed. That’s the first time I’ve ever been able to get her to laugh. Just then, a tall girl with blond, wavy hair came over to us.

“Hi, I’m McKenna,” the girl said to me. “What happened to your leg?”

“Oh, it’s a long story,” I answered her. I glanced at Charlotte. She smiled. I knew right there that me and Charlotte had made up. I forgave her for breaking my leg, and I knew she forgave me for being mad at her. We were best friends again, and I was happy. I vowed that I would never get mad at Charlotte like I had all those years ago. It wasn’t even her fault my leg broke. It was just an accident. These three years have been an accident.

I walked to my desk with my arm around Charlotte, because she and I are good friends, very good friends.

 THE END    

 

The Werewolf

Chapter 1

Hallalloola

Once upon a time lived a very fierce werewolf named Hallalloola. He was the most handsome werewolf in the universe! All of Hallalloola’s friends didn’t think Hallalloola should be handsome because he was a werewolf and werewolves are supposed to be ugly. So Hallalloola never talked to his friends again till the werewolf fest on December the 12th, 2012 (12/12/12). At werewolf school on 12/12/12, there was an a speech about the werewolf fest…

“Today is the werewolf fest, there will be an election to see who is the most handsome werewolf on earth, so be sure you’re handsome, even Hallalloola,” the principal said. “Have a nice day,” included the principal.

During school that day, Hallalloola was so happy that he did a flip at werewolf gym.

“Nice flip,” said the gym teacher.

“Thanks,” said Hallalloola while going red in the face.

“Can we go to the werewolf fest?” asked Hallalloola.

“Maybe, but wear your best clothes,” said Hallalloola’s parents.

“Sure,” said Hallalloola.

Chapter 2

The Fest

At the fest, all the werewolves were trying to rip Hallalloola’s handsome clothes.

“Hey, stop that!” shouted Hallalloola.

“NOPE, we can’t stop!” shouted the bullies.

“Whyyy?” said Hallalloola.

“Because, er, we feel like it,” said the bullies.

“Now it’s time for the handsooome contest!!!” said the Mayor. “The three people competing are Hallalloola, Ferty, and Villal. The scores for Hallallola are 10, 10, 10, 10, and 10,” shouts the Mayor. “For Ferty, the scores are 10, 10, 10, 10, and 9. And the scores for Villal are 10, 10,10,10, and 9, the winner is Hallalloola!” shouted the Mayor.

“Hey guess what, mom and dad!” shouted Hallalloola.

“What?” say Hallalloola’s parents in a strange way.

“I won the contest!” said Hallalloola.

Back at Hallalloola’s house Hallalloola’s friends came over for the longest sleepover EVER! Meanwhile all bullies were making new plans to steal Hallalloola’s handsome clothes. The head of the gang is Muscleweakman. DUN DUN DUN! What happens next? Well, find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 3

Missing Clothes

Over the night, Hallalloola dreamed about losing his clothes from out of nowhere. Of course this isn’t true, thought Hallalloola. But when Hallalloola wakes up his clothes are missing!

“Of course they didn’t fly out of the window!” shouted Hallalloola. Just then Hallalloola spotted a movement. It was bullies! Punch! Kick! Pow! Hallalloola wins in a battle for his clothes. Just then Hallalloola hears a voice.

“We will get revenge,” says Muscleweakman.

“Oh yeah?” questions Hallalloola.

“Bye!” shouts Muscleweakman.

The next day Hallalloola hides his clothes in his bed sheets, even if Hallalloola didn’t think it was the best idea ever. While Hallalloola was playing at werewolf, he saw Muscleweakman. So Hallalloola fled to his house to check on his clothes.

“Phew,” said Hallalloola in a gentle voice. He went back to werewolf park to play werewolf tag.

Chapter 4

Werewolf Park

When Hallalloola was playing tag, Muscleweakman made up a game called punch tag! The object of the game is to punch somebody that isn’t it. There’s 15 taggers and 20 runners.

“Start!” shouts Muscleweakman. PUNCH! Hallalloola smacks Muscleweakman in the face! Now Muscleweakman’s it! PUNCH! PUNCH! PUNCH!

“I win!” says Hallalloola. At home, Hallalloola does some of his math homework. 500×500 + 10 = 250,010. Last question 30 x 0 = 0.

Chapter 5

School

During school on 12-19-12, Hallalloola’s math page that he did got all fours. During lunch Muscleweakman showed up at the lunch table.

“What are you doing here?” asked Hallalloola.

“Because-er I feel like it,” said Muscleweakman, a little nervous.

After lunch at recess, Muscleweakman got detention for playing punch tag at school. After that, still at recess, Hallalloola joined a game of werewolf soccer. GOAL! Hallalloola sores! Tweet! The whistle blew, that meant that recess was over! Hallalloola’s team won 1-0. Back at Hallalloola’s house his family decided to have a great big talk about Hallalloola’s report card.

Chapter 6

The Report Card

On Hallalloola’s report card he got 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, and 3! “Great!” shouted Hallalloola’s dad. After that at school Hallalloola got the best grades in whole the school!

“Wow!” shouted Hallalloola.

“Great!” said Hallalloola’s teacher, Ms.Were.

“Thanks,” thanked Hallalloola.

After school at Hallalloola’s house. Hallalloola shouted the good news, “I had the best grades in the whole school!”

“Wow!” shouted Hallalloola’s parents a little sarcastically.

“Reeeaaally,” said Hallalloola.

Chapter 7

Hallalloola’s Surprise

On the last day of Werewolf Hallalloola had the best day of his life. He got 500 rewards, out of 500!

“WOW!” screamed Hallalloola’s parents non-sarcastically.

“Thanks,” said Hallalloola, going red in the face. The next day, to Hallalloola’s surprise, his clothes were missing. To be continued…

The Werewolf

Once there was a werewolf. Everyone was afraid of her. Her name was Star. But she was the nicest werewolf ever! Star would always go to the village and get food for the tribe. Everybody ran away. Star got sad. But one day a girl just stood there. Then she ran up and hugged her. Then a hunter came and shot the girl and the werewolf.       

The Tragic (and Comedic) Life of Mr. Henry Billersworth

 

There are many different chocolate factories in England, but Henri Chocolat, maker of fine French chocolate, was the best. Henri Chocolat was owned by a man by the name of Henry Billersworth. Mr. Billersworth was a very successful man, with an income of £950,000 per year. Many were jealous of the great Billersworth, but as he became more and more powerful, those who wanted to approach him, did not.

Andrews Chocolates was the second-best chocolate factory in the country, and it was located, like Henri Chocolat, in London. David Andrews, the owner of Andrews Chocolates, was Henry Billersworth’s main rival. They had frequent arguments, and the largest of those often resulted in physical violence and had to be broken up. David Andrews was a fearless man and he was constantly trying to win Mr. Billersworth’s fame and fortune. Many were against Andrews and tried to stop him, but as I said, there were also plenty of people against Mr. Billersworth. The arguments between the two rivals never worsened very much, but they never stopped either.

 

* * *

 

“Mr. Billersworth, I must attest–”

“Allen, I must ask you to be quiet. I am certain that we are in need of a new flavour, and I will not budge.”

Mr. Billersworth and a large group of employees were seated at a conference table in the office building of Henri Chocolat. They were debating whether their company needed to integrate a new flavor of chocolate, and as you can no doubt infer, Mr. Billersworth himself was under the opinion that they definitely needed a new flavor. His chief employee, Allen, disagreed with him, but everyone else wanted the same thing as their boss.

“Yes, Eliza?” Mr. Billersworth said, for a girl’s hand was in the air.

“I have a suggestion for a flavor, Mr. Billersworth.”

“Well, let’s hear it then.”

“Peanut butter.”

The company looked at Eliza like she was mad. Peanut butter, you see, is a purely American thing, and none of the Brits in the room had ever heard of it before.

“Peanut butter, Eliza?” Mr. Billersworth said hesitantly. “May I ask what kind of barmy invention that is?”

“It’s American, and–” but Mr. Billersworth held up a hand to stop her.

“No need to say anymore, Eliza. I should have known those ridiculous Americans would make something like that.”

“It really is a wonderful taste, though–” persisted Eliza, for she had lived in the States for ten years of her life and had grown to love peanut butter.

“Give it a rest, Eliza,” Allen sighed. “Whatever you do, we are not making a ‘Peanut Butter’ flavoured chocolate.”

Eliza hung her head, looking slightly hurt.

“So,” Mr. Billersworth continued, “does anyone have another idea?”

“I do,” James said. James was the smartest employee at Henri Chocolat, and the best at making chocolate, too. He was also incredibly shy, and didn’t like to socialize with people, so no one knew much about him. But I know quite a lot about James, in fact, I would even go so far as to say that he was the employee whom I knew most about. I even know how he got to be as smart as he is now, but that, my friend, is a story for another time.

“Yes, James?”

“Eggplant?”

“Well, James, that’s creative, but I don’t think it would taste very good. Anyone else?”

Almost everyone contributed an idea, for they all wanted to get the credit for inventing one of Henry Billersworth’s chocolates, but none of them seemed to please their boss.

“Well, everyone should think of names tonight,” Mr. Billersworth said at the end of the conference, “and hopefully one of you will have a brain wave before we meet again tomorrow. Good day.” And with that, he picked up his briefcase and left the room, his employees following suit.

Over the next few days, Mr. Billersworth pestered the members of his company for new flavors of chocolate, while he himself spent hours on end scribbling down ideas. And yet, nothing seemed quite right. His main worry was, of course, that Mr. Andrews would invent an incredible new flavor and everyone in Britain would flock to Andrews Chocolates, leaving Henri Chocolat deserted and without business. But Andrews seemed to think that he didn’t need a new flavor, for none appeared in his shops.

It happened one Tuesday evening when Mr. Billersworth was absolutely desperate for a new chocolate to add to his store. He was brainstorming on a small slip of paper when suddenly an idea came to him.

What’s that new phenomenon all over social media? He thought to himself, Ah, that’s right: Selfies.

“So what about selfie flavoured chocolates?” Mr. Billersworth suggested the next day at work. For a moment there was silence, but then a few people spoke.

“Brilliant!” exclaimed one young man by the name of Charlie.

“Wicked!” cried Allen.

But Eliza and her best friend, Joanne, seemed skeptical.

“How on earth are you supposed to make a selfie flavoured chocolate?” Joanne said, scowling. “Selfies don’t have a taste!”

“Well, that’s the fun part!” Mr. Billersworth said.

“Yeah, things have been a bit boring here with nothing to do but make chocolate all day,” a girl named Hannah said, “I mean–it’s just that–” she stuttered, worried that her boss would get angry at her. But Mr. Billersworth was grinning.

“So,” he said, clapping his hands together, “let’s get to work!”

The idea that they had something new and exciting to work on lightened the moods of all the company workers, even those like Eliza and Joanne, who had been reluctant to make a selfie chocolate. Trying to discover what selfies taste like, however, was hard work, and even though his employees were determined to make it work, they found they needed Mr. Billersworth’s help.

“Alright,” he said as he sat down with a small group of workers consisting of Allen, Hannah, Dave, Greg and Louisa. “First, let’s simply define ‘selfie.’ Anyone have an idea?” They all did, and so they decided to do a “I say a line then you say a line,” sort of thing. Dave started.

“A photograph,” he said.

“Of oneself,” Hannah continued.

“Taken by oneself,” Allen said.

“Often on a cell phone,” Louisa said.

“And often taken in quantities,” Greg finished.

“Okay,” Mr. Billersworth said, “now that we’re clear on exactly what a selfie is, let’s think of the emotions caused by taking a selfie.”

“Happiness!”

“Joy!”
“Wickedness!”

But to Mr. Billersworth it just sounded like, “Dappy blay de mickey,” because they were all speaking at once.

“Please repeat that again,” he said, “one at a time.”

“Happiness,” Louisa said.

“Joy,” Greg exclaimed.

“Wickedness!” Allen said happily.

“Allen, I love the word ‘wicked’ just as much as you do,” Mr. Billersworth said, “but

I am afraid that it is not an emotion. Please think of something else.”

“If you say so,” Allen said gloomily. “How about pride?”

“Lovely,” his boss replied. “Hannah, Dave, would you like to contribute an emotion?”

Neither of them did, so Mr. Billersworth moved on.

“Now we need to think about what these emotions would taste like,” he said. “Dave, what do you think happiness would taste like?”

“I’d say popcorn,” Dave said sheepishly. “It’s one of my favourite foods.”

“Alright. Hannah, what would joy taste like?”

“Hmm…” she paused, thinking hard. “I think maybe marshmallows.”

“Wonderful,” Mr. Billersworth said, “After all, marshmallow goes well with chocolate. And Allen, what does pride taste like to you?”
“Peppermint,” Allen said immediately.

“Alright then,” Mr. Billersworth said, and he wrote the last word with a flourish. The brainstorming sheet looked something like this:

 

Selfie:

A photograph of oneself taken by oneself often on a cell phone and often

taken in quantities.
Emotions Caused by Taking a Selfie:

– Happiness–Popcorn

– Joy–Marshmallows

– Pride–Peppermint
Flavours of Selfie–Flavoured Chocolate:

Popcorn, marshmallow and peppermint combined.

 

“So,” Mr. Billersworth said, “our flavours shall be popcorn, marshmallow and peppermint. Now we must decide what quantities of each will work to balance out the flavours. But don’t worry,” he said, seeing the stricken looks on the faces of his employees. “That will be a job for people other than yourselves.”

Even though Mr. Billersworth now had something good up his sleeve, he could not shake off the feeling that Andrews was also mixing up some brilliant new flavor, so one day he paid a visit to one of his rival’s stores.

“Ah, Mr. Billersworth,” Andrews said with feigned politeness when the former walked in the door, “I fancied a chat with you. I heard recently that you have decided to make a selfie-flavoured chocolate.”

“Indeed I have, my dear man,” Mr. Billersworth replied. He was not worried about Andrews knowing his plans, for news always traveled incredibly fast in London.

“May I ask how on earth you expect people to purchase such a ridiculous item?”

Mr. Billersworth laughed dryly. “You don’t seem to know your customers, Mr. Andrews. I’ll remind you that people will purchase almost any kind of chocolate, especially when it has an interesting name and a cheap price tag.”

“You’ll be laughed at, Mr. Billersworth, mark my words.”

Mr. Billersworth laughed again, “Really, my dear man, it will be you who is laughed at once everyone starts buying my wonderful selfie-flavoured chocolates. Now tell me, Mr. Andrews, are you making a new flavour also?”

“I am not, Mr. Billersworth, because I know that my original flavours are more than enough to please my customers.”

“Your customers must be boring people,” Mr. Billersworth said, and he left the shop.

 

* * *

 

“I’m very sorry, Mr. Billersworth, but the flavours just don’t work together!” Danielle, a worker at Henri Chocolat, was doing her very best to turn the imagined selfie chocolate into reality, but she was failing desperately.

“Well, Danielle, of course it won’t work if you just try the same thing over and over again!” Mr. Billersworth exclaimed. “You have to try different combinations, for example, this time put more marshmallow in and if that doesn’t work, put more popcorn in, etcetera.”

“Alright,” Danielle said, though she didn’t sound very optimistic, “I’ll try with the marshmallow.”

Putting more marshmallow in did not work at all. Frankly, the chocolate tasted like gooey sticky stuff with a tiny bit of crunch. Trust me, it was gross. So Danielle tried putting more popcorn in, just like her boss had suggested. But that didn’t work either. It made the chocolate way too crunchy. So lastly, Danielle tried adding more peppermint. When that made it too minty and almost spicy, the poor girl ran to Mr. Billersworth, almost in tears.

“I’ve tried EVERYTHING,” she gasped, “but it all made the chocolate taste disgusting! I don’t know what to do.”

“Well,” Mr. Billersworth said, “have you tried putting in less of something instead of more?”
Danielle looked as if she thought she was the stupidest person on earth, and she ran back to the chocolate maker as fast as she could. At last she found the perfect mix: a bit of popcorn with more peppermint and marshmallows (all the ingredients were in very small pieces, of course). After tasting it herself, she let Mr. Billersworth try, and he clapped her on the back, grinning.

“Excellent job, Danielle,” he said, “you’ve created a wonderful chocolate. We shall become rich from this!”

“Er…richer than we already are, you mean?” Danielle said hesitantly. But her boss was too immersed in happiness to hear her.

“You’re smarter than James, making a chocolate like that! I can never thank you enough.”

Five days after the invention of selfie-flavored chocolate, the flavor started appearing in stores. As Mr. Billersworth had hoped, people immediately bought it, keeping everyone busy restocking the chocolates in the store. James and Danielle were kept busy making the actual chocolate, and they did a very good job, James especially.

“Excuse me, Mr. Billersworth,” a man said one day as he came into Henri Chocolat’s main shop and saw Mr. Billersworth at the desk.

“Yes, sir?” Mr. Billersworth said. “Is there something I can help you with? Are you perhaps looking for our newest invention; the selfie-flavoured chocolate?”

“Actually, Mr. Billersworth, I wanted to inquire about one of your employees. I hear he is incredibly skilled.”

“Oh?” said Mr. Billersworth, taken aback. “And who exactly would you like to hear about?”

“I believe his name is Marcus, James Marcus.”

“Well, James is currently working downstairs in the factory,” Mr. Billersworth said, “I may take you to see him, if you wish.”

“That would be lovely,” the man replied. “Please lead the way.”

So Mr. Billersworth took the man downstairs to where James and Danielle sat working with the chocolate maker.

“Hello James, my name is Richard Ferris. And your name is…?” he turned toward Danielle.

“I’m Danielle,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Ferris.”

“James, I want to ask you something,” Mr. Ferris said. “May I do so?”
“Al–alright,” James stuttered, unnerved by the sudden appearance of a strange man. As I told you earlier, he was a very shy boy, all because of–oh wait. I shouldn’t waste your time like that.

“So James,” Mr. Ferris started, “I’ve heard of your talent and intelligence when it comes to the chocolate factory.” He stopped, waiting for his acquaintance to speak, but he did not, so Mr. Ferris went on. “I shall get straight to the point then, James. How would you like to compete in a chocolate making contest?”

James seemed hesitant, but Mr. Billersworth nodded encouragingly at him.

“Okay,” he said eventually.

“So,” said Mr. Billersworth, clapping his hands together, “what are the details?”

“Well,” Mr. Ferris said, while poor Danielle continued making chocolate, having no part at all in the conversation, “The competition takes place in Paris, and your train will leave in two days. Mr. Billersworth, you may accompany James if you wish, but it is not required. The contest is on June 24, three days after your train arrives, from 11:00 to 15:00. The only thing you will need to bring to the competition, James, is an apron so that your clothes don’t get dirty with chocolate. The rules of the contest will be explained to you on the 24th.”

“Excellent, we’ll be there,” Mr. Billersworth said, for he had evidently decided to accompany James to the chocolate-making competition. “James, you’d better start packing!”

And so, June 21st found Mr. Billersworth and James standing on a station platform, waiting for their train to arrive. James was incredibly nervous, while Mr. Billersworth was merely excited.

When the Eurostar finally arrived in Paris, the two men left the train and headed to L’Hotel, where they had booked a room with two twin beds, a small bathroom and a desk.

They had a nice time strolling around Paris for two days, and James was happy, but on the night of June 23 he hardly slept a wink, and woke up in the morning feeling considerably unrested and even more nervous than he had felt when waiting for the train.

“You’ll do very well,” Mr. Billersworth said to James over breakfast. “There’s no cause for worry.”

But those words of confidence only made James feel worse, for he hated the idea that everyone had high expectations for him.

When James and his boss finally arrived at the contest at precisely 10:49, the former stood by his booth (each competitor had been assigned one) while the latter found a seat in the stands.

“COMPETITORS!” an extremely loud voice rang out at 10:59, “WELCOME TO THE WORLD-WIDE CHOCOLATE-MAKING CONTEST! TODAY YOU WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE A CREATIVE CHOCOLATE MOLD AND THEN MAKE AS MANY CHOCOLATES AS YOU CAN USING THAT MOLD! ALL MATERIALS ARE AT YOUR BOOTH ALREADY, AND YOU WILL HAVE A TIME-LIMIT OF TWO HOURS!”

The man shouting instructions then repeated them in French, and then said, “YOU MAY BEGIN, VOUS POUVEZ COMMENCER, NOW, OR MAINTENANT !”

Mr. Billersworth gave James a fleeting thumbs up, and the latter started crafting his chocolate mold. It depicted nature, with birds singing in the trees, a large river, and a small cottage in the distance. He did not stop to admire his work when he finished, but simply went straight to making chocolate. When there were just ten minutes left in the competition, James had made 12,003 chocolates, and when the timer went off he had made 12,400 chocolates. Mr. Billersworth was confident that his employee would win but James tried not to get his hopes up.

“ALRIGHT COMPETITORS,” shouted the loud voice at the end of the contest, “PLEASE STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING! TIME IS NOW UP, AND JUDGES WILL BE COMING AROUND TO EXAMINE YOUR CHOCOLATES IN JUST A MINUTE. WE WILL TELL YOU WHEN ALL OF THE BOOTHS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE JUST SIT TIGHT.” After repeating those directions in French, the man started to look around at the booths along with nine other judges. James stayed silent when one of them came to look at his booth, but he was almost sweating with anxiety.

“ALRIGHT,” the man who had shouted directions said after about forty-five minutes, “THE JUDGES ARE FINISHED OBSERVING YOUR WORK. THEY WILL NOW DISCUSS WHO SHOULD WIN, AND THEN THE CHAMPIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED.”

The judges gathered to confer, and the competitors stood in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the main judge spoke again.

“WE HAVE DECIDED ON THE WINNERS,” he yelled, “AND THEY SHALL BE ANNOUNCED NOW! IN THIRD PLACE, WE HAVE…ELLIE SANDERS!” The girl called Ellie hurried to the podium and was awarded her trophy.

“IN SECOND PLACE, WE HAVE…JAMES MARCUS!”

James looked up, feeling a mixture of joy and sadness, for it was a bad feeling to almost win. But he was grateful to have placed, and he had a smile on his face as he received his trophy.

“Yes, James!” Mr. Billersworth called as his employee stood on the podium, “well done, well done!

“AND FINALLY, IN FIRST PLACE, WE HAVE MARGARET ANDREWS!” James looked up at Mr. Billersworth’s face with horror. Margaret Andrews was the daughter of David Andrews, and it would not help Henri Chocolat if Andrew Chocolates had one of their employees win the World-Wide Chocolate-Making Contest. James hoped with all his heart that the selfie chocolates would be enough to keep Henri Chocolat in business….

James and Mr. Billersworth rode home the very next day, and for the first hour of the ride neither of them talked at all; James read Murder at 9:59, a mystery, while Mr. Billersworth just stared out the window, thinking about all that had happened. The first time either of them spoke was when they visited the dining car for lunch, and Mr. Billersworth started a conversation.

“Our selfie-flavoured chocolates are enough to keep us in good business,” he said, “and we shouldn’t worry about everyone flocking to Andrews Chocolates. After all, being good at chocolate-making doesn’t mean you’re making good chocolates.”

“You’re very right, Mr. Billersworth,” James said, “and I shall try not to let the fact that Margaret Andrews won bother me, either.”

But Margaret Andrews winning was bothering James more than he let on. For even though James was not a proud man, he liked working for the best people. That is why he originally applied for a job with Mr. Billersworth. And if Andrews became more powerful than his rival…well, James wouldn’t want to be stuck with Mr. Billersworth.

After eating lunch, James and Mr. Billersworth returned to their compartment, and the latter told James about how much money Henri Chocolat had made from the selfie-flavoured chocolates. In the past week they had earned £900 just from the selfie chocolates. Talking about his success made Mr. Billersworth happy, and he had a smile on his face for almost all the rest of the journey.

“I heard your best employee won second place at the World-Wide Chocolate-Making Contest,” Andrews said to Mr. Billersworth when the former was visiting his shop.

“Indeed,” Mr. Billersworth replied.

“May I congratulate you,” Andrews said, a rude smile playing on his lips.

“And I you,” Mr. Billersworth said politely.

“I assume you heard about Margaret?”

“Yes I did, it would be impossible not to, even if I hadn’t attended the contest.”

“And what is that supposed to mean, Mr. Billersworth?” Andrews’ smile was leaving his face.

“Only that, with you boasting about it at every opportunity, it would be impossible for me not to know that your daughter won the World-Wide Chocolate-Making Contest.”

“How dare you! How dare you insult me, David Andrews, the most successful chocolatier in the country!”

 

* * *

 

By statistics, Andrews was not the most successful chocolatier in the country…yet. He was selling more chocolates than he had ever sold before, and Mr. Billersworth was desperate to overcome him. He often lost his temper with his employees and yelled at them to make more chocolate. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t stop his rival becoming more powerful by the minute.

“Come in,” Mr. Billersworth sighed when he heard a knock on his office door one day. “Ah, hello James.”

“Mr. Billersworth, I-I wanted to talk to you.”

“Yes, that is normally what it means when someone comes into my office.”

“Well, as you know, Mr. Billersworth,” James said hesitantly, “Andrews is getting quite powerful, and…er…”

“Spit it out, James,” Mr. Billersworth said impatiently.

“I-I’ve gotten a job at Andrews Chocolates. I’m leaving today.”

Mr. Billersworth stared at James. He couldn’t believe his ears. His best employee going to work for his rival…

“Go,” he said hoarsely, “Go…just go, I can’t–just go.” James began to make his way to the front door, but when he had his hand on the doorknob he turned back.

“So…bye, Mr. Billersworth.”

“Goodbye, James.”

Mr. Billersworth saw Andrews again the very next day.

“I have almost everything now, Mr. Billersworth,” he said, “your power and your best employee. Now all I need is your money.”
“And how will you get my money, Mr. Andrews?” Mr. Billersworth asked skeptically.

“Oh, you will see. I have my plans,” Andrews said, laughing.

The next day, the headline of the newspaper read WHEN COMPANY OWNER LOSES MONEY, IT WILL BE PASSED TO THE NEXT SUCCESSFUL COMPANY OWNER.

“That stupid Andrews,” Mr. Billersworth cried angrily. “He’s always had connections with people in Parliament. There’s no question about it, he’s behind this. The government would never, ever, give someone’s money to another person without their consent. But Andrews is very good at bribing, I’ve seen him at it before…”

Upon reading the first bit of the article, Mr. Billersworth figured out that if he were to lose his money somehow, Andrews would get it. But how was Andrews planning on making Mr. Billersworth lose his money? That was a mystery until that very night.

Mr. Billersworth was walking home from a concert, humming the music to himself. It was very dark outside, and he had to walk carefully, for he was just by the edge of the river Thames. There was a noise behind him, and he turned around quickly, but he saw nothing. He kept walking, dreadfully aware that someone was watching him. He heard the noise again, but still saw nothing. Then, all of a sudden, it happened. He saw two human hands coming at him from the dark, and then the face of David Andrews. But he didn’t see more of Andrews, for at that moment his rival pushed him roughly into the deepest part of the Thames, where his heavy clothes weighed him down. No more was ever heard of Mr. Henry Billersworth.

He had never written a will, so his money was passed to David Andrews. When I heard of Mr. Billersworth’s passing I was very, very sorry I had left him. For I, you see, am James Marcus.

The Tragedy of the SS Minnow II

Chapter One

The SS Minnow II was leaving the docks in England  to sail to New York. It was a big, beautiful blue and grey ship, with carved black outlines of “SS Minnow II.”  The artist who built it gave it to five kids for a discount of half of the normal price, because his son was friends with them. The five kids names were- in order of age-  John,  Frederick, Mary, Belle, and Molly. John had long, blonde hair, and was wearing a  blue and white button down, with brown shorts. Fredrick had short, VERY blonde hair with jeans and  a blue button down. Mary was wearing a huge red skirt with a leather jacket, and had long, blonde hair. Belle was wearing a big, puffy red and white sweater with a skirt that matched her strawberry blonde hair. And finally, Molly wore a big, red shirt and a skirt, with her dark brown hair.

“Good day, Mother, Father, see you soon,” called Mary.

Mary, John, Belle, Molly, and Frederick waved to their mother and father as the ship sailed away.

“I’m sure this is going to be a good trip,” said John.

Chapter Two

THREE WEEKS LATER…

“This has been such a good trip,” said John. “Hasn’t it, Minxy?” Minxy was John’s pet minx.

“Yes, it has,” said Fredrick. “Now, Mary, dear-”

    “DEAR?!” exclaimed John. “I saw her first!!”

“No, I did!” said Frederick, “I challenge you to a duel!”

Frederick pulled out his sword. John soon followed.

“No, please don’t fight over me!” said Mary. “Oh, fine. Go John!”

Frederick and John started dueling. There were clashes from the swords as the duel went on.

“Go John!” cheered Mary. Frederick was getting tired, but the duel went on. At one point, John was pushed onto the plank. Frederick did a vicious laugh. He pushed John off the plank. There was a splash. Frederick laughed. “You’re mine, now,” he laughed.

“Ahem?” said a voice. “You made me drop my pocketbook, Fred,” the voice continued. Frederick turned around. He gasped.

“How did you-“

John was standing on the plank, with his hands on his hips. “I held on to the bottom of the plank. That was my mother’s pocketbook you heard splash.” Then John pulled out his sword and charged straight at Frederick. But Frederick was quick. He quickly pulled out his sword and fought  back. So the duel went on. Soon Molly and Belle were yelling for them to stop. Fredrick was getting more tired in each moment he stood. Mary, Molly, and Belle were cheering for John. Who would win?

At last, Fredrick fell to the ground. He closed his eyes. He was too tired. John stabbed him and a moaning Frederick fell back. John did his victory dance.

(He’s not dead)

Chapter Three

“John, you won!” Mary cried.

John looked into the distance. “What’s that?” he asked.

“Oh, no!” cried Mary. “A battleship!” A gray, German battleship came out of the 4 a.m. fog. It was getting ready to fire a missile. Frederick staggered up and grabbed a rifle. John also grabbed a rifle, but he realized that it didn’t have any bullets.

“Everyone hide!” John ordered. “It’s firing a missile. Ohh! Frederick, get down. It’s no use firing at them.”

But Belle didn’t. She wasn’t sure where to hide. At the last moment, she dodged the missile coming from the battleship. Luckily, she didn’t get hit. But the ship did…

The upper deck exploded in fire. Molly, Belle, and Frederick jumped into the cold, dark ocean. But John and Mary scurried up the ladder into the crow’s nest. But on the way up, Mary dropped her leather jacket into the fire.

“Ohhh. Mother’s going to kill me!” moaned Mary.

Mary started coughing from the smoke. The crow’s nest started to tip…

“Mary, the only way for you to survive is for you to jump,”  said John.

Mary jumped off the top of the crow’s nest. She put herself into a bird’s flying position. “John, I feel like I’m flying!” She landed in the cold ocean.

“John, jump!” Mary called up. Boy, Mary was right. The crow’s nest was starting to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

John jumped-and just in time, too… As soon as he hit the water, the boat exploded.

Chapter Four

The only way to survive in the middle of the ocean with a whole bunch of wood is to build a raft.

John and Frederick helped build it, and then the five of them started back towards England. It was a very long trip, five long weeks of living on fish and rainwater. But eventually they made it.

The raft sailed into the docks. A man spotted the raft and helped them off of  it. Then he took them home.

“Mother! Father!” Frederick, John, and Molly yelled. They jumped on them.

“Mother! Father!” Mary and Belle cried. “Mother, I’m so sorry! I lost your jacket!” said Mary. They were home….

                                                             THE END….

P.S. Frederick lived.

The Sunflower Seed

In 1989 a couple bought a cozy little home right by a small pond in a hot village in South Africa. There they started a business in which they owned a rose garden and sold roses to all the townspeople. Their business grew and they started selling their flowers to some of the wealthiest people in the world who would fly in from foreign countries just to buy their roses. The reason their roses were so special was because the roses were naturally grown and they smell better than anybody else’s. They were so happy that they expanded their garden and grew even more roses. This lead them to more business and more money. They were now loaded and had to keep all their money in the bank for safe keeping. They put it under their last name: Soilen.

One early morning an old man with a colorful apron and a little brown pouch came by the garden wanting to buy one single rose. This was unusual for the couple because their buyers always wanted more than a single rose. Of course they sold him one rose but when he had to pay he gave them a large amount of money and he wouldn’t take his change. When they asked him, “Why are you giving us more than we need?” his answer was, “She’ll need it one day.” By the time the couple blinked an eye the old man was gone and he had left 2000 rands in their hands. This money they put in a secret compartment in the attic floor. They knew he must be telling the truth. So true it was 2000 rands’ worth.

One year later the wife was pregnant with a baby girl. The couple celebrated every night until the baby was born by making rose tea and drinking it with their dinner. Their baby was born on the first of July. The same day that the couple always planted their new roses each year. This just had to be a sign or pure luck. This lead them to naming their precious baby daughter Rosie Soilen. On her shoulder there was a birthmark in the shape of a petal, but it wasn’t a rose petal. It had a bit of a pointy tip and the sides were slightly curved.

Rosie grew up to be kind, loyal and a great gardener. On her 12th birthday her parents gave her rose perfume. They had made it themselves. By hand. They had been working on it for three months alongside selling their roses. Rosie put it in a pink, floral box and kept it safe by putting it in a little compartment it the attic floorboards. She thought she saw something else in there but when she took a closer look a cloud of dust made her sneeze and shut the floorboard compartment. She kept thinking why something else would be in there when she heard a siren. It was the ambulance heading straight for her house. She had been in the attic for an hour now and was wondering what had happened. She scurried downstairs and beneath her she saw her mother lying on the floor in pain. Her mother’s heartbeat was slowing down as she was lifted into the ambulance truck. Then Rosie saw a man with a colored apron in the distance who was watching the commotion with a tear dripping down his face. After that she saw him sprinkle a seed into the ground. She slowly started walking over to tell him their garden was private property but as she looked up he was gone!

Once the ambulance drove away Rosie and her father got into the car to follow it and see Rosie’s mother. In the car Rosie told her dad about the mysterious man in the garden. He seemed to not really care until she said he was wearing a colorful apron. He hit the break of the car so hard she saw little sparks coming from the tires. Her father gulped hard. Did he know this man? Were her parents hiding something from her? She had figure out who the man was. Did he do something bad?

Once they got to the hospital to check on her mother, the doctors stopped them from coming in the room. They all had sad looks on their faces and the sad faces spread to Rosie and her father once they heard the tragic news. Her mother had died. Apparently for more than four years she had a tumor in her throat and it had caused a bad case of throat cancer which killed her but she didn’t know of it. Rosie and her father were heartbroken. From now on it was just the two of them.

Three years later the business was still running very well. On an early morning, Rosie and her father were picking the roses when suddenly her father stopped. He took a deep breath and said, ”Rosie, please go put on a nice dress for lunch…oh and take a quick shower. We have lunch guests.”

“Who is it father?” asked Rosie curiously.

She was hoping it was one of her friends. She ran upstairs and got ready. She even ran up to the attic and quickly put on some of her rose perfume. She heard a car driving up the path and then it stopped and she heard girls’ voices. She thought that her friends had come to lunch but when she looked out of the window she saw a tall, skinny women and three girls she had never seen before. The women was an employee who helped plant the roses. She and Rosie’s dad got along quite well. The only thing strange about this lady was that she was awfully poor. “She must live in the little farmhouse in the field,” thought Rosie sadly.

She walked downstairs and saw a beautifully set table with little rose petals as decorations and red napkins and in the center of the table was a giant roasted turkey. Yummy. There were vegetables too and one big jug of water. ”This is one special lunch,” thought Rosie. The she saw the girls and their mother.

”Hi,” said Rosie trying to greet them kindly. They also introduced themselves.

“Hello sweetheart! How are you?” said Rita the rose picker. “These are my daughters: The tall one’s Lilly, the short one is Daisy and the chubby one is Flora.”

“I am not chubby!” screamed Flora. Rosie’s dad walked in looking happy and relieved that everyone was getting along.

They sat down at the table and started eating their lunch as Rosie’s dad stood up. ”I would like to make an announcement!” he started, ”Rita and I have been talking.” Rosie’s eyes widened. ”Rita is my best employee at the moment and I would like to thank her by helping her.” Rita looked like she knew what was coming but she also looked thankful. ”Rosie.” Rosie looked up ready to hear it. ”Rita and her family will be living with us!” Rosie’s face dropped. Would her life become like Cinderella?! She was furious. This was her family’s home-not a hotel… that’s free!

Once the Alcove family had left, Rosie didn’t say a word to her father. She just watched him. There was something he wasn’t telling her. Then he froze. ”Rosie, the reason the Alcoves are staying here is because I will be leaving for three weeks on a business trip.” Rosie’s brightened face fell. ”I am selling roses to the Queen of England and the Mayor of St. Gallen, Switzerland.You will stay here with the Alcoves until I get back.”

”Will they leave after you return?” asked Rosie firmly.

“I don’t know,” answered her dad. She had never been away from her parents. The only place she went alone to was school. She was willing to try it if it would make the business do well.

It was the big day. Her dad gave her a tight, loving hug and the last thing he did was whisper something in her ear. ”The box in the attic is for you in case of any emergency. Don’t tell anyone about it. I love you.” Then he rode off into the distance until his car looked like a little blob in the sunrise. She turned around to see the Alcoves putting their boxes into the house.

”Now girls,” said Rita. ”We have to figure out rooms and bathroom schedules. Rosie you will stay in your room, Daisy and Flora you will share the big room and Lilly will be in the small room and I will be in the master bedroom. Are we clear?” she chanted.

“Yes,” answered the three daughters.

“Of course,” said Rosie trying to adapt. She shouldn’t feel misplaced in her own home. She had her own bathroom so she wouldn’t have to share. Then she remembered what her father had said about the box in the attic. She ran up and brought the box down along with her rose perfume. She hid them in the little safe in her room. She locked her bedroom door and started looking out the window. How had this happened? There were people living in her house. Her father was gone and her mother was dead. Out the window she saw that old man with the colorful apron again! He was watering a patch of soil. She could see a slight bit of yellow coming out of the ground. What was he doing?

She saw him purposely drop a scroll of paper onto the soil patch. All of a sudden Rosie felt the urge to run over there and read the scroll. She ran as fast as the wind could take her. She stopped at the soil patch. She picked up the scroll of paper and took a quick look at the soil patch where she saw a small yellow flower growing. What is a buttercup or a dandelion? She sped back to the house, ran up to her room and locked the door. She opened up the scroll which read:

Dear Rosie,

You are the only person in the world that can know about this. I am your grandfather 3 generations back (from your mother’s side). I once discovered a special wishing potion in the Stone-age. As you can see I wished to live forever. I am an explorer, scientist and a psychic. All along I knew your mother was going to die. I just didn’t know of what. I would have alarmed her if I told her and wasn’t 100% sure. It is lovely too see the family grow and even more lovely to see you.

I knew about you before you were even born. Let me get to the point. I created a wishing sunflower. I planted a single sunflower on the soil patch. It’s a magic sunflower. Whenever you pick off a petal you can make a wish. There are eight petals and only one wish can be made each day.

Just so you know this is top secret. I also gave your parents 2000 rands in a box for you. I hope you get the money. Keep this all to yourself.

Lots of love

The man in the colorful apron 😉

Rosie gasped! She was speechless. Unbelievable. How? Grandfather? … Magic? Stoneage!!

This meant there was money in the box and she couldn’t let anyone else know about the sunflower. She couldn’t let anybody see it either. She had to keep it all a secret. She took a deep breath and put the scroll into the safe as well and locked it tightly. The next morning she peered out of the kitchen window and then she saw it.

The sunflower. It was like a sun in a big ocean of red roses. It stood out…oh no! She had to pick it before anyone else noticed it. She ran through the mud and soil, her feet were splashing in puddles of last night’s rain and she bounced to the soil patch just in time. She picked the fully grown flower and ran back to the house. The Alcoves were still asleep so she tip-toed up to her room and put the flower in the safe.

She felt special. She made herself a special waffle with special syrup and special blueberries. She put on a special dress and special sneakers and a special headband that her mother gave her. She carried a special book that her father bought her and she sat down on the sofa and started to read. Daisy came downstairs. ”Good morning Rosie,” she whispered.

”Morning,” whispered back Rosie happily.

Rita woke up next and started making breakfast.”You look happy,” she said to Rosie.

“I am,” she replied. ”By the way I already made waffles- with my dad’s special recipe.”

“That’s very kind!” said Rita. ”Thanks.”

That afternoon the postman came by and gave Rita who was picking flowers a letter. She took a break and opened the envelope slowly making sure it wouldn’t rip. She read it four times and each time her face looked sadder and sadder. She looked at all four girls who were eating lunch in the garden. Their expressions changed as well. She paused and then said ”Rosie, I am afraid that…” Rosie knew it. Cinderella’s life had also become hers. ”…Your father’s car slipped off London bridge because in London it’s winter and the bridge was icy. He didn’t know how to swim so he drowned.” It was a bad year for Rosie. ”In the letter,” she continued, ”the police also found a paper where he wrote: TO ROSIE;GTE HTE XBO.” The Alcoves looked confused but Rosie knew exactly what it meant. GET THE BOX. The box with the 2000 Rands.

Rosie made her first wish on the sunflower that day. It was the same as her grandfather’s. ”LIVE FOREVER.” The next day she wished “BUSINESS BLOOM” just in case her next two wishes were impossible. The same day they earned 600 Rands just from selling roses. The days went by quickly and it had been a year since her father passed away. The only things she had left to comfort her was her grandfather, the money and the flower. The Alcoves helped as much as possible. She was glad they were arranged to live in her home or she’d be all alone.

The girl had six wishes left on her beloved sunflower. The only reason she didn’t wish for her parents to awaken first was because just in case bringing a person back to life wasn’t possible she wanted to have made other important wishes first. She chose to wish for her mother to come back. ”AWAKEN MOTHER” she wished. She looked up to see her mother looking confused.”What happened?” she asked. Rosie explained everything even though she wasn’t supposed to tell. She wished ”CURE MOTHER” to get rid of the throat tumor. Then she wished “AWAKEN DAD.” Her father appeared. She explained again. Her fourth wish was to give the Alcoves a bigger and better home of their own in the field. ”ALCOVE HOME.” The Alcoves vanished. Rosie heard happy squeals coming from the field. The seventh wish was “GRANDFATHER.” The man in the colorful apron appeared and then she introduced him to her parents. Her last wish was “LOVE.” This didn’t change anything because her family already loved each other dearly.

Years went by as the Soilen family (Rosie, mother, father, grandfather) sold their roses and a new business that is owned by grandfather which is selling sunflowers! They have dinner with the Alcoves every Monday evening and they live happily in the South African Grasslands.

Through time, Rosie realised that her birthmark was a small but bold sunflower petal.
THE END

The Sun Thief (Excerpt)

Sophie

Sophie woke up to sunlight streaming in through her curtains. Today was the first day of school, and she wanted to make a good impression. She pulled off the covers and leaped out of bed. She yanked open the doors of her closet, and she peered inside. She selected a long navy blue shirt with black leggings and blue boots. Oh, and she almost forgot the gold amulet that had been the last birthday gift from her father before he had disappeared. She still remembered the last words he’d said to her and her twin: “If the world ever goes black, connect these amulets so our people will see light.”

She shivered. Looking back on it, what he’d said just sounded creepy.

“Sophie, come down here!” called her mother. “You’ll be late for school.”

“Coming!” she called back. She pulled a brush through her chocolate hair and raced downstairs.

“What took you so long?” asked her twin Jacob, who, though they were twins, looked nothing like her. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and she had brown hair and green eyes. He was sitting at the table eating Lucky Charms.

“I was getting ready,” she huffed.

“Well, I don’t think your hairbrush works, because your hair still looks like a bird pooped on it.”

“Jacob, that’s enough,” said their mom.

Sophie scowled at him and he grinned.

“Bye, mom,” called the twins as they took the front stairs two at a time.

“Hey, race you to the bus stop!” Jacob called with a lopsided grin, and took off running.

When she reached the bus stop (first! Of course) she had the feeling someone was watching them, but she brushed it off. This was the first day of school, and it would be perfect!

Jacob

“Hey, um, Jacob?” said Sophie.

“What?” he said irritably.

“Um, I think that the sun’s getting smaller,” she blurted, looking around at the surroundings. “The world is really getting darker!”

“That’s ridiculous,” he exclaimed, but as he looked up he realized his sister was right. The sun was rapidly shrinking in size, plunging the world into darkness.

 

“What are we going to do?” said Sophie, panic edging her voice.

“Connect the amulets,” he said, suddenly remembering what their father had said to them on their birthday.

“What!?”

“Just do it,” he ordered. Just as the sun died away, the amulets connected and started to glow brighter and brighter until they were pulled from Sophie’s and Jacob’s hands and into the sky. They went up and up and up until it looked like a smaller weaker sun. Then a man came out from the shadow of a tree, and they stared in disbelief.

“Uncle James!” they said in unison.

He smiled. “I haven’t seen you since you were small.”

“W-why are you here?” Sophie stuttered. Jacob knew she was remembering the last time they had seen him, when their house had caught fire and he’d saved them.

“Well, there’s no time to talk. We need to get you to the safe house now.”

“Wait, why should we trust you?” Jacob argued.

“Just come on,” he said in a gruff voice. That meant it was important. Finally they followed reluctantly. He led them to an alleyway, and there he pulled out a staff made of curved mohogany with odd engravings covering the wood. He began to twirl it round and round until he said one word, “cia,”and then the air in front of them shimmered until a whirlpool of light appeared.

What’s happening? Jacob thought wildly, but then Uncle James pulled them into the whirlpool and boom! They were in front a long building that looked like a mansion.

“Wow,” the twins exclaimed, then they looked around, and the scene took their breaths away. They were standing on the lower part of a long driveway that led up to a mansion nestled in a huge mountain with acres and acres of pine woods surrounding it.

Jacob smiled. “This is an awesome safe house.”

When they entered the mansion, there was a room that was even more amazing. It was a huge room with balconies ringing the domed ceiling. At the other end of the room was a long dining table, and at that table sat twenty kids all in PJs and eating various kinds of cereal. They all stopped eating and stared at the twins. Sophie gave them a meek sort of wave and then stared at her feet.

Uncle James spread his arms and said, “Welcome to the Mansion, the safe house for magic!”

“Wait, wait, wait! What!?” Jacob exclaimed.

“Magic?” Sophie frowned.

“Yes, magic. This whole place is dedicated to the study and learning of magic for young magicians.”

“Wow, that is so cool,” Jacob said, “but then–”

“Why are we here?” Sophie finished.

“Well, my young niece, you are magicians.”

The Stray Cat!

One day there was a cat named… well… it was a stray cat. So it decided… to go on a adventure! One day a little girl named Lucy found it. She was so happy! So she went home. But then she noticed that she had no money. So she asked her mom for forty dollars. But her mom said, “No.” So she decided to make a lemonade stand. After a few hours of the lemonade stand, she had five hundred dollars. So she went off to buy some cat supplies.

At the store, she spent forty dollars on all the cat supplies she could buy. And she bought some books and supplies for herself. When she got home, she put all her money in her piggy bank that was under her bed, where no one could find it. After that, she set up all the cat things. Her cat was so happy.

A few days later, she wanted a friend because she was so lonely when Lucy went to school. So on Saturday, she went to the store to buy a cat and more cat supplies. But then she noticed she had no money, so she had to go back home, go under her bed, and get the rest of the money that she spent for the last cat. So she went back to the store, bought a cat, and bought all the supplies for the cat.

When she got home, she put her cat down on her rug and she set up all the cat supplies next to her other cat. When her mom came into her room, she was so surprised and she was so proud of Lucy. But then, a few days later, the two pets were lonely together, so the two cats wanted to get two more cats. So she went back to the lemonade stand, she unpacked it, and she got ten thousand dollars! After that, she got her money, she went back to the store, bought two more cats, and bought two beds, two litter boxes, and two packs of food, two bowls…

After that, she went home with the two cats and they were surprised. So she put down the two cats, and she settled their supplies.

A few weeks later, the four cats wanted to get fifteen more cats! So she set off to the lemonade stand so she could get ten thousand more dollars to get fifteen cats. So she set off back to the store, bought fifteen more cats, fifteen more cat supplies, paid for it, and set off home. She put all the fifteen cats down, she put all the cat supplies down. After that she went to bed.

Thirty-five more years later, she had fifteen thousand million cats. And that is how she became The Cat Woman.

THE END.

(for now…)

The Soccer Tournament

One day, there were two brothers named Kye and Mac. They both played on a soccer team called the Bulls. The Bulls had a perfect record in their games with Mac and Kye, the star players. They made it to a national tournament. Kye and Mac trained hard and they both felt confident, until one day Mac got tripped and hurt his leg. Kye didn’t feel confident anymore. The first game was in one week and the doctor wanted Mac to not do anything with his leg for a month! (Dramatic Music)

One week later, they both went to the soccer game, except Mac sat on the side. But he really wanted to play.

Nobody scored until 68 minutes and the other team scored.

But then at 79 minutes the Bulls scored.

The game went on until 89 minutes when the Bulls scored!!!

When the whistle was blown, the Bulls won!!!

Mac’s foot was still not healed, but getting better.

A week later, Mac went to a doctor’s appointment while Kye played again. Nobody scored at all until 90 minutes when Kye scored a free kick. The Bulls won!!!

When Kye got back, Mac was already there. Kye was so glad to hear that Mac could play in a week. In a week Mac went to practice before the game to make sure he was alright, and he was.

When the game started, Mac started with the ball and dribbled up the field and passed it to another teammate while Kye was back at goal getting ready (Kye is the goalkeeper).The other teammate passed it back to Mac and Mac scored!!! After the game, the team was proud of Mac. One of the team members even gave him Chelsea, Barca, and MLS soccer balls. At the next practice, a teammate was sliding and hit Kye! It really hurt for Kye and it turned out it was a broken leg just like Mac except the doctor said not to use it too much for one week. For the week they had to use the substitute goalkeeper.

After the week, they used Kye for the final game. The Bulls started with the ball (again) and almost scored, but the goalkeeper saved it but Mac got the rebound, took a long range shot, and scored!

The team thought they were going to win until 88 minutes when the other team scored.

Nobody else scored, not even in extra time, so they went to penalty shots. In penalty shots nobody missed until a team member of the Bulls missed!!! But the other team missed too. Then another team member from the Bulls was about to shoot when the other team’s best player pushed him. He got sent off the field by the ref and the Bulls scored and the other team missed! Bulls win the tournament!!! The whole team was cheering and was extremely happy.

 

The End

The Stolen Lives

Have you ever met a person who doesn’t seem to be there, a person who shouldn’t be alive, a person with no breath no feel, no anything? A person like that probably isn’t who they say they are. They probably have taken the life out of a stranger, out of a person who should be there, they have probably lost it and now it is never to be found.

My brother was here last night and now he is gone. Someone has replaced him, someone who took his life. I’m going to find my brother’s life and take it back.

He is all I have, the rest was taken, long and hard was how they took it. A person can’t be real if they have stolen what they have. So I guess I’m not real for all I have is stolen, even my life. I am not Sidny Bright. I am only what I have taken from her.

My mother and father are somewhere else with different lives and they are not real either. They are stealers, too.

Today a lady came to see me. She had neat blond hair and a big broad smile. She wore a bright blue dress and golden earrings and a bright orange scarf. She asked my name and I told her that my name was Sidny Bright, but I was not Sidny Bright. She smiled and nodded like she believed me. No one else has ever believed me. They have thought that I was crazy, and told me I was sick with a disease that makes me think funny. I know they’re wrong because what I have done makes me know that weird things are out there, things regular children should not know. I am different. I have a power that I can’t pronounce the name of. This power makes me special, I am a special.

It’s Wednesday, the middle weekday, the day no one ever expects anything to happen on. That’s why I am going to find my brother’s life today. I have asked the lady who came over yesterday to help me, but not to tell anyone because they would just call me crazy and tell my parents, and that would not end well. She said she wouldn’t, but then she went and talked to my parents, so I am not completely sure if I can trust her. But she was the first person to even pretend to believe me, so I guess I have to trust her. She is all that I have since my brother is gone.

I also showed the lady my list of where all the stealers will be and at what times. You’re probably wondering, just like the lady, how I know where they’ll be and at what times. It all happened like this: when I was eight years old, I had stolen Sidny Bright’s life and now I am using it. After I began using Sidny Bright’s life, I saw a bright light. It felt as if it was calling me, wanting me, loving me unlike anyone else has wanted or loved me before. It was like a force field that would always save me. From that moment on, it has guided me in life showing me what to do. Like right now, it has been helping me to know where the life stealers will be, so that I will be able to find my brother.

LIFE STEALER’S LIST

Thin man with a dark suit on the corner of Fifth Avenue at 1:33 p.m.

Large lady with a fur coat at the third stop on the subway at 2:44 p.m.

Little boy about 5 years old, messy blond hair with blue jeans and a monster truck shirt at the playground on 50th street at 5:22 p.m.

Old man with gray hair and an orange T-shirt in the book store on 35th and Main, paging through a magazine at 7:55 p.m.

Pretty girl about 8 years old with bright red hair and freckles in the supermarket on the end of Elmers lane at 3:55 p.m.

I just finished lunch and told my parents I was going up to my room to play with Eve (by the way, that’s the lady’s name. I found it out over lunch). She had brought a backpack with her things in it, just like I had asked. The ladder was leaned up against my bedroom window. Everything was ready, so I jumped out the window onto the ladder and shimmied down to my backyard.

We started down the alley and took a left on Fifth Avenue. The first person I saw was a lean man, about as tall as the man who says he is my father. He had a dark suit on and I told him that my name was Sidny Bright, but I was not Sidny Bright. He looked at me with a confused face. He asked if I was disabled. I told him that I was the opposite of disabled, that I had an ability. I told him how I was a stealer and how my brother’s life had been stolen. I told him how my parents weren’t my parents and all about what I had seen and learned and how I was a special. He nodded but I think he was confused. He asked me how I knew all of these things and I answered by telling him about the light and how it guides and loves me. While I was talking he seemed confused, but once I had finished, he understood and somehow it made more sense to me to have him understand. It gave me the courage to continue on. I was slowly sharing my gift.

That’s when I thought: kind and generous, understanding but not ignorant. Maybe he is the one who took my brother’s life?

At that moment I decided that I wasn’t going to take any chances. I charged at the man, pinning him to the ground. I screamed at him to tell me if he had taken my brother’s life and to tell me how to take it back. Eve calmly tried to pull me off the man, but I refused to budge. Eve tried seven more times and finally, I gave in.

Calmly and quietly, Eve sat me down. She reminded me of a flower: calm, quiet, beautiful. First she told me to calm down. Having nothing else to do and not wanting to get in trouble, I did as she said and explained why I had attacked him. Each time I got loud and started to raise my temper, she would calm me down. By the end of the conversation I was completely calm and apologized to the man even though I didn’t want to. The man was very cross, but he forgave me.

Tonight we stayed at a hotel with pretty little soap containers and a free breakfast. Since the breakfast was free, I ate as much as I could stuff in my small stomach, which ended up being three waffles, three pancakes, two muffins, five pieces of toast with caramel, four helpings of eggs, two cinnamon rolls and four helpings of fruit. I believe I was more stuffed than I have ever been before. It felt as if I was about to explode.

With the breakfast, I was ready to continue my search, so we began the walk to the third stop on the subway to find the large lady in the fur coat. And sure enough, she was there at 2:44 p.m. at the third stop on the subway.

Unlike last time, I went to the lady calmly and quietly. I told her that my name was Sidny Bright, but I was not Sidny Bright. I told her about how my brother’s life was stolen and how I was looking for the person who stole it and I told her how I knew that she was a life stealer and might have taken my brother’s life. She looked at me confused and maybe a bit angry, but once I finished talking and telling her all about my life and the life stealers, she seemed to understand.

But still she asked me, “How is it that you can be real and not real at the same time?”

My answer was this: “Well, the half that makes you real is that you have a name and that you have a life, but the half that makes you unreal is that your life is stolen and that your name doesn’t belong to you.”

When I started talking she was still confused and had a glint in her eyes that made me think that maybe she wanted me to stop talking and leave, but once I finished, she too, just like the man, understood.

I waited about 30 seconds for her to respond and tell me if she had taken it or not, but when she didn’t I got angry and told her to tell me right away everything that she knew.

The lady seemed stunned, confused and overall very scared, and when I saw her start to shiver I realized what I had done. She was not the culprit — she was merely a life stealer who had stolen no lives and had not taken my brother’s life, for no villain would wince in fear as she had.

Ashamed of myself, I walked away with Eve at my side. Still I had to keep going, for what would become of my brother if I did not?

The next stop was the playground on 50th street to find a little boy about 5 years old with messy blond hair, blue jeans, and a monster truck T-shirt.

Sure enough, when we got to the playground at 5:22 p.m. the boy was there, and just like every time I told him that my name was Sidny Bright, but I was not Sidny Bright— that my brother’s life had been stolen, and that I knew that he was a life stealer and that I was a life stealer.

This time he just called me crazy and said, “How could you see a light without anyone else seeing it?”

I told him that the light was inside my eyes so that only I could see it. While I was talking, the boy was listening intently, and once I finished, he clapped and then told me that somehow it almost made sense. Luckily, this time he told me that he had not stolen my brother’s life and that he didn’t know anything about it. I thanked him and went over to find Eve.

This time, sad still that we had not gotten any clues to where the thief could be, I was happier that I did not get mad this time but got answers.

So once again we went in search for my brother’s life, this time in the bookstore on 35th Street. We were looking for an old man with gray hair and an orange T-shirt paging through a magazine, though I was running out of hope now for I had only two more people left to talk to on my list.

As always, the old man was in the bookstore at 7:55 p.m. exactly. Just as I had every other time, I walked up to the man and told him that my name was Sidny Bright, but I am not Sidny Bright. I told him about how my brother’s life was stolen, and how I am a stealer and how I know that you’re a life stealer, too.

The man was confused at first, but came to understand. And he even told me that he did steal lives, but said that he didn’t understand how I knew that he was a life stealer. I told him all about how when I was eight I saw a light and that it tells me things, like for example, that he was a life stealer. The man understood and asked me what I wanted. I took a deep breath and told him that I wanted to know if he had taken my brother’s life or if he knew who did, but the old man couldn’t hear me so I told him again and again and again. By the eighth time, my teeth had become clenched and my breath had sped up. I asked one more time and again he didn’t hear me and I stormed out of the bookstore.

Once again I left shamefully, but still I knew I had to find my brother’s life, so Eve and I went to our next stop: the supermarket on the end of Elmers Lane to find a pretty little girl with bright red hair and freckles.

Just as I was told, we found the little girl in the supermarket at 3:55 p.m. sharp. Just as I had the first two people I met, I introduced myself by telling her that my name was Sidny Bright but that I was not Sidny Bright. I told her about how my brother’s life was stolen and how I was out to get it back. I also told her about how my parents weren’t my parents and how I am a stealer and how I knew that she was a stealer, too. The girl looked at me as if I was crazy, which many do think I am, but like I said before, I am not.

Still confused, the girl asked me how I knew that my brother’s life was stolen and that he didn’t just die or run away.

That question stopped me in my tracks. It left me thinking on another planet in another universe. How did I know? Was I working myself up over nothing? Was I crazy? How long had I been like this? Is none of this world real? Who can I trust? Who can I believe?

Today, Eve walked my heart broken body home. I had finally realized that my whole world was only make believe. My brother was dead and no one can steal lives.

I was only a crazy twelve year old dreamer with her head in the clouds.

The Sound of Silence

Crickets birds helicopter

Cars metal clanging

Wind singing grass

 

It’s chunky it’s lime green

Soft furry and spiky

It’s multicolored it’s meta

 

It’s black and red

It has feathers

I want to go there forever

 

The cars are drums

The birds are violins

The high birds are singers

The low birds are harps

The metal clashing is the banjo

The crickets are backup singers

 

Everything is music when you’re in silence

Silence is the sound of noise

Silence is where you should be

Silence is everywhere

Silence is good as can be

The Road to Fame

 

INT. Restaurant – DAY

APRIL, 20 years old, waitress, is telling the specials of the day to some customers.

April’s boss, GEORGE, 45 years old, starts walking near April and grabs her arm and tells her he needs to talk to her.

GEORGE

You’ve been doing really good work lately, so I’m giving you a promotion as Co-Assistant.

April’s face freezes.

APRIL

(squeaky)

Oh, that’s really great, thank you. But that’s a lot of responsibility, are you sure you want to give me that responsibility?

April goes back to working, turns to the table. George gets a phone call and takes it.

CUT TO:

INT. APRIL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

April’s best friend and roommate, NAOMI, 20 years old, who wants to be a model, is sitting on the couch watching Pretty Little Liars. April walks through the door and plops on the couch next to Naomi.

APRIL

I had the worst day at work today! I got promoted to co-assistant.

NAOMI

April, that’s great! I don’t get what is so bad about that.

APRIL

It is longer hours and then I don’t  have as much time to get to audition, I just wanted it to be a job ‘til I get my big acting break.

April stands up to go to bed.

FADE TO:

INT. April’s bedroom – Day

April wakes up and falls off her bed. She looks at her alarm clock and realizes she’s late for work. April stands up and rushes to get ready.

CUT TO:

INT. BUS – DAY

JULIA, 23 years old, works with April, friend.

Julia walks into work.

April calls Julia.

APRIL

I need you to do a favor for me.

JULIA

Sure, what is it?

APRIL

Can you stall George until I get to work?

JULIA

Okay I will try. Bye.

APRIL

Bye, thanks.

April hangs up.    

CUT TO:

INT. RESTAURANT – DAY

April walks in to the work. Julia is talking to George near the cashier because she was stalling him for April. Julia walks away towards April.

JULIA

Thank god you are here, I have been stalling George by telling him about the boundary of hygiene.

APRIL

Sorry, my alarm clock broke and I overslept. Thank you so much.

JULIA

You’re welcome.

Julia and April go do their work.

FADE TO:

INT. APRIL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

April’s phone rings and she picks it up. It’s a MOVIE PRODUCER, 46, black hair, in a suit. April squeals and then she answers.

THEATRE PRODUCER

Hello, is this April Sousa?

APRIL

Um, yes this is April Sousa.

THEATRE PRODUCER

Yes I’m calling to tell you that there is an audition tomorrow for a new movie and I think that you would be great for the part, so I’m inviting you to come.  

APRIL

Yes, I would love to come tomorrow to the audition.

THEATRE PRODUCER

So I will see you there.

APRIL

Yes, you will definitely see me there. Thanks so much for calling.

THEATRE PRODUCER

Bye now.

APRIL

Bye!

April hangs up and turns on the T.V.

FADE TO:

INT. -APRIL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

Naomi walks in. April is sitting on the couch.

APRIL

I have just the greatest news.

NAOMI

Really, what is it?

APRIL

A movie producer called me and asked  me to come to an audition. He said that he thinks I’m great for the part.

NAOMI

Wow, thats great, but…

APRIL

But what?

NAOMI

But what about work?

APRIL

I will just call in sick. He will never know that I wasn’t sick. It’s not like he’s going be at the audition.

Naomi walks away with a nervous look on her face.

CUT TO:

EXT. sidewalk- day

April is walking to her audition.

APRIL

(speaking to herself)

April c’mon don’t be nervous. You can do this. You are a great actress. It’s not wrong that I called in sick, right? Because I was pretty sick of work anyway.

FADE TO:

INT. theater- day

April walks into the theater.

THEATRE PRODUCER

Oh I am so glad you are here, you are next to audition.

APRIL

That’s great I will just go get my costume, and I am glad to be here.

It is all my pleasure.

April walks to her dressing room to put on her costume.

FADE TO:

INT.theater- day

As April steps out of her dressing room her eyes get big as bowling balls. She sees her boss standing right there talking to his son and he looks over at her. She tilts her hat over her face and looks away. But he sees her anyway.

GEORGE

What are you doing here? I thought you were sick!

APRIL

Well funny story, I got this audition that I really wanted so I just called in sick. Ha ha ha funny right?

GEORGE

That’s not funny. That’s lying.

APRIL

Are you going to fire me?

GEORGE

No, I’m not going to fire you, because I love you!

APRIL

Say what in the who now?

George leans in to kiss April. She slaps him right across the face.

GEORGE

Hey what did you do that for?

APRIL

Because you’re a idiot and why the heck in the world did you do that?

GEORGE

Because I love you!

APRIL

I QUIT!!!

April walks into the audition stomping

 

CUT TO:

INT.April’s apartment- Day

One month later. April is sitting at the table looking through her mail when she sees there is a letter from the producer.

She opens it. It says, “Congratulations, you did not get the role”

 

APRIL

(speaking to herself)

How is that congratulations?

April sees on her computer that there’s an email from the producer. It says, “Sorry about our letter, it got cut off. What it is supposed to say is: congratulations you did not get the role you auditioned for but there’s an even better role for a different movie that we decided to give you.” April does a quick squeal and smiles and then closes the email.

End CREDITS

 

The Secret World

One day I was reading in my bed when my mom told me to clean my brother’s and my room. I usually stuff it all under my bed, but my bed was kind of full so I decided to put it in my closet. When I was putting everything in my closet, I accidentally dropped my locket inside the closet.

When I went to go get it the next morning, it was missing. My brother was playing in our room.

”You wanna help me find my locket?” I asked him. He nodded. As we looked, he went inside my closet.

I hollered, “EDWARD!”

But no one responded. Then I heard a squeaky noise coming from the floor of my closet. So I stepped inside. But then, I wasn’t in my closet anymore!

I was inside of a world and there were flowers everywhere. There were a bunch of fairies flying over my head. And my brother called, “Maya! Maya!” I went looking for my brother and I saw him hiding behind a tree.

“Why are you hiding?” I asked him.

He told me he was playing hide-and-go-seek with a talking mouse. At first I thought it was his imagination when I heard the squeaky noise again, except it sounded more like a word. The voice said, “I found you, Edward!” And Edward stepped out of hiding.

“This is my sister,” he said.

The mouse said, “Hello, my sister.”

And I said, “I’m not your sister and I have a name, you know.”

“Then what is your name?” the mouse asked.

“Maya,” I replied. “And what is your name?”

The mouse said, “Sir Squeaks!”

I asked him where we were.

He said, “You are in the world of Jellybean.”

“Do you have a king or something?” I asked.

“Yes, King Jellybean.”

 

Then we heard horns playing. Then there were a bunch of trolls guarding a carriage and out of the carriage came a jellybean! And Sir Squeaks bowed. So Edward followed him. I didn’t know what to do, so I asked the jellybean who he was.

“I am King Jellybean the Third!”

And then I said, “Are you the king of this place?”

“Yes, everyone should know this! Are you new here?”

“Yeah. Me and my brother came through a closet.”

“That is rather unusual,” he said.

“I thought the same thing,” I said.

King Jellybean said, “You think like me. Would you like to come with me in my carriage to have royal dinner?”

 

When we got to the palace I was amazed! There were tons of jellybeans walking through the hall, waving. There were white tall pillars. It smelled of cherry jellybeans. I met the king’s wife, Queen Jellybean the Third, and his son Baby Jellybean the Third and so many more! It was hard to remember names and NOT to eat them and I took a bite out of Uncle Jellybean the Fifteenth. King Jellybean said, “Well, maybe it is best that you leave.”

I wandered around Jellybean Land. I ran into Sir Squeaks.

 

“Hey, Sir Squeaks,” I said.

“Hi Maya. Did you see Edward?”

“No. I told YOU to watch him.”
“Yeah… about that… when we were playing hide and seek, all I heard was, ‘Ooo, shiny!’ and poof, gone.”

I yelled at him.

He told me he was sorry and said I could come home with him and tomorrow we could look for Edward.

 

When we got to Sir Squeaks house, there was a little mouse woman in a dress, a little mouse baby in a crib, and two mice children playing on the floor.

Sir Squeaks said, “Honey, can you prepare the guest bed? A friend of mine is staying over for the night.”

 

It was hard to get inside of their small crack in the wall but eventually, I got in. Their bed was very hard to sleep in, but I managed.

 

The next morning, me and Sir Squeaks decided what we would do. I recommended that we go to the police. But Sir Squeaks said there was no police. He suggested that we put up signs. But then we decided that we would look for him ourselves. When we left the small crack in the wall, we checked the cafe and asked a few random creatures if they had seen Edward. But when we got to a particular creature (a cat), Sir Squeaks was too afraid to talk to her. So I asked her alone. She said she had seen him chasing her friend’s ball over by the playground. So we looked in the playground.

We met a dog there who said he saw Edward go to the King’s house to look for a girl called Maya. So we immediately left for the castle. It was awkward for me to see the torn, spitted-up Uncle Duke. But the King let us look in the castle for him. We met a maid who said he went to explore the dungeon. When we got down there, a prisoner said, “I saw him. But he left. And I know where he went, but I’ll only tell you if you help me escape.”

Me and Sir Squeaks talked it over and we decided to help him escape. We found a stool in the kitchen and helped push him up the bar, but he fell. So we met a guard and sneakily took the key from him and unlocked the door. He showed us the schoolhouse where he saw Edward come in. When we checked inside, the teacher told us Edward was eating lunch. When we got in the lunchroom we saw Edward and Edward screamed, “Maya!” and we hugged. Then Sir Squeaks took us back to where he met us and we said goodbye to Sir Squeaks and entered the space that we came through in and poofed back in my closet.

My brother and I told my parents that we were playing a game. Sometimes we came back to Jellybean Land, but not for too long. We made new friends, but then one day my mom said that we were gonna move. I was nervous because that means I wouldn’t get to see them. Before the day that we moved I said goodbye to my friends in Jellybean Land. One day when I left, I went into my new closet and imagined myself back in Jellybean Land, and then, once again, I heard the squeaky noise and then I really was in Jellybean Land! Sir Squeaks told me that, “Jellybean Land keeps traveling to different closets, and you might not see me again,” but when I left I was in a different closet. Thank goodness no one lived there! I went home and I told Edward and we were both sad, but we always remembered Jellybean Land.

 

THE END

THE SCREAMING KILLER

Chapter One: It Starts

 

My friends Tony, Shawn, David, and I were hanging out in school when class was over. Suddenly, all the lights turned off and I heard the the most high pitched scream come from three floors above us. My friends and I were about to go check it out when I noticed Shawn was gone.Then Shawn suspiciously appeared from the wall.  

“Hey Lucien,” he said.

But I noticed blood over Shawn’s shirt. “Hey Shawn, why do you have blood on your shirt?” I asked him.

“Uuuhhh, I had a bloody nose,” he said.

“Okay,” we all said. We went to check the freaky situation. We took the elevator to the third floor. When we got up I saw janitor Jimmy dead with blood coming rapidly out of his ears and chest. We were so scared that we sprang back into the elevator and punched the first floor button.

We went to the courtyard and ran out. I could not believe what I saw. I even had Tony slap me to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, and unluckily it was no dream. When I got back home I went straight to bed. I was trying to sleep desperately, but I couldn’t because the thought of Jimmy being killed on school grounds kept coming back to haunt me. Eventually I got too tired and fell asleep. In the morning I woke up with sweat all over me. I had a nightmare about the incident yesterday.

On the walk to school I bumped into Shawn and the others.  On the way, Tony and I talked about the freaky incident. I told him that it was probably a ghost since Jimmy looked like he died, but didn’t know anyone was coming. Then Tony hit me with all his science, saying that it was highly impossible for ghosts to exist blah, blah science stuff do the math blah, blah.Then I slapped him and said not to get all nerdy on me or I’d slap him again, harder, on the face.  

We got to school, but we noticed Shawn was gone again. The door to the freaky haunted basement was wide open. “We should go in to find him in there,”  I said.

“Look, I have done many scary things, but this is beyond anything,” David said.

 

Chapter Two: The Basement

 

But before I could enter, the bell for class rang — ding!!!  

“Thank God!!!” David said. “Two more seconds and I would have had to go into that pitch dark haunted basement.”  

“Don’t be such a big scaredy cat. We can bring a flashlight, David,” Tony said.

In class, I signaled all of my friends to “go to the bathroom.” We went to the bathroom and discussed the plan. Tony took a flashlight, David was nowhere to be seen, and I was taking a #1. When I was done I looked outside and saw a hand close the door to the basement. “Oh no!” I thought. “David must’ve gone in by himself.” I told Tony what had happened.

“Oh no!” Tony said. “We need to go in!!!”

We went out the bathroom door to go get David back from this horror. We frantically ran to the door to the basement.  I slapped my hand on the handle, grasped it tightly while twisting it in one split second.

But Tony said, “We should get the police involved in this.” I agreed and closed the door to the basement and ran to Tony while he smashed the numbers 9 1 1 on his iPhone 6 [everyone nowadays has iPhones for safety].  

“Hello! Who is this?” the officer said.

“This is Tony Boils and I”m reporting some strange things that have happened here at school,” Tony said.

“Like what?” the officer said.

Tony says that the janitor died and his friend David was captured.

The officer says, “We’ll come right away.”

When the officer got there he kicked open the door and barged in. Then we heard a scream. Tony went in with me. We saw the officer down on the floor, the same way Jimmy was killed and we walked deeper into the basement and saw David hung on the wall. When we got him down, we asked him what happened. I was walking down the hall when I got pulled up and slammed into the wall. So, us three walked deeper into the basement when Shawn came out of nowhere. We asked him, “Where have you been?”

He said, “Trying to find the killer.” Then we told him we should get home. So we ran out and started to walk home. When I got home, I told Mom and Dad about what happened and they didn’t believe me. They said they would check it out. So the next morning, Dad came with me to school and went into the basement. Shawn and David were gone again. Then I heard another high pitched scream, but luckily this time I brought my earplugs and then I found my dad running out. Luckily, he had his earplugs on, too. He said he saw someone that looked like Shawn or David.

I didn’t want my dad to be in trouble. So, me and Tony went in by ourselves with a flashlight and other equipment.

 

Chapter 3: The Screaming Killer

 

When we went in I saw Shawn walking toward us with a knife and he ran at us so we asked him if he was okay.

He said that David tried to kill him. So we went in to find David. There were many corridors and we chose the middle one. The deeper we walked in the darker it got. Tony turned on his flashlight and noticed that Shawn was gone again!

So we screamed out, “Shawn!”

We heard a voice say, “I’m over here in the third corridor!” So we went to the third corridor and found him in the middle of the room with his eyes as red as ever, a knife, and David hung on the wall again. Shawn was about to scream and we knew it was gonna happen. I threw a pair of earplugs to David. David caught them and put them on and he survived the devastating scream. Then I threw David a knife and he cut himself free with the knife. He dropped to the floor, gasping for breath as Shawn said, “I’m the screaming killer and you will not get away!”

The screaming killer threw his knife at David and it whizzed past his arm. Tony ran to David, shining the flashlight in Shawn’s eyes. Shawn was trying to block the light. We ran to get David. With him on our shoulders, we ran out the corridor and hid in the fifth.

Tony turned off his flashlight so Shawn wouldn’t see us. Two minutes had passed and David was shivering like he had been in the North Pole for five hours. We waited for another ten minutes when we heard footsteps coming rapidly and voices. The principal had come with police. Then we heard the same devastating scream and bodies fell on the ground. Shawn must have been possessed because he would never act like this. Tony didn’t like this so he ran to finish the job but I stopped him. I told him that if he went, he would just die along with the principal and the others. So we stayed there, waiting for Shawn to kill us all. But then I realized we needed to man up a little and I took the nearest police officer’s gun, ready to shoot my best friend. But even the thought of it haunted me. So I went back to Tony and David and waited, trying to think of another strategy. Tony told us that if we could suck whoever’s possessing Shawn out of him. We could seal him inside a steel box. We might be able to defeat him.

 

Chapter 4: Finding a Box

 

David said he recalled seeing an ancient box that could catch ghosts in a store across the street. Then I slapped him on the arm and said, “How are we gonna get out of here?”

Tony said that we could just blind him with the flashlights. So we ran out of the corridor with our flashlights on, pointing them at Shawn’s eyes. Shawn fell to the floor like he’d just been shot by the FBI. We ran out of the school and went to the store. Unfortunately, it was closed so I took a wrench from a builder and slammed the door open with it. We ran in and took the box as fast as we could. Then we ran back to school. When we ran to the third corridor, Shawn was gone. If we didn’t run as fast, he could kill the entire city by screaming into radios. But then we heard a high pitched scream come from two floors higher and slammed into the elevator. When we got into the second floor, we saw Shawn next to two teachers that were lifeless on the floor.

 

Chapter 5: Finishing the Job

 

David shone the flashlight on Shawn’s eyes while I hit Shawn in the head with the gun. I didn’t shoot him, I threw the gun at his head, which was a bad idea because he caught the gun and shot the flashlight out of David’s hand. David jerked back and fell on his head as I slapped myself in the face. Shawn had a gun and he was shooting me and Tony. Shawn must have had FBI training because he shot the box out of Tony’s hand and it smashed through the window. Now it was on the street, three stories down.

“Why?!” I shouted while Tony looked out the window and he dove to get it. I told Shawn, “Wait right here.”

But luckily, the fair was going on below and Tony and I landed on the bouncy house. Tony grabbed the box and he bounced to the wall of the school hanging on the wall and started climbing up. I smashed into the window, kicked the button on the elevator and missed while I dived in. “Come on!” I said. I went to the first floor and took the stairs. Tony was dodging Shawn’s bullets. I threw my pencil at Shawn’s forehead and it bounced right off.

Now Tony and Shawn stared at me and Shawn said, “Really? A pencil?” While Shawn was distracted, Tony took the vacuum cleaner out of the janitor’s closet and sucked the screaming killer out of Shawn. We saw a green spirit burst out of him, but it broke through the glass and I threw the ancient box where it broke free. It ran into the box and the box closed shut, sealing it in forever.

“Yes!” me and Tony said at the same time.

 

Chapter 6: The End

 

After the celebration, I called the ambulance to pick up David and Shawn. David didn’t look too good, or worse than usual, because he usually had chocolate off his mouth. Shawn looked normal, without red eyes. We waited outside the school for the ambulance. We might have lost many people but we became more brave.

 

THE END

The Rice Krispie Treat

Once upon a time, there was a Rice Krispies Treat named Max in a container. But the Rice Krispies Treat didn’t want to be eaten. So, he took off the lid of the container (he had hands and legs) and got out. He looked young but he actually had been made a week ago. So he continued his adventure. He jumped off the counter and ran to the door. He tried to jump up to reach the doorknob but it was too high. But then he saw the doggie door. So he crawled out the doggie door and set off.

It was windy. He almost got blown away into a garbage can. But he caught himself. So he set off. He was looking for someone to love because he loved nobody but everybody loved him (because he was a Rice Krispies Treat). So, he looked in every house for a Rice Krispies Treat, but it wasn’t there. But he still kept searching. He searched for days, weeks, months and finally, he found a house.

So he walked inside the window and into the house. He looked in all the rooms and finally he found the kitchen. The kitchen had a humongous table, a really long brown counter and a lot of food. It smelled like food. There was roast beef, fried chicken, french fries, soft chocolate chip cookies, chocolate macaroons, M&M’s and regular Rice Krispies Treats. He was a little bit hungry, okay, a lot! So he ate all the food except the Rice Krispies Treats.

So he climbed on the counter and took a Rice Krispies Treat. But it wasn’t a girl so he put it back. Then he searched every single Rice Krispies Treat except one of them. Then he knew that that must be it. So he took the Rice Krispies Treat… but it was a boy! So he decided to search the other kitchen and there was more food.

There was turkey, lamb chops, meatballs, chicken noodle soup, apple pie, blueberry pie, pear pie, chocolate pie, whipped cream pie, macaroon pie, cookies, macaroons (all kinds,) ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, roast beef, and chicken. It smelled delicious. And there was also french fries, corn dogs and there was more Rice Krispies Treats of all kinds. So, he searched this Rice Krispies Treat, it wasn’t it. That Rice Krispies Treat, it wasn’t a girl. He searched every single platter of Rice Krispies Treats. And finally, he had searched all of them except one of them. He KNEW that this had to be her.

And he took the Rice Krispies Treat in it’s arms and looked at it’s face. And… it was a girl! And it turned out that the girl also wanted true love. He asked her, “What is your name?”

She answered back, “Rosie.”

He asked her, “Can we be friends?”

“Of course!” she answered.

He took her on a date everywhere in the kitchen and they ate everything in the kitchen. He built a house for her out of tiny sticks of wood he found. They spent almost every second together. Except one day, in the middle of the night, when they were both fast asleep, someone took the girl Rice Krispies Treat and ran with her. Then finally in the morning when Max woke up, he was about to say good morning, when he looked at her bed she wasn’t there! He started crying Rice Krispies. But he was brave so he went off to look for her.

He took some pieces of paper and drew a picture of her on every sign. And it said in big letters “Have you seen this Rice Krispies Treat? $10,000 reward if you find it. (He found the money lying on the ground.) So, he put the signs everywhere he could think of where most people walk by. Maldia was a very poor and small country with only 3,500 people. So 10,000 dollars was a lot of money.

But he got bored. So he wanted to look for her too. So he started searching with his bag (his bag had food, water, sleeping bags and a night light, and an emergency stick in it.) He found some footprints, some really big footprints. So he followed them. But suddenly, they stopped at a crooked road. Then he saw a van. Next to the van was a building. And then there was an open window in the building. Then he heard a familiar voice saying, “Ahh! Help me!” It was Rosie!

So he ran to the doors of the building. He was ready for action. Surprisingly, there was a doggie door on one of the doors. So he went through the doggie door and got in the building. He remembered that when he heard her screaming, it was on the top, top floor. So he ran up the stairs because he tried to use the elevator but it was broken. So he ran and ran and ran and ran. And when he was running so much, it got him thinking, How many more flights of stairs? It was really hard for him because it was all twisty and it was crooked and there were no railings. It was really narrow. But he kept running.

Finally, he saw a sign and it said: “If you are going to the top floor and have to go to the bathroom, there are restrooms on the right.” But then he saw something else that was written on the bottom in marker. “Do not come up, work is being done.”

First, he wanted to go to the restroom. So he went to the restroom. After five minutes, he was finished and so he went back. So he went up one more flight of stairs and saw another sign. It said, “Ten more flights of stairs till the top.”

He thought, “Ten more flights of stairs? I’ve been running up the stairs for hours! And there’s still ten more flights of stairs?” He was shocked. But he kept running.

Finally, he had one more flight of stairs left. He ran up that last flight of stairs, and… Bam! The stair that he was just on fell down! But he was still holding on to the top floor. But then he felt something. It was a stick trying to push him down! He thought, I can’t get pushed down! I’ve been climbing these stairs for hours. So he quickly moved to the other side of the ground and pulled himself up. It was hard because it had cracks in it and it was kind of crooked. So he started running when he heard the screaming. There was still screaming. Even more surprisingly, there was another doggie door. But since this was such a scary place, he decided to look through the doggie door before he went through. So he looked on the other side and he decided he wasn’t going through because it was actually a window. It looked like a doggie door on the inside but it was a window on the outside.

He looked around and he saw a lot more doggie doors. So he checked every single one of them. One of them was the same one as the first one he checked. Another one was a twenty foot deep pool. Another one was a pool of lava. And the rest were spikes. There was only one left. He thought, This one has to be the right door. But he still checked. And it was the right door! He saw Rosie tied to a plate and it looked like a guy was about to chop her in half with a really sharp knife. The guy was in a black suit. He had glasses. And on one side of the room Max saw precious treasures that he thought that the guy had stolen. Then he said, “Never fear, because Max is here!”

He leaped up to the plate and as he was about to untie her, the guy grabbed him. “I’ll eat you first if you try to rescue her!”

He didn’t want to be eaten. But he had to rescue her. He wanted to risk his own life for her. So, as he was gonna untie her, the guy said, “You made up your mind. I’ll eat you first.”

But first Max untied her before he could take him. And right as he untied her… Rosie took the knife out of the guy’s hand and said, “If you try to eat Max, I’ll cut you first!”

The guy was scared, so he ran away and started screaming, “Mommy, Mommy, Rice Krispies Treats are trying to kill me!”

Right as they were about to get out, a mean old woman took both of them in her hands and said, “Don’t you try to scare my son!” Her voice sounded cruel. She threw them out of the window. But Max took Rosie’s hand and his bag, dumped everything out of his bag, and used his bag as a parachute. It was really scary, but at least he had a parachute. They screamed, “Ahh, help me!” But they tried not to because they had a parachute.

Finally, when they reached the ground, Max took his stuff, and as they were walking, suddenly, they fell down again into the sewer! (Yuck, yuck!) But luckily, they didn’t land in the water. They heard rat noises. There were spiderwebs, and it was really, really dusty. So they looked and looked, and kept on looking for a ladder to ground level. It was dark so he took out his night light. Now they could see better. And they kept on searching. After they searched for five hours, they got hungry. Their stomachs felt empty. So they ate some food, but they didn’t want to eat too much so they just had one big piece of a turkey leg and drank some water and kept on searching. They searched for days and nights and weeks and months, and surprisingly, they found some other Rice Krispies Treats. The other Rice Krispies Treats were old and tired. They were kind of hard and cold and hungry.

Rosie and Max decided that they needed to share some food with them. So Rosie said, “Hi, my name is Rosie.”

Max said, “Hi, my name is Max.”

Then, they asked them, “What’s your name?”

One of them said, “My name is Matthew.” Matthew had a hat with red and white stripes and shoes that were black and orange.

The other one said, “My name is Emily.” Emily had glasses and purple earrings and pink shoes.

Rosie and Max asked, “Are you hungry? Because we have a lot of food.”

Matthew and Emily shook their heads wildly.

Rosie and Max said, “Okay, what would you like to have? We have turkey, chicken, french fries, beef, corn, green beans, carrots, watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, honeydew, cheese, and yogurt.” Rosie and Max were offering this because they wanted to be friends, and if they were friends, maybe they would show them a way out. They continued. “To drink, we have milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, apple juice, pomegranate juice, carrot juice, lemonade, hot chocolate with marshmallows, pink lemonade, water, coffee, and tea. And for dessert we have all kinds of pie, cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, macaroons, meringues, and pastries.”

As Rosie and Max were saying this, Matthew and Emily were licking their lips because they were really, really, really hungry. Matthew and Emily said at the same time, “Everything!”

Rosie and Max said surprisingly, “How about just three things of each food group?”

Matthew and Emily said, “As long as it’s big!”

After they all had some food, Max remembered he brought more than one sleeping bag. So he gave everybody a sleeping bag and they all went to sleep. The sleeping bags were really, really, really comfortable. They all slept until three o’clock in the afternoon. Rosie and Max were thinking of eating only two times a day to save food, but Matthew and Emily refused. But they wanted to be friends, so they said, “Okay.”

So they had breakfast. For breakfast, they all shared a big pie. Matthew and Emily were actually down there on purpose. They WERE actually old, hungry, and tired. But the real reason they were down there was to help other people. The reason why they were so hungry and tired was because they spent so long down there and didn’t find anybody to help that they just ended up staying there without any food. But they wanted to test them first before they showed them the way out of the sewer.

So when Rosie and Max were searching for a way out, Matthew and Emily were looking in Rosie and Max’s bag. They were searching for any weapons Rosie and Max could use to kill Matthew and Emily. Suddenly, they heard them coming back. So they zipped the bag shut and ran back to their normal places. They decided that they would show them the way out, but first they would wait one more week because they might still be a bad guy, but just not carry around weapons.

So when they came back, they had lunch. Rosie and Max wanted to test Matthew and Emily too to see if they were bad guys. So they decide that they would wait one more week too.

One night, Emily had ants in her pants. “Ahh!” she started screaming. It woke everybody up.

Everybody asked, “Why are you screaming so loud in the middle of the night?”

“I have ants in my pants!”

“That happens to everybody,” said Matthew.

“Yeah,” agreed everybody else.

“No,” said Emily, “I have actual ants in my pants.”

“Oh,” said Matthew. “Now I get it.”

“That’s a reason to scream about,” said Max.

“Can you just get these ants out of my pants?” said Emily to Matthew.

“Okay,” said Matthew. He threw bread far away, and then the ants chased after it.

“Now,” said Max, “I think we should find out who put in ants in Emily’s pants.”

“It’s probably whoever isn’t listening to this to make themselves look innocent,” said Matthew.

They looked around, and Rosie wasn’t paying attention. So they all suspected Rosie, even Max.

Max asked Rosie, “Why did you put ants in Emily’s pants?”

“What?” said Rosie. “I didn’t put ants in anybody’s pants.” She sat there.

“Really?” said Max. “Then how come in movies all the time, the person who isn’t paying attention is always the person who did the crime?”

“I don’t know,” said Rosie.

“Well it still wasn’t good that you put ants in Emily’s pants.”

“I didn’t!” said Rosie.

Max rolled his eyes.

The next night, Rosie got ants in her pants. In the middle of the night, she started screaming. “Ahh, I have ants in my pants!”

“You have lants in your mants?” said Max, because he was so tired that he couldn’t hear that so well.

“No,” said Rosie. “I have ANTS in my PANTS.”

Now they all think Emily did it. They all asked Emily at the same time, “Why did you put ants in Rosie’s pants?”

Emily said, “No, I didn’t!”

“Well, everybody knows you did because Rosie put ants in your pants, and you want revenge,” said Max.

“I didn’t put ants in her pants!” said Emily and Rosie at the same time, pointing to each other.

“Face it,” said Matthew. “You both did something bad.”

“Well,” Rosie said to Max, “Can you just get these ants out of my pants?”

“Okay,” said Max. So he got the ants out of her pants. He threw bread far away and the ants chased it. So they went back to sleep.

Rosie and Emily were right. They didn’t put ants in each other’s pants. The guy did. How he did it was when they were all looking, he put crumbs in their pants because you can’t just put ants in someone’s pants because they wouldn’t stay there. How he knew they were there because he saw them fall into the sewer. How he got there was his mom. His mom took a long, long, long rope, tied it to a really strong pole, tied the other end to her son, and lowered him down. He was still trying to eat them. He didn’t want to eat any other Rice Krispies Treats because they weren’t made the way he liked it, and his mom couldn’t make it that way. Those kinds of Rice Krispies Treats were made in the microwave, not in the oven. The reason why he put ants in their pants was because if they stopped being friends, they would probably separate, which would make them easier to catch because nobody would rescue them.

The next day, when Max, Rosie, Matthew, and Emily woke up, they found a letter. And it said, “If you don’t go to the top of the building with a green van parked next to it, you will die.” They shivered with fear. “From, The Guy,” it said on the bottom. The handwriting was messy. But underneath, where it said, “From, The Guy,” it said, “Be there in two weeks or die.” They were really, really scared.

But then Max remembered. He’d been to the building with the green van parked next to it, and on the top floor, that was where the guy was trying to eat Rosie. So basically, the only choice they had was to die by getting tied to a plate and get eaten, or die by getting found and getting cut in half and getting eaten. Or, they could stay in the sewer. That was an option Max made up, but that was the same option as the second one because the guy knew he was in the sewer. Max didn’t know that.

Five days later, right before they were both thinking that each other was bad guys, he realized something. He couldn’t do the third option. And Rosie and Emily didn’t put ants in each other’s pants. The Guy put ants in their pants! And why he couldn’t do the third option was because he knew they were in the sewer! He was so scared. He wanted to just tell it to Rosie, but he had to tell it to Emily and Matthew because he didn’t want them to die. So he told it to everybody else.

Now, Matthew and Emily decided that they would show Rosie and Max the way out. So, when Rosie and Max were about to give up hope, Matthew and Emily told them that they were down there on purpose. But they were hungry and tired, and they would be really happy to show them the way out. Rosie and Max were thrilled. They were jumping with joy.

But Matthew and Emily said that it might take a half an hour. But Rosie and Max were okay with that. So they kept jumping with joy.

They brought their food and everything they brought, and followed Matthew and Emily. They walked a half an hour until they saw a ladder. And then Matthew and Emily said, “Watch out. This ladder is really old.” It had cracks in it, with dust and made cracking sounds as you stepped on it. But they wanted to get out, so they climbed up.

It took them five minutes! But when they got up, they were so happy that they ran to their house. But before they ran, they asked Emily and Matthew if they wanted to live with them. They said yes. They were really surprised that they invited them to live in their house.

But the guy checked the sewer. And they weren’t there. He wasn’t happy. He stomped his feet. So the only place they could be was their stick house. But he always did his work in night time, because in day time they were awake. So, he waited until they were asleep.

Finally, it was nighttime, and they all went to sleep, in their sleeping bags. So the guy snuck into their house and took Rosie, Emily, he was about to take Matthew and Max… But they were sleeping and they kicked him by accident. The guy thought they were awake and were pretending to be asleep, so he left them alone.

They woke up and they were about to say good morning to Rosie and Emily, but they weren’t there! So Max said to Matthew, “I know where he is!”

“Okay,” said Matthew. “As long as I can rescue Emily, I’ll come with you.”

But the building with the green van was a long walk from there. So they walked for an hour, and then they stopped. They had to buy some Rice Krispies. So they walked for another hour, and then they stopped. They had to buy some butter. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy some marshmallows. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a cookbook. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a microwave. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a cooking tray. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy cooking spray. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a pan. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a cooking spoon. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a bowl. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a bag. So they walked for another hour. They had to buy a tray to serve desserts.

Finally, they got there. Matthew didn’t know why Max was buying all this stuff, but Max was buying the stuff cause he had a plan. Max checked again if the elevator was working, but it wasn’t, so they had to use the stairs. They walked up one flight of stairs. It felt like a million flights. They walked for another flight of stairs. And another one. And another one. And another one. And another one. And another one. And another one. And finally, they got to the restroom sign. Matthew didn’t notice that the stairs was curved to the right a little bit, so he walked straight. Bam! He fell. But before he fell, Max caught his arm and pulled him up. He was really heavy, but he did it anyway.

When Max pulled Matthew up, he said to him, “Watch your step next time.” So they both used the bathroom, and walked another flight up. And another flight. And ten more flights. And then, they saw the other sign that said, “If you’re going to the top, ten more flights of stairs.” And he saw the same marker writing that said, “Do not go up. Work is being done.”

So they went up ten more flights of stairs, and they got there. But Max forgot about the crooked step! But he was still holding on to Matthew’s hand. But Matthew was very smart, and he noticed that that was a crooked step. So Matthew was holding onto Max’s hand, and before Matthew could tell Max that it was a crooked step, he stepped on it! But Matthew held on. They pulled themselves up, and Max remembered the right door. But they stayed out the door and started making Rice Krispies Treats with ingredients he collected. Finally, when they were finished, they went through the door and they were just in time. Max said, “If you don’t eat my friends, I’ll give you a nice, big platter of microwaved Rice Krispies Treats with a cookbook so you can make even more.”

The guy liked this idea very much, so he agreed. He gave Max his friends back. Max gave him the cookbook and Rice Krispies Treats. Max and his friends went back home, and they lived happily ever after.

The end.

The Rainbowfish

A ripple, breaking through the surface.

A silvery stripe, flying through the air,

and then it’s gone, just as quickly as it had come.

The lake’s quiet, calm surface makes me shudder.

I dip a toe into the murky, uncertain water, and shiver.

Another ripple, a silver stripe.

Here. There. Gone.

Minnows are everywhere.

The ripples send an eerie silence,

followed by a cool, clammy gust of wind,

shoving itself up my spine.

Another ripple, this time far away.

Plunk! Now, I hear a loud splash.

Minnows have always been so quiet, so mysterious.

I rush over to the ripple waves, dancing in the water.

But the fish is gone.

Pulled from my grasp like water through my fingers.

Plunk! I’m sure it’s the same fish.

I run over just in time to see a shiny, coated color,

I can’t make out what color it is.

Then, as he disappears beneath the murky water,

I sigh in defeat, and wait.

My heart is pounding, and the wind ripples through my hair.

I sit on the edge of the lake, waiting.

I wait until the sun goes down,

until stars start peeking out from the dark sky.

But there is no ripple.

No Plunk!

No splash, as I sit and wait.

I wait for hours,

and as I’m just about ready to give up,

I see it again.

A larger fish than the nearby minnows,

the beauty darts through the air

right in front of my face,

sending a splash my way.

But I don’t care.

My picture is all I need.

Proof that there are more fish than minnows in this lake.

Proof that other life exists,

that all my friends had said about minnows was wrong.

I glance at the photo coming from the old Polaroid,

and I see that I was right.

The rainbowfish seems to dance and gleam,

even in the black-and-white photo.

I smile and shake my head,

and as I head for home,

I catch a streak of rainbow in the corner of my eye.

 

The Rewind

I watch the ocean passing by me. I hear the wind whooshing around and a little bit of sea water sprinkles on me. I listen to the big waves and I watch as days go by. We still haven’t reached France. We travel for days watching them go from morning to late night, and then one morning I wake up and hear bells ringing and people talking. I look around and I am on the shore. The ship has stopped and I’m in France.

I walk off the ship with my young sister who is seven years old, and she starts whining about how long that was. Then she starts crying, saying she’s hungry, and tired and she wants to see Auntie Lucia. I pick her up and give her a piggy back ride and then she stops. She has always loved that. I watch her smile and that’s the first time in days that I’ve smiled. Ever since my dad died everything has been broken. But I finally decided to cheer up. I know it’s very sad and I’m heartbroken but all I can do is be happy. It’s Thanksgiving (in America), and I should try to enjoy it and then I can go back to the days of misery.

My sister and I get our luggage and we walk around the large city that we arrived in called Marseille. I try to find a place to eat that’s nearby to eat a small lunch, but all I can find is an ice cream/pastry shop. So my sister runs and looks in the window while I slowly walk with all the heavy luggage. It probably weighs like 25 pounds in all. Finally for what seems like hours of walking only one block I get to the pastry shop. I put the bags down and tell my sister to watch them while I order ice cream, but one thing I know now is never leave a young seven-year-old in charge of your bags and valuables because when you turn around they will be gone, and that’s what happens. I go to her to give her ice cream, but what I found was not my sister with our luggage.

My sister is sucking a lollipop she had taken from the store and the store manager says,  “You have to pay for that, missy, you can’t just go around taking food.”

So assuming she didn’t pay I hurriedly give the women money, run over and grab my sister hard and yell, ”Where did our luggage go? I gave you one simple job and you lose your clothes! Everything we have was there, including money and valuables.”

She stares into my eyes and whines, “You’re being so mean, I just wanted a lollipop.”

I start to sweat and I clench my fists together because I felt like I could just pick her up and drag her home. I almost do it, but instead I just pick her up and start walking toward my Aunt’s house. As I walk I eat my ice cream and all of the sudden my sister screams and wiggles because she isn’t getting ice cream.

She begins to throw a tantrum. I quickly grab her by her shirt and yell, “Quit it, that’s enough, behave yourself! You’re acting like a baby. Look around, I don’t see any other seven-year-olds crying like you do. You lost our stuff and stole a lollipop you don’t get any ice cream, so stop complaining!” But that didn’t do anything, except make her cry more,

I give her one last chance and say, “If you don’t stop right now I will leave you here, you can stay right here on this street while I go and see Auntie. It’s your choice, You stop your racket and come home or you could  just stay here.” She should have stopped, but all she does is keep going.

So I walk away saying, “Bye, I’m going to see Auntie Lucia. That’s when she screamed and stomped and got so mad.

So I run over, pick her up and yell so hard, “Stop!” Then she stopped.

I pull her around the streets by her shirt dragging her because I am so mad about the way she was acting. I was sick of the baby coming out of her. We walk along the streets with everybody staring at us until I get to the house, put her down and try to say kindly,  “Now behave you have to be good in front of Auntie Lucia, do you understand?” I just see her small head nod and I give her a small kiss on the head to make her feel better. We walk into the house and I see Auntie come out of the kitchen. I run over to her and give her a big hug like I haven’t seen her in years because I haven’t really last time I saw her was eight years ago.

Then all of a sudden not expecting this at all, I see my mother. I stay frozen because I am very upset with her and I haven’t seen her in so long. I just stare blankly at my mom and continued to hug my aunt.

I look up at my aunt who’s admiring us (she does this every time) and she says, “Lana tu et tres grande, tu as combien ans?” That means “Lana you’re very big! How old are you?” in French.

I respond saying, “J’ai dix-sept ans maintenant,” meaning “I’m seventeen now.” I smile at her and tell her that next year I’m going off to college and we’re going to need someone to watch my sister, but since mom is not close to us anymore, I ask her if she could watch my sister.

She asks me to sit down at her dining room table, which is a beautiful piece of wood that she just added legs too and her dining room is filled with marvelous french antiques. Just as I go to sit down, she asks me where our luggage is, and that’s when I remember we lost our luggage. I sit down and say that someone stole it. She looks at me with sharp eyes and tells me in French that we will have to go shopping and get clothes and bathroom supplies that were going to  need. She tells me places we can go and things we can get, and we all talk for hours. We go out for a small walk and come back. When we get back my auntie tells me she prepared us a special Thanksgiving dinner. I am so pleased to hear this because in France they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving so it’s nice that that she thought of us. I set the table and we all sit down to eat. I see all the good-smelling foods that my aunt cooked for tonight. I can smell garlic, mashed potatoes with salt, and the turkey with gravy spread onto it. We serve the food once my aunt sits down to eat we are allowed to start.

I stuff a mouthful of turkey into my mouth and I can barely chew because there is so much food filling up my mouth. The turkey is delicious, and with the gravy it’s even better. It tastes juicy and fresh and my aunt added a tiny bit of honey, which makes it even better. Once I finish my meal, I get up from the dinner table wash the dishes and then go sit down on the crystal blue sofa. Once I sit down it’s obvious what’s coming next (my sister). So I decided to ask my aunt where my room is, every time it changes. My aunt was busy at the moment so my mom says, “Girls come, both of you. I’ll show you your room.”

I stop for a second thinking, “our room?” No that’s not happening. No way will I be sharing a room with my sister.

So I ask my mom, “ Uh, why did you say, our room? I can’t share a room with my sister, I don’t think that’s happening.”

“Darling, I’m sorry but I can’t save you from this one, that’s all the room we have,” whispers my mother.

“Excuse me. Did you just say you won’t save me from this one? When have you ever saved me? When have you been here for me, my whole life you were never here and now you pretend like you were. I grew up and took care of myself with dad, and you left me at the age of five, came back and then left. You don’t care about our family. I have been watching your daughter and my sister, taking care of her by myself for two years. You didn’t even bother to help. So no, don’t say you can’t save me from this one because you never saved me, you don’t know what I have saved myself from.”

I reach out for my sister’s hand and she takes it, we walk up stairs and I go into the room put my purse down and lock the door. My sister watches me looking at my every move while I just pace back and forth through the room. I finally sit down on the bed and I tell my sister that I want her to know how we grew up and who took care of her. She nods silently still staring at me with her beautiful hazel eyes, and her shining blonde hair.

When I was about five years old mother left, she said she would be coming back in two years, but she never did. She never came back for me or our dad. She said she had a ton of work and that involved travel, but it wasn’t all work. I thought she didn’t care about me and I was right. Dad took care of me until I was nine. That’s when mom came back. She acted like nothing happened and we played along, I guess I played along, but dad still loved mom. Then one day out of a sudden, mom said she was having a baby and that’s when she had you. At the time I wasn’t pleased because I was upset that she just got to come right back and have a baby.

I didn’t understand how my dad just fell right into her. But I  just kept playing along until you were born and then a year later. When I was 12 mom left again, this time she didn’t say anything, she only left while I was at school and dad was at work and she was supposed to be taking care of you.

Dad picked me up from school and I went home and when we got home you were crying and you had gotten out of your crib somehow and fallen. We settled things and looked everywhere for mom but I knew she had left us once and for all. We lived the rest of the years happily until dad died when you were five and I was 15. I was devastated because I didn’t know how to take care of you and I didn’t know what to do. But I did know that for a year we had to stay undercover because I was only 15 and I had to be 16 to take care of you. I took care of you for two years until now when I’m 17 I don’t have much time left with you since I will have to go off to college.

I finished my story and told my sister not to worry. I tucked her in bed and I went downstairs. Once I was downstairs I went over to my aunt and said, “I think we are going to have to go home soon. I’m sorry but I can’t stay here with my mom, she has done too much damage to this family.” I tell her I love her and it’s not her it’s my mom and I’m sorry. I go upstairs, brush my teeth, put my pajamas on and get into the cozy warm bed.

Next thing I know is my sister is on top of me saying, “Morning, morning, good morning!” multiple times. I open my eyes wide and pull the covers off to get out of bed. I get ready and me and my sister go downstairs to have breakfast. Aunt Lucia made us scrambled eggs and croissants, with a special chocolate one for my sister.

We finish our delicious meal clean up and my mom says, “Why don’t we go to the museum? It’s beautiful.” Again, she acts like nothing ever happened.

I pretended she didn’t say anything and then I say in a bratty way on purpose, “Oh were you talking to us? Sorry, didn’t hear you, but we can’t. We were thinking to go to the zoo.”

My mother stares into my eyes sharply and whispers in an angry way,“The closest zoo is far away, and it will take you a long time to get there.”

I tell her, “It’s fine, it’s always good to walk and get exercise.” And then I put on my shoes and ask if my aunt wants to come. She says she would love to and she gets a map. I quickly push her out because I don’t want to talk to my mom anymore and we leave. I’m really happy that she said yes and we didn’t have to go with my mom because if I had to go with her I would end up having the worst day ever. We walk down the streets to the subway and we go about three stops (not long like someone said) and then walk a block until we reach the zoo. We pay euros and we walk around the zoo. They have really nice animals. Racoons, baboons, giraffes, penguins, meerkats, birds, lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, kangaroos, zebras, panthers, and wolves.

I walk by loads of animals and admire them for a while. I draw a few and keep going. This zoo is so beautiful and they have thousands of animals. I think we’ll have to come back to see the other half of the zoo.

I keep walking and then while I’m drawing I hear my sister yelling, “Lana, Lana, Lana, look at the animals! They are so cute.”
I laugh because she is reaching her arm in and jumping up and down so I mumble laughing while saying, “Alice, you’re going to scare the animals, I know they’re cute but don’t scare them, why don’t you go feed the ducks?”

She shrieks and jumps up, then runs over to feed the ducks. I hear her going, “Quack quack quack” with the ducks and I smile happily. I wonder to myself for a minute and then get back to my drawing.

Once we get to Aunt Lucia’s house I notice it seems empty, I pause for a minute and look around and notice a small note on the ground. I pick it up and its says “goodbye.” I open it up and read out loud.

To Lana and Alice,

I know things haven’t been perfect between us and I made a little mistake but, I keep trying and trying to be friends and you don’t seem to accept me. I wanted to come back but I  just felt like I already left and I can’t come back. I’m sorry if this hurts you because I know deep inside you love me but I can’t be with you if you won’t accept me as your mother. Maybe I didn’t grow up with you and I wasn’t there for you but you’re still my daughters and your still related to me, so since you won’t accept me as your mother I can’t stay. I’m sorry but I’ve left fFance and gone back to America where you grew up so you can stay here and be with your aunt.

Love,

your mother

I think about what she said and I’m really glad she left, I don’t mind it doesn’t hurt because my aunt is my mother to me.  My mother is just a selfish woman who  doesn’t care about anyone else or her family.  I don’t need to live with her and I’m just fine for another year with my sister and my aunt. Then I go off to college and my aunt takes care of my sister. I think I can handle a few years without my mom.

Five years later

“Lana, Lana wake up! Come on, we’re gonna be late for class, also today is our last day of college!” my roommate Coral tells me.

I lift my head up only hearing the last few words she said, “last day of college.” I jump out of bed and think to myself, “Last day, it’s been such a short four years. Oh and I almost forgot, I get to see my sister. I can’t believe she will be 11 years old. I think it will be much easier to take care of her. I haven’t seen her in four years! Because college has been very stressful.”

Coral calls me again and I tell her I’m ready to leave. I quickly stuff everything into my bag and we get to class. I get to school and I see a lot of my best friends crying. We talk about what we are going to do for  the next few years and we enjoy our last day. When I finish my last course of college for the year, I walk out and meet Coral and Avery and Alex and we go eat lunch at this ramen food place. I tell them that I get to be with my sister in four days and I will move to Australia for two years while my aunt takes care of my sister, and then I will come back to my sister and take care of her for a few years while I’m in grad school. Everyone else tells me their adventures, and that’s the end of college.

Four Days Later

I see my tall, skinny, beautiful sister run out the door and she grabs me tight. I hold her for a long time because I can’t believe I haven’t seen her in four years. She tells me she missed me so much and everyday for the first few years she would go to bed crying because she didn’t have me around, then she got used to it but would think about me all the time. We have a small conversation outside and then we go into the house with my sister still clinging onto me and and I see my aunt. I go up to her and squeeze her hard. She asks me thousands of questions about college and I tell her my stories. We eat dinner, and watch this French movie that my grandmother loves, called Cache. I get ready for bed and my sister hops in my bed with me, I snuggle her close to me and feel her warm body breathing softly. I give her a kiss and tell her to sleep.

That’s the end of my story, sweetheart. That’s what my life was like, that’s how I grew up. My mother was never close to me, and so we never saw each other after that. But don’t you worry, you will always be my small little princess and I will never do anything to you that my mother did to me. Now close your eyes — tomorrow will be a beautiful new day.

 

The Race

Once Bob had to stay at Uncle Steve’s house. Bob loves Uncle Steve’s house. It has pizza, it has a park in his backyard, and a magical toilet which Uncle Steve doesn’t know. Bob told Uncle Steve, “You have a magical toilet!”

“Do I really have a magical toilet?”

“Sure you do.”

“You want to check it out?”

“Okay, fine.”

So they went in. Uncle Steve was surprised. We are video game people? he thought.

It was about Sonic racing. So Bob and Uncle Steve got onto a car. The other racers were Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Dr. Eggman, and Shadow.

“So Uncle Steve, there are four races. Also if you’re first you get ten points. If you are second you get eight points. If you are third you get six points. If you are fourth place you get four points. If you are fifth place you get two points. And if you sixth place you get one point. And after the four races if you have the most points you win.”

Three, two, one race. So Uncle Steve drove as fast as he could.

“OOOOO there is a power-up! Get that, Steve.”

So far they were in second place. When they got the power up they had three missiles. They used it all on Sonic. They were in first place so far. They got the next power up and then it was the boost power up. So far they were really ahead of everyone. They were in the second lap while everyone else was in the first lap. After two minutes, everyone came into the second lap but they were already in finishing the second lap. So far they were in the third lap. When they got the third power-up it was the boost power-up and then that power-up made them go almost to the end. After thirty-three seconds they finished the race. And then they were like, “We’re first!” A minute later, everyone else finished.

On the board they showed, Uncle Steve and Bob were first. Sonic was second. Tails was third. Shadow was fourth. Knuckles was fifth and the Evil Dr. Eggman was sixth.

“Uncle Steve, my advice is to go on the left side,” Bob said. “The race starts in three, two, one, race.”

They were really ahead of everybody except Sonic. He knew the trick.

“Get that boost power-up.”

So they got it. They were ahead of everyone. So far they were on the second lap. As soon as they were in the middle of the second lap Sonic caught up and was first place. But then Uncle Steve and Bob caught up with the boost up. Then Sonic got three missiles and used on Steve and Bob. So far they were in the third lap. Then Steve and Bob got three missiles and used it on Sonic. So far they almost to the end of the race. They saw a power-up. They got the boost power-up they finished the race.

“We’re first again!” A minute later Sonic and Tails finished. And three minutes later everyone else finished. On the board they showed Bob and Steve were first. Both Sonic and Tails were second. Knuckles was third. Shadow was fourth. And Dr. Eggman was fifth. The points were Steve and Bob with 20 points. Sonic with 16 points. Tails with 14 points. Knuckles and Shadow with eight points. And Dr. Eggman with three points.

Dr. Eggman was so mad at Steve and Bob.

“You two weiners better come here right now!!!” But they did not come. So instead Dr. Eggman came.

“I am going to push you out of this video game!”

So he used all his might to push them. Dr. Eggman was so strong he pushed them out of the video game.

“Whatever, let’s just flush the toilet,” Bob said.

So they did. As the toilet was flushing down water was dumped on their heads.

“We are back.” Just as they were back, the break was over. So they went into their car. The third race was really short. Three, two, one, race. So they zoomed as fast as he could, so that Dr. Eggman couldn’t see them. But Sonic caught up. The race was so short that there were no power-ups. So far they were in the third lap that’s how short it was. Well bad news, Sonic won. Both Bob and Uncle Steve and Tails were second. Shadow was third. Knuckles was fourth. And Dr. Eggman was fifth. The points are Bob and Uncle Steve at 28 points. Sonic at 26 points. Tails at 22 points. Shadow at 14 points. Knuckles at 12 points. And Dr. Eggman at five points.

“So Bob and Steve, you got back in?” said Dr. Eggman. “I am going to,” but he didn’t get a chance to finish, because at that point, the last race was about to start.

“Come on! I was just about to push you out of the video game.”

They zoomed to their carts. It was the loopty loop race.

“My advice is to go on the right loopty loop. Three, two, one, race.”

So they took the right loopty loop. But this time Tails followed them. And also there were no power-ups. They were now on the second lap. But they did not want Tails to follow them, so they took the left loopty loop while Tails took the right loopty loop. 50 seconds later, Steve and Bob were on the third lap, while Tails was in the middle of the third lap. Tails took the left loopty loop. So Bob and Steve took the right loopty loop. Both Bob and Steve and Tails were almost done with the last lap. Both of them met at the finish line. After 2 minutes everyone else finished. On the board they showed Bob and Steve and Tails were first. Shadow at second place. Sonic at third place. Dr. Eggman at fourth place. And Knuckles at fifth place. The points are Steve and Bob at 38 points. Tails and Sonic at 32 points. Shadow at 22 points. Knuckles at 14 points. And Dr. Eggman at nine points.

“We got the cup!”

“Now we like to present Bob and Steve.”

So they walked up and got the cup. They did their speech. It took them about 15 minutes. After that everyone said good game. But Dr. Eggman did not say good game because he was in the loser spot. After 12 minutes Bob and Steve asked, “Dr. Eggman, could you push us out of the video game?”

Dr. Eggman was surprised. “Is that really you?”

“Yes!”

“Egghead, just push them out,” said Sonic and Tails. So he did.

“Well, now since we are in the real world, I could eat pizza.” So he did.

“What about me?” Bob said.

“Keep that trophy with your other trophies. Seems like pizza is your dinner. Because it is 12:00 a.m. Well, good night Bob.”

“Good night, Steve.”

Well, Bob did not sleep. He was just playing with his iPad! He only slept at 3:00 a.m.! His dream was about Sonic and Tails. And Steve’s dream was about Dr. Eggman being defeated by Sonic and Tails.

THE END!    

The Pyramid Snake

Chapter 1

Aset woke up. She looked at her pet scarab beetle, Ra.

“Get down here and start cooking breakfast!” yelled her mom.

“Alright, I’m coming,” she said.

She felt like a servant in her own house. Ever since her dad had married that witch. She felt really sad. She went down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her father wanted a piece of toast, so her mother said bossily, “Make sure it’s extra crispy!”

“I’m going,” she said.

She put the toast into the toaster and waited. Then she put the toast onto the table for her dad and then went back upstairs to feed her beetle. “Here you go, Ra. At least you’re having fun. I’d better get ready for school,” she said. She got dressed. She put on her favorite light blue dress and head scarf. She then got her backpack and went outside to wait for the bus.

She almost forgot that she had no school today! She was so happy! She was going to the Nile to see her friend that fished. So she caught a bus to the Nile River. When she got there, she found her friend, Saraba. He said, “Hello Aset, shouldn’t you be at school?”

She answered, “School is cancelled today because the teachers have to take grades.”

Saraba said, “Do you want to see some of my catch? I think I caught a baby crocodile!”

“Cool, let’s go!”

They went down to Saraba’s boat to see the baby crocodile and when they got there the netting was torn up!

“Oh no! The crocodile must have torn up all your nets!” said Aset.

“I can always get new ones by trading my catch in. If he didn’t eat them all.’’

“Let’s go to the market and get you some right now.”

So they went on the bus to the market to trade for some very nice nets. At the market, Aset decided to get herself an amulet. She decided to get an Eye of Horus. It was made out of silver. She paid $2 for it. She felt like it was a really good deal!

“That necklace looks really cute on you, Aset!” said Saraba.

“Thanks,” Aset answered. “Let’s catch a bus.”

When they got on the bus, they rode by the Sphinx and Aset felt her necklace growing hot. What the huh?! she thought. Okay, a necklace is not supposed to be like that.

Saraba looked at her. “What’s up, Aset?”

“Oh nothing, I’m doing fine, thanks!”

“Just thought something was wrong. Why is your necklace glowing?”

“What, my necklace is glowing?”

Then she looked at it and said, “What the—?”

Then a bright light enclosed her and she felt really light like a feather. She was a bird! She had transformed into a peregrine falcon! She was flying!

This didn’t look like the Cairo she knew. It was old and there were huts everywhere. Of course, she had travelled into the past.

She was flying toward a majestic palace. Aset saw that it was breathtaking. It was beautiful, covered in a thin layer of gold and jewels.

In the middle, there was a small pyramid with the same symbol her necklace had. In front of it were three cards which looked like three monsters from a card game she liked to play. One had a winged dragon, the other had a grey giant on it, and the third was red with two heads on it.

Of course, those were the fabled Egyptian God Cards. They were the rarest and most powerful cards in all of Duel Monsters. Oh!

The necklace that was behind the cards was the millennium puzzle. It was a really rare Egyptian artifact that had the power to transform people into a powerful being. But nobody knew where it was!

The Egyptian God Cards were Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, and the Winged Dragon of Ra. The rarest cards in the game. Aset changed out of her bird form and entered the palace. It had a luscious garden. She was in awe! It was amazing. She went into the palace and then she saw a room at the end of it. What the huh? She went towards the room. It was breathtaking and beautiful and looked like a Duel Monsters video. There were hieroglyphics— she definitely did not know how to read hieroglyphics. Let’s see, it said: “If the Egyptian God Cards were to fall into the hands of the Sorcerer of the Snake they would become the snake of Apollos. And destroy Egypt.”

Then she saw a light coming out of another room and thought this must be the throne room. She went into the throne and it was simple. Gold with the Eye of Horus in the middle of it. Then she heard footsteps behind her. She ran behind a column that was in the room. The king was so cool! He had put the millennium puzzle around his neck. He had spiked hair and he seemed quite worried. She heard him muttering to himself, “The Force of the Snake keeps challenging me. The next thing I know he will be in my very own castle.”

He was the one who decided the monster that I imprisoned in stone would be used for evil. I must find a way to control the Egyptian God Card and make Ra the invincible god.

Then Aset left the room. Become an advisor. Perhaps she could become an advisor to this king. She knew how to. All she had to do was challenge the current advisor to a duel!

But where was she supposed to get cards? All of her cards were in her era of Egypt. How was she supposed to do it now? Wait a minute, he must have been the king who imprisoned the monster in stone so all she had to do was find magicians to bring them back from stone. But where was she going to find the magicians?

Then her necklace suddenly started to glow again. It was the same as before, just it was golden and bigger. And of course it must have been the Millennium Items. The Millennium Puzzle, the Millennium Ring, the Millennium Key, the Millennium Eye, the Millenium Weights, Millenium Rod, and the Millennium Necklace.

They were really powerful. Maybe if Aset could get all of the Millennium Items then the king and she would have a chance to defeat the Snake Sorcerer!

One of the Sorcerer’s Minions had to be in the castle. Wait a minute, maybe he was the adviser! Maybe I should talk to him? She went to the throne room. And in the throne room that held the king, she approached him and said, “What is your question, fair person? I am here to become an advisor. My name is Aset. I am the bringer of life.”

“Of course Aset, you may try to be my advisor. My old advisor quit and joined the snake side. Since then nobody has asked to be my advisor, but since you are the first person, you may.”

“Thank you great king, but who is the Snake Sorcerer? I am just a girl who has travelled a long distance and I’ve not heard of this so called Snake Sorcerer.”

“When I was new to the throne, there were monsters ravishing and destroying the land, but a group of wizards who called themselves the Snake Tribe found a way to bring the monsters out of the stone and into my beautiful kingdom once more.”

“Oh, that sounds bad. But first I need a set of these dueling stones you speak of, because I know that it’s the royal law. Somebody who wants to take the throne has to challenge the advisor and then the king.”

“Very well, I have a lot of good duelling stones. Well, I was outside making sure if I could seek your counsel when I saw what looked like three cards. Those are the Power Cards, my family has had them for generations. They are obviously very precious to the line of the pharaohs. Yes and I intend not to lose them.”

“First you must go into your room where I will get a change of clothes for the banquet.”

“Yes, my lord.”

She followed two servants into a room that was very nice. It was wonderful and very simple. There was a bed on one side and a small closet on the other and there was a large mirror that had two Egyptian hieroglyphics on them. Then she saw that there was a change of clothes on the bed.

Wow. This is very nice. She got all of the clothes on the bed. It was a very simple white dress and cork sandals. Then she put on her necklace and went out to the Great Hall to eat at the banquet.

She sat down at the seat to the right of the king. When she was eating, a messenger came up to the king and whispered in the king’s ear and the king said, “I must have them moved elsewhere.”

Then she asked, “My king, I overheard you saying something to that messenger. Where does it need to be moved?”

“The Snake people tried to take my cards, so I’m hiding them.”

“Where are you hiding them, my lord?”

“I don’t know yet, but I have a small idea that there is a small pyramid in the small port town named Alexandria.”

“A-a-a-alexandria?”

That was where her mom was last seen!

“We are taking our chariot there in the morning.”

“My lord, where shall we stay?”

“At a palace I own there. But only pack necessities such as food, clothes, and your duelling stones which I shall have sent to you in the morning.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Aset went to her room. Maybe I can find my mother, she thought. She was last seen there in the north at an archaeological dig. Maybe she got zapped back in time like me and is waiting for me there. I can do this! I’d better go to bed now.

When she got up in the morning, something was wrong. She went to the dining hall. The king was muttering.

“What is wrong, my king?”

“Somebody murdered two horses last night. And then a big boom came from the entrance hall!”

Chapter 2

The hissing of snakes entered the hall. A raspy voice called out, “Pharaoh, I am here to take the cards. Give them to me. Alexandria and Egypt shall be spared. You have 24 hours to decide: do you want your precious kingdom or your cards?”

Then the slithering of snakes went back out of the castle. The king looked as pale as the Egyptian sun. He looked terrible. He didn’t know what to do. He said, “I must go to my chamber and consult. Our trip to Alexandria must be put on hold. We will still be heading to Alexandria to meet his needs, but first my advisor and I must consult in my bedroom.”

They went down the hall passed the throne room to a golden door that had one hieroglyphic on the door: the anklet, the symbol for which she was named for.

“Aset.”

“What is it, my lord?”

“What if you were to replace the cards with fakes, that way the snake magician wouldn’t know they’re actual fakes?” said Aset. “Then they wouldn’t have the actual cards and Egypt and the cards would still belong to you!”

“That is a brilliant idea!” said the king. “I’ll have my best artist get on it at once.”

Five hours later they were riding in the king’s chariot to Alexandria when they saw a great red pyramid. Aset was shocked because in Egypt, red means chaos and black is the color that symbolizes goodness. They rode up to the pyramid to see that there were cobras all over it.

“The pyramid snake!” it occurred to Aset. The pyramid was made out of giant snake skin.

It seems to be radiating chaos, destruction, and bad stuff in general and the sky around it seemed to be black.

Aset thought it was really creepy. Whoever ran that thing must be messed up big time. It gave her the chills just looking at it. She was shocked at seeing it. Maybe her mother was inside that pyramid. Maybe she got pulled back in time, too. She was going to find her mom! A cobra came up to them. In a raspy voice he said, “Giiive me the caaardsss…”

The pharaoh caught the cards out of a small purse and then got out of the chariot and put them in front of the snake. The snake took them in his mouth. Then he slithered back to the pyramid. Everybody in Egypt held their breath. The snake came slithering back.

“You can keep your land, but my master says he will grant one question to him for the cardsss.”

Aset spoke up, “Do you know where my mother is?”

The snake said, “What is your mother’s name?”

“My mother’s name is Aset Osera.”

The snake slithered back to the pyramid.

“Here is where your mom is. In the place of the golden sands, where the snake’s enemy resides, your mother is there waiting in the sands of time.”

“Thank you,” replied Aset.

Then she and the king drove back to the palace.

“Excuse me, Aset.”

“Yes, my lord?”

“I think I have a small idea about where your mother is.”

“You do?” Aset gasped. “Where is it?” she asked anxiously.

“There’s a temple to Ra in the west and there is said to be a great hourglass. I think what the snake was referring to as the sands of time, he meant the hourglass. Your mother must be imprisoned inside the hourglass waiting for you in the west. Ra the sun!”

Of course, why didn’t she think of that. They are representing Apollos, the bringer of destruction. Ra defeats the guy of the underworld every night.

“Okay. I’ll get the horses so we can go there now!”

They both ran to the stables. Aset chose a beautiful white horse. The king chose a proud and handsome chestnut-colored one. The king called to the stable hand, “Get these horses saddled up, we need them immediately!

The stable hands got their reigns. Aset said they should ride bareback. They galloped out of the stalls and into the desert.

Their horses galloped along as they kept their eyes peeled, looking for the temple.

Aset thought of something. Maybe if she turned into a hawk again, that would make it easier. Her horse seemed to know what she was going to do so her horse stopped and she dismounted and then the horse ran back to the stables. The king stopped his horse.

“Aset, what are you doing?”

Well, I think I am going to turn into a hawk, but if it doesn’t work, we’re riding double.”

She thought about a hawk. There was a flash of light and suddenly she was a peregrine falcon! She took off and the king gave a command for his horse to start going. She felt like she was being drawn to something. Ra often gave off a vibe that drew hawks near it. Maybe that was the temple where her mom was!

Follow me, she said telepathically. I think I have an idea where the temple is.

Then the king turned his horse around and followed Aset. She could kind of see something in the distance. It looked kind of like a temple.

Then they began zoning in on the temple. She felt excitement. Is mom there? She looked out and saw a bad thing… it was a giant cobra. It was so freaking cool, she thought. She fainted on the spot. Wow, that is a big snake.

The snake looked back at her. Then it started to speak in a weird language. The only words she caught were “amulet” and “Ra.” Then the snake turned into sand.

Oh, that was weird. OH, THE AMULET OF RA! It is an amulet of immense power which her mom was trying to excavate! If the two were connected—

Boom!!!

What was that? A giant falcon flew in. It looked straight at Aset. Its eyes pierced into her soul. It was like they had met before. Its eyes looked like her moms, beautiful amber eyes. Hey! Maybe it was mom transformed. I mean, like, extremely smaller.

It was completely creepy. Aset just wanted to go home.Then the falcon touched her…

then she was in her bedroom, but it didn’t look like her bedroom at all. In her bedroom, her wallpaper was lilac, but this paper was a dark, midnight blue with silver stars stenciled all over the ceiling. Hey! This looked like her mom’s bedroom when she was a kid! Yup, it was definitely her mom’s.

She heard footsteps. She had to hide! So she chose to hide behind the desk. A girl had just entered. It was…it was! Her MOM?! Expect younger, and not disappeared? It looks like she was around Aset’s age, ten or twelve perhaps. She was wearing a light cotton dress with a midnight blue headscarf. Hey, that headscarf was the same shade of blue that Aset had! Her mom seemed deeply disturbed about something. What a minute, Aset remembered her dad telling her something about her mom once. Oh right! When her mom was twelve her parents got divorced. She must have landed a few months before they got divorced. That falcon must have dropped her off in her mom’s timeline. All she had to do was figure out how to get back to her timeline. Okay, so if she could figure out how the falcon brought her here, she could figure out how to get back.

“Okay, Aset, first review how your got to ancient Egypt in the first place. Okay, first I know when I passed by the Sphinx my necklace, oh, wait! where’s my necklace? Oh yeah, it’s in my shirt, silly me! When I passed by the Sphinx, my necklace transported me to ancient Egypt. Maybe if I could connect some way to the Sphinx and my necklace.”

Here mom was obsessed with the Sphinx, which was built by King Delsipher between 30 BC and 40 BC and the tomb of King Delsipher was rumored to have connection to a great treasure in Egypt. Aset saw the necklace on her mom’s desk. It didn’t have any security, but then again it wasn’t the 21st century, so she was pretty sure they didn’t have lasers. All Aset had to do was grab the necklace from her mom’s desk put the necklace around her neck and zap herself out of there. Although she was pretty hungry. Zapping through timelines was extremely exhausting. She grabbed the necklace and put it on. Hopefully she wouldn’t be blasted into oblivion. She felt this really warm glow around her and brilliant flash of light. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ra her pet scarab beetle and…

“Hey, it looked just like this morning, my parents must be worried, well not my evil step-mother…I need to get some breakfast! I am STARVING!” So she headed downstairs, and said in surprise, “How did I get back at three in the morning? Well, on the bright side, at least I remembered that I don’t have any school today.”

So she snuck out of the house. She was going to the library. She walked as quickly as she could. She hoped that it was open. As she turned the corner she saw something that was just so cool. She saw a bright light. She stepped into it. She suddenly felt powerful like a goddess. She was a goddess!

The Park Adventure

 

PART 1

One day I was walking in the park. I fell in a thin, deep hole! I fell inside water, but I could still breathe, and the whole world was there! I saw over the hills, and a big mountain was over there! The hill was amazingly big, just with a tiny, tiny house on top. Under my feet, I saw a treasure chest! There was a shark swimming over it, but it was under me, and the treasure chest was even deeper.

The shark swam away. I swam down and opened the treasure chest and I found a portal and a letter. The portal was purple, and the middle was gold. It was moving clockwise! The letter said: “Jump in this portal!” and it was signed from my great great grandmother! I was really surprised! She had written, “Jump inside this portal. You will have to go through different portals to get home.”

I felt a little surprised, because I didn’t know my grandma would leave portals for me!

So, I jumped in, feeling really brave. At the end of the portal I ended up in a bathtub! I looked up, and I saw a sign with gold letters that said “Alien World.” There was also an alien bathing in the bathtub! He was green had only one eye, and six feet! He was going crazy when he saw me! He had his hand out and was shaking it, it looked like he was saying “STOP!” I had a little shock! Then, I went through the next portal inside the tub.

I saw a blue sign that said I was in Space World! I could tell, because I jumped on all of the asteroids. Then I went to the next portal, which was next to the other portal, because the sun and it was in my face.

I saw a sign with lots of gummy bears around it that said I was in Candy World. The floor was made out of gumballs! Then, I saw a snowball fight with kids, but with white cotton candy as the snowballs! There was also a big, fat, fat, donut factory, and I had a big, fat, fat donut! And I went in a palace! The palace was made out of whipped cream, with a cherry on top. I saw a picture that said “King Candy’s First Crown.” He had a big scarf on that was made out of licorice. His pants were made out of melted chocolate that were called “Spray on Jeans.” I knew they were spray on jeans, because when they took the photo, he was spraying it on! His first crown looked like a big gummy bear, and it was! It was a huge gummy bear stuck to his head, so nobody could steal it!

“So how did they get it off?” I thought.

He was looking at the picture too, and he was right next to me! And, I asked, “Wow, what you doing here?!” And, he was wearing his crown out of licorice and gumballs. And he brought a big gumball machine inside, and I asked, “Are you getting ready for something?”

And he told me “Yes. I am having a war with the Chocolate Army. I am going to get a bunch of licorice coins to put in this gumball machine and all of the gumballs will fire at them!”

King Candy asked me which side I was on. I told him I was a visitor. So, he said, “Go in this room for the war!”

I was in a ginormous room. On one of the walls, there was writing that said, “King Candy’s first room to make out of licorice.” I stayed in there for an hour. I made stuff out of wood from the walls. I made a family and one was an alien, and I played with them. King Candy and his servants won the battle. I knew because he told me after. He told me that it was easy to win, because most of the chocolates melted because it was a very hot day! Then he let me go.

Then, I went in the next portal that was outside King Candy’s castle. And I realized I was home!

I didn’t feel brave anymore. Maybe it was just for the mission. But, something wasn’t right. My whole family was tied up on a tree! I saw a black portal coming out from a tower, and loads of black robots came out! They tried to destroy the world. They were breaking everything with their lasers! They had to stop, but they wouldn’t! I thought I could stop them. My dad was a scientist and so I went into my house and into the lab. I took his newest invention that made people really really big! So, I went in it. I pressed the on button, then I went outside. I turned into a really big person, and it made me metal! So, I took all of the black robots down, with my hands. They only had lasers, so the lasers hit the metal and bounced back, and sometimes it would go to them, and they would get killed! I saved the world. It was easy, because I was made out of metal!

I realized that I never saw my great great grandmother ever again. It happened right when she was walking in the park. Maybe she fell in, and she got trapped in the alien world? She was very different from other people. She only had one eye and she was a little green when she went in bathtubs. Then, I just realized that my grandmother was an alien! Maybe she left portals for me to go into, so I could know that she was an alien! Me and my grandmother are not really close. Then, the next morning, I felt brave, and there was an another portal out my window.

 

PART 2

It was Christmas! I was very excited. We were going to have lots of fun. But then, my mom told me that my great great Grandmother is coming over to spend Christmas with us! Then I gasped, and I yelled, “Oh no!”

My mom asked me, “What’s the problem?”

I told her, “Nothing…”

My mom told me to keep these really really nice scissors in my pocket, for my great great grandmother. It was a Christmas Present. But then, the doorbell rang, and I opened the door. And then, I saw my great great grandmother and she said, “Come with me!” and she grabbed me and she took me into the portal, and she told me, “Something is wrong with Space World.” I said ,“Were you the alien?” and she said, “Yes. I went crazy, because I wanted you to stay and live with me there.”

“Where were you born?” I asked.

My great great grandmother told me, “I was born when my mother was between the Alien World and the Normal World, and her mom was also an alien. She had eight legs, and ten arms, and 500 brains, and she was the queen of the aliens. She was very special, and I didn’t tell you before, because I didn’t want you to tell anybody.”

Then she said, “And I think me and you can fix Space World, because you already went there. So, I thought both of us could do it together.”

“What happened?” I asked.

My great great grandmother said, “The path to Alien World with the asteroids is broken! It’s all mixed up, and all the asteroids are splatting all over the place, and people can’t get across it. So we need to drive my spaceship up and up and we need to hit asteroids and make them go in place!” So the spaceship went under water in a deep hole, and then it went up and up and up! We went up into the sky and I said, “Aaaa!” We went into space, but it wasn’t the same Space World that was part of the portal: we were much higher up. So we went higher and higher. Then we hit one asteroid! It went really close to the portal. It almost went in and we got a little worried, but it stayed. So then we tried hitting another one, but we ran out of gas! Then, luckily, an asteroid hit us, and made us go in the direction we wanted! The rocketship was on fire! But it didn’t burn the metal very much, so it looked like the fire was coming from the engine. So we kept trying to hit asteroids in the right place, but instead we actually built a big tower out of them, because they kept landing in the same place. So, then we actually could go in the tower, and we found another portal, but it was a black one-just like the one that came out of the tower with the robots- and we took a little adventure in it.

Then we saw all of the black robots in a castle. When we saw them, we hid behind a shelf. When they saw us hiding, they charged at us. But right when they were going to put a knife in us, they froze They were just charging and they ran out of battery!

My great great grandmother said, “Phew! That was close!”

We kept walking and walking until we could find the person who controlled the robots and try to capture that person. Then, we saw that my great great grandmother’s friend was there too. My great great grandmother told me about her, and she was an alien too, but with red skin, and with six eyes, and seven feet.

“She also goes on adventures, and sometimes she runs into me,” said Grandma. “And then, she normally helps me on some adventures to save the world!”

So, then she tried helping us, but we still couldn’t find the person who controls them!

But what if nobody controls them? My great great grandmother said, “Wear these glasses!” I said, “What do these do?”

She told me, “They’re X-Ray glasses. Tap them twice anywhere and they’ll turn on.”

I said, “Why do we even need to wear them?”

She said, “I think there’s something in the wall that controls them!”

So we looked and looked, and by accident I looked at the floor, but I saw something. It was a box! It said “ROBOT CONTROLLERS.” I told my great great grandmother and her friend, and we dug it out with a shovel. We found the shovel lying on the floor there, and then we dug the box up. And we looked in it, and there was a computer. We smashed it with the shovel, so the robots could not move anymore. The robots exploded too! It was pretty easy to smash, but then there were loads under it, because there were loads of robots! But the other ones were really hard to break. Then, we kept going, because we needed to find out who controlled the computers. And then we kept on going, and then we got captured in a huge net from the wall, and we heard a noise saying, “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

So then, we saw the person who controlled everything, and he told us his name. His name was called “THE CONTROLLER.” My great great grandmother said she knew him! She told me he always wanted to take over the world. He is half human, half alien. He has one leg, two eyes, ten brains, and one side of his stomach is green and the other side is brown. And he is really smart, because he is like two people!

I said to him, “Is that really your name?”

He was stomping on the ground, and moving his arms really strongly. He shouted, “No! My parents didn’t give me a name. But I don’t care. And now, I am going to take over the world!”

Then, I angrily screamed, “You can’t do that! You have to stop!”

And he said, “No!” in an, fierce, loud way.

Then, I felt a little worried. But I checked my pockets, because normally I’d have weird things in them that help me with stuff. Then I forgot about the scissors! I could cut the rope with them. So, then, I just cut the ropes, and everybody got out, and my great great grandma had a little screwdriver. I asked my great great grandmother where she got the screwdriver from. She forgot to give it back to the builder who came to her house, and he was also an alien. He had 16 legs! He had five brains, and three eyes! With the screwdriver, my great great grandmother made a hole in the ground. Then, I pushed the man into the big hole, and he couldn’t get out! Just for protection, we put the net over him, and my great great grandmother screwed it on the ground so he would never get out. He felt a little worried and angry. He was banging on the floor! He kept trying to get out, but he couldn’t!

Then we went back,and we saw all of the asteroids were in their place again,and we thought that The Controller was doing everything. So, we went down and down with the rocketship. My great great grandmother stayed over for Christmas, and her friend went to her house in Alien World.

THE END

 

The Perfect Pet

All my friends have pets. Dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, bunnies. They never mention their pets but it must be nice having something to play with after school or when you’re bored. I feel like I’m the only one that doesn’t have a pet. I’m Christina Waters. I have long blonde hair and blue eyes. I‘m tall and skinny. I never wear makeup unless it’s a special day. I live in california with my mom, my dad, my shy but adorable little brother Tylor, my little sister Taylor who is so chubby and stubborn, and my older sister Catherine. My mom is a doctor and my dad is a lawyer. Catherine is in 9th grade and is perfect at everything. She’s even captain of the cheerleading team. When somebody sees or hears our last name they think of the amazing doctor, or the cute little boy and girl, or the pretty and popular student. Not really me. My mom always wanted me to be like my sister but, I want to be a scientist when I grow up. I go to Rosemont Middle School and my best friend’s name is Violet White. She has 2 bunnies named Karel and Carl. I always go to her house to play with them. I want a pet. That is the first thing on my “I want” list. That and a more normal family.

I keep asking my mom if we can get a pet but she always gives me the same answer. She says I’m not responsible enough even though Catherine gets whatever she wants and she’s not responsible. Plus, if she’s so responsible then why did she lose all four of her makeup sets? But she’s the perfect daughter that Mom and Dad always wanted and loved. Mom says she had a bunny that she gave to Catherine before I was born. So unfair! Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong in my family. They all have something special and unique about them. What’s my talent?

Yesterday I went to the pet store called Pet-up to hang out with Ginger, my favorite dog there. She is a creamy brown and has a white spot on her left eye. Then I spotted Corey. She is the most popular girl in middle school and I’m so jealous! She spotted me and walked over. I moved away. She followed me. “Leave me alone,” I said.

“I don’t have to listen to you,” she said. I still had Ginger in my arms. She was scared and shaking. So was I. Corey snached Ginger from me. Suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore. I was mad! She couldn’t tell me what to do!

“You’re not the boss of me!” I grabbed Ginger and put her in her cage. Then I stomped out, thanking Mr. green, the manager, as I went.

The next day, my mom woke me up at 6:00 a.m.. “I need to go to a meeting. Can you watch Tylor and Taylor?”

“Why can’t Catherine do it?” I groaned.

“She has a big competition tomorrow, she needs rest,” mom replied.

“Fine,” I said.

And I rolled out of bed. The next thing I knew, Tylor was jumping on the bed that I just made. “Get off!’’ I said.

“There a doggie outside! Can we keep it?!” he screams. “

Keep doggie!” Taylor yells.

“No! Wait, what, yes! I don’t know. Let me see it!” I shout, running down the stairs. I open the door to reveal an adorable puppy on the front porch getting drenched in the rain. She was mostly a light amber brown and had a white spot on her right eye. She looked Just like ginger. I was going to name ner Amber.

Chapter Two

The next day after mom screamed at me for bringing a dog in the house. I dropped Amber off at Pet-up and told Mr. Green her name, where I found her, and her condition, then went home to babysit Tylor and Hannah.

One day when I walked into school, I saw a huge crowd of boys and girls at the bulletin board. There was a sign that read:

………………………………………………………….

Movie making

movie making competition

pairs of two can compete

middle schoolers only

best movie/film wins

1,000 dollars

………………………………………………………………………….

There was no way I was going to let this opportunity pass up. That money could buy me a pet! All I had to do was win this competition and prove to my mom I was trustworthy. But how? I could just act like Catherine. After all, she seems very trustworthy to mom. But who would be my partner? I could pair with one of the kids in any of my classes. There was Maya Blackwiler but she didn’t really know how to make films and wasn’t great on the computer. There was Garret Johnson but he didn’t know me that well. Then it hits me. I should do the project with Jackup Forester. He is nice, smart, and he’s in all my classes. I’ve bumped into him in the hall a couple of times and he should remember me. Plus, he looks like the kind of guy who Mom would be ok with. And, I like him a little bit. Fine, I like him a lot! He has spiky brown hair and big brown eyes. He’s tall like me and very strong. He’s on the football team. The bell rings. I walk into home room with a flyer. I had to win that competition. I had to get a pet.

Chapter Three

I spotted Jackup in the hall near his locker. I started walking up to him but when I passed Corey in the hall I heard her saying she wanted to be Jackup’s partner too. I sped up and got to him before her. “Here,” I said handing him the flyer. Corey was getting closer so I cut to the chase. “Do you wanna be my Partner?”

“Sure,” he replied.

“So what is our topic gonn-”

“Hi Jackup. Do you wanna be my partner for the movie making thingy?” Corey asked.

“Sorry Corey, but Christina already asked sooo … no,” he replied. Corey harumphed and walked away with her nose in the air, arms crossed. Score I thought. I have a partner and I have a chance of winning!

“Sorry mom, I promised Jackup I would go to his house so we could work on our project together, so I can’t watch Tylor tonight!” I yelled as I ran out the door. As I walked down the path I heard my sister yelling, “No Tylor! Thats my makeup! Play with one of your disgusting toy trucks that you find interesting for some weird reason that only Christina gets!! Mooommm!!!”

When I arrived at his house Jackup was waiting outside for me. “Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” I said back. “Do you have any ideas for what are topic for the film will be?” I said walking into his house.

“Nope, not really” he replied shyly. “You?”

“No,” I said. Then I looked up. His house was huge! To my right was a long winding staircase. There was a door next to it that I guessed led to the kitchen because there were amazing smells coming out of it. In front of me was a long hallway with doors on either side. Next to that was an open door that led to the dining room. To my left there was a room that had a desk and bookshelves filled with books. In the center of the room there was a table with a countless amount of special photographs of Jackup’s family. All framed. I hadn’t even seen the upstairs.  

“This is amazing!” I yelled.

“Thanks,” he said, “We had it built last year. Do ya wanna see the upstairs?”

“Yes!” I replied, running up the fancy stairs. When we got upstairs he showed me his room that had blue wallpaper and posters that lined the wall, his mom’s room, his dad’s room, the maid’s room, the bathroom, and his little sister Suzette’s room. Then he showed me the play room that had every toy or source of entertainment ever invented and the lounge with couches and stools and chairs. It had the biggest TV I’ve ever seen in the center of the grand room. finally he led me into the last part of the house: the balcony/terrace. It had big cushion chairs and a  wonderful view of down below the house.

“So cool,” I whispered in shock.

“Thanks,” he whispered back.

Jackup took me to the study and started looking at all the book titles. “What are you doing?’’ I asked, confused.

“Trying to find an interesting topic,” he said. Then a tall skinny woman wearing a dress walked into the room and shook my hand. A black-haired man in a suit came in after her and did the same.

“You must be Christina, Jackup’s research partner!” the woman said. “I’m Mrs. Forester but you can call me Abby. And this right here is Mr. Forester but you can call him Paul. Jackup told me all about you.” I looked over at Jakeup and he blushed. “Enjoy!” With that Abby strolled out of the room with Paul behind her. “Dinner will be ready in about one hour,” she called behind her.

“So now you’ve met my parents,” Jackup said. “I’ve got it!”

“Found  what?” I asked, confused. “Our topic,” he replied.

We worked for hours and hours that night and finally I went home.

That night was amazing.

Chapter Four

The next day in the morning, Tylor spilled his milk, Mom had a migraine, Dad was super tired, and Catherine had early cheerleading practice and I had to work on my film. The morning was crazy. Plus, Taylor wanted candy for breakfast and when I didn’t let her she started bawling. I ran to my room and slammed the door. I couldn’t take it. I’m only 14 not a babysitter or a nurse.

I pulled out my camera and sat down at my desk. then I started downloading pictures from my camera to my computer. Then Taylor shouts from downstairs, “Chrissy, a boy is here to see you. Don’t keep him waiting!! Hee, hee, ha!!’’ I run downstairs and push Taylor away. Jackup’s at the door. ‘’Did you work on our project yet?” he asked.

He was wearing jeans and a blue button down shirt. He looked nice. I was wearing my pajamas. I looked bad. I knew Jackup was trying hard not to laugh.

“Uhh, I was just doing that,’’ I said. “Do ya wanna come in and help?”

He glanced inside and said, “sure.” I brought him to my room and showed him the pictures I found and the videos I took. At 10:00 he left but so did everyone else. I was stuck babysitting. Again.

Chapter Five

“Family meeting! Family meeting! Everybody in the living room! Important news!!” Mom and Dad called. I ran down the stairs the same time Taylor and Tylor ran out of the kitchen. We collided. “Owwwwwwyyyyy!” we all said. Then we slowly got up. Taylor had a scrape on her arm, Tylor had a bruise on his leg, and I had a bump on the back of my head. Catherine came down the stairs all okay and perfect.

“Ugh,” she said when she saw us. “What else is new?” When we were all okay we sat on the couch and Mom gave us the news.

”We’re moving,” she said slowly.

“Noooooooo!” everyone cried.

“I’m moving away from Jackup,” I said.

“I’m moving away from Luckis!” catherine cried.

“We don’t care!” the twins yelled.

“We’re moving into Violet White’s neighborhood.” Everyone was silent.

“Yeessss!!!” I screamed.

Chapter Six

The moving van pulled up at 10:00 on Monday morning. It was big and blue and had white writing. I was helping Mom get the boxes out of the house. Catherine was inside, still packing. Tylor and Taylor were playing with bubbles on the lawn and Dad was wrapping the couch. This was going to be a long day.

We were in the car driving. It was going to be a 15 minute drive every day to go to school. I was sitting in the middle of Taylor and Tylor to keep them from fighting and Dad was in the back. Catherine got to sit in the passenger seat even though it was her turn to sit where I was sitting.  

When we arrive at the new house, I’m surprised at the size. It’s at least double the size of the old one. Mom tells me my room is the biggest. Then she tells me when the movie making competition is. It’s in one week! How can we finish our film? I zoom over to Jakeup’s house on my bike and tell him the news. We have a snack of graham crackers and cheese then we work on our film. We’re almost done. When I get home the house is all unpacked. It looks amazing.

Mom told me my friend called and she wants to have a sleepover. First I’m thrilled. Then I’m confused. What friend? Mom sees the look on my face and tells me my old friend that called was Lily Renold!! We met in first grade and she was my best/only friend until fourth grade. Then she moved to Chicago. She promised she’d be back one day and today’s the day. I packed my bag and zipped over to her house. I was so excited to see her again. I rung her doorbell and her mom answered. She called Lily down and when I saw my best friend, I knew one thing. She changed. A lot.

Chapter Seven

Lily was wearing a pink nightgown and I was wearing sweatpants. Her black hair was in a braid. My hair was messy and knotted. Lily was wearing tons of bracelets up her arms. And I had teeth marks from Taylor and Tylor biting me up my arm. She looked just like my sister except, what’s the word I want? Oh, yeah: a new version of my best friend! “Hey bestie!” she squealed.

“Hi Lily,” I said feeling kind of down. She looked surprised.

“Seriously, you haven’t changed a bit! Add a little sparkle to your plain old life!”

I looked Lily in the eye and said, “What happened to you! You know I don’t do sparkle! I thought you didn’t!”

Lily’s older sister, Lucy, came down the stairs. She looked just like Lily. But at least she hadn’t changed! “So ummmm… what’s new here? I mean what’s new with you?” Lily asked.

I lowered my voice and said, “I’m pretty sure somebody likes me, and I like him back.”

“Hey, you have a boyfriend!” she screamed so loud that I’m pretty sure everyone in California had heard.

“Shhhhh! I don’t want anyone to know. Well just forget it. We’re just partners for this movie making project,” I said.

“That’s not how it goes, bestie!” she said. “You have to tell him how you feel!” I was mad now.

“What happened to you!” I screamed. “You changed so much! I mean too much!”

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m kinda the popular girl now. That’s just my thing.”

“You’re not popular,” I said. “Have you even met the other new girl Corey?” I was calming down. I was sweating though.

“Yes. I have met her in fact. She really likes me.”

“Oh” I said. things went on like that all night. We still had a lot of catching up to do.

Chapter Eight

Then came the day of the film competition. I’m so nervous. I led my family over to the benches. They sat. I ran to backstage and find Jackup with are disk. We went into the back room and put our film into the player. It started to play.

Under the sea

by christina waters and jackup forester

a film about sea creatures

The film went on and as I watched I couldn’t believe what I had made. I needed to win! Violet and her partner, Mia, came in to the room. They waited until our film was over and then put their film into the player. I watched it and it was amazing! There were so many details and interesting facts! It was about all the different planets! Now I wasn’t so sure we were going to win. Our chance was getting smaller and smaller as their video went on. I still needed to win!!

Chapter Nine

Suddenly a voice came on over the school speaker. The judges wanted the films! I ran to the booth and handed in our film. The man thanked me. I felt like I was gonna barf! I had so many butterflies. I went to find my family. Jackup’s family and my family were talking. When we arrived, everyone said at once, “Did you win?” I explained that we had a few hours while the judges watched and voted the films. Catherine and the parents stayed and talked while Jackup and I took Taylor,  Tylor, and Suzette to find a snack. Taylor and Tylor were shy with strangers and hid behind me. But Suzette, oh no. She was talking the whole time. Mostly about rainbows, ponies, and wanting to find a snack. But she also asked questions. Finally, we found hot dogs and hamburgers and ice cream. The little kids seemed to be okay with that. We brought Taylor, Tylor, and Suzette back to the parents and then Jakeup and I sat and talked.

Then the judges said that it was time to announce the winners! For the second time that day i felt like I was gonna barf. We all gathered around the stage trying to find the best seats around the big rectangle stage. And then the third place winners were announced. “And… nice job to Sophia bentley and Alex green for getting third place!” the man on the stage said. Everyone clapped as the winners walked on to the stage and bowed. A lot. Next he announced second place and when I heard the names, I almost fainted.

Chapter Ten

The names that were announced were Jackup Forester and Christina Waters. That was me! Jackup led me on to the stage. I was fine with that because I was shaking so much I thought I was gonna fall over. I saw my friends and family and all my teachers and classmates. Then everyone stood up while my film was playing! I was getting a standing ovation! I never thought I was the type of person who would ever get this! I took my spot on the platform and bowed. This felt good. When I finally got my senses back, the man announced  the first place winners. “Finally, for our all stars winners we have… Mia Osborne and Violet White!!!”

As Violet walked on to the stage after Mia, I hugged her. “Nice job”, I said.

“Thanks,” she said back. Then I joined in with the clapping.

Even though I didn’t win all the 1,000 dollars, I still won 100 dollars. I’m a tenth of the way there. After the celebration at the theater, my family took Violet and Mia out for ice cream. Somewhere around 5:00 p.m. my family went to do an “errand”. Then I dropped Violet off at her house then went to mine. I was supposed to meet my family there. I was so tired but when I walked in the living room, everyone shouted out, “Surprise!!!”

Chapter Eleven

Violet, mom, dad, Jackup, Abby, Paul, Catherine, Suzette, Taylor, Tylor, and everyone else I knew was standing in our living room. There was a big white box in the center of the room. “Open it!” everyone told me. I walked over to the box and began opening and unfolding the flaps.

Suddenly I heard a small, “Bark!” I kept going then I heard it again, “Bark!” This time it was louder. I finally lifted a white crate from the huge box. When i opened the tiny door, an adorable little golden retriever puppy shot out of the cage. Her big brown eyes looked into my blue ones and at once I knew what I was going to name her. Maple. I stayed up until 2:00 that night just playing with Maple. Then I went to bed and dreamed about that day.

Chapter Twelve

Now that it’s summer, I spend all my free time training Maple. She is so smart! So far, she can roll over, sit, play dead, and I’m teaching her how to stand on her hind legs. I’m so glad I have a dog now! I have a perfect pet!

I have the perfect pet!

~the end~

The Only One Armed Girl

Startasia was a peculiar girl who wanted nothing more than to be normal. She was a tall girl who had nothing to do with anything but everything had something to do with her. She was had short curly brown hair and brown eyes. She live in Loomville, a small place that she hoped to love. She moved there because she thought there would be less people to make fun of her disability. She is just a normal girl with two legs and one arm.

Yes, Startasia had one arm. She once went swimming and had a shark bite. All she wants now is to have a normal life with two arms. Everywhere she goes, people stare. Even the parents who tell their children not to.

Her life wasn’t all miserable. She once had two arms and a best friend and she lost some of that. How was she going to be settled if everyone treats her like she a bubonic plague? She longs to be like those people who love their differences.

Unfortunately she wasn’t. Star had a long way to  come in making friends. She knew the school year was going to be terrible. It was not a hunch, just a It-Happens-Everywhere-She-Went-So-She Know- What-To-Expect-From-Everyone-feeling.

Chapter 1 : The Doom of School

On August 20th, Startasia went to WaterBear middle school. It was a new experience. As different as it might be, the expectation of the mockery, laughter and stares was still high inside of Startasia.

The moment that Startasia stepped through her classroom there was a long pause and silence. The stares were worse than ever. She quietly sort  of tip-toed to the back of the room to l take a seat. Then a lengthy girl with so much lipstick- enough to be Miranda Sings- approached her. Startasia gave an awkward smile.

“Yo Ms. One-Arm, this is my seat,” said the lengthy girl, “and I don’t want your disease rubbing off it!!”

“Kamielle Loof please report to the main office,” said the loud speaker. The lengthy girl groaned, wiped her raven black hair, twitched her freckles and walked out the room. Some girls were smiling at Startasia, other people were just staring at the empty space where her left hand used to be.

Just sat down and someone already hates you. Wow, nice going. Why couldn’t I just be homed schooled? My mom will love me with one arm and won’t say I have a disease.

Startasia ’s thoughts were interrupted by a little girl with a big smile on her face. She came towards Startasia and said, “I think you’re really cool. I’ll make sure you don’t explode before the end of the school year.” Then the little girl disappeared and left Startasia clueless.

It turned out that in the classroom they sat in Alphabetical order due to their last name. Bear being Statartsia’s last name makes her front and center, exactly what she wished not to be. The day went smoother than expected. People did not stare much. It turns out every new girl gets the “stare” for a moment.

Algebra was a piece of cake. History was fun. Literature and Science were breezy. Writing was awkward with one arm. Startasia was actually pretty smart. Some people thought the mind problem was as big as the arm problem.

Lunch. The small recess of devotion for gossip, friends, and social level to be in one room creating tension in the air as a tornado of words bounce off the walls. It was chaos. It was art. It was beautiful chaos. But Startasia sat by herself and eating with speaking to no one .

A girl with dark frizzy hair with freckles and brown eyes sat next to Startasia and said, “Hi.”

It was a magical time when Startasia smiled and forgot her lost arm.  The girl introduced herself as Orchid. Startasia smiled at Orchid and said “Hi. I’m Startasia.”

Orchid responded, “I know how you feel about your arm and it’s ok. Nobody’s perfect. Love yourself and freely determine who you are. No one can hurt you unless you let them hurt you.”

Startasia was upset. The only conversation she can conjure up was about her arm. why didn’t people just talk to her about normal stuff? Stuff like manners, love, or maybe even gossip. Why is her arm the thing people care about?

Tears slowly glisten down her face. Startasia got up and went in the bathroom.

From then on, Startasia ate in the bathroom and studied there as well. Sure, it was disgusting, but it was better than focusing on her arm. She sat on the floor against the bathroom stall. Drenched in tears and thoughts. Her head down at her knees. She thought of those people with two arms and cried harder.

She felt the whole world against her just for being different.

Chapter 2: The Past Is Still Present

Today, when she went home she raided the fridge, watched TV, wiped her tears and spoke not a word about school to her parents. Her mom Cecilia was home doing yoga and barely noticed her own daughter upset.

As Startasia scurried to her room smiling at her grades, she heard of more people who had to flee the beach because of numerous shark attacks. She felt a sharp object poking through her stomach, in her gut and right through her soul. The sound of that word shark revived a memory she had hoped to banish year ago.

It was a fun day like no other. She was playing in the water with her best friend Oyact. His brown hair was drooping over his eyes and his brown eyes were shut tight. Playing Marco-Polo. A woman yelled shark and everyone left the water. It was actually her and her husband playing with their kid. She back in the water with Oyact and was back to playing. The small fish nibbled Startasia’s feet. She felt a strong tug and thought it was her friends playing with her. Then she fell rows of teeth twisting at her arm. It was painless. As she looked at her arm she cried in terror of the amount of blood she saw, the lacking arm and the weird feeling that it did not hurt. She heard Oyact yelling for help as she saw him being dragged down to the ocean floor. She could barely moved as she was paralyzed in fear. Oyact’s body was never found. Sometimes she called that woman, “The woman who cried shark.”

Startasia was lost in her memory. She never forgave herself for the death of Oyact. It was a time in her life when her life was just so damaged.

Orchid snuck in Statasia’s house and watched her quietly on the stairs reading a book. She found it strange that it was unlocked. I mean, come on, you can pick a lock with a stale cheeto if you wanted to. Such poor security, thought Orchid. With a clear of the throat from jumps back and shrieks to see the girl who upset her in her house uninvited.

“Look, I’m sorry I about the lunch thing and the sneaking into the house thing even though you house can use some work with the security. I Know I probably should explain. I know how you feel because I have the same thing.”

Startasia responded, “Stop saying stuff like that you. You have no idea what it is like to be me. Being stared at to death just for being different.”

“Just let me talk. The only reason you are upset is because you think everything’s your fault.”

“Just get out, it’s illegal to break into people houses.”

“The only reason I know what you’re going through is because I’m prosthetic. I’m missing an arm as well.”

Chapter 3: The Truth Is Revealed

Orchid took off her robotic arm and placed it gently on the floor. Startasia gasped in shock. She never knew there were others like her.   Orchid rolled her sleeve to show the missing arm. Was this a joke or a prank? Was it true?

Orchid smiled. “I was there on the beach. I was in the water too. I held up Oyact. I helped you to the shore and went for more people. no one was there except the sharks. They bit me as well. I saw you and called the ambulance.”

“You mean to say Oyact is alive?” Startasia asked.

“Tried to tell you that day at lunch but you were too upset. Oyact is my brother. He is just fine. He always wonders about you and thought you were dead too.”

“But if you were there on the beach. How come you were not at the hospital?”

“There was massive amount of people in the hospital so I was transferred to the other side of town to Newton hospital for blood control.”

“But what about that little girl who said she’ll make sure I don’t explode?’’

“Oh, her? That’s Lizzy. She says it to everyone she doesn’t recognize. Se is kind of weird you’ll have to get use to her.”

Oyact walked in the room with a big smile. Startasia was wobbling. Her legs could not hold her up. She fell to her knees and had tears in her eyes.

Orchid responded “You know, if you keep crying like that you are going to die of dehydration.”   

Oyact was there standing breathless. The amputees hugged.  Startasia’s mom walked in and said, “Wow a family reunion and I‘m invited.”

The Paint Bomb Attack

Scribble scribble, write write. That was the sound the colored pencils made when they were busy. Scribble scribble, BLAH BLAH. That was the sound the black pencils made. The colored pencils were busy coloring their house because they just found out they could color.

In the meantime, the servants of the king of the Black Kingdom were busy working to make the world black because they were evil and the king of the Black Kingdom was shouting out orders like, “Release the paint bombs and go to the Color Kingdom. Can someone get me a glass of water? I’m about to die of thirst!!!”

Two security guys offered him bottled waters.

“OMG, you expect me to drink from a BOTTLED WATER?!?!?” he shrieked.

The security guys rushed off to get him a glass of water.

“OMG, you expect me to drink from a GLASS of water?!?!” the King shrieked.

Finally, a servant came up and offered him water in a giant, cup-shaped, onyx jewel.

“There!” He snapped in a cold voice, “Now get back to work!” He shouted back to the servant.

The servant saluted and went back to work. The security guards stared at the King, waiting for his orders. The King glared back at them, “SO?” He roared. “What are you waiting for?! Totally go!!”

The two guards ran back to the gate.

The King sighed. “I’m getting too young for this.” He muttered to himself as he popped a few black licorice-flavored jelly beans into his mouth.

Then, a pilot working for the Black Kingdom, who was away spying on the Color Kingdom, said, “Emergency! Emergency!” through the walkie-talkie that was on his controls. The King heard the calls from the walkie-talkie that was resting on his throne.

The King replied through the walkie-talkie, “Release the paint bombs, dummy!”

“Yes, sir!” the pilot replied back.

The pilot released the first paint bomb and flew back to the Black Kingdom as fast as his airplane controls could go.

SPLASH! KABOOM!!!!

“What is that noise?” Tansmo asked.

“It must be raining,” Rose replied.

“Oh,” Tansmo said. And she grabbed a rainbow-colored raincoat and stepped outside to take a look if it was actually raining.

She gasped and then gave out a scream.

“Whatwhatwhatwhatwhat?” Tangy yelled.

“L-l-l-l-ook for yours-s-s-self-f-f-f,” Tansmo said.

She handed her raincoat to Tangy who put on the raincoat and poked her head outside to take a look.

Tangy screamed and squealed.

“What is it, Tangy?” Rose asked in an annoyed voice. Tangy usually screamed and squealed and whined and it drove Rose furballs.

“Look!” Tangy squealed, and handed Rose Tansmo’s raincoat. Rose, too, put on the coat and too, stuck her head out the door.

Rose yelled, “Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!”

“What?” the rest of Color Kingdom who lived in the same house as Rose and Tansmo asked; they all heard Rose’s yell.

They all put on rainbow-colored raincoats and stuck their heads out of the door to take a peek. All the jaws in Color Kingdom dropped to the floor, (they had to pick their jaws back off from the floor and push them up to their mouths again) when they saw what happened to their garden. The flowers were drooping, the trees had fallen, and worst of all, everything was black.

“What just happened! Oh my god!” Rose and Violet screeched.

“YEAH!!” Sunshine and all the others agreed. Click Clack Tip Tap.

“What is that noise?” Goldie and Silver questioned.They turned to find Amber, Ruby, Heather and India (all messengers) sitting in front of a computer on a little desk near the open door.

“More sod, flowers, and trees,” Amber declared.

“But less money,” India added.

India went into the money room and released a few dollars. She inserted the dollars through a slot and went outside to remove the sod, trees, and plants.

“I said, what just HAPPENED?!?!” yelled Violet, who had been quiet the whole time (and whose jaw was the only one that didn’t drop in Color Kingdom). Ruby walked in holding a really big octillion page long book.

She flipped to a page (487) and said, “The rulebook says that it was a paint bomb from the Black Kingdom.”

“Whaaaaaaat??” said the rest of the colored pencils.

“And,” Ruby continued, “once it falls to the ground, it explodes and releases lots and lots and lots of fatal black paint. But thank god we were inside our house or else we would be dead by now.”

“Guys,” Violet said, her face was ‘violet’ with anger. “We have to get revenge, make a plan already!”

“Actually,” Amber interrupted, “me, Ruby, India, and Heather will plan the plan.”

“Sure,” Violet said. Violet’s inner face started to fade into her normal shade of violet. A few hours later, Amber and Ruby returned back to the main room where all the colored pencils usually are. The main room is basically everything except for business because it is filled with everything they need, there are only three other rooms, the money room which is where they keep all of their money, the top secret room which is top secret information, and the spare offices. Amber and Ruby told their plan for making revenge to the color pencils. Very few of the colored pencils were satisfied, because they thought it was a horrible plan. The first plan was basically ‘run for your life, burst through the gates, and kill the King.’ Three of the colored pencils agreed, and the rest were not convinced at all (like negative 50 million pecent).

Violet said, “Seriously–seriously!? You literally had the nerve to suggest that?”

Even though there was no leader in the Color Kingdom, Violet was kind of like one.

“Heh, heh, oopsies!” Amber stuttered.

Ruby and Amber hurried back to the TOP SECRET room and began planning on Plan B. The next day at 12:00, Ruby and Amber returned to the main room and announced their plan. Go into their cellar and dig a tunnel all the way to the dark kingdom, creep underground into the gates, under the gates so the security guards wouldn’t see us, and crawl through a hole in the King’s dark kingdom throne room. Then crawl behind the throne and stab a knife through the King’s heart. The colored pencils waited for Violet to respond.

“We do not take showers and we are not getting dirty!” Violet finally responded. Ruby and Amber dragged their bodies back to the TOP SECRET room. Days and days passed, the days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months, as Amber and Ruby planned from plan A to plan Z to plan 1 to plan 1,000. Finally, after 10 years, Violet was satisfied with plan 90 million. But the plan was so advanced that it took them 20 more years to pack and get ready. Things included invisible cloaks, gallons and gallons and gallons of water (to make it look like it is raining), black dye, etcetera. They had gotten all of the supplies from adventures a long, long time ago when the mysterious knight who had four giant horses gave Violet her invisibility cloak when she was only five. Tangy who was only three at the time, was also given an invisibility cloak. They also had a clone machine so they were able to make 4 really big ones like the ones the four horses had.  

Now they began their journey. Since the Black Kingdom was all the way across the world they had to walk millions and millions and millions of miles. Finally when they got there, they put on their invisibility cloaks and stepped up the stone steps to the gate.

Amber and her group (111 members) pushed through the gate and made a “BOOM BOOM” sound. Meanwhile, The Black Kingdom had no idea that the Color Kingdom was seeking revenge on them because the black king thought that they had completely destroyed the Color Kingdom. So because of that, they decided to chill out and relax for 30 years. The Color Kingdom thought since there were no guards or armour in the gate, they thought the Black Kingdom had replaced the guards with security cameras.

But actually there was no guard, no security cameras and the the Black Kingdom were just sitting in the movie theater eating black liquorice flavored popcorn. Tangy, from Amber’s group, asked Violet, who had her own invisibility cloak and was in front of everybody else even though you couldn’t see it, asked, “D-d-d-do you th-th-think this is a g-g-g-good idea?”

“Yes, I do!” Violet snapped in a whisper-shouting voice.

“B-b-b-b-but–” Tangy began.

“No buts, no cuts, and no coconuts!!! Now shush!”

“O-o-okay,” Tangy stuttered. Violet glared at Tangy and made the mouth-zipping noise. As Amber’s group went into the Black Kingdom, Ruby’s group (246 members) hopped up onto the ceiling and poured the gallons of water down to the ground, so the “security cameras” would think it was raining. Then Ruby’s group hopped of the ceiling and went through the gates. India’s group (105 members) went “WOOSH!!!” and pushed the gates open, then closed. Finally, Heather’s group managed to sail into the gate before it flapped closed.

“Why does it smell so bad?” Rose complained.

“It’s soot!” Violet snapped. “Duh!”

“Well it certainly doesn’t smell like soot,” Rose answered back.

“Then what does it smell like?” Violet snapped back again.

“Uhhhhhhhhh…” Rose said.

“Well, if you don’t know what it smells like and you don’t think what everybody else thinks then why are you asking me?”

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…” Rose continued.

“Stop uhhhhhhh-ing and continue with your group. You fell behind!” Violet  pushed Rose into her group and started to go back to the front of the group.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…” Rose uuuuhed.

India looked at Rose (who was in her group) and asked, “Why are you uuuuh-ing?”

“Uhhhhh…..” Rose kept on saying.

India pulled her suitcase out, rummaged through it and found a bandage. She put the bandage over Rose’s mouth and continued back to her group.

“Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…” she could hear Rose still saying.

They never found out what the bad smell was.

The colored pencils quietly entered into the throne room. They took out one of their color bombs, (they explode fatal, colorful, permanent paint). They put one in each room of the Black Kingdom and put on each of their timers for 20 seconds and then hurried as fast as they could back home. Meanwhile, at the Black Kingdom, the King and all the other servants: the security guards, the chefs, etc, were all laughing at the funny things in the movie Wicked, (because they were evil) when they heard a robotic voice, “Exploding in 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11…”

“What is that sound?” The King roared.

“It must be your imagination, your Majesty. None of us heard a single thing.”

The voice continued, “Exploding in 5,4,3,2,1…”

KABOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!

A few years later, (which is now) Earth found out about the colored pencils. The colored pencils were brought to Earth and they told their true story to the world, after which they went back home. However, the world wondered, why they didn’t get the Black Kingdom’s side of the story? That was because the Black Kingdom no longer existed to tell the story.    

THE END

The One Ring

MAXIE: 25. Wants solitude and feels content.

ALKEMITE: 23. Wants fame and is feeling greedy. ALKEMITE and MAXIE are polar opposites yet they are brother and sister.

TRITON: 73

COUNT DUKE: 45

Scene 1
They are in a suburb of Europe in woodlands. The year is 2019. ALKEMITE is counting his money. MAXIE is reading.

ALKEMITE

Yessssss, more money sister.
MAXIE (grunting)

More problems for you brother.

ALKEMITE

Just give me that orange ring and I’m fine.

MAXIE

This is bad.

ALKEMITE

I want more money more than everybody else.

MAXIE (under her breath)

I have to trap him so that his spirit can be stuck in the ring forever. My brother drives me crazy.

ALKEMITE

Money and party.

MAXIE

Hey Alkemite! I just saw a million dollar ship right on our back lawn.

ALKEMITE (shouting)

Wow dollars, jackpot, I hit gold!

MAXIE (to the audience)

I rigged the ship. Once he touches it, it will explode.

ALKEMITE

Money, money, money! But wait I should see if it is rigged first

ALKEMITE taps it

ALKEMITE

Booooooooooom!

MAXIE

I got him! Wait he’s coming out. (sighs) This is so embarrassing.

ALKEMITE

Defeating me is harder than it looks M-girl.

MAXIE
Don’t call me that you greed monster!

ALKEMITE

That’s mean but you are right, that’s what I am.

MAXIE

I will have to beat you the hard way.

ALKEMITE

OUCH! SNAP! CRACK! ZOK! POW! YEOW!

MAXIE

Grrrrr.

ALKEMITE

Ahhhhh……..

MAXIE

Finally, but I had to do in even if I don’t want to.

On the floor the orange ring is glowing more than normal for ALKEMITE’s spirit is trapped inside the ring until someone else uses it.

THE END… or is it?

Scene 2: One Year Later
MAXIE is talking to her grandfather outside on the patio over some nice, fresh-squeezed lemonade. The radio is on.
MAXIE

How have you been doing Grandfather?

TRITON

Good. Ever since you trapped that troublemaker Alkemite and stuck him in that ring of yours and put it in the Museum for safekeeping.

MAXIE

I’ve been happy that he is gone. We don’t want him to get out of the ring for he will sell you as a slave.

TRITON

My life has changed tremendously because of you.

An interruption: news on the radio.

RADIO ANNOUNCER

Count Duke has stolen the ring from the Museum of Artifacts!

TRITON

Oh no, Count Duke has stolen the ring from the Museum of Artifacts! That troublemaker robber!

MAXIE

Noooooo, he could use the ring to put my brother in this world. It’s too late, Count Duke has already stolen the ring.

COUNT DUKE enters.

TRITON and MAXIE

Oh no!

COUNT DUKE

Oh yes!

MAXIE

Why did you steal the ring?

COUNT DUKE

Yes, the orange ring. I’ve heard about you and your curse, Alkemite. I stole the ring because I want these amazing powers. I can test it out on my first victim, you!

(beat)

Rise!
The energy fills his body when he slides the ring on and he turns into ALKEMITE.

ALKEMITE

(to himself) Thank you Duke! I can now get revenge on Maxie for putting me in this cursed place.

MAXIE

We have to leave now!

TRITON

Now now, don’t rush your elders, child. I’m only forty-eight years older than you and my reflexes are slow.

MAXIE

Please hurry up so we don’t get…

ALKEMITE

Get what caught?

MAXIE

Don’t make any sudden moves before he decides to blasts us to cinders and Julius Caesar coins.

ALKEMITE

Oh let’s do that, no? That’s more money for me!

TRITON

Maxie, run. Ahhhh…

Clink clink! TRITON transforms into a coin.

MAXIE

Noooo!

TRITON (muffled)

I’m a coin.

ALKEMITE

Let’s scoop up this Triton coin and sell it.

MAXIE

Please don’t.

ALKEMITE

Sorry Miss, nothing personal, just a crazy obsession with money.

MAXIE

Please don’t sell him.

ALKEMITE

I don’t listen to reason. I lack control.

MAXIE

I’ll get you yet, you greedy greedy brother.

ALKEMITE

If you don’t stop me, I will turn the whole world into a massive coin.

MAXIE

No one will want to turn into a coin.

ALKEMITE

I will succeed where my ancestor Midas failed.

MAXIE

Brother Alkemite, the world will not like your choices.

ALKEMITE

I will make them like my choices.

MAXIE

Don’t leave!

ALKEMITE

I have every right to.

ALKEMITE exits.

MAXIE

Why was I so soft? Why?!

Scene 3

540 miles away in Siberia.

ALKEMITE

With my Gold gun I can turn the whole world into a giant coin!

Scene 4

Back in Europe in suburbs.

MAXIE

I must stop him now but Siberia is far away.

MAXIE looks to a gold jet.

Alkermite

Huh I hear something what is that?

MAXIE

It’s me, I’m here.

ALKEMITE

How?

MAXIE

The jet.

ALKEMITE

I’ll just finish you myself.

MAXIE

I will not let you turn this world to gold.

ALKEMITE

I shall succeed for GREED IS KEY.

MAXIE

Even Midas, as possessed as he was, would not do what you have done.

ALKEMITE

You’re right, we should fight for the world. If I win, I get to turn the world to gold. If I lose the world is saved, okay?

MAXIE

Yes okay.

ALKEMITE (firing the beam)

Coming in like hot dollars

Sound effect: clink, clink.

MAXIE (to herself)

I have to expose him!

ALKEMITE

Nuh uh, I don’t think so

The beam intensifies.

MAXIE

Aahhh my arm has been turned into solid gold!

ALKEMITE

Ha ha ha ha!

MAXIE (to herself)

I must reflect his beam at him using my gold arm!

ALKEMITE

Ha ha ha… wait who turned on the lights?! Auggggghhh.

MAXIE

It is done! But wait, why do I still have my arm?

ALKEMITE

Because I am still alive.

MAXIE

You’re going down.

ALKEMITE

Wait I am not possessed by greed anymore.

MAXIE

Are you sure?

ALKEMITE

Test me.

MAXIE puts a coin in front of ALKEMITE and he resists.

MAXIE

Wow, you have changed.

ALKEMITE

I’ll fix Triton.

ALKEMITE fires the beam and Triton turns back into a human.

TRITON

Thanks, my boy.

MAXIE

Triton!

TRITON

I would not be here if it wasn’t for you, Alkemite.

ALKEMITE

Any time, but now it’s time to party!

MAXIE

Not now.

TRITON

Let the lad have his fun. The world is already normal.

ALKEMITE

Come on guys!

MAXIE

The world will need help but for now let’s have some fun.

THE END

The News That Changed My Life

My parents were divorced and she had been dating this really nice and funny man named Chris. My mother came into my room with an excited face and I was scared. She was so happy that I think she forgot to breathe. Then that was when my life changed forever. She told me that Chris proposed to her and that their wedding was in 11 months. I mean, I couldn’t be mad because she was happy and he was pretty nice, but… I was an only child, so I was used to it being just me and my mom. Chris was everywhere. I went to the mall with my mom and Chris came with us and his daughter Chloe came with us. P.S. Chloe is my best friend and I love her. We went to a concert and he came with us. It was like he was invading my personal space. After like TWO WHOLE YEARS, I’m used to him being everywhere. The next day at school was terrible.

 

1 Day Before the Wedding

 

“Mom, can I talk to you?” I said calmly to my mom.

“Sure honey, what’s up?” my mom said, confused.

“So…like, I’m happy for you, but what is it going to be like when me and you have fun over the summer, is he going to come with us? What’s going to happen to me? Will you still hang with me? Mommy, I’m scared,” I explained to mom.

“Katie, Katie, Katie it’s ok. I will always love you and how could I forget about you, you are my little baby. Things will change, but we will still have fun in the summer and we will still do stuff, just me and you, once in a while,” my mom said after taking a big deep breath.

“Once in a while, that’s not enough, I want to have some mommy-and-daughter days or nights,” I explained to her, almost crying.

“You know what, I’m just going to walk away and we can talk after the wedding tomorrow. K, ttyl,” my mom said, with attitude and sass.

 

Eight Hours Before the Wedding

 

Soooo, yesterday didn’t go how I thought, but at least I told her what I needed to be said. Her last sentence threw me off and got me really annoyed. I guess I have to go get ready, which I really don’t want to. I have this beautiful white flower girl dress that makes it look like I’m nine when I’m really only six! I have a heart fun ring and a charm bracelet. When Chris saw me he was like, WOW. Chloe was standing right next to me and she felt like he was ignoring her. Chloe always plays with me and she is my best friend!!! She has gorgeous brown curly hair and has beautiful blue eyes. Me and her have the same style!

When my mom came into the room, she looked gorgeous. I helped her pick out her dress, so of course she looks gorgeous! Chris then came in the room and he was like, WOW. He had never seen his daughter like that and he never saw my mom and me like that. Chloe and I went into the corner and we started having our little scared talk.

“Hey Katie?” Chloe asked me.

“Yeah Chloe, what’s up?” I asked, confused.

“Sooo…don’t get me wrong, I love you and I love your family, but I’m really scared. You now how siblings fight, what will happen when we are sisters? Will we still be besties?” Chloe asked me, really scared.

“Everything will be alright,” I tried to say calmly.

Then my mom came over and asked us, “Is everything alright?”

“Mom, everything is alright, just talking about our speech,” I replied.

“You’re sure? You seem like you’re hiding something,” my mom whispered with confidence.

“No, we’re not, we’re just really happy and when we’re really happy, we happy cry!” I said, hoping she won’t find out.

“K, if you ever want to tell me, I’m always open. Also, TTYL girls and BTW its my wedding!!!!!” My mom said with more attitude and sass.

 

One hour before the wedding

 

I walked into the ballroom and the flowers were set, the streamers were set. I looked in front of me and the flowers were gorgeous. They were big white bloomed roses with a light pink center. The glass they were in was light pink like the middle of the flower with little white roses on it. I turned around and my mom was there. My mom looked confused. Then I was confused. She was probably wondering why I was here an hour before and I was wondering why she was here but that’s another story why she was. I was there because, well, I like to do flowers and I just wanted to see if any one was here yet. I sat down, then my mom sat down. It was like she was copying me. We both looked around and we were impressed. Then Chris ruined the moment. He just walked in with his big mouth and just ruined the moment just like he ruined my family. I looked at my mom and she knew exactly what I meant so I just walked away. Just as I was walking out, Chris grabbed my arm and said, “I’m sorry if I have changed your life, but me and your mom would only do this if it was the right thing to do.”

I thought to myself, Yeah right, like he actually means that.

 

15 Minutes before the wedding

 

Everyone’s starting to come and the knot in my stomach is getting bigger and bigger and bigger. When the last person came in the room, the door slowly shuts. Then that’s when I knew I couldn’t change my mind and I couldn’t do anything about it. I sat down and my mom smiled at me and all I did was look away. The service started and my eyes were filling up with tears. I looked up at my mom and then she yelled “ STOP!!!” Everyone stopped where they were. My mom ran down to me and grabbed my hand and we ran out the door.

She grabbed me and asked, “Are you ok, you don’t seem like you’re happy?”

“Mom, I’m fine, I’m just really happy for you,” I explained to my mom.

We walked back in and when we did everyone was staring at us. It was like we did something wrong. I sat down and when my mom went back up Chris looked confused and I think he whispered to my mom, “Hey, what was that about, is everything alright?” It looked like my mom ignored him. I was proud of her.

When the wedding actually started I was actually happy! At the end of the wedding I ran over to Chris and I hugged him. He smiled at me and I smiled at him right back. My mom then looked over at us and she smiled. My mom ran over and I felt like everything was coming to back together. I actually felt like Chris was a part of the family and he was! We took a family photo of me, Chloe, Chris and my mom and it was amazing.

 

THE END

The Mystery of the Black Figures

Kelly was having breakfast with her dad and it was exactly a week after her last day of school.It was her eighth birthday and she was having her party. It was a softball party. She was so excited because she was going to sleepaway camp. She was leaving in the evening.

After breakfast, Kelly went to get dressed. Suddenly, she saw two mysterious black figures run by her window very quickly. Kelly ran outside to check if she could she could still see them but everything was normal. She went back into her room and just then her mom came in. She just woke up.

“Happy birthday!” she said. “I’m not going to work today!”

“Yay!” said Kelly. “Can I organize the decorations? Please!”

“Okay, okay, you can,” said her mom.

Then, when Kelly was done, she went back to her room and remembered about the black figures.

Kelly invited all the girls in her class, some of her neighbors and some other friends from school.

Later at Kelly’s party, people were arriving. When everyone arrived, they went out to the softball field and her mom told everyone how to play. They started playing, and while they were playing, Kelly saw two black figures run by very quickly again. That distracted her and she missed the ball.

When they finished playing, they went back to Kelly’s house to have cake. It was chocolate cake. They went out in the backyard to play when they were finished with their cake. You could see the softball field and Kelly’s aunt and uncle’s house from there. Her aunt and uncle’s house was right next to the field. She leaned on the fence and looked at the softball field and at the house. She saw something run around the house very quickly again. It seemed to be black but it was kind of blurry so she could not see perfectly. Kelly started to do cartwheels back and forth. In a few minutes everyone had to leave because the party was over. Katie, Kelly’s best friend, stayed though. Kelly told her about the black figures and how they had also been around the softball field.

They decided to go there and investigate. They told Kelly’s mom and they went to Kelly’s and uncle’s house. When they got there, they creeped around the side of the building and suddenly they heard whispering around the corner of the building. One man had brown hair and the other had blonde. They looked like they were in their mid-thirties.

“They’re watching TV in the living room,” the brown-haired one whispered.

The blonde-haired one was looking around.

“We need to go in, creep up the-”

Look, a little girl!!”

The men tied them up and gagged them. Luckily, it was not that tight so when the men kept whispering, they managed to get out and run home. They got Kelly’s mom and told her about the criminals. Her mom ran into the house with them and warned Kelly’s aunt and uncle, and then they found the men and they tied them up with some rope and Kelly’s mom called the police. The police came and the men went to jail.

The end.

The Nerd Clan

 

It was fifth grade and the last day of school, Olivia was helping Mrs. Hogan-Miller clean up her stuff for the last day of school. She entered the classroom. It was beautiful with blue walls and tan desks. But Mrs. Hogan-Miller hid her face so Olivia couldn’t see her.

“Hi,” Olivia said.

“Hi honey, Elizabeth is supposed to be here” Mrs. Hogan-Miller said.

“Um, she can’t come because she’s in lunch detention.”

“Why?”

“Oh, she’s being lunch monitor…” Olivia said, playing with her hands and looking around.

“Well, only Mrs. Leona, a teacher, can do that sweetie. You should tell your friend that.”

“Mrs. Hogan-Miller you didn’t hear? Students can be lunch monitors!”

Elizabeth actually was in detention for not doing her homework and Olivia just saved her best friend from getting scolded at the loudest-shouting teacher in the school. Olivia knew this because she heard Bryant Marcello getting scolded at before.

After those awkward moments, they started to clean. Mrs. Hogan-Miller seemed really nice, Olivia thought.

The whole school was released from class. You were able to see all the 6th graders to 12th grade in one big huddle and you could hear them speaking. Elizabeth wanted to know what they were saying so she pulled Olivia by the arm and dragged her to the group.  They heard rumors about Mrs. Hogan-Miller. Like, “She’s so ugly under her mask.” Or “She’s so mean and weird!”

Olivia rolled her eyes from the embarrassing comments about Mrs. Hogan-Miller. Then a boy named Rico Donic said “Fifth graders, let’s see your luck. Whoever’s in Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class stands where the fourth pole is and needs to hold this sign.” Rico held up a rectangular sign that read: LOZRS- IN MIS HOGAN MILERS CLESS!

Olivia rolled her eyes, and opened up her report card: B’s and C’s and next year’s teacher: MRS.HOGAN-MILLER! She took the piece of paper and stood next to the pole. Elizabeth opened her report card: B’s and 1 C in behavior, and… MRS.HOGAN-MILLER! So she stood next to her best friend Olivia.

But Olivia didn’t know why everyone in Willow Pine Falls was acting like her teacher Mrs. Hogan-Miller was a sea monster. There were rumors around the school like crazy!

When she went to history class Dino Lewis whispered to her best friend’s big brother “Mrs. Hogan-Miller gives test on the first day of school!”

Then, when Olivia said “Knock it off!” The whole hallway looked at her like she had purple hair or something! That was it. Olivia Houston would show that Mrs. Hogan-Miller was the nicest teacher ever!

Olivia went over to her best friend Elizabeth’s house and they talk over the whole idea. They sat on Elizabeth’s bed with the door closed.

Olivia was pointing down to the floor as if she was the president trying to get elected for a second term and she said, boldly and powerfully, “We need to make a change about what people think about Mrs. Hogan-Miller. I think we can show she is a really good person.”

Elizabeth stopped listening to Olivia after she said ‘I think.’ Elizabeth started day dreaming she was the most famous person in the world and she was giving out autographs. “Yay, attention!”

Elizabeth’s older brother Jake barged into their room with his headphones on and taunted them, “Amateurs, you can’t change Mrs. Hogan-Miller! She is the worst teacher ever. Good luck with your nerd clan.”

When Jake started closing the door, Olivia tried to kick him. Elizabeth let it go– she didn’t really care.

Olivia said, annoyed, “Can you please tell your brother to how to act?”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, “ Calm down Olivia it doesn’t really matter, just don’t talk to him and he won’t talk to you. He gets into other people’s business which isn’t right but that’s what older brothers do and you just have to ignore him.”

Olivia just said, “Ugh.”

Elizabeth’s mom called, “Honey, you and your friend need to go to sleep because tomorrow is the first day of school.”

When it was the morning, Olivia yelled, “Wake up Elizabeth!”

“No! Make it night again! Make it night again!” Elizabeth sobbed.

Olivia picked up Elizabeth and then dropped her. Elizabeth started standing up from the hard floor with her night eye patch on and said,”Okay, I’m up.”

The two girls started getting ready for the first day of Willow Pines Middle School. Elizabeth wore a pink skirt with a white shirt and a ripped jean jacket with grey flower combat boots. Olivia wore high waisted shorts with a purple flower jean jacket and a white silver t-shirt and tall brown boots with wedges.

Elizabeth’s mom dropped them off in the school yard. Students were standing nervously around the school making a big deal about all the kids who were going to Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class. Everyone was creating new rumors about Mrs. Hogan-Miller just to scare Elizabeth and Olivia out of their plan so they could prove she is a mean teacher.

Jake, who was going to high school, said, “She gives tests everyday, even on the first day of school and if kids give her presents, she throws them out in the stinky cafeteria garbage bin.”

Dino Parker, Jake’s friend, who was another popular kid going into high school said, “And she hates children and the only reason she became a teacher is to torture them.”

Olivia said proudly, “Well, that doesn’t matter because this year we are going to change what everybody thinks about Mrs. Hogan-Miller and we are going to prove that she is nice.”

 

Elizabeth said, “Yah! You people are going to change how you think about Ms. Hogan-Mill-e-r!” and then her voice trails off because she is fainting. Olivia rolled her eyes– she knew Elizabeth loved attention. Then the door opened. Olivia, while holding poor fainting Elizabeth, said “Let the expedition begin!”

Elizabeth and Olivia walked inside the hallway. They saw Ms. Hogan-Miller’s classroom. They went in. No one else was there except Ms. Hogen-Miller, who was chewing an apple. The classroom was dark, creaky, and there were spider guts on the walls.

“Um are you sure we should do this expedition business? Because I think we’re gonna get killed if this is what we’re dealing with,”  Elizabeth whispered to Olivia, moving her finger in a circle. Oliva shoved her further inside the room. Ms. Hogan-Miller didn’t notice them. She was busy trying to memorize kids names.

“Hi… Ms. Hogan-Miller. I’m Elizabeth Mcenroe, and this is Olivia- Houston- we’re in your class.” Ms. Hogan-Miller turned the light on. She had a messy unkempt blonde hair, pinned all over. She wore a grey and yellow suit, with a gray skirt and gray clogs. Her legs were very wrinkly and her skin looked damaged. A bandage was by her blue eye and pointy glasses. They had no idea how old she was– she could be 30 or 60. She looked at them.

“Hi girls! Welcome to my classroom. You guys are going to have a great time. If you behave nicely,” she said in a friendly tone with a mischievous smile.

She looked down at her dirty fingernails. Elizabeth couldn’t stop looking at her ungroomed hair.

She whispered to Olivia, “Did like a roach die in there?”

“Just stick with the plan!” Olivia whispered. Ms. Hogan-Miller shouted to the hallway,

“Come on kids! Get in, it’s time to learn!” All the kids slowly came in. They thought she was going to say something. When she welcomed everyone, they thought she sounded nice, but most of the kids thought she was just playing tricks on them.

Mark Edmonds said, “She can’t be this nice. Look at that wardrobe. Messy nails, ugly hair…” Elizabeth sighed.

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover!” she said to Mark. Then the day began.

When recess started and everybody was supposed to be outside, Elizabeth and Olivia stayed and asked if they could stay after to talk to her. Ms. Hogan-Miller nodded. Olivia’s eyes met with Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth knew that Olivia’s eyes meant C’mon it’s business time we need to talk to Ms. Hogan-Miller about her appearance and what people think about her.

They went to Ms. Hogan-Miller’s desk and said, “There are a few things we need to talk with you.”

Ms. Hogan-Miller smiled and nodded and said, “You may begin happily.”

Elizabeth says, “Mrs. Hogan-Miller, we know people are saying mean things about you and we want to change what people think about you.” Elizabeth and Olivia’s eyes meet.

Olivia said, “Okay, we need to talk to you after school about a few things because you have a meeting with the principal and we need to head to lunch. Trust us, the next day people will like you.”

Mrs. Hogen-Miller smiled and she became so happy about her school year because she had two amazing students who wanted to change the way people think about her. After they said that Olivia and Elizabeth headed to lunch. When they reached the lunchroom, Elizabeth went up to the counter Ms. Leona the lunch monitor was usually at and Elizabeth said, “Attention students at Willow Pine Falls middle school– you will see the new and improved Ms. Hogan-Miller tomorrow and none of you will say anything bad about her ever again.”

All the kids smiled and clapped because they were really excited about Olivia and Elizabeth’s plan and even the lunch ladies who never smile clapped as well. They all wanted to believe Ms. Hogan-Miller could change.

@@@

When school was over, the girls walked over to Ms. Hogan-Miller’s house and they opened the door and saw paradise. All of the furniture was gold and really comfortable and the kitchen was a luxury kitchen. The laundry room didn’t even have clothes in it, and there were just a bunch of empty bins because the space was so big. The walls were pink, purple, and green, and it looked springtime paradise to them. From the kitchen you could see the big blue fresh water pool.

Finally they came to Ms. Hogan-Miller’s room and it was beautiful. They sat on the couch.

Elizabeth started out, “You kind have the whole school against you because you are a part of this kind of rumor and we want to change that.”

Olivia said, “Yeah, we are going to have to change the way you look, talk, and controlling your anger.”

So Elizabeth said, “First let’s start with your appearance. We know that’s not the most important thing, but it’ll make people feel more comfortable around you.”

 “Okay, so hair. Your hair needs a definite change. You hair is blond so let’s comb out the knots, straighten it and then curl it out so it will look perfect for tomorrow” Olivia said. That is what they did.

Ms. Hogan-Miller said, “Thank you so much you girls didn’t have to do this it was totally unnecessary.”

Elizabeth said, “Yes, actually we did. I thought there was a roach living in there.”

Mrs. Hogan-Miller blushed.

Olivia said, “Next is your wardrobe. We need to get rid of all your ugly disgusting horrible… mainly all your disgusting clothes. We can borrow from my mom permanently. She will say, “yes” because her friend Tory is a fashion designer and will re-design her clothes. Also… I will make sure she does.”

Mrs. Hogen-Miller shouted with a very high-pitched annoying voice, “Wait! We don’t know if they are the same size, lady.”

“Nah, you guys are about the same height, don’t worry” Olivia said.

Elizabeth was throwing out Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s old clothes while Olivia was getting her mom’s. Elizabeth gave Mrs. Hogan-Miller some tips for her wardrobe and hair to keep it nice.

Then they left the house and started walking back to Olivia’s house.

Elizabeth said, “Can you believe Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s house? It is beautiful we should totally go there more often.”

Olivia rolled her eyes, “Anyway our plan is going perfect so far all we need to do is make it work out tomorrow; just as we imagined.”

The next day, everyone came into Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class thinking it would be the same creepy thing. There used to be spider webs everywhere, and dust everywhere, and you had to be careful moving your desk and chairs because they could fall apart. Elizabeth and Olivia cleaned it up when she was at a principal’s meeting. Mark Edmonds was really surprised and Mrs. Hogan-Miller didn’t do exactly what they said but she looked a lot better than she had yesterday. Ms. Hogan-Miller blushed and smiled as the students whispered things to each other like, “ What did she do with her hair? It looks perfect and it’s supposed to be ugly.”

Jake and Dino came inside the room to deliver something to Mrs. Hogen-Miller

“Well I guess your little nerd plan didn’t go SO bad… you guys can’t do many things but I guess this one you did,” he said, smiling. “You’re still a nerd though.”

Forty five minutes later it was history and William Norwalk was not paying attention. Actually, no one was paying attention but Ms. Hogan-Miller thought William was listening. He was playing with his fingernails when Mrs. Hogan-Miller called on him for a question.

She asked, “Who was Julius Caesar?”

William didn’t know and couldn’t answer because he wasn’t paying attention. He started stuttering. Ms. Hogan-Miller got mad.

So she shouted, “William Cermit Norwalk! How dare you not listen to me in my class! You have detention for four weeks. If you had listened this wouldn’t have happened. You need to stop doing these ridiculous things! This abSURD!”

William started to cry. Olivia thought, “Well, he is the shyest kid in school, no doubt now, the most sensitive boy now!” Then Olivia hit her head and thought, partially scolded herself. “This isn’t a time for nonsense. Liz and I need to fix this, NOW! You can do this Olive just think, just think, Yes, I got it! I’ll just stay and talk to Mrs. Hogan-Miller, but even I can’t show my anger, I don’t want to be stuck with Crybaby Cermit!” Olivia stopped thinking and met eyes with Elizabeth. Mrs. Hogan-Miller knew that Olivia and Elizabeth wanted to talk with her. So Mrs. Hogan-Miller made sure that recess was early. Soon, everyone was out and it was just the three of them.

Olivia was furious. She tapped her foot madly. Finally she said, “You messed up, Mrs. Hogan- Miller, now the whole world hates you, and you know what I hate you TOO!

Mrs. Hogan-Miller looked surprised. Olivia just went into the hallway humming so loudly, and madly that she couldn’t hear a thing. Elizabeth just comforted Mrs. Hogan-Miller and shouted, “Come here Olivia, say sorry!”

Olivia apologized.

And Elizabeth said, “It will be okay. We’ll make sure.”

Mrs. Hogan-Miller smiled, then Olivia gave Elizabeth the look, which is “Ugh. Everyone will totally hate us at the cafeteria.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes in agreement.

Once they reached the cafeteria, everyone was aiming spit-balls at them and throwing lasagna, but they missed, but then Elizabeth slipped and her clothes were full of Lasagna and mushy stuff.

Then Olivia said to everyone, “This isn’t funny we just had a little flipflop.”

The people in the lunchroom kept saying, “Boo!”

Elizabeth stormed into the bathroom, and then Olivia followed her to comfort her. Olivia said, “It’s okay Elizabeth. Nothing bad is going to happen. Nobody hates you.”

Elizabeth said, “This isn’t the kind of attention I wanted. I wanted everyone to agree and I wanted people to think I’m nice.”

Olivia got angry, “You know, this isn’t about you!”

Elizabeth said, “It’s not about you either!”

Olivia said, “I never said it was about me, I didn’t do anything!”

They kept arguing until Olivia began to leave the bathroom and Elizabeth said, “If we are going to keep arguing then I don’t think we should be friends anymore.”

Elizabeth and Olivia separated. Through math, science, English and writing Olivia would be correcting Elizabeth even when Elizabeth was correct.

Later that day, when school was over, instead of stopping by at Elizabeth’s house, Olivia went straight home. Olivia’s mom was in the kitchen making cookies. Olivia threw her bag down and slammed the door.

She looked at Olivia.

“What’s wrong…” her mom said.

“Elizabeth and I kind of separated, we had this big fight about attention and stuff, it was really weird. It’s boring though not being with her. Like today, I got lost trying to come home! I usually go to her house, I want to go back to being friends, but she’s the kind of girl that holds grudges, so I don’t know if she can do it.”

“Oh, honey, it’s ok. Just because you and your friend had a little mishap, it’s not gonna affect your friendship. All you need to do is say sorry.”

“But mom, I can’t! The fight was all about her, she wanted all the attention! I can’t do anything really.”

“Well you have to step the plate.” Olivia’s mom slid her a plate of cookies. Olivia said

“Mom. Don’t.” Olivia’s mom laughed.


On Sunday, Elizabeth logged in to the Kid’s Time Blog, where everyone from school chatted. Elizabeth saw that Dino Parker made a drama column about Ms. Hogan- Miller. She read all of it.

Dinosaur123– OLIVIA AND ELIZABETH’S NERD CLAN TOTALLY FAILED. REMEMBER CRYBABY CERMIT COMMOTION.

Polly4life– I know, they like totally failed they like, should really like stop it’s not like, like, like, nice!

Mega-Mark-460– Yeah, it should totally stop… (his mom was watching him)

Jurassic-Jake– I don’t know why my sister is so obsessed with this nerd clan. Did you hear they’re not even friends anymore. We should totally through lasagna at them again.

OctapusOlive– Stop. You guys need to stop making fun of our plan, we are doing our best. Don’t you see if we can help Ms. Hogan-Miller, it can be better for everyone. You need to shush yourselves.

Dinosaur123– ROFL.

Elizabeth pounded the keyboard. She didn’t want to say anything though… between her brother and Olivia it was too much. Elizabeth had nothing to do so she started writing a diary.

Day 1 (Without Olivia)

Things are going pretty bad. First of all, I checked the school blog. Everyone is mad at me! I don’t think our plan is going good without Olivia. I miss her! Maybe I was acting a bit crazy about attention… but Olivia, she’s just so bossy and gives you no choice to do things or she’ll stay your enemy forever.

Monday morning, Ms. Hogan-Miller paired Olivia and Elizabeth together for an exercise. She thought that they were still friends. The activity was to talk about what happened over the weekend. They both looked awkwardly down at the floor.

“So, what did you do over the weekend…” Olivia asked.

“Well, I wrote a diary, and I also saw the school blog…” Elizabeth said. Olivia brightened up.

“I know I saw it too. It’s so mean. They were talking about us and how our ‘clan’ was horrible! Even your own brother insulted you!” Olivia said. Elizabeth nodded.

“I know, I’m kinda used to it. I’m totally gonna get him for it, I don’t care. What I do care about, is our friendship… Maybe the whole thing we were fighting over wasn’t really that important” Elizabeth said.

“So… that means…”

“We could be friends again?” Elizabeth finished for her friend. Olivia thought for a second.

“Yeah. I think that’s permanent,” Olivia said, smiling.

“Now we have to get Mrs. Hogan-Miller back together so we can finish our expedition and people will like her again” Elizabeth said.

Olivia said, “I think I know what we can do. If we can show people that Mrs. Hogan-Miller can be nice for a whole month then people will start liking her again.”

Elizabeth said, “Okay when ELA is done let’s go to Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s desk and talk with her about it and we can start next week.”

Olivia added, “Let’s start planning this weekend and this time let’s do it at my house.”

When ELA was over, Elizabeth and Olivia packed up early so they would have time to talk to their teacher.

“Mrs. Hoggen-Miller, we have a few things to ask you,” Olivia said.

Elizabeth looked like she wanted to back out of the conversation because she thought it was risky. Olivia kicked her in the ankle so she would stay.

Elizabeth said rapidly, “Mrs. Hogan-Miller we really need you to agree to be really nice and show your kindness for the whole month so people in school will like you and respect you.”

Mrs. Hogan-Miller said, “Sure… it will make my life much more fascinating.”

Elizabeth and Olivia squealed a little and then they did their little happy dance. Mrs. Hogan-Miller started laughing, and then Elizabeth and Olivia went to Olivia’s house. Once they got there, Elizabeth and Olivia started planning.

“So we already have the hair, wardrobe, and shoes done. Next we need to change her attitude and the way people respect her. If we can change her attitude we can make people respect her until the next year’s sixth graders, and high school students and middle school students.” Olivia said.

Elizabeth replied, “You know what for once I think that can work.” Olivia laughed.  

Soon after the whole talk, they had a snack of strawberry ice cream with a ‘Chocolate Paradise Milkshake’, and ‘Fruit-Z Mellows.’

When Elizabeth was about to go to bed her brother Jake stormed into her room and said, “You totally flunked it with that speech about Mrs. Hogan-Miller now everyone in the lunchroom hates you even William Nowalk and no one even talks to him so that’s just sad. Also you and Olivia aren’t friends anymore. You have a very very dreadful life.”

Then he laughed, and before he left the room Elizabeth got up and kicked him in the shins. Then Elizabeth yelled, “For your information Olivia and I are friends again, and just because one little thing happened doesn’t mean my life is over. If you talk to me like this again you will be grounded for four weeks because I’m gonna te-ell. By the way you also totally deserved that kick.”

Jake said, “Oh I’m Elizabeth and I’m a stuck up person. The more stuck up I am the better.”

Elizabeth just went under the covers and goes to bed. Then Jake left.

 

The next day was Sunday. Mainly everything was going well, but it got really short because what felt like in three hours it was Monday.

They were really nervous if the plan would work out.

“If we fail, I bet we will have to switch schools because everyone will keep hating us,” Olivia said.  

“Yah!” Elizabeth said. “In agreement. But we need to not just focus on what can happen wrong but on what can happen right.”

In Elizabeth’s diary, they started to keep notes on their progress with Ms. Hogan-Miller.

NOTE 1

If things flunk out then everything is my life will go wrong,and everyone will hate me and I will have a horrible life and end up selling food stamps.

Elizabeth 🙁

 

NOTE 5

Five days have passed and it is going well. It’s not that bad. Mrs. Hogan-Miller is being nice, and her hair still looks good. In the middle of math class, we convinced her and the principle to change the lunch food. We said Ms. Hogan-Miller did. We need her to keep the nice attitude so people will like her.

 

-OLIVIA

Note 10

Ten days have passed and it’s not going bad. Dino Parker I believe, he is actually being good since the lunch food. Jake is also actually proud of me and the way I am going through with this expedition. We got Ms. Hogan-Miller to ask the principal for more free time.

-Elizabeth

Note 15

Things are going pretty well I am actually really proud of Mrs. Hogan-Miller. It was a nice day. William Cermit Norwalk is maybe even becoming teacher’s pet!

-Olivia

Note 30

Whoo Hoo! The whole Mrs. Hogan-Miller expedition is finished. We just need to make sure everything turns out good and if everything turns out good then Mrs. Hogan-Miller and me and Olivia will have to make a speech so that we can be popular.

-Elizabeth

Once Elizabeth was done writing that note she gave it to Olivia.

Olivia said, “Since the plan is almost done all Mrs. Hogan-Miller needs to do is say she is proud to be a teacher and then our plan is done.”

Then Mrs. Hogan-Miller said,” The plan is done finally!”

Then Olivia and Elizabeth look at each other and Olivia said, “No not exactly in order to complete the plan you need to make a speech so that the school and the students can trust you.”

Mrs. Hogan-Miller smiled and said, “ Well, uh, I don’t know how to make speeches.”

Elizabeth and Olivia stared at each other and said, “Who doesn’t know how to make a speech?”

“Don’t worry I was just playing with you,” Mrs. Hogan-Miller smiled.

Elizabeth and Olivia sighed in relief.

This time, when everybody was sent out to go to lunch, Mrs. Hogan-Miller followed and stood on the podium where Ms.Liona usually stands. When Mrs. Hogan-Miller stepped up everyone cheered.

They start chanting, “Mrs. Hogan-Miller, Hogan-Miller, Hogan-Miller.” She laughed.

“Everyone, it’s a pleasure to see that you all enjoy me. I am so happy the school year is going slowly so that I have a chance to meet each and every one of you.”

Everyone blushed and cheered.

Olivia got up and said, “We’re very happy that you all appreciate Mrs. Hogan-Miller and that our plan worked.”

Elizabeth got up and said, “ We are so happy that we were able to help everyone in Willow Pines Middle school appreciate Mrs. Hogan-Miller who would do anything to make her students happy.”

Mrs. Hogan-Miller blushed and even the principle clapped. Then, after that year was finished, the students who got into Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class the next year were really happy to be in her class and hear about how she got her fame.

Everyone in Willow Pines Middle School including Elizabeth, Olivia, and Mrs. Hoggan-Miller lived happily, luckily, and perfectly as anybody could ever live.

 

The Main Murder

Medieval Murder

Once upon a time me and my brother Duke had been waiting for supper. As we waited we knew that something was like that, though we were peasants, we knew a crime had started. The clock struck 12. It was midnight. How could we not had supper by then?! My brother Duke’s eyes flashed with fear we heard a scream. It was our father’s scream our mother was outside going to the loo (bathroom). Me and Duke ran into the kitchen we saw a figure murdering our father we stood behind the oven. As we saw our father being tortured we held in tears and yells. Finally they had killed him. When they had left me and Duke ran into the kitchen we smelled blood it was dried blood everywhere. We cried and cried till the moon went down and the sun went up. When mother came home we cried about the murder of father right in front of us she gasped then fainted. We ran around the yelling about father’s murder we screamed “MURDERER MURDERER, RIGHT IN OUR STREETS, LOCK YOUR DOORS HIDE YOUR MONEY AND LOOT AND FAMILY!”

We never stopped, I was sure I would get whoever did the crime of murder back one day. Never before something as big as this would of happened I mean father was the best blacksmith in all the land. But he had competitors against him so no wonder. We went to the king and queen it was quite a long but it was too late because the king and queen had been burnt to death the night before. We went to the next important person the priest his son said that he too had been murdered so then we did the wife of the priest she had been killed while sleeping. If me and Duke where going to the ones to find the killer first then we would need armor, swords, bows and food. Me and Duke knew their was a 100,00.00 pound reward. We needed it after all the murderer had stolen. We went to the creek because we had seen the murderer go that way when he ran out of the house.

Just then I heard Duke scream. He had slipped on a rock and now he was drowning in a current. I wanted and needed to save him. I kept on thinking what to do instead. I ran back to the town and let Duke die. What a bad sister I am! I went to all the other blacksmiths first I would interrogate Mr. Mustash, he had a mustache he said he was crafting a diamond ring for his love, Ann, when the murder happened. So check him of the list next. We asked Mr. Bloodyheiner he was busy at the bar that night. Then we asked the last blacksmith father’s worst enemy, Mr. Bloodsickmurder. He said he was taking a walk that night. So I went back to the creek. I saw the priest’s three children. Quietly I crouched behind a bush and waited till the perfect time. I quietly took an arrow out of my quiver and I carefully aimed at one of the kid’s the oldest one who was a boy named Parker. I quietly shot him in the neck. He bended his back and howled with pain like a dog and then he fell on face and his body slid into the creek. His little brother and sister watched as he went away and down into the water. I went to the other side of the creek when they left. I screamed with joy because I saw Duke. He said that no harm was done when I had ran of and interrogated the blacksmiths.Then Duke pointed at a red line. I licked my finger and then touched it and licked my finger again. Blood, pure blood.

The murderer was here. “Look,” cried Duke. It lead right to the evil castle. When we stopped the castle gates were not open. I shushed Duke. There were two guards blocking the gate. I told duke to aim at one of the guards and I would aim at the other. I told him in 3-2-1 to shoot. We shot and ran across the bridge. Well the guards were not dead. So we had tons of blood in some bottles and so we poured them in the river along with some ribs and chicken bones and then we pushed the guards in to drown in it. We looked around for any people. Then we went in I had my bow in my hand. By now it was night. I looked and saw caramel and candy. I yelled, “OH MY GOSH, CARAMEL AND CANDY!” So me and Duke had a caramel and candy fight most of them landed in my mouth.Then after a sugar rush we went to bed. When I woke up I told duke that I had a dream about us being kidnapped and being put in a carriage of the evil queen and king, King Rian. I looked around to see where we were. We were in the carriage! So we banged on the windows we saw the towns folks staring at us they must have thought that being in the royal carriage was a big honor. They thought wrong I was in torture! At least they had some quite good food in it. As we ate we tried thinking up good plans to get out. Me and Duke got one it was secret. “OOH OOH WE ARE OUT OF CARAMEL CANDIES, OOH HELP HELP!” Then we yelled it out the window.

A little boy yelled BOO! Everyone started getting every single tomato there was and started throwing them at us. Me and Duke do like a nice tomato salsa. We got out some chips and put the tomato on them now we had salsa. Me and Duke got tired and fell asleep. When we woke up we were locked in a tiny stone tower with a chain bunk bed. I slept on the bottom bunk. Then we saw Nana our dog they had found her thrown in here too! We wished for a nice hot fat bowl of chicken noodle soup. The people threw in something that was made of fingers blood saliva and ribs and flesh and what was a bottle of the acid from the loo. I did not drink nor eat. After five days a kind voice spoke and said hello luv. ”HALLO,” said Duke. She gave us a note and some chicken noodle soup. I read the note aloud. “The queen was the murderer.” To be continued…

Fantasy Future

Previously a kidnapping has been made by the evil queen. Now it is time for a day of DOOM!

I looked at the note gasping at the words. Nana our dog looked confused. My brother did not say anything. After a nap I walked and I wonder, Why would the queen do this? As I thought I walked in circles.

“Stop,” yelled my brother Duke.

“Why!?” I asked.

“Look at the circle,” said Duke. I looked at the circles. Had I seen those symbols before? That was when I remembered when I saw them. I had seen them on my father’s work as a blacksmith he kept making those symbols. I told Duke that the symbols father had made. “Put one of the pieces of work he made that pops out.” I did, suddenly the wheel that it was on was able to turn I turned it, my brother took out a scroll he had saved it was torn. We put it together and it said, My dear family, I hope you are reading it because I need your help if you are in the tower of doom the wheel is a gateway to me. Push the wheel when you left you will die. Push it the right way you will stay alive and be transported to my dimension. I knew it was a riddle.  Duke ran over to the wheel. “NOOO,” I said in slow mo. It was too late he was falling in to nothingness. I knew now I was the worst sister ever. First I let him drown next I let him fall in nothingness. I turned the wheel right a portal appeared. Nana whimpered. “It’s okay you can stay or come.” Nana came. It was scary when I woke up I was wearing white,neon blue and gray.I asked where I was to a nearby citizen. He laughed. “What are you from nineteen ninety nine?”

I answered, “Yes!”

Then he said “Well I never!” I shrugged confused.

“People these days,” I muttered. Nana came to lick me and check if I was okay. Then I saw a boy that looked just like Duke.” Duke! The boy looked at me funny. “Duke? Who’s Duke! I am Harper. I know a man named duke you would not like. I am going to his hideout would you like to come with me?”

”I guess so.” I said sadly. He hopped into a carriage like thing. “Where are the horses?” I asked.

“Horses? Horses? We have floating cars!”

“Oh,” I muttered. Harper yelled HARPY EAGLE and the car turned into a harpy eagle.

“That is my favorite animal because I am named harper.” He blushed.

“I am quite parched,” I said.

“Ok,” said Harper. He snapped and said, “REFRESHMENTS! A tray of good food.”

“Now I want caramels and candy,” I said

“CARAMELS AND CANDY. STAT!” yelled Harper. He told me a bunch of things while I was getting fat. After hours of eats I was 100,00 pounds. “Uh oh,” said Harper. He gave me one that was big fat caramel with bits of fruit with syrup on them. I ate it I turned back to normal except my hair was blonde and it was in a ponytail and the ends were brown. I did not notice. Finally we were their.

“Can we sleep?” I asked.

“Uh huh,” said Harper. We set up camp. And made some food. Apparently Harper burned his hand and jumped into the sea and a jellyfish stung him and then a shark bit him. He came with his clothes ripped and blood was his arm. He was moaning he was a zombie! I screamed till I ran into the water I felt like drowning because I was. I swam into a underwater cave. I took another deep breath and saw a door I opened the door I saw bright lights and I nearly got blinded then it stopped.I fainted. I went through visions of the night of my father’s murder and his torture. When I woke up I saw a white ceiling I saw a hairy man. He said, ”Gwen is…is that you?!”

“Yes father, it is me.”

“Duke is here,” said the father. Duke waved at Gwen with a scowl on his face. He said to Gwen, “How come I am always the one that is always almost dying?”

Gwen said, “I’m sorry, I had to do it because it was a risk and we had to save Father.”

“I guess that makes up for it.” “How do we get home from here?” asked Father. “I am came from up there,” said Gwen. They looked up and saw a hole in the ceiling. “That’s strange,” said Gwen, “When I came, there was water in the hole. Now it is empty.”

“I know a way,” said Duke. Duke told them that if they spit out enough saliva, they could create a stream of water to reach the hold.

“I know,” said Father, “When they give us food, we could pour the water into a stream to go up. They give us a lot of water here.”

“But wait- who father?” said Gwen. “The evil queen’s men. They have been sent here to keep people here. They didn’t kill me. They tortured me until I fainted. They took me to the Stone Tower first, then they brought me here. I overheard them talking about bringing me here.”

“Now let us wait for food,” said Duke.The clock struck 12 and they had gotten food. They did not drink they poured the big jug of water into the water. It worked! But it was too late. The guards had seen them. They shouted, “HEY!” They called for one guard to give them the key to the cell. Quickly, Duke and Father pushed up Gwen so she could be high enough to reach the hole. Then, she helped pull up Duke. Then, together, Duke and Gwen both helped pull up Father. They stole a floating car when they got up to shore. They drove back to the portal screen. They quickly hopped in the portal, where their dog, Nana, had been waiting. Father went first, then Duke, then Gwen. But when they got to the Stone Tower at the other side of the Portal, Father was not there. To be continued… DUN DUN DUN

Mad Murderer

I looked around I did not see any trace of my father. Now he had been kidnapped again I wished that I went first in the portal. My brother patted my back he said it was okay. It was not. Nana whimpered, she knew that father was gone. Nana licked me because she knew that I was sad. Duke leaned on a brick.I t was able to be pushed. When it was pushed a secret doorway was their. I looked it. Suddenly someone pushed us in their. I was falling and falling.Then I saw pure black. When I was awake I saw a bright light.Nana licked me. My nose was bleeding. I smelled the blood and wet dog it reminded me of when I had killed Parker. It was raining. I found myself lying down on a bed next to Duke. I sat up. I said “Where am I?”

A man barked at us and said “WHY YOU LITTLE!” He smacked me on the face.When I woke up I was in a pitch black room. I heard a loud chop. Then I saw my father’s head was chopped off. I screamed in horror. My brother Duke shushed me. When it was over I was freed. My brother was not. I howled for Duke to be let out. I knew if I fought back my head would be chopped off. I was very mad. I ran off and went back to my village. I told my mother about father and Duke. I was worried about Duke. Meanwhile Duke was having a fine time. The queen had took him because her daughter wanted him to be her brother. Duke said”No! Never in my whole life I would be the evil queen’s son I have a mother and a sister!”

“Very well then,” said the evil queen. Then with a clap of thunder Duke was locked up in a cell. Then she stabbed a dagger in his arm. Duke slowly took it out. It was pure pain. Then it was lunch. The food was slimy, wet, and it was made of blood, hearts, ribs, head and what looked like a brain. Back at home I saw wanted posters that had my face on them. I got a cut when I went to the butchers I took his big fat butcher knife and put a butcher knife through his throat. He was choking. It was good I was wearing a hood.

Then his wife yelled “MURDER MURDER!SOMEONE HAS MURDERED THE BUTCHER.” I quickly pushed against a wall with my bloody hand it landed on a wanted poster. It was creepy. Then I saw the man who murdered my father He yelled” I AM JB!!” I gulped I pictured him murdering me. That night when I went to bed I felt like my face was melting. As I faded to sleep. I saw a pale white figure his face looked like Duke’s. I knew that it was a dream. “It’s a dream it’s a dream.” I muttered to myself. The pale figure touched my shoulder. It felt ice cold. Nana came to me because she heard me. She barked at the pale white figure. He said “Sh sh Nana it is me.”

“Who are you?” I asked. He said “I am your father but as a ghost.”  

“Really then if you are you must know my favorite food.” I said proudly.

“Roast beef.” He said after 2 seconds. “Ok then dad why are you here.”

“Because you are the chosen one.”

“What!?” I said.

“Look at the marks on your arm.” the ghost said. “You must kill the evil queen and save Duke.”

“I dont want to” I said.

“You must.” said father. Then he poofed away.

“Wait!” I yelled. It was too late he was gone. I went back to bed. That next morning I was in the wagon with mother and a man. “Why are we here?” I asked.

“A big fire.” The man said.

“Oh,” I said. I looked back at all the hills and meadows and lakes and rivers. Then we crossed a big river. I peeked over then I drowned. To be continued…

Murder Madness

I was drowning! I was being pulled underwater. I was so scared I was out of breath. I was so tired. I was falling and falling my eyes closed. When I woke up I was lying on a beach my eyes burned because it was salt water. I wished this would never had happened if murder man never came then this would never had happened. Now the strange man pulled me off the shore and I coughed up water all over him. He wiped the water off himself. He told me to be more careful. I wanted to say no. But I did not. I nodded because then I would be spanked. I climbed back in the wagon. I waited along time. Nana our dog kept on trotting behind the wagon.

After 5 hours I thought of our burning town. If I died there I would be very sad of waiting the man yelled “Our stop!” I hopped off the wagon and mud landed on my dress. I went to a pub nearby and I ordered a butterbeer. Many men were yelling and betting. I looked around at the other men one of those men was sitting around. He was wearing armor and it had the evil queen’s mark on it. I opened up his helmet hoping he would not see me do “HALT!” Said the man. It was my brother the one I had let him almost die over and over again. I jumped. And said “Duke?”

He said “Gwen! Where is mother>”

“Oh at the hotel.” I muttered.

“Huh? Pardon me but I did not hear you.”

I yelled into his ear. “IN THE HOTEL!” Everyone stopped what they were doing and they threw us out. I brushed off dirt. I said “Guess we got banned.” My brother shrugged. I went down to the lake and started off on a boat. I went to fish. Mother said we will go back home. Instead a of going home. I was kidnapped! When I woke up I was in a small cell. I wiggled my hair in the lock and then I noticed it was a lock you could not pick. In a little corner I saw goo all over the corner I went in it. I yelled “IT’S HOLLOW.” Duke came in and followed me in “Blech!” I said. Some of the goo landed in my mouth. It was toxic goo. I barfed and it turned out green then I fainted then I was seeing light I was in the evil queen’s kingdom I ran out quickly and I was back at home. Duke was not with me. To be continued…

Murder Mansion

Even though she knew what waited for her in castle she knew she had to go in.

She took a deep breath it was finally over she looked over at the door she knew if someone caught her they would take to the lord and her head would be chopped off.

She looked down at the body now she had proof of the murder of her father suddenly she heard the bellow of the huge wolf. Soon she dried her brown hair and her scar upon her tan arm suddenly she  heard the screams of her brother, Duke she began to panic the clock struck twelve.The hunt was on.

She heard her mother yell her name “Gwen we’ll get you back!” At least she had her dog Nana who she had since she was a little baby. She looked at her blood stained, torn rag that she wore she could not help but crying she heard a voice. It was Duke her older brother he said he ran out cause he saw that the window bar was able to be pushed out. She smelled wet dog and dried blood they had murdered their cook, Ellen she knew it was Ellen because her scream sounded like a baby crying then she heard Belle the evil queen cackle it sounded of the dragon which was over yonder.

That morning they went a bought clothes they had dried their hair Duke’s hair had turned from brown to blonde.

They went down to the town the town was as dark as the night sky it was never that dark most of the places were empty.

“Wow,” said Duke as they went to the dark house it was winter so it was dark a lot. The castle had wanted posters everywhere Duke and I looked at them as we put on our cloaks suddenly we saw my face on a wanted poster suddenly I felt a ice cold hand touch me and drag me and Duke in their carriage. It was Belle the evil queen I screamed the ice cold hand put scarfs on our mouths. I faded to sleep. When I woke up I rubbed my eyes and looked around

“Well well well well.”

I said “You can not do this!”

“Oh yes I can I am doing it right now!” yelled Belle.

“Duke will get you!”

“He won’t he is here with me!”

“You can not do this”!

“I am taking you to the dungeon”. I woke up I saw a knife near the window. I took a clip out of hair and unlocked the cell door Duke followed me. I saw Belle in bed the guards were not there I quickly stabbed Belle in the the neck I then got the keys to my mother’s cell and I unlocked her just so we had her. Then put the king in my mother’s cell. When he woke up I heard him bark “LET ME OUT”!

“Never!” I yelled back we changed into the king the queen the princesses clothes and we lived like kings and queens. It was finally over. THE END.

 

The Mixed-Up Poem

the bunny said hi

and I pet his fuzzy ears

he ate some carrots

I sing in a warm bathtub

the water is cold

I sing to mermaids

the house is not so haunted

but I am a bit scared

white boards and dry erase markers

my mom forgot my birthday

I’m hiding under my bed

drinking some coffee

little plants, big plants

beautiful flowers

I wish I had a sister

flowers need sun and water

I walk in the woods

riding the school bus

pretty unique plants

the earth is turning

the smell of baked bread

freshly painted walls

gorgeous different colored plants

where is the moon’s face?

the long yellow dress

different colors

cuckoo is not my name

The Mysterious Bully in School

Chapter 1

Hi my name is Angela and there is a mysterious bully in school. This is why I’m trying to find out about this bully. Because one day I can speak up to him and say, “Stop bullying people.” First thing in the morning I ate my breakfast then got washed and then put my clothes on then went to school.

When I was in school my friend Simone said, “I heard about this bully,” but she said she didn’t know him.

I said, “Wow let’s find more about this bully.” After that I said, “Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Chapter 2

Today we will find more about this bully. Yay! So I went to school and my other friend Emma said, “I think I know his name: it is Tyler Ortega.” We found the first clue! Today we will find even more about this bully. My friend Korri said that Angela C. said she got bullied by Tyler. I said, “Okay, what did Angela C. find out about Tyler?” He wrecked the school in 2015.

Then Angela C. said, “Because of that he got suspended for a year.”

I said, “Wow that’s a long time.” We found the second clue. We had writing class which was the last class of the day.

“Bye guys, it’s time for me to go home. It’s the end of the day,” I said. The next day I went to school, saw my friend, Dyllan.

She said, “Hi Angela! Remember that bully you were talking about the other day?”

I said, “Yeah.”

Then Dyllan said, “I found out something about him,”

Then I said, “So what did you find out about Tyler?”

Then Dyllan said, “So this is what I found out about him. He is seven years old and he is in first grade.” I said, “Cool.”

Let’s see what happens in chapter three.

Chapter 3

The next day I went to school I asked Emma, “Remember you told me you used to be best friends with the bully?”

She said, “Yeah.”

I said, “So do you remember how he looks?

She said, “He had skin like Emil. And curly hair. He has super duper, duper, duper, duper curly hair. He’s medium-sized. He has a really high voice. He looks sad most of the time. He’s by himself a lot.”

Chapter 4

I went to find him in the closet at school. It was empty. I knew he was in there because I heard angry sounds and shouting and stomping coming from the closet. So I opened the door and said, “WHY ARE YOU IN THERE?”

He looked scared and angry and surprised. He said, “Why are you up in my face like that?”

I said, “Because! I was worried about you!”

Then I said, “Why are you bullying people?”

Then he said, “I have no friends and I get angry.”

Then I said, “But you don’t have to take it out on people.”

Then he said, “I don’t understand how to make friends.”

Then I said, “I will teach you how to make friends.”

Then he said okay and that is how we became friends.

The End.

Dedicated to my mom.

 

The Magical Journey

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in Ohio. She sometimes felt lonely. She wanted a pet. Her name was Madeline. She wanted a pet because her mom was always working and she never had time to play with Madeline.

One day, when her mom was at work, she went to see if she could find a pet. She had been walking for a long time and she was very hungry. She was walking and she entered a field. She saw something in the distance and walked towards it. When she was closer she saw an old man who was wearing a dark green cloak and he had a long beard which went to his wrists. When they met he asked her what she was doing. She said that she was trying to find a pet.

“Oh, what kind of pet?” he said.

She said, “A pet I can play with.”

He said, “Oh, let me tell you about this store that I know. You can probably find the best pet for you there. It’s a magical store and there will be many different pets there I am sure you will find a perfect pet there.”

“Really?” said Madeline.

“Yes. Oh my, is that the time? Sorry, I have to go.”

Madeline was so happy, then she realized that he had not given her any directions to get there. Madeline thought that if she had a magical pet store she would hide it somewhere no one would find it. She thought the mountains! It has to be behind the mountains. She went in the direction of the mountains and walked and walked for four hours. Then when she finally got to the top of the mountains she saw one huge pet shop below the mountains. The glass building was sparkly and big, there were windows with food for pets that she had never seen before. There was pet furniture and clothing for pets that she had never seen before; everything was made for their shape. Surprisingly, Madeline saw the old man, who looked up and waved at her. She could not wait to go down there and find her pet. She quickly ran down the mountain. It only took about ten minutes and she went to the man who told her to follow him. He took her to the area where the pets were. Madeline was so happy.

“So you want a pet to keep you company and to play with too?” asked the man.

“Yes,” said Madeline.

“Hmm, well I think I have some pets for you to look at,” he said and then turned around. “What about the phoenix? She is the kindest magical pet and she has a lot of energy. She can turn invisible although sometimes she can be very stubborn and she always sleeps for a long time.”

“Wow,” said Madeline.

“You know,” said the man, “I was just like you I had nothing to do and I felt lonely. So I decided to open this pet shop. I have the kindest people working to be with me and I have the best pets here now with anyone of these pets you will always have fun.”

Madeline smiled, it felt good to know someone who was like her.

“Well, Madeline, let me show you the unicorn.”

Madeline and the man walked in the next room. On the right corner Madeline saw an adorable baby unicorn. It was pink and white.

“The unicorn is very sweet she loves to play and she has a magical horn,” said the man.

“She is so pretty,“ said Madeline.

“Yes,” said the man. “She loves to be with people and if you are kind to her she will go with you everywhere. This is the owl, he is very shy and kind but he makes friends very fast. Well now it is time to choose one. They are all very great pets but you have to choose one,” said the man.

“I can not choose, they’re all so nice. How about the…phoenix…ummm…no, what about the unicorn, actually the owl, oww, I don’t know. They’re all the best.”

“Yes, I know how it feels but there is only one right pet for you. That is how it works. Only one magical pet, that’s the magical pet law. I can see the perfect pet but if I tell you it will no longer be the best pet for you. So think who will really help you.Think from the very beginning, Madeline, think. What did you want all that time.”

“A friend to keep me company and play with me?” Madeline thinks about that.

“Have you chose a pet yet?” said the old man.

“Yes I have,” said Madeline.

“Who is is it?”

“It–it–it–is the unicorn.”

“Really, great! You chose the best pet for you and trust me you will have lots of fun with her.”

 

THE END!

The Long Walk

Chapter 1: Going to Cape Cod

Once when I was in New York, I was getting ready to go to Cape Cod. We were going there because we were dropping off my sister and her best friend for sleep away camp. My sister and her friend Uma were excited but a little nervous. We were going early because we were going to visit our friends Christopher, Paige, and Brooke. We were going to visit them because I would get really carsick if we had to drive straight without stopping at the camp, which is called Cape Cod Sea Camps.

I asked my dad if he knew how long the car ride would be. He said, “Probably six and a half hours.”

“I better get comfortable,” I said. I thought I better take a nap. My sister’s friend was in the car too.

I was excited to get to be in Cape Cod with my friend Brooke, but I was sad that the car ride was SO long. When we started moving, I, my sister Audrey, and her friend Uma listened to our favorite radio channel, Hits 1. They have great music, like “My Friend,” which is a name of a song, I think. We all sang along to the songs!

The car was black. Uma, Audrey and I sat in the back seats, my mom and dad sat in the front seats. Audrey and I have boosters and Uma didn’t have one because it’s not her car. We talked a lot in the car. Some of the things we talked about were how excited we were to get to Cape Cod because we want to see our friends! And I took two naps, my sister and her friend Uma didn’t take a nap so they wanted something to do.

When we got to Cape Cod we went out to lunch at a place on the way to our friends’ house. There was a kids’ menu – my sister and I had mac n’ cheese. It tasted really good and smelled cheesy. Uma, my sister’s friend, got chicken fingers. Uma said they tasted really good, too.

Once we got back in the car after lunch, we drove to their house.

 

Chapter 2: At Their House

When we got there, Paige greeted us. She is the same age as Audrey and Uma. Paige has a brother named Christopher. He is eighteen (I think). I have a friend the same age as me named Brooke. It was great to see everybody again.

For the first 20 minutes, Brooke and I didn’t talk a lot. My mom and Brooke’s mom said we should go next door to their old house and pick some flowers. On the way, we started talking to each other. We talked about what we were going to do tomorrow.

Brooke said, “I think we’re going to the beach tomorrow!”

I said, “Okay!”

“But before we go to the beach, do you want to take a walk so I can show you around?” Brooke asked.

I said, “Sure. Where should we go?”

Brooke said, “We could go to the club and golf course because my dad knows most people in this town.”

Once we got next door we weren’t wearing any shoes and my feet felt kind of dirty. We had to go in the dirt without any shoes and my feet got even dirtier. First we picked blue flowers (I don’t know the names of most of the flowers). Next we picked pink flowers. All the flowers smelled really good. They smelled like birthday cake! Next we picked white flowers. The blue, pink and white flowers were the same kind but different colors. Next we picked dog bark (I think that’s the kind of flower it was). The petals were sticky. Brooke showed me the inside of the house, but there wasn’t a lot to see. All the rooms were empty except for the kitchen and bathrooms, but the bathrooms didn’t even work. In the kitchen, nothing was in the fridge.

 

Chapter 3: Flowers for Mom

We got back to the house and gave our moms the basket of flowers. The basket was actually Paige’s laundry bag, but her mom said we could use it. She didn’t ask Paige, so we still weren’t sure if we could use it so we just took it out for a little while. When we were outside on their lawn organizing the flowers into piles, Paige yelled from her room, “Brooke! Did you take my laundry basket?”

Brooke said, “Mom said I could use it!”

Paige ran downstairs and we could hear her yelling, “Mom!”

After we were done organizing the flowers, we needed to find a way to get them inside. We couldn’t use the laundry basket, because we gave it back to Paige. Brooke went inside and asked her mom- “we don’t know how to bring the flowers in?”

Brooke’s mom said, “You can just put in on the middle of the table.”

Brooke said, “Thanks mom!!” She came running back and said, “Nellie, my mom said we can put the flowers on the table.

I said, “Great!!

After we put the organized flowers on the table, it was time for dinner.

 

Chapter 4: Before the Walk

Dinner was corn and hamburgers. After we ate, we were going to hang out for a couple of hours and then go to sleep. We played in Brooke’s room for twenty minutes and before we were going to watch Teen Beach Movie 2, Brooke and I made our couch bed in the little TV room where we were going to watch the movie. There was another blow-up mattress bed on the floor for Audrey, Uma and Paige. The couch bed was really just a couch, and we had to put sheets, pillows and blankets on it. After we watched the movie we got ready for bed. Brooke and I decided that we didn’t want to sleep on a couch. So that night we slept in our parents bedroom.

In the morning, Brooke got up, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair (I didn’t, I just stayed in bed), and came into my room. She said, “Good morning, Nellie! Are you ready for the walk?”

I said, “Almost, Brooke. I just have to…brush my teeth and hair, get dressed, and eat breakfast. So… it’ll probably take me twenty to thirty minutes.”

Brooke said “Ok, I will just wait for you.”

I said, “Thanks!!”

30 MINUTES LATER…

“Ok Brooke, I’m ready to go on the walk now!”

Brooke said, “Yay!” We went downstairs and got our shoes on. We told everyone where we were going to go, and what we were doing. The grownups said “That’s great, we were just thinking about getting some fresh air.”

We asked, “Can we go by ourselves?!”

The grownups said, “Sure!”

 

Chapter 5: The Long Walk

Brooke and I started our walk. First we were going to go the golf course since it’s close to her house. When we saw the sign ‘Golfers Crossing’ we knew we were really close. When we saw the golf course, we found two mushrooms. We picked them up. I felt the inside of one and it felt squishy and slimy. The outside was just a little dirty, so we put them in Brooke’s pocket and thought maybe when we get home we can wash them.

When we got into the golf course, Brooke said, “Do you see that circle of sand over there?”

I said I did.

Brooke said, “When we get there, make sure you don’t put your feet in too deep because you’re not allowed to walk in it.”

I said, “I’ll try not to.”

The golf course was super long and we were walking on it for about twenty minutes. We forgot about how long we told the parents how long we’d walk for, and we didn’t care about going back because we forgot. After we got off the golf course we saw the golf club, there’s two clubs a regular club and a golf club. We saw the golf club.

Once we got to the golf club we saw somebody inside.

We asked him, “Do you know where the regular club is? We want some water because we’re both really thirsty.”

He said the club was across the golf course. We got so annoyed because we had to walk across the course again. But since we were so thirsty we had to do it. It took us another 20 minutes. While we were on our walk, Brooke and I talked about our pets. We both have dogs – Brooke’s dog is in Hong Kong in the summer, but Brooke goes to New York in the summer. Brooke told me she missed her dog. Her dog is a goldendoodle. I told her that my dog is a Tibetan terrier, and he is so fluffy.

Brooke said, “I think I remember him from Christmas? Is his name Fela?”

I said, “Yes!’’

Brooke said, “I don’t think our dogs have ever met.”

I said “No! They didn’t.”

On the long walk, we also talked about our older sisters. I said to Brooke, “How is Paige?”

Brooke said, “She’s good, but sometimes she can be a little annoying.”

I said, “Same here.”

Brooke said, “I think Audrey’s nice.”

“I think Paige is really nice,” I replied.

When we got out of the golf course, and onto the street, Brooke said, “Nellie, we’re almost to the club!”

I said, “Good, because I’m getting thirsty.”

 

Chapter 6: The Club, Part I

When we got to the club, we asked the doorman how we could get some water. He said, “Go straight and make a right.” We followed his directions and came upon a fancy room with a lot of people. We went in and saw that this guy was taking family pictures. We asked him if he could take a photo of us.

He said, “Are you here for the anniversary party?”

Brooke and I were confused. “Um, what anniversary party?” we asked.

The photographer said, “Did you girls not know that this is an anniversary party?”

We said, “No!” We looked around the room and figured it out. We had walked right in to some couple’s anniversary party! There were people everywhere. As we were leaving, these 12 or 13-year-old girls stared at us in a mean way. We tried to ignore them and walk out without anyone else noticing us.

We finally got out and saw a waiter walking by. We asked him how to get water? He said “down the corner.” We said “Thanks!” We got to the diner and Nobody was there. There were just waiter and waitresses, we asked them can we have two waters please. They said sure. They gave us two waters and walked out.

Brooke said, “I have to go to the bathroom.

I said, “Okay. Do you know where the bathroom is?”

She said, “Yep!”

I said, “Okay, lets go then.”

Once we got downstairs to the bathroom we went in to the girls locker room, and went into the stalls. When we got out of the stalls Brooke spotted mint mouthwash…Brooke loves mint anything. She basically screamed, “MINT MOUTHWASH!!!”

I said, “Shhh!”

Brooke said, “sorry, I just love mint anything.”

I said, “I realized that.”

Brooke took a cup and spurted mouthwash into a mini plastic cup. Luckily the mouthwash didn’t spray everywhere, like once when I was with my grandma at a restaurant. Brooke literally took twenty sips of mouthwash and then asked me if I wanted some. I said, “I’m okay.”

She said, “You have to. It’s so refreshing!”

I said, “Okay, once.”

She said, “Once or twice.”

I took a sip and fell in love with it!! (We didn’t swallow the mouthwash because that would be kind of gross, we spit it out). We both drank SO, SO, SO, much of it. And then we walk out of the bathroom and we were about to go but…we saw a piece of paper that said Name on one line, and locker number on another. Brooke and I both love filling out surveys. We both took one and filled out our name. Of course we don’t have a locker number so we just had to make one up. I looked at the lockers and saw names. I then realized that the lockers with name are taken. Then I looked witch locker Brooke chose. I think she didn’t realize that the lockers with names were taken. I told Brooke about the locker name thing, and we decided to pick a locker.

We looked at the rows of lockers and on one of the lockers we saw the name ‘Mary Olsen.’ Mary-Kate Olsen is a famous person, so Brooke and I were shocked and excited. We erased our real names on the surveys and pretended our names were Mary Olsen. Our locker numbers were 122 (that was mine) and I think Brooke’s was 153. Brooke asked me where we should put them? I said we can keep them. Brooke didn’t want to keep them and so she put it back in the slot. And then we left the locker room and went out the back door to go to the playground.

 

The Club, Part II

I said, “Where is the playground?”

Brooke said, “Next to my camp because it’s the camps playground.

I said, “If it’s the camps playground then are you sure we can play in it?”

Brooke said, “Yes. I’m sure.”

Once we got to the playground, we played on the slide. There were two slides, so we went on the one that was longer and scarier. It was pitch black and you could hear the slide wobbling. Next we went on the swings, first Brooke pushed me and I went super high. Then I pushed Brooke and she went super high too. After that Brooke showed me what she does at camp on the playground. Under the bridge there was a little circle of sand that you could play in. Brooke made a city!! The city was made out of flowers and mushrooms.

I said, “It’s so pretty!”

Brooke said, “Do you want to go to the back lawn of the club and roll down the hill and do cartwheels and handstands?”

I said, “Sure!! Let’s go!!”

When we got to the back lawn, we rolled down the hill three times and we did cartwheels and handstands a bunch of times. We still had our water but they fell down. After that we felt really dizzy. We got some leaves in our hair from rolling down the hill. Brooke said, “Do you know what time it is? I have no idea because we completely lost track of how long we would be out here for.”

We told the moms that we’d be gone for 20 minutes, but it felt like we’d been away for longer.

 

Chapter 7: The Angry Moms

Just then, we saw a car stop right in front of the hill.

Brooke said, “That car looks familiar…”

My mom and Brooke’s mom came running out of the car, shouting, “Nellie! Brooke! You’ve been away for almost two hours? What happened to you?”

Brooke and I ran down the hill to meet our moms, who gave us a big hug. They had a lot of questions for us.

“Why are there leaves in your hair?” asked my mom.

“Did you guys get lost?” asked Brooke’s mom.

“We were so worried!! But now we’re really happy to see you.” The moms were upset that we’d lost track of time and had walked all the way to the club, but they were relieved to see us all safe and sound.

We all got in the car to go back to Brooke’s house. When we got there, everybody in the kitchen was so happy to see us (Brooke’s dad and my dad). We went upstairs to see Audrey, Paige and Uma.

We said, “Did you guys miss us? Were you scared that we’d gotten kidnapped?”

Audrey said, “Oh? You guys were gone?”

Paige chimed in, “We didn’t even notice!”

Uma then said, “How long were you gone for?”

“Almost two hours – and you didn’t notice we left, and then didn’t come back?” we said. We were outraged. How dare they not notice?!

They said, “No.”

 

15 MINUTES LATER…

Our moms said, “It’s time to go to the beach!!”

 

Chapter 8: Time for the Beach!

We packed some sandwiches and drinks and headed to the car. We all sat in one car but we had to pull the back seats up so we could all fit. When we got to the beach, our dads said that we were going on a boat ride. We brought the sandwiches to the boat so when we got to the second beach where we were going we could have a picnic. Our dads called, “Time to get on Jetlag!” I had no idea what that meant. It turned out that the boat’s name was Jetlag. The boat next to ours was named ‘I Love Ponies.’

 

Chapter 9: The Boat, Part I

In the boat, one of the couches could be opened to reveal a little bathroom – with no door. The bathroom was the dirtiest thing I had ever seen. They never used it. When my eyes looked at it I got so grossed out and I felt like I lost my appetite for the sandwiches. The boat  went really slowly at first and then we told them we wanted to go faster. The dads said that we have to get to the ocean first.

Once we were about to get to the ocean we said, “We’re not going any faster than we were!”

They said, “What one second.”

They were right, in one second we began going so, so, so, fast!! We went so fast that Uma’s hat blew off her head! We had to turn back and my dad had to try to grab it right on time…

 

The Boat, Part II

Our dad luckily got the hat and we turned back for the boat ride. That didn’t happen again because all of us were either holding on to our hats or me (I took off my hat).  We were still going really fast but now all of us got used to going this fast!! We got to the beach and ate our sandwiches, I had turkey. I wanted to look for hermit crabs now.

Brooke said “I don’t think that there are any hermit crabs here…”

I asked Brooke’s dad and it turned out that there were hermit crabs. I asked my mom if she wanted to help me and she said she would but only if she doesn’t have to pick them up. I said “sure.” We began, We walked this way and that way but we didn’t find any hermit crabs.

Audrey, Uma and Brooke were in the water and they wanted me to come in. I said, “I’m looking for hermit crabs! You can join me, but I don’t want to come in the water right now.”

They said, “Okay, but we don’t really want to look for hermit crabs.”

Sadly, I didn’t find any hermit crabs, but Brooke told me that there are a lot at their beach. After swimming in the water for a while, it was time to head back since it was late in the afternoon. We got back on the boat, and we were about to go.

 

Chapter 10: Heading Home

When we started heading back to their beach, I felt like we were going even faster than the first time. But it was still super fun. Once we could see their beach, we slowed down a lot. When I could see their beach more clearly, we saw…the boat police! We drove over to them and the coast guard said, “Hey folks. I see four children without any lifejackets on and I don’t know how old they are. So…how old are they?”

He pointed to Audrey and she said, “I’m almost ten.”

Then he pointed to Uma, who said, “I’m also almost ten.”

Paige said, “I’m eleven.”

Then he pointed to me and Brooke. We said, “We’re both almost seven and a half.”

The coast guard said, “Okay, I know these kids’ ages and there are four who need life jackets on.”

Brooke’s dad said, “Sorry sir. For the rest of the ride we will wear them.”

The lifejackets were really, really itchy. But I lived with it. When we got to their beach I was so happy to be there, We ran to the dock and every kid except for me didn’t wear shoes. When we got to the car we got in and I sat in the back again. We drove home and I was happy to be there.

I said, “What a day!!!”

 

THE END

The Little Witch

 

Chapter 1

One dark night, on Ginger Berry Road, a little girl was born. Her mother and father loved her more then anything, and wanted the most special, beautiful and remarkable name that they could think of. For three weeks after she was born, she still had no name. After thinking and thinking, the mother came up with the name Cora.  That would be her name. She grew and grew and grew and grew, and before her mother and father knew it, she was a four year old girl. Cora was a beautiful girl and was also very sweet. She had long chestnut hair, sparkling deep green eyes and fresh pink lips. She loved animals and in her mind she could understand what they were saying. This was a thing that only she could understand, she had tried to explain it to her parents but even they didn’t understand. She helped whomever was in need. You could see the pride in her parents’ eyes whenever they looked at her. And so on she grew and grew, her inner and outer beauty growing with her.

 

Chapter 2

On her seventh birthday, it was a day just like when she was born. Dark, stormy, windy and wet. The small shack that she and her parents lived in started to sway from the wind. Then the thunder started to come. Her mother and father knew that the lightning was coming soon after. The lighting struck the wooden house, and before they knew it, the house lit on fire and started to come down. Her mother and father ran upstairs to gather every valuable thing that they had. Cora just stood there sobbing. Her parents did not come down, all Cora heard was the screams and shrieks for their little baby to run.

Cora ran and ran in her birthday dress that her daddy had picked out all by himself the day before. It was yellow like the sun and had a purple belt.  When her father had came home the day before with the dress he had said to Cora, “My little baby needs a beautiful dress that matches her own beauty.” Then Cora had taken her birthday dress out of his hands and danced around the room. Her father just smiled as she twirled.

Her bare feet were dirty and black from the muddy ground. She did not care about her feet, for all she cared about was getting away from the burning house that held her loving parents. She could still hear the screams from her parents ringing in her ears.

She finally had to stop. She sat down on the muddy, cold, wet floor and as she wept and wept the storm grew and grew. She huddled next to a wet rock and fell asleep thinking about her mother and father and what had happened……

Chapter 3

She woke up the next morning in the back of a wagon bumping around the rocky ground. Cora had forgotten about the night before, and thought she was still in her own warm cozy bed and would walk downstairs to a warm breakfast awaiting her.  Then she rubbed her eyes and looked down at her own body to see if she was any bigger than she had been the day before. She saw her birthday dress that her father had given her and remembered everything.

She did not want to cry again but she still had to figure out where she was. She sat up, looked around, then screamed out “HEEEELLLLLLLOOOOO??” and in return she heard a cackling voice say, “It’s okay darling, we will be at my home very soon, there is nothing to worry about, we will get you fixed up.”  Cora could only hear the woman and could not see her so she did not think too much about it. She feel back asleep, but as the wagon came to a stop she woke up too.

The lady who had spoke to her earlier lifted her up out of the wagon and into the tall tower the lady called home. Cora let the lady pick her up, because her legs were so tired from all the running she did the day before. She thought she was dreaming, and she thought to herself, I am dreaming, nothing happened to my parents, I am going to wake up in my own bed on my birthday. I will have my birthday breakfast, wake up tomorrow and be a lot bigger then I was yesterday!!!  Then she pinched herself and hit herself. But she did not wake up. She started to realize that it was really happening. Cora screamed at the thought of her dead parents and her burned house. Then she knew that there was nothing she could do. She started to cry. She cried and cried. She did not even realize when her and the lady got up to the top floor and the lady sat her down in a big fluffy chair.

Chapter 4

The lady stroked Cora’s head, and after a while Cora calmed down and looked at the lady. She had long, pitch-black hair that was falling all over her shoulders, and was wearing a purple cloak and a purple hat to match. She had a long nose, a wart on the side of her face, yellow teeth and one snagle tooth. Cora thought that some people might think of her as ugly, but Cora thought she had her type of special beauty with in her.

She finally asked “Who are you?”

The lady sat down herself and said in the same cackling voice “I am a witch, darling and you will soon enough be one too!”

Cora ran it through her head a few times then asked “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”

The witch answered with an evil laugh and said, “There is only one type little girl, we will talk more about that when we start your training,  but in the meantime, you will tell me your story.” So Cora told her all about what had happened to her house and her parents and as she did she cried and cried and cried once more.

Chapter 5

The very next morning, Cora was told to get a broom from the closet. She did as she was told. The witch just looked at her, so Cora started to sweep.

The witch laughed her evil laugh and told her, “No! The broom is not for sweeping it is for riding.” The witch sat on her own broom and showed her how to fly on it. After a little while of falling, she finally got it and was up in the air, flying around the high-ceilinged house. Day after day, Cora learned more and more about witches. She learned how to make potions, cast spells, dress like a witch, grow her short little nails and much more. She tried sleeping spells, turning people into a frog spells, ugliness spells and nightmare spells. As she learned, she realized that she was only learning how to do bad things, like turning people into frogs, undoing all their work and making everybody else’s life miserable. She wanted to do so much more than evil, she wanted to help people and to save people, just like her parents would want her to do. Even though she kept learning all the bad magic the witch was teaching her, at night up in her bedroom she practiced all the good magic that she could come up with. She snuck down every night to look through the witch’s stuff, but she could never find a single thing, not a book, a spell, or anything about good magic. So she had to come up with everything. She tried spells from fairytales and storybooks that her mother had read her. Only some of the spells worked. Of course she thought that “abra cadabra” would work, but it did not. She found out how to do a protection spell by mixing some cinnamon and other herbs and spices she found in the witch’s closet. She learned a healing spell, a truth spell, an awakening spell, a love spell, a good dream spell, and more.  

One day the witch said that she was leaving for the Bad Witch Day.

When Cora asked what that is, the witch said “It is when all the bad witches in the universe cast bad spells on every single good person in the world.”

Cora thought to herself, then just said, “Go witch! Have a good Bad Witch Day, I will just stay here, as I am too young to go with you.” They waved good bye, and the witch left. A couple minutes later, Cora ran to get her broom and the Good Spells book that she had decided to write. She flew out the window after the bad witch, and when she saw a bad witch cast a bad spell right, she would reverse it. Again and again, she reversed every bad spell that she could catch. Finally, she found the witch that she was staying with. The witch cast a ugly spell and Cora cast a pretty spell. Over and over. Again and again. Until all the witches got tired and went home. Cora went to bed feeling very satisfied and happy.

Chapter 6

The next morning when Cora came down for breakfast, the witch was not up yet. She thought about the day before, and was so happy with her work. Cora made herself some breakfast, and for the first time in a while, she cried. She missed her parents too much and she could not take it any more. She wanted to ask the witch so many questions about what the town that they were in was called and what was the witch’s real name. A few minutes later, the witch came in, and as soon as she did, Cora flooded her with questions.

She asked, “Ms. Witch? What is your name? What town are we in? How was your day yesterday?”

The witch laughed and said, “Darling, darling, calm down!! I will answer all your questions!” Then she started to answer. “My name is Linda (the bad witch). We are in Mulberry town, and my day was awful yesterday!!! It almost felt like someone was reversing all my spells!! I hated it!!!” Cora answered with a frown.

Cora then said, “I am sorry for asking but have you ever thought about being a good witch?”

The witch replied, “Yes darling, but my enemy is a good witch and if I become a good witch we will be on the same team, and I never want that to happen, and I mean never ever want that to happen.”

Cora said, “But don’t you want to be a hero, don’t you want to be happy and have everyone love you??”

Then the witch said, “Darling this conversation is too long, but let me tell you… I used to be a good witch. Then I did something wrong. I was in love with a mortal man. It is dangerous to be in love with mortals. People who are born witches are supposed to keep it a secret and if someone finds out about the people who are born witches, everything will go wrong. You see, the witches that are born witches are born with powers. They don’t even have to cast any spells or read any books. Well, when I fell in love with the mortal the queen of all good witches made me look like this. An ugly old hag.”

“I don’t think that you are ugly, you are beautiful in your own way.” And for the first time the witch smiled a real smile.

The witch stood up and turned around, but before leaving she said, “I have always tried to be the evilest witch, but really I am not all that bad.”    

Chapter 7

Cora began to realize that maybe the good witches weren’t really that good. She ran to the Linda’s bedroom and asked, “Are the good witches really that good?” Linda answered with, “The good witches are in a way the bad ones. They turn any good witch that does something bad ugly. Then those witches want to be their enemies and they get on the bad side. There are no witches that are born bad.” Cora knew it! But it was still better to have more good witches than bad ones, so Cora was going to find a way to turn Linda into a good witch.   

Chapter 8

Cora just smiled, she had helped the town and maybe even Linda. Maybe Linda wasn’t a bad witch inside. Maybe she just wanted to get revenge on the good witches for turning her into a old hag. In the next couple seconds the witch came down dressed and ready.

She said “I am going out again, I am going to see if I can ruin somebody’s life today. Are you sure that you don’t want to come?” Cora thought about it, then said, “No, but I am going to look around the town.”  

“Okay, but really there isn’t much to see.” And with that, Linda hopped on her broom and flew out the window. Cora was not actually going to explore the town, but she was going to go have a talk with the good witch queen.

When she got to the kingdom, she said to one of the guards, “I am here to see the queen.” The guards let her in after making sure she was really a good witch.

She flew to the queen and said, “Let Linda have another chance, she is a good witch. It doesn’t matter if she is in love with a mortal. Please give her another chance.”

The queen thought about it then said, “I will give her another chance, if you can prove to me that Linda is a good witch at heart.”

Cora smiled, then said, “Thank you so much!!! What do I have to do?”

“You have to get Linda to cast a love spell, a good dream spell and a happiness spell without telling her about you coming here. Now go, I know you told her you were exploring the town.”

“Ok I am on my wa-  wait how did you know that I told her that?”

“I know everything, GOOOOOO!!!”

So Cora left and went back to Linda’s home. When she got there Linda was already home.

“How was your day today?” Asked Cora.

“It was fine, I only cast one spell but it did work.”

“That’s good, when are you going out again?”

“Tomorrow. Now go get some rest!! You need it.”

“Goodnight, Linda.” Then Cora went up to her bedroom and fell asleep thinking about how she would get Linda to cast her three good spells.

Chapter 9

The next day when Cora woke up Linda was already halfway out the window. She ran to get dressed and then rushed out the window after her, making sure to stay hidden. She watched

Linda cast a hatred spell, then she went up right next to Linda and cast a love spell.

Linda looked at Cora then said, “What did you do that for?”

“I am a good witch!!! There is nothing you can do to change it!!”

“Why are you a good witch? Bad witches know so much more!!!”

“Well I bet you can’t cast a love spell!”

“YES I CAN!!”

“Then cast one!!”

Then Linda cast one, and as she did her yellow buck teeth got fixed back to perfect straight white ones.

“WOW!”

“What?”

“Your teeth are so perfect!!”

“Oh, I wish.”

Cora thought that maybe Linda could not see any of her changes until she cast all three spells. When they got home, Linda was fuming and said that if she did that tomorrow she would have to leave, and that she had to be a bad witch. Then she sent Cora to bed.

Chapter 10

The next day Cora stayed in the kitchen until Linda came back from flying. Then she

asked. “Linda, will you cast a happiness spell so I can try to reverse it?”

Linda said “As long as you don’t do anything good!!” Then Linda did, and Cora did not even try to reverse it. The wart on her nose disappeared and she was even more beautiful.

Later, Cora went back to bed to plot her next plan. She brainstormed, and finally came up with a plan. That night, she stayed awake, and when the witch came in to check on her she pretended that she was having a bad dream.

She kicked and screamed, and when the witch tried to calm her down, she kept saying “I can’t, I can’t!! I had such a bad dream!” After a while the witch could not take it anymore and she was very tired. The Witch cast a good dream spell on her. Cora took one last look at The Witch, and noticed that her long nose had become short. Then Cora went right back to sleep, dreaming about unicorns and candy.

The next morning, when Cora looked at Linda, her old ugly clothes had been replaced with beautiful ones and then her black nails changed to pink!! She was so happy! She thanked Cora millions of times and was so happy that she could be a good witch once more!!

So that is the story of how the little witch changed someone from bad to good and helped many other people in many different ways.

Epilogue

After Cora turned Linda from good to bad……..

Linda decided to really adopt Cora. They went to the town and Linda filled out many papers, and when she was done they walked back to their high tower that now both Cora and Linda called home.  Linda also married the mortal man that she was in love with (the good queen made an exception). Now Cora has a mother and a father that could take care of her, and while her father is at work, Linda and Cora still go out and stop all the bad magic that goes on!     

     The End

           

                     

 

    

The Little Light

 

Look, look into the light.

Do you see the light?

The light

which shines,

for which shines

Deep

In the hollow darkness.

The deep dark is calling

for me

Like a crow

Calling for me

to replace the light

Replace the light with darkness

The light feels like butter

Like when I rub my hands

together

causing friction. Like melted butter.

It feels like I dumped

the feathers out of my

pillow.

The pillow part.

That feeling,

when you get

a chocolate croissant

heated. At Starbucks.

That feeling of the bread

and that hopeful ding

in the microwave.

Indeed I do not

replace the light with

darkness.

The light gives laughter

hope, forgiveness,

joy.

The darkness

feels like a side of me,

A black part

Of my conscience

Like a threat to my pillow,

my butter, my croissant.

The darkness is an angel

The darkness is a devil.

The darkness is a mystery.

The darkness is a warning.

A caution.

The light is a sign of hope

the darkness will be gone.

When the darkness

covers the light

everything

is sad again.

The Kid Who Tried To Get A Concussion

Once there was a little boy named Fernando.

Fernando wasn’t happy with himself so he tried to get a concussion.

He wasn’t happy because he was the biggest nerd in school

because he was the only one who could calculate how many seconds he was living, and he was the only one who could calculate

how to sustain life on Mars.

Then he tried to get a concussion so he could forget about everything he knew so he wouldn’t be the nerd anymore.

First he tried hitting himself in the head with a spoon.

Then he tried banging his head on the wall.

He bruised his forehead but didn’t go into a coma.

Then he tried to run and jump and swing his head onto his bed corner–still didn’t work. His brain had six packs, it was so strong. So it wouldn’t break.

Finally, as a last resort, he stuck an egg beater into his ear canal and scrambled his brain.

That only made him smarter. Now he knew how to sustain life on the sun.

He could also prove and/or disprove the existence of God.

And then he tried to cut his head in half but the head extended a hand and it chopped off his own.

He never even got the chance to tell the world the truth about God.

The end.

 

The Infection: Ebola

DAY 1

I woke up.

“Wha, why?” This was supposed to be a sleepover, it isn’t like Mark to sleep in. The sun was gleaming through the window. I rubbed my bleary eyes and only then realized that Mark wasn’t in bed. I heard talking and rustling downstairs, so I untangled myself from the sheets and followed the voices to Mark’s yard. He was hiding behind his mother shivering with excitement. “W-what’s going on?” I asked, tired from the constant night.

“The best thing that’s ever gonna be going on!” he replied, excited. It really annoys me how much he forgets things. I ask him a question and he replies with something that makes me ask more questions, but doesn’t answer my question in the first place.

“What is going on?” I asked again coolly.

“Fine, ebola has hit North Carolina and we’re going north! The disease is spreading in every direction!” he yelled really fast.

I had heard of ebola. I actually did a project on it. It slowly bleeds you and it’s super contagious. “Bro! This ain’t something to be excited about! Ebola kills you! You bleed to death!” I whispered. His smile quickly faded and suddenly looked real, real scared.

”You mean we could actually die? Not like Dragonball-Z-Kai manga die?” he faintly moaned.

“Actually die, seriously. Are you relating death to Dragonball? We’re 11.” I responded. I strained to look past Mark’s mom, who was talking to someone, but her long black hair was in the way of my eyes.

“Louie.” I heard the faint voice behind me, “Please take me with you.” Suddenly I got really mad, I didn’t know what the heck was happening, so I barged into Mark’s fat mom, almost knocked her over, and stepped outside in my pjs, and there was my dad in his big yellow Jeep, crammed with stuff from home.

“Dad? Why are you here?” I asked confused. His stubby beard twitched and his eyes twinkled. “We’re moving” he said. “The disease has hit Arlington.”

While the parents talked to each other Mark and I played soccer outside. “So, do you think your mom is going to let you come?” I queried. “I dunno, she really likes this house, we were kinda house poor when we got this place, she spent all her money on it. What about all our friends?” he asked. “Well, dad said that he had kinda gotten a caravan set up of all the neighbors and friends that live in this area. This is the last house we’re gonna hit, a few people didn’t wanna come, your mom’s keepin’ the group waitin’. Do ya wanna see how many people are waiting, I actually don’t know, ‘cause I was staying at your house while dad asked people to come.”

“Sure!”

We walked towards Mark’s green front yard, and could already see a huge line of cars on the street. Subarus, Jeeps, Toyotas, Land Rovers, and big Honda Pilots were lined up. “Whoa,” Mark whispered. We went out back to play soccer again in the back yard.

“Dang, if the disease has already hit Arlington, it’s gonna get here in DC in like five minutes.” I thought out loud. We passed the ball around a few times before Mark accidentally hit the ball into the hydrangeas, I said I would get it, and suddenly it went over the neighbor’s wall. “A little help here?” I asked. Mark came over and gave me a boost, and I climbed over the big brick wall and landed on my feet in the yard. I did a full 360 degree scan and found the soccer ball in a thorny bush. Ouch! Those things really hurt!

As I turned towards Mark’s yard I heard a loud groan and thump. I turned this time towards the back alleyway and saw a bedraggled man lying face-down. I started towards him, thinking that he had a heart attack or something, because I couldn’t hear him say anything. Suddenly everything went quiet for a second, the birds stopped tweeting, the parent’s talking stopped, and I couldn’t hear Mark’s footsteps. The hairs on my neck rose, and my heart was racing.

The man was bleeding from every skin pore on his body.

I let out a long, blood-curdling shriek. “AHHHHRGHCK!!!”

”Louie!!?” I heard Mark’s frantic voice behind me.

I really dunno how I managed to hurdle a five foot wall, I mean, I’m only a medium height 11 year old; either my sneakers were really springy or fear drove me. I think. Anyways, I jumped right over the wall and landed on Mark. “Louie, what’s hap-”

“Deadebolaguy!Deadebolaguy” I yelled really fast while pointing towards the alleyway through the wall. I untangled my legs from his, and got up and started running toward the house.”Hey, wait up!” Mark yelled.

I covered the hill to the house in no time. I tracked muddy footprints all over the furnished, wooden floor. Mark’s mom twisted her her head around and stared at me. “What on earth-“

”Deadebolaguy! Deadebolaguy!” I yelled really fast pointing at the lump on the alleyway. Mark rushed into the room, panting, and bent over to lean on his legs. Dad looked at Mark’s mom. “Make your decision!” he yelled.

DAY 2

“Alright peeps, let’s clear this joint! DC is being infected, we gotta go! Only get the essentials!” Dad was yelling at everyone while carrying a chair. “Anyone got extra space in their cars?” he yelled again while carrying food. I was exhausted, my hands had a lot of callouses and blisters.

“Dad, can I take a break?” I asked.

“Wait a sec son, I gotta get somethin’ from home. Hmm, sure, take a break.” He ran off in the direction of home.

”Oh, he’s gettin’ the big boy.” one of my 60 year old neighbors said to another. Twenty minutes later everyone heard honking outside. When I went outside, my jaw dropped: Dad had gotten a huge cargo truck! Everyone except for Mark’s family and I knew this.

“Go big or go home!” one person yelled.

Most people seemed cheery, but some didn’t. One muttered that we were probably going to get infected because we were taking so long to load everything. One of my favorite sayings was “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” I decided to have some fun with Mark.

“Hey Mark, let’s have some fun. Wanna explore the huge cargo truck?”

“Um, okay; shouldn’t we ask the adults?” Mark always was a bit nervous: that’s why we are friends. I totally am too confident.

I also never subside from some things, like that zombie dude. He really gave me the heebie-jeebies.

“Breh” I said with low sink in my eyes, “What is possibly bad about going into a cargo truck that’s owned by my father”. This just goes to show what a wuss Mark is. There was just boring junk in the truck. “See, nothing bad in here.”

“Yeah I guess you’re right”.

I heard a honk, and a yell followed. “We’re leaving!” my dad yelled. “Mark! Go find your mom, fast! We’re leaving!” I jumped out of the truck and ran to the front of the line of cars and jumped into the Jeep, and sat down in the car. It was already dusk. I was about to say something when my dad interrupted me, “Go to sleep son, I’ll explain things in the morning.” I didn’t object. I was tired.

 Day 3

I woke up. I stretched my back a lot and let out a bit of a groan and opened my eyes fully. In most stories I’ve read the person wakes up and it takes a moment to realize where he is. That’s not true. I woke up and remembered every detail of the last day. I looked to my Dad, who was sternly focused on the road. I can understand why he was so focused on the road. On most drives to the North he got lost because he couldn’t read some of the signs. He didn’t mind a big detour when it was only us traveling, but now he had lives in his hands. Don’t get the wrong idea, it’s serious, not in those stories where it’s kinda sarcastic. He was trying to go north but on the smallest roads so no people would jump on the cars to go north with us. I am scared at every corner of the dark, dark road, thinking that some weirdo lumberjack would jump from a big spruce tree onto the Jeep. I should really stop thinking about stuff like that. I’m kind of acting like Mark. God no.

      DAY 4

My stomach started growling like a lion; we were running out of snacks. We couldn’t even pull over to a fast food joint. They are abandoned. “Dad, where did all the the food go?”

”You ate it all”. OOP! I didn’t even leave some for Dad! That makes me feel bad. However hungry I am, he is three times more. And he’s driving.

I look ahead. There isn’t much to see. Just some plains. A dirt road. I just stare at the the beauty. The winds rush through the wheat fields on both sides of us. A small forest approaches us. More like a clump of trees. We start passing through the island of trees, and I see squirrels jumping around with nuts in their mouths. I never really realized how beautiful nature is without humans. I even starting to wish that humans went extinct and turned into animals. Then the world would be perfect.

Nature is beautiful.

I feel some sort of rumbling in my trance. But I don’t mind it. I continue watching the animals and even start to notice the plants.

But the animals noticed. Not some of the animals. All of the animals.

Suddenly all the animals scampered into their holes and the birds took off. “Dad, all the animals left!”

“Humpf” he replied with some sort of grunt. We suddenly broke out of the small forest and back out on to the sunny, bright farm road. I went back scanning the nature. I notice now that one side of the road now has tobacco growing. I see a weird column of dirt not far off. I squint my eyes to see better.

Oh. My. God. “Dad!?” I asked. He replied with a grunt, still concentrated on the road. “DAD!!!!!” I yelled! The thing was getting closer.

He turned his head towards me and stared. “Louie?” he asked. The thing was really close now!

“TORNADO!!!”

“Holy crap!” Dad pulled over, pushed on the emergency brake, and squashed some tobacco plants. He slowly came out of the car and stood looking at mother nature approaching. Heads started popping out of cars and many multitudes of gasps followed. My Dad just stood there watching. Remember I said that nature was beautiful? NOT TRUE! My dad was still, and the tornado was approaching. Everybody was staring at Dad waiting for some sort of command. Time seemed to stop. The tornado was huge. It was at least half a mile long. My Dad turned around with a hysterical look on his face and started waving his hands around. As he swung around his glasses flying about 5 feet in midair before it was sucked into the tornado.

“Go! Go! Don’t wait for us!” The tornado was only a fifty yards away and coming fast. “Go! Go!” Even though his words were jumbled because he was so worried and speaking so fast the people in the group seemed to get the idea from his hand signals and started moving down the road at top speed. “Go! Go!” he yelled at the cars that were moving by. Dad’s shirt and khaki pants were flapping wildly.

Suddenly even his shirt was ripped off and his buff abdomen muscles were exposed. There were five cars left but it seemed like ten. The cars were rocking wildly, and one cars front had even popped off. My heart was beating extremely fast right now. The Jeep was almost sideways. I thought the whole car would just tip over. Suddenly the driver’s door flew open, see, that corner of the yellow car was closest to the tornado. I looked out the window of my seat. The tornado was ten yards away. I was really freakin’ scared right now. I was starting to get sucked through the door that had flown open. Then I remembered something. “Dad?”… No reply. I started to break down. We will have died, but we saved many lives.

As I started thinking about what would be in our obituary, I heard a voice. “A little help here, Louie!?” It was Dad.

“Whe-Where are you?” I asked.

“Hanging by the door.”

“Hanging by the do-?” He cut me off.

“Help me! Quick, we only have a few seconds!”

Oh no, I couldn’t find any way to get Dad. The tornado probably have hit us by now, but somehow, it had shifted direction: we had a few more seconds to live, then I had an idea.

“Dad, hang on, I about to do something!” I yelled.

“I am, literally!” he shyly joked. Then he got serious. “We only have ten seconds!” I knew he was right, the tornado only 20 feet away. This had to work. The back of the Jeep was hanging in mid-air. If Dad hadn’t hit on the emergency brakes we would be dead right now. Here we go! I pull on the seat belt.

7…

I pull on it even more. The tornado is pulling Dad’s pant’s off.

6…

The seatbelt can’t go any further. Dad can’t reach it. I yell,”Jump!”

5…

The car is at a 45 degree angle. It’ll start flying soon. Moment of truth.

He jumps.

4…

Dad misses the belt! Thank God! He hangs on with one finger in the buckle.

3…

I start pulling him, but he yells at me. “Hit the gas, I wont make it in time!

2…

I let go. I climb over the seat. I think dad is still hanging onto the seatbelt.

1…

I hit the gas pedal.

The car comes down with big crash. “Yowch! Stop driving I need to get in!” Dad screams.

“Quick! Were not out of the woods yet.” The tornado is literally ten feet away!

He runs into the car with the seat belt for safety. He had cuts all over!

“Quick, keep on going! Get to the other side of the highway so we can parallel the tornado! Keep on going after that!” I follow his instructions with great difficulty. Man, I am not the one to crack under pressure

“You should already have your driver’s license!” He says.

“Ha! I’m the only one on the highway!” Wait. Why aren’t we pulling over and letting Dad drive?

“Dad?”

”I know what you’re thinking Louie. The tornado hasn’t dissipated, so were not out of the woods yet. The tornado might even hit the group ahead! Quick stop and let me drive!”

Aw man, I really wish that we didn’t have a group with us. We probably would have been much closer to our destination. But since we had 20 cars with us, going on small roads was treacherous. At one point we were even moving at 3 miles per hour. The tornado finally dissipated. “Thank goodness!” He breathed out relief. I did too. That was the second bad thing that happened to me on the trip.

“Dad, where are we even going to?” I had forgotten to ask that question.

“Victoria Island.” he grunted as usual. Victoria Island! That was on the other side of Canada! That was even further than Vancouver! I started going hysterical.

“Where are we?” I asked meekly, I was starting to get angry and carsick.

“Oh, well we just went past the sign that said ‘Bonjour, Quebec’.” No. Freakin’. Way.

“We’re only in Quebec!? Are you serious!? I wish we had left the group behind!” My Dad did not like that. He gave me a cold, long stare.

“So you think that you would choose the lives of others over a long car drive. Think about what you’ve just said. If you weren’t my son I would have enough sense to leave you back in DC with the infected. How could you even think about leaving your best friend behind!? Go to sleep.”

I was shocked.

DAY 5

“Wake up son.” My Dad said. I opened my to eyes to a blurry, bright world. “I wanted to say sorry about last night. I got a little bit angry about you complaining. I really don’t like them coming with us too. It’s just the right thing. I hope you understand that. I’m also really tired from last night. Having no food for 2 days also coincides with that. We’re about to do something related to food that you will really like.” A grin broke out on his face.

“Yeah I’m sorry too.” I mumbled through drowsiness.

A short while later Dad pulled over. “Here we are.” I looked outside.

Nothing but a fast food joint. I saw a Chic-Fil-A, Taco Be- Wait, the stores here are abandoned. My Dad was yelling at people to pull over and get out of their cars. Everybody was groaning about food like me. When everybody was pulling over, Dad took an axe out of the back of the Jeep, and started walking up the drive-thru for McDonalds. I ran after him. “Dad, why is this fast food joint abandoned? We’re in Quebec! Isn’t it safe here?”

“No son, Canada is almost fully infected.”

“Then why are we staying there on Victoria Island!? Why not Switzerland or something!? The Time Magazine said that Europe was safe!”

“The Time lied. The whole world has almost been completely infected, haven’t you been following the radio over the last few months? Northwestern Canada and Greenland are the last safe havens for anybody who doesn’t want to run the risk of getting infected. I don’t want to scare you, but most people in Quebec are dead right now. This was the first place to get infected in North America; then a train from Quebec dropped off a sick person in North Carolina. That’s the story.”

I listened to about ⅛ of whatever the heck he said. But I remember him talking about this place being the first area to be infected. I was jumped out of those scary thoughts when I heard a loud crash.

“What the hell?” one of my neighbors yelled. My dad had bashed in the drivethru window. My dad turned around.

“It’s food and shelter,” he sighed.

“Why didn’t you bash in the door?” I asked.

“In case somebody else had the same idea to raid a joint, and threaten us. I don’t think they’d have the same idea to go through the drivethru window. A lot of people will know that getting food is more important than stealing jewelry.” Some old people had trouble getting, but everybody eventually got in. Everybody had Big Macs in their stomachs and space to sleep. Soon everybody was snoring away and dreaming.

Except for me. So I ate some chicken nuggets, and crashed.

 Day 6

I explored the McDonalds.

I wasn’t feeling good. Emotionally, not physically. Louie called me a wuss literally every day . I knew that I was one, but it’s so hard to change a personality. I was always a scaredy-cat, from the first day I started walking to yesterday. I tried to think about the good things. I went back to summer camp. When I won second place in the archery tournament, when I went ziplining in Massachusetts, when I went to Hershey Park. Then I was sad again. I shuffled over to the deep-fryer for chicken nuggets. People say that McDonalds tastes bad, but their chicken nuggets are actually addictive. Everything in the kitchen looked up to date, as french fries were ready to fry, and burgers half cooked on the grill.

“What are you doing, honey?” Mom had woken up.

“Just hanging around,” I replied.

“Do you want to help me make breakfast?” she frowned as she looked around at the available ingredients.

“Oh I’m so happy we passed that Whole Foods on the way here. The stuff here is so healthy!?” Mom said sarcastically.

“Mom, society is crumbling, ebola is taking the world, vitamins and nutrition are the least of our worries.”

She looked at me with a strange look, and then said, “I suppose you’re right.”

As we prepared some bacon we heard a loud banging from outside the back door. Some shouts ensued. “Let us in! We need food!” Instead of running to the door to let the people in, I ran to where everybody was sleeping. Mom was frozen in her seat. “Hey!” I shrieked “People are banging on the door! They might break the glass!”

My body kind of worked without my brain. It’s funny how it does that. My Mom had been talking literally the whole drive about the bad things about ebola. Not one good thing! Well, I guess there are none cuz’ it’ll be almost impossible to hotwire a Lamborghini. All she had been doing was scaring me on the trip. So of course I’m hysterical.

Louie and his Dad shot out of their sleeping bags in their pajamas. Louie’s dad pulled out a pistol from his pants. “I really don’t want to use this,” Louie’s Dad whispered as he ran over to the back door. The screams stopped. Once he reached the door, he poked his eyes out through the mail slot. Everyone was silent. “Don’t look out the window” he said solemnly.        

“But Miste-” I tried to say.

“Call me Buck, and don’t look outside” his voice quavered. Louie stayed with me as Buck left. I heard him comforting my shocked mom around the corner. He was kind of acting like he owned me. That made me angry.

I snapped out of some crazy thoughts I had about what was outside leaning against the back door from Louie’s voice. “Wanna see what’s out

there?” he asked.

“No!” I kind of whisper/shouted. “If your dad was somewhat scared we definitely shouldn’t look outside.”

“Whatever suits you, Mark’’ he said and stood up. His mouth dropped open and his eyes were like big white plates. He put his hand over his mouth and ran off with the same expression.

I never looked out the back door.

Day 7

I ate some chicken nuggets with some honey mustard. It was amazing. Then I had a Big Mac, amazing too. Best of all, a double quarter pounder. Oooo! My dream! A McDonald’s all you can eat buffet! I continued stuffing myself while Mark walked up.

“Mind if I join you?”

“Not. At .All!” I said between mouthfuls.

I had the biggest appetite in the whole class. I even won an all you can eat hamburger contest against adults!

“What did you see yesterday?” Mark asked.

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” I queried. “You too much of a wuss?” I meanly teased. Mark’s face turned red.

I will always regret that. First of all, it was really mean, and Mark had had enough of it. Second, you may think he’s small, but he’s a foot taller and wider than me.

He punched me in the stomach with all his might and literally sent me flying. He walked away angrily from the lump of flesh that was me to the bathroom. Then I dragged myself to the adults outside to leave.              

Day I Dunno

Day 9: Ontario looks just like Minnesota. Well, it’s so close I guess it must be. So many lakes outside. At one point on the road, everybody pulled over and jumped into some. We even broke into an abandoned farm!

People there probably died recently; the animals are still there. I’m really scared. Hopefully they don’t come back and try to shoot us. But even if they did, there’s thirty of us, so I’m sure we can take them on. We milked

the cows, and got eggs from the chickens! Mark and I kind of recovered

and explored the farm. There were even dogs there! We found some

beagles in the basement! There were beagles puppies under the couch!

So cute! We spent an hour cuddling with them. The adult dogs didn’t mind.

We ran up to Dad. “Dad, Dad! There’s puppies!”

“Puppies?” He perked up at that thought. He thought for awhile. “You guys can take the puppies, but you guys have to take care of them, as well as scavenge for food for them. Maybe when they grow up they’ll scent food!”

“Yes!” Mark and I gave each other a chest bump. We ran to the the cuties.

DAY SOMETHING

I’ve been losing track of days really bad. Hopefully someone else will tell me. That day we had gotten all kinds of goodness, cows, ponies, pigs, and other stuff. If you’re asking how on Earth we got that load over here to Western Canada; we put them in the cargo truck. And if you’re wondering how it took about a month to get here: debris. We even spent three days pushing a truck out of the way. Sometimes we just climbed over the obstacle and just stole some vehicles. We met a few lone survivors.

They joined the group without question. A young dude about my age also joined. He was found walking alone on around day 25: he seemed pretty traumatized, but we managed. His name is Christiano.

We are now at the bridge to Victoria Island! Finally! It shouldn’t have taken 30 days. Since day 15 or so, I’ve added a mode to my personality, Survival mode. I’ll explain later. I’m very nervous. Dad decided to camp at the beginning of the bridge for the night. All technological things have crashed. No more Facetime. No more Clash of Clans! All I hear is screams and fire crackling. It looks like there are huge fires all over the the city. One person is infected from unknown origins in our group. We’re keepin’ him in his car. The puppies are getting bigger. Mark and I are allowed to milk the cows.

  DAY SOMETHING

Most of the group went to the island to find a place to set up shop. The others stay back to guard the vehicles and the puppies. We’re across the long bridge now. This place smells of iron. Screams seem to be coming from deep in the city. Cars are turned over and abandoned. Something feels wrong. I thought the bridge would have a barricade and a warm welcome, but it looks deserted. “What the hell!?” Dad shouts. “Not only were the buildings on fire last night, this place is supposed to be nice, but I don’t see anything good about it. In fact, this place is about the opposite of what we want!” This place looks completely deserted. The desolate long halls make me feel as if I’m alone. Trash cans have been toppled, buildings caved in. Instead of happy, I’m scared. I kinda want to turn back.

“Dad, There are blood stains all around the street!” I yell. There’s one building across the street that’s completely on fire. Dad lets out a shout. “Anyone here!?” I’m still only hearing screams and fire. We turn a corner. And see a sight. People are fighting each other with knives and axes. Heads are flying. Some of the people are staring at us.

A few start running toward us. Blood is flying everywhere. Bits of human flesh fall from their teeth They are about 200 yards away. Oh my gosh, I start running back to the bridge. I see Dad shoot a crazy person in the leg, everyone in the group runs except Dad. He’s firing his pistol crazily. He’s yelling all the curse words he knows. We get to the bridge. “Dad! Come on!” I scream. All the screams have set off a carefully dangling skyscraper thingie. If it falls, we can escape. It definitely won’t hit Dad though. But It’ll trap the crazy people. Dad is firing his pistol instead of running. “DAD!” he looks up and sees they skyscraper. He runs like a panicked armadillo. The skyscraper is falling fast.  Everybody is screaming.

Dad is running with all his strength. A knife goes flying by his head.

Dad swears under his panting. The skyscraper comes down with the sound of billions of pounds of window and cement breaking. Krabooompsh!!! There is a huge cloud of dirt. We wait for the cloud to clear. We wait. And wait. And wait.

Finally, the cloud clears, but there’s no one there. But suddenly some rubble moves in the wreckage a few feet away.

“Dad!”

It’s not Dad. It’s a crazy person caked in dirt with a bloody knife. We all are petrified. Someone lets out a scream. Then the crazy person starts laughing. “It’s me guys!” he cackles. “It’s Buck!”

“You’re not Dad!” I yell. Unaware that he just said my Dad’s name. “He had a pistol!”

He wiped away the dirt on his face, and it was him. Everybody let out a sigh of relief. “How’d you get the knife?” I asked embarrassed. “Remember that guy threw a knife at my head?” Dad said. Then he Tsk Tsked while waving the knife. “Let’s get out of here!” Dad yells.  

We all run across the bridge.

When we’re in the middle of the bridge someone stops the group.

“Buck, what will do?” said a young man named Ian. Everyone looks at Dad, including me. I can tell he doesn’t know.

The Ice Key

Bang! The news came just as quick as that. There was hope for saving nice, refreshing ice cream and the people that came from Ice Cream World, a world which was made of ice cream. It had everything you could think of. It was small, but everything smelled so good. In parks, there were different hills of flavored ice cream.

Three people were chosen to try and save the world. That would be Ed, Ben, and Eddie, three very smart teenagers who had to go through series of obstacles to get to the ice key before it melted to save the world of ice cream. Someone poisoned Ice Cream World. But nobody knew who.

Ed was investigating how bad the situation was with his friends, Ben and Eddie. They lived in Ice Cream World, but somehow the world started to melt. This world was the best world in the universe. Everyone had to agree on that. They just heard that there was one last hope to save the world. Finding the ice key and putting it into the magical keyhole.

The three best friends helped out a lot in Ice Cream World. For example, they fought off an enormous, powerful beast that was stealing valuables like pieces of precious glowing diamond and gold in Ice Cream World, but they never helped with anything this big. The ice cream government said that they had to get the key in time or else they would get sentenced to death. They would start their journey in a week.

Ed, Ben, and Eddie needed to prepare quickly, but who knew what they would encounter to get to the key. It was daytime right now and they were preparing to go. They each had special talents: Ed was great at technology, science, and figuring out where they were. Ben was good at Math, archery, sword fighting, and figuring things out. Eddie had an ability to hide very well and persuade.

In 2050, the year they were in now, they had everything they needed. (Diamond bows, swords, computers that were top notch in the whole world.) The government provided everything they needed. Ice Cream World was the BEST!!! Until it started to melt.

Today they set off to find the key. They drove in an ice car which was a car made out of ice. It didn’t need air conditioning. It was unbreakable; you could even skate in it and the best thing was that it could make ice cream whenever you wanted. They drove too quick to notice that they had made a wrong turn. The sky started to get dark while clouds covered the sun.

“Where are we?” asked Eddie.

“I think we made a wrong turn,” replied Ed.

“We should get out of here. QUICKLY!” shouted Ben, trying to talk over the ferocious wind.

“Where to? We are stuck in a maze! Trapped! Can’t you see that?” said Eddie, exasperated.

“STOP ARGUING!!! That’s making things worse,” yelled Ed.

Now, the wind was even stronger, trying to push them back. Bits of rough hail started falling from the sky. Someone must be controlling this weather, Ben thought.

“Get in the car,” Ben ordered.

Ed, who was good with maps figured out where to go, but once, they made a wrong turn and they encountered a huge mad lion. The lion was three times as big as Ben. He took out his bow but while doing so, two more beasts came. The lions growled. It sounded as loud as thunder. Ben nocked an arrow but it was too late. The lions charged. He and Ed dodged but Eddie was too late.

Eddie was in huge pain. He peered over his shoulder and there was a big gash on it. He was losing consciousness. He felt so much pain. He saw a blurry vision of Ed and Ben cornered by three powerful beasts. He had to help them but he fainted.

Ed thought he was going to DIE. He hoped Eddie was okay but right now he couldn’t get to him because he and Ben got cornered. Ben shot one beast down but the other two burned all of their weapons. They could breath fire. Now they were on the ground. Both lions above them. When he looked up, all he could see was the lion’s huge jaws. Its teeth were as sharp as knives.

This is the end, he thought. He closed his eyes. About a minute later, Ed opened his eyes. Was he dead? Was he in heaven? No, he was not. Ben had saved him. Ben told him what had happened. The beasts had forgot to burn things in Ben’s pocket. Ben had swiftly taken out his pocket knife and quickly stabbed both lions. That was close, they thought. Then, they saw Eddie.

Ben felt really bad. He knew he could have saved Eddie. They did some repairing. They put band aids with cleaning antidotes invisibly inside. Eddie was alive but not awake. PHEW. He would be okay according to Ed. They carried Eddie through the maze. Occasionally finding useful objects. Here was the last turn of the maze said Ed. Great! Ben thought. The problem was that this time, Ed couldn’t detect which way to go. There were three paths. If they went on the wrong path, They would lost valuable time to find the key before it melted.

Ed was thinking hard. He looked everywhere for clues. Finally he saw a clue! There was a faint sign that said: THERE ARE THREE PATHS, ONLY ONE OF THEM IS CORRECT. FIGURE OUT THIS PUZZLE TO FIND THE RIGHT PATH. There was the word OF, the word WHO, and the word HI. Ed was thinking hard for a couple of minutes when Ben suddenly jumped up and down.

Ben said excitedly, “Look between the word to and find. The last letter in to is O and the first letter in find is F. OF spells of.” Ed quickly ripped the word OF in half. Then, as quick as lightning, two paths disappeared. They sprinted down the path and when they got out of the maze, Eddie was awake!!!

Eddie was cured! He felt way better. The gash on his shoulder was almost totally gone! Even better, they could see the key! They ran as fast as the wind to the key. It didn’t melt yet. Ben put it in the key in a insulated cold bag. THE KEY WAS SAFE NOW but when he turned around, horror struck his face.

Ben was fighting hard. He was trying to distract the nine headed hydra from his friends by throwing junk at it. A nine headed hydra was an enormous beast with nine heads that could spit fire and acid. Each time you cut of a head, two more grow back. That hydra must have poisoned ice cream world. Anger boiled inside him. That gave him more energy.

The hydra blew orange hot flames barely missing Ed. He took out his bag and quickly thought up a plan. While Ben distracted the Hydra, Eddie could slice a head off of the hydra but then he would set a match on fire and put it on the heads that would be growing. He rushed off to tell the plan to Eddie.

Eddie was trying to help but he wasn’t much of a fighter. Thats when Ed came over to tell Eddie his plan. He wasn’t sure if it would work but it was worth a shot. Eddie was climbing the hydra when suddenly it twitched. Ben ran out of junk! He knew he was going to die but he still didn’t give up. At least the hydra couldn’t blow out fire or acid without hitting himself with it too. He felt himself being twisted and turned but he still held on strong. He heard his friends cheering him on. Just then, one of his hands started to slip. NO! He thought. Now Ed was on the hydra. He wanted to say no but he didn’t have enough energy to do it. Finally he came up with an idea. He swung his legs up on to one of the hydra’s heads, using his legs and arms to pull himself up he had enough energy to get on top of a head and cut it off. In a flash, two more heads started growing but not quick enough. Just in time, Ed set the heads on fire. Immediately, The heads started to melt. They kept doing that until the very last head was gone. It groaned then fell to the floor. The hydra was dead. There was no time to waste. They all knew that. They needed to get to ice cream world before it fully melted. They got in a car they found and drove without making any wrong turns. Once they reached the glowing red keyhole, they quickly shoved the key in and all at once, the keyhole turned golden, the hills of ice cream started to turn bright like glitter, the gloomy weather turned into a huge sun with no clouds at all! All at once, everyone’s faces turned from a frown, to a bright smile. It felt good to be back home. They were rewarded with all they needed.

“That was AWESOME,” they yelled as ice cream shaped fireworks filled the air. No monster DARED to try and destroy Ice Cream World again.

The House Next Door

Prologue

Nobody lives in the house next door. At least, that’s what Haley told me. Our house is in a friendly family neighborhood where everyone knows everyone. The people here click like clockworks — complicated and intricate, always keeping perfect time. Every minute is filled up, with no time for stragglers. And like a clock, one extra piece can set everything off kilter. In this case, there are two extra pieces — me and the house.

CHAPTER 1

Haley is my sister. She thinks we look nothing alike and I guess I’ll have to take her word  for it. I’m not entirely sure what I look like anyway. Not anymore, at least. I lost my sight five years ago, when we moved here.

The day we got here, Haley and I went exploring. We peeked through holes in fences, spying on the new neighbors, tiptoeing through yards and climbing trees and dropping down lightly into the next neighbor’s yard. Where we live, all the houses are in the same area — a large cul-de-sac with more than twenty crisp-looking houses placed in a neat, but relaxed oval. One house away from the empty one, two from our own, I stumbled on a naughty runaway vine, the kind that trips and chokes your house, growing over windows and clinging to walls, gripping with a sticky iron fist. Blood poured out of my leg, bright crimson streams quickly staining my feet.

“Oh, no,” Haley whispered.

“Oww,” was my sad excuse of a reply.

Haley had a look on her face, the kind of look that in my five years of living meant she was up to something. “Alright Princess Caroline, since you’re such important royalty, I shall let you lean on me as I escort you home,” she grinned. Weakly, I grinned back, and in no more than an instant, two very young girls could be seen giggling away down the street.

And when I woke up the next morning, I was blind.

Those colors have faded now, and often I wonder if that vine is gone now, or if Mr. Ross’ patio is still blood-stained, him walking out to water his flowers, and wondering whose blood was spilled on his property. I lie in bed, mine being the bottom bunk of an untidy room I share with Haley. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

Haley shakes me awake. “Up, sleepyhead!” she says.

I toss and turn a bit for emphasis. “Alright,” I respond lazily.

“I laid out clothes for you,” Haley tells me.

I can sense her aura — a buzz or a certain color that person is radiating. Haley’s is orange and bouncy-excited. I turn my head to face her. “You excited about something?” I ask her.

“Mm-hmm.”

I guess she’s nodding as she tells me this, but to be honest, I can’t be sure of anything. “What?” I say.

“Secret,” she tells me.

CHAPTER 2

We are home-schooled. Whenever I ask why, I get the same unsatisfactory reply. “You’re special, Caroline, special.” What does that mean, special? Does it mean gifted? Does it mean athletic? Does it mean disabled? Does it mean BLIND? I hate that answer. It’s so… vague.

When I ask this this morning, Mom tells me, “No school today.”

She sounds so depressed, I don’t bother asking why. Her aura is black. Black and liquidy. Like a patch of oil. Thick and gooey, forever sinking through anything and everything, never stopping, slow and sluggish.

Haley interrupts my train of thought. She grabs my hand and pulls me towards the door. I grab my walking stick and head out. Apparently, it’s hot pink. When I was five, that was my favorite color. Every day, I would wear something pink. Pink dress, pink top, pink whatever. I still do. I make sure of it.

“Where are we going?” I ask Haley. She doesn”t answer. “Haley!”

“We’re here!” she chirps.

“What?” I say

“We’re here.”

“Oh. Where are we?”

“Secret,” she reminds me.

Haley lets go of my hand. She pushes open an old, uncared-for gate, and I walk through. The gate clangs shut, an echo banging around the cul-de-sac. The path to the place where my sister is kindly not telling me about is overgrown and the bricks are loose under my feet. We come to a stop.

“Step here,” Haley says.

I climb them — there are twelve in total. Then I stand on the landing, and everything blacks out.

 

CHAPTER 3

 

When I fainted, everything really did black out. I was wiped out of consciousness. I couldn’t see — not with sound, not with touch. All other senses — my window into the big world — no match for a blind ten-year-old, lost. For a second, I was actually helpless.

A hand — which I very well know is Haley’s — warm and heavy, comforting, yet strong, rests on my forehead. “Stand up,” she informs me, more direct and firm than I’ve ever heard. I stand up.

“Caroline, cover your eyes,” she tells me.

I feel something familiar boiling up inside. A hot, flaming mass strangling me. Inside, lava bubbles up so high, I explode. “What? What are you talking about?! Don’t tell me tocover my eyes.’ I’m blind as it is! Don’t act like I can see, ‘cause I can’t! Whatever game you’re playing at, it’s not funny! It’s sick!”

“Please, Caroline,” she says softly, like a wounded soldier saying their last words and “I love yous.” Her aura is blue and small, fading away. Light, but holding a heavy burden.

But for me, “please” doesn’t cut it. “Fine! I’ll be your docile little sheep! I’ll play the obedient little blind girl! Fine!” I smack my hands over my eyes. My face stings.

“Follow me.”

“Yes, master,” I retort.

She opens yet another door and we both walk inside.

“Uncover your eyes.”

I obey.

I gasp. The dust from the explosion is still settling, but somewhere in the haze, a bright light beams, and a flood of blues, reds, pinks, greens, a rainbow, streams past my eyes. A little voice in my head says, light, color. My mind is clear. A sudden feeling of happiness overwhelms me. Something nags at my brain. Nobody lives in the house next door.

 

The Ice Princess

Once upon a time in a ice cold  winter forest, there was an ice palace with a princess named Scarlet who had magical powers to control water and ice. She didn’t know how to use them, but that was all going to change. She was going to be the next ice queen. On that day it was her birthday. The celebration of the Ice Queen was a special day. It is when you get to use your powers for good deeds.

But when her mother the queen had came in her room, she said “Scarlet! Today is your big celebration! So get ready.”

But Scarlet had replied that she could not go on with the celebration. She was too shy.

Her mother replied: “It’s okay to be scared or shy sometimes.”

But many times Scarlet had been shy. So her mother said to her to stand up for herself. Then Scarlet felt a little better.Then her mother called the servant and gave her a cup of green tea with a little dab of sugar before the ceremony began. Scarlet had come with her mother in the throne room and sat down in the royal chair. They began the ceremony with a table filled with delicious food.

Scarlet had made an announcement to all of the people in the room with her. As Scarlet finished her announcement she felt much better. Her mom told her that while she was doing her announcement.  She never realized that how good it was.

When the party was over, Scarlet was tired from everything she did that a queen was supposed to do properly. She went to bed in her room. She was really exhausted. She couldn’t do anything at this time.

When her mother had came in her room, she said, “Being a queen is not easy at all, my dear.”

Scarlet replied,  “Maybe I need more confidence in myself to complete my destiny to be a real Ice Queen.”

Scarlet had never given up on anything in her whole life. On that same day, Scarlet worked really hard. She almost didn’t have enough time to get to the royal palace to be announced Ice Queen. Scarlet had hurried to the church before it was over. Then finally she had made it just in time. Then as she agreed to be Ice Queen, they all celebrated. They were all happy and Scarlet was grateful to lead them.

As they say to princesses, “You’ll be a great queen.”

 

The End   

 

The Great Voyage

Part 1: The Great Voyage

 

Hi, my name is Chris Kamenstor and I just got drafted by the Montreal Expos. It is World War 2 and there is a lot of stuff going on. I am going to the majors, the Expos are playing the Yankees, but there is a huge crowd on the field and it’s very loud. I ask someone what’s going on. He said baseball is being cancelled because of the war. I felt broken but I wouldn’t give up then. I decided to help. I got on the next boat leaving to England with the army.

We started towards England but got pushed off track toward south. It started getting stormy and the sea level rose. I was scared but tried to control the boat. Soon it got better and calm. We all had our lunch and were trying to steer the boat towards north.

1:00 p.m. Antarctic border

It started getting chilly and hard to stay warm. We didn’t have any winter clothes so ten of the thirty-two people got frostbite. Our boat just turned away from ice of Antarctica and we started headed away from the winter air into the warm air of Africa.

3:15 p.m. South Africa

We were running out of food supply. Luckily we reached hot land and ran into South African people. They helped us prepare for the journey ahead of us. I felt weird in a new place where I had never been before. I was on the other part of the world. I could guess we would be traveling to new places where I had never been before.  We were still far from the war but made some progress. We didn’t notice it but we were heading west. It was a very relaxing ride for most of it but we knew things would get worse and we were right.

6:00 p.m. Australia

We started seeing sharks biting at us and pushing us around. At least we made it to land quickly. We soon discovered we were in Australia. We stayed in Australia until daybreak. We got back on the sea and rode north. Soon we stumbled upon giant waves and we saw land.

7:00 a.m. Japan

We came towards Japan and realized they were on the other side. We started hearing a lot of gunfire; we tried to steer away from them. I started getting nervous, we weren’t prepared for this. We used everything the boat had and got away.

12:30 p.m. Top of Russia

For the second time of the trip it got cold. The first time I didn’t get frostbite. I hoped I wouldn’t get it the second time. Luckily I didn’t get it but 7 of the 22 people did. 15 left. It was still very cold as they got toward Europe.

2:15 p.m. Sweden

Finally we arrived in Europe but we couldn’t celebrate because we had to get to England. We got a car and started riding it to the Swedish border. We knew this trip would easily take a day so we took a plane.

4:30 p.m. England The Last Place

The flight only took an hour. We were all relieved we made it on a trip around the world. I didn’t realize it but we went to six of the seven continents. After I was told that, I thought I made history but we hadn’t done anything in the war yet still.

Part 2: The War

We’ve met before right? Well if you don’t know me, I’m Chris Kamenstor. Hold up, boom! That was a bomb. I’m in the army at the military base in England. I think the more I fight, the sooner the war is over. I’m with my new friend Jackson Whodil. It’s Tuesday, my eighth day at the camp. It will be my first war. I head with my group towards the war. We see the Germans shooting. We shoot. I killed a couple then the person next to me gets shot. More and more blood poured around me. Then a bullet hit me. My eyes were burning. My thigh was burning with pain like fire. I closed my eyes. I opened my eyes and I was laying on a comfy bed with other people on other beds. Then I saw someone. She said I was shot in the arm and they took the bullet out. I didn’t have the strength to ask who she was. “Hello, I am Leslie, the nurse,” said Leslie. It was like she read my mind. I wanted to get up but the nurse told me to stay in bed. I really want to get out of this hospital and see Jackson. How is Jackson doing?

I was in the hospital for another day. Then general Smith came and said, “Get up.”

“How’s Jackson doing?” I said.

“There are two Jacksons. What’s the last name?” he said.

“Who.”

“Jackson.”

“Who!”

“Jackson!”

“Yeah I know, Who is short for Whodil.”

“Oh,” he said. ”He’s doing fine.” I got back on my feet and hurried on to my group. I saw Jackson and he said, ”Hey, you’re alive, man.” I gave a little smile. Jackson was not an athlete but was a great joke teller and always made me smile. That’s what made me like him. I couldn’t really remember the first time we met but I know we had a lot of fun.

It was a bumpy road down the rough dirt path. There was tall green grass around us. Jackson and I were at the back of the cart ready for anything. We started to feel some rain. After a while it started to pour. Everyone made their own shelters for the night. I started writing to my parents with the writing materials I brought.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am having a fine time.

I got shot but am healed.

Finally, I have made a new friend named Jackson.

Sincerely,  Chris

I missed my parents but was confident that I would see them again. BOOM! A giant explosion doesn’t happen far away. The Germans are here this time they brought a whole bunch of them. I quickly grabbed my gun and found protection. Shots were getting fired, they were going like 9,000 mph. We took our cannons out shooting them. We had about 3,000 soldiers, they had 6,900 soldiers. Then someone next to me started talking to me. It was really weird I didn’t even know who that guy was. They retreated and I asked who he was. He said his name was Cole. If you don’t know him, you don’t know baseball. Cole Ross is the best player in baseball right now. We got back on our truck and I went with Jackson in the front this time. The same exact way as last time. Then we got in our tents and went to bed.

Then someone woke me. The Germans were attacking us in our base. We weren’t prepared. I started panicking, where was Jackson! Then I saw him lying on the floor. I knew what had happened and I knew what I had to do.

 

My plan:

  1. Get into a plane
  2. Fly and shoot

FYI:

Hospital destroyed so If I get shot i’m done for.

I got into the plane and flew over the Germans and shot. I killed a lot of Germans and got shot in the butt but I wasn’t down. Then they retreated for the last time. Both generals met and Germany Surrendered.

We won the war. I was feeling melancholy. I went home to Montreal. The baseball season was coming in a week. I sat on my couch it felt much quieter and good to be alone with no more violence. I put the news on tv. Breaking news, there had been bombing in downtown Montreal. The baseball season for the Expos had been cancelled. Not Again!

The Great Chocolate Adventures

 

Chapter One  

My name is Emily Fox. I have been locked in a cabinet my whole life. All I want to do is go out and explore the world. I wonder if I will ever live a real life like a human. I am all moldy and no one ever wants to eat me. My brother Alex Fox has been eaten. I live in the cabinet of the Beasley family. I am 27 years old. I am a chocolate bar. I was bought from the old owners of this house. That’s the day when I left my mom and dad. When the former owners left, they forgot me and I have not been found since. I was bought in 1997 on September 4th at the Ghirardelli chocolate store in San Francisco. Now it is 2015.  I love the Beasley’s home. Sometimes they leave the cabinet door open, so I feel included. It’s lovely, I love when the whole Beasley family plays music together. All I want is to be found.

Last week I found out that the Beasley family is going to go to San Francisco. Maybe I can fly with the family, but they will have to buy me a plane ticket. I have to be found by Saturday, and now it is Wednesday. I would like to see my mom and dad because I have not seen them in 17 years. I have to make a plan. There is one problem – I have been in a cabinet. Even when they leave the cabinet open, I can only see the kitchen. I do not know where the living room is or where anything thing is for that matter. I have to get out of this weird, ugly cabinet. So I decided to use my head to get out of the cabinet and I got out. Yes!

Last night I got out and I discovered where everything was. The living room is on the left and the kitchen is on the right. I got this. I am leaving tonight feeling confident.

I was found by their daughter Alexis but the minute she saw me she screamed like crazy. That did not sound like I made a good impression. She threw me right into the garbage can. That’s one thing I did not think about. I am ugly and moldy.

I have to get out of this trash can. I smell last night’s dinner in the trash – broccoli and tacos – my favorite (if I had a mouth). I need to climb up to the top. There’s one problem: I do not have arms. I guess I will have to jump, but let’s try that tomorrow. I am too tired tonight.   

In the morning I think that maybe I can climb up to the top and get out. There is one problem – I do not have hands. I am going to have to trust my luck and jump. Two feet, four feet, and then I am finally out of here!

The Beasley family is starting to pack. Maybe I can sneak into one of their suitcases? I may melt, but that’s better than not seeing my parents. I need the Beasley family to go to the Ghirardelli chocolate store, but what if they don’t go? (Of course they are going to go – they have a kid! What kid doesn’t like chocolate?) Just in case I will slip a flyer for the chocolate store in one of the suitcases.

Back into my cabinet. The Beasley family goes to bed very early, that’s why I am able to get away with what I do at night. Good night. I am ready to board the plane tomorrow. I am so excited to see my mom and dad tomorrow.

Chapter Two

We are about to board the plane. It was a hectic morning. I had trouble getting out of my cabinet. For some reason I think I locked it last night when I was getting back in. I figured it out by squeezing through the cabinet door. Then I had a decision to make. What suitcase was I going to hide in? Should I make it right with Alexis or not? I do not want her to throw me away again. I will hide in the mom’s suitcase. It is hot in this suitcase. I am sweating like crazy. I feel like I am on a rollercoaster. Every second I am flying and bouncing like crazy. Then we stop. Are we here? We’re shaking! Are we falling? I am going to die so young. Then we land. I am so relieved. I felt like I was going to die. Why am I rolling? Someone’s murdering me.

I open up the zipper on the suitcase with my head. (I can do a lot with my head. It’s one of my favourite body parts.) Mrs. Beasley is rolling the suitcase.  We’re getting off the plane, finally. I am so excited to see what kind of adventures we will go on.

The whole Beasley family squeezed into one taxi. The suitcase was thrown into the trunk of the taxi. Taxi men can be so rude. Don’t they see me in here? Do they want me to break a bone? We arrive at the hotel. It is named Hotel Diva. It is very lovely. One thing is that it was kind of rude that Beasley family did not buy me a toothbrush. I know I don’t have teeth, but humans use them. Why can’t chocolate bars have them too? Humans think that chocolate bars have no feelings. Anyway I think I am going to doze off into a deep sleep. It’s been a long and hectic day. When I wake up tomorrow morning I will make a plan. What’s in store for the adventures I will have tomorrow?

I had  a beautiful sleep last night. I dreamed about chocolate, and that the whole world was made out of chocolate and chocolate took over. Well maybe not the sweetest dream for humans, but for us chocolate that’s heaven. Anyway, today is a big day for me. I am going to see my mom and dad- at least if my plan runs smoothly. What if they go see the Painted Ladies or the Golden Gate Bridge? I am freaking out. I know I need to stay calm. I will just play it by ear. How am I going to travel with them? Wait- doesn’t Mrs. Beasley have a purse? Yes. I can just hide in her purse. I can look around my hometown. This day can’t be bad. My number one priority is to see my mom and dad. We are about to leave when I see that we are heading straight towards the Painted Ladies. No. I am never going to see my parents. I am freaking out. Ahhhhhhhhhhh! I need to stay calm.

When we arrive at the Painted Ladies, I thought it was really pretty. The Painted Ladies is a street with all different colored houses painted by real Ladies in the early 1900’s. It’s been a place that people have wanted to go to since. It’s been on the map for some time. I know about it because when my parents and I were in the chocolate store they always told me stories about the Painted Ladies and Golden Gate Bridge.

After we visited the Painted Ladies we had lunch at San Francisco Bar and Grill.

Mrs Beasley had chicken parmesan, and Mr. Beasley had steak with green beans, and Alexis had chicken nuggets with fries. What did I have?  Some of my chocolate that got melted. Then I heard Mrs. Beasley say, “Lets go back to the hotel.”

“Ok,”  said Mr. Beasley. It was a long day. Tomorrow we need to go to the Ghirardelli Chocolate store. I can’t worry about it. It’s been a hard and long day. Good night.

Chapter Three  

It’s a good  morning, I had a great dream about seeing my parents and having a real conversation with them. I do not think  that that will ever happen. We need to go to that chocolate  store. I get back into Mrs Beasley’s purse and hear her say, “Why don’t we go to the Golden Gate Bridge? “

“Ok,” said Mr. Beasley. Ahhhh. Why can’t this family go to that chocolate store? Let’s go see the Golden Gate Bridge. Hopefully we will go to the chocolate store tomorrow. We arrive at the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s pretty and cool to see in person. We walk over the Golden Gate Bridge. The cars are so loud. “Cool it,” I say, but no one hears me. It’s like we are in the city with all this noise. I have never been exposed to this much noise. The bridge was made in 1933 in San Francisco. It is 8,980 inches long. I know this because I overheard someone talking about it. Chocolate bars love overhearing conversations. I guess I had fun today, but I really need to go to the chocolate store.

The Beasley family is asleep. I am stuck inside this purse and I can’t get out. I can’t fall asleep. I have too much on my mind. I am going crazy. I love staying with the Beasley family, don’t get me wrong, but I miss my mom and dad more. I found some money and decided to get a toothbrush because those humans use them. They must be important. I am going to sleep very well tonight.

I dreamed about love and being with a man my age. He did not judge books by their covers. So he did not care what I look like. He fell in love with me. I had a great sleep.

Chapter Four

I wake up and I hear Alexis saying, “Can we go to the chocolate store today?”

“Ok,” said Mrs. Beasley. Yes! Finally! Let’s have a party in this purse. Let me hear my jam! It goes, chocolate chocolate all around chocolate is awesome I wish it was raining chocolate.

Then Mrs. Beasley says, “Why don’t we go to breakfast first?”

“Ok,” Mr. Beasley and  Alexis said together.

We went to the breakfast place called La Cafe de San Francisco. Mrs. Beasley had a fruit salad with pancakes and bacon. Mr. Beasley had fruit salad with an omelet. Alexis had a waffle with bacon. They talked about human stuff and school. Learning! Ahhh. I hate learning. Then we get into a taxi. We are heading to the chocolate store. Yes, I am going to see my family.

We get out of the taxi. We are heading into the chocolate store. I see all the goodness of chocolate. Then I wake up. I am right next to my parents. I say, “I never ever want to leave you. That was a bad dream.”

The End

                                                     

The House Brain Gives Baby Trap Troubles for the Jedis and the Adam’s Family

There was a lightning storm and it was early in the morning, and the dad, named Monday, and the uncle, Sunday, were playing golf. They shot the golf ball into someone’s window, and it dropped into their bowl of breakfast and spilled the breakfast all over their face. The mom, Tuesday, was putting flowers into the vase but she just cut the flowers and put the stems in the vase.

So one day, they were going to fix their house by breaking the wall for the balcony so it wouldn’t matter if they fall. One day, they were having a light saber fight with someone and the other people had to take over their house, and they put them in a boring world. There was no spooky stuff, and they didn’t have any entertainment, and the dad just watched TV with one hundred packs of chips.

So the children, Thursday and Friday, went into their house because they wanted to get more stuff from the house, but then they got into trouble by the people because they took their house. Then they had to run around the house to get away. There was a place you had to pick one book to get through.

First, they picked a book that had wind going through it, and then they got back to the house, but there were more people after them. They had to fight for their house. Some people were stealing their gold and money so the children had to stay in the house, and the mom and dad, Monday and Tuesday, and her grandma Saturday and her uncle Sunday went in the house to fight back for their things like spooky stuff and money and gold.

They had some tricks – like to scare the people and they knew secret ways around the house. So the family used their lightsabers to defeat the people in the house, Clown CooCoo and Zarf Zazer. And the family got their things back, and they broke the bad guys’ house with their lightsabers. They were happy for a hundred years because no one was bothering them, and they could scare everybody!

One hundred years later:

Fifty years ago, the uncle Sunday went to the Triangle Bermuda and a zombie took his brain and they had to give him a new brain. The uncle just stayed in bed and just lay down and couldn’t speak. The baby brother Wednesday started to laugh and got sick, and he looked different because Sunday was gone. Then they found a supermarket with brains and the zombies were running it and one of the brains was Sunday’s but it was a billion trillion gazillion dollars. They had a billion and trillion but they didn’t have gazillion. So they sold lemonade but it wasn’t real lemonade.

Then there was a girl selling chicken cookies, and she said, “Can I have some lemonade? Is it made of real lemons? Actually, I’ll have some lemonade if you have some of my chicken scout cookies.”

“Are they made of real chicken scouts?”

No one would take their lemonade. They found out that the gazillion dollars was with the people who took their money. But they had to take lots of tests in order to get the money back, even though it was their money. When they were teaching the kids, they snuck out and got the money and ran away.

No one was leaving them alone for a long time. It made them feel annoyed, but they kind of like problems, so they didn’t really get that angry.  

Nine hundred years later:

The family got the gazillion dollars and they paid all the money for the brain.

Ten million years later:

They needed their uncle or else they wouldn’t be as weird anymore. And the world would be very bad without the uncle.

The family decided to get a lot of brains back to the people to be nice so that the people would leave them alone.

The family wanted to bring all the brains back to everyone but they didn’t know how to get them without being spotted. So, first the mom, Tuesday, got four brains and delivered them back but there were 100 brains. So everyone got 10 brains, and they got 64 brains so far. Then, the children took 10 brains each and then there were 84 brains, and then all the family members except the mom and dad were singing a song to distract the people so they could steal the brains. The dad took 10 and the mom took 6 brains. They didn’t know that there was a gigantic giant guarding the last brain so the baby had to go “Goo goo ga ga” in front of them. The zombies trapped the baby, so they had to get the baby back. There were seven entrances and they each took six to surround the zombies. They got nets and sprung them over the zombies. But they didn’t  know the password to the cage and you only have 100 choices. And on the 100th one, they did, zombiezazalahalakalototo, and that was the password. They got the baby out, and they didn’t have anymore troubles because that was the last trouble. Then they decided “We don’t need a password, we could just break the cage with the lightsabers.” They tried to kill the zombies with their lightsabers but the zombies couldn’t die because they were zombies so they just had to stay in the nets forever.

A billion years later:

There were no more troubles. The end.

The Fish

Chapter 1

Once upon a time there lived a fish named Fishy. He had pink in his outline and was gray everywhere else. His eyes were black. He had gills and fins. He swam very fast. This kind of fish is called a Pinkalish. He was in the ocean with seaweed and rocks. His favorite color was pink. He loved to eat smaller fish. He was 5 centimeters long and 4 centimeters wide. He loved the ocean. He was sound asleep. He was in a good dream when suddenly his mom woke him up. He yawned and said, “I was in a good dream.” He went down into the dining room and ate his breakfast. His breakfast was cereal shaped like fish, in a bowl, with some milk. After he ate, he flossed his teeth and rinsed his mouth. He opened the curtains of the house because inside the house there are no lights. Then he suddenly remember that he forgot to brush his teeth. So he went upstairs, brushed his teeth in one minute, and looked in the mirror again. He said, “I have to wash my face. My face is so filthy!” So he took his napkin, and put cold water on it, and washed his face. When he looked in the mirror he said, “Look, at that handsome fish!” He went to his closet and put on a bowtie. He put on a black sweater with buttons and walked to the sofa. He sat down and watched television.

Then, when he opened the television, he saw his daddy making funny faces behind it. Fishy said, “Oh my gosh, my dad tricked me!” Fishy and his dad always played pranks on each other. He made a television out of cardboard, and pretended he was part of the television! Fishy laughed and laughed and fell over and rolled around. Then he suddenly called his dad “Freakout!”

His dad said, “Don’t call me Freakout! I’m your dad, not a Freakout!”

“Okay,” said Fishy. “I won’t call you Freakout, I’ll call you daddy!”

“Good, now you’re not making fun of my name!” said his dad.

Fishy went outside in the water and started to play ball with one of his friends. One of his friends was named Tom and another friend’s name was Eel. He was an eel. The eel could control his electricity and not shock anybody. Fishy was the eel’s BFF. They played together everyday at recess, they sat together at Lunch Time, they played the same game at Choice Time, and they always high fived each other.

Tom looks fat, and has a fin on the top and bottom. He swims fast. His favorite food is shrimp. He is really strong. Then, suddenly, a war between Fishy and Tom happened. Fishy and Tom got mad at each other because Fishy threw the ball right into Tom’s face on purpose. Eel was on Fishy’s team, but Tom had another friend named Al. She was a rainbow fish. Suddenly, the bell rang very loudly so they couldn’t fight. Everyone swam quickly to school. Fishy said, “Oh no, I left my backpack at home! I must swim five miles back to get it!” So he quickly swam back home, grabbed his backpack, and got in school just in time before the doors closed.

Chapter 2

When Fishy was in his classroom, he sat quietly listening to his teacher, Mr. Steve. Mr. Steve was made out of wood. He used sign language to speak, but he could never speak English. Whenever he took a bath, he fell apart, but whenever he was done he put himself back together. He didn’t fall apart in class because he glued himself together. Suddenly, the bell rang again. That meant it was time for recess and lunch.

In recess, there were no rules about fighting or pushing, but there a was a rule that you were not allowed to run or skip. You could only speed walk or walk. So Fishy and Tom went outside and looked at each other suspiciously. Eel and Al was gonna fight next. Fishy took out his chainsaws, swords and guns. Tom only took out his hat and put in on head. The hat was really soft, so he could get hurt a lot.

Tom said, “No fair, you have a lot of weapons and I only have a hat! It’s not fair, because I know how to do karate, and you know how to do karate, but you have more strong weapons than I have. You have a gun, sword, things that could kill people already!”

Fishy said, “So what? You didn’t say we couldn’t bring them! Three….two…one…let’s start the battle!”

KA-CHING! Tom was cut in four pieces, then eight pieces, then 12, until he was chopped into a hundred little pieces. Fishy was angry because Tom said, “I’m never gonna be your friend again, so let’s battle and I’ll kill you for sure.” He was mad with rage!

Fishy then roasted Tom and ate him. It was Eel’s and Al’s turn to fight. Eel used his electric shock and shocked Al a hundred times and into a hundred pieces. They ate her up, and were really full, so when they got to lunch they just talked and talked and high fived each other.

Suddenly, someone came out, and said, “Where’s Tom and Al? They were my bffs, did you kill them? Because I heard someone roasted and killed them and ate them all up, and you’re the only one who didn’t eat their lunch, so you’re probably the one who ate and killed Tom and Al!”

“Oh, we just finished, we just threw it out. That’s why we’re not eating our lunch anymore.”

“Oh, that means you didn’t kill Tom and Al. Bye!” Fishy and Eel both said bye. They whispered into each other’s ear, “That was just a trick. That person was so funny!”

“Maybe we can tattle tale and tell the principal that he did it!”

“Yeah, I think I remember his name. Yeah, I do remember his name. His name is Croc!”

“Let’s go!”

So they walked upstairs to the principal’s office and said, “Croc ate Al and Tom all up! I feel sorry for them, and I miss them very much!”

The principal was kind of a goldfish. He looked really pretty and was gold. His eyes were kind of weird because they’re orange inside of black. Inside the ocean, it’s very dark. He looked confused. The principal said, “Okay, I will punish Croc! Croc is in really big trouble! I will talk to his parents. He must have consequences!” So Eel and Fishy went out and went back home because it was time to go home. When Fishy went home, he went to the bathroom, flossed his teeth, and washed his face again. Then he went sat on the sofa and sat there until it was dinner time.

Chapter 3

His mom called his dinner, but Fishy pretended not to care. His mom called again, but Fishy, instead of responding, pretended not to hear, and hid somewhere his mom could never find him. Then he put his sneakers behind the curtains, to pretend that he was behind the curtains. His mom angrily stomped up to his room and she opened the curtains and said, “Oh my god! My son tricked me. I must punish him!”

So, when Fishy got out and scared his mom, his mom said, “This is your punishment! Go down into the basement and dust the floor!”

“Why do I have to, mother?” said Fishy.

“Because, you tricked me and you pretended not to hear me. Remember, no dinner for you tonight!”

“Okay,” said Fishy. So he went down to the basement and started to dust, dust, dust. When he was done he was all dirty and tired. He wanted to eat some food and take a bath, but his mom didn’t let him because his mom was really mad. His dad came to the rescue and brought Fishy to the bathtub and brought him some dinner to eat. Then he went to bed, but when he laid down, he fell to the floor, because his mom moved his bed and threw it in the garbage. But his dad let Fishy sleep with him.

Then, the mom punished Fishy and his dad by throwing them outside the home. So Fishy and his Dad went to find some materials to find another home. They tried to find materials by asking neighbors, but they all said no. Then they came to the same neighbor again, and snuck into the house and stole the materials. They didn’t have hammers and nails so they stole from the builders.

Then they tried to build a house but it kept falling down, so they threw the hammer and nails to the ground. Then they had a brilliant idea: they could use super glue. So they stole super glue from the houses. They made a house and it didn’t fall down again. They were really happy and started to dance around with top hats. Suddenly the police came and said, “No dancing on the street when it’s morning! You’re arrested!”

So Fishy and his dad went to jail and stayed there for a million years, but they still lived. Inside the jail it was really dusty and dirty and there was no food or water. They stayed alive because they brought milk and a million chocolate bars in their pockets. They got out of jail by sneaking and using a chainsaw. They used the chainsaw by pulling the string. It started to make a lot of noise, but the father turned the volume down to 0% so it made no sound and they got out of jail. They went back into their home and slept there until it was morning.

Fishy went to school and the principal was in front of the door waiting for him. The principal said, “I tried to punish the fish named Croc but he said he didn’t do it and he said you did because you were the only one who didn’t eat lunch that day. So you lied to me, you tricked Croc, and you tricked me. Now I’m gonna give you the biggest punishment in the whole world. You’re gonna stay in school for a million-finity-hundred years and do a lot of work. I know you hate school, but you’re not allowed to trick the principal. You got it? Now go in school and do your work and after school you can go back home and you can eat your dinner, but you must come right back at nine. So you only have one hour to eat. Plus I told your parents no playing for you ever again.”

So Fishy went inside the school, sat at his chair, and learned a lot until the bell rang for recess. After recess he ate lunch, and after lunch he went home. After he got home he quickly ate dinner and went back to school at nine.

Chapter 4

When he arrived at school, nobody was there, only a policeman and the principal. They said, “Go inside the classroom and sit down. There’s a substitute teacher just for you, and he’s really strict so you better sit down and listen carefully. He’s not like Mr. Steve.” Suddenly Fishy, because he felt embarrassed, began to grow a nose that was really long and at the end there was a nest with birds inside.

Suddenly the principal said, “Oh my god, I must bring you to the nurse!” So the principal took him to the nurse. The nurse got the nose off and Fishy started to bleed. The nurse put a Band-Aid on and then the nose started to bleed again because the Band-Aid fell off. Then the doctor put a lot of Band-Aids on and it finally stopped. The fish walked into the class and fell down on the floor because he was too sick to move. The strict teacher’s name was Mrs. Lovely.

Mrs. Lovely said, “Please get up and listen carefully. I’m a really strict teacher so you better not listen.”

“Okay,” said Fishy.

“Ha! I tricked you. I said for you not to listen, because I wanted to make sure you’re a good student,” said the teacher. “You should have known! You never listen. You must be sent to the doctor, and cut in half. You’re gonna be eaten and roasted just like Tom and Al.”

“But I’ll never do that again!” said Fishy.

“No excuses. Just go to the nurse, and you’ll die forever. Your friend Eel was a good student. He proved better. Even though he killed Al, he thought better and he brought Al back to life.”

So Fishy walked sadly to the doctor’s and the doctor cut him in half. Tears came down and it made a heart shape, so Fishy came back to life in one piece, and Tom too. Tom came back to life and everybody was happy, but the principal. The principal said, “How come? We must kill Fishy, we must kill him this instant. What’s our plan?”

All the teachers shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Suddenly Tom ran out of school while Fishy sneaked out of school. When Fishy arrived at his dad’s home, he went to sleep and so did his dad. Suddenly no one knew but the evil principal opened the door and killed Fishy into a million pieces and ate him all up.
THE END

The Girl Who Could Run Like The Wind

The day started out as any day would be. The crisp air and the breezy wind greeted Carrie and woke her up to tell her it was a perfect day for a morning run. She quickly got dressed and headed straight for the kitchen table. Her mother was setting the table. She almost bumped into her when she was running down the stairs.

Her mother said, “Slow down, Carrie.”

And then Carrie said, “Sorry. I’m going for a morning run.”

What Carrie wanted most was running in the Olympics. She ate breakfast quickly and then she put her shoes on and then rushed out the door. The wind was waiting for her.

It said, “It’s a nice day for running.”

She ran across the field and held her arms like a bird and had her eyes closed. By sundown she was still running and then she ran back home and, they had supper.

And then her mother asked, “How was your morning run?”

Carrie replied, “It was great Mom! I saw the trees and the birds and the flowers. I saw squirrels and bears and it was really nice.”

That night, Carrie went out of bed, got dressed, and went outside to go run. Then her mother saw her and she just smiled. She loved seeing her daughter play with nature and she loved seeing her running.

Then the next day, Carrie started high school. Carrie was a little nervous. Her mother asked her if she wanted to take the car.

Carrie responded, “I want to run to school.”

Carrie did a few errands before school. She was in class HB. And at lunch, she and her best friend Rebecca ate on the grass and ran together. At recess Carrie ran with Rebecca and she made new friends named Megan and Stephany.

A moving truck came to her house when she got home from school. Her mother told her that they were moving to Tennessee. She didn’t like this. She was angry at her mother for not telling her sooner.

She asked her mother, “Why are we moving?”

Her mother responded, “We don’t have enough money to live here anymore. We have to move to Tennessee.”

She went to Rebecca’s house and she told her that she was moving.

“I really don’t want you to move. What am I gonna do without you?” Rebecca said.

“We have to move because we can’t afford the house anymore, so we have to live in a teensy hut in Tennessee.”

After she told her, Rebecca went for a run with her because it was going to be the last day they were together. Then they picked some berries in a field and then they ran across the field a few times. They had a picnic. They made berry cakes and they remembered every moment they were together.

Rebecca said, “Just remember, we are together always.”

Carrie saw on TV that she was being nominated in the Olympics. The Olympics was taking place in Wisconsin! Carrie was so happy! The winner would get $800,000! If she won against 400 other people she could save her mother and father’s house!

Carrie remembered her mother’s words, “Believe in yourself or not, do what is right always, if it does not occur to you, retry.”

Carrie ran with 400 other people. She did not like Tennessee because the people in school did not like Carrie. Tennessee was smaller than Wisconsin, the house was smaller, and they did not have a big field. They all missed being in Wisconsin. Carrie missed Rebecca, Megan, and Stephany, and the BIG field, and picking berries before school. She liked having picnics with her friends and she loved sitting under the big tree and just relaxing, or reading a book with her friends, doing her  homework, or just eating lunch.

So since she won the Olympics she got to go back to Wisconsin, her hometown! Carrie wanted to go to Wisconsin right away when she got the prize money! Carrie asked her mother and her father and they bought the plane tickets and they flew to Wisconsin. When they got there they bought their old house and they were happier now. Carrie went to Rebecca’s house and they had a sleepover.                    

Whenever the rain starts, in the end, there is a rainbow.

The Four Powers: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

PROPHECY

Message from the author: This chapter will be told from Matthieu’s point of view.

I was walking in the street to my house when I got an idea. I ran home and told my brothers.

”I’m going on a quest to find the killer of our parents! Who is in?” I asked.

No one responded. They were all stuck on the Greek gods book in the library and  choosing a book. My brothers and me were obsessed by Greek gods’ stories. I would be Poseidon lord of the sea (water). Nicolas would be Zeus, lord of the air. Evan would be Hephaestus, lord of the forges, because in the forges there is fire. Gaetan would be this lord of the wild. I forgot his name.

Well, let’s come back to reality. They were so psycho about it that I had to yell so they would hear me. They asked when we were going. I told them we were leaving now. I had an idea to find the murderer. We just had to instal power detectors all over the place. The murderer had to have powers to beat our parents.

“Matthieu, there is a locked door up in the attic, do you know what is inside?” Nicolas asked me.

“No, but let’s see what is inside.”

I slammed the door open and looked inside. It was all black. I wondered why our parents had hid that from us.

“I wish I could know who killed our parents,” I said

Suddenly a voice started to speak. “To find the wanted killer, you shall go in the land without water find the guy with twelve fingers and your family shall rise.”

“I think this is a prophecy for us,” I told Nicolas. We went and told the prophecy to Evan and Gaetan who were of course, reading books.

“This is awesome!” Gaetan said.

“So when are we going?” Evan asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Let’s do a party to celebrate this discovery and our quest,” said Nicolas.

So we all had a big party. At the end we all kind of started battling with our powers. I would start slamming Gaetan into the wall and Nicolas would make me fly up and Evan would make us hot and sweaty.

“At least we are well prepared,” Evan said while I was trying to get the room colder by freezing him.

After all this battling, we went to sleep.The next day we made our backpacks and took Nicolas’ private jet to the desert. Over there we started walking, walking, always walking. When it came to night, we made a tent and I made water so we could drink. The next day we found a village. We thought was kind of weird to find a village in the middle of nowhere, but we still went inside and started visiting. It was a beautiful village. The people were nice. We bought some clothes and made a water fountain work because it was broken. I put water in there. The people started being nice to us and invited us to eat. Then we came back to our tent and slept the second night. We had lots of food because the population gave us and we bought some. We were very happy. But we needed to continue our quest.

So we started walking north and found of troup of merchants who were passing. We looked at their fingers to see if they had twelve fingers. None of them had so we ignored them and passed. We saw lots of people like that, but none of them had twelve fingers.

But one day, a mysterious man was walking in the middle of our passage. When we looked at his fingers, we saw that he had twelve.

“Not good,” we all said.

“Hi man, do you have any magical powers? Because we’re here to get revenge for our parents,” I said.

“You’re not going anywhere when I’m here,” said the man. The guy burst us out of his way and we went flying.

Nicolas did not hit the floor. I did a sort of airbag with water and Gaeton dissolved into the earth and came back. Evan did the same as me but with fire.

“Whaaaaaaaaaat!” Evan screamed. This guy controls all the elements!

“That explains how he killed our parents,” Evan said.

“Wait a minute, I read in some notes from our parents that if you killed a very powerful guy, everyone he killed will come back to life,” Nicolas said.

“So let’s hurry up to kill him,” I said.

“Attaaaack!” we all screamed but he easily exploded us back.

“We need strategy because this guy is super strong,” said Evan.

So, we decided to have me in the front and while I was distracting him, the three others would attack him. So we tried that idea. It was kind of a good idea, so we tried it. I distracted the bad guy and Evan and Nicolas attacked him, then Gaetan attacked from the side. We could only hit him two or three times, but then he would just throw us away. So we tried a lot of strategies like that, but he was too strong for us to beat him. We tried doing the Superball at least ten times, but he was still alive.

“This guy is crazy strong. How are we going to beat him?” said Nicolas.

“Maybe we could try doing crazy things to see if we can invent a new kind of attack,”  I proposed.

So we tried doing crazy things, like exploding stuff or holding hands and exploding something, but it still didn’t work. But suddenly, I had an idea. We jumped on the guy and all touched him and put all our powers in his body, and then he just literally died. We were so happy. And Nicolas was right about the thing that our parents said — that if someone very strong would be killed, all the people who he had killed would come back to life.

And so, after the explosion, we saw our happy parents standing there with 1,000,000 other people. We were so happy and started hugging them a hundred billion and ten times, until they would suffocate. But after that, we stopped, because they actually would suffocate and we didn’t want that to happen. After that, we brought them back home and we were very happy.

 

The Fate of the World

“Aaahh,” Marco yawned. He sat upright and walked right out of the spaceship into the middle of space. He floated just outside the Critzaler Nebula region, though not knowing it. Marco had previously been dreaming on Earth not Critzaler Nebula. Marco stared wide-eyed into the heart of the ship.

“Oh, John Man overboard,” Jim Limb Sim Yes-Him called.

“Oh, ok,” John moaned. Then he took out his fishing rod and swung it until it caught the collar of Marco’s shirt, reeling him in. Marco sat upright again for .1239 milliseconds then fainted due to the shock of being outside of Critzaler Nebula, not Cristaler street, 18940, the Nebula house, living with his 52-year-old mom as a self righteous 28-year-old man. Not the man soon to be carrying the fate of the world on his shoulders.

“Aaahh,” Marco yawned. He sat upright and, once again, absent mindedly walked right out of the spaceship into the the middle of space. He floated just outside the Laxative Potato region. Marco gulped and felt something slimy slide down his pant leg. “Must be the Laxatives,” he thought. Jim Limb Sim Yes-Him’s brother, Tim Rim Grim Na-Him reeled Marco in and when his first foot touched the ship, Marco ran to the bathroom to do some some very important business.

“Aaahh, Marco,” said John, “I have something to tell you.”

“I think I know what it is,” said Marco angrily, “I’m in space.”

“Marco, the Slartegnorgs are coming to enslave every civilization ever! We already have Little Timmy but he’s as stupid as dirt.”

“Oh and you need someone smart, gotcha,” said Marco.

“You know someone smart! Tell me who, who!” said John excitedly.

Marco stared blankly at John.
“Anyway,” said John. “Little Timmy is warning the planets, you have to fight alongside them.”

“So I have to save Earth,” said Marco.

“No,” said John, “Earth was destroyed, you have to save everything else.”

“What?!” said Marco, flabbergasted, “Earth was destroyed!”

“Yes,” said John quite happily, not seeing the problem.

Marco fainted.

“Aaahh,” Marco yawned. He sat upright and walked right out of the spaceship into the the middle of space. He floated right outside the Chimmy Chonga-Diarrhea region. Jim Limb Sim Yes-Him’s brother’s brother’s brother’s brother’s brother’s sister, Amber, reeled Marco in.

“Chimmy Chonga?” she offered Marco.

“I’m fine, thanks,” said Marco, as he trotted to somewhere to cry. He lost everything, he had-nothing! No job, No nice family, friends, girlfriends. Nothing-absolutely nothing, and he lost that too. He thought, very deeply depressed. There was a rumble deep in the ship, Marco shivered, “Not yet,” he quivered, “I’m not ready.” He knew what happened, the Slartegnorgs had boarded!

John found Marco, and said, “I’ll be back,” in a deep voice, as he ran into the heart of the battle.

A Slartegnorg came eye to eye with Marco, and charged, Marco sobbed, the Slartegnorg screamed a battle cry, Marco caught hold of something, that did…nothing, for it was a small life jacket of no use! Fortunately, for the Slartegnorgs that is, they had caught Marco. Up close the Slartegnorgs were like hideous green slimy spiders, and unfortunately for Marco he had arachnophobia, and surprise or no surprise they spun a disgusting white silk around Marco. Marco was anxious to get free, but this isn’t a fairy tail, so he had no such luck. Marco had been caught by a weaponless arachnid.

“Resistance is futile you will be destroyed in 34 laxative morlunar units, helpless humanoid,” the Slartegnorg boomed. Marco sobbed louder.

“You can’t do this to me, cancel the destruction!” Marco cried.

“To cancel obliteration, repeat the code,” said the Slartegnorg.

“Ok!” said Marco, happily.

“The code is,” boomed the Slartegnorg, “10101010101010100101000101010100101010111101010101010100101010010110110010100101010100101001010010111101010101010101010101100101010010101001010100101001010100101010010101001010101001010010100010101010100101110010101001001010101010011010010101010010101010101010.”

“Uh, ok,” Marco murmured. “10-uh-10101010-uh-uh-1000011101011-uh-1101010101010101010101001010-um-uh-1-uh-10-1-010010101010100101001010101-uh-0?” Marco stumbled.

“Code denied,” spoke the Slartegnorg. Something like a needle was forced into Marco’s back, then Marco went pale, everything went dark and he fainted.

“Aaahh,” Marco yawned. He sat upright and walked right into a wall. “Ow!” Marco yelped in pain. All his muscles were in agony, or at least the muscles he had, as he looked down to find he had lost his index finger. “You took my finger!” Marco cried in shock, as a Slartegnorg entered.

“It was necessary,” replied the Slartegnorg.

“It was not!” yelled Marco, “it was my finger,” he said dramatically.

“Yes, it was your finger,” replied the Slartegnorg.

“It was a very important finger!” Marco ranted.

“More or less,” replied the Slartegnorg.

‘More or less’, what is that supposed to mean?” Marco yelled.

“It is and isn’t important.”

“It is Important! It is, it is, it is, it is, it is!” Marco screamed as he stomped around wherever he was.

“Sit in the chair humanoid,” the Slartegnorg bellowed.

“Ok!” Marco yelled in his rage. The Slartegnorg left and two red boxes took his place. Suddenly, they sprouted legs, and one arm and a gun (and a head of course).

“Prepare for obliteration,” they said.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” Marco said nervously, as he broke free of his nerves (and the chair).

He then ran around the room until one of the robots took a shot at him and instead hit a hollow part of the wall. Marco ran through the hole to a large room full of similar robots and Slartegnorgs. Marco saw a few Slartegnorgs talking to a little boy, so Marco crawled past them and into one of the ships that he found. He figured out how to lift off and went through a convenient hole in the wall, he then flew until he reached a blue planet, with astonishing towers. He then blew the blue planet up. Then a fleet of space-ships smaller than his appeared.

“You destroyed a level six planet, you will be imprisoned in the Zoldolisk space quadrant, Humanoid,” they spoke.

But Marco did not care, so he destroyed them, then a larger fleet of larger ships appeared, and then Marco did care, so he fled. And Marco was chased back to the home of the Slartegnorgs, which he now saw was green, like them. He entered back through the hole in the wall, crashing into several ships and landing on his back, unconscious.

“Aahh,” Marco yawned. He sat upright, look at both hands, attempted walking, but fell, he looked down at his feet to find a toe missing.

“My toe! Seriously!” he screamed at a Slartegnorg entering the new room which had a cell that Marco was in, and to the right of him he saw some Slartegnorgs talking to the same small boy.

“You didn’t like us cutting your finger off, so we took a toe.”

“Why?!” Marco asked.

“D.N.A.” he replied.

“Hunky Dory,” Marco said.

“We have arranged to send both of you Humanoids to be obliterated,” the Slartegnorg stated.

“‘Both’ of us Humanoids?” Marco asked.

“Yes, you and the small child,” the Slartegnorg replied.

Marco looked again at the little boy. He was looking out the window, so Marco did the same and he saw a group of ships shooting more ships. Oh-no, Marco thought. It seemed like one shot was all it took for one ship to go keb-lewy. The ship shook, something had hit it! Marco was shot out of the ship like a cannonball as it exploded, sending him and the boy in opposite directions in space…without spacesuits. Marco heard a noise, too faint to hear in space, but to his surprise an almost clear blue shield surrounded the two cells. Marco sighed in relief. It was silent for an hour or two, just Marco sitting and waiting, thinking he was going to die. Strangely, his shield popped as he was propelled into the cockpit of a fairly large deserted ship.

“Woo-hoo!” Marco yelled in relief.

“Marco?” he heard a voice call.

A man appeared.

“He was maybe six,” and had black hair.

“Jim Limb Sim Yes-Him!” Marco cried. “Break me out of this cell?”

Jim Limb Sim did, “Where is everyone else?” Marco asked.

“They died in the battle.” Jim Limb Sim said. “But why are you here, shouldn’t you be saving the Universe?” he asked.

“Ummm. It’s not going well, but anyway the closest planet is Gorlonflod, let’s go warn them!” Marco said heroically. Jim Limb Sim and him flew to Gorlonflod, but looking at the small red planet they saw the Gorlonflod fleet chasing a blue ship, so Marco decided to flee with it and instead landed on a yellow and dull planet. It had one sign and one building, the sign read:

Welcome To Pythod Hotel, We find a Planet, enslave it, then make it a Hotel!

Marco got a Intergalactic Berry Laser Cannon Smoothie, then got back in his ship and quickly blew up Pythod, and a hotel bathroom flew by the ship with someone taking a shower inside. Orange pieces of the large planet were scattered among space.

“The point was to save them,” Jim Limb Sim said.

“Oh,” replied Marco, “I like blowing them up better.”

“Ugh,” Jim Limb Sim sighed.

They saw a fleet of large green Slaregnorg ships, one bigger than the rest.

“That Must be the Mother-Ship,” Jim Limb Sim whispered, “are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Why do they like green so much?” Marco whispered in reply.

“Surrender Humanoids, I, Jachsloch, ruler of the Slartegnorg civilization command you,” The Mother-Ship said.

Then it started shooting at them, of course, this being a sci-fi story, the main characters barely escape death, so somehow all the shots missed. Then Marco miraculously shot down all the small ships. Marco started shooting the Mother-ship, but it retaliated with stronger fire power, but then suddenly blew up before their eyes

“Yeah!” Marco cried “We did it!” he shouted. He thought that until a blue ship flew through the destruction. “Oh.” For Marco realized he and Jim Limb Sim hadn’t destroyed the Slartegnorg Mother-Ship, rather it was that little boy that had.

“Well at least I accomplished something,” Marco said proudly.

“You accomplished nothing, you actually hurt, more than helped,” Jim Limb Sim said in reply.

“What do I do now?” Marco asked.

“You could be a space hobo,” Jim Limb Sim said in reply.

“I think I’ll just live here,” Marco said as he went to sleep, trying to forget about the exhausting days he’s been having.

The End

 

The Evil Land

Introduction

Once upon a time, a very long time ago there was a girl named Elizabeth who lived in the Evil Land where there were monsters, wizards, dragons and invisible traps and dungeons everywhere. Elizabeth lived in a house with her older sister, Raven, separated from her parents, other siblings and cousins because of evil creatures. The evil creatures had pushed the family apart, and Elizabeth and Raven had to build themselves a house. Outside their house there was a dragon who always stood there making sure they didn’t go out of the house. But Elizabeth couldn’t help thinking about how it would be if her family was together again, and if she got to see her parents, cousins and other siblings again.  She also wished to meet her Grandma and Grandpa again.  But Raven didn’t think it was safe for them to go outside.

The Day Elizabeth Started her Journey

One day in the house Elizabeth decided she wanted to go outside and find her family. So Elizabeth snuck out of the house in the morning while Raven was sleeping. As soon as she was outside, she realized that Raven was right to not let her go. But Elizabeth was desperate to find her family. At this point, nothing could change her mind. Elizabeth realized she needed a weapon, so she ran back inside, and quietly not to awake Raven, she grabbed scissors. Then she went back outside. That minute the dragon turned around and looked straight at her. He grabbed her, and fire came out of his mouth, Elizabeth was speechless. Not only because of the dragon, but also when she looked around she noticed there were wizards, monsters and other creepy evil things. Then the dragon put her down and she was happy until she noticed she was in one of the dark dungeons. Suddenly all of the walls of the dungeon appeared and so did the door and the floor. Elizabeth was scared, but still nothing would stop Elizabeth from trying to see her family. Quickly Elizabeth felt the walls all around for any secret doors because she didn’t know what else to do.

When she touched the walls, she came to a bump. She noticed she had a flashlight in her pocket. She took the flashlight and shined it on the bump. The dark dungeon felt so much lighter, even with just the splash of light from the flashlight. Elizabeth took her scissors and cut through the wallpaper around the bump. When she cut through the bump, there was an electric number pad, and which required a code to exit the dungeon. Elizabeth tried and tried all night long to enter the code, and finally the next morning she typed in the right code.  She typed 35810 and the door opened.  This code reminded Elizabeth of her old life. She barely remembered her old life anymore, but this code was the last thing she had entered on a video game before her land totally changed. At least, she thought that was the last thing, she couldn’t remember.

Then Elizabeth came back to reality and remembered the open exit door. She ran out of it.

Defeating

Elizabeth continued her journey. She didn’t take more than five steps before getting caught in one of the rope traps. The trap was really small and Elizabeth was squashed. Elizabeth didn’t know what to do. She thought, and finally after 15 minutes of thinking, she remembered the scissors. Elizabeth slowly moved her hand to her pocket, not to get her fingers caught in the trap. But that didn’t work, they got caught. She spent another ten minutes untangling her fingers and then finally she got her fingers down to her pocket and slowly grabbed the scissors. Then she cut the rope trap all around and landed with a thump! on the ground. She got up and an evil wizard looked at her.

The wizard zapped his wand at her, and the next thing Elizabeth knew she was a frog because she looked down and saw her webbed green frog hands. It might have been easier to get through everything if she was a frog, but how would her family know it was her. She couldn’t even talk. Every time she tried to talk it came out in a croak-like noise. Elizabeth wondered if there were any good wizards on this land. The way they dressed looked oddly like a videogame she thought she had played before.  They wore a tall pointed hat, and a purple cloak. Elizabeth thought about how she could turn back into a person, but she didn’t know how. There was nothing Elizabeth could do, but she decided to jump on the wizard’s shoulder to get a faster ride to see her parents.

Her little frog legs wouldn’t get to her family anytime soon.

When she landed on the wizard’s shoulder she felt metal under her feet. She wanted to see what it was, so she used her scissors that shrunk when the wizard struck her to cut his clothing. She noticed the same electric pad that was in the dungeon. She entered the same code as before: 35810. The wizard immediately fell to the ground. That’s weird, Elizabeth thought. Elizabeth looked at her body and noticed it was a little bigger and a little less green. Elizabeth thought about how this all happened. Elizabeth thought about what would happen if she entered the code on all of the wizards. Would they all fall down? She tried it on another wizard, and surely enough, he fell to the ground. And she got less green and bigger.  By the end of the day Elizabeth had killed 56 wizards, four dragons, and ten monsters!!! Elizabeth took a little break— she was tired after defeating some of the wizards, dragons and monsters.

After an hour, Elizabeth was ready to start on her journey again. She defeated the rest of the wizards, except for the head wizard. She knew he was head wizard because she had heard stories about him. But there were also monsters and dragons that she needed to shut down with the code.  Elizabeth shut down the rest of the dragons and monsters and was tired again. Elizabeth looked mostly human except for the sticky frog fingers, but her skin was human. Elizabeth continued on her journey to defeat the last wizard and find her family.

The Evil Wizard

The next morning Elizabeth started her journey to defeat the last wizard, but she didn’t know where he was. So Elizabeth chose to go left from the center of town. Elizabeth kept going and going left. After two hours, Elizabeth had made her way to the forest. But there was a problem, there were jaguars and lions everywhere.  And there were lizards on the ground. One of the lizards ran over her feet, and she was only at the edge of the forest.  Elizabeth knew she had to find the electric number pad to shut down the animals before it was safe for her to find her family. She knew this because so far she had shut down almost all the creatures with the code. First Elizabeth shut down the lions, then the jaguars, and then the lizards. One by one, they all fell to the ground.

Elizabeth continued through the forest. A little deeper in the woods, she saw that the forest was blocked by big trees. It looked like a creepy cave.  But the trees were so close together that Elizabeth couldn’t push through them. Elizabeth didn’t know what to do.

Then, Elizabeth tried to climb up one of the trees, and she got to the very top of the tree. Elizabeth carefully stepped from tree to tree, and when she got out of the big trees, she saw the last evil wizard standing there. Elizabeth knew she would have to creep up on the wizard, so he wouldn’t cast a spell that would make her a frog again. But Elizabeth didn’t know how she would find the electric pad on the wizard without the wizard knowing she was there. Luckily, she could see the wizard’s number pad. Elizabeth tip toed to the wizard and quickly typed the code. The wizard half turned around before he fell to the ground. Elizabeth knew he was about to cast the spell on her. Fortunately, he didn’t because he fell before he could do it.

Elizabeth was now completely human, even her fingers. There was nothing that could stop her now from getting to her family.

The Third Day of the Journey

Elizabeth kept going until the whole night had passed and it was morning. By then Elizabeth had come to a river of lava. How am I going to cross the river? Elizabeth thought.   Elizabeth sat down and thought about how she was going to cross the Lava River. Then Elizabeth remembered the forest. She knew how to build things out of wood because she built her house with Raven. She went back to the forest and noticed the wizard’s sword was sticking out of his pocket.  She took the sword and cut down a few trees with it, using the sword like a saw. She cut them into long strips of wood. She then used the strips to make a boat and used the long grass to tie the pieces together. Then she used the last strip of wood to make a paddle. She made her way across the Lava River.  When she was three feet away from the end of the river, some lava leaked in. Fortunately, Elizabeth paddled quickly so she got out of the boat safely.

Elizabeth then continued on her journey to get to her family. She couldn’t wait to be with her parents, grandparents, other siblings and cousins again.

Elizabeth continued on her journey, and when she went a little farther she saw her cousin, Addy, walking up the trail. It looked like Addy was looking for her.

“Addy!!!” she called. Addy turned around, and they ran for each other. Addy went down the trail, and they continued together.

“Addy, do you know where my mother is?”

“No,” said Addy.

“Haven’t you been living with her since I was separated from you guys?”

“No, I’ve been living with my own mother,” said Addy.

“Addy, can you help me find my mother? I haven’t been with her for so long!” said Elizabeth.  

“Okay,” said Addy.  So they continued down the trail until they got caught in a giant dungeon.  

“Ahhhhh!!” Addy screamed. Elizabeth quickly found the electric pad and typed in the code, she wasn’t scared. The dungeon disappeared and they got out of it.

“How did you do that?” Addy asked.

“Magic,” said Elizabeth.

“Can you teach me?” Addy asked.

“It’s the same code I typed into the video game I used to play. It’s the only thing I remember from the last world.”

“What do you mean the last world?”

“I don’t know,” said Elizabeth.

“I hate when people say they don’t know,” said Addy.

“I don’t know how to explain it.  All I know is that this world is like the video game I used to play.”

“What’s a video game?” Addy asked.

“How come you don’t remember? How come you don’t remember the game I used to play? There are dragons, wizards, and they were all evil. And there was a magic code to defeat the video game world,” Elizabeth said.

“That’s it! That’s the way to get back home. You just have to type the evil code thing you were talking about,” Addy said.

“Okay, but where do I type it?” said Elizabeth.  

“I don’t know yet. We’ll find out.” Addy said. So they kept going on the trail to find Elizabeth’s mother and Addy’s aunt.

The Day Elizabeth Found Her Aunt

As they continued walking down the trail they saw another house.

“That’s my Mom’s house. Do you want to say hi to your aunt?” asked Addy.

“Of course!” Elizabeth responded. Elizabeth really wanted to find her mother, but she wanted to see her aunt also. When Elizabeth entered the house, she saw that they had worked really hard to make it. It was a lot prettier than the house she made with Raven, which was shabby. There were a lot of rooms, and you could tell what the furniture was made to be. It was amazing that they had built it.

“Mama!! Guess who’s here?” Addy called. Elizabeth’s aunt came running down the stairs with Elizabeth’s uncle behind her.

“Elizabeth!! It’s been so long! We’re so happy you’re okay!” Her aunt and uncle came and gave Elizabeth a big hug.

“Where’s Raven?” Elizabeth’s aunt asked.

“At home,” said Elizabeth.

“So you’re outside in the Evil Land without Raven? Why?”

“Because I wanted to find my family, but Raven didn’t want to go outside.” Elizabeth said.

“I’m happy you’re here, but you should have taken Raven, too.  Maybe you should stay with us?” Elizabeth’s aunt asked.

“Okay, I’ll stay here but I have one question for you. Do you know where my parents are?” Elizabeth asked.

“No, but all of your cousins, grandparents are living here in this house. And they would also like to see you!!” Her aunt said.  After she hugged all her cousins and grandparents, it had been about half an hour. It was time for her to go to bed.

After she slept, she continued on her journey the next morning. She said goodbye to her aunt, uncle, cousins and grandparents.

Finding her Parents

Addy also wanted to come with Elizabeth to find Elizabeth’s parents.  So Elizabeth and Addy continued going down the trail.  They kept going until they saw a house. In front of the house there was a girl. Elizabeth had felt that she had seen that face before. It was her sister. Elizabeth ran to her sister, she was really really happy.  She thought her parents would be inside, too. But when she asked her sister, her sister didn’t know where they were. But her sister said that inside of the house were the rest of Elizabeth’s sisters except for Raven. Elizabeth now had seen her aunt, uncle, grandparents, all her cousins and all her sisters. She still wanted to find her parents, and for her family to live together again. So she asked her sisters if they wanted to come find their parents, and they said yes.

So Elizabeth, Addy, and Elizabeth’s sisters continued down the trail until they saw a gigantic rat with red eyes blocking the only trail. Elizabeth knew how to defeat the rat with the code, but the rat was so big that she didn’t know how she was going to find such a small electric pad on the big rat. Elizabeth looked at the rat, she thought it was about 60 feet tall.

Elizabeth, Addy and her sisters were scared. Fortunately, she saw the little electric pad on the tail. Elizabeth quickly typed the code on the electric pad and the rat shut down. Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s sisters, and Addy continued on the trail to find Elizabeth’s parents.

As they continued down the trail, they saw that it got better as they traveled farther.  They traveled until they came to a house, and Elizabeth knocked on the door. When Elizabeth’s mom opened the door, Elizabeth hugged her mom and said it was the best day ever. Elizabeth was so, so happy that her sisters, and mom were together again except for Raven.  She had gone so far and so long to find her parents, and finally she found them. She had missed them a lot.

“Is Daddy here?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yes,” said her mom. Her mom called her dad down.

“Is Raven here?” her mom asked.

“No, she’s back at our house.” said Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth, you know how dangerous it is to travel alone, right?”

“Yeah, but Raven thought it was too scary to go.”

“Well I’m happy you made it safe, but you should have come with Raven.”

“Mom, we’re here, too!” Elizabeth’s sisters said.

“Oh, I didn’t see you guys!” She hugged each of them, smiling because she could see her kids again. She hadn’t seen them in a really long time.  She also hugged Addy. Then their Dad appeared behind Mom, and Elizabeth, her sisters and Addy rushed to him. And he hugged them all, too.

“C’mon, your own parents and siblings are down the trail. Let’s bring the whole family together. But, Raven is going to be hard to retrieve. So let’s start now if we want to get the family together,” Elizabeth said.

Joining the Family Together

As they went up the trail, they passed by Elizabeth’s sister’s house and stayed there for the night. The next morning they continued their journey to find Raven and Elizabeth’s aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. They continued up the trail, until they saw the rat.

“AHHH, let’s turn back!!” Elizabeth’s parents screamed.

“Don’t worry it’s shut down.” Elizabeth said.

“Uhhh, what do you mean shut down?” They asked.

“It’s  a long story. It’s under a code, and I think we’re in a video game.”

“Ahhh what? I thought this was the real world!! Not a―”

“Okay, let’s talk about this later. For now let’s just find the rest of the family,” Elizabeth said.

They continued on the trail until they ran into Elizabeth’s aunt’s, uncle’s, cousin’s, and grandparent’s house.

“You and Dad should stay here with your parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews and we we’ll go get Raven. Okay? Yeah, great this plan works. Bye!” Elizabeth said. Elizabeth ran off with Addy and her sisters.

“Guys! Wait! We want to come, too,” Elizabeth’s Mom and Dad called.

“Thanks for letting us go. This plan will work. We’ll be back with Raven soon.” Elizabeth said. She didn’t want her parent’s to be in danger, and she knew they would be safe at the house.

They ran and ran until they came to the Lava River.

“How are we going to get through this??” Addy and the sisters asked.

Elizabeth saw her boat, and the paddle next to it.  Next to the paddle was the wizard’s sword. She picked up the paddle and cut of a piece of the paddle to patch the hole in the boat from where lava had leaked in.  She used the long grass to tie it on. Then, she put the boat in the water and got in it.

“I’ll paddle across, and then use the magic sword to throw the boat back to you. Only one of us can go at a time.” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth paddled down the river, and then Addy went, and then her sisters went. Elizabeth warned them they would have to climb trees, and step from tree to tree to pass through the forest.

But Addy and her sisters said they still wanted to help find Raven. As they entered the forest, they saw the trees Elizabeth was talking about. First Elizabeth went, and showed them how to climb up the trees, then Addy went and then her sisters went. They together stepped from tree to tree until they got to the end of the forest.  They all climbed down the trees.

When they got down they saw shut down lions, lizards and jaguars lying on the ground. They knew they were shut down because they weren’t moving. When there were no more jaguars, lizards and lions anymore, they saw wizards, monsters and dragons lying on the ground. They could see a really big shutdown dragon in the distance. Elizabeth knew that was the dragon that guarded her house.  Elizabeth ran to the house and signaled for Addy and her sisters to come. When Addy and her sisters came, Elizabeth knocked on the door.  Elizabeth was happy to be with Raven again and tell her the awesome news that they had found their family. When everyone hugged Raven, they went down the trail through the forest and the big trees until they came to the Lava River. They told Raven about the plan to cross the Lava River. Raven looked unsure, but said she would do it. She was nervous to be outside again. Raven hadn’t been outside since they built their house, but she was proud of Elizabeth that she shut the evil things down. They crossed the river and ran to the house which everyone was in.  Everyone hugged Raven, and were so happy to see her.

“We’re going on the trail to see if we have shut down all the creatures.” Elizabeth said.

“Fine, but if you’re going, we’re going. I don’t want you to get lost, and for our family to not be together,” Addy said.

Out of the Evil Land

They went down the trail and they passed Elizabeth’s sister’s house, the shutdown rat, and her parent’s house. They walked until they came to a wall, which seemed like the edge of the Evil Land. Elizabeth saw an electric pad and typed in the code, 35810.

As soon as Elizabeth typed the code she found herself sitting on her desk with the videogame and the typed code right in front of her.

“It’s time for dinner!” her Mom called.  

Elizabeth shut down her computer and thought to herself, I’m never going to play this video game again. She went to have dinner.  Elizabeth hardly remembered, but she knew she had transported herself and all of her family into her videogame.  She didn’t want to think about it, but she was happy that she was home.

 

 

The Elephant

Bright colors all around

People cheering in the moonlight

A figure looks me right in the eye with a smile on its face

His trunk moves side to side

That is his way of saying hello

Dressed in red, yellow, pink, and orange

Drums play and people dance

His trunk moves up and down

That is his way of saying hello

Smells of happiness swarm around me

There is not a single frown to be seen

His trunk zig zags in the air

That is his way of saying hello

The humidity of the place goes around

I grab a cold towel and wipe my face

His trunk swirls all around

That is his way of saying hello

A woman puts a bright purple flower in my hair

It shines as a slight breeze blows on my neck

His trunk dances in the wind

That is his way of saying hello

A man hands me a coconut

I sip it as flavor bursts in my mouth, there is nothing but kindness in this land

I move my hands side to side

My feet up and down

My head zig zagging

And my tummy swirling around

That is my way of saying hello to this beautiful place

The Dream That Nobody Gave Into

It was 10:57 and David Trout was watching ESPN’s Sports Center. Just as it ended and he was about to go to sleep, Sara Walsh announced that coming up next was a new 30 for 30 about the Legion of Boom. David knew that his destiny was to watch it.

“No matter what your team is, no matter what your sport is, no matter what your situation is, even if you never even heard of the sport of football, you have to love Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, and Earl Thomas III. Sherman is tied in first for interception yards along with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the preseason. And in 2013 he lead the NFL in interceptions with nine!”

The narrator’s words got David into it. All of a sudden, he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to be an NFL player!

The very next day, David woke up to the sound of his alarm clock.

Now to get back to my dream! he thought. Nothing ever worked! He tried to be a zookeeper, and he really enjoyed it until the zoo moved to Hawaii! Then he was drafted as an MLB player for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and had time to become friends with Mike Trout, who he shared the same last name with. But in a game against the Yankees he was hit with a 100 miles per hour pitch by Dellin Betances and his career was over. After that he had decided he was cursed now that he had two really nice jobs that had ended for reasons that he wasn’t even responsible for! He decided that at exactly 11:07 PM when it was 24 hours ago that he wanted to be an NFL player, he would share his dream with the public on Twitter.

@dezbryant @calvinjohnsonjr guess what?! I want to be an NFL wide receiver! You two are surely the best in the game, so could you give me some tips?

He double checked it for words that he might have mispelled, and finally posted it onto the web. He decided to go for a walk in the park and when he came back, he would see the comments he got. The walk was inspirational. He saw a blue jay egg hatch, and a cardinal had flew onto his shoulder. But when he got home what he saw was unpleasant.

“Come on man! Be real here! Don’t try to push yourself to something that you know you are never going to accomplish. You are 57 years old!” some guy had commented. Many other comments were rude and uninspiring. The only comments that had hope in them were Dez Bryant’s, the one written by Calvin Johnson Jr, and Mike Trout.

Dez Bryant wrote, “Go for it!”

Calvin Johnson Jr wrote, “You’ve got this!”

And Mike Trout commented, “Best of luck!” It wasn’t time to give up just yet!

David Trout opened the doors to the dream that nearly nobody gave into. He was at the NFL Draft tryouts!

100 drills! You can do that! a voice inside his head told him.  

Ahhh, but there are no breaks allowed! his doubtful side came back.

If he spent the tryout in doubt, he would never succeed because he would never try! But if he believed what his good side told him and then he failed, it would lead him to doubt himself all the time! What was he going to do?

He looked at his crowd. Calvin had come to watch, while Dez and Mike couldn’t make it.

“Since it’s a wide receiver you want to be, we have a selection of quarterbacks for you to choose from, and defenders for you to pick out,” explained the man at the draft tryouts.

He decided that because Calvin Johnson Jr. had taken time out of his day to come and support him, picking Matthew Stafford was the nicest thing he could do. The middle linebacker was going to be Luke Kuechly, the defensive end would be Rob Ninkovich, the center would be Eric Wood, and guarding him would be the one and only Calvin Pryor. He wanted to make it hard on himself so that they didn’t assume that he needed to make it easy.

Luke was playing at his hardest, so David couldn’t be surprised when Eric was picked up and thrown to the floor. Next, now that Luke had gotten through the defense, he stormed his way up to Mr. Stafford. He picked him up and the crowd roared. Wait a second, thought David. Matthew Stafford isn’t on the ground so what Luke is doing isn’t helping! But that’s when David realized that he had said all this out loud. So there was a second down and Matthew Stafford had passed out.

After that, David found himself hit in the head with a can of soup and being booed by nearly everyone in the crowd because they wanted to see action. Russell Wilson was picked by David as his backup, so he entered. Calvin came down to give him some wide receiver tips, and after Russell gave him his encouragement, the tryouts resumed. Russell and David decided that they would go for the Hail Mary play, and his heart stopped beating when Calvin Pryor intercepted it. But that was when he dropped the ball, and David Trout went for the amazing play and dove for the ball and actually caught it!! Russell Wilson also had something to be proud of because he had to jump over Luke Kuechly in order to make that play happen! They were both exhausted and needed a commercial break.

After hearing about the Convenient Stores of Speedway 2 times in a row, and then listening to how you can get chicken, fries, and a biscuit for $3.99 at Popeyes, the pressure resumed. Maybe I am NFL material after all!! thought David, 30 yards away from completion of the first drill. He met up with Russell Wilson again.

“I would like to use you as a halfback for this play,” Russell suggested.

“Okay. You have much more of a football mind than anyone in the draft so that’s fine by me!”

He also knew that if this play was successful, his draft chances would increase, because teams do like players that (Like Brandon Marshall and Julian Edelman!) can be used at different positions. That was when David Trout had a great idea! He told it to Russell who approved, and then launched the plan.

“CATCH IT!” yelled Calvin Johnson Jr, which made everyone assume that it was a rushing play.

Wilson pretended to throw while Trout came from behind, the ball was handed off to him. He rushed to the endzone while crossing up Ninkovich AND Calvin Pryor!! Touchdown!  99 more drills and David Trout was in the NFL Draft!

 It was rough and hard and he collapsed after it all, but David Trout had climbed 400 foot rock walls and lifted 500 pound weights just to get into the NFL. Lying on the ground with the crowd shrieking, Calvin Johnson Jr and Russell Wilson came over and gave him a Gatorade bath.

PART  2:

NOT DRAFT NIGHT, BUT DRAFT  FIGHT

Sitting at the NFL Draft, David Trout knew that any team could be his. Phil Simms had said after the tryouts, “This is a man that teams would want to trade for.”

He was positive that he would go somewhere, the question being “WHERE?”

“Welcome to the 2015 NFL Draft! With the first pick in the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select… Jameis Winston!”

Oh well, I never did expect to be 1st pick!  David said to himself, while also feeling happy for Winston.

“What team would you like to be drafted by?” asked Mike Trout, while it was announced that the Tennessee Titans had drafted Marcus Mariota.

“I’ll take anything!” David responded, as Marcus went up to receive his jersey and hat. David saw Dez and Calvin walk into the room together and they sat down next to him.

The Jaguars drafted Dante Fowler Jr, and the Raiders went along with Amari Cooper, while David was starting to get a tiny bit nervous.

“Ahhhh…. #2! That was my pick!!” Calvin yelled out.

“Oh come on!!” Whispered Russell Wilson, who had just gotten to the draft. “I was the 75th pick!”

“I’m not nervous!” lied David, but Russell wasn’t fooled for a split second.

Soon though, David had a reason to be nervous. Luke Kuechly had told him that after 60 picks, if nobody had picked him, it was reasonable to be nervous. 60 picks had happened that he was not involved in. Just then it was announced that the Buccaneers had drafted Ali Marpet, and that made it 61.

“Your pick should be any minute now…” Dez Bryant encouraged.

David was pretty sure that the Packers were his team, but they drafted Quinten Rollins. The Seahawks were picking for the first time now, and David wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he saw Russell Wilson wink at BEASTMODE, who was sitting right next to Wilson.

“With the 63rd pick in the NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select…” Suddenly the moment paused and David Trout realized something. He wanted to go to the Seahawks!! Time resumed, besides for the fact that announcing the pick had started again. “With the 63rd pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select… David Trout!”

As he walked up to the stage, David Trout realized something new. Just two weeks ago, the dream had started by a 30 for 30 on the Seahawks!! And then who did he get drafted by? The Seahawks! Just then, Martin Mayhew, the GM of the Detroit Lions came over to him along with Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson who were on top of him.

“I have a deal for you! David Trout for Matthew Stafford!” John Schneider, the Seahawks GM got onto the stage.

“I am forced to say never!!” screamed John.

“Okay,” said Martin.

That’s when Pete Carroll got onto the stage. “John!” barked Pete. “How could you possibly be so rude!”

“I’m not sure that listening to you is the greatest idea after that Malcolm Butler interception!” John came back with.

T om Brady stood up and screamed something in laughter, but it didn’t stop their quarrelling. Suddenly, the words of flame escaped the mouth of Pete. “You are fired!”  

“Good luck losing all your games!!” shouted John.

“Ooooh,” interrupted the crowd.

“Get wrecked!”  Pete came back with. A typical draft fight.

Kam Chancellor whispered to David Trout, now a wide receiver for the Seahawks, “Welcome to the Seahaws!”

PART 3: NOT  FINISHED YET

“Wake up!” David was waken up by his roommate, Jimmy Graham.

“What happened!?” asked David.

“Coach hired a new GM, and we’re having a meeting about it.”

“Oh. Is he nice?”

“He’s the best guy in the world!” yelled Doug Baldwin rushing in, which burst the whole team into laughter.

“And we will be hearing a lot more of that when you guys here the deal he made!” erupted Marshawn Lynch, bursting into the room.

“How come you know!?” they all asked, as Kam Chancellor started practicing interceptions.

“Cause I’m one of the team captains!” responded Lynch.

“Come on guys, Russell Wilson is already here!” said Pete.

We all gathered around the meeting table. “Why aren’t Jermaine Kearse or Kevin Norwood at this table?” the whole team asked.

“And Kevin Norwoods’ jersey is hanging there!”

“You’ll find out!” Pete said. “It isn’t anything big at all.”

“Well okay!!”

“The big thing is that, as you probably heard, we got a new GM.”

“JOHN IS SERVING AS AN ADVISOR!” Steven Hauschka bursted out

“STEVEN!” Pete screamed. “Just because you are a captain, doesn’t mean you need to burst out every bit of news you find out.”

“Sorry,” Steven muttered.

“Anyway,” Pete continued, “He made his first trade with the Detroit Lions, who he loves. It’s no major trade, and you probably never heard of the person that we acquired. That is why Jermaine and Kevin aren’t here.”

“But how come Kevin’s jersey is still here!!?” questioned Richard Sherman.

“All will be explained!” answered Jon Ryan.

“So who did we get?” asked D’anthony Smith.

“A new number 81!!”

Everyone was silent for all of one second until one scream became a million. “We got Calvin Johnson Jr.!” screamed the Seattle Seahawks.

“This new GM will be great!” Malcolm Smith yelled.

Calvin entered the room. “I had to be on David Trout’s team!!” And David Trout had to be on Calvin Johnson Jr.’s team!

TO BE CONTINUED!

 

 

                                                   

The Downfall of Secrets and the Coming of the Month

Repl. Sk. Frederick Jonathan Remark

The sky is an object that almost everybody knows about. Therefore, no one but the sky itself knows the very secret of the sky. Well, that’s how it was… but nobody in the entire world knows what really happened on November 13, 2014. Well, no one in the entire world except the sky and me.

 

Prologue (I think you sort of need to read it, even if you don’t usually read prologues.)

First I must tell you that I am confessing the most important secret of the universe. It is one of the two secrets that the sky has not confessed or given to anyone but me. I do not know the last secret, and even if I did, I would not confess that one secret to the world. That would mean two things: One, I would be betraying the sky’s trust, and the sky’s trust means the holding of the world, (more on that later) and two, the sky has to keep a secret in the Holding, according to the Gazzilion’s Law. (Also more on that later.)

Now, everyone thinks they know for sure the story of the Earth, but can’t prove their theory. You can choose whether to believe the story or not. But the thing is, I have proof.

The sky is the oldest being in the world, as first, there was nothing. Just space. But space is what the sky is. So the sky watched everything happen. But here’s the real shock: the sky- and everything else- is alive.

Now, if you’re going to leave, and not read anything else, do it now. If you believe, read on. If you’d like to believe it’s not real, read on. But if you think it’s all silly, don’t. I don’t like silly-believers.

The sky’s told me about Gazzilion and his Law. It says that as long as the sky keeps a secret, there can be a planet Earth, and the Downfall of Secrets. At the time, the sky didn’t know what the Downfall of Secrets was.

If he did, we wouldn’t be here today. It would just be the sky.

 

Chapter 1: November 13, 2014

The sky has his vacation on November 13th, every year. November 13th is a day when the real sky is gone. So I do look forward to November 13th, because of my very unique placement. I am the replacement sky. I am the sky on November 13th.

Wait — I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Repl. Sk. Frederick Jonathan Remark!

The Sky of the Start

Hello, o human of humanity! Thy time hath come o human to know, the time of Life and body! Forgive my sort of olde ways of speak, I speaks Skyitmath, the Sky and Life Language! Thou hath misk — no, ways, — of that even myself, the Sky of the Start, wonders how thou kind keeps without Skyitmath! You cannot even talk to a harmless comp.! (Comp. means computer. It is what comp.s like to be called!)

 

Chapter 2: Enough with Introduction and on with the Story

Repl. Sk. Frederick Jonathan Remark

As the chapter name says, enough with the introduction and on with the story.

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Immediately after I became the sky, I knew something was wrong. Then it came: orange letters over Washington, D. C., said, “THE DOWNFALL OF SECRETS HAS NOW COME. GAZZILION’S LAW HAS BEEN FULFILLED.”

What was the Downfall of Secrets? And did the sky know?

The Sky of the Start

“I thought I would be seeing you here today, the sky,” said a thoughtful sounding pot from behind my back. I am the sky’s human form.

“Ah hello,” I said. As you can see, I have learned New English!

Repl. Sk. Frederick Jonathan Remark

My hero, the sky, cannot have known about the orange letters, as you could see. So, I took a great risk. I left my post. For 23 minutes, on November 13, 2014, there was no sky. I left. Any human but me who looks at a sky-free sky — well, sky place — will become smarter than the regular kind of them.

In that 23 minutes…well…

 

Chapter 3: The 23 Minute Minutes

Minute 1

I went to directly below where the letters were.

Minute 2

I investigated.

Minutes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

I continued investigating.

Minutes 9-20

I visited the sky and told him about the orange letters and what I found there.

Minutes 21, 22

I went to the orange letters and called, “Alright.”

Minute 23

I went back into the sky. I was the sky again.

 

Chapter 4: Meanwhile

Frederick Johnson of the Human-Nonsensical World

Hi, I’m Frederick Johnson. I am a farmer who lives in the North Pole. I have a chicken who I taught English. Her name is Little Squawky. I have a huge cow, and a crocodile named Mortified, and I’m here to tell you about what I saw at 2:24-2:47, on November 13, 2014. I am happy to tell you, it was not a Friday. It was a Thursday.

Well, I went outside, to talk to Little Squawky. When I got there, Squawky looked almost as terrified as Mortified.

“What happened?” I asked her.

“Look up…” she said fearfully.

I looked up, and the blue sky was pitch black. There was an orange tinge at the bottom of the sky, and the sun had bright orange lines coming from it. Also, I could see each and every planet (and dwarf planet) from Mercury-Venus and Mars-Pluto. They were mostly bright red.

“What does this mean?” I asked Squawky.

“I only can guess…” she replied. I gave her some food, but she wouldn’t eat it.

About 15 minutes later, I was still comforting Squawky and watching the black, starry sky, when suddenly there was a bright orange dot in the middle. I watched as it expanded and rose. It turned sky blue (I mean, regular sky blue) and shiny gold lightning bolts appeared all over the black.

“Don’t look!” Squawky yelled urgently. I looked at her.

“Why not?” I asked. “Do you know something about this that I don’t?”

She looked at me carefully. “Are you in the mood for a story?”

“What story?” I asked.

“It’s worth it…” she said to herself. “Once, there was just sky. Sky alone, without company…” She told me a long legend that you might have heard. A story explaining the universe.

“But that’s made up!” I exclaimed. She sounded like she was going to have said something truthful.

She sighed. She stared straight into my eyes. “I need to think. Alone,” she said quietly. “Go on.”

 

Chapter 5: The Grave Mistake

Repl. Sk. Frederick Jonathan Remark

Chickens, wolves, roosters, and owls are called the Four Truths. They know the secret of the sky.

I was worried out of my mind. I had seen a man. A very intelligent man, at that. But that meant the man had seen the universe without the sky…

Gazzilion’s Law has 2 parts: the one about the Downfall of Secrets, and another, that says if a human sees the universe without the sky, he is destined to know more than any other man but one other that sees the same thing.

I was thinking about this when I saw the sky.

And the sky… he was mad.

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?” he yelled. “YOU LEFT! I HAVE TO FIND A DIFFERENT REPLACEMENT SKY!”

He wouldn’t even listen when I told him about the letters. I had lost my title as Replacement Sky Frederick Jonathan Remark. I was just Frederick Jonathan Remark.

The sky had me replace him one last time while he found a new replacement.

The Sky of the Start

I thought I liked dear old F. J. R. (Frederick Jonathan Remark) but he betrayed my trust! Dear old F. J. R., I would never have believed it! But I like R. S. F. J. (Replacement Sky Frederick Johnson), though he almost died of surprise when I explained everything…of course, he has one of the 4 truths who had already known, of course.

 

Chapter 6: Yes

Repl. Sk. Frederick Johnson

I couldn’t believe it when the sky explained about Gazzilion being a big pot! I was imagining him as a troll! It sounded so crazy, I thought he’d be big and ugly. Apparently, he only agreed to create the universe if the sky accepted his Law…

Anyway…I was wondering about the Downfall of Secrets when I saw a large pot. It was talking.

What would you have done if you saw a large pot talking?

“Are you Gazzilion?”

“Aaaaaaaaaa-eeeeeeeeee-e-ooooo!!&y,” said the pot.

“Ummm…excuse me?”

“Aaaaaaaaaa-eeeeeeeeee-e-ooooo!!&y,” repeated the pot.

Then I realized something. The sky’s language! Skyitmath! Gazzilion must speak that too!

I picked up the pot and went up. (The sky granted me flying when I became his replacement.)

“Oh lord sky of the start, speak to Gazzilion, the pot of the start.”

“Gazzilion, eh?”

“Yes.”

“Aa.”

“OOOOOOooo-e,” replied Gazzilion.

I had to listen to a lot of oooohs and aaahs.

“My dear F. J., Gazzilion has explained the Downfall of Secrets to me,” said the sky.

“Yeah?” I said.

“I must go on a journey with you.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“But I cannot tell you what it is.”

“What?”

“No, I cannot.”

So we set off in the sky, because we couldn’t get a replacement sky.

 

Chapter 7: The Journey Starts and Ends

“We need to go far. I will explain.”

The sky finally consented to tell me what happened. Gazzilion said that the Downfall of Secrets was something to avoid, so he had to go.

“The sky? Can you tea—”

Suddenly everything was cold and freezing. I fell asleep on the spot. A voice woke me.

“GAZZILION’S LAW HAS BEEN FULFILLED AT LAST! THE DOWNFALL OF SECRETS WILL COMMENCE ON FRIDAY THE 13TH OF THE 13TH MONTH.”

“Well then… it’s not time to go on our journey yet,” said the sky.

 

Chapter 8: Skyitmath

“The sky?”

“Yes?

“Remember I was starting to tell you something on our journey, but got interrupted by the voice?”

“Yes.”

“Well… could you teach me Skyitmath?”

“The replacement sky! Not knowing Skyitmath! Of course, dear F. J.!”

“Let’s start.”

“Okay. O means yes. E means no,” the sky said.

I soon learned Skyitmath.

“Aaaaaaaaaa-e-e-aaaaaaaaaaaaa-e-e-uu,” I said.

“Very good!” said the sky.

I was in a very good mood by the end of the lessons.

 

Chapter 9: Gazzilion and the Sky

“Can you explain to me your conversation with Gazzilion before the universe was created?” I asked the sky.

“I will send you back in that memory,” said the sky.

Suddenly I was in the middle of nowhere, a black space, unlimited black space, listening to a conversation in Skyitmath.

“I think I’m going to create something,” the sky was saying. “but only 1 thing. It will be called the universe.”

Then, suddenly, a pot appeared out of nowhere. It was Gazzilion.

“Hello!” Gazzilion said cheerfully.

“Who are you?” the sky asked carefully.

“I am Gazzilion!” Gazzilion yelled loudly.

“Well, I am now going to create the universe,” the sky said. “Please excuse me—”

“Not so fast…” Gazzilion said as he grabbed the sky and pulled him over. “Maybe after you consent to my Law.”

“What is your law? Please tell me.”

“Well, to start, you have to keep at least 1 secret that no one knows.”

“Sure,” replied the sky, seemingly taken aback. “Anything else?”

“You also have to endure the Downfall of Secrets,” Gazzilion said.

“What’s that?”

“You will not know until it happens,” said Gazzilion.

“Alright.”

“Finally, if anyone sees the universe without the sky, they will hereby become more intelligent than the rest of their kind.”

“I consent,” said the sky.

Then I was suddenly back on Earth, looking up, and talking to the sky.

 

Chapter 10: The 13th Month

I went on with my normal life in the North Pole, occasionally talking to the sky. He often said to talk on December 31st, New Year’s Eve.

I wondered why he wanted to talk to me so badly on New Year’s Eve. It thundered and snowed on the 31st of December. I had to endure horrible weather on the 31st when I went out to talk to him. Of course, I was used to it, living in the North Pole.

The Sky of the Start

I thundered myself and snowed myself in the North Pole the evening of December 31st. I had very serious matters that day. I had to talk to dear F. J., for what was going to happen.

The 13th month. The 13th month, Redember, was lost long ago. Once, the 13th day of the 13th month was the unluckiest day of the year. Especially if it was a friday. But Redember, my favorite month, is now lost. Gone.

Gazzilion Pot of the Law

“No!” I said to the marshwiggle. It was trying to contact it’s family. I’m Gazzilion Pot of the Law, and yes, I’m a supporter of the Downfall of Secrets. But you non-believers and non-sky-free-universe-seers-of-Earth do not have the right to know what that is. I was getting ready for it!!!

Frederick Jonathan Remark, Former Repl. Sk.

I knew something was happening on the 31st of December in the Life-world. I didn’t know what, but there was something. I still pay attention to these things. But I don’t dare talk to the sky.

Repl. Sk. Frederick Johnson

So, the sky has told me about Redember, the 13th month, and how it won’t come back this year but next. The Coming of the Month.

 

Chapter 11: Regular Life for Frederick Johnson

I have a normal life now, with my dear ol’ chicken, my dear ol’ cow, and my dear ol’ Mortified. Except my great status and my outstandingly unusual knowledge.

I did not leave my North Pole home, in fear of not blending into the world. I did want to meet the man who was replacement sky before me, but I did not know where he lived, and did not dare ask the sky in fear of infuriating it.

One day, I asked the sky, “Is Gazzilion evil?”

“No, Gazzilion is not evil,” the sky replied. “Although, he is a supporter of the Downfall of Secrets. The Downfall of Secrets is something only known by the supporters of it. It is not a fight against the universe, but something to fulfill Gazzilion’s Law of the universe, the only true law, because if Gazzilion’s Law is broken, Gazzilion has permission to destroy the universe.

“The Holding is done by the Holder, whose identity is unknown. The Holding is what holds up the universe. The Holder holds it from inside. Gazzilion has much control over the Holder, and Gazzilion’s Law is very important.”

“That was a very long speech,” I said.

My normal life didn’t seem very normal to others… though.

My normal life lasted until what I thought was… well… I’m not there yet. NEVER MIND.

 

Chapter 12: The Coming of the Month

It had come.

Redember: the thirteenth month.

Everyone else thought it was New Year’s Day, but it was actually Redember 1st, 2015.

“Yes, we need to prepare,” said a light voice from above. It was the sky.

“How can we prepare for something we don’t know anything about?” I asked.

“Well, well, well,” the sky replied. “We know something.”

“We?” I asked. “You mean ‘you.’”

“No.”

“What do you mean, ‘no.’?”

“Think. It is the Downfall of Secrets. That means revealing a secret.”

 

Chapter 13: Prophecial Delay

The sky’s preparation wasn’t that easy. We had to build walls, make them unbreakable and undefeatable. Many other things happened.

“Is it done ye—”

I was interrupted by a voice…coming from…coming from…coming from the sky?

IT WILL NOT HAPPEN ON 13/13 BUT WILL HAPPEN LATER THAN THAT, GAZZILION’S LAW SAYS SO.”

“Um… excuse me?”

I watched the sky say those weird words in a very deep and raspy voice very unlike the sky’s voice. “Hello?” I asked. But the sky was grey. Suddenly, it slowly turned blue.

“Sorry. I must have dozed off,” said the sky.

“Umm…you said…”

“Oh? A prophecy?”

It was a prophecy.

 

Chapter 14: Gazzilion’s Acknowledgement

Gazzilion Pot of the Law

I am Gazzilion, Pot of the Law! I think we have met before! La la! La la!

I was hummin’ quietly when I heard the ‘ews. I’ wasn’ gonna happen ‘ill ‘Edember thirty ‘irst and stuff. So, I can’t avoid a prophecy!!!!

 

Chapter 15: The Sky’s Behavior

Repl. Sk. Frederick Johnson

For some reason, the sky wasn’t worried at all. If I was the sky, I would be worried about the Downfall of Secrets! I mean, apart from information from the name, I mean, he wasn’t doing anything at all. The sky wasn’t preparing anymore, after the Delay Prophecy. Apparently, the sky is an oracle.

One day, the sky wanted me to talk to him. I said yes, vaguely hoping he got a lead on the Downfall of Secrets.

“Invert it,” the sky said.

“Umm…what do you mean, ‘invert it?’” I asked. “Invert what?”

“The name! The ‘Downfall of Secrets!’”

“You mean, ‘the secret downfall?’”

“Of course!”

But I barely heard him. I was thinking. What if he was wrong? What if he was like this in the Downfall of Secrets itself?

I went back inside. I looked at the calendar.

It was Redember 30th.

The next day was the Downfall of Secrets.

 

Chapter 16: The Downfall of Secrets

I tried to point that fact out to the sky, but he wouldn’t listen.

The sky seemed to be going crazy.

The Sky of the Start

“No!” I said. “Please, no!” I’m here to explain the strange behavior of myself over the last two weeks. “No!” I repeated. “Are you not a supporter of the Downfall of Secrets?”

“I am not,” said the sun. “I, however am not in league with the defiers of the Downfall of Secrets, either. I am in a very unique place. I am the 3rd being of everywhere, the 1st being of the universe. I am sad to say that you are the 1st being of everywhere, and the maker of the universe, and Gazzilion is the maker of the Law, and that he is the 2nd being of everywhere.”

The sun is possessing me.

Repl. Sk. Frederick Johnson

I don’t know what’s wrong with the sky. I mean, I’d still trust him with my life, but still…

It was Redember 31st, 9:00 PM, and I was starting to hope it would never happen, when it did.

I was outside, talking to Little Squawky, when it happened.

“Hi, Quawk,” I said.

“Don’t call me Quawk!”

“Okay, Awk.”

“Don’t call me Awk!”

“Okay, Wk.”

“This is getting ridiculous. You know what I like to be called!”

“Ok, K.”

“You really forgot?” Little Squawky glared at me.

“It was just a joke!” I said frantically, waving my hands in the air.

“Okay, okay.”

“Alright. I’m going in, Squaw,” I said.

“Don-”

Little Squawky was interrupted by something loud, although I was pretty sure what she was going to say (Don’t call me that!). It was the sound of air…um…blowing?

Um… well… air always blows, but this was weird. I looked up. And what I saw was the craziest thing I’ve seen in a long, long, time.

There was a large- when I say large, I mean about as tall as the Empire State Building- and as wide- blue, pink, yellow- now that I think about it, every color I could think of except bright green. All the other greens were there- but there was no emerald green. The colors were assorted in slivers all over the bubble, all going from top to bottom. It looked like time zones on a globe. It was sort of transparent, so I could see what was rising inside: a 6 foot tall well-cut emerald.

This was the Downfall of Secrets, but it’s… well… going up! It’s the uprise of secrets! Not the Downfall!

But… couldn’t everyone see this? Couldn’t… well… other, normal people see this?

And then it came to me: the Downfall of Secrets was the revealing of a secret. And the emerald was the secret. And the secret- the secret is the one you are hearing now.

So I’m telling you this now, for the real truth- and do not believe what the U. S. Police are saying about the… the Downfall of Secrets.

 

Afterword

The New York Times

CRAZY BUBBLE AND EMERALD IN THE SKY

[INVESTIGATION STATUS]

“The crazy bubble was supposedly done by a pot-like man,” says Gregory McLean, reporting on the Washington Post. “When interviewed, the pot-like man, Gizzy Skyboard (a. k. a. Gazzilion) says, “It’s just a downfall! A downfall! A simple downfall!”

Detectives Frederick Johnson and Skath Skysta (a. k. a. the sky) report to office at the U. S. Police Department. “People are babbling about the sky being alive,” says Johnson. “And something about a talking pot,” says Skysta.

Still being investigated!

The Sky of the Start

Well, this was written to inform the people who missed out on the Downfall of Secrets! It wasn’t so bad, after all! Good bye! The noble man hath olde fun!

The China Bunny

Chapter 1

The beginning

One day a long time ago there was a a little girl named Madison. She lived with her grandma and dog Harper. They lived in Tokyo in Japan. Madison really wanted a doll, so for her 8th birthday, her grandma got her a big rabbit made of china. And ever since, she had loved that rabbit. But one day Madison and her grandma got on a boat with the rabbit and went on a journey to Osaka.

On the boat there were two boys named Martin and Alax. Martin saw the rabbit and began saying to Alax, “Catch it! Catch the rabbit!”

Martin grabbed the rabbit, and the boys began to throw it back and forth.

“No,” said Madison, but the boys kept throwing the rabbit.

“NO! STOP! DON’T!” said Madison, but just then the rabbit went flying through the air and then it happened- the rabbit went overboard. Slowly he began to sink down down into the ocean.

Chapter 2

The journey starts

The rabbit sunk and sunk and sunk. Finally he touched the bottom of the ocean. He waited days that soon turned into weeks that turned into months that turned into years. He spent three years in the ocean. One day, a fishing net was thrown down into the water, and the rabbit was lifted into the the the air. He could feel the cool summer breeze blowing on his face and he felt like never before.

Then he was pulled onto the hard floor of a fishing boat.

“What is that?” said a young man.

“A rabbit, I reckon,” said another elderly man. “I will bring it home to Margaret. She will love him.”

So he took the rabbit and went on their way. When they got home, it was just getting dark.

“I’m home,” the man said.

“Grandpa!” said a little girl.

“Margaret!” said the man. “I brought you something.”

“What is it?” said the girl

“A rabbit.” He pulled out the rabbit.

“Oh, I love him,” said the girl.

Chapter 3

The cousins come

The girl truly loved him for quite some time until the cousins came one day. The cousins of the little girl came, and they did not like the rabbit one bit.

“You really like this nonsense rabbit?” the  cousin asked the girl.

“Yes,” said the little girl.  

The cousin took the rabbit by the ears and dropped him. The rabbit shattered.

“NO,” said the little girl, but it was too late. He was already in 100 pieces.

“Why did you do that?!” said the little girl.

“I don’t know, I just wanted to.”

“Grandpa, she dropped him on purpose.”

“No, I did not!”

“Yes, you did too!”

“Girls, girls! Stop fighting.” So the grandpa took the rabbit to the shop.

“Can I help you?” said the man at the counter.

“Yes,” said the other man. “Can you fix this rabbit?”

The man said, “I sure can. That will be $85.15.”

“Here you go, sir,” said the man

“Come back to pick him up tomorrow, sir.”

“Okay,” said the grandpa, and with that, he left.

“Okay, I guess it’s just you and me, now,” said the doll mender.

Chapter 4

The doll mender & the shop

When the doll mender was finished, he put the rabbit on a shelf next to an old doll who had clearly been through some amazing things. She had cracks all over her body and face.

The doll said to the rabbit, “Someday, somebody will come for you.”

Chapter 5

Somebody comes

He waited four years, and then one day a little girl and her mom came. The girl saw the rabbit, so she went to the shelf he was on and picked up the rabbit up.

“Ma’am, your little girl is holding a priceless artifact,”  said the shop owner.

“Maggie,” said a women. She came over to her daughter. “What have you got?”

“A rabbit,” said Maggie.

“A rabbit?” said the women. She looked at the rabbit. “Could it be…? Yes, it’s yours.”

And then the rabbit saw it was Madison she was an adult and the little girl was her daughter so Madison bought the rabbit for $185.23 and they lived happily ever after. The end. .

The Cruise

“On July 4th we should sneak on the cruise.”

It was July 3rd.

Sam continued, “Because we could set off fireworks to distract the sailors,” Sam said with her door closed and locked so her parents could not hear.

“How will we get the fireworks?” asked Railey.

“We will steal them from the ship, they’ll probably sell them on the ship. We will steal them at 10:00 a.m., set them up, and then set them off at 12:00 midnight but, if we get caught we might get thrown overboard, and the water’s cold enough to freeze to death.”

“All right,” Railey said, “goodnight.”

Sam was about to hang up the phone, just when Railey said, “Wait a minute. How will we get into the store to steal the fireworks?”

“Oh, easy, we will just pick the lock like we always do.”

“Ok.”

“Then we can steal the jewelry, diamonds, and clothes.”

Sam and Riley wanted to steal the stuff just for the fun of it and to know that they did it. They had stolen stuff before, when they were 9, just never on a ship.

When Sam got into bed she fell asleep immediately. She had a dream that she was ready to steal the fireworks but all of her nails had fallen off and she was not able to pick the lock. She heard the floor creak. She thought a security guard was about to come. Then she woke up.

It was four in the morning and it was raining so hard that it sounded like a waterfall. She was worried that she would not be able to set off the fireworks. She wasn’t able to fall asleep because of the thunder. She was wondering when they’d set off the fireworks and if they’d still sell them. She noticed that the floor kept creaking. It was actually her parents. She realized that she had the dream about picking the lock because she had forgotten to unlock her door when she went to sleep and her parents were trying to get in.

Her parents were trying to get in to say goodnight to her. “I wonder what the punishment should be. We’re not allowed to lock doors in this house,” said her mom.

“I just wonder what she’s doing in there,” said her dad.

So Sam tried to unlock it, but it was stuck. Since she couldn’t go back to sleep she decided to go to Railey’s house. She climbed out the window. The wind was strong and she thought that it was going to knock her down. She started to fall but she managed to grab onto a rope that was hanging from a window washing machine. She was still about 20 feet from the ground. She let go and landed on her back. It hurt, but she was ok, so she stood up. She started walking to Railey’s house. The ground was very wet and slippery. When she made it there, it was 4:30 a.m. Sam climbed in the window.

“How did you get here?” asked Railey.

“I snuck to your house because I was bored,” said Sam.

Railey was also worried that they would not be able to set of the fireworks. Eventually they decided that they would go on the ship the next day because of the storm. Sam stayed at Railey’s house the rest of the night. Meanwhile Sam’s parents were still trying to get into her room. Sam’s parents were also trying to get in touch with Railey’s parents, but the storm was so bad, it shut off all the power. Sam’s dad was usually very lazy and he sat around and watched TV and slept all day. He was only trying to get in touch because he didn’t want her mom to see him being lazy.

 

Part 2: On the Ship

 

The next day they were ready to sneak onto the ship. They secretly packed the stuff they needed, extra clothes, goggles and they were wearing their wetsuits. They were extra light weight so they could sneak them out without them being too poofy. They brought their bikes and planned to just leave them on the side of the road when they got there.

“Where are you two going now?” said Railey’s mom.

“Oh, just going on a bike ride,” said Railey.

When they got about three miles out they could feel the wind from the ocean. They parked their bikes and walked to the ocean. When they got there, they could see their ship, which looked like a tiny speck out in the ocean. The water was freezing cold when they felt it. They went in and the water tasted horrible. It tasted like skunk spray and dead fish. They started to swim, but then they heard thunder. The ship was moving very slowly, so hopefully they’d get there pretty quickly. It looked like they were a mile away from the ship. They finally got close enough to see how fast the boat was moving. It was moving about as fast as they could swim. They reached out and held on to the edge of the boat, but it was hard because of all of the algae. They grabbed onto a buoy and they started to climb. When they got to the top, there was the captain right under them, and his steering wheel. They flipped over the edge into the boat and accidentally hit the captain.

The ship tilted a little but went back the right way up. They snuck into a room and put all their stuff down. They heard someone coming and noticed it wasn’t an empty room. So they moved to the next room over and it was empty. It was 6:30 at night and Sam went down to the shop to see if they sold fireworks. They did but a sign said that it was their last day of selling them. Sam went back and told Railey. They were both very excited that they sold fireworks.

In their room they changed into dry clothes and hung around until 10:00 p.m. Railey went out of their room to see if anyone was out. She saw one person, but he was a security guard, and he was not close to the shop. Railey went to get Sam to steal the fireworks.

They snuck out to the store. They were about to pick the lock (Railey was better at picking locks). They heard the floor creak. It was a security guard coming their way. They picked the lock and the door opened. They hid under a desk, then the light fell off the desk and made a crashing noise. The security guard heard it and saw that the door was open, and started to walk in. And while he was walking in they noticed that the fireworks had fallen so they reached in to grab them. The security guard stayed in there for 30 minutes. They held their breath for as long as they could. When the security guard left they snached 26 boxes. They snuck out and started to set the fireworks on the edge of the ship. One fell into the water so now they had 25 firework boxes.

When it was time, at 12:00 p.m. exactly, they set the fireworks off. Everyone started to wake up and it was hectic and everyone was running around. Then they noticed that it wasn’t an explosion, it was just fireworks. While everyone was on the deck watching them, they secretly snuck into lots of the passengers’ rooms. They stole clothes, rings, earrings, necklaces, food, and a cooler but they didn’t decide to steal that.

They had their sacks loaded and were heading back to their room. They hid the stuff in their bags and put it in their wetsuits. Then they went to sleep and woke up because they felt the ship tilting. No one knew what was going on. Then they heard thunder and saw lightning and it started to rain.

The ship was going deeper into the water but it wasn’t sinking, and the rain was getting stronger, and when lightning struck it almost struck their ship. In fact, it did strike their ship, but they jumped into the water and Sam found a stick-like object. It was a lightning rod. Then they threw it onto the ship and all the lightning went out.

They got back on the ship the same way they climbed on the ship the first time. Then the ship started tilting again. This time it was actually sinking and everybody was running all over the place. Water was up to the upper deck. There was no Internet. By the time everybody was getting their lifejackets, lots of people were in the water including all the jewelry and clothes.

They started swimming back to shore when one of the passengers shouted, “Noooooooo!” One of the passengers started drowning, it was really scary. Then one passenger shouted, “Oooowwww!” A shark started attacking one of the passengers and they died, too.

Some of the passengers started finding the stuff that they had stolen but they did not know that any of it had been robbed.

When Sam and Railey got to land they were wet and cold but their bikes were still there. They were really rusty. When they got back to Railey’s house, they did not want their parents to see them because they would be mad at them. So they snuck tents and pitched them next to our property.

Then the next day they were really bored and they missed being on the ship. So they got their bikes and ran away to the ship port. They waited for the next boat. They got on the boat.

The water looked really blue and clear. The boat was going to Norway. When they got to Norway they would wait for the next boat to a different place. And so on and so on.

don don don

 

The Christmas Portal

One day, a boy named Billy was at his house in his room. He was thinking of what he could do that day. He thought and he thought and he thought for hours until he said, “Maybe I can find out a way to go to another dimension.” So he thought and he thought until he figured it out. He said, “Maybe I can crawl through my vents until I find a door to another dimension.” So Billy tried that. He crawled in the vents for hours and hours and hours because he was rich and had many mansions put together. He crawled in his vents until he found three doors. One door had a picture of a ghost. The other door had a picture of a bunny. The other door had a picture of snow falling from the sky. So Billy tried the first door, but he got scared from the ghosts and spooky creatures and got out. Next, he tried the second door. He got to play easter egg hunt. He enjoyed it, but that was not the portal he wanted. So he tried the third door and it felt like it was Christmas in the summer. So he wanted to stay there. Meanwhile, his mother was calling him to have lunch because his friends came over to have lunch and then play games. Billy had to make a decision either be with his friends or stay in that really cool portal. He chose his friends because he barely gets to see them and he knew the way to the portals. So he rushed to his room before his mom came to check on him. Then he would have to tell his parents that he was in another dimension and his parents would think he was  lying and punish him. But luckily they did not. With his friends he played hide and seek, duck duck goose, and they also played peekaboo and for lunch they ate applesauce. His friends stayed over from 12:37 to 8:13. So after his friends left, his parents went out for dinner while his 100 year old sleepy grandma babysitted him. He went to the portal but before he did, he got a lot of blankets and made it look like he was asleep. He slept in a gingerbread house where he almost finished eating it because he had a huge sweet tooth. He also made a snowman that came to life and he played snowball fight with the elves and he made snow angels in the very clean snow. He also gathered a couple of elves to his delicious home and drank hot cocoa, ate huge gingerbread cookies and played chess. When he woke up that day, he had presents under his tree in the gingerbread house. He got a snowmobile, a drone, a remote control car and helicopter. He also got new shoes and a new car. It was morning when he got back from exploring the portal. His parents were calling him for breakfast.

While he was eating breakfast his parents asked him, “What did you do last night while Nana was baby sitting?”

Billy did not know what to say so he said, “I was in my room playing video games and watching TV.” His parents thought that what he said was true. So Billy decided, “Maybe my parents will believe me if I say that I have found a portal to another dimension.” He said that to his parents. Unfortunately, his parents did not believe him. So Billy got in big trouble.

His parents’ exact words were, “DO NOT LIE TO US YOUNG MAN. YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR A MONTH.”

“Can  I go to my portal while I am grounded?” he asked. “NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! AND FOR THE LAST TIME, NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” his parents said.  

“But dad I w -”

Before Billy could finish his sentence his dad said, “ZIP IT OR ELSE.”

So after one month passed, Billy went to the portals. He saw it was not there. He thought “who could have done this? Who were the people I told about this?” He said “I should have known my parents  would have done this.” He went searching for them and calling their names, but they did not answer.

Right in front of him was a note that said “Dear Billy, we left  because we did not want you to hurt us. We attached the portals. If you read this note text us back.”

So Billy wrote on his phone: “Come back to our house and I will not hurt you. I will never hurt my parents.”

But Billy lied, and when they got home Billy made them break their whole body. Billy covered the floor with marbles and butter before the ambulance arrived his dad yelled at him and said “YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO BEHAVE YOUNG MAN OR ELSE YOU WILL GET BAD CONSEQUENCES IN RETURN.”

So the ambulance got them and took them to the hospital to put on their casts, but the doctor said, “You guys have to live at the hospital for the rest of your lives so we can take care of you. Both of you are badly injured.”

When Billy’s father heard the news, he said, “NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

The Boy Named Dave

Dave was a very special boy. He had powers. When he saw something he liked, all he had to say in his head was “Get it,” and he used his magical powers and got whatever he saw. Dave was very, very, very rich. He had 90 houses and 60 beach houses. The house he always lived in was in America. It was 120 feet tall, and inside, it was 500 square feet. He had everything he wanted, except a friend. He went to school, and no one ever wanted to sit next to him because he thought they would brag to them too much. Dave was sad most of the time because he didn’t have any friends. He always tried to make friends, but no one wanted to be friends because they thought he would always brag.

He opened his lunch box and said, “I want a friend.”

This girl named Matthews said to him, “I am not going to be your friend. And that’s it!”

Everyone in the lunch room said, “Yeah!!!”

Then the teacher, Ms. Roses, said, “What’s all this yelling about?”

“That was Dave, he was yelling and bragging about his house,” Matthews said.

“Dave, why are you bragging about your house? We know you’re rich, too,” Ms. Roses said.

“You can’t yell and brag about you, Dave,” Ms. Roses said. Ms. Roses was a sweet delight.

“Dave, I will cut off your recess,” she said. “And while you don’t have that much recess time, you will be doing extra homework.”

“But it wasn’t it me, it was Matthews. She said she would never be my friend and everyone started screaming ‘yeah.’”

“Well, I think most of us say that you did and it’s not very nice to lie so it’s two extra minutes.”

Dave is really mad. Then he sees this girl named Julia. Julia was Dave’s age, they were both 12 years old. Julia never knew that Dave was rich. She only had five friends and they were very nice. Dave said, “Hi, do you have any friends?”

“Not much, but yeah,” she said.

“Hey, do you want to–”

Chuck, the biggest bully in the school came over and said, “Look, Julia’s talking to Mr. Fancy Pants.”

Everyone laughed. Dave felt very sad. “Don’t be sad, Dave. You can be my friend.”

Julia was really sweet, she said, “Come on, you can meet my other friends, Percy, Sparkle, Peter, Diamond, and my sister, Jules.” They call it the friends club for people who don’t have that many friends. Peter had glasses. He never liked girls, and he always thought that girls were just, like, weird. But then Peter met Julia and then he started liking them. Percy loved riding horses. Her mom named her after her horse, and she is really calm and doesn’t talk that much. Sparkle and her sister, Diamond, live in a beautiful house. Diamond and Sparkle want to be famous fashion designers. When they work together, they make beautiful dresses with diamonds and sparkles. Jules loved reading, and she was very smart. Julia liked reading too.
“You can come to my house and help me build a treehouse,” Julia said.

“Don’t worry,” Dave said, “You can come to my tree house because no one is ever in there.” They decided that was a good idea. Once they got to his house their jaws were open. They felt amazed. He said, “Come this way to the house.” They saw the inside of the house and were even more amazed. They saw everything and a movie theater. When they were looking around, they bumped into something. It was his tree house. It was beautiful! They went upstairs and saw that the inside was beautiful too.

They closed the door, and everyone sat on the couch inside the tree house. “Now all we have to do is make a sign that says the friends club,” Dave said. They went in the club house.

They started making signs, the signs said “Friends Club.” Dave said, “Next thing we have to do is make a secret handshake to make sure that no one goes in our clubhouse.”

They said, “Let’s do it!”

Dave said, “Is there anything that you guys want to do?”

Jules said, “Yes. I want to put bows on the treehouse so that it could be fancier.”

Peter said, “I think that would be just too girly. We need something cool! Like rocket ships and aliens.”

Just then Dave said, “No guys. We’ll just keep it as it is, not too girly and not too boy-y.”

Just then Sparkle said, “Well you might want to add some sparkles.”

Diamond said, “You might want to add some diamonds.”

Dave said, “Let’s just leave it as it is.” Then they went in the clubhouse. Dave said, “You know, a talent show is coming up. We could practice for the talent show.”

Sparkles said, “Good but I want to go to Grandmas.”

So they went into the tree house and Dave said, “Oh, there you guys are!”

“And we got you a cinnamon muffin” said Sparkle.

“I know what we should do!” said Dave. “We should sing. I’ll be the singer, Peter will be the drummer, Sparkle will be the harp player, Peter drummer, Diamond will play the bass, Jules will be the other singer, and Julia will be a dancer.”

Julia asked, “Why are you being so bossy?”

“Why are you telling us what to do?” said Peter. Diamond, Sparkle, and Jules agreed too.

Dave said, “No! You can do whatever you want! I think the song should be slow, like a slow song.”

But nobody listens. “Guess what!” he yelled. “I don’t need you in my club.” But, secretly, he cried when they left. He said to himself, “I still have to do the talent show. I have three weeks.”

He wrote a song at his music studio with music teacher, Colongo. But the song that he was writing was bad. He ate lots of apples, he let his wire engineer person test the microphones. He let his costume designer make five costumes in case his friends showed up. They were blue with sparkles. The dresses had diamonds and sparkles, so he hoped that Diamond and Sparkle would like them. He was being nice and caring again. He let his artist designer make a beautiful scene. It was blue, there was a canoe, the canoe was blue, and the moon was singing too.

Then he said, “Colongo! That’s my song!”

On the last day, Dave practiced as much as he could. And then, it was the morning of the contest. He drank some water just to warm up. Then Tappidy Toes Shows came up with Tina and Tania. The Applause Meter said that they were right in the middle. And then all the other shows came up. He started to become really nervous because all of them were so good. And then the host announced, “Dave and Blue Moons!”

So then, Dave looked behind him. He saw his group. He saw Diamond, Sparkle, Julia, Jules, and Peter. Dave felt happy.

Diamond said, “We’re here to do the show.”

Then Dave said, “Here! Put these costumes on.” He throws them the costumes.

Sparkle saids, “Very sparkly!”

Diamond saids, “I like the diamonds on it.” They could tell that he was now thoughtful and caring, and they appreciated it.

Then Jules said, “Nice costume but we have to go on.”

Dave said, “Yeah, come on. You might not know the music but Julia, you are the best dancer and you can do any dance. And the rest of you guys, you can do whatever you want.”

They sang the song and they won first prize!

“Congratulations!” said the host. “You win fifteen million dollars!”

 

Dave said, “Guys, it’s your choice. What do you guys want to do with the money?”

They said, “Hmm…”

“Buy new outfits!” said Sparkle and Diamond.

Then, Peter said, “Buy a real live alien pet.”

Dave said, “First of all, I don’t think we should do that. Second of all, I don’t think we could do that, anyway.”

Then everyone said, “Yeah, I don’t think we can do that.”

And then, Jules and Julia said it. “I think that we should buy new decorations for our clubhouse. We can buy books and desks.”

Dave said to Peter, “I know! We can make rocket ships and make them blast off with science.” He said to Sparkle and Diamond, “And we can have some Sparkles and Diamonds.”

Dave said, “We’re gonna buy all of that.” And they went to the store.

THE END

 

The Bird and the Worm

Once there was a bird whose name was Sunflower. She had red stripes and purple dots. She had a blue beak with lots of hearts. She had bright green feet. She lived in the jungle with lots of other birds, but all the other birds were just one color. Every day the bird tried to catch something to eat, but all the bugs hid because Sunflower was so easy to spot. I wish I could turn into a bug, Sunflower thought.

The next day, when she was flying around, she spotted a really big worm, but the worm was under the roots so she could not get it. I will try anyway, Sunflower thought. The worm saw the bird and said, “That bird can’t catch me.” The worm wiggled back into the dirt. The bird swooped down and started pulling the roots with her beak.

After five hours of pulling roots, Sunflower could finally get the worm. But when she looked for the worm in the dirt he was not there! Sunflower got so mad she scared all the bugs and worms away! After Sunflower calmed down a little bit and ate dinner, she went to bed.

One family of worms came out to look at the stars.

The next day, when she was looking for something to eat, she saw a blue bird pop out of nowhere. The bird swooped down and grabbed a big bug. Maybe that bird can share the bug he’s eating, thought Sunflower. She flew over to the bird.

“Can you share your bug with me?” she pleaded.

”Maybe… but you have to help me build a nest. Ok?” the bird said.

”Ok,” Sunflower replied.

After they ate, Sunflower helped the bird build a nest.

The next day she was sooooo hungry, so she went outside and ate everything she could. But she didn’t catch any worms or bugs. Sunflower was really disappointed she didn’t get any good food. Sunflower flew back to her home.

”Maybe if I go home and take a little rest I could think of a way to get a bug,” she said.

While Sunflower was flying out of the corner of her eye she spotted a worm. When she got home she made herself a little snack, ate it, and went to sleep. When she woke up she flew down and landed in the mud.

“Ewww!” she screamed.

When she shut her beak, she noticed a little bug crawling around. The bug didn’t notice her. She gobbled the little bug up.Then she walked to a stream and washed herself off. She flew to her home, on the way collected some blueberries. When Sunflower got home, she mashed the berries and put it in a big bowl covered herself in the blue dye. ”Mmmmmmm,” Sunflower said as she ate some of the dye out of the bowl. She flew out the door and saw the sunset.

“Better hurry,” Sunflower said, “before all the bugs disappear.”

The bugs and the worms were getting ready for bed. One family of worms came out to look at the stars with a little light. Sunflower swooped down and grabbed one of the worms and carried it back to her house. When Sunflower got home she ate her worm with strawberries and blueberries. When she was done she went outside to look at the stars. She saw a bunch of stars that looked like a worm. Sunflower dreamed of having a worm that big, but she never had had one. But she never felt so full in her life as this moment! After her daydream, she went to bed. ”Zzzzzzzzzz!”

When Sunflower woke up the next day, she had a new idea. Sunflower flew out to collect some leaves. She flew to the river, collected  some water. When she got home she put the water in some glue and green dye then put it into a big bowl that was taller than her and wider than her. She got a stool and climbed in. Sunflower  covered herself in the goop. She covered her top half in leaves and slid into a paper towel roll. She looked in the mirror.

”Now l look like a tree,” Sunflower said. She hopped out the door. She stood really still. Three big worms climbed up her but Sunflower gobbled them up.

She said, “I will make myself look like something outside so that all the things I eat will think I am a part of the jungle.” And that’s how she caught food.

The End

 

The Beach

Sand on the beach,

Sand on the shore,

Sand in the ocean,

On the ocean floor.

 

In the ocean we can dive and swim,

Fill your water bottles to the rim,

Hit the beach ball as far as it goes,

Splash in the water with your feet and toes.

 

The sun is shining brightly on us,

Just enjoy it and don’t make a fuss,

We can have a drink to cool us off,

Not too cold or we’ll get a cough.

 

Children are swimming and playing happily,

Their parents are lying in the sun nappily,

Nobody knows how deep the water goes,

It’s difficult to see beneath your nose.

 

Sand in the ocean,

Sand in the sea,

Sand is everywhere,

Just for you and me.

 

The mermaids sing,

The birds spread their wings,

The fish hide and huddle,

The starfish squeeze and cuddle.

 

We roll out the towels straight and long,

As we do it we sing a happy song,

We arrive at the beach at the crack of dawn,

RIght away we rub our sunscreen on.

 

Kids lick their ice cream,

Adults watch the sun beam,

While we all enjoy the steam,

This could be one big dream.

ENJOY THE BEACH!

The Battle of Hope

Chapter 1

I’m in the war fighting with my army, and my ship sunk. Luckily, I was with my army, so I covered the leak with a cushion, so it didn’t sink. Then, the British fired their cannons and we fired back. I felt like I wanted to sneak away. We surrendered, so the British ships went away. We were fine, but my wife was not. My wife was packing most of her stuff because she was going to a picnic, but while she was packing up at home, the British surrounded her and she ran away, but the British burned down the White House with their guns.

 

Luckily, everyone got out. My wife smelled fire and all the women that were fighting saw that the White House was burning with yellow fire, so they all ran away. I went back to the White House. I asked my wife what happened.

 

She said, “I saw the British burn down the White House, but luckily everyone got away in time.”

 

“I’m so glad you got away,” I said angrily.

 

I was really mad that I asked my soldiers to rebuild the White House. “Build the White House,” I shouted bossily. To my surprise they didn’t do it, but when my wife asked, they did. Then I asked my wife, “How come they listen to you?”

 

She said, “You’re not talking nicely because you’re mad.”

 

I took a deep breath and said, “I think you’re right.”

 

To our surprise, we saw people from France. We both saw their ships sit in the ocean and didn’t know why they were here. The French said, “We’re here to settle the war.”

 

I got mad again. My wife figured out that I was mad, and said to the French, “He’s mad because the White House burned down.”

 

“Well that’s sad for you,” said the French.

 

Finally they re-built the White House in an hour. I went with the French to Britain and told them that they should stop the war. My wife came with me. The British were forced to stop the war, so they finally did. The French asked the British and the Americans to come over to France. We all went to France and had a great time. Me and my wife also had a great time. We went on rides for grown-ups. Then we went to Britain. We didn’t have as much fun as we did in France because the food was better and we loved the rides there. We learned how to speak British and French.

 

Chapter 2                                                 

I didn’t know if we should go to America or not because we had been fighting the whole entire war there and we didn’t want them to see the darkness of America. It was all dark, it was not light. New York City was also dark. I did know what was going on and there was some sort of shape in the sky. It looked like a dragon.

 

Finally the ghost of battles appeared and told them all what was happening. The ghost said, “I want to hurt you.”

 

“What the heck,” I said.

 

“That’s not the right way to speak,” said the ghost in the horrible voice. He disappeared and I chased him on the ship. I finally saw what the ghost. It was blue, and it had wings, four feet, and a tail. He was a dragon. I finally realized it was a mythical creature that was named Charizard. I went closer to him, and he shot something that made a hole in the ship. The ship sunk, with me inside. I took off my shirt and got into my swimsuit, which I already had on. I swam to shore. Everyone was alright. I didn’t want to tell my wife about what happened because I knew she wouldn’t like it. I just knew about it, and my army knew too. I asked Charizard why he was doing this to them.

 

The dragon said, “I don’t have any friends so can we become friends?”

 

“No,” I shouted.

 

The dragon did more of his frightful powers. The soldiers said that they wanted to be friends, but I still didn’t want to be friends with a dragon!

 

“War!” I shouted.

 

Another war began with the British and the Americans. The dragon asked if he could help the American side. The soldiers said yes and I said no. The dragon fought with the Americans and they won the battle.

 

“Thank you,” I cried happily.

 

Just then me and my wife heard someone walking in our house. “Stop!” I cried. But the robber would not get out of my house. “I am the president of the United States,” I said. “You should respect me.”

 

“I’ll help you,”  said the dragon.

 

The robber took the goods and went. One of the guards saw the robber and told me that the robber went into my house and told me he stole some of the goods.

 

“I’ll go check my house and you wait here,” I said.

 

I went into my house and to my surprise the coins were still there. They were actually fake, but I didn’t know that yet. I went back outside and saw the guard who told me he saw the robber.

 

“You’re kidding,” I shouted.

 

The dragon came up again and asked  if we could be friends and the dragon also said, “If we don’t become friends I’ll curse and spell on you, President.”

 

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll be friends with you.”

 

“I need to tell you something,” said the dragon.

 

Chapter 3

“What?” I asked.

 

“I want you to know that someone snuck in your house and stole all of your precious belongings.”

 

“Really?” I screamed.

 

“Really,” said the dragon.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you,” I said to the soldier.

 

“It’s alright,” said the soldier.

 

“Mr. Dragon,” my wife said. “I would love to become friends with you.”

 

I go check again in my house and bring out the money left on the table. I gave it to the dragon and the dragon experimented it. He said that they were fake.

 

“I knew it!” shouted the guard.

 

“I wasn’t talking to you,” shouted the dragon so the guard could hear him.

 

I thought I  saw the robber again near the blue and purple waves.  “Is that the robber?” I said. I got closer and saw two people that looked like my wife.

 

My wife ran from the waves and said, “Do you know who I am?”

 

“Yeah,” I said.

 

“I’m the robber,” she said. The disguise of my fake wife was taken off. I saw that the robber had on a blue coat and black pants with polished shoes. He was very short even shorter than me. “I am part of the British army,” he said. “My name is Jo.”

 

“Oh no!” my real wife cried. Luckily, I ran away in time. The dragon was right behind the robber, so he used his fiery breath to kill the robber. Some of the soldiers threw the robber into the ocean and he floated away.

 

I went to bed, and my wife came with me. In the morning, I woke up early and got the dragon to have breakfast with me. We ate cheerios.  My wife came down for breakfast after we were done. I was about to go outside when my wife put on her coat and went outside before me. I asked, “How did you get here so fast?”  

 

“I finished early,” said my wife. I ran after my wife, and the dragon followed me. The dragon tripped and accidentally froze my wife to ice. “Sorry!” said the Dragon.

 

“It’s alright,” I said. “If you can, you can unfreeze her.”

 

“I’ll try,” said the dragon. “Zippity zappity zoo, I pick you,” said the dragon.

 

BOOM, there was a flash of light and my wife turned to flames. Luckily, my wife didn’t die. I got some water and poured it on her. “Zippity zappity zoo,” I said. “I pick you.” BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

 

“I think you did it,” said the dragon.

 

The smoke cleared away and my wife was back to normal, except for one thing. She turned back to being still. “I thought you said she was unfrozen!” I said.

 

“I’m not very good at magic,” the dragon said. I left my wife standing there and went to talk to the dragon.

 

“I think you’re a fake dragon,” I said.

 

“Why do you think that?” the dragon said back in a bossy voice. “That’s very nice of you to think. I am a fake dragon.” The fake dragon named Bool took off his costume, I saw that his feet were very big and he wore boxing clothes and tried to box me.

 

I am really James Madison and my wife is Dolly Madison.

 

The Ball of Mystery

My name is Bobby Richardson and everything was normal until I died. Well I thought I did. One day I was at my dad’s job at the museum because it was only two blocks away from my house. So at the end of the day my dad gave me a glowing bag and told me to take it back to our house. While I was going home these strange guys were walking up to me and the next thing I knew they were attacking me then grabbed the bag. I didn’t know what was in there but then he took out this strange ball of…actually, I don’t know what it was. But they really wanted it. Then they put the ball in this weird gun then shot me right in the heart. I was out cold. I was dead. At least I thought.

It felt like it was almost immediately when I woke up except I was in a strange area. I got out of the bed I was in then walked out of the hallway. There was a mirror. I looked into it his eye where glowing in my reflection. But I just thought it  was an illusion. When I got to what looked like the center of the building there were these three people. They all jumped when they saw me walk into the room.

“You’re alive,” said the man with long  brown hair.

”What do you mean, I’m alive,” I said.

“You were in a coma for five months,” said the girl with the red hair.

“WHAT!” I said. I can’t believe I was in a coma for five months.

“I know. Crazy right? We found an unknown organism in you,” said  said the boy with the blond hair.

”So we’re going to do some tests on you.”

“My name is Alex,” said the boy with the brown hair.

“Mine is Carly,” said the girl.

“Mine is Roger,” said the boy with the blond hair.

While we were walking down the hall I asked, “What did I miss after five months?”

“Well the ball of mystery was stolen,” said Carly.

Then I said, “So that’s what my dad gave me.”

“What are you talking about?” said Roger.

“Well my dad gave me a bag and told me to take it home.Then these guys ambushed me and took the bag. Then they took a weird ball out of the bag and put it in this strange gun and shot me right in the heart.”

“That  must be that the strange organism,” Carly said.

Then finally I asked, “Where are we?” We all were silent for a minute. Then finally Alex said,
“We are in super labs. We are a lab that deal with mysterious incidences.” When we walked into the room there was a tall man with a with a lab coat and creepy hat that gave me the chills.

“What is your name, boy?” the tall man asked.

“Well,my name is Bobby Richardson,” I said.

“Well I’m Dr. Salami. I will be testing you today,” he responded.

“Sit down here,” said Dr.Salami. He was pointing at a stange chair. I sat down in the chair. Then…woosh! A big flash of light  and a hard blow of wind came at me.

“According to the scan there is a virus that should be eating him from the inside out!” said Dr.Salami.

“WHAT! Is there anyway to stop it?!” I said.

“Well you would have to get rid of it the same way you got it.”

“The giant ball of mystery?” Carly said.

“Well that is long gone,” said Dr. Salami.

“Well he was there,” said Roger.

”I have some pictures.” I said. For some reason my phone stayed in my pockets the whole time I was in a coma. That could wait.

“I just found something that can save your life. In the scan it says you should have superhuman powers.”

“How do we know that’s true?” Carly said. There is only one way to find out.

Before knew it I was in this gigantic empty room.

Then Dr. Salami started to blab out a bunch of super powers. “Super Strength, Super Speed, Mind Reading, Flying.” We spent an hour of Dr. Salami saying Superpowers and me trying to do them.

“Well Bobby, sorry for wasting your time,” said Dr.Salami.

“Well thats not all the powers,” Carly said. “Telekinesis. So Bobby try to move that rock on the table.”

AAARRGGHH!!! I cant do it, its useless.

“Try harder!” Roger said.

UUUGGGHHH!!! A few seconds later the rock was moving. Then before he knew it that rock was on the table! “I have Telekinesis!” I said.

“So what’s next?” said Carly.

“You said you have pictures?” Dr. Salami said. “So put your sd card right in that slot.”

On the computer the picture popped up. Then Dr.Salami. “Is that what I think it is,” Dr.Salami said. ”Zoom in. More, more, more. Yes that symbol. I know who they work for,” Dr. Salami said. The symbol was a golden bird.

“Who are they?” Alex said.

“They’re an evil organization called the golden birds.”

“Now I suggest we call the Avengers,” I said.

Then Dr.Salami said, “NO! NO! They will automatically see them and they will move it.”

“So you all expect me to do this by myself.”

“Well…uhh…yeah.”

The Balloon

Red balloon in the sky

a little girl let it fly

flying over the clouds over the sun

up into outer space, when will it be done?!

Flying over Neptune

over the moon

 

Then into a black hole!

His soul melted

He cried for help

He thought that he could never get out

No one came,

He felt so sad

Except one day

A rocket ship passed by

and the balloon yelled as loud as he could, “Help!”

The rocket ship came closer and closer

and grabbed the balloon out

the astronaut put him in his rocket ship

and flew back to earth

 

and gave the balloon to the astronaut’s daughter

The astronaut’s daughter said “thank you!”

and hugged her father.

The Bachelor of Oz

 

     Scene 1

Emerald City, Oz in Prince Philip’s bedroom.

Town Crier

Wake up Emerald City! It is time for day! Tonight you are all royally invited to the Queen’s ball that her majesty will hold to find an eligible bachelor! Thank you!

Kate

Go! Go! Go!

Philip

Why are we leaving?

Kate

Mom didn’t know I threw a ball for her but now she found out so we have to get out of the house before she finds us.

Philip

This is on you… why do I have to go?

Kate

You know how she gets angry! She will yell at anybody who gets in her way! She doesn’t care who started it. We just have to wait here until it blows over.

Philip

Fine… You owe me though. Why did you even throw a ball for her?

Kate

She needs someone to control her! She is going crazy! Maybe if she had someone to control her she would be more… pleasant to be around.

Philip

Mom is fine the way she is… I don’t care. Get me candy!

Kate

Be quiet. Don’t act stupid in front of great-great-great-great grandma Dorothy.

They stand quietly in front of a statue of Queen Dorothy the Great the savior of Oz. Then they walk away.

Scene 2: The ball

Kate walks into the ballroom. She yawns. It is very late at night.

Lady Monroe

Kate!!

Kate

Uh-oh!

Lady Monroe
I told you never to throw parties without my permission. Do you know how much this will cost?

Kate

There needs to be a king in this Kingdom you can’t just wait for Philip!

Lady Monroe

Yes I can… Yes I… I don’t have to do anything you say!

Lady Monroe walks away.

Kate

Ugh.

The Bachelors line up in front of her.

Kate

These are the eligible bachelors? No. No to all of you.

Philip

It’s not their fault that they don’t look as good as the Philip-meister.

Kate

Oh come on!

Kate walked away and sat on her throne.

Kate

You have got to be kidding me!

Philip

What?

Kate

All the men in Oz that showed up are Munchkins!

Philip

Who cares? I think those Munchkins are some cool dudes.

Kate

If mom gets married with a munchkin, she will be looking down for the whole wedding and anyway, I really don’t think mom wants to marry a Munchkin.

Philip

I don’t think mom wants to marry at all! She’s not ready yet.

Kate

It’s been ten years since dad died! She should be ready. I mean, I’m ready.

Philip

Well she’s not ready.

Scene 3: The next day

Kate walks into Philip’s room.

Kate:

Wake Up! Wake Up!

Philip

Why? The town crier isn’t up yet!

Kate

Look, if we can’t get a good bachelor to come to us, then we have to go to them.

Philip

Yeah… um, what are you saying?

Kate

We need to look for an eligible bachelor.

Philip

Yeah let me think about that… NO! I am not sneaking out again just to get in trouble AGAIN! You see, I am fine with waiting to be king. Unlike you. Anyway, if I go with you you won’t buy me candy so I will stay here thank you!

Kate

Fine. I’ll go by myself.

Philip

Yeah you will!

Kate

Fine… I hope you like it in the dark…

Kate closes the curtains and turns off the lights.

Philip

Fine! I will go with you but you have to buy me…

Kate

No candy! It’s either going with me, or staying in the dark.

Philip

Fine. You win.

Philip and Kate slip past the guards and sneak out the door quietly and start their journey. Kate pulls out a map of Oz.

Kate

So we are here in Emerald City. We don’t want the men from Munchkin Country, Winkie Country, or Gillikin Country. Maybe we could find someone from Quadling Country. Peony the Good Witch’s castle is there.

Philip

Ok, but Peony won’t let us in.

Kate

Who wouldn’t let in the Princess and Prince of Oz?

Philip

Whatever. Let’s go.

Scene 4: Yellow Brick Road

They exit the castle and start following The Yellow Brick Road.

Kate

Follow The Yellow Brick Road, follow the, follow the, follow the, follow the, follow The Yellow Brick Road.

Philip

You still sing that old song?

Kate

Yes. It’s our national song. It’s not old.

Philip

Whatever. So we just follow The Yellow Brick Road to Peony’s?

Kate

Yes. Try not to interact with others on the road. We can’t waste time with other people.

Philip

What if someone is in danger?

Kate

They can save themselves.

Philip

What if a child was abandoned?

Kate

They can go to the nearest town.

Philip

What if-

Kate

Shutup!

Philip

Fine! Fine!

Kate and Philip walk along not saying a word.

Porshia

Help! Help!

Philip

Someone needs our help!

Kate ignores him.

Philip

You might not care, but I won’t leave someone to die.

Philip rushes up to the waterfall to see a villager from Chinatown sinking on a lily pad. He lifts her up and places her on the ground.

Philip

What happened?

Porshia

My friends and I were going to see Peony the Good Witch and we were forced in by a log that was rolling towards the lake when we were on the lake’s edge. We jumped in. I was the only one who managed to hold on the something so I didn’t sink.

She started crying.

Porshia

They’re dead- all of them.

Philip

Say you were going to see Peony?

Porshia

(Sniff) Yes.

Philip

We are too. You can accompany us if you’d like.

Porshia

(Weakly) Okay.

Kate

Exactly! Once again, we waste time!

Philip

Leave her alone.

Kate

Ugh.

Kate and Philip continue their journey.

Scene 5: Peony The Good Witch

Philip, Kate, and Porshia walk up to Peony’s Castle

Kate

Finally! We are here!

Porshia

Yay!

Philip

(sarcastically) Hooray!

Porshia, Kate, and Philip walk up to the castle and knock on the door.

Guard

Who goes there!

Kate

Princess Katherine of Oz, Prince Philip of Oz, and Miss Porshia of Chinatown.

Guard

Your reason for passing?

Philip

To speak with Lady Peony.

Guard

You may pass.

The Guard opens the gate.

Peony

Welcome Miss Katherine, Mister Philip, Miss Porshia.

Kate

Peony The Great we request to send all eligible bachelors from Quadling Country to Emerald City. The Queen wants to marry, and she would like to marry someone from Quadling.

Peony

I shall not send any of my men to Emerald City.

Kate

Why not?

Peony

You do not have a written message from the queen so I do not believe you. However I will be happy to accompany you on your journey. My magic may be of great help to you.

Kate

I am sorry for the inconvenience. We would be happy to have you on our journey.

Philip

So you will take Peony but not Porshia? What about the whole “ Not taking strangers” thing?

Kate

Shutup.

Porshia starts to cry.

Porshia

I’m so sorry! (sniff) (sniff)

Philip

Once again, Kate is the mean one!

Kate

I’m not being mean, I’m being reasonable, unlike you.

Philip

Reasonable? So being reasonable is letting a poor child drown?

Kate

You are so annoying. Just shut your mouth for once!

Philip

Come on Porshia, let’s go.

Philip and Porshia walk on The Yellow Brick Road leading to Winkie Country

Kate

You don’t even know where you are going!

Kate catches up to them.

Kate

We need a plan.

Peony walks up to them.

Peony

Miss Katherine is right. You cannot just walk off.

Porshia

(sniff) I miss my mommy. Please bring me home.

Kate

After we get our work done. We saved you. Be grateful.

Philip

I saved her. You were just standing around.

Kate

What is wrong with you?

Philip

What is wrong with you is the question we should be asking.

Kate

Whatever. We don’t want any men from Munchkin, Gillikin, Winkie, or Quadling country. The only other part of Oz is Emerald City, and no one from there even wants to marry mom since no men from the city cared to show up at her ball.

Peony

Yes, those are all the parts of Oz except for the Ugabu.

Kate

No one lives there and it’s forbidden. No one has ever stepped foot in that place so who knows what is there?

Peony

The thing is that there might be people living there, and remember, this is your last chance.

Kate

Looks like we are on the road then.

Kate, Philip, Porshia, and Peony followed The Yellow Brick Road to Winkie Country.

Scene 6: Winkie Country

Kate

Here we are! Winkie Country!

Porshia

Oh gee, it smells.

Philip

We are near the Marsh.

Porshia

Have you guys got any food?

Kate

No we don’t. If we did we would be feasting on it right now.

Peony

The Stick-in-the-Muds live here, we could get food from them.

Porshia

What if they won’t serve us?

Peony

I think they will serve Peony the Good Witch, The Prince and Princess of Oz, and their small companion.

Porshia

Ok then, what are we waiting for?

The group headed into the Marsh.

Stick-in-the-Mud

Hey! What are you doing here!

Peony

We are here to eat. We have been on a long journey and we are very hungry. Do you mind sparing food for myself, The Good Witch, The Princess of Oz, The Prince of Oz, and their companion?

Stick-in-the-mud

No!

Kate

We won’t leave until we eat. (persuasive) The sooner we eat the sooner we leave. If you don’t feed us we will stay here forever and ever and nag you day after day.

Stick-in-the-mud

Fine. Once you eat you leave.

Peony

I thank you kind sir. You have done a very nice thing for us.

Stick-in-the-mud

Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Keep on moving.

Kate, Philip, Peony, and Porshia walk into the village. The soon head into the dining hall.

Harry

Get out of here! We don’t accept yer kind!

Philip

What, us?

Harry

Nah, that little china girl. We don’t accept the fragile!

Porshia

Where will I go?

Harry

Somewhere where you are accepted, which is not here!

Philip

Let the girl pass!

Harry

I will, but it will cost ya!

Philip

Cost me what?

Harry

If I let her in, you take me to Emerald City.

Kate

Deal.

Harry

You may come in then.

Kate, Philip, Porshia, and Peony walk into the Dining Hall and sit down. They start eating like dogs. Except for Peony. She ate gracefully.

Peony

Thank you for the lovely meal.

Harry

Whatever. Let’s go.

They walk out of the Marsh Village and continue on The Yellow Brick Road.

Scene 7: Off the Yellow Brick Road.

Kate

Here we are. The huge turning point of The Yellow Brick Road. If we keep on following this it will lead us back to Emerald City.

Harry

I thought we were going there. Remember the promise?

Philip

We remember, but first we have to go to the Ugabu.

Harry

The Ugabu? Oh I have been there a million times- I- I- mean I have never been there.

Peony

You are lying. I sense it. You know something nobody in Oz knows.

Harry

What are you talking about? I don’t know anything.

Kate

Tell us. Now!

Harry

Ok fine. The Ugabu has a large magical barrier around it. I touched the barrier and it let me in. I saw a magical castle appear. It was a bright purple and its was as tall as a million giants stacked up on one another. A voice said “ What do you wish?”. At that moment I realized it was the wizard of Oz, or one of his great grandchildren since he probably died already.

Kate

Then we must go to the Ugabu! The wizard’s descendant could be a bachelor!

Porshia

Then let’s go!

They got off The Yellow Brick Road and kept on heading north, to the Ugabu.

Scene 8: The Ugabu

Kate

Here we are, the Ugabu.

Kate reaches her arm out and touches the barrier. Her arm passes through and she walks in. The others follow her. Then they see a huge Purple Castle appear right in front of their eyes.

Philip

Woah!

Porshia

It’s huge!

Peony

Let’s go in.

They walk into the castle and see a large puff of smoke and a face come into shape as the smoke fades.

The Wizard of Oz

I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL WIZARD OF OZ!

Harry

We know you are behind the curtain.

The Wizard of Oz

Oh, um, ok.

Kate

Would you like to marry the Queen of Oz?

The Wizard of Oz

Oh….um….I guess.

Peony

Do you or do you not?

The Wizard of Oz

Not really.

Kate

Do you like this knife? It’s a 24 karat emerald dagger… perfect for hunting.

Philip

You’re threatening him?

Kate

I have come too far to fail!

The Wizard of Oz

Ok, ok, I’ll go!

Philip

Ok, then let’s go back to Emerald City.

They go back to The Yellow Brick Road in Winkie Country.

Scene 9: Back to Emerald City

Peony

Ok! Here we are. We have the Wizard and now we will present him to the Queen.

Kate

Ok sure, but we need some people to take a shower and by that I mean Harry.

Harry

Ok fine.

Kate gives Harry her dad’s old clothes to wear and Harry goes into the bathroom.

Philip

I hope mom is happy when he proposes to her.

Kate

I thought you didn’t want mom to get married.

Philip

Yeah but…. now I think that you were right. You made the right decision.

Kate

Thanks a lot Philip. That really means a lot to me.

Harry comes out of the bathroom.

Harry

Ta-da!

Kate

Hey, you look good.

Harry

Well a King should look good shouldn’t he?

Kate

What?

Philip

You’re a king?

Harry

Yeah I’m a king. And your uncle.

Kate

You are our uncle?

Harry

When your mother, my sister, became queen, I escaped to the marsh because I really did not want to be bossed around by my sister. However when your father died, I became King but your mother refused to let me come so now I just want to see her.

Kate

So… you are the king?

Philip

And our mom never told us?

Poshia

That is messed up!

The Wizard of Oz

So you don’t need me?

Kate

I don’t think so.

The Wizard of Oz

Hooray!

Philip

What?

The Wizard of Oz

Sorry, but I really did not want to marry your mom. Later!

The Wizard of Oz walks out the door.

Kate

Well… that went well.

Philip

Whatever… let’s just focus on…um… what exactly are we doing now?

Kate

Well I guess we just bring Harry to mom and see what happens.

They walk into the throne room.

Lady Monroe

Kate!

Kate

(shyly) Uh-huh?

Lady Monroe

How could you sneak out like that???!!! You could have gotten hurt!!!! And you took Peony as your prisoner? Why did you do that?!

Peony

Your highness, she did not take me prisoner. I offered to accompany them.

Lady Monroe

Then how very low of you to do that.

Philip

Mom?

Lady Monroe

What?!

Philip

There is someone you need to meet. Well, see.

Harry steps forward.

Lady Monroe

Harry- is that you?

Harry

It is my dear sister.

Lady Monroe

Why didn’t you come?

Harry

You did not allow me to come.

Lady Monroe

No, I said I did allow you to come.

Harry

Well the guard who sent the message said I was not allowed to come.

Lady Monroe

Then I’m sorry that happened.

Lady Monroe and Harry hug each other.

Scene 10: The Coronation

Lady Monroe

Harry, you must look nice for the coronation.

Harry

I will, I will.

Lady Monroe

Don’t forget that you have to pick a bride today too.

Harry

Fine.

Lady Monroe and Harry walk into the throne room.

Lady Monroe

I declare Harry Edwards the new king of Oz! Now you must choose your bride.

Harry

I will choose Miss Peony, the Good Witch of Oz. She has been very kind to me on this journey and never complained about my stick-in-the-mud smell.

Lady Monroe

Then that declares Miss Peony the Queen of Oz!

Peony gives Harry a kiss.

Harry

As my first declaration of King, I declare Miss Katherine an official Princess of Oz.

Kate

Really?

Harry

Yes.

Kate

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Harry

I also declare Philip The Junior Senator of Oz.

Philip

Cool!

Harry

For the little china girl, I declare her official ambassador of China Town.

Porshia

Jee, thanks!

Harry

And last but not least, my sister. I declare this castle her castle.

Lady Monroe

Thank you.

Harry

Now let’s take the China Girl home!

They all walk out the door Peony casts a spell and it puts them all in huge bubbles and it brings them to Chinatown to retrieve Porshia to her home.

Porshia

Thanks for taking me home.

Peony

My pleasure.

Philip and Kate

Bye Porshia!

Porshia’s bubble touches the ground and pops. She is home safely. The others’ bubbles head back to Emerald City. They soon land and walk into the castle. They sit at the dinner table to eat. Lady Monroe makes a toast.

Lady Monroe

To our new King and Queen!

Everyone

To our new King and Queen!

 

The End

 

The Adventures of Little Timmy

 

Once upon a time, Little Timmy was walking back from the market when Old Man John ran around and said, ”ALIENS! ALIENS ARE COMING! WE ARE GOING TO DDDIIIEEE!!!”

Little Timmy ran into his house and cried, ”MOMMY, ALIENS, OLD MAN JOHN, HELP DDDIIEEE!!!”

His Mom walked in and said, “Little Timmy, Old Man John is kind of crazy.”

Little Timmy was not so sure. He walked out again and saw Old Man John, “THE END THE END OF THE WORLD!! INVASION!!! THE EEENNNDDDD!!!”

Little Timmy was reassured until a big, silver, circular ship came out of nowhere and landed right in front of him. Old Man John fainted. Then a door opened up on the side and an enormous slug came out. The slug opened its mouth and spoke, ”I come in peace and to warn you of the Slartegnorgs who intend to destroy the earth.”

Little Timmy was staring open-mouthed at the slug. ”I must return to my home planet, Querzbroximus, in order to warn the other planets that will be destroyed by the Slartegnorgs. I have arranged for you to get a ship and language translator that you can use to get around your planet to warn everyone of their upcoming destruction. Good day.”

And with that, slug guy slithered back into his ship. It flew away. Behind it he saw a miniature version of the slug ship. Little Timmy got in and it automatically lifted high in the air.

Little Timmy, having no education on how to fly a spaceship, pressed a few buttons and blew up the city beneath him. Then he pressed another button and was teleported all the way to a huge, green ship that was positioned to destroy Earth. A smaller ship came out of the large one and a loud voice spoke, ”Leave this inter-galactic quadrant or you will be obliterated by the Slartegnorgs.”

Timmy was scared, so he pressed as many buttons as he could reach. Nothing happened except that the chicken song started playing in an endless loop. The voice came back, ”Obliteration will commence in 19 laxative morlunar units.”

Just then, Timmy pressed a big red button and was ejected into space. Immediately a beam shot out of the large ship and drew him in. Then the lack of oxygen caused Timmy to faint.

Little Timmy woke up in an empty room with no door. The voice spoke again, ”You have trespassed onto the official Slartegnorg mobile space nebula, which is punishable by obliteration.”

“Don’t explodinize earth!” said Little Timmy.

“Earth has disobeyed the inter-galactic level four planet law 11397 that clearly states that you ‘cannot fish for whales on a hexaday.’ Their demise is scheduled in 27,426 laxative morlunar units. The obliteration has been clarified with the moolkstined palparite, although you will not live to see doomsday, because your obliteration is scheduled for 6 laxative morlunar units.”

Timmy did not understand a word of this, so he just sat in the room and waited. Half an hour later the voice said, ”Obliteration commencing. Obliterators engaging.”

Little Timmy heard two loud electric zaps and then mechanical whirring. Suddenly a hole in the roof opened up and two small red boxes fell inside of the room and immediately started to transform, first growing legs, then arms, then heads. They were both five feet tall and had blasters on their right arm.

Little Timmy, whose only thoughts were, ”red box monsters!” ran as far away from the robots as possible, which wasn’t that much. The obliterators followed, although slower. One obliterator used his gun to blast a large hole in the wall, right where Timmy was standing a second ago. The hole opened up into a large, crowded room that contained many robots who were pushing carts and a few five-foot tall green spiders who must have been the Slartegnorgs. Timmy ran into the room before the obliterators could do any more damage and blended into the crowd.

Nobody noticed Timmy as he ran around in the maze of creatures, avoiding the Slartegnorgs and the two obliterators. A voice came over the intercom, ”Pilots A113 and J965 report to landing station 4 in 2 laxative morlunar units.”

Immediately two orange robots, identical to the obliterators except orange and with two hands and not one, changed course and started moving towards a large door. Timmy decided to follow the pilots into the room. The landing station contained 16 of the small ships that Timmy had seen outside of the large one.

Quickly, Timmy ran and got into the ship that was closest to him. He got in the pilot’s seat, pressed a few buttons, blew up a few people, the door, and eight control panels. Finally, he got into the air and out into space.

Little Timmy traveled at lightspeed for a few minutes, until he found a large, blue planet. Timmy thought it was pretty so he pressed the button that he thought would take a picture, but instead found himself landing on the surface. There was a sign next to the place that he landed that said, “Warning space travelers. Ixrod is a level six planet and any species from a planet level four or lower will be imprisoned due to the statement of the moolkstined palparite.”

Little Timmy could not read so he ignored it. Around him were very tall buildings. Timmy was admiring them when sudden—”Your species is identified as human. You will be imprisoned in the Zoldolisk space quadrant.”

Timmy started pressing buttons and eventually escaped into space again. Timmy kept moving at lightspeed until he saw a large black circle, surrounded by spiraling debris. A meter on his ship said, “Black hole, disengage flight, do not enter.”

Too late, Timmy was out of control and pressing all the buttons. It was no use. Nothing happened except the ship pelted a life jacket out at high velocity. After lots of spiraling, Timmy fell into nothingness…

Suddenly a voice spoke, ”Emergency teleportation commencing.”

Then, his spacecraft teleported all the way back into the Slartegnorg ship. The Slartegnorgs were waiting.

“Your obliteration has been rescheduled. You have important information.”

“What do you mean?” said Timmy.

“You have accessed Ixrod. No Slartegnorg has entered that quadrant. Our access has been denied. Describe.”

“It’s blue and has large towers,” said Timmy.

“Describe,” it repeated.

“That’s it,” said Little Timmy.

“Description incomplete, obliteration will be continued.”

Suddenly, Little Timmy saw a green robot spray him and everything went dark.

Timmy woke up in a cell that was inside of a ship. He was next to another man in a separate cell. “Ixrod has been destroyed, your information is worthless. You will be obliterated.”

”Where am I going?” Timmy asked.

“That information is classified.”

Out of the window he saw a fleet of ships battling another fleet of ships. They were exploding equally fast. Suddenly a stray laser blasted the ship! It exploded, sending the two prisoners in different directions, out into space.

“Emergency air-shield activating.”

Suddenly a large, blue, but transparent force field encased the cell. Nothing happened for about an hour, but then he saw a large space satellite, circling a small, red planet. His cell was heading right towards it!

Ten minutes later his cell landed directly on the landing station. There were five robots in that room that were so caught up in their work that they didn’t even notice him. Finally, one did and let him out of the cell. Timmy quickly looked at the dock in search of a new ship. He found a particularly cool, red one, hopped in, pressed stuff, and was airborne.

“You have stolen gorlonflod property. Return it immediately or you will be arrested and trialed by the moolkstined palparite.”

Timmy did what he did best and didn’t listen.

He flew out into space incredibly fast so that the galactic police couldn’t catch him.

The next planet on his list was pink. He accidently blew it up. A few ships came out and chased him into another fleet of ships, then another and another!! There were ships from every planet that he’d harmed! They were all shooting at him!!! He pressed so many buttons, that he broke the galactic record! He managed to start flying at lightspeed, but saw that his energy meter was quickly running out. He hid behind a ship that was then destroyed by the pursuing aliens. More ships came out to capture him!

He finally pressed the teleport button. He was teleported to a large, silver planet with a red ring around it. When he landed, a sign said, “Welcome to the home planet of the ancient Moolkstined Palparite, the law-makers of the galaxy.”

Little Timmy thought it wasn’t written well so he blew it up. Immediately sirens sounded, so Timmy got out of the ship and ran into a large building. He got into an elevator and pressed all the buttons. 20 minutes later, he got to the top floor. He was in a small room. A voice said, ”You have entered the Spacecraft viewing station. To enter, state entrance password 22514635747894753.34728593.”

Little Timmy cried, ”Um, help I’m being chased and I need to get in!!”

“Password accepted.”

Timmy didn’t understand what was going on, so he just ran through the gray door that opened up into a spaceship harbor. Timmy, who of course loved to take cool ships, got a blue one with long wings. He then flew off, back into space.

Timmy had gotten tired of traveling, so he decided to go back home. On the journey back in the direction that he randomly chose was home, he encountered the Slartegnorg fleet which was in battle and losing very quickly. Timmy started blasting at random and soon saw that there was one ship that was bigger than the rest. By now, it was the last one standing. The attackers were too far away to see, but they didn’t seem able to destroy the largest ship.

Timmy decided to blow it up himself, so he pressed the biggest red button that he could find. He launched a huge missile that must have took up half of the ship. It landed in the very center. KAABLLOOOSSSHHHH!!!!!!!!! It blew up.

Timmy was very happy as he flew around and pressed the button that (he thought) led him home…

Not quite.

THE END

The Almost Unperfect Family of 28 (Excerpt)

  Chapter 1

The Peapod Girls

Ding-aling-aling! Mother Endina rang the bell for dinner. Carter, Jenna, and Imogen ran before me. I saw a flash of purple and pulled her aside.

“Imogen,” I hissed at my fashionable friend. “Your scarf! If Endina sees that, she is going to whip you until your behind is redder than her lipstick!”

Imogen made a face at me and took off her scarf.

“Now we better skedaddle, or her face is going to be more purple than your scarf!”

We ran all the way to the dining hall, my red hair flying in my face. The bang of the dinner gong told Imogen and me that we were too late. Nothing to eat until morning, which was when we got something Endina called oatmeal, but was more like half-cooked glop of brown mushy thing, after we did all our chores.

“Wanna raid the extra food jar or pull a prank on Endina? I have a truck full of chickens and some sand. Can you say ba-rilliant!” Imogen exclaimed.

I shrugged and yawned. I was tired. “How did you pay for all that stuff?” That was a question I knew there would be no good answer for.

Imogen put on a sneaky smile. “Let’s keep this secret safe and say I used Endina’s credit card. But if she asks, I am now Carrie, I was born in Ohio, and I have no memory whatsoever. And she bought the chickens and sand and painted my nails green.”

I laughed, shook my head, and ran off to my room, Imogen at my heels. We saw Emily, Grace, and Dora walking, purple bags under their sad eyes. I told Imogen to hang on a minute and walked over to them. The minute they saw me coming over, they got a scared look in their eyes.

At the same time, they all squeaked, “Delia! What are you doing here?”  

I swear those girls are like three peas in a pod. “Don’t worry! I was just coming over to ask if you wanted to have some of our extra food we keep hidden. You look like you missed dinner.”

The girls looked at eachother, then at me, then at Imogen in the background. They nodded their heads.

Grace whimpered, “Is that your friend? I mean, is she coming with us?”  

I looked behind me to where they were pointing. “Imogen? Oh yeah. She is the one who started the food jar. Why?”

Dora whispered something into Emily’s ear, then Emily whispered it to Grace. Dora said, “Well, Imogen has never really been nice to us.”

Emily interrupted her by pouting, “When we first came, she called us an embarrassment to the orphanage.”

Then Grace interrupted her by saying, “And cowards. And even a kaleidoscope. Like she was looking at one person but there were three of us.”

I was shocked at hearing all of this. Imogen had always been so nice to me, I guess I just thought she was nice to everybody. “Hang on just a second girls. I am going to talk with her.” I stomped over to where Imogen was standing.

She was wringing her hands looking guiltily at the floor.

“So its true, then. You told them that they were embarrassing kaleidoscopes that were cowards. I cant believe you of all people would be so mean.”

Imogen finally looked up at me. “I’m sorry, Delia! Mother Endina had just whipped me. I was angry and annoyed. They kinda just came up to me and asked me to show them around. I was grumpy.”

I shook my head. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

Imogen nodded. Grumpily, she walked over to the peapod trio. (Don’t tell them I called them that.) She started saying something to them, and with each word she said, it looked like they became more and more scared, and she became more and more annoyed. With one final foot stomp, she walked back over to me.  

With a blank look on my face, I walked over to Emily, Dora, and Grace. I asked, “What did she say to you?”

Emily burst into tears. Dora ran over to comfort her friend while Grace explained, her lip quivering, “W-well sh-she sa-id, th-that w-we n-ne-never got a-any b-better. W-we w-were alwa-ways a p-pain.” Then Grace burst into tears along with Dora.  

I nodded my head and walked back over to Imogen. “Never any better, always a pain? Really, Imogen. I’m coming with you to go apologize to them.”

She nodded her head, and both of us walked over to them. As we approached them, they turned to me as if to ask if it was okay that she was walking over to them again. I nodded and raised my eyebrows. When I saw that she had gotten ahead of me, I ran in in my long gray dress and slippers to catch up with her.

“Imogen would like to say something to you. Imogen?” I raised my eyebrows at her as she looked at the dark-gray floor that we pretend to sweep but actually never did.

“Emily, Grace, Dora, I am very, very, very, very—”

I looked down at her fingers and toes to make sure she wasn’t crossing anything. No crosses.

“—Very sorry I called you embarrassing, cowardly kaleidoscopes that were always a pain and didn’t get any better. Oh, and for calling you a peapod trio.”

I thought it was kinda funny that she called the peapod trio the same thing I secretly called them, but then Emily said something.

“You never called us a peapod trio.”

Imogen looked like she was caught in the act. “Oh, I didn’t? Then never mind. So, you want that food?”

Just then, a gong rang, and kids started pouring out of the dining hall. First Amilia, followed by Carter, Penelope, Jenna, Zach, Mary, Ginger, and Piper. I felt bad for Sophia, Rose, Amber, Charlie, Olivia, Logan, and Austin. They were stuck in the dining hall doing the dishes.

“RUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!!” someone yelled.

The five of us ran and jumped into Rose, Amber, Imogen, Piper, and my room. We all curled up onto Imogen and my bunk bed, and I pulled out the jar.

“Here it is. Now, before we eat, there are some rules. The food comes in four levels, Best, Medium High, Medium Low, and Low. You can take up to three best, six low, four medium high, and five medium low.” Imogen gestured to the different jars as she described them.

I was bored of hearing her explain, so I said, “Three, two, one dig in!”

All five of us started grabbing things from the four different jars, not really knowing what we were getting. When my hands were scraped, bruised, and many of my nails had gotten chipped, I stopped and leaned back. In the next five seconds, everyone did the same. I looked down at my pile of loot and counted two Skittles packages, one piece of bubble gum, and one bag of lime potato chips from the medium high. I also ended up with a cotton candy DumDum, some popcorn, and a package of pop rocks, from the best, an apple, two corn nut containers, a thing of Pirate’s Booty, and two Nerds packages from the low, two Twizzler sticks, a corn dog, a Twix, and a package of gummy bears. I ripped open the potato chips and tossed one up into the air to try and catch it with my mouth. Epic fail. It fell to the ground with a crunch. I tried it three more times. One out of the three chips made it into my mouth. The rest bounced off my forehead and landed on Piper’s bed. Everyone was having fun until we heard the click clack click clack click clack and occasional yelling of the evil Mother Endina coming to give us the night inspection. All five of us froze in horror, completely forgetting that with each step she took, the closer she would get to where we were.

As if a bell rang, we all started hiding the food anywhere we could think of. Under the mattresses, behind the windows, in our slippers, up our shirts, in the pillow cases, and behind the blinds. The peapod girls jumped off of Imogen’s bed through the hole in the wall that connected our two rooms, and stuffed a pillow over it so Endina couldn’t see it. Imogen and I stripped off our gray day gowns, plunged them into the soapy water tub to wash, pulled on our green nightgowns, and jumped into bed. Amber couldn’t find her green gown, so she had to sleep in her gray one. The click clacking got closer and closer, until it came to an abrupt stop. I had shut my eyes so I didn’t see Mother Endina staring at us with her cold gray eyes.

The Abandoned Queen

Abandoned

 

Once there was a king named Rusty. His kingdom, Forland, had been robbed by seven robbers and by now he had grown greedy because his kingdom was poor. The royal treasury in his kingdom was almost empty.

Over the years he began to grow cunning and his ministers and courtiers started to talk about leaving the castle. Forland was a small kingdom that did not have many people or houses. It was a kingdom right off the coast of Europe.

One day the queen grew ill. Nobody had any knowledge about diseases in this kingdom because there was nobody to train them. So with no money at all, the kingdom had a law that when a human was ill that person had no right to have anything to do with Forland. Anyone who was ill was either put to death or he or she was prohibited to step foot into the kingdom. The king’s great grandparents made this law so he did not want to change it, even though he was sad about being separated from his wife.

The queen had a high position so she was left out, abandoned, from the kingdom. When anyone in the royal court was ill he or she had twenty days and if that person could survive he or she was permitted in the kingdom not as a part of the royal family. So the queen was left condemned to die.

 

I.

It had been two days since the queen had left and Rusty could not handle having the queen out for so long. He missed seeing her jewelry and talking with her and he could not call her back because that would be fighting with tradition.

The one thing he could do was ask his courtiers to leave the kingdom with his note, paper, and pencil. He said, “Go to the jungle, find my wife, give her this note and ask her to reply on this paper.”

This was the note:

 

Dear Queen, October 21 1956

 

It has been two days since you left. We all really miss you. You’ve been a great queen. I hope you are beginning to feel better. I really miss you!

Please wait outside the kingdom because when you are permitted to step into the kingdom I will know where to find you. Please write back saying what you have been doing over the last two days.

 

LOVE,
RUSTY

 

P.S. Oh, and remember, let my guards see you so you can read this note!

 

Back in the forest the queen was feeling super-ill, walking toward a mysterious-looking, huge city.

 

II.

The guards had just left Forland and were searching all over the forest while the queen was in the mysterious city. One guard caught sight of the queen’s footprint. They followed the footprint until they found the mysterious city. When they looked at it, it was crowded with lots of business. Whereas when the queen looked at it, it was lonely and huge.

The queen was lying uncomfortably in a hospital in the mysterious city while the guards were searching all around it. They followed her footprints, until it led them in front of the hospital.

They went into the hospital where the queen was and asked the person at the counter if she had seen the queen. She said she had and she lead them to the room she was in. The guard showed the queen the letter and asked her to write back. At the end, her letter looked like this:

 

1995 October 25th

Dear King,

 

The guards took four days to find me but now I only have fourteen days left. I will wait outside of Forland until I’m permitted to step back in.

 

Love,

Queen

 

III.

The queen couldn’t go back to the kingdom yet because she had surgery for her unknown illness. All night she was lying in the hospital thinking about her surgery. After the surgery she realized it took five hours and then she was in the recovery room for the rest. The day after the surgery she started making her way up the hill until she saw a large tree that was never there before. The tree started talking. She had never seen a tree that talked.

The tree said: “Before you make it back to your kingdom, you will have to complete multiple tasks. You will have to go back into the deep part of the forest and find another tree that will give you a list of things to do.”

“Will I get a break for the night?” she asked.

“Yes. For three days you’ll be trying to find the tree. It lives almost in a different country- miles and miles away. After you make it to the other tree and he gives you a list of twelve things to do and you complete those twelve things, you will get a lot of money that you will have to pay back to the other tree. Otherwise there will be consequences.”

“Fine, I’ll do that….”

She began her journey to the forest.

 

IV.

The dawn broke and dusk passed. The queen continued her journey south. Now it had been eight days since she left her kingdom. Twelve more days to go before she could go back to Forland. She had seven more hours of traveling before she got to the tree.

She was tired, hungry, and thirsty. The first tree did say that the second tree the queen was going to would provide her with shade to rest, food to eat, and water to quench her thirst. She wanted to take a break but she was determined to get to the tree. When she got to the tree, it gave her a list of twelve things to do. The list looked like this:

 

  1. Travel twenty miles south until you hit the border of Forland and our neighboring country.
  2. At the border you’ll meet seven more trees that will tell you what to do for number two.
  3. Start making your way back until you reach your mysterious city again.
  4. In the city, go back to the hospital and pay the lady at the counter our bills for becoming trees.
  5. Make your way back to the hill.
  6. Go back to your kingdom and wait there.
  7. All of the trees will meet you and you will become a tree.
  8. Find a place to plant yourself.
  9. Grow roots.
  10. Grow branches.
  11. Unplant yourself and wait outside of your kingdom.
  12. The trees are going to meet you again and you will turn into a human.

 

“How will I finish everything in twelve days?” the queen asked.

“You have eight days to finish everything,” the tree said, “and then if you complete everything you will be given a box and we will call your guards.”

The queen began to ask, “Why will you call the guards?” but the tree disappeared.

 

V.

The next morning was the ninth day. The queen was fully recovered and she began on her first task: Go twenty miles south until you hit the border of Forland and our neighboring country. She thought, That’s going to take a long time. She began on her journey.

Surprisingly, she saw a huge, rose gold bird that stopped right in front of her and grabbed her.

“Let go of me!” the queen reproved.

“My name is Shiva,” the bird replied, “and the tree has ordered me to take you to the border of our country.”

The queen went on the bird’s back and the twenty miles was a two-hour ride on his back. After the journey was over, the queen said, “Thank you,” and met seven trees.

 

VI.

She thought this was her second step: At the border you’ll meet seven more trees that will tell you what to do for number two.

“For step two, you will have to take a seven hour trip to the queen of the neighboring kingdom,” the trees said. “Her name is Swira and she is very friendly. You will have to tell her that the seven robbers are in the desert. After you tell her, come back.”

She began her journey south to the castle. The same bird picked her up and this time. It was a seven hour ride to the neighboring kingdom’s castle.

At the castle door, the guard recognized the queen and said, “You are the abandoned queen of Forland who came to tell the queen where seven robbers are.”

The queen asked, “How did you know?”

The guard replied, “One of the trees you met on your journey told me about you.”

The queen asked, “Can I come inside?”

The guard said, “Yes.”

She went inside and told the queen, “The seven robbers are hiding behind a log in the desert.”

Swira replied, “Thank you,” and she left the castle. She went back to the seven trees and she didn’t see them so she went to sleep.

 

VII.

The next morning was a bright windy day. She took out the list of things to do and went to number three. She remembered to tell the seven trees she had come back. She thought the seven trees knew that because they still weren’t there. The queen looked at number three and it said: Start making your way back until you reach your mysterious city again. She had to make her way back to the mysterious city. That was just a two-hour journey. She walked north until she met the first tree she saw.

“Why do I only get six more days to complete nine more tasks?” she asked.

“The tasks won’t take so long,” the tree said, “Shiva is supposed to help you. Now get to the mysterious city.” She did as she was told.

When she got to the mysterious city she took out the list again and she remembered step 4: In the city, go back to the hospital and pay the lady at the counter our bills for becoming trees. She went back to the hospital and gave the lady at the counter $20.

 

VIII.

She finished step 4 so she took out her list again and looked at step 5: Make your way back to the hill. She walked out of the mysterious city and made her way back to the hill that lead her into the mysterious city. She remembered that step 6 was: Go back to your kingdom and wait there. She went back and waited right in front of her kingdom door.

Dusk came and dawn broke. She was tired so she went to bed and thought that the seven trees would meet her in the morning. She had five more days to complete the rest of the task. The next day she met the seven trees right outside the kingdom. She remembered that she was going to turn into a tree. Step 7 was that: All of the trees will meet you and you will become a tree.

“It will take at least three minutes for you to become a tree,” the trees said, “So you can’t talk while you’re becoming a tree.”

Before she could say anything, the trees had already started transforming her. The process started by a cloud coming over her head then a raindrop falling on her head. After the raindrop fell on her head there was a bubble that came all around her. When all four sides of the bubble were touching her at the same time she turned into a tree. As a tree, she was big and she had gold bark and green soil that always traveled under her. She was rather uncomfortable as a tree.

 

IX.

She decided not to do any more tasks for two days so on the last day she could finish the final five tasks. Then she thought maybe she should just finish the tasks and get them over with so she could see what the box was for.

Step 8 was: Find a place to plant yourself. She walked for two hours until she found a place near the bracken where she could plant herself. Step 9 was to: Grow roots. She knew that any plant had roots before it sprouted so she skipped that step. Step 10 was to: Grow branches. She already had branches. She thought step 9 and 10 were trying to fool her and waste her time. She thought it would hurt to unplant herself. Even though she found being a tree rather uncomfortable, she knew she had to stay as a tree for two or three more hours. She thought she should just wait until the next day to unplant herself.

Dusk passed again and it was the fifth day of having to do tasks and the fourteenth day of being abandoned from her kingdom. She had to unplant herself now. She knew she couldn’t talk during the process and it would take five minutes again so she tried breaking her roots and it took five minutes for her to unplant herself. Breaking her roots hurt her legs a lot because she had to break her roots off of her leg, and her legs were connected to her roots.

Hopping around the forest uncomfortably was one of the most dreadful parts of her twenty days, but she knew outside of her kingdom she would become a human again.

She went all the way to her kingdom when she found the seven trees as robbers. They were trying to make themselves trees again so she thought she could arrest them later for stealing jewels from her kingdom. She recognized the robbers. She was still going to arrest them later. Then Rusty might let her be the queen again so she waited until they were trees again and she started jumping towards the kingdom door.

At the door the trees said, “There’s no talking during becoming a human again, and it will take less than one minute.”

The trees started the process before she knew she was a human again. She had five more days until she could go to the kingdom again. She had finished all 12 tasks and now the trees would give the guards the box.

 

X.

The trees had disguised themselves as guards to get into Forland. The queen knew she recognized the human versions of them. She remembered that in the clan of the seven robbers they had four males who were always wearing the same color clothing even though the color changed. All of their faces looked wrinkled. They looked like they were wearing masks and they looked avarous. The females looked younger than the males and they looked like the males’ daughters who didn’t want to rob anybody. They asked the queen not to look at them but the queen knew they were turning into robbers then putting on costumes to look like guards. After ten minutes they looked like seven guards with a metal box that looked old. The paint was peeling off, there were cracks, and parts were missing.

“The king will receive this box,” said one of the robbers, “and it has something magical about it.”

Four of the guards climbed over the fence and three stayed with the queen.

“I know all seven of you are robbers,” said the queen. “You three are the females who don’t want to rob anybody and the four who went over the fence are your dads who are actually robbers.”

One of the daughters asked, “How did you know?”

“Today I saw you in your human versions before you turned me back into a human. It doesn’t matter if your dads want you to rob other people. You don’t have to. All three of you are grown adults who can live by themselves who can make their own choices. Nobody can control what you have to do. I knew I recognized you when I saw you in your human version. I knew you looked like the seven robbers who robbed my kingdom before it became poor.”

The daughter said, “In the box there is a magical bracelet that will make today the twentieth day of you being abandoned. Everybody will forget about how you became ill, for a few weeks you’ll be part of the royal family again, and all three of us will pay you for the twelve tasks you did. Our family should pay you more than 1,200 dollars. The tasks that they made you do were so they could make their own money.”

In the kingdom, Rusty had just received the magical box and the robbers had just left the castle when their daughters ran away. The queen was hiding behind a bush so the robbers didn’t think the queen drove their daughters away. The king had just taken out his bracelet and just pressed the red button that made him and his guard think that today was the twentieth day of the queen being abandoned. The robbers had just come out of the kingdom and they knew the king recognized them.

 

XI.

The king was overjoyed. He and his guards had just opened the kingdom door to let the queen in.

“The four people who just came in the kingdom were actually robbers. The robbers who stole our gold before I grew ill who made our kingdom poor.”

Once the queen entered the kingdom it started raining diamonds. The queen knew this was from the robbers’ daughters. The king sent the guards out to find the robbers and arrest them. The kingdom became rich again. Over the years, the queen gave birth to newborn children and they married princes and princesses that made Forland a bigger and happier place. Rusty was not greedy and cunning anymore.

 

The End of the Queen’s Story

 

Swirls of Color

I hear a loud crash! It has to be my mom’s bad cooking – her getting the pots and pans. She is making fish and pasta. YUCK!

My dad, sister, brother and I look at each other and race to the front door. We go get  dinner at Hera Cafe. (My mom eats dinner with my dog Lily.)

On our way to the cafe, we see a bright glow coming from the cafe! We try to drive away, but we are sucked into the cafe. My dad presses the pedal as hard as he can, but we are pulled in. Faster and faster, the more and more he tried. When we are halfway in, we see all different colors swirling together. It must be a portal! We see cows flying and people who look exactly like us going the opposite direction we’re going in.

We all shriek in terror! My sister Lia swoons, but we all calm her down. As we get closer and closer to the other end, we all sigh a sigh of relief!

When we get to the other end, we see mom cleaning off the table and Lily taking a nap on the couch. The only thing is, Lily is a robot and Mom is wearing a fancy suit. She is  a BILLIONAIRE, and our house is made of plexiglass. We have a butler, maid, and cook, so we never have to go to the diner again. But this isn’t real – what do we have to do to get back home?

“How was the bowling alley?” my fake mom asks.

“Bowling alley?” I ask.

“Yes – bowling alley. You were there for three hours!”

I look at my dad and whisper, “We have to get out of this nightmare even if it is awesome!”

“We have to go back to the caf…bowling alley, dear,” my dad says to my fake mom and we all back away from her towards the door.

“All of you have to go?” my fake mom asks.

“Yes!” Lia yells.

“We won a trophy,” I say.

“And it’s very heavy,” my dad finished.

My fake mom smiles. “In that case, I will come too.”

“No it’s okay,” I say gritting my teeth. “We have enough manpower.”

My fake mom starts pouting.

“Why don’t we all watch a movie?” my Dad suggests and we all sit on the sofa. He puts on the most boring movie and we all fall asleep.

Fortunately, Dad is able to wake us up and we sneak past our fake mom and back to the car and  head to the cafe. But all of a sudden, we see our fake mom sitting in the passenger seat next to my Dad!

We are terrified, so we jump out of the car and run as fast as we can to the cafe, but the fake mom turns into a spider / human and she wants to eat us. We are afraid that we will never get back to our world.

We run very VERY fast to the car. My dad starts the car, and goes way over the speed limit  – 180 MPH!  I can’t see anything. Good thing my dad knows the route like the back of his hand, so we break through the front and go into the portal, and it closes just in time so the spider monster can’t go with us to our dimension. (That would be ugly.) Now when we go back I had my hands on my eyes the whole time so I don’t know what happened. The only thing I remember is that we got home safe. We never will go to the diner again…we will just eat TAKEOUT!!

The Adventures of Fluffy and Fluff Ball

Fluffy is eight years old. He has dark hair, he’s really smart, he likes sports, and he was born in 2015. He is a human, and lives with human parents.

Fluffy and Fluff Ball both got their names from an interesting place. One day, the science teacher at school quit, so there was a new science teacher. Everybody laughed at his name, so he made a machine and he said that if you didn’t change your name to something weird, you would be zapped by this machine and turned into air. Fluffy and Fluff Ball were really scared, so they changed their names from Billy and Joe to Fluffy and Fluff Ball, respectively.

Now, Fluffy the human is taking an afternoon walk when he sees someone fall from the clouds. He is the Marshmallow God, who is made out of marshmallows! Even his magic is marshmallow! Marshmallow magic is when marshmallows hit the center of the Earth, thus making everything into a marshmallow.

Then, the God zaps the entire Earth with marshmallow beams from his marshmallow staff, and almost everything turns into marshmallow.  He floats back into the sky. The world is entirely white, and everything is squishy and bouncy. There is one thing that isn’t exactly marshmallow: it’s every liquid. The liquids are made out of squished marshmallow, or melted marshmallow. The people have carved marshmallow smiley faces, with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, with two fluffy ears. Fluffy doesn’t notice at first, but when he looks at himself in the marshmallow mirror, he sees that he is a marshmallow and that everything else is marshmallow, too.

He is initially surprised, then scared, then happy because there are always marshmallows to eat. He then decides he doesn’t like how it looks. The whole scenery is made out of marshmallows, so no one can taste or smell, because everything smells and tastes like marshmallows, but they are able to feel, see and hear. Fluffy misses the other two senses. Fluffy not only misses his two senses, but he misses beautiful flowers, he misses color, and he also misses having arms and legs, as he wants to walk and grab things. He also fears being eaten by another marshmallow, because since everything looks like a marshmallow, someone might think he’s an object. Also, toys are no longer fun since they’re all just marshmallows, along with TV and video games. Fluffy realizes that since                       there is a Marshmallow God, there must be a Marshmallow Heaven. He decides he wants to go to Marshmallow Heaven to face the Marshmallow God. However, he is distracted by China, which is much closer now since the marshmallows are so squishy, and he decides to eat a small part of it. He takes a bite of the Forbidden City. It tastes so good that everyone begins eating it.

Meanwhile, Fluff Ball, after going to school in the morning, is begging his science teacher to let his name be Joe again.

The science teacher says, “No, you can’t have your old name back, or I will zap you with my invention!”

Fluff Ball walks away, calls Fluffy, and hatches a plan to zap the science teacher with his own invention! But once everything turns into marshmallow, the invention no longer works. The engine is made out of marshmallow and doesn’t work. Fluff Ball decides to eat the machine, and then calls himself Joe again. The teacher, however, still calls him Fluff Ball. He plans to make a new machine if the world turns back to normal.

Fluffy and Fluff Ball decide to buy a jet and find the Marshmallow Heaven that the Marshmallow God lives in in order to defeat him. They leave from the marshmallow runway and fly into the sky. Zoom!

The Heaven is split up into different dimensions with all kinds of Gods and Devils. The Gods have Heavens with golden gates and unlimited luxuries. The Devils have blood everywhere, pitchforks, corpses, and more bloooood. Heaven is pretty much a dream, while the pieces of Hell are pretty much nightmares. The Gods float around, while the Devils sit on thrones which are red and black with torches on either side. The seats are also covered in blood. The thrones have red cloud puffs underneath them, and fire besides. Hell and Heaven rest side by side with no real barrier. The Devils and Gods can come and go as they please, which is why certain Gods and Devils fall from the sky. Holes in the clouds open up and Devils and Gods float down from the holes until they land on the ground. Some Gods are more powerful than others; for example, the Marshmallow God isn’t as powerful as the Chainsaw God, who could easily kill the Marshmallow God.

However, since they live in different dimensions, they leave each other alone. The Devils are monsters, while the Gods are ghosts.

So, after getting to Heaven, the boys see the Marshmallow God. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” the Marshmallow God says.

“We’ve come here to get our world turned back to normal!” says Fluffy.

“Never!”  

“I declare a fight! Charge!” Fluffy yells. “If we win, the world is saved, if you win, the world is stuck as a marshmallow forever.”

“Okay.”

Evil marshmallows start attacking. They are marshmallows with tiny little legs and tall, pointy spears.

The evil marshmallow men say, “We are going to eat you!”

“Wait,” Fluff Ball says, “can’t we just eat them?”
“Great idea!” Fluffy says. Fluffy and Fluff Ball start eating all of the evil marshmallow men.

The Marshmallow God says, “I will marshmallowify you!”

Fluffy and Fluff Ball decide to eat the Marshmallow God’s arms and legs, along with his staff. The staff is made of a bunch of marshmallows stuck together with curved marshmallows along the sides. Then, after eating the Marshmallow staff, they think they are stuck as marshmallows! But then, the Marshmallow Devil comes. “I will remove all marshmallows from Earth!” He waved his staff and removed all of the marshmallows from the whole world. Fluffy and Fluff Ball turn back into humans.

Fluffy is now sad, because he realizes that he will miss marshmallows! So Fluffy seeks revenge. He challenges the Marshmallow Devil to a battle. The Devil brings Fluffy and Fluff Ball to Marshmallow Hell. The Devil turns things into marshmallows before destroying them. Fluffy wins by using karate! Fluffy chops the horns off of the Devil, and cuts off his wings, too! He knocks the Devil out. The Devil returns the regular marshmallows to Earth.

Fluffy and Fluff Ball fly back to Earth in their jet. They become famous for saving the day!

Then, the Carrot God falls from the sky and turns the world into a carrot!

Fluff Ball gets angry that the world is entirely made out of carrots, so he takes a carrot and throws it at the Carrot God. However, the God only gets stronger!

“Wait, don’t bunnies eat carrots?” Fluffy says. Fluffy, realizing this, takes his pet bunny, Hoppy, and unleashes him onto the Carrot God. The Carrot God runs away screaming with his arms in the air, and is defeated. Then, the Carrot Devils fall from the sky. Fluffy realizes that the Devil must be the opposite of the God, so his weakness must be carrots. Fluffy takes the Devil this time and Fluff Ball takes the God.

A few months later, they see the Fur Ball God. Fluffy and Fluff Ball realize that, like the Carrot God, the Fur Ball God’s strength must be his element. Fluff Ball thinks for a moment. He realizes that the Fur Ball God could be easily sucked up by a vacuum. So, Fluffy takes a vacuum and suckes the Fur Ball God up. Right after, they see the Fur Ball Devil. They throw fur balls at him until he dies. This time Fluffy gets the God and Fluff Ball gets the Devil.

Then Paper God and Paper Devil come down simultaneously. Before they can turn the world into paper, Fluff Ball starts throwing paper at the Paper Devil, who is soon defeated. Then, Fluffy, realizing the Paper God is made of paper, throws the Paper God into a shredder and kills him.

Fluffy and Fluff Ball decided to make a series of days called The Random God Days. Each year they would celebrate Marshmallow God Day, Carrot God Day, Paper God Day, etcetera, by having a parade.

Then, something that isn’t a God falls from the sky: a carrot! Fluffy and Fluff Ball are in their house when they see the carrot.The carrot that falls from the sky hits all but one of the remaining element Gods. Then, a meteor crashes into them and they explode into a million pieces. The Devils also get hit by the meteor and die.

Then, the Army God, the last remaining element God, falls from the sky. The army God is an army of many people with red and gold armor, with red helmets with a gold trim. They have iron swords. Each army member looks exactly the same. They are all men who stand about five feet tall. They also each have a pair of wings.

Fluffy and Fluff Ball feel worried because there are so many army members, and only two of them. They decide to make a few other friends, so there are now ten people fighting. The other eight people are named Jackie, Matilda, Emily, John, Lawrence, Liam, Eric, and William. They cover themselves in cardboard armor and they have nerf guns with them. They go into battle! However, they realize the nerf guns aren’t powerful enough. So, they put on very spiky shoes and kick each army guy in the face. When they get to the last army guy, he puts all of the army’s armor on, but the boys still kick him in the face. Thus, the Army God is defeated. Now, all of the humans rejoice because all of the Gods and Devils are officially defeated.

 

But the Original God and Devil get angry that all of the element Gods and Devils were defeated. The Devil says, “I want to turn the Earth into a dark, fiery place!”

The God says, “I want to turn all of the Earth into Heaven!”

The God and Devil fight for many years, and they are placed in a museum inside of a glass cage. They even make it a show! Everybody gets to see the God and the Devil fighting.

The end.

Surprise!

 

Chapter One

It Happened!

It did, it did happen, I got my ears pierced and it’s my birthday and another thing, it is summer! I walk into my room and lie down, I was so happy! I lay down for a little nap. I always wanted to get my ears pierced since I was 7 years old, and now I am turning 12.

I walk down the stairs to get a drink in the kitchen. I was so thirsty, because I had not had a drink in a few hours so I had one. I think that this time I will have some Sprite, because it is my favorite drink. Just then Mom comes into the room. ”Chloe, honey, you still happy about the earrings that you picked?” she says and gives me a wink.

“Of course I am, Mom!” I answer to her like she is crazy.

Then I go back up to my room and sit at my desk to read my favorite book, Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker. After I read the second chapter I stop to think about how my aunt got me it when I turned 10 and I hated it, but when I turn 11 I read it again and liked it a lot so, now I read it a lot. I walk to my little sister Amanda’s room. (Just so you know I tend to walk around a lot when I am happy, as you can see.)

She is lying on her bed that I used to have when I was her age and then I didn’t want it, so I gave it to her to her.

I ask her, “What are you doing?”

“I am reading Darla Decker Hates to Wait by Jessica McHugh.”

“What is that book?”

“Well, it is about a girl named Darla Decker, and how she survives her first year of middle school.”

“Cool. Can I read it after you finish?”

“Of course you can.”

Then I walk out of the room into the hallway. I was starting to think that nobody cared about how I was turning 12, that was a big age for me to turn, and every birthday that I have had they all were talking about it so much, this was not like them to not talk to me about my birthday.

 

Chapter Two

Spoiler Alert!

 

Just then Amanda pulls me into her room to tell me something I think. I am not sure though.

“Chloe, I should not be telling you this but-I just won’t…” she pauses. (She is really bad at keeping secrets.)

“But I really want you to,” I say and give her one of those boo hoo faces.

“Well I guess I can.”

“OK then tell me.”

“Well, we are planning-”

“A surprise party?” I ask.

“Well yes, how did you know?”

“Well it was pretty easy to tell.”

“Since I told you, you have to promise me a few things.”

“OK, what are they?”

“Well one of them are that tomorrow when we all say surprise! You have to pretend that you do not know?”

“Okay, what else?”

“Well, you also can not tell them that I told you ever, ever, and forever.”

“I promise.”

“You really do?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Now go somewhere else in the house so Mom and Dad don’t find out.”

“Okay, I will.”

I go back out to the hall and surprisingly I see my younger brother James at the top of the stairs, he is only 1 year old so he can only say words like mama, and gaga, and that kind of stuff that babies say.

This time he says, “Mama, Mama.”

And I say back, “Here, follow me.” I think he actually heard me because he followed me down the steps really slowly, of course. As we were walking down the steps I looked up at the cleaning and started to think about what Amanda said to me and how I could not tell my parents about it, but we reached the last step I tripped! Then Mom came over. This was the hardest part. My stomach had butterflies in it! I could not tell her that I knew. She walks to the couch with me in her arms, I am pretty light I have to say.

“Sorry about that, honey.”

“No, that’s OK. It was my fault, I was looking up at the wall while walking down the steps.”

“Why were you looking up at the wall?”

“Well, I was thinking.”

“And exactly what were you thinking about?” Mom says, like she is weirded out.

“Well I forget,” I say, really anxious about the answer to that.

“OK, well you better be careful next time. But remember to tell me when you find out,” she exclaimed, I felt like what she said was from a movie.

“OK, I will tell you when I find out,” I say shaking, but the bad kind of shaking.

“Good, and you know I want the truth.”

 

Chapter Three

What Party?

After that discussion I go to the kitchen to get something to eat. I look in the refrigerator and see some bananas, apples, and some other things. I think I will go with a banana I think. I eat my banana and then go to the couch to rest for a few minutes. After about five minutes go by, and I think how I am going to survive through this.

Mom was the first step to it, and if I lied to her I would probably be in big trouble. I go to Mom and Dad’s room to check if either of them were there they were not, because I wanted to learn more about the party by spying on them.

So I look out the window to see if they were outside, they were, they were on the bench talking, maybe I could spy on them by looking out the window from the dining room. The only thing was that they might see me, and I would get in REALLY big trouble for doing that, and that would be even worse since it is my birthday.

I think I will just try, and if they started to look the way that I was I will just go and hid behind the big vase that is right next to the door.

Yes, I am pretty smart in that way. I walk down the steps quietly so that if Amanda or James, well not so much James because he can’t talk, don’t hear my footsteps and then ask me what I am doing and if they did then I would be in really big trouble, but not as much trouble as I would be for sneaking up on my parents.

After I hit the last step of the stairs I tiptoe to the opening living room to see if they were there, I hid behind the wall and poke my head in there, but I could see no one. I listen to see if I can hear anything suspicious going on in there, nope know one in there. That is good because that is the closest room from the door.

 

Chapter Four

Really

The next room I will have to check in the kitchen to see if they are in there, as Mom says, “Check everything before you do what you want to do.”

I always thought that it was so annoying whenever she said it, but now, it is actually really useful to me at least. But Mom and Dad, it would make no sense for them to use it at this point.

I just realized that I am trying to hear them talk, and I was just trying to look out the window for the answer!

I rush back up the stairs, this time not careful at all about how maybe Amanda or James would hear me, and even if they did it would not matter to me. I go to Mom and Dad’s room and open the window now I did not have to worry, and could find out what they were talking about! I first don’t really hear but then I catch on.

Mom first says, “Honey, I am not so sure if we should still have the party or not.”

“Well, maybe we will just tell her that there will be a party.”

“I don’t think so, I have a funny feeling that she knows that we are planning a surprise party.”

Just now I got a funny feeling that they are going to find out, but also that I will not have a surprise party. I was really excited about it, and now they may not do the party!

Also I wonder if Amanda knows to, and if she knew that it was not going to happen before she told me, and it was a trick so that I would be excited. But I also did not know why they may cancel the party and if they were actually going to tell me, I would have to act out being sad, and as they know I am really bad at acting. I think I will go downstairs and ask Amanda if she knows.

I walk down the steps and go to the living room to see if she was there playing with her dolls. She was, which was a good thing for me, also I am relieved that I did not come down to spy on Mom and Dad now because then Amanda would be here and that would be really bad.

I go and sit next to her.

She is still playing with her dolls, and does not care about me sitting here next to her maybe I should just ask her.

 

Chapter Five

The Answer

“Amanda, did Mom and Dad tell you that they may cancel the party?” I was kind of hoping that she would say that she knew about it, because then I wouldn’t have to tell her all about it again.

“Well, they just walked outside after they told me that they may cancel the party.”

“So you do know that.”

“Yeah, I guess. How do you know?”

“Well, I kind of looked out of their window because I wanted to see what they were talking about,” I say with a sorry kind of face.

“Did you hear anything else while you were listening to them? Because all I know is that they may cancel the party.”

“No I did not, all I know is that they may cancel the party too.”`

“Well do you know why they are canceling the party?”

“No, but I think that it maybe because James has a little cold and they do not want anyone to get sick at your party.”

“But, I thought that only family is coming.”

“That is one thing that I did not tell you about the party.”

“What is it again?”

“It is that all your friends are coming to the party too if we still have one.”

“Oh that will be fun to have my friends here.”

“Yes it will if we get Mom and Dad to have the party still, but remember that you can not tell them about how you know.”

“Okay, I will not tell them ever, I already told you I was never going to tell them.”

“Thank you.”

After about five minutes of that I go outside and ask Mom like I did not hear them talk before what they were talking about, “What are you talking about I say.”

“Well we were talking about…”She paused for a minute, I bet it was because they were afraid to tell me.

 

…To be continued…

Stupid Cow – A Play

 

Scene 1

Setting – A palace and a farm on Mars

 

HAIRY COW

I am a hairy cow

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

Aaah you will never catch us! We will stop you!

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

Oh I’ll catch both of you if it’s the last thing I do! Just let me get my electric pitchfork!

 

CUTE SQUIRREL  

Hold On.

 

HAIRY COW  

I don’t care.

 

MARTIAN FARMER

Oh yes, hold on indeed. I will be back in just a quick second.

 

HAIRY COW  

I need to use the bathroom

 

CUTE SQUIRREL  

I will hurt you! I will put cameras in his house and stalk him!!!

 

CUTE SQUIRREL  (cont.)

Oh no he is back! I am just finished.

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

All right now hold still, let me just knock you out a bit!

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

I will stop him!!!

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

No you can’t! You’re just a useless ratty little pipsqueak squirrel!!!

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

Sasy Gade! Dooo hooo!

 

HAIRY COW  

I want to be killed.

 

CUTE SQUIRREL  

You’re not smart at all!

 

MARTIAN FARMER jabs the cow with the electric pitchfork sending 2000 volts into his body. HAIRY COW faints.

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

I’m going in the barn!

 

He runs to the barn. Farmer runs after him into the barn, but can’t find CUTE SQUIRREL. SQUIRREL stalks him with his stalking device.

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

I will find you, you little rat.

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

Bukbuk!

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

Ha, got you, chicken!

 

HAIRY COW

So this is what it’s like to be dead.

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

You’re not dead.

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

What?!

 

HAIRY COW

Yes I am.

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

No you are not!

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

What?!

 

HAIRY COW

Yes I am!

 

CUTE SQUIRREL

No you are not!

 

MARTIAN FARMER  

Whatever.

 

HAIRY COW

Yeah whatever.

Summer Feet (Excerpt)

Climb. In the backyard is a small mountain, big enough to climb. I am really good at climbing, so my best friend Andrew tells me. The thing is this isn’t the colored rocks they have on the wall at school. This is real.

I have no harness but I don’t care. I lift my body off the ground, reach for the rock above, my body pulls itself up. I try to calculate the way my arms and legs will be for my next move, but it isn’t easy without the colors. I manage to imagine the colors like at school but it isn’t easy.

But somehow, in my next three moves I am at the top. I look down at Hope, Jance, and Caleb. Since the jump isn’t that high I jump to the ground. letting my bare feet hit the hard roots. I hesitate to show pain, but after a while I just smile.

“You know you just did that in less than a minute,” Hope says.

I seem shocked myself. “Well, it was fun.”

Speed Runner

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Arnold. Arnold loved dogs. He wanted to be one when he died, so when he realized doctors were testing dogs, he went to one of the labs. When he was at the lab, he found all of the shots, but he didn’t know what the shots did so he grabbed random shots and injected them into himself and passed out.

When he woke up, he could see everything in slow motion and he could run very fast. So he wanted to use his powers to help people and to keep his city clean, but there was someone always standing in his way.

Doctor Lance Booper Dooper made everyone in the world sick, so Arnold had to stop him. They were throwing left and rights and Arnold threw Doc through four walls by lifting him and spinning him around, and when he let go he was already at the end of the apartment, yet they were on the rooftop so all Arnold had to do was tap Doc and he would fall from the four story building to his death.

After that, he destroyed the Slickinator with c4 and everyone came out of their houses to see what was different about the air. Arnold was running threw the street yelling, “You’re safe everyone, Arnold has saved the day.”                                                          

P.S. That’s how he got the name Flash.    

Staying Strong

“Today’s the day!” I yell down the stairs.

My mom turns to me. “Hey, Spencer, be safe, okay?”

I nod. “Okay.” I grab a waffle from the counter and shove it in my mouth. I walk over to the stairs as I hear Troian tripping down the stairs with our bags.

“You could have helped, you know.”

I shrug. “Oops.” I run up to where Troian is and grab my bag. I set my bag down at the bottom of the stairs. “Bye, Mom!”

My mom runs over to me and gives me a hug. “You think you could escape without a hug? You and Troian are traveling across the country to visit colleges!”

I smile. “I’ll miss you.”

Troian drops her bag and joins the hug.

Mom lets go. “You better get going,” she says. “You don’t want to be late.

I nod. “Bye, mom.”

Troian waves as we exit the door with our bags. Troian turns to me, “Hey, do you want to drive?”

I scoff. “Nice try.”

Troian lets out a sigh of anger. We set our stuff in the closets of the trailer as Troian hops into the driver’s seat.

I sit next to her and slip a water bottle into her cup holder. “Let’s pick up Carter first, she’s closer.”

Troian nods and backs out of the driveway.

 

On The Road

“Alright, here we go!” Aria yells.

“I’m too tired to be excited, but trust me, I am,” Shay says.

I grab a soda out of the mini-fridge and pop it open. “Why are you so tired, Shay?”

She yawns and slouches down on the couch. “I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been up since four.”

Carter sucks her teeth. “I guess we’ll have to stop at a coffee shop, won’t we Troian?”

Troian smiles. ”Yes indeed.”

 

Coffee Shop

“Alright, now that we’ve got our coffee, Shay can finally rise from the dead,” I say while glaring at Shay.

She pulls her eyebrows together. “Hey, I am not that bad.” We all glare at her as she sighs. “Fine, maybe I am.”

Carter lifts her eyebrow.

“Guys, we should get back to driving. If we’re not in California in time, the scout won’t be able to reschedule our meeting,” Aria says as she sips her coffee.  

We all head back to the trailer, realizing it was unlocked.

“Oh no,” Troian says as she opens the door.

“Do you think anyone, or anything, got into it?” I ask Troian as she’s looking at everything.

“Doesn’t look like it. I think we’re good.”

Aria gives a sigh of relief. “Good.”  

We all get in, and we start driving again.

 

Who’s There?

“Alright ladies, we’re gonna stop for a few hours and rest,” I say as everyone looks exhausted.

Troian parks the trailer as we all crawl to the back.

“Troian, Aria, and I will share a room, and Carter will stay with Shay,” I say as everyone is already half asleep. We all squeeze into one king-sized bed and head off to sleep.

I’m the first one to wake up, so I look around for a clock. I whisper to myself, “There was a clock, right here.” Then it hits me. We are no longer in the trailer. I get up and turn the doorknob. The door won’t budge.

Then I hear a man’s voice. “Exit your room.”

I stand there wondering if I should leave them here and hopefully they will be safe. But if we’re not in the trailer, I can’t trust anything around us. I turn back and shake them. “Wake up and follow me. But no questions, I don’t know a single thing about what’s going on.”

Troian and Aria roll out of bed and follow me. I open the door to see Shay and Carter. We give them a big hug as they look extremely worried.

“Guys, what’s going on?” Aria asks.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we’re not in the trailer,” Troian adds on.

Shay bites her lip and says, “We’re not.”

Carter sighs and takes a step towards us. “We looked around. Someone abducted us overnight and put us here.”

Troian sheds a tear.

“I can’t believe this,” Aria says.

“We need to figure out where we are and who took us,” I say, worried. “More importantly, we need to get a hold of the police, and hopefully they can track us down.”

We all nod in agreement.

 

 Stranded

“We’ve been here for days,” Carter says.

I nod slowly.

“Yeah. Maybe if the college scout calls our moms, they’ll know something happened to us and come looking for us,” Troian says, as happy as possible.

“Why are you so happy? We’ve been stranded in a basement, or who knows where, with a slice of bread for a meal and a shot of water. This is not paradise, Troian. This may be a big break from school, but it’s no better. And who says they’ll find us? Who knows, we could be inside of Mt. Fuji for all we know,” Aria snaps then takes a breath. “Look, I’m sorry for snapping and getting all your hopes down.”

Troian nods. “It’s fine.”

 

Torture

We wake up once again, but not in the same place. We’re on a surgery table.

“What?” I say as a try to lift my head up, but I’m strapped down.

“What’s happening?” Carter says in a shaky voice.

Then, a voice appears on the speakers. “Please lift yourself up, and exit the room.”

As the chains lift up, we lift as well with a force helping us. We walk out of the room and the door locks behind us.

“What just happened?” Aria asks while we’re all whimpering.

“I think they just put us in a gas chamber,” Troian replies.

We’re all sitting there, trying to cover our noses and mouths. Shay wraps her sweater around her face as I dig mine into my hands. All of a sudden, the ground moves up fast.

“Is this some kind of elevator?” Shay yells as she’s trying to overlap the sound of the ground. As soon as the ground stops, The walls fall down and there is glass. We can see out of where we are, but there’s no way out.

“Oh my gosh,” Troian says as her jaw is practically touching the ground. “We were in Stanford’s gym basement…”

 

Finding a Way Out

We all bang on the glass door, but it’s bulletproof. We try screaming, but nothing works. All of a sudden, we all hear that voice. “There are five doors out of here. You all get one try to find out where the right doors are. If you find one, you are set free. But chose wisely.”

After the speaker shuts off, about fifty doors show up.

“Oh jeez,” Shay says as she exhales.

I can see Troian’s face light up. “I know how we can determine which ones are a way out. Just hold your ear against the door and see if you hear anything. If you don’t, it’s not a way out.”

We all try to put a smile on our faces. I approach a door. I put my ear up to it and hear talking. “I found one!” I say as I open the door and stand right there waiting for the rest of them to find one.

 

Safe

After we all found a real door, we run to a phone and call the police. About six hours later, our parents had arrived and flew back home with us. After what happened, everywhere I went, my mom went with me. At school, she hired a bodyguard to follow Troian and I everywhere we went — well, everywhere except the bathroom. My mom got a Masterlock on the doors and the garage. We felt a little bit safer but not as safe as we would feel if they had caught the kidnapper.

Smith Beach

The Smell of the

Salty Breeze passing by,

Makes me feel so

FRESH.

The Taste of the

Bay Water,

Seeping into my mouth is

SALTY and makes me GAG.

I See The

sparkling bay water

and put my

toes in the sand,

and think “Ahhhhhh,”

as I relax.

I Hear the sound of the WAVES,

crashing on the beach that

sounds like a car whooshing by.

The WARM SAND feels

good on my feet,

and the water feels COOL

between my toes.

I listen to the Conch Shells

and hear the waves,

a beautiful, quiet sound.

I love Smith Beach

I never want to leave,

It is not very far to reach.

So go there now, it’s very great.

I’ve been going there

Since I was younger than eight.   

SOUP TIME!

John felt sick so his father told him to eat soup. He started to eat the soup and when he got to the bottom he found a squirrel in the soup.

He said, ”Daddy, can you get me a different type of soup? This soup has a squirrel in it.”

The dad gave him a different type of soup and then when he got to the bottom again, there was a piece of the moon.

He said, “Daddy, I need another soup, this one has a piece of the moon in it!” Then the dad gave him another type of soup, but this one had a key in it. The boy said,

“Dad this one has a key in it, can you get a different type of soup that is guaranteed to not have things in it?”

So the dad got him another soup, and there was a jetpack in it.

The boy said, “Ooh! Yay! Jetpack!” So he got it out, plugged in the key, turned it, the jetpack started, and he flew around the whole world. When he came back the father was waiting for him and he was very angry. He took the jetpack away, gave it to John’s mom, and she flew it but she didn’t know how to operate it and she died. The father tried it, and the same thing happened. Every person in the whole world tried it, even the animals, and they all failed. The boy thought he could rule the world, but there was one old man with a bunch of horses who were not stupid and they went and beat the kid up and John died. The old man ran to outer space on a spaceship with a horse, the horse was flying with the jetpack. The horse flew outside of the atmosphere, and the old man took the jetpack back and a different spaceship came along and shot the horse and blasted it to bits because it froze into ice and died. Then, I came along. I got the jetpack and the horses, the old man died, and I became a rodeo maker with a jetpack. I’m the only person in the whole wide world and I would never want any kids so it will be just myself and I’m immortal, I can get food for free, and I live happily ever after.

THE END   

Special (Prologue)

Prologue

As Alex walked along the sidewalk home from school, he kicked a rock, running to catch up to it every time.  By the time he reached Meadows Lane, he started walking and gave up on kicking his rock.  Alex loved school and was a great student, but that particular day, he had failed his math test.  He had studied for weeks and was eager to show his parents his “A,” but not until that afternoon when he got the results back, when the bright red “F” appeared in front of his eyes, was he disappointed.

Alex, along with Mia, his twin, was a perfectionist.  If he didn’t get something right, he would do it over and over again until it was perfect, but that didn’t happen much because usually he got everything right on his first try.  That’s just how Alex was.  He had to be perfect or he wouldn’t understand why there was a use for him in the world.  His teachers and sports coaches would always tell him that people are in the world to improve, but Alex wouldn’t listen.  

Alex wasn’t in a great mood for the rest of the day and he certainly wasn’t ready to arrive home, to see his parents’ reaction to his failing grade.  Alex’s parents weren’t the nice, helpful type.  They were strange.  Almost like they weren’t ready to be parents, or maybe they only wanted one kid, but either way, they weren’t the warm and fuzzy parents that Alex and Mia needed to get through their life in an ordinary way, without having obstacles in their way.  No hugs, no kisses, NO CARE.  It was like his parents had their own private world.  Or maybe Alex himself was in his own private world.

Alex couldn’t think of anywhere else to go, so he wandered into the woods.  He loved to hear the chirping of the birds from the treetops above as he immersed himself in the forest.  All the trees were familiar to him.  They all looked the same, except for one.  It was shorter and fatter than all the others.  It had a special glow and sparkle around it that made it stand out, but besides that, it stood out to Alex because it was different and left out from the other trees.  Alex felt connected by that string of similarity.  He visited it very often.  He called it the “SPECIAL TREE”

Sofia’s Quest

Sofia, a 10-year-old girl, was going on a quest to find the rainbow jewel. The reason why she wanted to get the jewel was because she wanted to save her grandfather. Grandpa Joe always took her on adventures. When he was walking through the garden with Sofia on their last adventure, he touched a plant and it made him sick. Grandpa Joe was sick with a deadly sickness that made it hard for him to breath. Sofia had heard that there were lots of evil devils on the way.

When Sofia was passing a rock, she saw a man dressed in a fancy suit.

“Hello,” said the man. “I am going to a party, but can I ask you a favor? Can you take care of my lion?”

“Why?” asked Sofia.

“Because I want them to eat you!”

“I am sorry, but I knew this was a trick,” Sofia said. “I have a feeling that you are a devil,” she shouted.

“Not so fast,” he said. “How do you know I am a devil?”

“I know that because I have read about you in my books! I am off to find my jewel.”

“Do you know why I asked you to do this?” the devil asked.

“Why?” Sofia demanded.

“I asked you this because I wanted to stop you from getting the jewel,” the devil said.

“Well, that’s not going to work!” Sofia said.

Sofia stomped off. Then, she passed an apple tree and she had a snack. And then, Sofia camped outside overnight. She felt a little bit nervous about doing that. She was in a meadow, but she had to be careful because there were dangerous animals there: mosquitos and wolves.

When she wasn’t sleeping, she heard soft footsteps in the night. She went outside to see what was going on. Then, she saw a werewolf. She knew it was a werewolf because it was half-man and half-wolf. The werewolf was big and wore a T-shirt that said, “I Will Eat You!”

When he saw Sofia, he ran toward her. He was fast. Sofia was scared. She went back into the tent. Then, she had an idea. She went outside again and dug out worms. The werewolf was still out there, but he didn’t see because she was leaning against the tent.

She dropped the worms and said, “Here is your dinner. Don’t eat me.” The werewolf ate the worms and he went away.

The werewolf came back and he said, “Thank you. Is there anything that I can do for you?”

Sofia said, “Can you come with me on my journey to find the rainbow jewel?”

The werewolf said, “Yes.”

Then, Sofia rode on the werewolf’s back.

They went to a graveyard. They saw a ghost. He was one of those ghosts who doesn’t have a white cloth, he was transparent. He looked like a mummy and he told them, “Go to Egyptia.”

He tried to convince them by saying, “There are treasures,” but he didn’t tell them that there were a lot of mummies in Egyptia. There were only two mummies that were good, and the rest were bad. The mummies had powers to freeze people forever.

Sofia said, “Sure, we’ll go to Egyptia.”

When they first got to Egyptia, it didn’t look like what they expected. Everything was made out of solid gold. Then, they went into a castle and they met the Mummy King. He was wrapped up in bandages and he had a crown. The Mummy King said, “Why are you here?”

Sofia and the werewolf say, “The mummy sent us here for treasure.”

The Mummy King said, “I won’t give you any. I sent him to trap you. Now, you have a choice: Your choices are, you either get frozen, or you can work as a servant.”

Sofia said, “None!”

“Well, if you choose none of them then I will choose for you. I choose that you will be our servant!” he yelled.

While Sofia was sweeping, she caught sight of something rainbow! The rainbow jewel! Sofia took the jewel. Sofia took the jewel home! She gave it to her grandfather! He was healed!

But slowly, a shadow appeared. It was the Mummy King! Sofia hid the jewel and used a fake plastic jewel to replace the real one! When the mummy came in, he glared at Sofia. She took the fake jewel and threw it at the mummy! The king mummy took the fake jewel and ran away!

The End

Spank Union

Once upon a time there lived a tennager named Lenwood Heath. He was a big troublemaker. He burned his neighbor’s trash can and knocked down trash cans while he skateboarded. His parents got so sick of what he did so they sent him to the Spank Union Military Academy.

Lenwood really hated to go to a military academy but his dad said, “It will get  you into good shape and change your behavior!” So Lenwood started to pack his bags  but  he didn’t pack the right things. This is what he packed: five bottles of grape soda, 99 candy bars, his computer, iPhone, and iPad.

His dad said, “LLLEEENNNWWWOOODDD!!!”

“Yeah Dad?”

“You packed the wrong stuff. What will the Spank Union say!?”                        Imagine…

“Private Lenwood!”

“Yes sir.”

“I am going to kick you out of Spank Union.”

“…”  

POOF.  

So later his dad emptied everything in Lenwood’s bag and gave him his military uniform and he boarded the bus and went to the military academy.
THE END!

Sigh: The Story of Bill, and How He Escaped From One of the Most Infamous Criminals of All Time.

Part 1

Living in an apartment on K Street is a guy called Bill who doesn’t know what to do with his life. Every day he wakes up at six and eats cereal. He checks his messages but doesn’t have any. He goes to work. He comes home from work at seven. He watches Netflix on the couch and eat chips until midnight. He goes to sleep at two. Then one day, that all that changed.

Bill was sleeping in bed at 12:01 in the morning on Friday the 13th when an evil leftover piece of cereal that had been forgotten used its anger and revenge power to tap into his brain and get him off his schedule. Getting off schedule was like death for Bill. He woke up at 12:01 instead of 6. He jumped out of bed and started screaming his head off! Help, help! All the neighbors starting flowing into his house trying to see what was wrong. What they found was a crazy dude yelling about some evil cereal. When they finally calmed him down, they called a psychiatrist. They also called 911 and an ambulance that took him to a mental hospital where he came in contact with some pretty serious characters. One of these people was a deranged guy who was telling a story to the doctors about how he ran on to a football field in a wrestling outfit. Life couldn’t be better, thought Bill.

At the hospital bed, there was a really weird doctor who kept spazzing out about how cereal cannot take over people’s brains. But, what Bill didn’t know was that this particular doctor was evil and was using reverse psychology to try to make Bill think everything was going to be all right. Plus, the spazzing was from his days as an actor and he learned to overreact very well.

So, while Bill was getting some rest, the doctor used ESP to contact his leftover cereal minions to close in on Bill’s mind and force him to obey His Evil Highness DAVE! Dave became a doctor 30 years ago when his life failed. He was accepted to all the Ivy League schools, but chose none of them, and instead opted to create a theatre company with the aid of his friend. They were broke after three years. So, he felt a career in medicine would be his last option. While in medical school, he became interested in villainous activity. Through his mad science professor, he found out that in order to be able to control random objects, all he has to do is pick out ten little girls going shopping with their mothers, and while they are crowding around looking at Barbies, he snatches them all up and takes them to the mental hospital. There, he uses the girls as an advertisement to entice people to come help them. Then, he takes more people. The benefit of the stolen people is that he slowly sucks out the brainpower of these helpless individuals to strengthen his mind control.

Back to Bill. He was lying in bed thinking, This is the best day of my life. This was more action than he had ever had and he wanted to keep it that way. This was way better than any of those fake Netflix movies. This was the real deal. So, to make it even more interesting, Bill got out of bed and went up to Doctor Dave. He said “May I please have a glass of whiskey?”

Part 2

“Whaaat?” Doctor Dave roared. “You want whiskeeey???”

“Y-y-yes,” Bill stammered. “Is t-t-there anything w-w-wrong with t-t-that?”

“Yeees, are you kidding meeee? Listen Bob, or whatever your name is, you are in an insane hospital!” he screeched. “If we give you drinks you will become haywire!” yelled Doctor Dave.

“The funny thing is, Mr. Doctor Dave, is that you are looking even more insane than me at the moment, and I am supposed to be the crazy one.”

Then, Doctor Dave started breathing, the first time Bill had heard him do so. He thought that Doctor Dave was calmer, but in actuality he was getting ready for the final punch. Dave opened the medicine refrigerator and dumped a whole big 99.8 fl. oz (about 25 liters) bottle of whiskey right on Bill’s head! The whiskey made him drowsy and all His Evil Highness had to do to knock Bill out was flick his face. So, now that Bill was out cold, Doctor Dave could drain out all of Bill’s brainpower. But, it was an interesting brainpower-sucking experience, because Bill did not have a lot going on with his life, there was not a lot going through his head.

Next: What will Bill’s brain do to Dave?

Part 3

Bill was lying on a padded table, asleep, and Doctor Dave was standing over him, his eyes closed,  hands above his ears, and grunting loudly. When Doctor Dave started to drain Bill’s brainpower, Bill started to twitch uncontrollably. But Dave didn’t notice. Suddenly, Bill woke up. This had never happened before. Bill looked around. There was Doctor Dave concentrating very hard on something. Bill couldn’t tell what he was doing. It looked as if he was trying to think or it was something else worth not explaining. He didn’t know why he was here, but in any case, needed a coffee. “Hey Doc, I’m goin’ for a Starbucks. See ya!” said Bill, and walked out. After getting coffee, he went home, was asleep at midnight, and thought What a weird and funny day before dozing off.
THE END       

Seedfolks

I was just an ordinary person. I was doing my shopping and just happened to pass by a big parking lot, but full of people planting flowers and fruits and vegetables. Seeing so many of them there and what they were doing got me interested. I wondered if they even went to the grocery stores anymore, seeing as they have their own growing before their eyes.

After seeing the garden, I decided to go to the store the next day and buy some gardening tools. I also got pack of tomato seeds, corn seeds, and sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds were for me to eat if I got hungry, also to help me make some friends at the garden. I didn’t really know how to take care of a garden, which made me think why I even going to try. But if I could make some friends, and then successfully start a garden, I wouldn’t have to go to the store a spend as much money buying food.

Once I arrived at the garden, I found some space next to an elderly couple, who looked pretty professional. Their plants were all almost as tall as them, towering over the rest of the plants growing. As I laid down my tools, I saw that they were backing away from their plants, admiring them, and I thought to myself this is my chance. I walked up to them, said hi, and then asked if they could give me a few pointers on how to start growing my plants. They kindly replied but said that they were only filling in for their son, who had gotten sick and could not care for his plants. He had asked them to just water them two times a day and make sure no one violated them.

After I got that answer, I felt slightly nervous about how I was supposed to grow a bunch of plants without even knowing how. For a moment I even felt like quitting, but then I saw a little girl watering her plants, growing them tall, with green leaves, and bright yellow corn. I decided to just dig a hole and put some seeds in. After that I covered the hole with dirt and watered it. But I still didn’t have a fence or string to mark my space. After I realized that, I sat there, thinking. Then I decided to make a line in the dirt with my shovel, showing people my territory. Then I rushed off to the store and bought some yarn. I then ran back to my space, and stuck some sticks that I found in the dirt and tied the string between them, showing people my space.

The next day, I came back to my site, and saw the elders were back. I sat down on the ground to plant a few more seeds. We started a conversation. They asked me if I had gardened before, or if this was my first time. I said that it was my first time, and told them that I really did not know what I was doing. That I was just experimenting different ways to grow my plants.

The next day, when I came back to check on my plants, I didn’t see them starting to sprout. So what I did was I emptied my whole bottle, showering water all over the the tiny seeds in the dirt.

I did the same that very afternoon and when my neighbors saw what I was doing to my plants, they told me that too much water would drown them, but too little would dehydrate them and they would still die.
After hearing that, I was afraid to plant any more seeds, after the catastrophe that was my first gardening experience. And so I waited to see if my seeds would ever evolve into sprouts. And on the seventh day of waiting, I had finally given up on that first set of seeds.

Then, without hesitation, I went back to the garden, and planted 15 more seeds. I was so ready to restart with my garden because I saw that the experienced gardener was back in the garden, weaving between plants, watering different amounts as he went. I then went over to him to ask how he had made his plants so successful.

Once I was within conversation distance, I told him my name, and asked what his was. He responded, and said his name was Tony. Then I asked him how he made his plants so big. He said he just used gut instinct. When I said that my gut instinct was to drown my plants, we both laughed. Then he told me to use only about one third of my bottle to water at a time, so as to flood the soil.

I did what he told me, and five days later, I saw sprouts. Tiny green stems poking out of the ground. I kept watering them that same amount of water from my bottle, and by the end of the first month, I had several tomatoes that were almost ready for eating. After my success with the tomatoes, I decided to plant some corn. With the corn, I did the same thing. The corn grew just like the tomatoes and I felt so proud of myself when I stepped back to admire them. Within the next few days, I had picked a bunch of tomatoes that tasted delicious in my salad. I also gave some to some of my friends. I did the same when my corn was picked the next month.

Amazed with my unexpected success, I felt the need to plant more seeds, let them grow, and eat them with a joyful smile on my face. But when I went to go plant them in the once rich soil, I felt that the ground was hard, and cold. I decided to pour water on the dirt to make it softer, and easier to dig in. But the water did not have this effect. The water seeped into the soil, making it wet, but not soft. And then I noticed browning leaves on others plants. I went back home, and when I checked my calendar, and discovered that it was nearly winter. And it would be a long time before my garden would be green again.

 

Schools Should Expand Their History Focuses

 

Schools should expand their history focuses. They shouldn’t concentrate only on one area of the world. Students will only know about the countries the teachers taught about. It’s also not fair to the students from the places they excluded in their teaching. These students feel excluded as well. I think it’s important to expand our history focuses so I want this to change.

The teacher’s job is supposed to be giving students knowledge about the whole world. But if they don’t include all the important places in the world, the parents will end up teaching about it instead of the teachers. And they still are paying money for the teachers to teach their children. My school studied World War II in history class once and the teacher talked only about what happened in the Western countries. When I learned about it, the teacher talked about the Jews and the Europeans but not about places in Asia where I was from, even though the events that happened between Japan and China were equally important. Because of their choice, I had to ask my parents about World War II in my country instead of the teachers teaching it. My parents ended up doing a job that the teachers were supposed to do. This problem existed despite the fact that my school was the United Nations International School. If the issue happened there, I can only imagine how much worse it would be in other schools.

Studying all the countries in the world is a great thing for all students. By studying some particular culture, society or region of the non-Western world (such as those of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Oceania), students will be able to broaden their understanding of human achievements and qualities beyond the Western countries. As the world becomes more connected, and at the same time more diverse, understanding all this is very helpful.

Lastly, if we only talk about Western history, students will only understand the western side of things and think that Western countries are always right. We need to see all points of views in order to let students decide what they want to think. It’s just not fair to the other countries to ignore their points of views. Ted Dickson, a high school teacher, thinks U.S. history talks mainly about all the great things about the country: “Do you encourage citizenship and patriotism by only talking about what’s great about the U.S.? Or do you encourage citizenship and patriotism by talking about not just the positives aspects of our history but also the parts that are negative and how we as a country strive to overcome those?”

This is why schools should expand their history focuses. It’s good for the students. It tells people they are respected so they won’t feel excluded. It also fulfills the reason kids are even brought to schools and gives parents a lot more free time and trust in the school.

School

Sunlight dusted the quiet city with gold

The first rhythms were heard within.

The eyes of the future flew down the paved streets

As the chiming bells rang their last sigh.

They scraped knowledge into the thin skin of trees

And sang the melodies of Before.

Some times they tried to break out of this world
And yearned for the merciless day to end.

Other times they unleashed their happy spirits within

And wished to freeze time to stay in the happy atmosphere forever.

Finally, as the blazing star decided to settle back down in the quiet sanctuary

They walked home, filled with new life.

RAP GOD

Five kids and one borderline one. Writing camp is a lot of fun. It’s the best camp ever it’s like knitting a sweater. Like I said it’s the best camp ever grace like Pandora one of my friend’s name is Nora this room might be small but the building is like a mall. Let me say these stories are something I wont miss. I am leaving in ten days and turtles is what I say. There are touchscreens in the room soon the world will be doomed.

“Drop the mike”        

Questions With Answers

Death is not a question

With an answer

Love is not fearless

Or blind

The might of the light

Is so bright

A ribbon of daylight is all I can see

Through the mist that is my eyelids

So why can I not

See the light?

The light that

Has blinded me for ages

Flashes of blue and silver

Cloud my vision

Red and gold

A blur of unseen colors

The unhealed light

So bright

It has ruined me

Ruined me

Colorblind

In my mind

I sway softly

The memory so long ago

I can’t make this up

I’m not a liar

Because I’m gone

I’ve been gone long ago

I can’t think

This is a journey

Love is not fearless

And death is not a question with an answer

 

Revise Your Entitlement

 

Cristiano

Chapter One

He is running through the walls dodging the hot, wet drain pipes, blinded by the steam. He knows the setup and where the pipes are by heart. He runs as the temperature gradually gets cooler and as the pipes slowly diminish until there are none. He goes through a dark tunnel with a beam of light. Only tiny dust particles are visible. He slowly crawls up to the source of the light. A tiny peephole where he looks through every Wednesday for the security guards office to make sure they have the right keys, the right faces and the right serial number on their certified weapons.

He turns around and walks away and knows that his building is safe. He runs through the pipes and is distracted by an odd smell that does not belong to any of the guards. He sighs as he returns to the peephole. He sees another tail, he jumps through the plywood that has been installed many times before because he made a hole from jumping through too many times. He lands on a ripped couch where he has landed many times before. He slowly gets low so the highest point of his body is his shoulders. He jumps on the left side of the couch onto the armrests onto the lamp. Right under the plywood, and onto the desk. Where he is always forced to be all up against the window overlooking the whole city of Manhattan. He hears rapid panting, then it becomes obvious.

An Old Friend

Chapter 2

“Juan, what are you doing on the 40th floor?” asked Cristiano.

“Well…” said Juan.

“You know you belong in the basement,” said Cristiano.

“Wow, man, just beca-” He got cut off by Cristiano.

“Don’t pull out THAT card,” said Cristiano.

Cristiano turned away from Juan in disgust and hopped on the lamp and into the the vent with the busted plywood. Walking into the darkness and back to his home, his ears tickled by the sound of a faint cry of a familiar voice. The cry of –“Pierre!” shouted Cristiano.

“Well hello,” said Pierre, standing in the way of him, blocking his path to his home.

A shadow cast over his face making his identity uncertain. He stepped out of the shadow while saying, “It’s been some time since I last saw you, Cristiano.” When he stepped out of the shadow, Cristiano could see his face was mangled. Cristiano was not surprised since he was the cat that got in the most fights. But it looked like he lost this one.

“Wha- what happened?” Cristiano was scared to ask.

“Nothing much, just another fight,” said Pierre. They were face to face now and Cristiano was paralyzed by fear from the cold stare Pierre was looking at him with. Pierre flinched just a little bit but it was enough for Cristiano to flinch way more heavily.

Cristiano fell on the floor and Pierre walked over Cristiano and scoffed, “Weak.” He walked away in the darkness with his his tail fading in the darkness. Cristiano got up and went home.

The next day Cristiano woke up to a faint noise of conversation escalating to an argument.

“He’s not awake, we could just take him!” said one of the two.

“We best not! He may not be awake now but at any moment he could wake!” said the other one.

Cristiano stood up very quickly. He saw that two they were both pitbulls like Juan is and they looked just like him. “C-c-could you be Juan’s brother?” Cristiano stuttered in confusion.

“Do you think you know where he is?” said the two pitbulls oddly in sync.

“Yeah follow me…” said Cristiano. They traveled down the building to the basement. On the first floor Cristiano could hear a faint sound of a dog barking. He knew it was Juan. They rushed to the basement but they were too late they heard a whimper and when they got down they saw a trail of blood. They followed the trail to a closet.

“Let me go first in case of danger,” said Cristiano.

He opened the closet and what he saw was atrocious.

“Oh no, Juan!” the pitbulls said.

“How do you know my brothers?” asked Juan.

“I-I-Don’t know,” replied Cristiano.

Rested

Chapter 3

“What does all this mean, out of all the time I knew you, you never mentioned brothers!” said Cristiano.

“Don’t get mad at me now!” yelled Juan. But only then Cristiano realized Juan’s condition. Juan was mangled and had the life beaten out of him. Cristiano was worried but was not surprised. He was not known for winning his fights. But Cristiano knew how to pick fights against others.

“Pierre!” shouted Cristiano. Pierre came out of the shadow of the hallway on the right of them.

“Again,” said Pierre in a distraught voice.

“Why are you scaring the others in the building?” asked Cristiano in a raging voice.

“Calm down, Cristiano,” said Pierre.

“Never use my name!” yelled Cristiano.

Cristiano took a swing at Pierre without knowing the consequences. Cristiano hit Pierre with his claws on his right paw.

Pierre only turned his head to Cristiano and looked at him with his cold, dead stare and and said, “Get him, boys!”

Cristiano was confused and trying to figure out what it meant but it was too late. He heard the brothers say, “Okay, boss.”

Then Cristiano saw black.

He woke up in his bed on the 40th floor. He was relieved to be home then he saw shadow dash in a corner. Then he look towards the hallway full of steam pipes. He could barely make out the outline of a another cat but he knew who it was.

“Fa-”

The Other

Chapter Four

Cristiano woke up to realize that his vision was only a dream. But he also realized where he was.

“Welcome back to the 100th floor!” said Pierre.

Cristiano looked up from the cold cement floor of the biggest air vent in the building. He saw Pierre and each one of Juan’s brothers on each side of Pierre.

“So you never knew Juan had brothers?” Pierre asked.

“We only have known each other for about two years, he never told me and I never asked him…” replied Cristiano.

Pierre scoffed and said, “Boys, where is Juan?”

“Oh, we did not really think we needed him. We dumped him in the vent,” replied the brothers in sync.

“What!? Is he dead?” said Pierre

“Yes.”

“No,” they both said different.

The one on the right said yes. Cristiano was shocked that Pierre manipulated them to not care about killing their own brother.

Pierre looked to the brother on the right and said, “Dump him off the roof.”

Cristiano was out of words by the amount of neglect for Juan. “But if I go, I have to have Jason by my side,” said the dog on the right.

“Just go or I kill you too!” yelled Pierre. The dog on the right ran. Cristiano tried to move but he was very weak. Pierre left and commanded Jason to watch Cristiano.

“So why do you work for Pierre?” asked Cristiano.

“Why? Why should you know!” yelled Jason.

“Because, maybe I could help you…” Cristiano persuaded Jason.

“Ever since our parents died Juan left us alone with no help so we worked hard to stay together, then Pierre took us under his wing ever since. So we trust him,” explained Jason.

“So why did you attack him?” asked Cristiano.

“Because he betrayed us and he deserved it!” said Jason.

“Wow, I can’t believe you!” said Cristiano. Cristiano took a deep breath and and got up and fell down again.

“Why am I so weak?” asked Cristiano.

“I don’t know…” replied Jason. Cristiano got up and it took more energy than it should have. He wanted to leave but before he could leave he got stopped

“Here’s a mouse to get back your energy, thanks,” said Jason. Cristiano went down to his 40th floor and went on his bed and looked at the mouse in his paws.

“This couldn’t hurt,” he said, and took a bite out of the mouse. His vision got blurry and fell down on his bed.

The Dream

Chapter Five

Cristiano was put unconscious.

“Look at yourself,” said the mysterious cat behind the steam.

“Who are you?” asked Cristiano.

“I am hurt by you not remembering me. Brother, you must get the prophecy my brother, the prophecy of –”

The mysterious cat was cut off by a slight tap on the back. Cristiano woke up, nothing was in front of him but when he looked back he saw Juan in a bloody, scratched up condition saying “help me!” in a weak wheezy voice. Before he could speak, Cristiano started sweating and breathing heavily.

Before he thought of anything he at where the mouse was but there was no mouse it was strange but it did not matter.

“What turn do I take?” Cristiano asked himself. Cristiano was troubled by the Prophecy he heard about. Cristiano made it his priority to find the prophecy. When Cristiano was leaving to unlock the mystery of the so called ”Prophecy” he knew just where to look. On the way to the 100th floor he saw a familiar tail in the corner of the vent. He went down and snuck behind the body of the tail. The body turned around only to find Cristiano lash out.

“Jason?” said Cristiano.

“Get off! Wait, what are you doing here? How did you find me?” Although Jason said get off, Cristiano did not get off because he wanted to get the revenge he deserved for the mouse but before he could do that he that he wanted one thing.

“Have you heard anything about a prophecy?” Cristiano asked.

“I think I heard Pierre mention one time,” Jason replied.
“What happened to your brother?” Cristiano asked.

“Pierre killed him,” replied Jason in a low voice.

“You still work for him?” asked Cristiano.

“I thought about what you said and put it under consideration,” replied Jason.

“Then why did you drug me?” asked Cristiano.

“What are you talking about?” replied Jason

“Don’t act innocent,” said Cristiano in an angry voice.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Pierre gave it to me to give it to you but I heard him mumble something…” said Jason.

“What?!” yelled Cristiano while Cristiano was still on Jason.

“Ok! He said something about you not finding out about the prophe-” Cristiano cut Jason off by knocking him out. Cristiano ran to the 1000th floor. Cristiano snuck down behind Pierre and was about to attack but he was interrupted

“Don’t do it, Cristiano,” said a weak wheezy voice he thought it was someone else but he realized it was Pierre. Then he saw the position of Pierre barely holding himself up and very limp. Cristiano was about to ask why but he was interrupted by another then Cristiano started to wonder why Pierre was not facing him but then he listened to the other voice.

“I heard a lot about you, Cristiano.”

Top of the chain

Chapter Six

Cristiano was afraid to move or speak. Paralyzed by fear, he only listened.

“I waited for you,” said the voice.

Cristiano got the courage to say, “Santiago?”

“Of course you remember your own brother,” said Santiago.

“I- I didn’t know, Cristiano,” Pierre said.

“You deserve to know if you’re his bro-” Pierre was cut off by a raging voice.

“NO!” said Santiago.

Pierre turned around and Cristiano saw his face. Cristiano saw Pierre’s condition, his left eye was closed and blue and his face was bloody. Then Cristiano realized Santiago did this to him. Cristiano looked back at Santiago. But he was not there.

Then Cristiano looked back at Pierre and saw Santiago behind Pierre with his claw on Pierre’s throat.

“The prophecy on the roof — go now!” yelled Pierre and he quickly turned around and ran from the cold cement room. He was running through the vents escalating each floor. When he finally got to the top, he saw a log of checking in to the roof. The last person to check in was in 1956 — it was abandoned. When Cristiano went outside there was a podium with a chest under it. It was windy so he could see no other building. He saw giant metal birds. There was only cement and there was ivy all over the floor. He looked up and all he could see is clouds and the sunset and the rain, the clouds covered the sunset and it got dark quickly.

Cristiano went to the podium and saw a stone in a language he has never heard before. “A hora é agora, o lugar é aqui desse jeito que vamos acabar, a máquina a combustão espontânea é aqui agora seu seu para parar, Cristiano.”

Then the rain started to dent the very weak and old rock and it diminished.

“The time is now, the place is here. This is where we end up, death by a spontaneously combustible machine but it’s yours to stop, Cristiano,” said a voice coming from the back of his ears.

“Santiago, you never should have come here!” said Cristiano.

“All my life we’ve lived here and when we did good things you got the credit and when we did bad things I got the blame. It’s time to let these people know what I’m capable of and let them diminish in this building! All of them! Dead!” said Santiago.

“Their family and you grew up here bu-” Cristiano was cut off by Santiago.

“If I’m going down they’re going down with me!” Cristiano was worried that he had no time left to find the bomb.

“I gotta go find this bomb Santiago, I gotta go find it now!” Cristiano sprawled to the inside door and in the vent and he was being chased by Santiago.

Thunder clapped and the vents in front of him collapsed but he could see a wooden board leading to an exit he jumped on the board and as soon as he landed he could see the window with a flash that blinded him by the light. He could not see anything he could not hear anything only the sound of his own heartbeat and he was numb. He tried to speak but couldn’t. He tried to move he was holding his breath. He took a deep breath and he opened his eyes he looked around and looked down the hall. He saw his steam pipes and he looked down and saw only what he did not want to see a mouse with a chunk taken out of it. “It was only a dr-” He felt a huge bump under him and he closed his eyes and he only heard a ringing and he heard people screaming. He was troubled.

“Was it a dream?” he asked himself.

FIN

Robbery

 Prologue

“Brian, Lindsey,” Dad said, “Your mother and I have to talk to you about something.”  I  could sense the nervousness in Dad’s voice. I glanced over at my twin brother, Brian and by the look on his face, I could tell he sensed it too.

“Grandma is really sick and she’s going to pass away soon,” Dad continued. “This is going to be a very hard time for all of us.” I could feel tears in my eyes. Grandma loved me and Brian very much and I knew it would be very hard to say goodbye.

Things were quiet after that, and four days later, Grandma did die. Brian was a lot quieter than usual. He didn’t do the usual taunting and I avoided the usual teasing. Brian and I had a talk the night she passed.

“It’s a terrible thing that happened,” I said.

“I know,” Brian agreed, “but it happens to everyone,” and Brian started to cry. I hugged him and cried too. After that, we didn’t really fight until the safe was broken into.

             ****************

I woke up to the sound of an alarm going off. The first thought that came to mind was fire. I took a deep breath but didn’t smell any smoke. I glanced at my digital alarm clock: 1:00 it said. I hurried across the hall to Brian’s bedroom. I rushed into the room and saw Brian getting out of bed.

“What is that horrible noise?” he shouted above the sound.

“I don’t know,” I shouted back. “There’s no smoke.” Together we raced downstairs to our parents’ room. They were both just leaving the room.

“What’s that sound?” I asked.

“Are you okay?” Mom ignored my question.

“I think it might be the burglar alarm.” Dad ran to the first floor to shut it off, and Brian and I followed. Dad punched a few buttons and the horrible noise stopped.

“What do you think was stolen?” Brian inquired.

“I don’t know, but we can look.” The first room I went to was the den. I switched on the light and saw that thankfully the T.V. was still there and intact. I thoroughly searched the rest of the room but everything was still there. The next room I went to was the kitchen. I looked around the room, but like the den, nothing seemed to be missing. Not even a speck of food had been touched or taken.

Brian hurried in from the living room. “Nothing,” he reported.

“Nothing,” I agreed.

“There can only be one more place.” Brian looked at the door to the basement.

“Where?” But then I realized it too. The basement safe.

I turned on the light and Brian opened the door and we ran down the stairs. The door to the storage room had been left flung open and Brian led the way inside. He gasped and then I did.

The safe, in the far corner of the room, had been broken open. The lock seemed to have been smashed. We walked over. All the family jewels were gone. Our grandma’s diamond necklace, our grandparents’ engagement rings, the pearl bracelets. “Who could have done this?” I thought. “Why would they have done this? Who knew about the safe?”

I reached up to touch the smashed lock, but Brian jerked my hand back.

“Don’t, there could be fingerprints.” I doubted it but decided not to say anything.

I heard sirens coming from outside and figured the police had arrived.

“We have to solve this mystery.” Brain loved mysteries and watched mystery movies all the time.

I looked at Brian like he was crazy, “How are we, two kids, going to solve an actual mystery?”   

“Well first we have to look for clues,” Brian explained. “And remember, Grandma’s jewelry was stolen too. ”

I sighed.  Brian did have a point. It was really important to get the jewelry back. “Okay. Let’s go look for clues.”

  Brian pulled me up the stairs and to the back door. By that time, the police had come inside and were asking my parents questions. “He or she probably exited out of this door so he wouldn’t be seen by people on the street,” Brian told me. “There are no windows open so the intruder must have picked the lock.”     

“I’ll go get my fingerprint kit. Don’t touch the door,” and he dashed up the stairs.  I sighed. Yes, my brother did have a fingerprint kit.

When Brian returned, he dusted the door handle for fingerprints. “They’re all too smudged to tell the difference between them,” Brian said, “but we can look outside for clues.”

“ Maybe we should wait until the morning,” I said uneasily. “There is a robber on the loose.”

“I guess you’re right,” Brian said with disappointment in his voice.

                                                            **************

“Lindsey, Lindsey! Wake up,” someone shouted in my ear. I opened my eyes to find my brother standing above me.

“What,”  I asked groggily, tasting my morning breath in my mouth.

“We have a mystery to solve.” Brian looked at me annoyed.

I glanced at the clock: 7:00, it said. “Brian, it’s 7:00 in the morning. The mystery won’t run away from us.”

“Yes, but the robber will,” Brian pointed out and I sighed. I hated waking up early on Sunday mornings.

“I’ll get dressed,” I said.

Fifteen minutes later, Brian and I were standing at the door.

“What are we supposed to do?” I asked.

“Look for clues,” Brian replied.

I rolled my eyes. “And how are we supposed to do that?”

Brian ignored my question. “Just look for anything suspicious.” Then he opened the door and we walked outside. I followed Brian down the steps and he stopped at the last one. I was about to take a step in front of him, but he put out his arm.

“Look.” Brian pointed to a mark in the dirt next to the stairs. It was in the shape of a foot. “It’s a footprint.”

“And?” I asked. “That could be anyone’s footprint. It’s not like we can go searching the whole town for the person who made it.”

“But still, it’s our first clue.” Brian walked over to the footprint and took his backpack off his shoulder. He started to fish around in it for something.

“What are you doing now?”

“Here it is.” Brian pulled a tape measurer out of his bag. Who carries around a tape measurer? My brother was such a nerd.  I walked over and watched as he measured the footprint.

“Nine inches,” he said. “Dad’s shoes aren’t as big as that.”

“How do you know it’s not a woman’s shoe?” I asked.

“It’s too wide at the toe to be a woman’s shoe.”   

Oh great, I wanted to say, Now you’re a nerd who studies shoes.

“Now all we have to do is figure out who has a shoe print like this and our mystery is solved,” Brian said.

We spent the next hour after that looking for “clues,” but found none. There were no more shoe prints or any fingerprints, on the safe or anything else.

“Now we have to analyze the pieces of evidence we found,” Brian said, when we finished.

“The piece of evidence,” I corrected him. Brian pulled out his phone and opened the picture of the shoe print. The print had an interesting zigzag pattern going across it. It seemed almost familiar, like I had seen it before, but maybe I was mistaken.

“We can take this to the local stores and compare it to the other shoes that run in that size,” Brian said. “Can you go ask Dad to take us? I’ll search online for the addresses of the nearby shoe stores.”

I left the room and walked to our parents’ room. They were both sleeping soundly. I came back into the den, where Brian was sitting, typing on the computer on his lap .

“Brian, he’s sleeping,” I said.

“That’s okay,” he said, “most of the shoe stores don’t open until ten. In the meantime we can look on the website. Also, I called Pete and asked if he wanted to come over and help but he just mumbled something about being busy.”

That’s weird. Brian’s best friend Pete usually loves mysteries. But I decided to push the thought out of my mind.

“He never gives up,” I thought. I sat down on the couch next to my brother and he started to scroll down the page of men’s shoes. Not all of the shoes showed pictures of the sole, so Brian took pictures of those. Out of the ones we did see, none of them matched the footprint we found. Brian went to a different website and we did the same thing. Still, nothing.

This went on for at least an hour until I heard the sound of footsteps trudging down the stairs and the sound of the coffee grinder going. Brian rushed into the kitchen and I followed slowly after him.

“Dad can you take us to the shoe store?” Brian asked.

“I thought we were done,” I complained.

“We have to look for the shoes that didn’t have pictures of the bottom.”

“Great, more shoe hunting,” I murmured under my breath.  

“Well we can go, but the police are coming to search for evidence at 10:00 and they are going to question you,” Dad said and I saw Brian freeze. “But we can go after. Do you need new shoes?”

“Well Brian wanted to try to match the foot–”

“Yes, I need new shoes,” Brian said cutting me off and then glaring at me. He had never glared at me like that before and it felt like a slap. Then Dad went back to making his coffee and I pulled Brian into the den.

“What was that about?” I asked trying to keep from shouting.

“We can’t tell Dad we found a footprint. This is our mystery. Those were our grandparents jewelry that got stolen,” Brian said. “I don’t want the police getting into our business.”

They’re the police. That’s what they do, I thought.  

After that, we had breakfast and Brian barely even looked at me. The glare he gave me when he did, made me feel like an ice cube and I almost shivered. I didn’t even do anything, but Brian seems to think I ended the world, or something like that, I thought, I need to make it up to him.

When the police came, Brian hurried upstairs. I looked after him concerned but decided not to say anything.  A police officer came over and started talking to Mom and Dad. I heard him asking them a few questions about who knew about the safe. Then it was my turn. I had never been questioned by the police before.  I felt a tingling inside of me. The feeling I had when I was about to do something I wasn’t sure I wanted to do.

“I am Officer Hutchins and I am going to ask you a few questions about the robbery,” he said.

I felt my stomach churn but I took a deep breath. “Okay.”

Officer Hutchins took out a notepad. “How did you find out that the safe was robbed?”

“I woke up when the alarm went off but I wasn’t sure what it was. I went downstairs and my dad said it was the burglar alarm. So, my brother and I checked the rooms on the first floor to see what was stolen. We didn’t see anything in it so we checked the safe in the basement and saw that everything from it was stolen.”

Officer Higgins finished writing down what I told him and then said, “Did you know what was in the safe?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell anyone about it?”

I thought for a moment and then responded, “No,” but then I remembered something. I had heard Brian telling his best friend about it. Is this why he didn’t want to talk to the police? Should I tell the officer?

“Did your brother tell anyone about the safe?”

I didn’t know what to say. If I told the police, then I would completely lose Brian’s trust.  I couldn’t do that. “You’ll have to ask him.”  I wasn’t really lying.

“Can you go get your brother so I can ask him some questions?” asked Officer Hutchins.  I nodded and hurried upstairs. When I got to his room, I knocked on the door.

“Brian,” I said, “the police want to ask you questions.”   He didn’t answer so I opened the door.

“I already know who robbed the safe,” Brian said, “and it’s all my fault.”

I sat down next to him. “I’m sure that’s not true.”

“It is. I told someone about the safe. You know Pete Baker? We were downstairs and he saw it so I told him about it. I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out.” Brian looked as if he were about to cry. I felt the need to say something but I didn’t know what.  “He probably told his Dad,” Brian continued, “and now the safe is robbed.”

I remembered Dad talking to Pete’s dad about investing in a new restaurant. I remember how Dad was talking to his friends about how the restaurant failed. I guess that’s why Pete’s Dad wanted to rob us.

“Maybe you should tell the police about it,” I suggested.

“But then Mom and Dad will find out and they told us not to tell anyone,” Brian argued.

“But it could help the police solve the case and catch the robber.”

“That’s why we have to solve the case first !” Brian yelled.

“Oh,” everything made sense now, “I know you don’t want to tell the police about Pete knowing about the safe but you still have to answer their questions.” Brian and I walked down the stairs and over to Officer Hutchins who was waiting in the living room.

“How did you find out the safe was robbed?” he questioned. Brian opened his mouth to answer, when Officer Hutchins’ walkie talkie buzzed. He picked it up and clicked a button, “Yes?”

There was a little static on the other end and then a voice said, “There’s been another robbery at 33 Cherry Street.”

“The interview will have to wait,” Officer Hutchins said and he grabbed the officers and left. They went speeding off in their police cars. Lights shining, sirens blaring.

“Do you think they’re related?”  I wondered aloud.

“Of course they’re related. We have to go to 33 Cherry Street to look for evidence,” Brian said.  33 Cherry Street, I thought, Why did that sound familiar?

And then I remembered. “Isn’t that where one of Dad’s friends lives?”

Brian thought for a minute, “Yeah and he is one of the guys who talked Pete’s dad into that investment. I guess he really wants revenge. ”  

  “We have to think of away to catch him,” I said.  

Suddenly I remembered one more thing. There was one last person who had talked to Pete’s dad into the investment.  He lived in the house next to the park. A plan started to form in my head.  “I think I know how we can catch the robber.”

I was about to tell Brian about my plan when Dad walked in. “Brian, do still want to go get new shoes?”

“Um, no it’s fine.” Brian pulled me quickly upstairs. “ So, what’s your idea.”

“What do you think about a stake out?”

              **************

We gathered up everything we needed for the stake out. Brian had told Mom and Dad that Pete had invited us to go camping in his backyard.

I watched as Brian piled things on his bed. “Do we have everything.”

Brian glanced down at the pile. “I think so.”

“Flashlights and string?”

“Check.”

“Sleeping bags?”

“Check.”

“Tent?”

“Check.”

“Clothes?”

“Check.”

“Bug spray?”

“Check.”

“Nutrition bars and water bottles?”

“Check.”

“And most importantly, camera?”

“Check.”

We were all set. I helped Brian pack the things into two backpacks. We told our parents we would walk to Pete’s house. Brian and I would camp in the park and easily peak over the fence. Brian led the way and out of the house and down the street to the park.  Even though it was 8:00, it was still light outside. The sun was just setting over the horizon and the sky was filled with a beautiful orange, pink, and blue glow.  A summer breeze rustled through the branches of the trees in the park. I started to get that same feeling I got when I was getting interviewed by Officer Hutchins.

“Are you sure were allowed to do this?” I asked Brian uneasily.

“There’s no sign that says we can’t, but, just to be sure, let’s try not to let anyone see us.” Brian set down his backpack and the tent and plopped down next them. “Nutrition bar?” He held one out to me, but I shook my head.

I sat down next to him. “Should we set up the tent?”

“Let’s wait until it’s a little bit darker.” So there were, waiting for the sky to turn to a dark shade of blue and fill with stars.  We were waiting for the crickets chirping to get louder.

Finally after a little while Brian agreed it was dark enough and we started to get everything ready. We clicked on the flashlight and zipped open the tent bag. As Brian wrestled with the poles, I laid down the tent cover.  I helped put up the tent and then it was time for the camera.

I switched on the camera and fastened it onto the tripod. “Won’t it be too dark too dark?”

“That’s what the flashlight is for.” Brian flicked on the flashlight and positioned it next to the camera so it lit up the backyard of the house that was going to be robbed.  Then he covered  the light with a tree branch filled with leaves.

“I’m going to tie this branch in front of the flashlight so it’s not as bright,” he whispered. “Can you test the camera and make sure it’s working and ready?”

I clicked the video button on the camera and then hit the record button. I waited a few seconds and then clicked it again. I pressed the play button to watch the test. The lighting was perfect.  “It’s ready,” I said as I set the camera up again. Brian finished tying a knot in the string and then we sat down in the tent.

I turned on the other flashlight. “Can we go over the plan again?” I was starting to feel nervous again. What if the plan failed? What if we scare away the robber and never get to catch him on video? What if I mess up the plan?

“We’ll take turns starting at 10:30, watching for the robber, and if we see him then  we’ll turn on the camera and call the police. If the police don’t come on time then we’ll have evidence of who it is. I’ll go first.” Then Brian grabbed a nutrition bar and his phone, and left. I lay out my sleeping bag and settled down on it. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

“Lindsey, wake up.” Brian was shaking me. At first  I forgot where I was but then looking around I realized we were in the tent in the park.

“Did you see him?” I asked eagerly.

“No. It’s your turn.”

I sighed as I sat up and picked up my phone from my bag. I left the tent yawning.  I stood at the camera watching the screen and glancing up occasionally. I could feel my eyelids starting to droop, but I forced them back open.

I was about to give up hope that the burglar was going to come when I saw a dark figure walking carefully across the lawn.

I blinked my eyes.

Was I dreaming? But the figure was still there picking the lock on the back door. I stood silent, failing to remember what to do, but then I sprung into action, clicking the record button and then turning on my phone. I took a short glance at the time, 12:25. Then I clicked the emergency icon and tapped the numbers 911. The phone rang once and a woman’s voice said, “Please state your location and the situation.”

I quickly explained in a whisper what was going on. “Please remain calm and officers will be there shortly.” I turned off the phone hurried into the tent.

“Brian!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah.” He lifted his head slowly.

“The robber came.”

“Really!” He jerked his body up so quickly, that I thought his head would fly off. “Did you turn on the video camera and call the police?”

“Yes and yes.” My brother had no faith in me but maybe that was because  I had no faith in me.

I heard sirens wailing and realized that the police must have arrived. Brian, and I scrambled out of the tent just in time to see the robber dashing out of the house. Three police cars had arrived and five policemen hurried out of them. They cornered in on the robber and he was put in handcuffs. I switched off the camera and Brian grabbed the flashlight. We hurried over as the robber was being loaded into the back of one of the police cars. I see the bottom of his shoe and realize that it matched the shoe print we found. I caught a glance of his face and as  I had suspected it was Pete’s dad.  He snarled at me and it sent a shiver down my spine.

“Were you the one who called the police?” one of the policemen asked Brian.

“Well, actually it was my sister.” He smiled at me and I beamed.

“Thank you,” said the officer, “that was the smart thing to do. Now how did you happen to see the robber?”  Brian and I looked at each other. I guess we had a lot of explaining to do.

Epilogue

Our parents weren’t as proud of us as I thought they would be when we were brought home by the police. They were mostly worried.

“What were you thinking?” Dad shouted.

“You could have gotten hurt,” Mom said. I sighed. Didn’t they see we just caught a robber, and a robber who robbed us?  Couldn’t they have been the slightest bit happy? At least I knew that if Grandma were here, she’d be proud.

“But we didn’t get hurt,” I pointed out. Still, we were grounded for a week. I hated being grounded, especially in the summer, but Brian just thought it was an opportunity to look for more mysteries to solve and he asked if I wanted to help. Maybe before Brian and I caught a robber together I would have said no, but now, I couldn’t wait to get started. 

Portal to Pluto

Adam woke to something new. Anthony had awoken him at 4 in the morning!

“Hurry up! We’re going to the portal!” he said.

Adam rolled over and moaned groggily, “We already had a big day yesterday. No need to go back now.”

Anthony seemed upset. “Really. You and Nick are always not in the mood for adventure. If you won’t go, then I’ll go alone.”

Adam sat straight up. “You can’t do that! Mom was worried sick about us! Now you’re leaving?! Insane.”

“You’re such a woosie.”

Anthony left the room. Adam thought he heard the door close. He took a gulp. Should he tell Mom? Or Nick. Adam went to Nick’s room/observatory. “Anthony’s going to the portal!” he said.

Nick was stunned. “Impossible! I told him to go back to bed!”

“Well, looks like he didn’t listen. Just get out of bed!”

Adam and Nick raced outside. Adam sprang into the hole, Nick followed.

***

Anthony was so cold. Even though he had the heaviest coat in the history of the world, he felt like an ice cube. Guess where he was.

“Adam and Nick are such woosies. I feel good over here,” he said that, but wasn’t so sure if he meant it. Gee, he wished he just went to Mars instead of trying out the new portal. “Man, I never knew that Jupiter was so cold, I would’ve brought a thicker jacket.”

Remember that Anthony is EXTREMELY terrible at astronomy. Know the title, know the title.

***

Back on Earth, Nick and Adam were confused over which portal Anthony took. They knew that the fiery-red portal was the one that took you to Mars, but where did the gray one take you? “You go see,” said Nick.

“You go see. You’re the oldest,” said Adam.

“But since I’m the oldest, I’m the most important brother. We can’t afford to lose me.”

“I really don’t care about you.”

“You need to care about me.”

“I’ll care about you only if you go see where the gray portal leads.”

“Ohhhhhhh… so that’s what we were arguing about…”

“JUST GET IN THE PORTAL!!!”

“Alright, alright…”

Nick jumped into the portal.

***

Anthony stood on the icy ground of Pluto. “I really wish that Nick or Adam would come and save my life,” he murmured.

Suddenly, there was a flash of green light coming from the west side. “Still, Jupiter is pretty cool. Wait, Nick or Adam could’ve just come! I’M SAVED!!!”

Somewhere in the distance, Anthony was sure that no polar bear went into the portal, it was Nick or Adam. Though Nick had absolutely no idea that Anthony was in this portal.

Ugh. I can’t believe that I actually went through the stinking portal! Anthony is probably not even out here anyway, he thought, unaware of Anthony’s calls in the distance.

***

Adam was getting terribly bored at home.

“I do want to see what’s in the gray portal for myself. I’m not listening to any of the untrue stories of what’s in the portal,” he said to himself. “I can name a billion reasons why I won’t listen to any stories.”

1: Anthony talks too fast.

2: Nick doesn’t tell stories. When he does, they don’t make sense.

3: I just don’t like stories.

4: I hate Anthony.

1,000,000,000: I hate Anthony’s stories.

Looks like I can’t name a billion reasons, but look at the number!

Anyway, Adam jumped into the portal.

***

Nick had come so far away from the portal that unlike last time, when he remembered the location of the portal, he forgot where he saw it. He never looked at the spot because he needed to find Anthony.

“Gosh, I really, need, to, find, Anthony!!!” he cried.

I bet that you would be glad and better off without a brother like Anthony, but Nick needed him for fishing reasons. If he didn’t find Anthony, that meant more chores to do.

“ANTHONY!!!” he shouted.

No use.

“I’m gonna freeze, starve, and walk to death,” Nick mumbled.

Suddenly, two faint calls came from the north and south.

“Anthony?! Adam?!” cried Nick.

It had been so long since he’d ever seen their faces. Then, the worst thing in the world happened (technically, in Pluto’s world): A shower of methane snow began to fall.

“Stay where you are!!! I’m coming!!!” yelled Nick.

He started sprinting south, that’s where Adam was. Anthony started sprinting south, where he heard Nick’s calls. Adam stayed where he was, like he was told to. Plus, he knew that they weren’t directly north of each other. Anthony was way too stupid to know that, so he kept on running.

“Adam!” shouted Nick.

“Nick!” answered Adam.

They met up and they both wondered aloud, “Where’s Anthony?”

***

Unfortunately, Anthony was something like 1,000 miles away. Maybe actually 12. Even I don’t know for sure.

“Alright, I know Nick and Adam are here somewhere,” Anthony said. “But I do have a feeling that I should’ve listened to Nick. Well, that’s just too bad because I’m technically the oldest. Wait, let me say that again. WELL, THAT’S JUST TOO BAD ‘CAUSE I’M TECHNICALLY THE OLDEST!!!”

“Actually, I am!!!” yelled Nick back.

“BY FIVE SECONDS!!!”

Then Anthony realized what had just happened. He found Nick!

“I’m coming Nick!!!” he called. “Keep yelling!”

Nick yelled and yelled until he ran out of breath. Then he yelled some more. Adam started to join in with the yelling catastrophe. Anthony turned, looked but couldn’t find anything through the methane-snow blizzard.

***

Mom was so worried. It was 12 noon, and she hadn’t seen her kids in ages.

“Where did they go? Why? How? It’s been 2 days in a row now. I wonder what they’re doing right now. Are they okay? Do they need help? (They do.) When are they gonna be back? If so, then how long until then? Will they be back for supper?” she inquired to herself.

She really asked many more questions than this, I just wanted to stop writing all that.

***

Back on Pluto, Nick was still yelling. Adam was doing so too, and Anthony was still looking and turning. All until there was a flash of green light that alerted Adam, Anthony, and Nick.

“What, in the world, was that?” said Adam.

“No idea, so get your research book and start studying, you have a lot to learn, teacher’s pet,” said Nick.

“Hey, who said YOU’RE not a teacher’s pet, too! In fact, you’re more of a teacher’s pet than I am.”

“No.”

“Yeah, who’s the math wiz of YOUR class, eh? BEAT THAT!!!”

“Oh yeah?! Well, who’s the math wiz in YOUR class?! HA!!!”

“Jack.”

“So wait, you’re saying that you’re NOT the math wiz?”

“Yeah. I stink at math.”

“Fine. You win.”

That ended the argument.

***

Anthony was having some serious navigation problems. He was thirsty, too. At home, he would just lift his head and eat snow. Fortunately, he knew enough to NOT eat methane-snow, for that stuff would poison him.

“Gosh, this is almost impossible. I had enough,” he mumbled.

Then, like Pluto was listening to his complaints, Anthony stepped onto some methane snow, and fell into a hole where the portal gleamed its green glow.

“Well, I did say I had enough. Who cares about Nick and Adam anyway,” he said as he stepped into the portal.

Suddenly, a devil and an angel showed up on his shoulders.

“What are you thinking, Anthony. You can’t betray your brothers like that!!!” urged the angel in her squeaky voice.

“No! Don’t listen to that stupid angel. Betray your brothers! Keep going!” urged the devil evilly.

“What does betray even mean?! No wonder I don’t understand Star Wars movies,” said Anthony.

The devil and the angel shook their heads and disappeared.

***

“Okay, I’m totally DONE yelling and waiting for Anthony to get going. Let’s go home,” sighed Nick.

He started walking off until Adam said, “Wait, you know where the portal is?!”

That made Nick stop in his tracks.

“No, I don’t,” he said, ashamed.

Adam had no sympathy OR empathy on this.

“YOU MEAN THAT I’M NEVER GONNA SEE THE FACE OF THE EARTH AGAIN!?! THIS MOMENT WILL NEVER BE FORGIVEN, MR. NICK!!!”

Nick took a deep breath and readied to fight back.

“WELL, DID YOU REMEMBER WHERE THE PORTAL LOCATION WAS WHEN WE WENT TO MARS?!!! NO!!! I DID!!!”

“WELL, AT LEAST IT WASN’T MINUS 400 DEGREES OUTSIDE!!!!!!!”

It was a while until Nick and Adam met up again. They had no idea what was ahead of them…

***

Scurrying across Pluto, two little creatures named gerocals spotted the two boys arguing. Through their tiny eyes, they were able to track down Adam and Nick during the methane-snow blizzard easily. They’d never sunk their poisonous fangs into a meal in thousands of millions of years. They were the cause of extinction of most species of animals on Pluto. They needed food and now they got some. They crawled hundreds of miles to get a few yards away.

“IIIIIIIIIIIIIII willllllllllllll nnnneeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvveeeeeerrrrrrrrrr seeeeeeeeeeeeeee tttthhhheeeeee facccccceeeeee offfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff ttttttthhhhhheeeeeeeee Eaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrtttthhhhhh aaaaaaaaggggggaaaaaaaiiiiinnnnn! IIIIIIIIIIIIII hhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaatttteeee youuuuuuuuuuu Niiiiiiccccckkkk!!!” was what they heard Adam saying.

“Hissssssssss…” they hissed.

That gave them away.

“What is that?!” cried Adam, catching sight of the animals.

Retreating into the frozen ground, the couple hissed again.

“What was that?” said Nick.

“I don’t know,” said Adam.

“Start studying,” said Nick.

“Why don’t you start studying,” said Adam.

“Ok, I’ll start studying as soon as you start studying.”

“Oh fine, but you have to study too.”

“I don’t want to study.”

“If you don’t study then I won’t study.”                                                                

That ended the argument. The two animals started to come up above ground again. They were as tiny as a pebble and as gray as a stone. They tried to sink their poisonous fangs into Adam’s leg, but Adam noticed too quickly.

“Get them off of me!” he yelled.

He slapped them off of his leg. The two hissed loudly. Screaming, the two boys ran off into the methane blizzard. Unfortunately, they didn’t know how fast the two animals were. They easily caught up to them. Nick bravely picked up one of them. The other tried to bite him.

Adam quickly picked up the other one and Nick ripped the other one’s head off. Adam was too much of a woosie to rip the other one’s head off.

“Just do it,” said Nick.

“But I don’t want to,” said Adam.

“Whatever, then I’ll do it myself!” yelled Nick.

He ripped the other one’s head off.

***

Anthony felt a little glum for leaving his brothers behind. As much as he wanted to go back to Pluto, or Jupiter, as he would call it, he would rather stay home and betray his brothers, whatever that meant. The choice of staying home was more appealing to him by 1,000,000,000,000 (a trillion, in case you were wondering), other than make his life more hard and heroic by going into the portal.

“Honey! Can you go get your brothers!? They’ve been gone for hours,” called Mom.

“Do you know who you’re talking to!? I’m Anthony, the one who doesn’t care about his brothers or you!” shouted Anthony.

“You’re grounded, Anthony. Get into the house!”

Anthony didn’t hesitate. He jumped into the portal to Mars.

***

Nick and Adam were traveling across Pluto for hours. Each one had been looking out for the strange creatures they came across earlier in the day.

“Are you really sure that you’re sure that you have know idea where the portal is?” Adam asked for the thousandth time.

“Yes,” Nick sighed.

Suddenly, Adam fell into the same hole that Anthony fell into, and it had the portal in it!!!

Adam didn’t tell Nick, but did jump right in.

***

“I think I want to go home now,” said Anthony.

He went in at the same time as Adam!

***

Adam was flying through space with a speed so fast when suddenly, SLAM!!!  Adam and Anthony bumped into each other and stopped.

“COSMIC JAM!!!” cried Adam.

“What’s a ‘cosmic jam?’” asked Anthony.

“I have no clue. I just invented it now because we ‘jammed’ in the ‘cosmos.’ Get it? Whatever.”

“No. What are the cosmos, anyway?”

“Never mind.”  

Looking around, Anthony said, “Why are we here?”

No one knew. Suddenly, there was a zooming faraway noise that alerted them both. It was Nick. “Hi Nick!!!” yelled Anthony.

“He can’t hear you. He’s going, like 8 miles- per- second!” exclaimed Adam.

“Okay. Let’s not get too specific here. I have no idea what you’re talking about now. Slow it down.”

SLAM!!! Nick smashed into the two with tremendous speed and impact. Adam and Anthony were shot back so powerfully that Anthony felt like his face would rip off. Nick saw a flash of green light billions of miles away.

“Oh shoot. Was that Adam and Anthony that just got shot back to Earth?” he whined.

He took a look around. Around him was nothingness.

“Let me get this straight. I am stuck in this magical tube that glows a very dim white light and have no way of getting home. I just shot Adam and Anthony back to Earth, but I didn’t go anywhere. I’m supposed to be flying as fast as light! I hate my life.”

Then, there was a tremendous roar behind him. Nick turned to reveal a fuzzy, white…

***

“Oh shoot. I’m home. Someone took a bite out of the portals (Get it? The polar bear?). Can’t go anywhere but where I’m supposed to be when you’re grounded. Home,” moaned Anthony.

“I don’t know what insane thought you have in your mind, Anthony. I’m delighted to be home,” sighed Adam.

“Don’t you go all fancy words on me,” growled Anthony, holding up his fist.

“You mean vocabulary?” asked Adam.

“I SAID, DON’T GO FANCY WORDS ON ME!!!”

“Just saying.”  

“Anthony, get up here!” called Mom.

Anthony lazily climbed up the hole and went to bed. Adam stayed and watched as the portals recovered. He heard calls and roars coming from the gray portal. It sounded like Nick.

“Nick! I’m coming!” called Adam.

He shoved a stick (which was very long) into the portal, but held on to the other end urgently. Nick saw it while fighting and grabbed it, then pulled himself out of the cosmic jam without getting killed by the polar bear. There was a blinding flash of green light and Nick appeared in front of Adam.

“Shall we?” asked Adam.

“We shall,” answered Nick.

They got up and out of the hole. They fished, then ate, then drank, then slept. “Tomorrow, there should be another portal,” whispered Adam as they drifted off to sleep.

*****

The PORTAL series isn’t over! There are STILL MORE BOOKS!!! 🙂 Don’t miss PORTAL to the ASTEROIDS. The book is great!  Here, this is illegal to my code, but I’m doing it anyway. Here’s a preview of the next book, PORTAL to the ASTEROIDS:

Adam was gracefully moving across the rocky landscape.

“Man, where am I?” questioned Adam.

He was climbing around ever since he suddenly saw a brown light flash in front of him.  Something told him this wasn’t right. It wasn’t a planet for sure, it wasn’t a moon, so what was it? Adam was confused as he observed the ground once again. It was a grayish-brownish color and was very cold.

“I wonder if I’ll ever see home again,” he gulped.

**********************************************************************************************************

Special thanks to my wonderful teachers who got me thinking and got my creative juices flowing, Emily and Kira. Also, to my mom and dad, who got me interested in writing.

********************************************************************************************************

Prised story to me

Little bit of time to make

Utterly funny

Time wasting awesomeness

Ought to be written by ME

PLUTO

********************************************************************************************************

Pumpkin

My cat Pumpkin is my beloved pet. He is bright orange, and has white paws and a white belly. He’s very soft and cuddly. When we pet him, he purrs loudly. He’s very gentle and wouldn’t put a mark on someone or hurt anyone. We got him from a kill shelter, and saved him. My cat had cancer when we got him from the kill shelter. He was born with it. That day, when we got to the car, Pumpkin scratched the box till it opened and crawled out of it. He came out and curled up in a ball on my lap and slept through the car ride. When we came home, Pumpkin ran around the house looking around excitedly as if he were saying “This is my new home?!” Our family adored him, and he was very sweet. Pumpkin’s different from other cats because he understands me and helps me feel better in bad moments in my life. Like when I got all sad and gloomy, Pumpkin would be there for me and he would gracefully jump in my bed and lay beside me. He would rub the side of his body against my shoulder to comfort me. Pumpkin’s been brave because in all the days where he has pain and struggles through cancer, he accepts it and doesn’t let it affect his life. Pumpkin’s gone through horrible things, which makes me sad. He’s been at a kill shelter, where he was almost about to be killed. He lived in a terrifying cage for months, lost his own mother and was lonely. Pumpkin’s struggled through pain, and he’s a great role model for me and many people who go through things like Pumpkin. I’ve wished Pumpkin would still be with me at this moment, but what’s in the past stays like that. Right now my cat is in heaven, and is there living peacefully in the clouds.

Popsicle Poem

I’m a puddle drying up on a hot summer day

Need to cool down in the very best way

 

I go to the freezer, I open up the door

Take out a popsicle, it cools me to my core

 

Sloop, slurp, lick, yum!

Lemon, lime, cherry time!

Everybody in the world deserves a popsicle!

 

Lemon is sour and strawberry’s sweet

Orange is tangy and raspberry’s neat

But fudge is my favorite and can’t be beat.

 

Sloop, slurp, lick, yum!

Lemon, lime, cherry time!

Hey, everybody in the world deserves a popsicle!

 

I want everybody in the world to have a popsicle like me

A blizzard of flavor in their mouth like strawberry

Here’s what we should do to make this true:

 

Sloop, slurp, lick, yum!

Lemon, lime, cherry time!

Say, everybody in the world deserves a popsicle!

 

Let’s all come together with our pops to have fun

We’ll go to Antarctica and put them all in one

 

A giant popsicle that will never melt

That towers in the sky like the Fourth of July

 

Everybody take a lick please!

Brain Freeze!

Plants

Plants and trees are very important to the world, because if we did not have plants and trees, then we would not have flowers. If we did not have flowers, then we would not have colors. Well, trees would have green and brown, but we would need more color, because it makes people happier. Also, plants and trees help the world by making oxygen for people and animals.

 

We need color because some people would not be that happy. If we did not have color, then gardens would not be colorful. I LOVE marigolds, and when Mom gets some for the garden I feel SO happy. This one year, Mom did not get marigolds and I was not that happy with the garden.

 

If we just had trees the world would probably be 48% carbon dioxide. The good thing about plants are how plants produce oxygen just like trees. You need trees for wood, but plants have no wood on them so people don’t need to chop them down! Which is awesome! But if we did not have any trees in the world then we will all DIE! Plants can not produce enough oxygen for the world. That is why cutting down trees is bad for the world.

 

However, it would be good if people would chop down a little amount of trees, because if people did not chop down trees then it would be overpopulated with trees. But people are chopping down too many trees.

 

This is  why we need plants and trees.

 

The End

Phoebe

 

Phoebe woke up with a yawn. She looked at the picture of her mom, Alicia, her dad, Eric, and her two-year-old self. She sighed in happiness. She got dressed, brushed her teeth, ate breakfast and put her backpack on. When her mom came down, she yawned. Her eyes suddenly brightened when she saw Phoebe. “Take your backpack off silly, it’s the first day of summer!”

“Oh yeah!” Phoebe exclaimed. She had forgot yesterday was the last day of school! Although Phoebe loved school and was very smart, she was tired of hard math equations (she was in honors math as well as every other subject), and never-ending homework. First she asked her mom to go to her best friend (or BFF, whichever you prefer) Lilica’s house. Her mom asked if Phoebe was 100% sure Lilica would be awake and Phoebe said yes.They had promised to wake up at 7:00 every summer day so they could see each other every day. They could alternate which house they played in. Phoebe hopped on her bike (with her helmet of course) and pedalled at full speed (although careful to not bump into anybody) to the white house (not in Washington D.C.) on Lake Street. When she knocked on the door, Lilica’s muffled voice said, “She’s here! She’s here!”

Mrs. Park answered the door. “Welcome to our home on this lovely day.” That was the thing about Mrs. Park. She was very formal and one of her unspoken rules was to never, ever, ever use contractions or slang words. Instead of “I’d,” it would be “I would” even if the contraction took away four whole letters!

“Hello Mrs. Park,” Phoebe said, trying to sound serious but inside howling with laughter. Mrs. Park slyly smiled (which was the happiest you could get her) and let her in. Phoebe saw the beautiful, blonde, elegant girl who was her best friend in the entire world. They were basically the same person. They hated marshmallows alone but loved s’mores, they loved their hair in braids but hated ponytails, and they were both afraid of alligators. I, the narrator, could go on and on about their inseparable friendship, but they didn’t know what was coming their way…

*****

The girl’s were up in  Lilica’s room. They were looking at all of Lilica’s fancy stuff. Her dad owned a famous company which is why they were rich. Lilica was not a bratty kid like most rich kids are. She was very nice, thoughtful, and smart. As they were looking, they came upon a beautiful ruby necklace. Just then, Mrs. Park came into the room having a worried look on her face.

“Phoebe, you must go home,” she said.

“But why?” Phoebe asked.

“Your mother will tell you when you get home,” replied Mrs. Park. Phoebe raced home. She was bubbling with questions. What happened? Did the dog get out again? Why was Mrs. Park so worried?  When she got to the front door she dropped her bike. When she got in her mom was pacing. When she finally saw her she squeezed her. When she let go of her she said, “Your father has gone missing.”

*****

The next week it didn’t get better at all. Her next door neighbor, Hannah, her dad had also disappeared and her school friend (not best friend) Ella’s grandfather disappeared as well. Phoebe thought that only boys disappeared, but the day after, Mrs. Park disappeared! Sadly, no one knew what had happened to them. On the first week, the town decided they just  wanted to run away, but the next week and the next, the town’s trusted guards noticed a pattern. Every week on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday a person would get stolen. They finally called the police and reported all the missing people and the pattern. 20 guards patrolled the area 24/7. Although the town felt safe, there was still that emptiness of the lost people. When Phoebe went to Lilica’s there wasn’t the same liveliness as before. “My mother…” she said. “My father…” Phoebe said. They attempted to sound cheerful countless numbers of times but failed. Then, they came upon the ruby necklace again and this time, it seemed to be saying, This is the necklace. Your father is in my world Phoebe, your mother is in my world Lilica, just touch me and I’ll send you. That world is perfect except for a mysterious evil villain. I’ve been countless places but never to this evil person. And, you Phoebe, can stop him.

“Huh? This is weird. Did you…” Phoebe asked.

“Yep.” Lilica replied. The girls knew what they had to do.

*****

They held hands and Phoebe touched the necklace. Surprisingly, nothing happened. Then there was a sound like whomp and their world dissolved and a new, cheerful world appeared. Magic animals roamed through the forest (yes there was a beautiful forest here) and there were people speaking a different language. Phoebe and Lilica walked towards the forest because that’s where all bad guys live, right? They saw a sign that said:

στρίβετε δεξιά στο πλησιέστερο δέντρο αφρού , και διασχίζουν το λάκκο λάβα . Θα δείτε έναν ιππότη και τον καλούν στα αραβικά για να σας φέρει στο έρημο δάσος . Διασχίστε το αλιγάτορα μολυσμένο βάλτο και να πάει στο πιο σκοτεινές κάστρο . Εκεί θα συναντήσετε το κακό .

“Umm…” Lilica and Phoebe said. “How do we figure this out?” All of a sudden the words starting forming into English words. Now it said this:

Turn right at the nearest green tree, and cross the lava pit. You will see a knight and ask him in to put you in the darkest forest. Cross the alligator-infested swamp and find the darkest castle. There you will find him.

“Well, that solves the problem” Lilica said. Then the girls started on their adventure.

****

They came to their first obstacle: the Lava Pit. They turned right at the nearest green tree (which was all green since they were in a magical world) and there they were. Phoebe was very nervous and knew Lilica was too, but she decided to go first. There were rocks bobbing up and down that you had to jump on. Phoebe took her first step and wobbled. Then, her foot slipped off! She regained balance with a struggle and made it to the second.  Only 3 more to go, she told herself, already drenched in sweat. After she finished crossing, it was Lilica’s turn. She was very flexible and quick so she got through easily. They walked for hours and hours to an open field. Right in the middle, a knight stood, frozen it seemed. The girls walked up to him. “Hello,” Phoebe said. The knight didn’t budge.

“Excuse me!” Lilica tried. He still didn’t move.

“Maybe we just have to ask him.” Phoebe told Lilica.

“Okay, let’s try it,” Lilica replied.

“Could you bring us to something called the ‘Dark Forest’?” she asked. Suddenly, a horse appeared.

“Get on his back,” a low, gruff voice said.

“Ye-yes sir” The girls said, a bit afraid. They climbed onto the horse’s back. The knight got on behind them. The horse started flying, with the girls dumbstruck. Soon, the friends were at a very gloomy looking place. “Thank you for the ride,” Phoebe said.

“My pleasure,” the knight replied. The girls continued their journey.

****

They came upon the swamp. As you know, they were afraid of alligators. This is what had them worried the whole time. You had to step on the alligator’s mouth (to ensure it doesn’t bite) to get across.  This time Lilica decided to go first. She crossed the first 4 alligators with ease, but then, at the very last alligator, it bit her! She scrambled to the other side and sat there in pain. Without thinking about it, Phoebe crossed the swamp.

“Are you okay?” Phoebe asked Lilica.

“It bit really hard.” She replied. Phoebe got some leaves and patched her up. They decided to call it a day.

****

The next day, Lilica a bit sore but ready as well, they advanced to the castle. It had been 3 long weeks and they were at the final obstacle.

Before entering the pitch black castle, the girls sharpened limbs of trees with other sticks and made a torch. They were now as ready as could be. They climbed up the castle stairs and they met no-one until the 3rd floor. They met guards. When the guards finally spotted the two girls they shouted “Intruders intruders!!” All of the guards surrounded them. Phoebe wasn’t ready to give up. They heard swords clanking and screaming. Lilica thought she heard Phoebe cry out in pain, so Lilica turned around. Then, Lilica got stabbed in the back by a guard. Phoebe didn’t hear Lilica cry out.

Phoebe battled her heart out and defeated all of them!

“Come on Lilica,” Phoebe said. But Lilica didn’t come. When Phoebe turned around Lilica was lying on the floor with her eyes closed with the rest of the guards. Phoebe ran down the steps. “Lilica? Lilica?” Phoebe asked.

“Save everyone,” she said weakly. She closed her eyes for the last time.

“Please wake up!” She shook Lilica. It wasn’t any use. Phoebe ventured on, mad and sad.

****

She went into the room on the top floor. It had no walls so you could easily fall off it. She saw her dad, Mrs. Park, Emma’s grandfather, and Hannah’s father.

“Ha ha ha, I am Onyx,” an evil, devilish voice said with his back turned. “I see you have come to kill me.”

“Your guards killed my best friend!” Phoebe shouted.

“So I have.” He said “You will soon be in the same place as her.”

Phoebe was now the angriest she’d been in her life. With her only weapon (the tree limb) she jabbed at him, but Onyx quickly dodged it. Now he took a jab at her with his electric sword but Phoebe dodged it, but only by a millimeter. She could feel the wind from the sword. Then, all of a sudden he made a quick jab to Phoebe’s hip and it hit! Phoebe was thrown back. There she lay in pain. “So ends Phoebe,” he boomed, towering over Phoebe. She didn’t know how he knew her name, but she pushed that out of her mind.

“Not now,” she said and she jabbed Onyx right in the heart and he fell back. There were whoops and shouts from the prisoners, but they quickly fell silent when Onyx rose and pulled the branch out of his body. Phoebe stood there, weaponless, and scared. But then, Phoebe remembered: The castle had no walls! Phoebe started moving in a circle like a boxer at the beginning of a match. And Onyx, obviously wanting to stay parallel with her, moved around too.

“Any last words?” he asked. Phoebe didn’t answer. Then, as quick as a cheetah, she sprang and pushed Onyx off the castle. Finally, she freed all of the captives. When she returned home everyone was feeling happy for Phoebe and sad for Lilica and her parents. Although still heartbroken about Lilica’s death, Phoebe knew she would be proud of her and Mrs. Park knew too. The town and (the now famous) Phoebe were never bothered again.

Pinky’s Adventure in Different Dimensions

There was a mouse named Pinky who was trapped in a monster’s room. He wanted to sneak under the door but he’s too fat because he ate all of the monster’s food, which was dog food. He went under the door (before he was fat) because he thought somebody nice was in the room, and then he ate the dog food thinking it was mouse food so he couldn’t sneak back out and he had to live in the fishtank — Pinky doesn’t breathe but he can still survive. The monster’s name is Mr. Little — his father is named Mr. Big and his mother is named Mrs. Tape (because she uses tape a lot). When Mr. Little was trying to feed the fish, he saw the mouse and he took Pinky out of the water and he asked Mrs. Tape to tape him to the floor and they were going to have a contest and splat him first.

When nobody could smash him, they untaped him, and Mr. Little had an idea.

“Maybe we could eat him because he’s so fat. But I want some more mice to eat.”

He threw Pinky in the cage and jumped out of the window for more mice to eat. Mr. Little was searching for a long time, but he didn’t find anything. He was searching for sixty years. But in the time Mr. Little was searching for more mice, Pinky was getting skinnier and skinnier. Soon, he was just a flat little mouse. Flat enough to fit under the crack under the door. But then he realized there was a hole in the floor, and he squeezed through that hole and he came out into a world of candy, all kinds of candy: stacks and stacks and heaps of candy.

He jumped on top of all of the candy and ate half of it. When he was done he felt sick. Then he realized the tiny tiny hole in ceiling. It seemed like this whole journey was meant for him – there was a path just big enough to fit him. He got through the hole in the ceiling by building a ladder made of candy. When he went through the hole there were millions of toys around the wall. Then, he played with all of them. Then he went through the next hole in the ceiling by building a ladder of candy wrappers. Then, the next thing he knew, millions of monsters were surrounding him.

When he looked closer, he realized these monsters were millions of Mr. Littles, and they each said, “We will kill you!” and they stamped their feet upon Pinky and said, “You will never escape!”

He saw a hole in the floor right below him. “You will not go through the hole, you will die” said the monsters.

He went through the hole. He was outside again. There was a big sign right in front of him saying, “Everything You Want Land.” But there was a big cross out on “Everything You Want.” The Mr. Littles had changed it to “Everything You Hate Land.” He had just entered everything you hate land – the last land he had been in with candy and toys was everything you want land. he wished there was a way to get back to the sewer system where he lived. He looked up. There was the monster’s house. He remembered that the sewer system manhole was nearby — he was standing on it! But he couldn’t get through the manhole, so he went back to the monster’s house, and ate all the dog food, and then he went down into the sewer and back home.

Pinky’s Adventure Part II

Once Pinky had adventures in different worlds, now it was time to have an adventure in the same world but a very very wild adventure. Maybe Pinky wouldn’t even have an adventure. Pinky walked down the sewer system. Then he saw a store in the sewer system — there were stores in the sewer for mice who lived there. There was an advertisement on the window that said, “selling the amazing everything watch that does everything.” Pinky went into the store and bought it — it was two cents. It fit on his wrist perfectly — and there was still a lot of growing space. It did everything — it had a phone on it, it had a flashlight, a computer, etc etc etc.

It could produce anything you wanted. Everybody on the street was surrounding him to examine the everything watch. They were testing all the gadgets and everything. He walked down the street in mouseland in the sewer system, but then he saw a hole, a very very very small hole that only a bug could go through, saying, “Verathingy.”

“I don’t know what verathingy is,” said Pinky.

“What does it mean? Maybe it’s a secret code. I have to go home and get a pen and paper to decode the secret code.” Mr. Little and his parents were now Pinky’s friends. He had convinced them to be his friend so they wouldn’t be mean to him anymore. After a lot of hard work, he figured out what the secret code meant by asking Mr. Little. It meant “everything.” Vera is ever, and thingy, means everything. Maybe it means “everything.” He went down to the exact same hole in mouseland, and he activated the lazer on his watch that would scan anything, and he pointed it at the…

He had no idea which letter he was supposed to activate with his everything watch. Then he went back to the store, but he couldn’t read. The code made him forget how to read so that you could never open the hole! Then he asked Mr. Little to come down to the sewer system to read for him. So Mr. Little flushed himself down the toilet so he could get to the sewer system to read for Pinky in mouseland. All the mice thought that it was a giant, so they got out of mouseland and into humanland.

“Now we can have some peace and quiet,” said Pinky. “What is that little mark under the s in the window? Under the amazing everything watch display.” The watch said “everything” on it, it was directly below the T in everything.

“It’s an H,” said Mr. Little. “Maybe H means hole, so maybe we scan T on top of the hole to get in.” And that’s exactly what they did. They jumped in and crashed on the ground and Mr. Little died.

“Whatever,” said Pinky. “I didn’t like him anyway.” And he kept on walking along the sewer system under the sewer system. Then he realized that he was trapped except for the hole in the ceiling. There was no way to get out. He was trapped.

Then Mr. Little awoke from the dead — he was a ghost.

He flew to Pinky and said, “You will die!” and flew up into the hole.

Pinky was starving. He lay down and went to sleep. He had a dream that he was back up into the sewer system and a ghost swept down on him and said, “You will die, you will die, you will die.” He could not get the words out of his head. But his dream came true when he woke up. He realized he was standing in the sewer system and it was deserted.

The ghost of Mr. Little came down and said, “You will die you will die you will die!” But Pinky took a giant jump and he had turned into a frog! He got on the ghost’s back and flew into his apartment and vanished, dropping Pinky to the ground. Pinky realized that, now that he was a frog, he had to change his name. He went to the president of frogs. Frogland was up in the sky. He jumped onto a cloud because he could jump so high. Frogland was in the clouds.

He went to the president of frogs, and said ”Can I change my name? I was a mouse and I was named Pinky but now I am a frog and I want to be called Greeny.”

And then the president made an announcement, “Pinky is now Greeny and he is a frog.”

All the people in mouseland came back to celebrate with him and they all had a party, even though he was a frog and they were mice.

The end!

But… little did they know, Mr. Little was still alive…

While they were having a big frog and mice party, there was a loud voice. “You will die. You will die. You will die.” It was the ghost of Mr. Little. He was back. Mr. Little cast magic on them to die. So they all died except Greeny.

Greeny was in Cloud Land. She saw a sign: “Everything You Want Land” with a cross-out, now saying “Everything You Hate Land.”

“Oh no,” said Greeny. “Everything You Hate Land is back!”

She was walking right into it without realizing, and when you’re in Everything You Hate Land, you can never come out. But everything matched her Everything watch. Maybe it was another secret code. She saw a flash of a thousand Mr. Littles surrounding her, like last time she was in Everything You Hate Land.

They said, “YOU WILL DIE! YOU WILL DIE! YOU WILL DIE!”

But this time was even worse. It wasn’t just words.

The Mr. Little’s grabbed her by the heels and swung her around. She looked at her Everything watch.

It was flashing, “Everything, everything, everything.”

She didn’t know what that meant. She yelled, “Mr. Little, help me!”

“We will not!” said the Mr. Littles.

She looked at her watch. It was still flashing “everything.”

The Mr. Littles dropped her. She flew into the air. She landed on a different cloud.

“I’m happy I’m back in Cloud Land, not Everything You Hate Land, but I want to be in Everything You Want Land.” She looked at her watch.

It was flashing: “Time travel.”

She pushed it. The next thing she knew, she was spinning, spinning, spinning, into the past. She was in the time when she was in Everything World for the first time. She knew that now she was in the past, she wouldn’t suffer all the Mr. Littles that are in the future. Then she realized that she shouldn’t have pressed the time travel button. Now she was in the time when she could mess up everything. She didn’t remember what she said the first time she was in everything world. She would mess up everything. “Everything” was flashing on her everything watch. She pressed it. She was zooming back into the future, but now, she was back with her spinning and spinning around. Her watch was flashing, “Future Time.” She had messed things up. She pressed it. Nothing happened. She realized that when she was in Everything You Hate Land, she could not travel into the future, because it was Everything You Hate, not Everything You Want, and it only worked because going into the past was bad. Now she was back into a mouse, even though she was back in the right time, because she had gone into the past and then back into the future.  Now she knew what Everything meant. It meant that something that her watch does, she has to activate. She pressed all the buttons — laser, flashlight, immediate fan producing mode, but she couldn’t find it. Then she found something: Super Laser. When she pressed the button, it flashed, “Everything, Everything, Everything.” But she had to figure out what to point Super Laser at. “Maybe I have to point Super Laser at something in the past.” She pressed the time travel button. She was looking right at herself. It was the other herself from the past! Maybe she was supposed to scan a cloud from the past with the Super Laser. Nothing happened when she scanned it. Herself didn’t notice her. She had to hide behind a cloud and be sneaky. Her other self is looking at her everything watch and pressing the button. Off she goes to the past. “Good,” said Pinky. “Now I can do my business.”

“Oh! Now I just realized what I was supposed to scan with my super laser!” said Pinky. “I

was supposed to scan myself from the past with my Super Laser. But now it’s too late. That’s what I was supposed to do to get out of Everything You Hate Land. But now myself is gone.” But then she remembered that when she left for the future, it didn’t work, so she was going to come back. She got her Everything Watch ready to shoot the Super Laser at Pinky from the past. The Pinky from the past appeared right in front of Pinky from the future.

“Ahhhhh!” they both screamed. They had no idea what was going on.

“Oh no,” said Pinky from the future, “I forgot to shoot!”

“I’ll do it now,” said Pinky.

“It didn’t work!” said Pinky from the future.

“The code was double everything!”

“I have to steal Pinky from the pasts everything watch.” She ran towards Pinky from the past.

“What are you doing?” asked Pinky from the past. “Who are you?”

Pinky from the future ignored her. She grabbed the everything watch from her wrist. Pinky from the past Greeny was in Cloud Land. She saw a sign: “Everything You Want Land” with a cross-out, now saying “Everything You Hate Land.”

“Oh no,” said Greeny. “Everything You Hate Land is back!”

She was walking right into without realizing, and when you’re in Everything You Hate Land, you can never come out. But everything matched her everything watch. Maybe it was another secret code. She saw a flash of a thousand Mr. Littles surrounding her, like last time she was in Everything You Hate Land.

They said, “YOU WILL DIE! YOU WILL DIE! YOU WILL DIE!”

But this time was even worse. It wasn’t just words.

The Mr. Little’s grabbed her by the heels and swung her around. She looked at her Everything watch.

It was flashing, “Everything, everything, everything.”

She didn’t know what that meant. She yelled, “Mr. Little, help me!”

“We will not!” said the Mr. Littles.

She looked at her watch. It was still flashing “everything.”

The Mr. Littles dropped her. She flew into the air. She landed on a different cloud.

“I’m happy I’m back in Cloud Land, not Everything You Hate Land, but I want to be in Everything You Want Land.” She looked at her watch.

It was flashing: “Time travel.”

She pushed it. The next thing she knew, she was spinning, spinning, spinning, into the past. She was in the time when she was in Everything World for the first time. She knew that now she was in the past, she wouldn’t suffer all the Mr. Littles that are in the future. Then she realized that she shouldn’t have pressed the time travel button. Now she was in the time when she could mess up everything. She didn’t remember what she said the first time she was in everything world. She would mess up everything. “Everything” was flashing on her everything watch. She pressed it. She was zooming back into the future, but now, she was back with her spinning and spinning around. Her watch was flashing, “Future Time.” She had messed things up. She pressed it. Nothing happened. She realized that when she was in Everything You Hate Land, you could not travel into the future, because it was Everything You Hate, not Everything You Want, and it only worked because going into the past was bad, and it was Everything You Hate. Now she was back into a mouse, even though she was back in the right time, because she had gone into the past and then back into the future.  

Now she knew what Everything meant. It meant that something that her watch does, she has to activate. She pressed all the buttons — laser, flashlight, immediate fan producing mode, but she couldn’t find it. Then she found something: Super Laser. When she pressed the button, it flashed, “Everything, Everything, Everything.” But she had to figure out what to point Super Laser at. “Maybe I have to point Super Laser at something in the past.” She pressed the time travel button. She was looking right at herself. It was the other herself from the past! Maybe she was supposed to scan a cloud from the past with the Super Laser. Nothing happened when she scanned it. Herself didn’t notice her. She had to hide behind a cloud and be sneaky. Her other self is looking at her everything watch and pressing the button. Off she goes to the past. “Good,” said Pinky. “Now I can do my business.”

“Oh! Now I just realized what I was supposed to scan with my super laser!” said Pinky. “I

was supposed to scan myself from the past with my Super Laser. But now it’s too late. That’s what I was supposed to do to get out of Everything You Hate Land. But now myself is gone.” But then she remembered that when she left for the future, it didn’t work, so she was going to come back. She got her Everything Watch ready to shoot the Super Laser at Pinky from the past. The Pinky from the past appeared right in front of Pinky from the future.

“Ahhhhh!” they both screamed. They had no idea what was going on. “Oh no,” said Pinky from the future, “I forgot to shoot!”

“I’ll do it now,” said Pinky.

“It didn’t work!” said Pinky from the future. “The code was double everything!”

“I have to steal Pinky from the pasts everything watch.” She ran towards Pinky from the past.

“What are you doing?” asked Pinky from the past. “Who are you?”

Pinky from the future ignored her. She grabbed the everything watch from her wrist.

Pinky from the past threw herself on the ground and cried. “I need my everything watch!” she yelled. This was the perfect time to shoot her superlasers at Pinky from the past. She did it. She was back to her normal self in her house in Cloudland, like the none of this ever happened.

 

Peregrine (Part 1)

“Dad?”

“SON! What HAVE I told YOU!?”

“Sorry. I know. No learning cantrips without finishing my homework.”

“And find your spellbook! Otherwise I can’t teach you!” Grumbling, Peregrine backed out of the room and started walking out of the grounds. He thought about how he should be learning right now. Sure, he was 10, but was advanced at magic. His father just did this to annoy him. He knew where the book was, he dropped it when he saw an ogre. He walked to the centre of the forest and grabbed it from a ditch. He suddenly hit the ground as an earthquake rocked the ground. He knew what was happening. The volcano was erupting. He ran towards an oak tree and jumped into to a hole. Then, the firestorm erupted. Peregrine waited it out and thought sadly that he wouldn’t see his annoying dad ever again.

Peregrine went towards the other nearby town, Far Lands. He had seen enough ogres to last a year, and was extremely annoyed with Rupert, his pseudodragon, for constantly nipping him. Also, he hated the kappas for eating his cucumber. He was also annoyed with the brigands for trying to steal his stuff.

There was a rumor that the leader was still on fire. He carelessly was going through the forest, and occasionally blasting kappas. He wandered into a clearing and was suddenly aware of an arrow in the trunk of a tree. A BLACK ARROW. He slowly turned around knowing that he would see orcs. A rasping voice that caused the mind to spring towards death, trash, rancid meat, and for some weird reason, Metallica. Probably just the axe guitars. Anyway, it spoke.

”Give us shiny or pointy things go chop!”

(That meant give us stuff or else.) Peregrine turned out his pockets. His spellbook. That would take too long. Chocolate. YES!! Wait, no, it was 10% cacao, not 100%. He sighed in defeat. Then, an orc spoke.

”Pointy ears! Pointy things fly! No fair! You surprise!”

An orc fell to the ground gurgling. Peregrine rubbed his fingers together, on the off chance this was an arcane tree… An explosion of arcane magic blasted him, the orcs and an elf. The resulting explosion caused several pounds of Arbitrarium to be created and turned the orcs into potted plants. Peregrine lay on the ground, shaking and unconscious.

Peregrine stepped to his feet, shaking and sparking with arcane potentiality. He lifted his hand which was smoking, aimed and shot a bolt of fire at the wall of ice, fleeing from that horrible…

He stepped to his feet and wandered to the gate.

The gatekeeper relaxed. It was a sorcerer. This made it easy. Peregrine stepped up and the gatekeeper yelled.

“Get! Go to the castle. Go, go, go, gooooooooo….”

Peregrine ran into the castle and locked the door. He took a step and looked at the carvings. A roar shook from behind him. A blast of cold air knocked him to the ground. Peregrine stepped to his feet, shaking and sparking with arcane potentiality. He lifted his hand which was smoking, aimed and shot a bolt of fire at the wall of ice, fleeing from that horrible dragon. He ran towards the next room and focused his mind on blasting the dragon’s snout. The dragon busted his head in and turned. Draconis frigis, ice dragon, is a formidable enemy without E-Z-Mage’s Dragon Killer. Peregrine sprayed this stuff as the dragon exhaled. A puff of air reached him as he stumbled outside and to town.

6 years later…

A young man with red hair wandered around in the dungeon. The lich had to be here somewhere. A squeak issued from below as a jar fell over. The lich’s soul in a jar was annoyed. He had been playing cards until the jar had smashed and the lich disintegrated. Well, he thought, now we can play.

“I’ve got Death, Immortality and Arcane.”

Conscience chuckled.

“I got Good deed, Hero, and Rincewind.”

Flaws whooped.

“I got Rincewind, Luck and Hero!”

The others cashed in their impulse chips, and reached for their beers.

Peregrine jumped and rolled as a curse blasted the bars of a cell.

“Stay still, you blithering halfling! Just let me curse you once!”

The lich raised his hand and unleashed a necrotic ball of magic, just as Peregrine countered with a 9th level Imprisonment spell. The two arcane forces began to clash, slowly moving towards the lich. The lich struggled to keep the necrotic energy moved towards him, unleashing the spell. The air around him distorted and he reappeared inside an emerald in Peregrine’s pocket.

Peregrine wandered through the dungeon aware that the lich lord was coming. Lich lords were almost impossible to defeat. The air stiffened.

Emproisonen!

Peregrine ducked as a bolt of magic struck above his head. He drew his sword and swung it, intending to cleave through the lich lord. At the last second, the lich lord threw up a set of mage armor, the sword cutting through his wraps. Pale, white flames danced along the lich’s robe, burning the robe and disintegrating his bones. The lich lord crumbled to dust, but not before hitting the sword away. Peregrine grabbed it, fingers wrapping around the hilt, which was phoenix shaped. Phoenix. That was the sword’s name.

Peregrine grabbed the ball of pure magic that was rising out of the ruins. The pain was unbearable. Ever shifting colors blocked his vision. He fell off and into the now growing chasm…

Phil

One day, Phil the security guard saw a guy barge in through the floor.

“Yo, we have a problem, a few dudes barged in,” Phil said.

“Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, I am Phil the night guard for the mall,” Phil said.

Suddenly a guy came out of nowhere and said, “Surrender the mall or we will

shoot.”

“Whoa, let’s not get wild here. I am just the night guard,” Phil said calmly.

“Yeah, he is right. He is just a bad security guard,” said a bad guy.

Phil got mad. He started to jump on one of the bad guys.

“Oh, I see you have gotten angry. Well here comes some more bad guys,” yelled another bad guy.

Phil took out a blaster. “I will shoot if i need to!” yelled Phil.

The bad guys ran away, but they left something. It was an ID. It had a picture of the blue burglars setting off bombs underground.

“The blue burglars?” Phil questioned.

I need to learn more about this gang, Phil thought.

So Phil went to his computer and it said the blue burglars are the world’s most dangerous gang. They have been wanted for 20 years.

They steal and they wear blue and white shirts and a ski mask. On May 15th, they plan to blow up New York with bombs underground. 11 days left, he thought to himself.

“I live in New York. I need to save it so I must quit my job to save New York,”said Phil. The next day Phil told his boss he was quitting.

“Phil, I get it. You have been doing the job for a long time. You deserve to quit. But call me,” said the boss.

“Thanks for understanding,” Phil said.

And off he went to save New York from the bombs.

“First I need a defense base,” Phil said. So he bought bricks at the hardware store and he started building. Soon the lair was built and it had cannons and tanks. “Yay, the lair is made,” yelled Phil. Suddenly a burglar broke in and he did not get past the defenses. “YES!” Phil yelled! That proved that maybe Phil was ready to save New York.

Phil had to go home. He saw his wife at the door. She was happy that he was home.

But Phil did not tell about the bombs. He wasn’t ready yet to tell her about his plan.

“Today was the day I had to quit,” Phil said.

“Why?” she asked. By the way, her name was Jenny.

“Um.. well the rules, they were unfair,” Phil fibbed.

“Okay,” she said.

“Yeah, they said it is okay to smoke in the mall and skateboard so I quit,” Phil said.

“You know you could have just gone on strike,” Jenny said.

“Fine. There are bombs under New York,” Phil said.

“WHAT??” Jenny yelled.

“Look, it is my job to save New York,” Phil calmly said.

“Well it looks like you are saving New York. That is pretty brave of you,” said Jenny. Phil left before Jenny said another word. Phil went through New York finding a hole that led to the bombs. Phil walked and walked until he saw the hole.

“YES, I am there finally there!” Phil yelled.

“Not so fast! This is for the blue burglars only,” said a bad guy. Phil took out a bat and knocked him out. Phil started to worry. The hole was very deep.

“Do not worry, it is just a little drop,” he thought to himself. Suddenly a worker pushed Phil in the hole.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Phil woke up in a dark place. It was as big as a football field. “Wow, that was intense,” Phil said. Phil was very scared. He started to think that he would be stuck here forever.

“Phil, it is me your boss, Tom,” a voice said in the dark.

“My boss?” Phil said.

Phil walked closer to the voice.

“Phil, slavery is happening in this hole,” his boss, Tom, said.

“WHAT?” Phil said.

“It is true. I have been pushed down in the hole,” Tom said.

“Do you know about the bombs?” Phil said.

“Yes, I do know. I went to the hole to help you because I realized that the whole reason you quit was because you wanted to save New York so I decided to help you, but I got captured,” Tom said.

Phil started to run and save his boss. The bombs will explode in ten days. Tom tried to escape but the blue burglars started to punch him hard. Then Phil took out his blaster and he started to shoot. Suddenly more of them came and they were wearing green masks.

“Who the heck are the guys with the green masks?” the master of the blue burglars said. His name was John. Everyone was confused. People started to go mad.

Phil needed more help so he called 911. Phil and his boss escaped but they needed to return before ten days when the bombs go off. The next day, Phil woke up and looked out the window. There were holes all over the place. Phil was really scared. Phil heard a scream and it sounded like Jenny. Phil ran and ran until he could not run any longer. His legs were very tired. Then he saw Jenny about to be pushed into a hole. Phil ran as fast as he could before Jenny fell. Phil jumped but then fell in. Jenny made it to safety but poor Phil did not make it.

“Oh no, did Phil die?” cried Jenny. Suddenly, something lifted Phil into the sky. It was a miracle! Phil was flying but it was just a dream anyway. He could not fly, he was just dreaming. Suddenly, he woke up feeling very sick. Phil was very weary. He felt like he needed to throw up. Then his belly ached. It felt like he had to take a sick day today. Phil was not doing too well. He started to feel dizzy and then he got a headache and started coughing.

Phil could not move one bit. “Oh my gosh, this is so painful.” Phil needed Jenny but she was at the supermarket. “Oh, I am very sick and I really need medicine,” Phil thought. Everything was terrible. He had to use the bathroom but he could not move. He was trying to call 911 but he could not reach the phone. It took a long time until he got the phone.

He dialed 911 and then Phil heard a knock! Phil was happy 911 was here. Now that 911 was here he could have help. So the paramedics did what they could but he still felt sick. All their advice did not work for some reason.

“Phil, I am very sorry but we can not help you. You may have to go to get surgery done,” the paramedic said.

But that is when a boy walked in the house.

“Hello, my name is Colton I am looking for a home because I don’t have one,” said Colton.

“Well I do not know because I am sick. I don’t think that I can take care of you right now,” Phil said. Jenny walked in all worried about Phil.

“Phil, are you okay? I heard that you were sick and you called 911,” Jenny calmly said.

“Jenny, I may need to get surgery,” Phil said.

“WHAT?” Jenny yelled.

“And I also met a boy named Colton,” Phil says.

“Hello,” Colton says.

“Phil, I do not think we could have a kid with surgery and everything. I think we can not keep Colton,” Jenny says. Then Jenny brought Phil to the hospital for surgery.

Colton was sad that he had to leave. But then he got captured by the blue burglars.

Meanwhile, Phil was done with the surgery. But Phil still had to stay at the hospital for at least one night. Phil slept and dreamed about Colton all alone on the street. Phil woke up and he zipped out of the hospital to find Colton.

“Read all about it! A young boy named Colton gets captured!” the newspaperman yelled.

“Wait, Colton got captured?” yelled Phil.

“Where is Colton?” Phil said.

“Underground,” Newspaperman said.

Phil went in the hole again.

He looks at the timer. Two days left before- BOOM!

Phil ran to save Colton. He saw someone. It looked like someone he knew, but the person disappeared. He then just walked away thinking that it was nothing. Phil kept going and then he saw Colton in a cage. He had an idea. He could jump on a rope, swing down and kick the blue burglars in the face.

So he tried doing it but it was not as awesome as he expected.

Phil swung down and yelled, “HIYAH!!!” and then he fell and the rope hit a blue burglar. They got mad and took out blasters they were about to shoot when his boss kicked them in the face!!!

“Let me in on some of them!” yelled Phil.

Phil started punching them. It was like a duet of combat! Phil saved Colton and they escaped the hole. The next day, Phil was scared that the bomb would go off and he would not stop it. He decided that night he was going to stop the bomb. Phil was miserable all day. He kept on thinking about the bomb. What if the timer was tricking him and it was on a different day? Every single second he felt scared. This was a big risk for Phil. Phil worried and worried until he saw someone. It was the mysterious person from the hole.

“Hello,” Phil said.

“Quiet!” the person said

“Who are you?” Phil asked.

“I am Galactic but you can call me Glen,” Glen said.

“I am Phil,” he said.

“I need help. Can you help me stop a bomb?” Phil said.

“Sure,” said Glen.

They met in five hours.

“Ok, it is time to stop the bomb!” Phil yelled.

They jumped in the hole. They had two hours left until the bomb explodes.

Phil jumped and took out his blaster.

BOOM!!!

Glen started to take out a blaster too. Then all the guards were destroyed and John the master died. Phil then ran to the bomb. He saw two wires. He did not know which one to cut. The colors were red or blue. Phil thought. He made a decision.

He cut a wire and then…

Everyone was silent for a moment. He held his breath.

Phil looked at the bomb. It was stopped.

“YAY!” everyone yelled.

Colton came running up to Phil and hugged him. Phil smiled and decided to ask Colton to come live with them. Phil realized the house was too quiet and they needed some fun!

Phil’s family was safe from danger. It was true. Phil was a hero!

THE END

Read Phil 2

Coming Soon Fall 2015

“Phil is back in the sequel, Phil 2 defender of NEW YORK!!!!!”

Here’s the beginning of the sequel:

Phil was at home with Colton.

“Colton, why not we go on a little adventure,” Phil said

“I love adventure!” yelled Colton! So Colton and the family went on a adventure. Five minutes later- worst adventure EVER!!!

COLTON HAD TO GO BATHROOM!

PHIL HAD MOSQUITO BITES!

AND JENNY HAD A HEADACHE!

But they do not know what awaits them…

 

Paperback Writer

“Where is my ring?” said Ringo.

“I don’t know,” said John, Paul, and George at the same time.

“Let’s check the basement. I’ll check the attic,” said George.

“I’ll check the dining room,” said Paul.

“And I’ll check the kitchen,” said John.

“We’ll meet back in three minutes,” said Ringo.

“It’s been three minutes already?!” said Paul.

“It’s not anywhere,” they all replied at the same time.

“Let’s keep looking! That ring cost me a lot of money and I just got it!” said Ringo.

“Maybe you dropped it on your way home,” said John.

“Yeah! That’s a great idea!” said Ringo.

“Let’s retrace our steps and look for it. Let’s all walk across Abbey Road.”

“Say, that would make a great album cover!” said Paul.

“Yeah! Let’s get our cameramen! Let’s get to it,” said everyone else.

“Okay. Let’s walk across the street now.”

“But wait! How are we going to make the music? We haven’t done an album in a while. Let’s make the album after.”

“Hopefully any of my songs are on it,” said George loudly.

“Uh oh,” said George. “It’s raining. Let’s play a game of chess until the rain stops.”

“Hey! Here comes the sun! Say, that would be a good name for one of my songs!”

“Yeah!” everyone agreed.

“Okay. Now let’s go get Ringo’s ring,” said John.

“Okay. Let’s make a plan on how to find Ringo’s ring. First, we’ll take the picture, then we’ll split up. I’ll take North Abbey Road,” said Paul.

“I’ll take South Abbey Road,” said John.

“And I’ll take East and West Side, so we can make sure the ring is not on Abbey Road. Say, what does the ring look like?”

“It’s a golden ring with a diamond in the middle.”

“Okay, let’s hop to it,” said John.

“No ring on North Street!” said Paul.

“Not on South, East or West street either!” said everyone else.

“Hey! Hold on a second! Oopsies! It’s on my finger, actually,” said Ringo.

“RINGO!!!” said everyone.

“What?” said Ringo.

They went back to the studio. As soon as they got home they remembered about the album. The Beatles got right to work on the album. It took days and nights. Finally, they thought they were done, but then something terrible happened! The recorder broke and the album was not saved.  

It took another whole day to re-record the album. And then the worst thing that could ever happen, happened. Can you guess what it was? The album was put out out of order. Instead of ‘The End’ being last, it was second to last and ‘Her Majesty’ was last.

Paul tried to calm everyone else down. “Calm down, everybody. It isn’t such a big deal,” he said.

“I can’t calm down! It’s just too upsetting and frustrating!” said John.

“I agree,” said Ringo and George at the same time. John was the most upset. Then Ringo, then George.

“Hey guys! This is one the of only albums with my songs on it!”

The final mistake was that the picture had a person’s finger in the picture. Everyone went ballistic. They didn’t discover this until they were at a ball held in the album’s honor.

After the ball was over they got together in the kitchen. They talked about how hard making the album was. ‘‘At least it can’t get any worse!’’ said Paul. Then it started to rain and there was a leak in the ceiling. Nevermind!      

Over the Wall

Weissenfels, Germany

Summer 1943

Maritta heard a loud boom. She looked around and saw her mother holding baby Martin close to her. Other women were hugging their children and crying. In the underground chamber, there was nothing but a table and a few chairs. She heard another loud boom.

Poor Papa, she thought.

It was the summer of 1943. Although she couldn’t remember much about what happened, she still remembered the loud gunshots she heard.

Spring 1949

Finally, the war had been long over. Being in Fifth Grade without Papa was hard. She woke up every morning, wishing Papa would be there. She knew Papa was dead, although no one had said it out loud before.

After the war was over, her Mama told her, “Papa is missing, but you know that he would want us to stop searching for him.”

But Maritta could hear the hesitation in Mama’s voice. Her voice was dry. She could feel her fear and sadness.

“Maritta,” Mama continued, “we have to let him go.”

Middle school wasn’t any easier. Mama met a new man named Waldemar. Whenever Maritta saw him, she couldn’t bear to look at him. Papa’s name had also been Waldemar.

Maritta asked Mama what she saw in him, but Mama only gave her a weak smile and said, “It’s what Papa would have wanted.”

Mama married Waldemar in 1953. Martin was very happy to have a new father, especially since Waldemar finally bought Martin a new bike that he had always wanted. No matter how much she missed Papa, Maritta was happy that Mama finally found a new love.

Winter 1961

“Can you come home for Christmas?” said Mama to Maritta. Maritta was finally going off to college. Her dream was to become a dentist. She couldn’t wait to get to the school.

The school was a big university packed with a lot of students. She made her way through the crowd and went into her dorm.

“Is this room #311?” she asked.

“Yeah,” said the girl sitting on her bed. She was painting her nails with a popping turquoise color.

Maritta set down her things and hung up her three outfits that she brought with her. She took out her white marble necklace. She held it in her hand and started to cry. The necklace was a locket in the shape of a flower. There was a picture of a blond girl sitting outside, surrounded by flowers of all colors. On the back of the locket were her initials engraved in cursive, MB, for Maritta Bauer. Papa had made the locket for her when she was one year old.

Papa used to point to the older girls parking their bikes across the ice cream parlor, and say, “Maritta, that will someday be you.”

She put the locket back into her bag and blinked back the last of her tears. She was about to leave when her roommate dropped her bottle of nail polish on the ground. Maritta jumped at the sudden sound.

“Relax, I’ll clean it up,” teased her roommate.

Maritta forced a small smile and turned around to leave. She could feel her roommate staring as she reached for the doorknob.

“Hey, you haven’t even introduced yourself yet,” said the girl.

“My name is Maritta,” she replied.

“Gisela,” said her roommate.

“No, it’s Maritta,” Maritta said.

My name is Gisela.” She rolled her eyes and went back to cleaning up the nail polish that she’d dropped.

Maritta looked around the room. The room was very dull. It was about the size of a normal bedroom. There was a small bathroom across from the beds. Next to her bed was a small wooden nightstand. There was dresser and a closet on either side of the wall. Gisela stripped the beige bedsheets and replaced them with turquoise sheets. Maritta eyed her bed. It was white and felt like leather. She got a light lavender blanket out of her bag and threw it over the bed.

This should do for now, she thought.

Maritta opened the door and peeked her head out of door. There was no one there. She stepped out of the room and walked towards the main door. She walked past the cafeteria, but something caught her eye. She looked at the flyer hanging on the cafeteria door.

“Medical class for dentists and doctors,” she read to herself. She yanked the flyer off the door and stuffed it in her pocket. She had always wanted to be a dentist. When she was eight years old, she used to walk past the dentist office on her way to the ice cream parlor and stare at the huge model of a perfectly shaped tooth. When she went for a check up, her favorite part was receiving a piece of caramel when she was done.

***

“Martin couldn’t make it this time, the train closed because of the snow,” said Mama as she was putting the boots on the windowsill for St. Nikolaus. She took out Martin’s boots, but then she hesitated and put them back into the closet.

The living room was filled with candles and wreaths hanging everywhere. The kitchen smelled like hot chocolate and cinnamon. Maritta went up to her bedroom and sat on her bed. She touched the bed sheets and immediately stripped them off the bed. She stuffed them into her suitcase so she could replace the blanket in the dorm with her old sheets.

“Dinner’s ready!” called Mama from downstairs.

Maritta ran down and saw Waldemar sitting by the fire. Maritta quickly walked past Waldemar so it wouldn’t awkward.

After dinner, Maritta helped clean up and did the dishes. She couldn’t stop thinking about Martin. She missed her little brother.

***
It was finally time for classes to start. Gisela wouldn’t stop talking about the sororities that were offering her a place with their group. Maritta pretended to listen, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the medical class she was attending this afternoon. She couldn’t wait to finally join a class she was interested in.

“Which one?” asked Gisela.

Maritta snapped out of her thoughts. “What?”

“Come on silly, which sorority should I join?” teased Gisela.

“I don’t know, whichever one you want, ” Maritta replied, then quickly grabbed her books and ran out the door before Gisela could say anymore.

***

The first day went by super fast. But the only thing Maritta was looking forward to was the medical class. After her last regular class, she packed up all her books and walked into the room across the hall, where the medical class was held. There were about eighteen people in the classroom. It seemed like Maritta had missed the first few minutes. She took a seat in the middle of the classroom and tapped the guy sitting next to her.

“What did I miss?” she asked him.

“Not much. The teacher was just introducing himself,” said the guy.

Maritta sat back in her chair and took out a notebook.

“What are you studying?” he asked.

“I’m studying dentistry,” she replied.

“I’m studying medicine to be a doctor,” he said.

Maritta smiled at him and dug through her bag to find a pencil.

“I’m Heiner, by the way,” said Heiner.

“I’m Maritta.”

1965

It had been about six years since Maritta graduated university. She couldn’t believe her dream was finally going to come true. Heiner had already started his job, but Maritta was still looking. Ever since the Berlin Wall had been constructed in 1961, it had been hard for people to find jobs. The Berlin Wall separated West Germany from East Germany to keep people from fleeing to the other side. Anyone who tried to escape was punished or even shot.

Heiner had become the health minister of East Germany about a year ago. He’d also proposed a year ago at their favorite restaurant. Maritta had been super excited and Mama even came to congratulate them.

Finally Maritta found a job as the head dentist of a company not far from where Heiner was working. Being in the company reminded her of when she was little, always staring at the glass window of the dentist office back home.

 

1967

On May 8th, 1967, Maritta and Heiner’s first child was born, Ulrich Apel. Only a few months after, Maritta and Heiner finally got married. Mama came and took care of Ulrich. She helped Maritta get ready for the wedding.

The day was here. August 19th, 1967, Maritta and Heiner got married in the church. Maritta wore a short white dress and her hair short and curly. Mama and Waldemar sat in the front. Mama stared at Maritta the whole time. The wedding was beautiful. Maritta’s favorite part was the perfectly assembled bouquet sitting right next to the priest. Mama walked her down the aisle when the ceremony started.

If only Papa could walk me down the aisle, she thought.

After the wedding, there was a photoshoot with the flowers. Ulrich also had a few pictures taken.

1979

It had been exactly twelve years since the wedding. Heiner had to go to West Germany to see his mother. But there was no way to get there.

“I’ll pretend to fly to Switzerland on business, and then I can fly to West Germany from there,” suggested Heiner.

“Are you sure it will work?” asked Maritta.

“I’m very sure,” replied Heiner. “If I’m back in time, no one will suspect a thing.”

Heiner left in the winter.

“When is Papa coming home?” Asked Maritta’s second son, Christian, who was now ten.

“I don’t know, as long as it takes for your grandma to feel better,” replied Maritta.

1981

Two years and still no Heiner.

Why hasn’t he come back? thought Maritta. She stared out the window at the two men shoveling snow.

“Ulrich! Come down and look at this, please!” yelled Maritta from the living room.

Ulrich ran down from the stairs. “What?”

“Look at the two men shoveling snow.”

“What about them?”

“Don’t you remember?” she asked, “A few years before Papa left, you and Christian were shoveling snow in the driveway. ”

“Oh, I remember! We wanted to get rid of the snow but we ended up building snowmen again.”

“And those men” — Maritta pointed to the men again — “will someday be you.”

***

“Dinner’s ready!” yelled Maritta. She set the table and went to get milk from the icebox. When she came back to the dining table, the boys still weren’t down yet. She went upstairs to their room. “Are you two still playing chess?” she asked as she walked into the room.

“Just a second, I’m about to win,” said Christian.

“No, you’re not!” said Ulrich.

Maritta just sighed. Ever since Heiner had left, the kids had been banished from school. They would only be able to continue when Heiner came back. A few months ago, the government noticed that Heiner wasn’t on this side of the wall anymore. Being the Health Minister of East Germany, it was important for him to be present.

Suddenly Maritta felt too sick to stand. The feeling of waiting for someone to come home pierced her heart. She remembered waiting for Papa to come home when she knew he was never coming back.

Don’t worry, Heiner’s coming back soon, she thought to herself.

***

“Can I go to Sven’s house?” asked Ulrich. “I’ll be careful.”

“I guess,” answered Maritta. Now that more conflict had been happening with Heiner’s disappearance, more victims suffering from the wall, and more people escaping, she had to be careful that no one got hurt. Even though Ulrich was now a full-grown adult, she still didn’t want to take any chances. But Ulrich’s best friend, Sven, was the only thing that distracted Ulrich from Heiner. “But let me come with you, I need to buy a few things,” she said, grabbing a shopping tote.

They left the house and walked through the neighborhood. They got on the sidewalk and saw a black car pull up at the town office. A small crowd was watching as the driver got out and opened the car door. A man wearing a hat and a thick winter coat stepped out of the car. Maritta couldn’t see his face, but something about him seemed familiar. The man turned around and started walking towards Ulrich and Maritta. It was Heiner! She ran towards him and hugged him very tight. Tears rolled out of her eyes.

“Even if we are miles and miles apart, we will never be separated,” he whispered.

Heiner had finally come home after ten years in West Germany.

A few months later, the wall was finally torn down. The president reassured the community the wall would come down. The citizens ran to the wall and climbed over. There were fireworks and people hugging their loved ones with tears in their eyes. Germany was finally one again.

 

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time there was a king who was very sick and needed to drink a potion called the water of life. The king said that the first one to get the water of life would get the whole kingdom. The king first sent out his big son to ride to the castle that had the water. On the way there he met a small man named the man. The man asked if he could give him some of his food but the prince said, ”I don’t have much for myself, and go away you beggar!” The man was a god who came down to see who was greedy and would sent them into a canyon and would never come out unless he said so.

A long time went by and the king got worse, so he sent his second son out. On the way he met the man and at last he went to a canyon. The king was almost at his end and the littlest son went out. On the way he met the man, but he gave the man some food and the man gave him a magic stick and a cup and told him to hit the door three times and push the door open. On the floor would be a magic wand. He had to pick it up and get the water before 12 or he would be stuck in the castle and turn into stone. The prince did what the man said and went in.

There was a princess inside and the princess kissed him and said, “if you get the water out before 12 I will be saved.” And the princes gave the prince a sword. The sword was magic, it could kill everyone the prince wanted. And there was a cake, the cake was endless, you could eat as much as you want and each crumb you could make it into a new huge cake by saying the word ”crumb.”

The prince went into each room and found a bed and slept. When he got up, it was 11:55 so the prince found the water and ran out.

When he got out the door shut and  the princess called, ”I will marry you one year later. When you come go on the golden road and I will know it is you.”

On the way back the prince helped three kingdoms from hunger and three kingdoms from the enemy. He got to the man and gave him the stick. When he got home he wished that his brothers were there with him. The magic wand granted his wish. The brothers were right next to the small prince. They switched the water when the small one was not looking but the king saw it and sent the big ones away. When the king drank the water he felt better and the six kingdoms sent a lot of gold, silver and diamonds and raised the little prince as their king.

The little prince told them his brothers about the princess but did not tell them about the golden road. The big one had the fastest horse and got there first. He saw the golden road but thought riding on this road will make the road dirty so he went on the left.

The princess told the guards, “Only let the prince that comes on the golden road in, no one else.” The second one got there second and came on the right. He did not get in.The small prince got there last but went on the golden road and married the princess and lived happily ever after. But his brothers killed themselves.

Outside Poems

The Alley

 

The grape vines droop from the double garage.

Birds splash in puddles playfully, they chatter in the long extended trees,

The insects and critters are crawling around,

The ground is a field of uneven stones,

Trucks honking with the wind,

It’s a cool and refreshing day.

 

The Building

 

Vines hanging up above,

Mixtures of varying colors,

The stars float.

 

The Bush

 

Spikes of green poking out,

Hard to tame like a Lion’s mane,

Reaches out to grab,

 

The Car

 

Sickening red

Old Man

Steve is 87. He is trying to get to his house from the supermarket. He has a cane. Steve wants to be independent because he wants to do stuff on his own. He thinks he can do things but he realizes that he needs help doing all that stuff. He can’t really shop on his own- he has a hard time carrying it all back because he isn’t very strong. He needs someone to help. So he goes to a retirement home. All the people there are really mean. He is just unhappy because he thought he could do stuff that he wanted to do on his own but he can’t. He feels ashamed of himself, so he went back to his real house on his own one year later. He let his kids go away but he actually needs them. They are on a trip for a year. His kids are on a trip to Mexico tasting different foods. He had a hard time cleaning around the house, fixing old broken stuff like old chairs, and most of all, grocery shopping.

As he gets home, all the groceries fall through the bag onto the ground and make a big mess. There are tomatoes and spilled milk and spinach and celery and salad stuff. There is also a little box of cookies. He remembers when he was little that on the Fourth of July he couldn’t light a firework but his brothers could. This was because he was the youngest and his mom and dad didn’t trust him. When he went grocery shopping with his mom and dad, he couldn’t carry the milk and the eggs and all the heavy stuff because he wasn’t strong enough. So now, he gets people to help him just like he had to when he was younger. He’s sick of this! He only got to carry snacks as a kid and now he spills milk

In a couple of days, his kids are coming back to help him. He decides to fight through those days and get stuff he needs to get done until they come. He tries to fix a broken chair. His hands shake while putting the nail in the chair, and he struggles while hitting the nail with a hammer. He’s a little scared because if he messes up, he’ll go back to the retirement home. He doesn’t like that; things are breaking there, and not all the people are nice. He doesn’t have any friends there. At home, he likes being by himself. He’s more comfortable because he knows where everything is. He’s lived there for nine years.

It’s a dark blue house with a few bedrooms and circular windows. There is a pool in the backyard. There is also a wooden fence painted red. The lawn is all bright green grass.

One day before his kids get back, Steve gets hurt by a broken chair. Steve was sitting in the chair when the chair fell and Steve hurt his back. It hurt really, really, really bad. He cannot get up! He calls the police to get some help. The ambulance comes and they put him in a stretcher. They bring them to the hospital. Steve is nervous because he broke his back and doesn’t want to go to the retirement home. He has surgery but he doesn’t remember because they give him sleepy gas. When he wakes up he is still sleepy.

His kids Nina and Nick are at his house. When he wakes up, they say, “You need to go back to the retirement home. You broke your back and you need someone to help you.”

He is sad and disappointed because he has to go back. “I agree with you because I broke my back and no one’s here to watch me.”

He thought his kids were staying with him but they are not staying. Nina works at a movie theatre. Nick is working at a corndog stand. Steve cannot bring any furniture to the retirement home. He has a vase he really likes but isn’t allowed to bring. He can only bring his clothes. He keeps the vase in his house. The furniture at the retirement home reminds him of a hotel.

Steve makes a new friend named Sarah. Sarah is 69 and used to teach the fourth grade. Sarah really liked her job because she loves teaching people. She also had a really bad fall. Sarah fell off a horse and had to come to the retirement home. She can still walk, but only a little bit, and has to use a cane. Even though she is 69, she still has brown hair. Because Sarah and Steve became such good friends, he didn’t hate the retirement home as much anymore.

Music As Loud As My Sister

 

Music as loud as my sister

Whose scream is like nails on a chalkboard

Whose punch is as strong as a rock

Her whisper is as quiet as a mouse                                   

Bugging me is her hobby

Well it should be she’s great at it

She has a dream of becoming a teacher

Who knows how long that’ll last

She likes to cook

And be the center of attention

She says she’ll do gymnastics again

But she‘s been known to be a liar

Music as loud as my sister

 

Mystery Characters

Mystery characters:                   CATERPILLAR ALSO PLAYS JHON

 

Hungry caterpillar: is very quiet most of the time, sly and cautious

 

Store Owner: works in pet store wise and old

 

Mr. Myster: one of the chief detectives and doesn’t know who ate the tart. Very equipped and always walks on tip toes.

 

Ms. Melon:  A detective always keeping an EYE on the look out. has a lumpy voice and scared of caterpillars

 

Jhon: Knows he can help but loves to eat everything has blond hair very thin still in college

 

Time Period: Based in the sixties.

Setting(s):

The House

The Store

 

SHOP KEEPER    

 in  old crunchy voice

Behold, behold my beautiful caterpillar.

Very rare, very old can’t be fed till a month is WHOLE

Very small, but worth sacks of gold,

behold behold this beautiful soul!!!

 

MS.MELON

Oh Mamma! Doesn’t that caterpillar look heavenly

 

MR.MYSTER

Well we do have no pets…

 

MS.MELON

Come on now don’t be a pussy cat, it’s almost supper now and I made carrot soup, so if you want that caterpillar, get it now!

 

MR.MYSTER

Alright, shopkeeper, how much do you want for that dang caterpillar!

 

SHOP KEEPER

Oh this is not for sale, oh no its not!…. UNLESS you have ten sacks of gold for this old lot!  (chuckle chuckle)

 

MR.MYSTER

We’re the town sheriffs “sir,” now hand over that caterpillar or else get ready for…

 

SHOP KEEPER

His eyes grow wide.

Oh just take it take it, don’t be afraid. I’m just a old shopkeeper, I will obey.

 

SHOP KEEPER

But don’t forget, and never forget only feed him once in a year! sigh

 

MR.MYSTER

This is such a cute caterpillar

 

MS.MELON

I wonder why that store keeper told us to feed him once in “a year.”

 

MR.MYSTER

Ya, he’s as skinny as a string!

 

MS.MELON

Why do think two “gulp” sheriffs like us are keepin’ this old caterpillar?

 

MR.MYSTER

Stop scaring me with that glass eye of yours, Ms. Melon, you’re giving me the creeps! Back to the subject. We both deserve a caterpillar worth ten sacks of gold!!!

 

MS.MELON

Oh, I really hope we get that rare double choco cream cake to Molly before tomorrow then maybe she’ll give us that rare two dollar bill she promised me. Ya ya.

 

MR.MYSTER

Come on now, nothing will happen to the cream cake, now let’s get back home.

 

SCENE 2

next day

 

MR.MYSTER

Look at that little thing starin’ at the cream cake. Think ur goin’ get little fella huh huh?

 

CATERPILLAR

Meow…

 

MS.MELON

Awwww! It even purrs!

 

MR.MYSTER

Darlin’, when you’re givin that tart to Molls, don’t get it near me. You know I’m allergic to chocolate. And don’t keep it near little rascal over there, he sure looks HUNGRY.

 

CATERPILLAR

Meow…

 

MR.MYSTER

Oh stop purring at me!

 

MS.MELON

Alrighty, now I just need to head to the butcher to grab fresh apples for the fruit bowl. Like you said, ‘don’t let the caterpillar eat it.’ Now the responsibilities are in your hands so don’t let me see a half eaten tart on the table! And darlin’, turn on the AC, it’s awfully hot in here.

 

CATERPILLAR

Meow…

 

MR.MYSTER

You little…

 

SCENE 3

 

  1. MELON

Alright I’m back!

 

CATERPILLAR

Burp!

 

MS.MELON

Mmmmm…David!!!

 

MR.MYSTER

Huh?!

 

MS.MELON

Where’s the tart?!

 

MR.MYSTER

Ummmm…. in the box? Nervous tone

 

MS.MELON

Doesn’t look like that … Shattered voice

 

CATERPILLAR

BURP!!!!

 

MS.MELON

AHHHHH the caterpillar!!! David! Look! You let the caterpillar eat it didn’t you?

MR.MYSTER

Nooooo…?

 

MS.MELON

Come on and take the caterpillar, he’s going back to the store!!! I knew he was bad luck!

 

MR.MYSTER

Well maybe while I was sleeping it…

 

MS.MELON

SLEEPING?!?!

 

MR.MYSTER

Molly might have come and eat it?

 

MS.MELON

You dumb man, now come along this instant!

 

SHOP KEEPER

Welcome, welcome to all you fellows wearing green, blue pink and yellow! How can I help you on this cloudy day? Want a grown butterfly or a cat scratcher chair?

 

MS.MELON

Our caterpillar pal ate our tart! And now I’m rhyming, thanks alot!

 

SHOP KEEPER

You see, you see it wasn’t this caterpillar. I am wise and old it is not Mr. caterpillar!

I see, I see he almost never eats, I know I know it wasn’t him. I am positive! Though I know who ate the treat, you will find out yourselves for treating ME badly…. glance at Mr.Myster.

 

MR.MYSTER

gulp

 

MR.MYSTER

In a nervous tone

Hey, lets go check Molls maybe she did it.

 

MS.MELON

But how could she do it? That’s impossible! It’s her’s anyway so it’s fine if she did! But if the caterpillar did, I am planning to sew that old man’s store!

 

SHOP KEEPER

Well take the caterpillar! Old fellas, it might be worth gold but it is fairly old and it’s not mine so bye bye!

 

MR.MYSTER

Let’s check Jhon, he might have snuck in through that window you left open yesterday,you know he’s an eater!

 

SCENE 4

 

KNOCK KNOCK

 

JHON

Hello?

 

MS.MELON       say very quickly!

Yes, hello, did you happen to eat the choco cream cake? We think it’s the caterpillar but we’re not sure so lets go, it’s not Jhon, it’s not Jhon, now lets go!  

 

MR.MYSTER     Say in proud tone

Wait Jhon, do you know anything about this fishy case here? My wife over here doesn’t seem to know what she’s saying!

 

MS.MELON

Alright, Jhon spill the peas.

 

MR.MYERS

Well he doesn’t need to tell us EVERYTHING.

 

JHON

Alright alright, I might know something about this chocolate cream cake thief. mouth starts watering. Now, when I was eating a strawberry shortcake this afternoon, I saw a figure through your windows it was tall and, uh, was all black because the windows were closed ya know.

 

MS.MELON

Well…The only two people that were in the house at the scene of the crime were the caterpillar and Mr.Myster. Say fast to slow. But it couldn’t be Mr. Myers because he’s allergic to chocolate.

 

SCENE 4

 

CATERPILLAR

MEOW!!!!!

 

MS.MELON

Wait the caterpillar trying to tell me something…

 

JHON:

The caterpillar???

 

MS.MELON

Yes the caterpillar! He might be small but he’s not brainless!

 

MRT.MYSTER

Hey, wanna start heading back? It’s dark and we don’t need that 2DOLLAR bill do we?

 

JHON:

Well it is pretty hopeless now…

 

CATERPILLAR

M…..E……..O………W!!

 

JHON
Hey what’s that thing doin’ up in your hair Mr.Myster?

 

MS.MELON

Ya wait is that…

 

MR.MYSTER                

irritated and extremely cautious and nervous tone!

What? Come on let’s go in it’s getting REALLY dark outside!!

 

JHON

CHOCOLATE???

 

MR.MYSTER

What?? its probably just that old potato you bought yesterday…

 

MS.MELON

I thought you were allergic to chocolate???

 

MR.MYSTER

Ummmm…

 

JHON

Well we’re not positive yet…Hey what’s that in your pocket is that…

 

Ms. MELON John

Cream!!!???

 

Ms.MELON

sniffs the shirt

 

Ms.MELON John

You did it!!

 

MR.MYSTER

No I didn’t.

 

Jhon

You did it we know already!!

 

MR.MYSTER

I didn’t!!

 

Ms.MELON and John

YOU ATE THE CREAM CAKE!!!

 

Jhon

I see the cream in your shirt!

 

Ms.MELON

I see the chocolate in your hair!

 

Ms.MELON  & JHON

IT WAS YOUU!!!

 

Mr. MYSTER   Say in fast voice and powerful voice

I am so very sorry for eating the double chocolate cream cake we promised to give Molly.That day I was just so very stressed and so very hungry, I couldn’t help but take a small bite- very very small small. It just looked so creamy and chocolatey, my mouth couldn’t take it. I do feel especially bad for lying about being allergic to chocolate! Right away when I found out about that cake I needed to make a excuse, fast. But though I felt guilty 3/4s of the time I knew it was worth it. It was worth it! Because it was so good!  Really good!  Creamy and chocolatey! I deserved it. I really never get presents never ever. And you always are the better one, always always! Everyone always liked you better than me. And once I got that gold watch from the mayor for best hair you said I wasn’t worth it and put in a safe that only you could unlock! Heck! Why should I be apologizing to a greedy woman like you, I shouldn’t right forget the apology!

I’m done!

 

Murders and Friendships

It was all a blur when it happened. It just made me want to know even more. The first thing I remember, I was sitting at a booth in a restaurant called Tables and Chairs, with my mom and dad, and our waiter came over to our table. He took our orders and then walked away. Then my parents started asking me boring questions about what I was going to wear to my cousin’s wedding. I honestly couldn’t care less about that. Suddenly, we heard a scream and everyone was dead silent.

“No one will ever know!” a deep male voice yelled. We couldn’t see this man because he was blocked by all of the fancy chandeliers and table centers.  

Then we heard a gunshot and people frantically started calling 9-1-1 for ambulances and police. Some people just immediately started running out of the restaurant. My mom took me by the hand and rushed me out of Tables and Chairs. My dad followed us, and suddenly the three of us were running home. I was so excited that a boring dinner just turned into a murder, but I was scared of the murderer. I was so curious to learn more. A part of me wanted to run back and learn more, but then I was reminded by the sensible part of my brain that it would be very unsafe. We ran about 20 blocks, but stopped to catch our breath every few minutes. Now I wish we had brought the car so we wouldn’t have had to run this far.

Once we got home I went straight up to my room and started getting ready for bed. Minutes later, my mom came in.

“Sweetie,” she began to say.

“Mom, I told you this before, please don’t call me sweetie.”

“Sorry, honey.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Anyway,” she said, “Tables and Chairs just called and said there was a murder and the person died, and we are welcome to come to the funeral. Personally, I don’t think we needed to know that the person died. we were already scared enough. And I hate funerals! Who would just choose to go to a funeral of a person they don’t even know?!”

My mom was yelling then, and I wasn’t sure why. She was probably just mad about something else.

“It’s okay, Mom,” I said, trying to comfort her. “You can just forget everything that has happened and continue with your life.”

I said this only for her. I was not going to continue on like this. I was going to find out every single detail until I knew the whole story. I get obsessed with mysteries.

“Good night, Mom.”

The next morning was the first day back at school from winter break. I had set up a whole list of questions to ask the people at my school. They included:

  • Were you at Table and Chairs last night? (I didn’t need to explain more about this restaurant because this restaurant was the height of popularity, the exact reason my parents like to go there a lot.)
  • Did you hear anything about a murder?
  • Was anyone you know killed last night?

Of course, no one knew what I was talking about or cared to find out. Even my best friend June said, “Piper, come on. You’re gonna use all your time just to find out the answer to this stupid mystery?”

June and I were very different. She didn’t care about grades, she cared more about popularity. I cared some about grades, but I honestly couldn’t care less about popularity. I devoted my time to things to figuring things like mysteries out, and she spent her time figuring out how she should do her hair and what she should wear to school. I was still very confused about why we were best friends. I guess it was just that we had such different personalities that made us like each other.

“Hey Piper, look at that teacher. Have we seen him before?”

“Maybe he is a new teacher, or he’s on a tour of the school,” I replied.

“But all the teachers are surrounding him and talking to him like he has been here forever!”

“June, he’s probably just a new teacher that the teachers like a lot. How about we go over and talk to him?”

“Okay,” she said with a small hint of caution.

We walked over to him just as he was telling Mrs. Fairfield, the English teacher, about tea..

“Well, Mrs. Fairfield I think that my most valuable lesson about tea is that camomile tea needs to be preheated so that once you start drinking it the minty taste doesn’t diminish as the tea gets colder.”

“Ohohoho,” Mrs. Fairfield chuckled. “That is definitely a valuable lesson. I can’t wait to tell my friends about that at high tea on Sunday.” Mrs. Fairfield had her strange ways and proper attitude.

“Excuse me,” I said as June slowly followed. Another different thing about June and I is that I won’t be afraid to ask questions and say what I think, while June kind of just cowers in the corner. “Excuse me, Mister, but are you new here?”

“Why yes I am! I’m Mr. Rank, your new History teacher! What are your names?”

“I’m Piper and that’s June.”

“Wait but what happened to Mr. Dean? He was so nice,” June said, suddenly gaining up the courage to speak.

“He had to leave on personal terms,” Mr. Rank said a little hesitantly as if he wasn’t sure he should be telling us that.

Then the bell rang and he said, “Well it was nice talking to you, Mrs. Fairfield, and you two,” he said while gesturing at us. “See you in class later!”

“Ugh,” June said to me as we headed up the stairs to science class. “Mr. Dean was like the only teacher I liked! He was so fun and he didn’t get mad if I turned homework in a month late or never turned it in at all. I hope this Mr. Rank guy is as nice as he was.”

Suddenly, we heard a scream coming from Vivian Miller, who then started sobbing hysterically. We started to run toward her to see what had happened.

“What’s wrong? What happened! Do you need some Kleenex?”

Then Ms. Toran, the math teacher who was hovering above Vivian, came over to us and whispered in our ears that her dad had just died, so to just leave her alone. June had a look of surprise and horror on her face while I had a look of intrigue and curiosity on my face.  

Once we got to science class we were given a little talk from Mr. Rodrick about not being late to class. June got all panicky, but I stayed calm. Luckily, Mr. Rodrick didn’t punish people. He was really nice. He wasn’t at all like Coach Haldon who gives crazy punishments. One time there were about ten minutes left of class and some people were whispering while he was giving instructions. He gave each of the people that were whispering ten cones and then they had to walk around the gym and drop one of their ten cones each minute. It was actually really funny.

June went home with me that day so we could study for our math quiz on fractions the next day. She was supposed to stay and study for two hours and have dinner with us and then go home. We were supposed to study for two hours but instead we studied for five minutes and talked for an one hour and 55 minutes.

“Piper, now I kinda get why you want to solve this mystery. Like so many things have happened, it’s kinda crazy!”

“Yeah! Now you get it! I don’t know what the details are so I want to solve the mystery!” I said in my most sarcastic tone.

“Hey I was just tryin’ to be interested,” said June a little defensively.

“Whatever, never mind.” I replied. Then there was kind of an awkward silence between us for a few minutes, and then my mom called for dinner.

“How did your studying go, girls?” my mom asked as she served us some spaghetti with meatballs.

“It was fine,” I said while shoving a forkful of spaghetti in my mouth.

“Oh June!” my mom said as she remembered something. “What are you going to wear to graduation?”

My mom had been pestering me ever since we started fifth grade about what I was going to wear to graduation. Does it really matter? Of course, June had also been thinking about what to wear to graduation since the beginning of fifth grade. My mom and June had similar personalities. It was a little strange.

“Well I think I’m going to wear a floral dress with a pink sweater and white sandals and then put my hair…”

“Hey, you know Mom, I think I’m done with my food. I’m going to go get ready for bed,” I interrupted and started to rise from the table.

“Piper, we have a guest over,” my mom said through gritted teeth.

“It’s fine, Mrs. Andrews, I have to go soon anyway,” June said.

“Okay, well see you some other time!” my mom said a little disappointedly.

“Bye June,” I said with not much enthusiasm.

 

She shut the door, and I went upstairs to go get ready for bed. My mom came in ten minutes later.

“Why were you so rude at dinner?” she inquired.

“Well mom, to tell you the truth, I don’t really think that what you and June were talking about was very interesting. I just don’t care. You know, June and I are kinda growing apart.”

“Really? I think you guys are great friends. I mean, I love talking to June!”

“That’s exactly my point! We are too different! We don’t have enough in common. Whatever mom, I can deal with it.”

“Okay. Well, see you tomorrow. If you um, need anything, I’ll be here. Good night.” My mom said a little cautiously.

“Good. Night.”

The next day at school was a little awkward between June and me. We said hi to each other on the way to class, but we didn’t really talk. Lunch was a whole other story. I was walking through the cafeteria doors, when a girl I hadn’t seen before came toward me.

“Hi, I’m Meg. I’m a little new here. Do you think you could show me around? I heard you trying to solve a mystery, and, well, you seemed like my type of person!” This girl said this at the speed of lightning. She was wearing jeans and a striped t-shirt.

“Hello, I’m Piper. Um, yeah sure I can show you around. You want to eat lunch first?” This girl seemed really nice. I would rather sit with her than with June.

“Yeah sure!” she said excitedly.

“Okay, there is an open table over there,” I said gesturing to a deserted table in the back of the cafeteria..

We walked over to the table and I started telling her about the mystery. The whole entire five minutes I talked, she stared at me with intent eyes. Though I was having a lot of fun with her and we had similar interests, I glanced over at June a couple of times. She occasionally gave me dirty glances, but other times she would look over at me longingly. I felt a little guilty, but I would tell her later that I was just trying to make Meg feel welcome.

“Hey Meg, you want to come over to my house after school?”

“Yeah! Can you show me around the school?”

“Oh, right. Let’s go so we don’t miss the bell.”

As we headed out the door of the lunch room, I motioned to June to call me, and she replied with a nasty glare. If she didn’t call me, I was still going to call her anyway.

First, I showed Meg the gym, and then homeroom, the auditorium, and then the rest of the classrooms. The bell rang, and I headed to History and she headed to English. This was my first History class since Mr. Rank was the new teacher, and I was a little excited.

“Hello class, today we will learn about the American Revolution. Am I correct that this is where you left off?”

“Yes,” the class said in unison. This man was all business and no fun. This man may know answers, but he sure wasn’t going to reveal anything soon.

“Now, who are the four founding fathers blah blah blah…what’s the name of blah blah blah…” I really didn’t pay attention much until the very end when he said, “Class dismissed,” because I wanted to go up to his desk and ask him a question.

“Excuse me Mr. Rank, but could you please tell me what happened to Mr. Dean? I was so close to him, I was just thinking I should maybe write to him and say that we will miss him.” That was mostly improvisation.   

 

To be Continued…

 

Monster

Once there was a boy named Alex. He used to live in Colorado, but moved to Chicago. It was very different in Colorado, because it snowed so much. It even snowed in early spring. In Chicago, it was very warm, and in the early spring, it was about 60 degrees. On his first day of his new school, Alex tried to make new friends. He didn’t know anyone yet in Chicago.

He tried to make friends with a boy named Zack. Alex said, “Hi, would you want to be friends?”

Zack said, “Who’d want to be friends with a new kid?” Without another word, Zack walked away. Alex felt bad because Zack didn’t want to be friends with him.

When he went home, his mom was waiting for him at the door. She asked, “How was your first day at school?”

“It wasn’t that good,” Alex answered.

“Why?” she asked.

“This boy named Zack didn’t want to be friends with me.”

“Maybe you’ll make a friend tomorrow!”

After that, they had dinner. At dinner, Alex didn’t say a word then he brushed his teeth and went to bed. In the middle of the night, Alex saw something move out of his closet. He didn’t hear anything, though. He turned his night light on. In the light, Alex could see that it was a monster. He screamed, “HELP!!!” Alex ran into his mom’s room, and his mom said, “What’s wrong, what’s wrong?” She was worried about him.

Alex replied, “There’s a monster in my room!” His mom screamed too. They both ran into Alex’s room. The monster had a round body, four eyes and it made squeaky noises. They lifted up the monster, put him in the closet and quickly shut the door and locked it. Then Alex fell back to sleep.

The next morning, Alex went to school and tried making friends with this boy named Joe. He walked away too, just like Zack did yesterday. What he didn’t know was that the monster was giving him bad luck. because he had just moved there. Nobody knew it, but when people moved to Chicago, monsters haunted them.

Then he went home and his mother asked him how his day was again. He said it was even worse than yesterday. His mom said “I feel so bad for you.” After, they had dinner and went to bed. Sure enough, in the middle of the night, the monster came out. It ran with its arms out to Alex’s bed. Alex thought he was trying to talk to him without using words. He wasn’t scared because he had expected the monster to do something like that.

This time Alex and his mom locked the door and put tape around the closet.

After, Alex’s mom said, “Alex, I think we have to move.”

Alex said, “But we just moved.”

Alex’s mom said, “There is a MONSTER in our house.”

Alex said, “Ok, you’re right.” Then Alex and his mom went back to bed.

When they woke up the next morning, they got all their things and moved to a different house next door. This house didn’t seem as haunted as the last one.

When they got settled in their new house, Alex’s mom took him to school.

Alex met this boy Joseph. Alex said, “Do you want to be friends?”

Joseph said, “Sure.” Alex felt happy. They played together the rest of the day. When Alex got home he told his mom that he made friends with Joseph.

Alex’s mom said, “I’m so happy.” Alex asked his mom if he could have a playdate with him. Alex’s mom said, “Sure.”

The next day, Alex and Joseph had a playdate. They had so much fun that after they had a sleepover!!! At the sleepover, Alex told Joseph about the monster. Joseph said in a shaky voice, “That’s so freaky.” Then they went to bed. In the middle of the night, even though they moved, the monster came out from the closet. Joseph and Alex screamed, “HELP!!!”

This time, the mom woke up and she screamed, “What’s wrong? Did someone get hurt?” She was breathing very heavily because she was so worried.

Then Alex’s mom saw the monster. “Oh, you scared me! It was the monster. Are we going to have to move again??” she said.

Alex said, “I don’t want to move again.”

The monster was just listening to them, like he didn’t know what they were saying. He speaks monster language, not English.

Alex’s mom told Alex and Joseph to stand back while she dealt with the monster. She locked the door, put tape on the door and glued the door shut. Then they all went back to bed. The mom was awake though, in case the monster came out again.

Joseph and Alex were in their beds and thought that they could name the monster.

“Maybe if we named him, he would listen to it and they could tell him to stop if he was doing something that they didn’t like or want him to do.”

Joseph said, “Do you have any suggestions for names?”

Alex said, “Well, I thought of four names, and they are:

  1. Four Eyes
  2. Logan
  3. Pizza

and

  1. Cookies.”
    They chose Pizza. The monster heard this and he went wild in the closet because he was so happy that his name was Pizza. He was so happy that he went wild in the closet like he was making pizza.

Then he stopped. After that, Alex and Joseph fell asleep.

The next day, Alex and Joseph played together the whole day. At recess, they talked together about the monster. They went home and told Alex’s mom they wanted to let the monster out and see if all three of them could be friends. Alex’s mom said, “NO way I’m letting you do that.”

Joseph and Alex said, “But we’ll be careful! Can we please do it?”

Alex’s mom said, “Maybe.”

After that, Alex and Joseph thought of a few plans. They thought, maybe we can convince her by making pizza so he can smell it and then he’ll want to eat the pizza so he’ll come out. Then when he comes out, he won’t go crazy. They thought of a few more ideas, but they decided to make a cage for Pizza. They asked Alex’s mom if they could make the cage.

Alex’s mom said, “Okay, I think we can do that. But we need some wire.”

They went to the store and got pliers to cut the wires, and they got wire. Then they came back and built the cage.

Then, Joseph went to his house and asked his mom if they could have another sleepover. His mom said, “Sure, you can have another sleepover with Alex. Just be careful.” She said okay because she never knew about the monster. They didn’t tell her because she would’ve been really worried that Joseph would get eaten by the monster.

That night, Joseph and Alex had a sleepover. They had dinner and went to bed. At 12:00, they woke up Alex’s mom and told her they were going to let the monster out. They went to his room, but they forgot that they glued the door last night! They said, “Oh no! The door’s glued!”

Alex’s mom said, “What can we do?”

Alex said, “Maybe we can tell Pizza to bang on the door. We can unlock the door and we can try to turn the doorknob until it gets loose and we can open the door.”

Joseph said, “Or maybe we can laser the door out.”

“I don’t think we can do that either,” replied Alex’s mom. “I don’t think any of these ideas are good. Maybe we can think of something else.”

They sat down and thought of a bunch of ideas. None of them could work. After a while, Alex said, “Oh! Maybe we could get a few knives and cut the glue out of the door!!”

They each got a knife and got the glue out of the door. It was hard, but they did it in about 20 minutes. After, Pizza came out, and he wasn’t looking where he was going, and he walked straight into the cage.

Alex’s mom locked the cage to make sure he couldn’t get out. Then Pizza realized that he was in a cage. He said, “LALA!!!” That means HELP!!! in monster language.

Alex’s mom said, “It’s okay! You can stay in Alex’s room and we’ll let you out every day so you can play with Alex. We’ll put pizza in your cage three times a day because we know you love pizza.”

Pizza said, “Okay, I’ll do it.” He wasn’t scared because he knew that he was going to have a good time at Alex’s house.

“In the morning, every day, we’ll teach you English, and then you’ll be able to speak English with us,” said Alex’s mom.

“Then we can all talk to each other!” Pizza said.

After, they went to bed, and they built a little bed for Pizza in his cage.

The next morning, Joseph had breakfast with Alex, thanked Alex’s mom for such a good night, said goodbye to Pizza, and went home. It was the weekend. Alex had breakfast, took Pizza out of his cage, and played with him for the rest of the day. They played catch with pizza crumbs, they ate pizza together, and they had a one-hour lesson so Pizza could learn English. After doing that for a few days, Pizza could speak English.

Monkey Do and His Family

Monkey Do lived in the rainforest in a tree in Puerto Rico. Monkey Do’s friends hated him. And they always called him names like Monkey Poo. Monkey Do knew that all of his friends were all more athletic than he was and ever could be. But, Monkey Doo tried to be friends with them. Monkey Doo’s nickname was Dumb. That’s another thing that his friends teased him about. But, Dumb was smarter than the rest of his friends and much nicer.

But, Monkey Doo’s habitat was in danger. Every day more animals are getting killed and trees are getting knocked down. Dumb watching from his house in his tree saw it all happening. He wanted to do something, but he couldn’t. But he wanted to try. Later that day Dumb watched the rainforest being killed. Suddenly, Dumb saw men with axes coming towards his tree.

“Oh no!” cried Dumb and called his parents. He said, “our house is going to get destroyed!”

Dumb’s parents said “pack up your bags, we’re going to leave.”

They left and started swinging from trees to trees trying to find a new tree to have a home in. Dumb looked behind him along with his family as they saw their home being chopped down. Dumb’s younger brother started crying, along with his mom. Dumb wished that this whole thing wouldn’t have started. But as he walked through this rainforest his family got split up. His mom and dad stayed together, his older brother and his younger brother stayed together, Dumb was left alone. “Oh no!” said Dumb. And he started calling out his family’s name. “Tom, Do, Mom, Dad, where are you?”

There was no answer. Dumb looked under him and saw a bunch of men pointing guns right where he was. “Oh no!” said Dumb. And he started flying through the trees as fast as he could. He saw gunshots flying through the air near him. He was trying to dodge them. He saw one fly right above his head until one of them hit his leg and he fell to the ground.

A nearby leopard picked him up and carried him as fast as he could to his home. The next thing Dumb knew he was in the home of his one friend who didn’t call him names. This was Dumb’s only friend.

“Hi,” he muttered. “Thanks for saving me. I was really in a disaster”.

“Since your wound is very bad I’m going to call for a few doctors to come and look at your leg,” said the Leopard. “Maybe we can play after”.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen” said Dumb.

Suddenly the door burst open and a mole a chipmunk and a mouse wearing a ginormous doctor cap.

“Take off the silly cap,” said the Leopard. And they did. “Now take a look at my friend’s leg. He was shot by a gun.” They said “play on a bed, it’ll be easier to look at him”. For two days the doctors stood over Dumb and inspected him. Then for two more weeks they decided what they were going to do. Then for a whole month they tried to fix him up. And then in 20 other months he was finally healed.

Dumb said, “Woohoo, I’m healed! Good as new.”

Leopard said “costs a thousand dollars”. Dumb looked inside his bag and found a thousand dollars.

“Now hand it to the doctors”. And he did.

“Off you go!” yelled Leopard. “Thank you,” said Leopard.

“Thank you” said Dumb. And they left. Later that day, Dumb and Leopard played chase outside. You obviously know who won that. And then, the next day, there was on a notice board it said ‘spelling bee coming up’.

Dumb said, “I’ll enter that”.

“You should,” said Leopard, “you’re pretty smart”. So later that day, Dumb made his way over to the spelling bee contest. It was going to last the whole week. On the first day, Dumb did pretty well. He was going to make it to the second round. He made it all the way to the last round when he faced someone from China.

“Ni hao Dumb” said his opponent who happened to be a mole and laughed. And Dumb said, “Hello Smart”.

“Let’s begin,” said the announcer. “Smart, how do you spell picture?” “P-I-C-T-U-R-E”

“Correct” said the announcer. “Now Dumb, how do you spell grandma?”

“G-R-A-N-D-M-A”

“Correct! Smart, how do you spell novel?”

“N-O-V-A-L-S”

“Wronnngggg.]: Now, Dumb if you get this right you win. How do you spell brothers?”

“B-R-O-T-H-E-R-S”

“Cooorrrect!(: Dumb wins!” Smart walked off the platform crying. On the other hand Dumb walked off the stage smiling. Leopard’s whole family, rushed up to him and gave him a big hug.

“You did it!” yelled Leopard. “Now I can buy with your money the new car I want”. “ “Um, Leopard, going off that cliff with the car isn’t the smartest idea”.

But Leopard couldn’t hear him he was already screaming.

“Help me! Hellllpppp me!” And before that there was a leopard driver. Dumb covered his ears. “Boom!” a big heap of smoke coming up from under the cliff. Leopard climbed out of his car full of dust.

“What did I tell you” said Dumb.

“I guess that wasn’t the smartest idea”. Two days later “I bought another car with me own money”

Dumb says “I don’t think thats a good idea”. The same thing happened again.

“What did I tell you?”

“Okay next time I’ll listen to you”.

“Can I have more money for the car

“No, anyways haven’t you learned that this whole rainforest is getting knocked down? I want to help my family get out of here and I want to help you

“Okay” said Leopard, “what’s your plan?”

“My plan is to have a big bunch of animals behind me all carrying signs yelling “don’t knock down the rainforest. The leopards and the cheetahs meaning you will run around us yelling “that’s right that’s right that’s right. The monkeys like us will start jumping around holding the signs that are going to say “don’t knock down the rainforest” and the rest of the people are just going to hold signs saying “don’t knock down the rainforest. The rainforest belongs to the animals and help you humans breath. Haven’t you learned from your studies?”

For the rest of the week, Leopard’s family along with Dumb made signs and started gathering friends. A bunch of people approved of it, but some didn’t. And the police started coming over to their house and say “you’re going to jail because it has been a new law that you’re not allowed to have new projects without letting the government know”. Leopard’s family along with Dumb went to jail. They spent 20 full years in jail. Finally they got out when it was time. And when they got out of jail they went right to the government and said “can we start this new project.” And the government said “no you may not” coming towards them “no you may not, no you may not!

“You’re going to jail” said the governor. Part of the law that you went to jail with I said that once I say no you may not you would have to leave. And you did not. So you will spend a full fifteen years in jail. And they went to jail. In their time in jail, Leopard’s family was growing old. Leopard’s mom and dad both died in there. After their fifteen years were done Dumb carried Leopard’s mom and dad away and buried them. Leopard’s entire family cried, including Dumb. They were better artists than we were. And who knows who will be the new governor.

Dumb said “You could be the new governor, you’re old enough, plus he only has one year left and it’s coming to an end”

“Okay,” said Leopard. And for the rest of the year, Leopard started making speeches and going public and telling people why he should be governor. A lot of people agreed with him. And leopard thought he was going to win.

“Let’s not get our hopes up” said Dumb one day. “You never know what could go wrong” Right before the year ended the governor made a new law. The governor stays governor for as long as it is until he dies. He had been drinking too much alcohol and smoking too much. Although it was his law not to smoke and his recommendation. The day before the law was made he died. War broke out because no one knew who the next governor was going to be. People wanted to make their own laws now that their was no governor but if there was no governor then you didn’t know who it could be and no one had power to arrange something. And just letting you know, there’s no presidents or mayors or stuff like that. There was a month of war until there was only two people left. Leopard had gone into hiding and one of Leopard’s friends from school who was the strongest also was there. People thought that the strongest one should be the governor until Leopard came out of hiding and explained his story and what he believed in. Finally someone had some common sense whose name was Albert Einstein the dog. We should set up a vote” he said. “People said “that’s right!” so they did. Leopard had 5 thousand votes and Leopard’s opponent had four hundred ninety nine votes. The vote was done that Leopard would be the new governor. He took away all the laws from the governor and put some of his own. Like, it was silly for him to say that you’re not allowed to have dessert every single night. And for him to put in a law that it was a free right. And people to join him in his fight to stop the rain forest from being knocked down. A lot of people agreed with him and soon almost everyone was joining with his fight. A month later they had gotten a decision. Everybody was going to carry signs walking down and there would be 2 floats of people saying” don’t cut down the rainforest” with music screaming “don’t cut down the rainforest” and someone video taping was screaming how loud he could so when they turned it to the highest knoch it was even louder. He decided that that was one of the best ideas. And that they should use that idea. And they were going to decorate the float with trees that whenever someone tried to knock it down they would multiply by ten and in those tens if someone knocked it down it would knock it down by 5 and if they knocked that down it would multiply by 3 and if they knocked that down it would multiply by 100. Just when you think you’re going to knock the whole thing down, it multiplies by 100. A month later the team of fighters walked up to

the human president’s office. One of the people ran up to one of the trees and cut one of the trees down. It multiplied by 10. And they cut it down again and it multiplied by 5 and he knocked it down and it multiplied it by 3 and then he knocked it down and it multiplied by 100. Oh no” he said “this is some real magic!” Suddenly the president came out from the white house along with a lot of people. The animals were scared out of their bejesus of how weird they were looking. The president said (who happened to be Theodore Roosevelt) “what do you want!” Dumb and Leopard said, “we want for you not to knock down the rainforest!” Theodore Roosevelt said “I’ll think about it. Now go back to where you came from. Two years later Theodore Roosevelt hadn’t told them anything yet. Dumb said to Leopard “I think we should send him a letter to remind him”. And they sent him a letter that said,

Dear Theodore Roosevelt,

Two years ago we protested up to where you live and told you that our rainforest is being cut down and can you fix it. You said i’ll be working on it. I don’t know if you forgot or something but you haven’t responded to us quite yet. Is that a mistake or are you getting to it soon?

Your friends from the rainforest,

Leopard and Dumb

And they sent it. At the white house Theodore Roosevelt took the letter and ripped it to pieces as soon as he saw the bottom of it. Then he taped it back together again “Oh i love my puzzles” and then he did it again. “Oh i really like puzzles. Ok now I will read the letter from my friends. And he did.

“Dear Theodore Roosevelt,

Two  years ago we protested up to where you live and told you that our rainforest is being cut down and can you fix it. You said i’ll be working on it. I don’t know if you forgot or something but you haven’t responded to us quite yet. Is that a mistake or are you getting to it soon?

Your friends from the rainforest,

Leopard and Dumb”

And he smiled. Oh I forgot about that one. With the screaming music. No one could really forget it. And he sent a letter to them, that said

Dear animals of the rainforest,

I have now given permission for all rainforests in Puerto Rico for no trees to be cut down and no animals to be killed.

The President of the United States,

Theodore Roosevelt

The animals of the rainforest were so happy to see the return address to see Theodore Roosevelt but they didn’t know if it was a good sign or a bad sign. They called for a huge celebration when they opened the letter. They arranged it that when everyone was there and people with beer bottles ready to pour it on the letter when it was opened, he opened the letter.

“Dear animals of the rainforest,

I have now given permission for all rainforests in Puerto Rico no trees to be cut down and no animals to be killed.

The President of the United States,

Theodore Roosevelt”

And before he could say anything else, four bottles of beer poured on the letter and one of them even poured on top of Leopard. Dumb gave Leopard a big hug. But now that Dumb had made sure that Puerto Rico was safe he still hadn’t found his parents. And this is what what happened when Dumb lost his mom and dad.

Dumb’s dad name was D and moms Elizabeth. As soon as Dumb lost his mom and dad they started swinging from trees to find the safest place. They found a tree towards the middle of the rainforest that was empty and no one was there. They decided it was a good place.

“Oh I miss our family,” said D. “I hope we get together soon. Maybe we’ll have to find them or they’ll have to find us.”

And for the next few weeks Elizabeth and D lived in that tree and they made their tree a living. They made a bed of leaves, they made clothing out of leaves and bark, and branch berries to the tree to eat. And if they were thirsty they would go to the stream nearby and drink. But  their water was  dirty because fish always swam around in there and lilypads were always floating around. Suddenly they heard rustling in the bushes nearby. D picked up a carving knife he had made and held it up to where the leaves were. The leaves broke apart to reveal a snake coming towards them.

“Protect me!” yelled Elizabeth.

I have a knife said D, “and I’m not afraid to use it.”

“Then use it!” said Elizabeth.

But while they were talking, the snake was already crawling towards them. “Use it!” cried Elizabeth. And he did, striking the snake with the carving knife. The snake died before it could scream.

“Woohoo!” said Elizabeth, “You killed it! And now we have more food to eat.”

“I don’t think we should celebrate,” said D. “We still have to find our family. And it’s gonna take a long time.”

“I think I’ve got some information about Dumb. I heard he won the Spelling Bee in a part of the rainforest 400 miles from here.”

“Then we better start moving,” said Elizabeth.

“Not right now,” said D, “We still have to have more information. We don’t want to chase dumb in circles.”

And they started going on the internet looking for information about Dumb. “Ooo he met with Theodore Roosevelt, the president of the United States! And he led a protest! Then we know what part of the rainforest he’s in, let’s go!”

“Not now Elizabeth,” said D. “We still have to find out where he is.”
So after a month of research, they finally went to look for him. As soon as they went onto the road, they saw a hungry alligator waiting by the road.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” said the alligator. “If I can bite off your tail, I’ll give you the exact information of who you’re looking for, and only one of your tails will be cut off. I will also give you the bandages to heal the other person.” D and Elizabeth were no fools, “The bandages are poison bandages. If we use the bandages to cover up the wound, the wounded one will die because the bandages would be poisoned.”

“Well,” said the alligator, “if you don’t wanna take my deal, then don`t, and then you will never find your son Dumb.” Elizabeth and D started to cry. “Take it or leave it,” said the alligator. “I’ll leave.”

“We’re not taking it,” said D. “Bye.” And they both departed in different ways.

“Let’s wait in the leaves to make sure he leaves, and then we can go on our way.” So they waited and waited and waited, but he was still there, watching where they were.

“If I were you,” said Elizabeth, “I would get out that carving knife right now.” And that was smart because as soon as she said that, the alligator jumped from where he was and started running towards them. “Run!” yelled Elizabeth.

“Go faster,” said D. And they started running. “Jump onto that tree,” said D. “Alligators can’t swing from trees.”

“But they can wait underneath it and bite into the tree trunks!”

“Just jump onto it and worry about that later.” And as they predicted as soon as they got on the tree, the alligator started chomping down the tree trying to make the monkeys lose their balance.

“Keep going!” said D. “You gotta go quickly, he’s starting to catch up.”

“Oh no!” cried Elizabeth, “there’s a whole family of them!”

And as she said that, twenty alligators started running out from the trees, joining the chase. “MWAHAHAHAHAHA,” said one of the alligators, “We will get them.”

“Go the right” said Elizabeth.

“Nice tactics, but I don’t think that’s gonna fool them.” It didn’t fool them, they started running in the direction they were going. They saw a Cheetah running around. Elizabeth said, “Hey cheetah can you help us?”

He said, “Yes, just jump onto my back and I’ll help you escape from these alligators.”

So they jumped off the tree where they were, landed on the cheetah’s back and they screamed, “Goooo!” As they went the alligators started chasing them.

Before they knew it they couldn’t see alligators behind them, the only thing they saw was a swirling wind.

“You can stop,” said D.

“Okay,” said the cheetah.

“Thank you,” said Elizabeth, “How much does it cost?”

“$50,” said the cheetah. “A little cheap for saving your life.” And the cheetah ran off into the distance. This is the story of Dumb’s older brother Tom, and Dumb’s younger brother Do. Tom grabbed Do’s hand as the shooting continued. “You’ll forgive me for this some day,” said Tom.

“Maybe I will,” said Do in a little voice.

“What did you say?” said Tom “You’re gonna have to speak up.”

“Maybe I will,” said Do. “Now let’s start moving.” Everywhere they went they could still hear the sound of shooting.

“You realize?” said Do, “That we’re going in circles. That’s why we can still hear it.”

“Then let’s move.” And they started going straight.

“I think I saw our parents go that way.”

“No,” said Tom, “They went the other way.”

“Oh drop it,” said Do.

“Hey hey hey, don’t speak to me like that,” said Tom, “I saved your life.”

“But I’m younger,” said Do, “I’m more intelligent, which means you should follow my instincts.”

“You said you’re more intelligent? I don’t know what happened to your brain, but nothing good because two days ago you dropped four dishes on the floor.”

“That was four days ago that was a long time ago!”

“A long time ago?” said Tom.

“Well you’ve done something more recent. You picked me up and said you were giving me a hug and then dropped me out the window. Is that intelligent?”

“Well “not,” said Tom. “But you have done more stuff than me!”

“But none of them were as bad as dropping your baby brother out the window on purpose.”

“Fine,” said Tom, “You win. We’ll go your direction.” So they started heading south. “We’re going north,” said Do.

“Know your cardinal directions, we’re going south Do.”

“Oh whatever, we’ve already covered that I’m more intelligent.”

“Just remember I saved your life.”

“You said that almost a hundred times,” said Do.

“I’ve only said that twice!” said Tom. “Plus we haven’t gotten anywhere near where mom and dad are. We would’ve seen them already.”

“I see an open tree,” said Do. “Let’s look inside.” And sure enough when they looked inside they saw a painting of their mom and dad.

“Which means they already left this place,” said Do. “Let’s stay in here, so once our parents find Dumb, they’ll come back to this tree and they’ll see us!”

“Good idea,” said Tom. “We just don’t have any weapons to save us, if anything comes near us.”

“Why are you always talking about weapons?” said Do, “It’s not like a creature with six heads, eight arms, and sixteen legs is gonna come out of nowhere and attack us, but you always think.”

“I don’t think that. Fine I do, but I don’t do it for real life I do it for fun.”

“No, you said, oh no oh no save me!”

“Whatever,” said Tom. “Let’s make a living out of here.”  So for the next few months they started making a living, and then suddenly from the bushes six snakes came out all wrapped up.

“Hey hey hey look at this,” said Tom, “Six heads!”

“I don’t think they’re playing around,” said Do. “I think they want some food.”

“Well in that case,” said Tom. He lifted a knife that he’d been carving and sliced them in half. “Die potato!”

“Nice,” said Do, “It just didn’t have 16 legs etc.”

“But it was pretty dangerous,” said Tom.

“Well let’s just rest here for the rest of the day and work on some other stuff tomorrow. And luckily for us that there was that weird little monkey and a leopard who decided that they didn’t want any shooting in the rainforest. So they decided to go to the white house and tell Theodore Roosevelt that they didn’t have to.” They didn’t know that that was their brother Dumb. As soon as Elizabeth and D saw a little monkey flying through the trees going the other way, they said, “Go!” and they started swinging through the trees, but that wasn’t a nice monkey now was that. It was a snake dressed up as a monkey, looking like their son Dumb.

“Yay Dumb you’re here!”

“Huh?” said the figure. And before they knew it they were hugging some arms that didn’t have bones inside of them. And the next thing they knew they were being squeezed by something slimy.

“Help us!” yelled Elizabeth, “We’re being strangled by a snake.”

A few robins who were nearby said, “I don’t think I want to help them, they smashed our nest a few days ago and haven’t apologized yet.”

“Well maybe if we help them, they’ll apologize.”

“Just help us,” yelled D.

“Fine,” they said. They started ripping at the rope-ish snake.

The monkeys left, “We saved your life.”

“Oh thank you, and sorry for smashing your nest open.”

“I do not accept,” said the first robin.

“Well I will,” said the second robin. “Just because they said sorry.”

“But still we always help the animals of the rain forest. Well in that case I wish god never put us on this Earth.” And God who was passing by killed them.

“Be careful what you wish for,” said the second robin. “Well now that he’s dead I might as well eat him.”

God who was still watching them said, “You should bury him. He was still part of your family.”

“But I didn’t like him.”

“Have you ever heard of it?” said God. “Those who do not obey God shall die.”

“Oh please please please don’t kill me.”

But God didn’t really listen to him, and he killed him right away. People not hearing God who was talking to him said, “Why did he just fall down right away? Maybe they killed each other.

Elizabeth and D were still looking for Dumb. And Dumb was still looking for Elizabeth and D and they started going in circles, just as Elizabeth and D wished would not happen. Finally one of them stopped for a short second to see someone going the opposite direction.a

“Let’s just wait here. And ask him a question before hugging him. Ask him how old he is because he’s 23 years old, then ask him where he lives,” said D.

So when they came back they asked him, “How old are you?”

“23.”

“Where do you live?”

“My house was knocked down and I fled to different places and I had a friend who was the governor.”

“Okay,” said D. “That’s very impressive. Who’s your mom and dad?”

“D and Elizabeth. And who’s your son?”

“Dumb.” And the three hugged each other.

“Have you found a new home yet?” said Dumb.

“Yes we have, but we don’t know the way back to it.”

“Well that’s useful,” said Dumb. “Let’s find a new house.”

“Let’s not,” said Elizabeth. “A centaur who happened to be on our path said your brothers Tom and Do had found the way to where we lived.”

“How do you know that’s where you lived?”

“Because there’s a painting of us that we painted. I accidentally put one more piece of hair on my head. And I accidentally forgot to put the exact height of how far down it goes on my head, and I was one millimeter off.”

“Well I got enough of this painting talk, let’s get back to our family,” said Dumb.

So they started walking around and trying to find where they were. Suddenly a whole bunch of alligators who were in the bushes came out.

They screamed, “Cheetah!” but there was no cheetah. “Leopard help us!” there was no leopard. “Something help us!” but there was no something until suddenly a big knife came down from a tree.

“Do you think this is going to help us? Then send down two more it will help us better,” said D and two more came down, but before they could say anything else the alligators were upon them. They were fighting like mad not to kill the alligators but to defend themselves. With the alligators sharp talons and hard backs, the knife didn’t even hit the flesh, it just hit the metal-ish back and the sharp teeth which was hanging onto the gum. No one was dying which was a problem because 1, they were starting to get thirsty and hungry 2, the alligators could go in shifts to get water. Suddenly the biggest alligator of all, which happened to be 10 feet tall and 16 feet long started coming toward the monkeys.

The monkeys said “Forget the others, go towards him!” And they started going towards him, “And drive him back!” They started driving him back.

“They’re too strong!” said the alligators and they all jumped into the water.

“Well that was easy,” said the monkeys. “Now let’s go to that house of ours.” Suddenly two leopards and two cheetahs started bouncing towards them.

“You called for us?” said the leopards and the cheetahs.

“Well you’re too late,” said the monkeys.

“Awww” said the cheetahs and the leopards, “We were looking for some payment!”

“Fine,” said D, “If you want the payment I’ll give you the payment, but just remember we’re giving you the payment for no reason.”

“My mom said,” said the cheetahs, “we’re not supposed to get money unless we do something.”

“Oh you can do something,” said the monkeys. “All you have to do is just show us where Tree A is.”

“Oh we know where that is! We had the conversation with the people living in it.”

“We’ll give you fifty dollars,” said Elizabeth.

“Okee dokee,” said the leopards and the cheetahs, and before they knew it they were standing in front of their new home.

Dumb, seeing a new house, said, “Whoa I can’t wait to see what’s in here!”

And as soon as they came in they saw all of their brothers.

And they said, “Hey, you guys, give Dumb a tour. We’ll go pay the leopards and the cheetahs.”

After that they all sat by the fire and told the stories of each one they had.

 

THE END

Mistress Mary

Mistress Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow? With silver bells and and cockle shells and marigolds all in a row.

 

Mistress Mary very hairy how does your hair grow? With puffy tufts and tons of makeup and it’s all tucked into a bow.

 

Mistress Mary quite wat-ery how does your river flow? With some fish that are a dish for Mistress Mary’s crow.

 

Mistress Mary like a fairy how much does your heart glow? Like a light oh so bright Mistress Mary here you go.

Max’s Talent

 

New York City 2015

9-year-old Max lives in an apartment above the streets of New York. From here you can see along the tops of buildings on his street. He lives in a 12th floor medium-sized home.

Max does have a talent for art although he never wanted to show it to his three friends, who usually leave him alone to do things that Max absolutely does not like! Stuff like soccer, basketball, and baseball were all sports that he did not want to play. Well, he didn’t really like any sports.

All Max wants to do is sit in his room drawing all day, all day long, every day, which is now why we come to Max sitting in his room, drawing, with papers all over the floor. Now, you might be wondering exactly what he is drawing now.

He is part drawing dreams of friends that he wanted. Very detailed. The other part… I will not tell you! Just for a reason. I will tell you later.

Max’s mom and dad like that he has at least some friends that he plays with some of the time.  If you are wondering what they play, then they play a lot of running games such as tag, laps, and races.
2. The School

Max’s bedroom, still

Okay, I will let my secret out now. Max is drawing pictures of his present day friends doing things actually with him. Doing stuff that he likes, like playing games together, doing art together. They are colorful and detailed.

 

School

Max’s school is pretty plain considering this is his school district zone. At school are, of course, his friends, people from all grades. Plus the teachers. Outside is a big yard full of fields and play materials. Max’s favorite class is actually gym class where he can show his friends what he can actually do and he can be with his friends. Did you think it is art? Well it’s not. If you didn’t? Good for you. At school, Max and his friends are taking classes together. Again, you might be wondering why he shows stuff in gym class rather than art. First, he wants his friends to know he’s not zero in athletics. And also because his friends know he can draw, but not this amazing. His favorite part of art is his free draw area. Other subjects such as math, science, and technology, he is good at. So he is almost like me. He likes school and in many subjects he succeeds.

 

3. The School Yard

The school yard is a place where kids play, as you might have guessed, but it has a playground, a soccer field, a basketball court, and a game table. And kids do things. Max particularly likes to use the game table to escape the kids outside on the yard playing sports on the concrete floor. Also the soccer field is turf. Max’s friends like the basketball court plus the soccer field. Max also plays on the playground.

 

4. The Art Room

The school’s art room is plain. Just paint, pencils, and tables. But on this very day the art teacher calls out, “45 minutes of free draw! Hand them in after!”

Max works hard until the end. The teacher says, “Wow. These things are amazing. How’d you do it?”

“It’s my talent, I guess.”

Max is finally noticed by someone.

 

5. The School Art Gallery

The school art gallery is a corridor with lots of drawings in it. Max gets over his shyness and signs up for an empty spot in the gallery walk.

As he is drawing, someone says, “Whatcha doin?”

And Max says, “I’m drawing for the empty spot in the gallery,” hiding his work.

“Okay.”

“Don’t look yet. It will show in the gallery later this week.”

Now, this drawing is of his friend playing basketball.

 

Monday

The art gallery attendant is taking Max’s drawing and putting it on the walls.  Max sees his drawing. But other people also did, such as his friends. The fixed art gallery is open! Everyone pours in at the same time, all getting cramped. Max’s drawing is being wondered about. Who’s is this? The attendant picks up the boards for names.

“It’s Max? Well, how about that?” Max gets noticed by his friends and the classmates. His friends are happy that they were up on the gallery wall in his drawings.

Max says to his parents that he is finally noticed in school.

And Max is finally noticed.

Mermaid’s Adventure

 

Underwater in a house made of seaweed and mud, Hazel the Mermaid was having a sleepover with her two mermaid friends Vanessa and Lily. Hazel had beautiful light violet hair and a turquoise tail and her eyes were a sparkly hazel. She always wore her beautiful pearl necklace with 20 pearls from Dolphin Fin Jewelers. Vanessa had a light blue tail and shoulder length green hair with brown eyes and short cute eyelashes. Lastly, Lily had light blue hair and a dark purple tail and big blue eyes.

At the sleepover, the three mermaids just finished watching their favorite movie, The Dolphin Tale.

“That was a really good movie. I’m glad we chose it,” said Vanessa.

“Yeah! I can’t wait to watch it again!” said Lily.

“It is getting pretty late, we should go to bed soon,” Hazel said.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea!” said both Vanessa and Lily.

They all got into their mermaid pajamas, and got into their beds and went to sleep.

Lily woke up in the middle of the night because she heard shuffling sounds. She thought that the sounds were just someone outside, but then the sounds became louder and louder. She then got up to check what was going on. She suddenly saw the evil mermaid, Demitria! She was pretty, in an evil way. She was tall and really skinny with black hair and a gray tail, and her hair was really long. Her eyes were a light blue and her eyebrows were sharp, black, and pointy. Demitria saw Lily and Lily screamed, but no one heard her. Demitria grabbed Lily and said that she should come with her, but Lily said no. Demitria was frustrated and angry so she decided to drag Lily to her evil palace.

When they arrived Demitria locked Lily up in her dungeon with three other good mermaids who were captured by some of the other evil mermaids in an attempt to make them join the evil mermaid army. They wanted to build the evil mermaid army to take over the mermaid world. Demetria kidnapped people and forced them to be in the army and when they started it, they started to like it. Lily felt scared and nervous in the dungeon. She tried to escape but she couldn’t so she decided to go to sleep and wait for tomorrow.

In the morning, Hazel and Vanessa woke up to find Lily missing. They thought that she went out for a swim, but after a few hours she still didn’t come back. Hazel and Vanessa became worried. So they started to search for Lily. They went out on to the street and they saw some of her scales. They were bent and twisted and there were broken pieces of her dark purple scales on the street in front of the house.

“Why are Lily’s scales in front of the house, and why are they all broken and twisted?” asked Hazel.
“I don’t know! But let’s keep looking!” exclaimed Vanessa.

They kept walking on the path and they found some of her light blue hair in front of Dolphin Fin Jewelers. Hazel and Vanessa felt a little happy that they found more clues, but they were still very worried about their friend. They kept looking. They went to a restaurant and saw outside that there was a piece of seaweed and on the seaweed was a note that said, “She’s taking me far away, please hurry!” and then they tried to figure out who “she” is. They sat down at the restaurant and began to try and figure out the meaning of the message.

“Who do you think ‘she’ is?” Hazel said.

“I don’t know. But let’s figure it out,” said Vanessa.  

“Let’s try to think of places that are far away.”

Then they thought of a lot of places like the Queen’s palace, the shipwreck that all the mermaids play in, and the amusement park, and then Vanessa said, “Well, she had to write it quickly and her scale was all bent so she must have been in a hurry because she didn’t give detail.”

“Since her scale was bent and twisted then someone might have been struggling with her,” said Hazel.

“Let’s think of people that are bad that have a place far away,” said Vanessa.

Hazel said, “Remember that myth about the evil mermaid? That an evil mermaid wants lots of power? She might live far away.”

“Yeah…” Vanessa was saying.

“I have heard of the evil mermaids, and I have heard myths of where they live,” said a friend of Vanessa and Hazel’s, named Nancy. Nancy had been sitting at another table and she had been listening.

“Hi Nancy,” said Vanessa and Hazel.

“Have you heard anything about where Lily could be?” asked a concerned Hazel.

“I don’t really know but I do know where the evil mermaid’s palace is!” she said.

“Please, tell us where it is! We need to know!” they both exclaimed.

“You have to go to the amusement park, then through the forest, and then walk straight for awhile and then you will come upon the evil palace, but don’t get too close!” Nancy told them.

“Thanks for the directions, we must go there now!”

Hazel and Vanessa left the restaurant and went to their house to get ready. Hazel and Vanessa packed some provisions for what they thought might be a long journey. They rested for one night and woke up the next morning to travel to the evil palace and save Lily. Hazel and Vanessa began their journey to the amusement park. Hazel and Vanessa swam to the amusement park and then they had to swim for another twenty minutes to get to the forest. Then they started to go into the forest but they were scared because it was really dark. They kept going because they had to save their friend, and they would not give up. Then Hazel and Vanessa went through the forest. The sun rose that morning, and they were glad it wasn’t dark anymore.

They decided to take a break from swimming, and they sat on a big sea stone and ate snacks and drank water. They talked about how they would save Lily, they made plans and they were confident. Their plan was to make a trap out of seaweed and trap Demetria, but then they thought that that would take too long. Then they decided to sneak into the palace and try to make sure that none of the evil mermaids saw them, and then they would break into the dungeon and save Lily.

They started to swim again and after awhile they saw a big black palace. It sparkled with white crystals that caught the sunlight and hurt their eyes. They went up to the gates, but they were locked. They swam up really high and swam over the gate. When they got over the gate, they swam back down and swam up to the palace. They decided to smash the door in with their tails, because the doors were locked. And they got inside and they hid behind a humongous mirror and they checked to see if anyone was coming down the hall, and then when the path was clear they quietly swam out and searched for Lily. They tried opening doors, but most of them were locked.

     They kept looking for Lily but all of a sudden they ran into Demetria. They saw her come out of the locked doors.

She said, “What are you doing here?” and then she grabbed them and took them to the dungeon. They tried to get away, but Demetria also brought the ten other evil mermaids to help. She unlocked the door and then she threw them inside and closed the door and it was really dark. But then they saw Lily! She was surprised and happy to see them.

“What are you doing here?”

“We came to save you,” they said.

“How do we get out?” asked Hazel.

“I’ve been trying to get out a lot but none of my ideas worked. I tried to bang my tail against the door to open it and I tried to trick Demetria into opening the door. But none of them worked.”

Demetria opened the door, and she said, “The reason why I kidnapped you is because I wanted you guys to be a part of my evil mermaid army.”

The mermaids began to sweat and get goosebumps.

“I have work to do,” Demetria said. “But I’ll come back soon…”

“We have to make a plan to get out of here!” said Lily excitedly and nervously.

“That’s a good idea,” Hazel said.

“We can pretend to join the evil mermaid army, and then we can escape!” exclaimed Vanessa.

“Yes, but what is our plan to escape?!” Lily asked.

“I have an idea! Maybe when one of Demetria’s helpers comes to give us food, we can tell her we want to speak to Demetria, and when we meet her, we can tell her that we have decided to join her evil army! And then when we’re part of her evil army, she’ll think we’re on her side and she will trust us. Then we can really escape!” explained Vanessa.

Lily said, “If you do escape, then Demetria is still going to kidnap people. Besides, she might kidnap us again after we escape. We should try to stop her from doing all of this so we can help other people.”

“That’s a really good idea!” Hazel said.

The next day at lunch, Demetria’s helper came down with clams to eat for lunch.

“We would like to speak with Demetria,” Hazel said to the helper.

The helper went to get the evil mermaid. Demetria came down to the dungeon to speak with the three mermaids.

              “What is it?!” yelled Demitria.

              “We have decided to join your evil army,” said Vanessa.

 “That’s good,” said Demetria with an evil smile. “Tomorrow we’ll kidnap more people for the army.”

Then Hazel said very seriously, “That sounds good. We have to make a huge army to take over the mermaid world!”

They went out at night and they found a house with two friends inside: Nancy and Isabella. They told their friends, “The evil mermaid, Demetria, thinks that we’re evil but we tricked her and she wanted us to kidnap you. We want to make her good so you have to play along.”

Nancy and Isabella said, “We’ll do it.”

Then they took Nancy and Isabella to the palace to show them to Demetria. Nancy and Isabella asked Demetria what she would do to them.

“You’ll see…” Demetria said, mysteriously.

The two friends shivered at the sound of her voice. They saw the dungeon and they started to sweat out of fear. They heard other evil mermaids yelling at people and looked at Hazel, Vanessa, and Lily, hoping that they would get done with their plan quickly.

Hazel took the hint and said, “I feel so bad for them. They’re so scared. You should also feel bad for them.”

“I don’t feel bad for them. I just want them to be a part of my evil army,” Demetria said stubbornly.

“What’s the point of taking over the world if everyone is going to be afraid of you?” Vanessa encouraged her to see the light.

Then Lily added, “She’s right. And also, forcing people into your evil mermaid army will make them hate you even more.”

Demetria replied, “If I take over the world, then people will be afraid to hate me.”

“Some people are braver than you think,” said Hazel, bravely.

The other evil mermaids who were guarding the dungeon said to Demetria, “They’re right.”

Demetria looked confused.

Lily said, “What are you even going to do when you take over the world?”

Demetria said, “I guess I didn’t think about that…” Demetria looked guilty. “I guess you’re right,” she said. Demetria just stood still. The girls were smiling.

They said to Demetria, “So you’re going to stop with this?”

“I guess so,” said Demetria. “I’m sorry I forced you to be in my evil army.”

The evil mermaid army went to stand with Lily, Hazel, Vanessa, Nancy, and Isabella.

Then Demetria said, “I feel better that I’m doing the right thing.”

The mermaids walked out of the palace with Demetria and the other evil mermaids, who were now nice. Demetria wanted to live with the other mermaids but then when she was going out of her palace the police came.

They said, “You’re under arrest for kidnapping people and planning to take over the world!”

The other mermaids said, “She changed! And she’s doing the right thing!”

But the police arrested her anyway, because she still kidnapped them before.

Hazel, Vanessa and Lily felt sad, but they thought that she really wouldn’t do it anymore if she did go to jail. And then they went back to Hazel’s house. They were really relieved that it was all over, and that Demetria was now good. And then they went to bed, and they finally got to have the sleepover they were planning.

THE END

Magedom

Once when Valkyries and wizards still roamed the land and knights and sorcerers still battled vampires and the elemental forces were still kept at bay, there was a boy named Welcam. Since people back then l was the only person who even could hold a bow in his village since all the men were off fighting the wizard that was waging war against them. I guess I should explain what wizards and Valkyries are: they are sorcerers who owe no allegiance to no one and Valkyries are woman knights (knights then could be girls and boys were called by their suit color). No one but the 2nd in command of the knights who owe no allegiance to any one but in battle they followed the gold knight (first in command) and the silver knight followed the gold knight and the bronze knight follows the silver and the gold knight (third in command) but other than that they owed no allegiance to any one.

CHAPTER 1

Will (that’s what everyone called him) and his friend Basil were out hunting (I know I said everyone in his village couldn’t hold a bow). She (Basil is a girl) lives in a cave. After her parents died, she moved out.

She and Will were 17 and they could use a bow the best in the entire mountain range their village was in. He met her when he was out walking and he got close to her cave and got caught in one of her snares that she caught rabbits in. They were both pretty good at the bow, but he was good at tracking animals and she was good at using snares and traps.

This time out hunting in the woods, they were tracking a huge buck and when split equally, it would keep his family and her fed for months each. It was proving very difficult to track. It seemed to know that every snare that Basil had placed and was being very hard to track, so instead of stepping in snow, it would jump from patch of dirt to patch of dirt. When it stopped to drink water, it jumped over the stream first. Then, swallowed a lot and then proceeded to jump in the stream and the stream whisked it down to the bottom, making it faster than if it were running. They had seen it jump in the water and knew where the water ended since they were out there regularly, and used a shortcut to get there. They got to the bottom, it came down with a big splash, and they both loosed arrows at it. Sadly, the splash had made their arrows go off course and the deer escaped.

In its place was a giant eagle. It was as long as your arm span without it’s wings out. They both knew immediately what it was because there were tons of legends about mystical creatures. This was a giant eagle, and they were supposed to be the greatest hunters and very friendly to people. It was eating the last of the buck. She (the hunter was always a girl and the boy was always the protector), seeing Basil and my crushed expressions, motioned for them to get on her back. They climbed on her back and she took off. The pure force of her taking off almost knocked Will off. As it is, it would have knocked Basil off if she had not grabbed the end of the tail at the last second. The tail gently flipped her back up. After that, it was a pretty cool flight. You could see everything, and there was no danger of giant birds coming, since this was the biggest bird in the world. In a few minutes (about three miles away– that’s how fast it went), Will and Basil were in its nest. It flew them through its nest, which was made of stone, so it was sectioned off, and had a nesting area made of sticks, branches, and leaves, a hatching area where all the hatchlings were, a place where they kept all the eggs, and food storage and a dining hall. They are very sophisticated creatures.

But it was the food supply that was most important for Will and Basil. She took them down, grabbed enough meat to last them a year, and still had room to spare in her claws, and started flying back toward the village. As everyone knows, in the myths, giant eagles are a bit prideful, so it flew over Will’s village to enjoy the looks it was given when it was seen. It dropped Basil off in her cave, and me at my house, with equal shares of the meat (just because they are giant eagles doesn’t mean they can’t do math). After Will explained how he got the meat to his mom because all the men, as I already said, are fighting a wizard who is terrorizing the town, which is why they couldn’t go out to trade with other towns for food.

Mark

Mark Made Friends

Once, there was a clever and sweet boy named Mark. He lived in a beautiful candy house. His candy house was made out of all kinds of candies: caramel on the right side, jelly candy on the left, and the top part was made out of Candy Milk.

Mark’s parents invented the Candy Milk. It was very sticky so it stuck on the roof. The door was made out of strips of Apple Mint Candy, and the front of the house was made out of Jelly Water, which Mark’s parents made too.

Mark had a red and white lollipop-swirled head and caramel eyes, a dark chocolate nose and a sweet ketchup mouth. Mark had a sticky french fry body which smelled greasy. But, whenever people saw him they ran to him and took a picture of him because it was funny. P.S sometimes they took selfies with him too.

He also had lollipop sticks for arms and the lollipop sticks could bend and stretch. His arms were also made out of bendy metal! Mark was born with no arms so the doctor had to make an injection and inject Mark’s arm with some sticky gooey stuff so they could stick the metal in! But, Mark had normal hands because he had to use them to do stuff.

Mark’s rude classmates and mean teachers didn’t like Mark. Mark did not like the way they acted. Mark felt sad and terrified, his classmates always bullied him. They wanted him to get scolded, so in class, his classmates always asked him to lie on the table so the teacher would see him and scold him. Mark wanted to make friends so he thought, “Maybe if I listen to them they’ll like me.”

When it was time for the classmates’ turn to sweep the classroom floor, they asked Mark to do it for them. Mark thought the teacher didn’t deserve to teach in the school.

Once, when somebody pushed Mark on the floor, the teacher blamed Mark. There was another time that the teacher lied to him that she liked him, but after she lied to Mark, she scolded him. Poor Mark had no friends because he looked different.

April 24th was the day Mark went into 3rd grade. The day before he wished that he would have good new friends who would play with him even though he smelled like a french fry.

The next day, a classmate, Michael, saw him all poor and sad, and Michael went up to Mark and said, “Hi, what’s your name? I am Michael, the leader of the class. Can we be friends?” Mark said, “Please be my friend!”

The next day he met Gabriel, who went up to him and said, “Sorry I was sick yesterday, but I am the assistant of the leader, Michael. Michael told me that he made friends with you, that means that I also am going to be friends with you, too.” Mark shook hands with him and said, “It is my pleasure to be friends with you.”

The next day a new girl came in and she said, “Hi, I was sick the day before yesterday, and yesterday I was at a singing competition where I got the first prize. I am a friend of Gabriel’s, assistant of the leader Michael. I heard that they are your friends, so I have to be friends with you too.”Mark said, “Nice to meet you!” He bowed to her.

Mark started to wonder who could make such a thing happen? Mark thought and thought and thought ”I have to meet that person.” So he asked his parents who would be able to do that. His parents were curious why he asked because he never asked those questions.

They replied, “Fairy godmothers and the mighty Lord.” But Mark never heard about them before, so he didn’t know that Fairy godmothers do not exist. And he didn’t know that he couldn’t see the mighty Lord.  

He began searching for Fairy godmothers until one day he fell into a deep hole while he was on his search. He landed in the underworld where phantoms live. He also had never learned about phantoms.

He asked them, “Do you know Fairy godmothers?”

The phantom gasped and replied. “You don’t know that Fairy godmothers don’t exist? Only the Tooth Fairy does!”

Mark said ,“Okay, but can you help me get up?”

The phantom said, “Yes, there is a staircase straight ahead. Turn left, then turn right, and you will see it. Just walk up and turn right, then turn left, then walk straight ahead, then go up the other staircase, and you are there.”

Mark replied, “I can’t remember all that, I’m only a kid!”

The phantom said, “We don’t know about kids down here.”

“Do you have any paper so you can write the instructions down for me?” Mark asked.

Then the phantom said, “What is a paper?”

Mark said, “A paper is white and-”

The phantom interrupted him and said, “We only know the colors pink, brown, and black. We don’t know this white you speak of.”

“It is rude to interrupt people, especially kids.” Mark said.

“Just remember in your brain!” The phantom said “Go to the staircase. If you walk straight ahead, turn left and you will see it. Just walk up the stairs and turn right, then turn left, then walk straight ahead, then go up the other staircase, and you are there.”

Mark said, “Okay, I don’t have time, goodbye.”

Then he began walking straight ahead, just like the Phantom said. Then he said, “The Phantom said the staircase was just here, or did I forget to turn left or right? I forget! I don’t know the way back to the phantom, what should I do!”

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared and then an old man walked out with a white robe. There were lots of flying men and women with harps, some with long hair, some with short. Mark didn’t know who the old man was, but he knew that even though he didn’t know the old man, he could not be rude to him. After that, he asked “Who are you, did you give me all of my friends?”

The old man replied, “My name is God, and yes, I did.” Then Mark opened his mouth and kneeled down because he was shocked. God said, “Do not worry, Hakuna Matata.”

Then Mark asked, “What is Hakuna Matata?”

God began to sing a song, “Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase…”

Mark began to sing with God too. “Hakuna Matata…” Then a flash surrounded Mark and he heard voices shouting “Hallelujah!”

Suddenly he was back to his old house. He high-fived himself and then pinched himself because his lollipop-stick arm hurt. Then he closed his eyes for a second and……

Love War

Once upon a time there was a animal and that animal’s name was Rosy Loopyflower. She was a nice little fox and she loved to do things for her friends. She was always there for her friends. She always wanted to have  good impressions. She wanted them to like her and they did. And so one day she met these mean wolves at the park and she did not like them. They wore big metal rings and had metal clothing. Their teeth were big and yellow. And then she saw one out of the corner of her eye pickpocketing someone. And then she saw all of them group together and then spread apart. Then they all walked onto streets and they were stopping traffic, making all of the cars smash together. Then she heard a wolf talking about this really powerful machine that was so powerful that it could wipe out like five armies at the same exact time. And then she heard him talking about what was sort of a big like tank, a big like gun type tank that was super duper big, and then she got really scared. So she ran off to go fetch her friends and tell them all about the new machine. And she thought they were going to attack her with the machine. So she went to get get her friends to tell them all about this big machine to see if they knew anything about this big machine and anything about if they were going to attack the foxes. So then she said, “Do you guys know anything about this machine?”

And they said, “I have no idea Rosy.” So later that day it was nighttime and she was getting ready for bed. She heard the doorbell ring, so she went to the door and opened it.

She said, “Oh good, it’s the newspaper!” And then the said, “Ok then. Well, I guess I could read this newspaper even though it’s a little late.” So she read the newspaper and she came over something that was rather odd. There was a column that said There is a machine that is really big and it’s a gun type tank and it was just invested by our great scientist Dr. Russiansnot. Then two minutes later she got dressed and she went out the door to tell them about this amazing machine and how she thought that they were going to attack her but she was wrong. The foxes would be the attackers. Five minutes later she got to her friends’ house. It was very dark so it was hard to tell that it was their house. But she knew the house anywhere. Then she realized that her friend might be asleep. But she didn’t care, she was going to tell her friend that she was right about that tank – right and wrong about that tank. Because she was right about there’s a big tank, but she was wrong about that they were going to attack the foxes when the foxes were really going to attack. So she knocked on the door. And the door opened.

It was her friend, and Amy said, “So nice to see you Rosy! Why are you here?”

“Oh, well, I was going to tell you about the big, big, big tank!”

She said, “Oh, I already heard about that.”

And she said, “How?!”

And then Amy said, “Oh, I saw it in the news.”

And then Rosy said, “Well then, hehe, okay, could you tell our other friends about that. Y’know, the tank thing? I’m going to go back to my house now. Have a good night and see you in the morning.”

Amy said that she would tell them. Ok, so that night, when she got in bed, Amy had problems sleeping. She couldn’t fall asleep, and Rosy couldn’t either. Rosy thought what if those mean wolves attacked right now? Or while I’m sleeping? Amy thought I don’t think I can handle this, this is so much pressure, they could attack anytime, we would be defenseless, we don’t have enough tanks to take them down!

So then in the morning, Rosy and Amy met in the park to talk about how the wolves and the foxes were going to attack each other. Rosy and Amy saw each other. They ran towards each other – they both had so many questions they had to ask each other. Then Rosy said, “Let’s go and ask one of those wolves over there if they’re really going to attack us, but first we have to dress up as wolves so they don’t think we’re foxes. So they went into the local theater to go into the dressing room, and they found lots and lots of wolf costumes.

So they put on the costumes and they walked up to the wolf and said, “So is the rumor true? Are we actually going to attack the foxes?”

And they said, “Yes, we are going to attack the foxes.”

 

Chapter 2

 

And then Rosy and Amy ran back to the theater to change back into their normal clothes.That night the newspaper said that the wolves were going to attack tomorrow morning. The newspaper found out about this by stalking them. Everyone was panicking, running, growling, screaming, and doing crazy stuff. In the morning, everyone was getting into the tanks and ready to attack the wolves. Two hours later, they were already on the prairie, zooming around in their tanks ready to attack!

 

Over the horizon, they saw the wolves turning towards them. They were running towards them. They were fast runners. Then everyone started screaming “Attack!” All the tanks started zooming towards the other side and some tanks even started shooting at them. The wolves looked really scared, but they kept running towards them shooting with their guns.

 

The next day, everyone was waking up. They thought back and how good they fought, or how badly they were defeated. The wolves kept shooting them, the foxes kept on going down one by one. They were lying on the ground. Little Rosy stood up and looked down on them lying on the ground. She thought at least fifty-five of them were dead. She felt so sad. She got hit in the arm and it had really hurt for the last day of fighting. And she thought ‘Well, at least I have hope.’

Then Amy started getting to her knees. She saw Rosy. Rosy was running towards her towards the wolves. The wolves were coming out of their tents and Rosy was running towards them. Amy thought she might be seeing hallucinations.

Then Rosy saw that there was this boy wolf sitting at the campfire of the wolves. And he looked sad and depressed and he didn’t really know what to think. Rosy ran up to him. She said “What’s wrong?”

The boy said, “My parents died in the war.”

And she said, “Well, I never met my parents. I bet they were nice and caring parents.”

The boy says, “Let’s talk about something good, like jam. I really like jam. I also like bread. Bread and jam are my favorite. I like lots of sweets. My mom liked sweets, too. She used to cook a lot in our kitchen. We used to cook together. I also like to take pictures and go back on things and making them rhyme. My dad and I used to write poems together.”

And she said, “MY dad used to write poems with me, too! And I like jam, too. Sometimes I like it on bagels and french toast. And sometimes bread. It’s just sometimes, though. I’ve always liked cooking but I only like cooking pastries. One thing I like is making clothes for other people because they try it on and I see them wearing this beautiful thing and I see them smiling.”

Days and days went on of fighting, and more and more animals were dead. Each night, Rosy came back to the little boy. He was always sitting by the campfire waiting for her. Soon they fell in love.

Then one day, he took her up this hill. It was in the middle of the day, so Rosy was scared that someone would see them. So she kept on going up the hill, but the boy was leading her so she wasn’t scared. She looked down the hill. It was actually kind of a cliff! She saw everyone fighting and everyone was fighting, but she thought, These wolves can be nice and kind. We just have to know them better and they might be nice to us. If we can just be nice to them, maybe they will be nice to us.

Every day, she kept on coming back and one day, Amy followed her. She saw them together and realized that this was a time of war and she was with a wolf!

Amy ran back to the foxes’ campsite and she told her older brother. Her older brother accepted that she was with a wolf, but he was a little shocked at first. Amy’s brother told Amy that he would always be there with her and never die.

Rosy said to the boy, “I never knew your name. What is your name?”

The boy said, “My name is Thompson Riddle.”

Rosy said, “That’s a wonderful name.”

Chapter 3

Later that day, they were walking in the forest together. An egg dropped from the trees. It had flame marks on it and the egg was burning hot and it was also red with white flame marks on it.

The boy and Rosy took care of the egg for many days and then one day, the egg started to crack. Inside, it looked like a lizard, but then Rosy noticed that it had wings and Thom said, “Oh my god, it’s a dragon.”

Rosy said, “We need to name this dragon! It’s a new species.”

They said, “Let’s have a vote on it. We’ll never decide on it.”

And then Rosy said, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

And Thompson said, “I think so.”

And then they both shouted at the same time, “This dragon’s name is Flame!!”

So Rosy took it back to her campsite and showed all the remaining foxes. She put it in a little cage and decorated the cage by painting it red. She fed the dragon next by giving it some water and a little fire.

Every night, she would take the dragon over to the hill to show Thompson. And every day it grew bigger and bigger. One day, it grew so big that it had instincts and started to fly and they thought it was a phoenix dragon. But they knew it was a flame phoenix dragon, not just a phoenix dragon. Flame was a nice little dragon, but now he was a big nice dragon.

Every day, the battle was super duper intense. Everyone was getting hurt, even if they were in the tanks the entire battle. One battle was very intense. It turns out the wolves got new bazookas, and they started attacking more intensely than with the guns because they thought they had a chance. So one day, Flame broke out of his cage in the middle of a really intense battle with the bazookas against the tanks. And then flame burst out and jumped in front of the tanks and sprayed all the bazookas and some of the wolves into ash with his fiery breath.

Rosy leaped into action. She was looking for someone and that someone was Thompson. She called, “Thompson! Thompson! Where are you?”

And out of the smoke and the steam, she saw Thompson walking towards her. “Thank god you’re alive.”

But then she noticed that it wasn’t Thompson. It was a big bad wolf. Rosy was scared. She didn’t know what to do.

She called out, “Thompson! Save me! There’s a bad wolf”

She saw Thompson running towards her. He was panting. He was injured. He had a burned arm. She said, “Thompson, are you alright?! Please help me!”

The big bad angry wolf flung his sharp claws at Rosy. Thompson got in the way and saved Rosy by putting his arm out. The big bad angry wolf struck Thompson on the arm that wasn’t burned. Rosy screamed. “How could you sacrifice the other arm that wasn’t injured?! You don’t need two arms that are injured!”

Thompson said, “I will do anything to protect you. You are my love and I will not deny it.” Then Thompson said, “I don’t think we can have that dragon around anymore. He can get into trouble, and plus, he’s hurting everybody.”

Chapter 4

“Some of these wolves are nice. Some of these wolves are my friends. I don’t want to hurt my friends with that dragon!”

Rosy said, “We’ll get rid of the dragon. We’ll put it where it belongs and he’ll be happy but we’ll be safe.”

Rosy said, “We’re on different teams here. We shouldn’t be meeting up like this. I’m sorry, I have to go, okay?”

Thompson said, “Where are you going?! Wait, don’t go! I don’t know where you’re going. Be safe! More wolves will come after you because you’re the reason why the dragon burned everyone. Everyone has to be mad at all of you foxes. They’ll kill you!”

Rosy didn’t hear him. She was already running towards the campsite. She was crying. She was feeling really sad, but she didn’t know what just happened. She thought that she’d talk to Amy about this. She ran towards Amy’s tank. She knocked on the door of the tank. Amy opened the door and said, “What happened? Are you crying?”

Rosy said, “Yes! I did something that I should not have done.”

Then she told Amy all about Thompson and what she had done and what she had said to him. And Amy said, “I knew about that. I followed you up the hill once.”

Rosy said, “I think it was good that I can’t be with him because he is a boy wolf.”

That night, she had a lot of trouble going to bed. She goes to the wolves’ campsite. She sees Thompson. She says, “I’m sorry, but I really can’t be with you. I’m taking Flame back to the forest now. Do you want to come with me? It will be our last meeting.”

“I’m gonna bring some bread and jam, so you can have that if you want.”

Rosy and Thompson take Flame to their special place on the hill, tears in their eyes. Watching over the battle, they remembered that Flame was their friend, but they knew they had to let him go to be with his kind. He deserved to be happy. Though they think he liked them, he was in a cage, and dragons needed to be free. They don’t know where his kind lived, but they trusted the dragons would find their lost baby flame phoenix.

Flame tries to stay with them, his eyes watering, but decides he wants to try to find his family.

“I guess he didn’t like us,” Rosy said, and she and Thompson watched Flame disappear into the forest.

They sat on the edge of the hill, looking down on the battle, and feel sad that they’re breaking up.

Rosy stood, crying, and ran away with her tail between her legs. Thompson’s pained, sorrowful howl echoed through the forest as the hope of love vanished in the dark.

TWO DAYS LATER

Rosy looked up from the battlefield and saw Thompson on the hill, staring down at the skirmish. Two days of longing was enough. The pain of her broken heart radiated from her chest to her feet, and before she realized what was happening, she was running up the hill, back to Thompson, and gazed into his piercing hazel-green eyes.

They couldn’t help crying at the sight of each other. They wanted to be together, but the wolves would never allow their love to thrive while the war was on. Unless… maybe Rosy and Thompson could convince them to stop fighting!

They climb down the hill to the battlefield, grab the biggest horn they can find, and shout to their friends and enemies to STOP THE FIGHTING!

Their cry is ignored, and the fighting increases.

Amy and her brother helped Rosy and Thompson scream, but the war was too loud, and the warriors were too stubborn.

“What are we going to do?”

A high-pitched roar broke through the noise of war. Flame raced in with one little water dragon and two large dragons by his side: a little sister, and a mom and dad. Flame had found his family!

While his family looked on in pride, Flame propelled fire from his belly and surrounded the two armies with a circle of fire. The wolves and foxes had nowhere to run. They had to listen.

“FLAME, my boo-bee-boo! You’re back!” Rosy shouted from outside the fire ring.

“He did like us after all!” Thompson cried.

Flame landed on the ground, and they hopped on top of his back. He whisked them to the top of the hill, where Rosy and Thompson hold hands.

“Alright, people, listen up!” Rosy said. “You need to stop fighting. We’re in love, and love is more important than war.”

“But you can’t be together!” a wolf screams from below. “You’re too different.”

“Because it doesn’t matter what kind you are. It only matters that you love each other.”
“We’ll never love each other,” wolves and foxes shouted, snarling.

“Then you have to accept your differences. Besides, never loving each other is something you have in common,” Rosy said.

“Rosy is right. You have to accept your difference for who you are. You have more in common than you think. A lot of you are nice, and a lot of you are mean, but we’re all exceptional in our own ways,” Thompson said. “Even if you can’t, we’re not going to stop loving each other. Ever, ever, ever!”

The armies lowered their weapons. They fell to their knees and said, “Rosy and Thompson are right! We might never get along, but we’re ending this war for the sake of love–which is a war in itself.”

Flame’s little sister extinguishes the fire-circle, and the foxes and wolves mingle, offering apologies and first aid.

A FEW DAYS LATER

All the wolves had moved into the foxes’ city, and they realized it was pretty beaten up and old. They all came together to rebuild the city, make it fresher and more welcoming.

A FEW YEARS LATER

The town was done, and it was new and famous and people were coming from worldwide just to see the beautiful and welcoming town of Jamtown. Every year there is a festival celebrating Rosy and Thompson. And also, there is a new surprise to the town: Rosy and Thompson have a daughter named Fern! She is a hybrid wolf-fox.

The town is more modern, and there are more and more festivals, and more animals come in, and the town gets bigger and bigger. There are kitty-cats, oxen, more wolves, friendly wolves (lots of friendly wolves), there’s deer, and there’s dolphins (who have to stay in the local aquarium, located in Animal Square). Flame is bringing in more and more dragons. His family grew more, and he married a cute blue dragon and had five eggs, but only three of them hatched. He fried the other two in a frying pan and ate them. He lit the fire with his own breath because he knew those two would go to waste if they never hatched, and they didn’t, so he ate them, and they were smelly, really smelly. Dr. Russiansnot has a new lab now, and he’s inventing new stuff every day.

Rosy and Thompson have to sign autographs all the time. Rosy is a clothes designer and Thompson is a famous poetry writer. He writes about his suffering about not being with Rosy during the war, and losing his parents in the war. That’s why his poetry is so depressing, and that’s why he’s so famous. Amy owns a pastry shop, and Amy’s big brother opened a school. Amy makes chocolate pastries with strawberries, and pastries with marshmallows, and pastries of all types.

Then all of a sudden the book ends.

THE END

 

`

London

 

Introduction

I am traveling a far distance around the world running from a person who you probably won’t want to meet, or at least who I never want to see again. Her name is Regina. She shows hatred in her eyes and is one of the most unforgettable (in the bad way) people that I have ever come across of. We have a bad history and she will do whatever it takes to destroy my life.

Anyways, my name is London and I have no parents, no house, no family. My parents were killed by Regina and I was an only child. I am traveling with my only friend who is a boy. His name is Jax. He is the most important person in the entire world to me. I am also a witch (a good witch with good magic) and I can use my magic but I prefer not to.

Right now I am on my way to the north-eastern part of Europe. I shall be staying with a family that I have known for many years. They will keep us safe for as long as possible.

I am going on a long journey, a dangerous journey full of magic and mysteries.

November 30th

I drop my bag down on the train. I am sitting beside Jax, and leaning my head on his shoulder weeping and crying about my life. We are on the train about to get to the harbor where we will board a boat that will take us to north-eastern Europe. In my mind I am thinking about what It would be like to have a life and a living and a family. I fall asleep on Jax’s shoulder and sleep, just sleep.

When I get up from sleeping we are nearly at the harbor so I get up and walk to the exit and hang on the pole until we get to the station. With Jax standing beside me, I know that one way or another we will find peace, together.

We arrive at the harbor and we board the ship, eager to sit after all the standing and I am also eager to eat. We have not have food for two days straight and I am starving. Jax, on  the other hand, can probably go for three days without food and not be hungry. Anyways, the attendant shows us to our room and we drop our bags down, sit on the bed and eat the food that the attendant gives us.

December 3rd

  When we get to the harbor in Poland, we meet the family. They are kind people who have two kids and a lovely home. It is cold here in Poland. Anyways, they show us their house and give us a tour of the city. They show us to our room. The family that lives here are witches and wizards just like I am. They put a protection charm around their house to ward of dark magic, witches, and wizards. Regina is a dark witch who is trying to destroy all good magic. I am apparently told that I am the most powerful witch with good magic living, and I am the only one who can destroy her.             

December 11th

Today is my birthday, and unfortunately today we will be leaving Poland. We need to go because Regina has fond where we were staying and we need to get back to safety.The mother of the family who is actually named Margaret, baked me a cake and we celebrated in the morning before Jax and I had to go to the airport. It was really tough letting go to this family who cared and nurtured us for about a month.

On the flight back to America I knew that I must destroy Regina before she destroys anyone else or me. On the plane I take out my phone and headphones and listen to music, because I actually love music. I also love to sing. When I was younger I played guitar and I loved to sing.

My parents named me London because we lived in London when I was a little girl. I still have the accent.

December 20th

We are now back in the united states and in NYC, where Jax has an apartment. I am staying with him and eager to get out and kill Regina and her army. “I need to use the bathroom,” I tell Jax. “Two doors down to the right,” said Jax.

When I get into the bathroom I look in the mirror and Regina is there. In the mirror!! “Hello,” she says in an evil sort of way. She is going on and on about me meeting her behind the apartment building tomorrow at 7:00. “Will do,” I say. Then she goes away in the mirror and I think about destroying her.

December 20th

Tonight I will be fighting Regina. I hope to destroy her and stop all of the darkness that she brings to this land. I am ready. I was practicing all night and I am very nervous. Regina is very powerful and I can’t take the risk of more people losing their lives. I must defeat Regina if my life depended on it.

I read my clock, 6:55. I head downstairs and go outside behind the apartment building. Regina is there and she is waiting. Before she can even see me I shoot indestructible ice out of my hand that not even she can break. She is trapped. All I have to do is send a laser beam shooting through her heart. But something stops me, she does not deserve to be killed just banished. So I open a portal and send her to a whole nother soler system which she can never escape from.

When I walk back into the apartment I come rushing to Jax and just kiss him. I don’t care what he is feeling inside. All that I know is that I love him and I hope that he loves me too. We stop kissing and we both say that we love each other at the same time. “Did you defeat her?” asks Jax. I nod my head and he hugs me. But then I hear a loud bang. Regina. We weren’t done with her yet. We were forgetting that she still has an army of dark witches and wizards. What are we going to do?!

This is insane. I don’t understand why there is a war. I just want there to be peace and have everything be calm, except for enthusiastic persons. But I have to fight. The world is depending on me and I will not let them down because dark witches and wizards want to cause violence.  

So I step out of the room and go on and face those witches and wizards at my own gut.

The army is getting closer so I shoot fire and ice out of both of my hands so that half of them will get burned and half will be frozen forever. But it is not enough. I need to do something else that can defeat all of the army in one way. So I do something that I have never been able to master. Shooting light out of all parts of my body, that can disintegrate anything that comes your way, while shooting out ice and fire. And I actually did it. The army is shooting all sorts of things at me, but I just keep going. As I am firing, I see all of these people disintegrating and disappearing. Bang!!! I did it. I actually did it, the monsters are actually defeated!

15 years later

    Jax is now my boyfriend and he has been for the past ten years. Today he is taking me out to lunch. I am very excited. I am 25 and I am wondering when or if he is going to propose. On our walk there we take a walk by Central Park and we go under a little gazebo on the water. He gets down on one knee and asks me if I will marry him!

“Yes,” I say.

Lollipop!

Once upon a time when Roman and Greek gods still ruled the empire, one god got forgotten. Deep down in the underworld, Hades waited to be recognized. Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months. Months turned to years. Years turned to decades. Somewhere in there he got a wife to join him in waiting. Decades turned to centuries. Then in 146 BC he switched forms and traits to become Pluto. Then the waiting began again. Centuries turned to millenia till he noticed something nobody else did, A LOLLIPOP!!! He tasted it. It burned, it burned. Then he saw another a meter away. Then another. Then another. He followed the trail. It went on for one kilometer. At the end he found Proserpina, his queen standing in a beautiful garden surrounded by at least 100 puppies and technicolor flowers in colors he did not know existed, like pink, light blue, rainbow. None of his favorite black, gray, copper, silver.

“Proserpina, what have you done to my beautiful swamp, you’ve made it ugly,” Pluto shouted.

“I’m just making the underworld better than my mother’s domain,” Proserpina replied hotly.

“Proserpina, I understand, nobody understands revenge better than i do, but…” Pluto said reasonably.

“No you don’t understand, nobody will. Now the next thing I need to do is get rid of you,“ Proserpina interrupted.

“Teenagers,” Pluto sighed.

Proserpina snapped her fingers and Cerberus’ middle head picked him up with his teeth and put him in a lollipop prison.

“Not lollipops. Cerberus, how could you. My dog. Not you too.”

Cerberus just growled. He most likely could have broken the cage with his fist easily but he did not want to touch the lollipops. He watched Proserpina plant flowers and cheer in his gloomy home. It brought tears to his eyes. So he waited for her to leave, then brought back a fist and punched the candy bars that kept him imprisoned. He cried out in pain, then followed his wife to the River Styx, where she was ushering the shades over the River Styx.

“What in the name of Pluto are you doing?” Pluto shouted.

“I’m helping the dead escape so this place can be less dreary,” Proserpina replied.

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m making it better than my mother’s domain.”

“Forget your mother’s domain! Do you know how many years it will take me to track those guys down?”

“You don’t need to track them down! They can stay up there and make my mother’s domain mindlessly melancholy. And you won’t need to rule over this dreary place anymore because there won’t be any more shades.”

That would be a glorious idea! Pluto thought. I can take over Jupiter in my newfound spare time.

“It’s a deal!” Pluto said. “I don’t want your lollipops anyway. They burn…and they’re scary.”

Proserpina absentmindedly started licking a lollipop, and Pluto trembled and backed away slowly into the overworld.

Pluto didn’t pay attention to his nighttime surroundings because he had a destination in mind: The Pantheon, the headquarters of the gods. As he was walking by the sea, out of the crest of the waves came a young woman with flowing golden hair, sea-green eyes, and a mischievous smile, with a slight resemblance to a mermaid.

“Uncle, you can’t do this,” she begged.

“Who are you?” Pluto asked timidly.

“Aquilina, demigod daughter of Neptune, your niece,” Aquilina said.

“How dare you talk to a god like that,” Pluto said with a new air of confidence.

“A timid god,” Aquilina replied. “We good?”

“Keep talking,” Pluto said.

“You can’t take over the world.”

“Why not?”

“It’s evil.”

“So?”

“You’re not evil.”

“But I need to be noticed.”

“You’ll be noticed for stopping Proserpina.”

“Maybe. But I will, but I’ll be noticed for taking over the world too.”

“Yes but you’ll be hated. It’s your choice,” Aquilina said.

And she disappeared over the crest of the wave. Pluto thought about what she had said. It was his choice. He should take over the world. Revenge on his brother Jupiter, no, he should save the world. He made his choice. He headed for the Pantheon.

Back in the underworld, Proserpina was selling ice cream. Millions of kids came over her lollipop bridge and ate her rainbow sparkly ice cream with fudge bars in the middle. Chiron, who had nothing to do, was sunbathing over the lava in Tartarus, which had been turned into a tropical beach.

“So long, Pluto,” he said, taking a sip of his pina colada in a coconut shell.

Meanwhile, Pluto had reached the Pantheon and had his way blocked by Neptune and his daughter Aquilina. Before Pluto could wave hello, Neptune thrust his trident at Pluto and a gust of water and tuna blasted Pluto in the face.

“What the @#$%!” Pluto cried as he ducked.

When he ducked, his feet slid out from beneath him, and Neptune took the opportunity to throw a whale at him. Pluto watched what he thought was his dying moment, and at the last minute instinctively rolled away. He took off his helm of darkness and shook it so that it transformed into a skull-topped scepter. He hesitated and Neptune took another opportunity to throw a school of piranhas at him. With slight hesitation, Pluto deflected them with his scepter.

He thrust his scepter at Neptune, sending a wave of depression at him.

“My sea, my poor poor sea, it’s gone,” Neptune said, weeping a sea of tears.

“Alright ladies, this beauty contest ends here,” Aquilina said with slight boredom.

“Where was that when he threw a whale at me? As I recall, you were filing your nails.”

Aquilina ignored him. Pluto walked tenderly towards his brother and put his scepter over Neptune’s heart to save him.

Aquilinia interrupted: “Na, na, no, leave him. The sea is mine.”

“B-b-but my brother.”

“My father,” Aquilina interjected as she pulled out a lollipop.

Pluto cringed.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Pluto said as he blasted it out of her hand.

“Can’t let you take over the world,” Aquilina said as she pulled out a celestial bronze sword.

Pluto sighed and put two fingers to his temple.

“What are you doing,” Aquilina asked.

“Sending you a mind message,” Pluto responded.

“No. No you’re not,” Aquilina said.

Pluto sighed again, and came closer to her to whisper something in her ear.

“Then what are we waiting, for let’s go,” she replied running ahead.

“We?” Pluto questioned, shrugged, then followed her.

They charged to the top of the Pantheon, where Pluto stood and raised his scepter and murmured some inaudible words to command the shades back to the underworld.

Jupiter appeared and he and Pluto talked in rapid ancient Latin.

“In English, please,” Aquilina said.

“The underworld’s not so bad. How would you like to be king of the gods?”

“Exactly,” Pluto said. “I like my underworld home. See ya, sucker.”

And with a crack, he was pulled back into the underworld.

When he realized his underworld was a cheery place, Pluto banished Proserpina to Tartarus and raised his scepter, and the underworld immediately transformed back to the gloomy world it once was.

Lili’s Poems

Watermelon!

 

Watermelon, sweet and juicy,

but I get pushy when I ask for some.

That is why I will ask

for none.

 

I need some watermelon,

I can’t take it any more,

so I run down the stairs

into the store.

I pick up some watermelon

and run out the door.

 

As soon as I walk out the door

I smile as if I had a watermelon in my mouth.

I would have even traveled to the south

to get my hands on watermelon.

I once even got banned from a fruit stand

cause I bought all the watermelon.

Her name was Helen and she was really mad

and that is the end of my watermelon tale lads!

 

Apples!

 

I love apples, but I do not like snapple.

Apples grow on the farm where sometimes                             

it’s for the horses dinner.

But I always dive in to save the apples from harm.

So I go to the hen den and get some eggs

from a chicken named Meg. Then I cook the eggs.

Then I go to my reading nook to get a cookbook.

But my eggs were stolen from a pirate with no leg replaced by a peg.

 

So instead of eggs I get strawberries.

Then I mash the strawberries with my boots

And while I’m doing that I hear the owl hoot.

Once I cover the apple with strawberry jam,

I wrap it with some ham.

Sah for strawberries, apples, and ham. Then I run to the shed with my Sah, put up a sign that says something like this, “Sah for sale, Sah for sale, made freshly today!” Never say goodbye to Sah once you have a tasty bite. P.S it’s better than snapple because it’s made out of apples

Beach!

 

Lift my heart at the beach.

Don’t know why I would leave,

as the scorching sun burns my hands,

as I walk in the crystal clear waves,

splashing in my face as the blue sky watches me.

 

As the sea salt breeze blows in my hair                                                        

I fall down

and I land in the white warm sand,

getting tanned as

I stare at the waves,

like it’s a maze

that’s telling me through the wind

to come and swim

 

I get back up on my feet

and walk back towards the beach.

The waves are going up to my waist.

I push through the waves.

I wait until I see that amazing, beautiful big wave.

Once it’s a foot away from me

I jump towards the sand

and let the waves push me.

 

When I get back up

I spin like a whirlpool

then I stop,

fall backwards,

but I don’t hit my head

because the waves caught my back.

Then I saw the most amazing thing!

Right next to the huge palm tree

was a shiny starfish.

I get up,

 

then I know what I want to do

and I throw the starfish in.

I go to the swing,

I leap on top,

and I do what I never would have done before.

I flip!

Left my heart at the beach,

don’t know why I did leave

Life of a Basketball

I’m bounced, thrown, and slammed. Can you guess what I am? It’s a sport I personally hate, only because I am the sport. Yep, I am a basketball. For me, getting a break is known as a timeout, and those last for just 30 seconds to a minute. Here is just one example of my everyday routine:

———-

Wait. Before I get to all the good stuff (or in my case the bad stuff), I have to tell you my name. I am Wilson (Wilson is printed on my stomach, so I guess that’s like a name tag, right?) Alright, enough about me, let’s start!

———-

Right now, all of the basketball players are just holding me in their hands, and I get to see the crowd watching. I never really understood why they have to be here to watch me get abused all day. Anyway, I’m looking at the crowd, and then, I’m looking at the floor. What did I do wrong?! I was just enjoying the view, and I get slammed, or dribbled as these crazy people call it, to the floor!

As I think about what happened just now, I am bounced more, and more, and more! Just stop already! And this is just pregame practice…

———-

This is real game play. The players from both teams line up, while I’m being held in the hand of a guy dressed in black and white. His hands are cold like water put in a freezer (or ice for that matter).

“Can I have a blanket?!” I yell.

And then I realized to them, this is how I sound all the time: “………”

The next thing I know, I’m in the air, which is about the best part of the game. To me, this is like a rollercoaster. To them, it’s “Let’s slap Wilson” time. And slap me they do. I’m slapped so hard that I fly backwards. Why can’t I just have fun? It’s even worse that I don’t know what the teams are, and who to blame for my harm. When will they just stop!? I’m serious this time. I just want to be able to have some peace and quiet every now and then.

Before I land, I fall into the hands of a sweaty person. The game just started and I’m already wet! I don’t even have a bathing suit on! The man holding me bounces me around and around over and over again. I think I’m going to black out!

Finally, he stops. But now, I’m face to face with a guy with a not-so-nice look on his face. He swipes at me repeatedly, and ends up slapping me in the stomach. Hard. Thank God I didn’t just eat.

The man that slapped me picks me up and bounces me hard all the way to the other side of the field (or court, whatever) and takes me into the air with him, and shoves me into a hole. The worst part: The hole doesn’t have a bottom! So, I fall straight to the floor.

Just then, I notice people laughing. They’re actually laughing! They enjoy this? This is absurd!

———-

My routine of black out and bash goes on for a while, 48 minutes if I remember right. Finally, just finally, the game is over. I’m held in the palms of a non-sweaty person (at least some people aren’t half water) and taken to a dark room (I should’ve put in something about me hating the dark when they asked me about myself before I decided to be part of the NBA which stands for National Ball Abuse, I think. Oh wait, they didn’t ask me. They didn’t even give me the choice of being a basketball!). Then, I hear a zip, and I’m shoved into a bag. Wait… I’m shoved into a bag! That is not how this is supposed to end. I am the real winner. Those humans think that they won. But I was really the one who scored the points! I was the one who did all the hard work of not fainting every time I was tossed to the ground! This is completely crazy!

———-

The next day, I see that as I’m on a court that looks pretty important. I see that printed on the floor is a sign that says NBA Finals. What? The National Ball Abuse Finals! I’m in for quite the beating.

Surprisingly, I realize that I’m not being practiced with. Normally, I get played with during the game, but also before. Huh.

Well once the game starts, chaos breaks out. In the first play, someone tries to slam me (just like last time, I have no idea who is playing who), but another person slaps me backwards all the way to the halfway point of the court. OWWWW!!! Can’t there be a single time where I don’t feel like my spine is broken? I guess not.

From that point on, things only get worse. One time someone throws a bad pass, and I fall into someone in the crowd’s drink. I am not supposed to get wet if I remember correctly.

Another time, someone else slams me down so hard, when I bounce to the floor, I go back through the hoop from the bottom. And then, of course, when I land I hit the area right between my eyes. I think I get a bloody nose. Oh wait. I’m just naturally an orange-red color.

By the time the game has come to an end, I can’t feel any part of my body at all.

As I’m held in the hands of the guy dressed in black and white, I notice that confetti is shooting out onto the court, and the team wearing purple is holding up trophies. I have never seen this happen before.

Then, a man in a fancy suit and bowtie walks up to the front of the purple team and announces, “I announce that you are the winners of the NBA Finals.”

I think, “Well, I guess they deserve to win the title of best ball abusers. They really did kill me out there…”

I feel the man in black and white take me into a dark room. “Oh, no,” I think.

Maybe I would prefer that other bag I was stuffed in last time.

I have no other basketball friends, so I pretty much have a single choice. Sleep. I know, I know, it sounds pretty lame compared to what just happened, but what else do I do? You’re probably thinking, “This is what basketballs do all day after games?”

I think, “I’m a ball with no friends in a dark room. Why not sleep?” There’s not much else to do, you’ll find, when you’re me.

Then, I hear, “Come on guys, help me find a basketball. Let’s get some post game practice.”

“Oh, no.” I think. I look around, and notice I am the only basketball in the room. Of course I am. I’ve tried over and over again to stop those humans, but I’ve realized I can’t. I just have to live with all my troubles. That’s my life as a basketball.

 

Lester the Leopard

Lester was a leopard. He was a kid. Lester’s least favorite thing was school and his favorite things were ice cream and school breaks. He was in first grade and he went to Leopard Academy. The principal was named Mr. Marks and his teacher was Ms. Penny. Leopard Academy went from kindergarten to 12th grade and his sister and brother also went there. Lester had an older sister and an older brother. Lester was 7 and he was going to turn 8 in a few months. His sister was 13 and his brother was 15. Lester’s sister’s name was Scarlett and his brother’s name was Josh.

Lester woke up one morning and he had his breakfast–leopard krispies–and got dressed and went to school. His first subject was math. They were learning multiplication. Lester didn’t really like multiplication. He thought it was kind of boring. He would rather be doing addition. But if he had his choice he wouldn’t have math at all.

His next subject was recess. Lester was building a house with blocks with his best friend Marcus. Recess was half an hour. Lester and Marcus went inside their house and they talked a lot about when they would have a playdate.  

When recess was done they had snack and then they went to science. Science was his least favorite subject. He really didn’t like anything except recess and lunch. The class was dissecting squids. It smelled really bad when they were done with it. Lester forgot to wash his hands after he dissected his squid and it also smelled up his class. Lester washed his hands and they smelled much better. He said that he felt sick so his teacher, Ms. Penny, told him to go to the nurse. Lester was faking because he wanted to go home. The nurse took his temperature and said, “Nothing’s wrong, Lester. You have to go back to class now.”

Then they had lunch but Lester forgot to bring his lunch so he had to go home and get it. By the time he came back lunch was over, so he had to eat really quickly in the cafeteria. He was late to history. After history he had to read for a little silently and then after that he went home. He was so happy the day was over.

When he got home his sister and brother weren’t there because they had longer school than him, but his parents were not there either. This was normal. His babysitter Charlotte was there though. Lester asked her if she would help him with some pranks that he wanted to pull on his brother and sister. Charlotte said that she would help a little. Charlotte and Lester got some string (aka long grass for leopards) and Lester made a trip wire in front of the doorway, so when his sister and brother got home they would trip.

Since Lester was really good at pranks he was always thinking about new ones to pull. Then he got slime that he had found outside. He filled his sister’s pencil case with it so that when she picked up a pencil to do her homework it would be covered in slime. He did the same one on his brother.

Then he asked Charlotte to blow up two balloons and tie them together, so she did. The balloons weren’t too big because Lester put them under his brother and sister’s pillows so they would pop and make a big popping noise when they put their heads down on them. He got some fake bugs and some dead bugs and put them on his mom and dad’s bed. He actually put them there for his mom because she was pretty afraid of bugs.

Five minutes later, his brother and sister came home together. They said hi to the babysitter and had a snack and started doing their homework. Lester’s sister screamed when she felt the slime but his brother was only like, “Ew Lester, did you put the slime in?” They cleaned out their pencil cases and Lester laughed a lot. Lester’s parents didn’t usually didn’t come home until 6:00. It was only 4:00.

At 6:00 Lester’s parents came home, and when his mom saw the bugs, she also screamed. “That is not funny Lester,” she said. He then took the bugs away and started laughing really hard again. Lester did pranks a lot so they were all kind of used to them, but his mom and his sister still screamed a lot when Lester did pranks like those. They had dinner, and then they went to bed. He heard two popping noises and started snickering. Then his sister came into his room and said, “You can’t keep doing those things,” and went back into her room. Lester didn’t actually go to sleep, he just kept reading a book till 1:00am, so he didn’t sleep a lot. He was really tired the next morning so he slept late and he had to get dressed and brush his teeth and then just eat a granola bar on his way to school.

When Lester got to school he felt really happy because he remembered that he had a half day. This was because, for the rest of the day, the teachers had meetings and conferences. The first thing he had was PE, which lasted for 45 minutes. The class played dodgeball. Lester actually loved playing dodgeball, so he was kind of happy. Then, they went back to class and had their snack and read their books. Lester sat next to his best friend Marcus and another girl in his class named Rachel. Then they went to art.

Their art teacher said, “Today we’re starting our clay unit. We’re going to get some clay from those buckets, and then you’re going to sculpt statues or make different things, like small containers. But then you’re going to have to wait a week or two before they’re all done and they’ve hardened.” The class started to sculpt their statues. Lester made a box to put some of his things in.

Half an hour later they left art and went home because of the half day. Most kids were really happy about the half day. They went home and Lester and Charlotte, his babysitter, had lunch. Lester was really hungry so he was happy to eat lunch. He had a ham sandwich and some water. After, Lester played a game with Charlotte  two times, and Lester won one of them and Charlotte won the other round. Then they raced each other a lot. Lester’s sister and brother came home when they had raced 12 times. “I have extra homework today,” Lester’s sister groaned. “There had better not be any more slime in my pencil case Lester.” Lester went to ask Charlotte if she would go race with him more but she said it was way too tiring. Then Lester decided to play outside for a little. Thirty minutes later, he came back to his house.

Lester’s parents came home at 6:00 that evening and then they had dinner. After dinner, Lester went to bed and then the next morning he remembered that he didn’t even have school that day because they were still doing parent-teacher conferences. Lester had pancakes for breakfast and then Lester had a playdate with his best friend Marcus, who came over at 11:00am. When Marcus came they played outside for half an hour and then they had hot dogs for lunch. When they finished lunch they went back outside to play for another hour and they played soccer outside. Then they went back inside to play for another hour inside Lester’s house. Marcus had to go at 2:30pm, so he left, and then Lester just relaxed in his room. Lester really wanted to be on the soccer team so he practiced outside a little more. At 4:00, Lester and his brother and sister and parents went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Lester and his sister had dumplings and his parents both had dim sum and his brother had some chicken and rice. After they finished their dinner they had green tea ice cream but Lester did not like green tea ice cream so he had chocolate ice cream. They went home and they went to bed. The next morning, Lester had to go to school and it was Thursday. He had his breakfast and he went to school. Before he went to his class, he went to the principal’s office to ask if he could be on the soccer team.

The principal said, “you have to try out for the soccer team in the gym room at 1:30pm every Thursday and Friday. So today and tomorrow you can go. Just put your name down on the soccer tryouts that is on the wall of the gym.”

“Okay,” Lester said, “But when will I actually get on the soccer team?”

“You might not get on the team, but the gym teachers will tell you if you get on. Just tell your teacher that you need to go there.”

“Great,” said Lester. “I’ll go to the gym today and tomorrow at 1:30. Bye!” He said, and then he walked to his class.

When he got to his classroom, his teacher Ms. Penny told him to hurry up because they just left for P.E. Lester told his gym teacher that he wanted to go for the tryouts for the soccer team, and then they started their class. Gym was half an hour like always, and after gym they had some snack and then they had history. After history they had recess and his best friend Marcus was sick that day so Lester played with another few boys in his class and then built a fortress with blocks. Right after they finished building it they had to go back to the classroom and they were disappointed they couldn’t play in it. Then they had lunch and after lunch Lester was really full. The next subject was social studies but in the middle of it Lester had to go to the gym for his tryouts for the soccer team. Lester got some water and went into the gym and a two other kids were there for tryouts also.

They played some soccer and there were two gym teachers there for the tryouts and they practiced dribbling the ball. When they were done, Lester went back to his class and he was really tired so he got some more water. And then they ended social studies and now they had to go home. Lester went home that day and his sister and brother came home about a half an hour later. That night at dinner he told his family about how he had tried out for the soccer team and how he did in tryouts. His dad was really happy about it but his mom said, “Are you sure Lester?”

And he said, “Yes.”

After dinner Lester showed his parents some of his soccer moves. He went to bed that night and had a dream about being on the soccer team and it was really good. In the dream, they were playing a game of soccer and it was really close and their team scored a goal so they won the game. When he woke up, he realized that he had soccer tryouts again that day. So that day when he got to school, he put a note on his locker that said, “Soccer tryouts Thursday and Friday 1:30” so that he didn’t forget. That day, after lunch, he went to his soccer tryouts again and the same people from the day before were there too. They did the same thing as yesterday and also a few new things, and when he was done he had to go back to his class. At the end of the day he had social studies and then they had to go home. He went home and he played a lot with Charlotte his babysitter and with his sister because she didn’t have as much homework that day. At dinner he told his family all about the tryouts that day too. Lester was so glad that it was the weekend the next day on Saturday. He relaxed that day and all of Sunday, too.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday seemed to go by really quickly, so Lester was happy that he could go to his soccer tryouts on Thursday. He went to his tryouts and did a few new things but also some things from last week, too. Lester was really tired after, so he had 2 cups of water and then read his book  for a while in the class. Then he had to go home.

His sister and brother didn’t have homework that day so they were really happy and they were in a really good mood, They all played Monopoly together. Then Lester’s parents came home and they all had dinner together. Lester told them about his tryouts that day and he thought that was his best tryout yet. He went to bed really hoping that he got on the soccer team.

The next morning he went to the kitchen and had his breakfast. Then his parents came in and told them they got a letter and it said that Lester had got on the soccer team! Lester was really happy. That day at school he had to go and meet the team, and they told him about it a little. Lester was so excited. That day after school he told his babysitter Charlotte and she was also really happy for him. Lester started to like school a little more since now he got to play on the soccer team.

The End!

 

Larry, UFO, and Boston

“Hey Boston, what are you barkin’ at?” asked Larry.

“What the heck is that?” Larry said again. WHOOSH! “That’s a UFO!” exclaimed Larry.

Boston walked up as he got sucked in and Larry jumped and grabbed him and got sucked in too. WHOOSH! They were sucked in by a blue light.

***

Larry and Boston walked around the spaceship and Larry said, “Maybe this isn’t so bad.” They heard an alien noise getting louder towards them.

Larry and Boston ran and jumped behind a weird-looking orange bush with black stripes. They heard the aliens saying, “I think we picked up something from the planet Earth.”

Larry whispered, “Woah…they speak English.”

As the two aliens walked away, Larry and Boston kept walking. They were in deep space. Boston tripped on this thing sticking out of a bookcase and the bookcase opened just a little bit! Larry helped Boston up and pushed the bookcase open and saw a bunch of gadgets.

There were blasters, guns, and other weird things. Boston saw something that looked like a bone. He jumped up and bit it and it blasted through the bookcase.

Larry yelled, “WOAH! Don’t touch that, Boston!”

A familiar voice said, “Who said that?”

“Evan, is that you?” Larry said into the darkness.

“How do you know my name?” the voice said back.

“Evan, it’s me! Larry!”

Evan yelled, “Larry!”

Evan looked over and saw Larry and Boston. They did their secret handshake. They gave each other high-fives and fist bumps.

“The last time I saw you was when we were still in middle school,” Larry said. “I thought you were on vacation since I didn’t see you for a month. I started looking for you.”

***

“Bye Evan. See you tomorrow,” said Larry when he last saw him.

”Do you remember Boston?” asked Larry.

“Yep,” Evan said.

Evan showed Larry and Boston to a room in the spaceship that looked a living room on Earth. “Wow!” Larry said.

“I found this place when I first got here,” Evan said.

“Let’s go over plans,” said an alien nearby.

Larry and Evan both said, “THE PLANS!”

Evan, Larry, and Boston followed the alien undetected to the control room where they saw the leader of the aliens. He had a square head with a normal alien body. His body was green and his head was blue.

The leader alien said, “FDG YIU ASDXZWH GFXDN.”

Evan and Larry realized that the leader alien didn’t speak English and he had a translator who told the aliens what to do

Translator alien said, “GET THE WEAPONS READY.”

“DRFPT GTY DRGFEW,” the leader said.

“Moragh said, THANK YOU SMORGLF,” Smorglf said.

***

Evan, Larry, and Boston raced down the hall and jumped behind a yellow bush with green and black stripes. Aliens walked behind them towards where they met in the UFO.

“Where we were must be where the weapons are!” said Evan.

***

They all raced to where the weapons were. They got there before the aliens and they took all the weapons and ran to a secret room that only the head alien knew about. They got in by stepping on a panel.

***

The aliens saw that the weapons were gone. They looked everywhere except the room that Evan, Boston, and Larry were in because they didn’t know about it.

Moragh said, ¨NJN UIO CDFV ZA FTG GYFDDR BHUJ?!¨

Smorglf said, ¨Ooooo.”

Another alien said, ¨What did Moragh say?¨

¨Shut up Bloghj, no Moragh, and Moragh said DID YOU LOOK IN THE SECRET ROOM?” Smorglf said.

“SE FTGH JIK HUJ KIOLJU DRF?!¨

Smorglf started to say ¨Mora…¨

“WHAT DID HE SAY,” Bloghj said.

Moragh slapped his forehead.

“Like I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted,” eyeing Bloghj, Moragh said, “SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!”

They raced off.

Meanwhile Boston, Evan and Larry were overheard. They raced out.

***

They found them face to face with all of the aliens on the UFO. They blasted most of them with the gadgets that they figured out how to use. They pressed buttons and they fired but they didn’t know which button did what though. They took about half of the aliens out. The other half avoided the shots and attacked but they took half of that half out too. Boston bit most of the aliens that were alive. Two were left. It was Smorglf and Bloghj.

***

They ran to Moragh.

He said, ¨FTG CDR ASP CWQI?!¨

Smorglf said, ¨Moragh said,’ WHY ARE YOU HERE?!’¨

¨Oh we’re here because every other alien was killed by people from the planet earth with the gadgets, SIR,” said Bloghj.

¨Fgh nj awsedf,¨ Moragh said.

¨Get out his armor,¨ Smorglf told Bloghj.

Bloghj got it out quick.

***

Meanwhile Evan, Boston, and Larry turned the UFO around on a path to earth. A few hours later, Moragh was wandering the UFO with his armor on when he saw Larry.

He said, ¨GHUJ RFTG!!!¨

Larry said, ¨WHAT??!!¨

Evan said, ¨HE DOESN’T SPEAK ENGLISH!! RUN!!¨

***

Boston barked and ran in front. They shot Moragh in the ankle with A-K4-7’s that the aliens had. Moragh fell down.

¨He’s only down for a brief moment, let’s move, move, move!¨ said Larry.

They found Smorglf and Bloghj and they said they hated their life and they wanted to go home with Larry and Evan. They said maybe.

They tagged along.

“Hey, do you know that our planet stinks, it is always cold, wet, and dirty. It’s a horrible place. Far less place to live, I mean it just stinks,” said Smorglf.

“Wow that stinks, really stinks,” said Larry.

“No joke. It stinks. Very very far from perfect,” Bloghj sadly said.

“Is that why you tried to take over earth?” asked Evan.

“Yes,” Smorglf and Bloghj said.

CRASH.

“What was that?” Evan asked as he slammed into a wall.

“IT’S THE ATMOSPHERE!!” yelled Bloghj.

“AHHH,” they all yelled.

***

“We’re not dying on my watch,” Larry said. ”Come on, Boston.”

Larry and Boston ran to the control room. They put on the atmosphere shield just in time. THUD.

THUD. THUD. THUD. Larry and Boston ran to the others. When they got there, Moragh arrived.

“GYHU GHUJI SEDR!!!!!” Moragh said.

Smorglf said, “‘‘YOU’RE GOING DOWN,’ Moragh said.”

Larry shot Moragh in the head. Moragh died from the bullet. Larry, Evan, Boston, Bloghj, and Smorglf got off. The UFO they were safe.

THE END

Read the sequel “THE UFO.”

Lenwood Causes Trouble

Lenwood was arriving at Spank Union and he was greeted by a strange man named Sergeant Ramsbutt. “I will be your sergeant for the next 2 years.”

Lenwood made fun of the sergeant by calling him butt so the sergeant made him do 90 push ups.

Lenwood actually snuck in his ipad and and started play games so all of his fellow cadets later snuck in their electronics over spring break and winter break. Later the Spank Union was in electronic chaos!

The head of Spank Union was very mad at Lenwood and 9999 other cadets. The head said to Lenwood’s parents “We can not help Lenwood he causes to much chaos.” So Spank  Union sent Lenwood back to his home and he was still a troublemaker.

THE

END!

For real this time! No more sequels!

Katherine and Tammy

Katherine:

One sunny morning, a 6-year-old named Katherine woke up in Minnesota at 7:00 and remembered at 3:50 in Vancouver there was a race for dogs and owners. She had a dog named Tammy and she felt like she had to go there too. But for now she wanted to read.

Tammy:

On the same sunny morning, a puppy named Tammy sat up, sniffed and licked Katherine’s face. Katherine looked nose to nose with her.

The parents:

Katherine’s parents were still snoring asleep. Katherine sprang up into their room, pounced on her mom Neve, and along with it Tammy slobber licked her dad Max. And the two gloomy parents, half asleep, woke up. Max asked in his big deep voice, “What is it honey?” Katherine said, “Dad, today there was a contest.”

Vancouver:

Katherine and her parents took an airplane to Vancouver. First she started by watching her friend Holly finish the last part of the race. After that it was her turn. Her dad said good luck. There were hoops and dog limbo spins, jumps and a tunnel to the sea to jump over.

Too soon to jump! Boom! Crash! There were shouts everywhere. Every second. Those shouts filled the stadium.

But Tammy jumped so soon, she landed right on Katherine! Katherine slid right into the tunnel, barely made the hoop and…everything went back…

Crash! Pow! There was a streak of light, there were a tiny island smack in the middle of the ocean. That’s all. Nothing else around the small tiny island.

The parents:

Katherine’s parents were waiting and waiting for Katherine in the race. But they never saw her. They thought she might have ended up in the tunnel in the sea. They were very worried. They waited and waited for Katherine to come but Katherine never came. At the end of the race, they went to the judge because they were expecting Katherine to come before everyone, but instead she didn’t come at all.

“Where are we?” Katherine said. Katherine glanced around and saw they were on an island of sand. Tammy yelped. Katherine looked all around them. They were surrounded by water. Tammy thought: Are there sharks in here? Katherine thought: How are we going to get home? They were terrified and curious. The fur on Tammy’s back stood up. Tammy sniffed the ground. There was a strong scent of salt water. Katherine was thinking and thinking about the times Tammy and she won races, and she was wondering how she could have failed and ended on this island.

Katherine and Tammy both looked out at the sea and saw that the tunnel was gone. They thought and thought until they thought of a plan. We’ve got to get home.Tammy and Katherine finally knew.  They saw land on all fours sides of them so they would swim home. But what about  ? Katherine said we’ll build a raft. But there were no trees. So they decided to swim home. Swim. Katherine had 20 bottles of water for the race because it would be hot, and it was far because the they had to squint to see the land. There were little islands that they would rest on. So, Katherine jumped in the water facing her fear of sharks, squid and octopus. She swam and every island she came to she took a rest because Tammy was on her back. Tammy weighed 12 pounds.

Home at last! At last Katherine made the five-mile trip home. Tammy sat on Katherine’s back. Phone too.

And Katherine called her parents and said, “Right now, we are on sandy island beach.”

So, their parents drove there and asked, “Where have you been?”

Katherine said, “I swam 5 miles all the way home.”

“But weren’t you tired?” asked mom.

“Yes, but now Tammy isn’t afraid of water, right, Tammy?” Katherine asked.

Tammy barked.

THE END

 

Larry the Purple Turtle

 

Neptune 7028 AD

Chapter One: The Introduction

Larry was a purple turtle who has super powers. He could turn invisible, had laser eyes and frost breath, but he couldn’t fly. He lived in a treehouse — the tree was in the ocean but the house was above the water. He had an arch nemesis, a green dolphin who had a horn like a unicorn that made people into jellyfish. The dolphin was called Steve. When Larry was three, Steve turned Larry’s dad into a jellyfish. Larry kept getting armies, but Steve kept turning them into jellyfish. They all work for him except for Larry’s dad, because Steve was keeping him prisoner.

Larry had three friends. One of them was a red starfish called Bob. One of them was a pink giraffe called BiIly, and one of them was a yellow seahorse called Max. Bob had a superpower of flight and hypnotizing people to do whatever he wants. Max had a superpower of fire fart.

Steve had henchmen that were hippopotamuses. They could breathe underwater, and they had poison spit. One of them was called Bobo, and one of them was called Moopu.

Steve lived in a sand castle under the sea. Jellyfish surrounded the castle, and there were more inside, protecting Steve on his throne. His throne was made out of crabs. He had a gun that shot out poisonous octopus suction cups that made people into jellyfish. Steve also had a rainbow unicorn horn that turned people into jellyfish.

Chapter Two: The Meeting

One night, in the treehouse, it was very silent except for Billy the jokester giraffe. Billy was doing magic tricks for the others. They were supposed to be having a meeting to decide what to do with Steve.

Larry said, “Let’s get to serious business.”

Then Bob the starfish said, “Why don’t we have an army of turtles to eat the jellyfish?”

Then Max suggested putting big billboards in the ocean away from Steve’s sandcastle. The billboards would say: COME TO STEVE’S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET FOR JELLYFISH. The billboards were invisible because the turtles could see invisible things.

Chapter Three: The Attack

At four in the morning, the turtles went out to Steve’s All-You-Can-Eat Buffet to get their jellyfish. There were about three thousand of them. But there were Bobo and Moopu standing in front of the doors, and the turtles couldn’t eat them. Only four hundred of the turtles had laser eyes, but Moopu and Bobo had poison spit. So everything went terribly wrong, and only two thousand of the turtles were left. Moopu and Bobo were very badly injured.

The turtles kept trying to eat the jellyfish, but they only ate three thousand of them, so there were two thousand left. The turtles retreated and went back to the treehouse.

Larry, Max, Bob, and Billy were very sad. They had no chance to beat the evil Steve.

7328 AD

Chapter Four: The Bunnies

Three hundred years later (because they were immortal), about three thousand bunnies came to the treehouse (because they could swim). They all had big muscles, even the lady bunnies. At night, Larry and his friends had a plan to finally win against Steve. They would all attack the jellyfish because there were only 2,000 of the jellyfish left.

Early in the morning, they set out to Steve’s All-You-Can-Eat Buffet! They attacked most of the jellyfish, but most of the jellyfish attacked the bunnies. Some bunnies were very badly injured and there were only 1,000 bunnies left and the four friends. They finally got past all the jellyfish and were at Steve’s throne made out of crabs. But he was not there! He had security cameras in the “kitchen” so he could see when they were coming or if somebody was there. The hippos Bobo and Moopu were there, waiting for the four friends and the bunnies. They had attacked Bobo and Moopu and they finally won against them. Now they only had Steve left.

Chapter Five: Feelings

Steve left a trail of rainbow bubbles behind him so it was easy for the friends to find him. After a long chase, the bubbles stopped and they went back to the treehouse. They were wondering why the bubbles had stopped. Max said, “Maybe someone or something ate him.”

Billy said, “Maybe a clown came and tricked him into doing clownness.”

Then Bob said, “Maybe we should just leave you here.”

Then Billy started crying and getting really sad.

Then Larry said, “Maybe we should leave you here.”

And then Billy started going to the mainland.

A few hours later, Larry and his friends started swimming to the mainland to find Billy.

Max said, “Maybe he’s in the zoo, because I saw a sign that said ‘Looking for Rare Animals for the Zoo.’”

Then Larry said, “So maybe he’s in the zoo.”

Chapter Six: Dave’s Story

Back at the mainland, Billy was walking down the street to hitchhike. Then Billy saw something that looked like Steve further down the street. Billy walked up to what he thought was Steve and said, “Why are you in the street, Steve?”

The dolphin said, “I’m not Steve. Steve is my son. My name is Dave. I’m his father. I’m a good guy. He’s turned evil because when he was a kid we never gave him what he wanted and so one day he jumped out the window and broke all his bones. At the hospital he said he’d leave the house when he was better and was going to become evil. One day he went to an elephant witch’s hut and said, ‘Give me a horn like a unicorn that can make people into jellyfish.’ So then he built a sandcastle in the water and he called it Steve’s All-You-Can-Eat Buffet to trick people into coming there so he could make them into jellyfish.”

Then Billy said, “So he would’ve been a good guy if you gave him what he wanted?”

“Yes,” said Dave. “Well anywhoo, I need your help to save society from Steve turning people into jellyfish. My superpowers are out and I cannot do anything to help you, but I could find you some very helpful dolphins that were Steve’s friends once.”

7352 AD

Chapter Seven: The Friends

Larry and his friends were already on the mainland looking for Billy and Steve. Larry and his friends went to the zoo to find Billy. They asked the zoo guards if they had gotten any new animals. They said, “No, we haven’t.”

So the friends went out in the city to find Billy and Steve. They went to the mall because they knew there was a circus there and Billy is part of the circus in the mall — that’s his part-time day job.

Meanwhile, at the circus, Billy and Dave were at the circus, and it was Billy’s  act. His act was shooting from a cannon into a ball pit.

Next were Steve’s friends, but Billy did not know that.

Larry and his friends were finally at the circus, and were looking at Steve’s friends’ act. They asked the guards if they could go see Billy. The guard said sure, and they went to go see Billy and Dave.

Larry said, “What are you doing with Steve? Are you becoming a bad guy?”

“No, this is not Steve. This is Dave, his father,” Billy said.

Dave said, “Hey guys!”

The friends went to go sit and watch Steve’s friends. Then, at the end of their acts, the friends went back to the tent to ask for help from Steve’s friends.

The friends introduced themselves to Steve’s friends. One of them was called Doody. He is a brown dolphin that has sonic scream. One of them was Steve’s ex-girlfriend called Mary and she was a gray porpoise that had hypnotizing powers. One of them was an orange whale that could split in half so it can go faster but it still weighs the same. His name was Heeho. Then there was a yellow crab called Yopo. He could shoot out baby crabs from his pinchers.

They said that would be the best thing that ever happened to them, if they could get revenge on Steve. Then Larry says, “Okay, so let’s meet at my treehouse in the middle of the ocean at twelve thirty-eight in the morning.”

Chapter Eight: The Plan (Part Two)

At twelve thirty-eight in the morning, they all met in their treehouse. Larry said that he was gonna need some really good engineering, and Max, Bob, and Heeho were the engineers. He was going to build vehicles. So for the rest of the night, while the rest of the friends were talking about the plan, Doody, Mary, Larry, and Yopo were talking about building a weird lazer gun that shoots out Yopo and then Yopo would shoot out the baby crabs from his pinchers.

They tried to build the gun, but they thought of a better idea. They put Yopo in Heeho’s mouth, and then Yopo would come out from his blowhole and shoot out the baby crabs from his pinchers. But what they hadn’t thought about was the fence. They never knew if Steve was going to get a new army and attack them! So they all started building a fort made out of fish and whales and sharks and junk and seaweed and that’s it.

Chapter Nine: Blah Blah and Blah Blah the Goblin Sharks

Blah Blah met Blah Blah and Blah Blah and Blah Blah were twins. Larry and his friends saw what Blah Blah and Blah Blah were sharks that were very weird. They were goblin sharks. Larry and the friends were astonished when they saw what Blah Blah and Blah Blah could do. Blah Blah and Blah Blah could be the distractions.

Larry and the friends decided to call them Blah Blah One and Blah Blah Two. They would know who Blah Blah One was because he had a white spot on his chest, and Blah Blah Two had scars on his nose. Blah Blah Two said that they did not want to be the distractions and they had some super-powers, just like the rest of the friends. Their super-powers were that they could shoot magic out of their noses, and the magic would make people unconscious. So they decided that Blah Blah and Blah Blah could be people that attack.

Chapter Ten: True Love

The seven friends (not including Billy) were setting out to go find Steve. Doody was able to find Steve because dolphins had sonar. Steve saw the group of friends and said that he did not want to be evil anymore. Steve and Mary gazed at each other with sparkles in their eyes. And then Steve said, “I think that I want to be good again.”

Then Dave came and said, “I’m sorry that me and your mom didn’t give you what you wanted. You can have a very big mansion-house-thing in the trees.”

Chapter Eleven: The Ending

One night Dave went out to the grocery store but he felt a tingling pain in his back. He saw a boat and men pulling him up from the ocean. He thought they were whalers and he was right — they were. And then the police come with helicopters surrounding them and big boats and jets all around the whalers. The police said, “You have the right to remain still! You are under arrest. Give us the dolphin and we will try to help it as much as we can.”

So Dave went to the animal hospital with all the friends but they could not help him. Dave was about to say goodbye when Steve’s mom’s ghost came and kissed him goodbye. Dave’s soul came up like in the movies and now he said that he would follow Steve around everywhere he went.

The next day, Steve and Mary got married in the ruins of Steve’s old sandcastle. Then Dave and Ann’s ghosts were there at the wedding spectating.

The next day Steve and Mary went the Caribbean on their honeymoon, and they lived happily ever after.

Larry and the friends were finished crime fighting and had retired. They were going to his treehouse when they saw a weird fairy and the fairy said, “Why are you guys here? You should be in the ocean.”

But then Yopo just shot the fairy because the fairy didn’t make any sense. Yopo and Heeho remembered about their weird gun thing and Heeho and Yopo went to the gun range and the rest of the friends went bowling and go-carting and they all lived happily ever after.

THE END

 

Jay’s Mistake

Buzz… Buzz… Buzz… Jay tried to ignore his alarm clock. He didn’t feel like even opening his eyes because if he did, he would never fall back asleep, not even if he tried to. Every second it got harder to sleep because he was waking up more and more. He closed his eyes as he sat up in his bed, waving his arms around like a sleeping zombie, trying to shut up his alarm clock. It was 6 a.m. on Saturday and he’d forgotten to set off his alarm clock.

“This is gonna be a bad day,” said Jay as he got up from his bed, smacking his hand on his alarm clock. Jay’s know-it-all father then walked into Jay’s room. Jay hated when his 6’3” father gave him advice.

“Jay, I heard you say this is gonna be a bad day, am I wrong?” asked his father, talking like a wise genie. Jay sat there stretching, annoyed at his dumb alarm clock. He was so frustrated he took it off the table next to his bed and chucked it to the floor. Sadly it didn’t break because his floor was carpet. “Jay, why did you do that?” asked his dad.

“This little fellow was keeping me from my beauty sleep,” said Jay, super frustrated.

“Jay, you must learn to control your anger, my son,” said his dad again. “Just remember,” said his dad as he walked out of the room, “Every day may not be good, but something good is in every day.”

You may think Jay is some ninja or spy or something, but no. Jay is just your average 16-year-old living a normal life. Jay took his basketball and shot it into his mini hoop. It went in and out. He chucked it at the hoop so hard it made an echo of noise. Moments later his 8-year-old sister came in.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?!” shouted his sister for the third time. It leveled up Jay’s anger for the third time; Jay hated her loud screechy annoying voice.

“Why don’t you just believe me!!” shouted Jay. His sister and him went on and on and on about arguing who did it if it was on purpose or not. Jay and Sydney kept arguing.

“It was SIX O’CLOCK and you couldn’t let a poor little 8-year-old sleep, now could you???” shouted his sister at the very top of her lungs. Jay held back for a second, pretending that he didn’t need to respond — but he did have to.

“I don’t know if you noticed, Sydney, but we’re not poor, we’re millionaires. MULTI-millionaires.” The words sounded way better in Jay’s head.

“Jay, you’re not supposed to be saying that private information to Sydney,” said his parents as they walked in suddenly. All the blood rushed to Jay’s head and Sydney gave Jay an evil smile. Wait, I said that wrong, it was the evil smile she had been giving Jay her whole life.

“It was just, he scared me…I just wasn’t ready for it,” said Sydney, pretending to be worried.

“Oh, it’s okay,” said her mom, hugging her. Sydney was faking. Jay was positive it was a fake because she’d done that her whole life and every time they believed Sydney.

“Sydney, let’s go, and Jay, you’re grounded. You’re staying in your room for the whole day,” said his dad and slammed the door shut. This was really going to be a bad day. But of course, Jay didn’t say that because his father was like a stalker that heard everything he said, but wouldnt walk in if he didn’t say.

Two hours later… Jay was lying on his bed with his body playing dead. His head was flopping down off his bed and he was bored to death. His room stunk. His bed was smack in the middle of the room. He had nothing absolute nothing to do. One of his teachers, the science one, once told him to make boring moments fun. Even if they are boring, YOU have to make them fun. Jay snickered, it sounded like his life-lesson father. He’d been trying to have fun but it was impossible. He was having a little fun playing mini-basketball, but he knew he’d get bored, it happened a little quick though. He asked himself, what would I normally do everyday and maybe I can think of something, but then he realized how boring his life was. He wished for a change, a big one.

A painful twenty minutes passed by Jay, still super-bored. He was so bored. He had tried taking a nap, but too much sun shone through his window. And his bed, his mini-hoop, and closet were basically the only things he had in his room. Jay then thought of an idea. He grabbed two socks and kneeled down on the side of his bed. He pretended to do skits with sock puppets. Every minute was ok, until his imagination spread. He folded shirts up to make a wall that the socks would hide in. One big red sock would be the villain. It was his sister’s sock. He thought, it was funny, she’s the villain in real life. The socks were hiding and fighting, they jumped off a cliff which was the basketball hoop, and then he got more and more clothes and more socks and made it like an army! He stood on his bed and looked at all the different clothes and stuff and in his imagination it was a battlefield masterpiece. Until a villain came in. It wasn’t his sock. It was his parents.

“CLEAN THIS PLACE UP, YOUNG MAN!!!” shouted his parents.

” I’m…just having…a little fun,” said Jay, worried.

“Grounding is not for fun, it’s for disabling! You shall not have fun, you sit there.”

His parents walked out, leaving Jay stunned. He sat at his bed for a little and then sadly picked up all the imagination. The kingdom was destroyed. His parents stomped all over his happiness just because of his dumb little sister.

It was now the fifth hour of his painful grounding. His lunch tasted like jail lunch. He had also asked for snacks but his parents wouldn’t let him. He’d been arguing and arguing to get him to do something. He knew he was acting like a seven-year-old, but it was unfair. His parents watched a movie, but Jay pressed his head to the wall so he kinda heard it. Sydney had been teasing Jay.

“Mom! Dad!” said Jay for the third time.

“WHAT IS IT?!” shouted his parents from their room. Jay hated that.

“Come here!!!” Jay screamed as he sat on his bed. He heard footsteps coming as his mom opened the door. A little joy struck Jay’s head. He knew his mom had a better chance of saying yes than his dad.

“Could I play my iPhone or something”? Asked Jay.

“You know the house rule,” said his mom, giving his iPhone to him. “Only for research,” said his mom.

“Ok,” said Jay as she walked out of his room. He went straight to researching his favorite animal. Sharks.

Another hour passed but it wasn’t painful, it was good. He was researching a mulberry shark. They were 12-16 feet long, a gray fin on the bottom and black on top with white skin. He was still researching when he looked at the clock. It was six already. He was still researching when his mom came in his room. “Jay,” his mom said.

“Yeah,” he responded.

“Your father wanted me to tell you your ground is over and to never do that again.” Jay was so relieved.

“Yes! Thank you,” he said excitedly.

“We’re going to eat dinner at Port’s Barbecue. We want you dressed and ready by 6:20.”

His mom said that as she walked out of the room. Without hesitation, Jay quickly slipped on some clothes from his kingdom that was destroyed. After he was ready he figured he would just shoot some hoops. He did that for a couple of minutes then stepped out of his room for the first time in twelve hours. No bathroom breaks either. “Haven’t seen you in forever,” he said to himself as he walked to the hallway. Sydney heard that.

“Mom!!!” Sydney screamed in her loud annoying voice.

“Jay said that he didn’t want to see me ever!!!” she screamed, and gave Jay an evil smile. His dad walked out of his bedroom. “No Sydney, he didn’t, you tried to get him in trouble.”

said his dad. For once Jay was actually being defended by his parents.

“NO I DIDN’T!!!” she screamed, pretending to cry.

“Sydney Rose Walker, you did too! Go sit in your room, you’re coming to dinner,” snapped his dad as he pointed to Sydney’s room.

“But –” Sydney started to explain.

“Don’t even go there, but you can go in your room.” Her dad shoved her in her room. Jay then gave the evil smile to Sydney. The three of them went to eat dinner as they parked their boat. It was a restaurant where you park your boat and eat.

“Would you guys like dessert?” asked the waiter as she took their food.

“Yes please,” said Jay. “I’ll take three scoops of strawberry ice cream.”

The waiter wrote down the order on her paper and went to get it.

“It will take a half hour,” she said as she left.

“I’m going swimming,” said Jay as he took of his clothes. Don’t worry, there was a swimsuit under it.

“Ok,” his parents said. Jay ran down the stairs to the restaurant and did an epic cannonball in the sea. He was just swimming around doing his own thing until the lifeguard scared the heck out of him.

“OUT OF THE WATER, OUT OF THE WATER NOW! NOW!!!” he kept screaming. Jay’s face was red as he rapidly swam to the shore. There was a little 16-year-old girl screaming. “What is it?” asked Jay to an adult.

“I don’t know,” he said, “but that’s my daughter.” She was screaming until she was pulled underwater with her hand sticking up. Jay saw black, just a little. Jay then thought, it was a mulberry. A mulberry shark. He wasn’t exactly sure because he was still on land, but he went to go see. He knew how to stop them. He didn’t want to be a hero or anything. As he jumped in and swam to rescue the girl, it was for the sake of saving her life.

He was two feet away from her. He was super-scared a shark would jump up and kill him, but he would do it for the little girl who looked like she just went skydiving and landed on rocks. He put his head under water. He saw the girl’s head from the dusty polluted water, he saw a speck of blonde hair and blue eyes.

There was no blood, there was no shark. He could barely see through.

Then he saw a huge thing come charging at the two people of what may have looked like a baby mulberry but still very harmful. That was the shark. Jay knew it had to be the shark.

 

Jay was screaming for his life under water. So was the girl, but it just sounded like bubbles. Jay tugged her arm and pulled her above the water. “Why did you save my life?” she asked from the little breath she had. She was breathing like Jay’s heartbeat, and Jay’s heartbeat was pretty high, knowing there might be a shark.

“Because, why wouldn’t I?” he asked her. He swam as fast as he could but he knew even with a head start and only 60 feet from land, the shark or fish-thing would beat them. He had the girl’s hand; it was almost pitch black so he couldn’t see her, he had to feel her, but then she got pulled under water. A little bit of blood oozed. He no longer felt her.

“Where are you?” said Jay to himself, super-scared. Jay very worried, looked down to see a little fish. There was no shark, everything would be fine. His breath all came back knowing that all that was just a fish when he’d thought they were gonna die. No one else knew it was a fish. The whole beach was screaming in terror.

They were 20 feet from shore as they were swimming to shore. “Why were you drowning?” asked Jay while he was swimming.

“I guess a seaweed was wiggling around and grabbed my foot and tugged down. I was screaming because it was squeezing so hard I couldn’t breathe,” she said as the two went on shore. The whole beach was hugging the two of them. The girl’s father was hugging the girl when he told Jay, “Thanks for saving my daughter,” and Jay’s parents were crying in worry. The TV media was here. They pulled Jay aside along with the girl.

“We are live at Port’s Barbecue with a young man. What’s your name?” the reporter asked. Jay realized he was on live TV, NBC Nightly News. He was famous!

“Jay Walker,” Jay said.

“And you”? Asked the reporter to the girl.

“Veronica Hope,” Veronica said.

“How old are you guys?” asked the reporter. They each said 16. A couple more minutes of answering questions and then the reporter told the rescue story. Jay tried a couple of times to say it wasn’t that or that never happened but the reporter kept talking. The reporter said Veronica drowned and Jay saved her at the last second with a shark charging at her and that the blood on her foot was a baby shark. But it was really seaweed and fish. Big difference, Jay thought. After an hour, Jay went home and after all the drama, on Instagram he went from 200 followers to 200,000 followers. He was mega-famous!

He was a hero for saving her from a fish that was harmless. Still, he’d take what he could get. He wasn’t sure how living like a celebrity would be, though.

It was 11 o’clock when Jay finally got home and started to go to bed. He closed his eyes but heard something outside the window. He slowly got up and opened the blinds.

“What the-?” He looked out and saw cameras flashing and NBC outside. It was the paparazzi! He opened the window.

“Hey! Hey you! Get out,” he kept saying. It took literally twenty minutes for the last one to go away. Jay was starting to wonder, would it be like this all his life?

Sure enough he got up and turned on the TV and when he put on the news, the top story was his rescue. They somehow got a picture. It wasn’t accurate though. It was a shark chasing two people. It looked like animation.

They made it sound like it was Jaws! News flash, that was like 30 years ago.

“I hate being a celebrity!” Jay shouted in anger. His wise father came in. He poked his head through the door and said, “Then why did you become one? Answer that question and ask yourself, was it really worth it?” said his dad, then shut the door.

Jay then asked himself. I saved someone’s life but now my life is ruined. He thought he was being selfish. He thought it was worth it, and barely any people get to be a celebrity so he was going to try to enjoy it.

His sister came in all jealous.

“It should’ve been me!!!” she screamed at Jay. Jay laughed for a second.

“I wish it was you,” said Jay.

“Now you’re just teasing me!!” Sydney screamed. “Mom, dad, Jay’s teasing me!!”

“Sydney, you’re grounded for lying,” his mom said.

“Thank you,” said Jay, gasping.

“I’m not done with you,” said Sydney under her breath. That worried Jay for a second. But if he could save another girl’s life from drowning and saving her from a two-foot fish, he could probably deal with an 8-year-old sister. He just wanted to relax for an hour, because that never happened except for when he got grounded, so he decided to shoot hoops. Sydney knew what he was doing. Right when Jay jumped to do a dunk Sydney opened the door and slammed Jay to the ground. “Ouch,” Jay said.

“Whoops,” Sydney said sarcastically.

“Maybe I can’t handle an 8-year-old sister,” said Jay to himself.

But jay remembered the paparazzi and how the cameras were flashing like a bunch of trees rustling in the wind. Was his sister harder or easier? His mind was so mixed up it might explode. He simply knew this was the beginning of Sydney’s terror of evil. Only the beginning of both situations.

The next day his eyes were opening as slow as a slug’s walk. He finally managed to wake up, but it took him twenty minutes to get out of bed. He put on some clothes and when he opened the door a giant plastic bean bag fell on him. He kept walking and he slipped, and fell on water. He had two scrapes under his mouth and a bruise on his left arm. Sydney then came outside and said sarcastically again, “Whoopsie daisy,” then walked away laughing an evil laugh.

This means war, Jay thought. Jay was thinking about what prank to do on Sydney. It couldn’t be a normal boring one though. It had to be big. It had to put her in her place.

He was still thinking about a half an hour later, his mind still blank. He had decent ideas, like put slime in her cereal, and he was almost going to do that one but he figured that was amauteur hour. He was still thinking. He all of a sudden needed a water. He turned on the sink and green goo came out of the sink into his water. He quickly turned around looking for Sydney to say, “Whoops,” or “My bad,” but she didnt. Jay didn’t even see her. He saw on the bottom of the sink it said in green slime, “whoopsies.” There it was.

Dang, she’s good, Jay thought to himself. Just then the door opened and Sydney walked in. This house was now haunted. Jay quickly ducked down and opened the cabinet under the sink, he had been hiding under the sink and he knew that Sydney knew where he was hiding.

“Ja-ay, I know where you are,” said Sydney in a creepy slow voice.

He looked at the sink. There was a small hole patched up. He took away the tape. Then a line of green slime shot out and Jay thought he would be covered in slime, but he took an empty box, waited for the slime to fill up, and then he patched the hole. He heard Sydney say to herself, “Ha! I bet Jay’s covered in green slime.”

But Jay was going to cover her. He opened the cabinet door and dumped it all over Sydney. Sydney had slime and dumped it on Jay. They were both fighting but Jay was the first to realize that the paparazzi were taking pictures. The whole world was going to know what they just did. This time Jay hoped the reporter would screw up the story.

A day later the prank war was just getting started. Jay put slime in Sydney’s cereal. When Jay sat down on the toilet, water shot up and landed all over the floor (his parents grounded him for an hour). Then Jay’s head popped out of the sink and scared Sydney, but Sydney just turned on the sink water, so that was like a lose-lose and the thing that made Jay surrender was when Sydney told the media all of Jay’s secrets plus pictures of him getting pranked plus the sink head and then Jay just gave in. Sydney had won.

“What do you want, Sydney?” asked Jay as he started to bow down.

“I want your fame,” said Sydney.

“Trust me, I would’ve given it to you by now, but if really want it, do something that stands out,” said Jay.

“Nice advice,” said his dad.

Not him again, Jay thought.

“But Jay’s right. He deserved it, but he regrets it. Your time will come, everybody at least gets a chance,” said his dad. For once Jay agreed with him. “Oh, and were going to Port’s Barbecue,” said his dad. Where it all started, thought Jay.

“Jay what wou,ld you like to eat,” asked the waiter. The waiter knew his name from the news.

“A double cheeseburger with lettuce, ketchup, tomato, olives, and pickles,” said Jay. She took all the orders and went to cook the food. Jay and Sydney went into the water. But it was creepy. The paparazzi popped up from underwater taking pictures.

“Just leave me alone!” shouted Jay. He pushed them back while Sydney was posing. He heard the reporter talking about how this was where it all started. Then for the second time…

“OUT OF THE WATER, OUT OF THE WATER NOW!!!” shouted the lifeguard. Everyone came out except Sydney. It wasn’t a fish. There was a boy screaming and there was a shark fin. This time it was clear there was a shark.

“Sydney, don’t do it!!!” shouted Jay. Sydney was the only one not out of the water.

Sydney was swimming towards the boy ready to be a hero. She was so excited and hyper she thought she might explode. She had reached the boy. “Don’t worry, I will save you,” she said.

“Dont try to be a hero, this is not your time!!!” Jay shouted from the beach. The reporter came up to him.

“Jay, how do you feel about Sydney going out there?” asked the reporter. He grabbed the mic and slammed it to the ground.

“DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Jay shouted, knowing he was making more drama.

“Sydney, you’re gonna get yourself killed!!!” shouted Jay. Sydney was then pulled underwater along with the boy.

“Oh no,” Sydney said. She was hoping Jay would know, jump out, and save her. The shark bit her stomach as her life vanished before her eyes. A gallon of blood shot up in the air and the two bodies were floating. After twenty minutes Sydney’s dead body floated to shore. That was the end of Sydney Walker.

“Jay, how do you feel about this?” asked the reporter. Jay tackled the reporter and shoved her face in the sand.

“You idiot,” shouted Jay. He picked up the dead body and started crying. All this because of stupid Veronica Hope…

“Please Sydney,” said Jay on his knees.

“Please come back,” shouted Jay crying. “Jay,” said his dad patting his shoulder. His dad’s stupid annoying voice was actually calming him down. Jay looked around. The whole beach: waiters, employees, customers, families, and party people were gathered around. “Jay, remember what I said,” said his dad. “Every day may not be good but there’s something good in every day.”

Jay felt alone now. He didn’t know why but he missed Sydney’s pranks.

“Curse this dumb restaurant!!!” Jay shouted. He hated it more than Veronica, and with Jay in this mood he now remembered his dad saying, “Is being famous worth it?” For saving her life? Now Jay was angry. It totally wasn’t worth it…

“I’m never, ever, ever coming back to this junk fest,” said Jay. “I hope the same shark comes and eats all the wooden poles to make the restaraunt fall to its place.” He was now calming down and getting ready to leave before anything else happened.

“What are we doing about Sydney’s funeral?” asked Jay. His parents were too sad to answer. Jay said it too quickly. Everything happened too quickly. At the wrong time, for the third time, a guy came out of the trunk, snapping photos.

“WHAT THE HECK MAN, DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH?” shouted Jay. He hopped out of his seat, opened the trunk while the car was driving, and threw the guy out the trunk. He got back in his seat and without his parents getting mad they said and Jay agreed that that guy deserved it.

The next day Jay looked on the news and the top story was Sydney’s death. The blood fountain picture was just mean, and when Jay threw the guy out the window and crawled back up, a part of his butt was showing. He was now embarrassed like the slime thing, the sink thing, the bean bag thing, the Sydney thing, the butt thing — TOO MANY THINGS, Jay thought.

He was not angry at his alarm clock for waking him up at 6 o’clock again. He was FURIOUS. He couldn’t stand this dumb thing. “I just want to smash you!” shouted Jay. His dad walked in.

“You must prize your possessions, other-”

Jay cut him off.

“Shut up dad, just shut up!!! All my life you’ve been doing this stupid genie stuff and you haven’t been being a father!!!” shouted Jay. That felt really good.

“Jay, control your anger,” said his dad.

“No!!! YOU control your wisdom, there’s a time and place for everything!” shouted Jay. He had just used his dad’s wisdom. His dad then walked away. He used his dad’s wisdom to solve the problem; maybe using his wisdom would get him out of this celebrity nonsense!

Jay was now set in stone, his plan was ready.

“Ok,” he said as he walked outside looking for people. “Let’s do this.”

It didn’t take long for jay to find a reporter.

“Hi, Jay Walker,” said the reporter.

“Hello.”

Thats all Jay said. The reporter gave him an odd look.

“Ok…” she said slowly.

“Um…how do you feel about Sydney dying?” asked the reporter. Without hesitation, Jay said in five words and words only:

“It is what it is.”

The reporter was shocked. Jay knew the reporter was trying to make drama. Not gonna happen, thought Jay.

“Wow, um, ok,” said the reporter.

“So, um, about that shark,” the reporter began. Jay very quickly cut her off.

“No, it was a fish and seaweed,” said Jay quickly. This time jay had not been cut off.

“Um, no it wasn’t,” said the reporter in protest. Jay without getting angry, without making drama, and without making any news, said, avoiding argument, “I’m hungry, I’m getting a snack.”

He completely ignored the reporter’s requests and he walked back in his house with silence. He immediately saw on the news the top headline, “Walker losing his fame, is he really boring?” Normally Jay would be mad, but he sat on the couch smiling, knowing that maybe less and less people would try to talk to him.

Now everyday he talked like his dad, when one person asked, “How did the day go when Sydney died,” he said every day may not be good but there’s something good in every day. And when the reporters were angry because Jay was refusing to talk to them he began to say, “You must control your anger.”

A few days later he had lost all of his fame. No one now knew who he was, no reporters were on his back like paint on a wall, no nothing. And he also saw Veronica Hope on the news, she was starting to become famous and she said to herself on TV, “I can’t wait to become a celebrity.”

“What a mistake,” Jay said to himself. His dad then walked in the room.

“What are you doing here?” asked Jay.

“I’m just saying I knew you could do it,” said his father.

“What do you mean?” asked Jay,

“All those stupid wisdom things. I was waiting until you used them positively, then I would stop giving them to you,” said his dad.

“Thanks,” said Jay.

“My pleasure,” said his dad when he walked out of the room. Everything was good between him and his dad. Everything was good between him, and fame, and everything was good overall, except for Sydney’s death of course, but now everything just seemed to be going perfect for Jay. Perfect. Well, there was nothing else interesting that happens, so I’m just gonna end the story right here…the end.

 

I Think They Were Twins

“I think they were twins.”

“Are you sure?” says my brother.

“I am pretty sure,” I say, then I walk away to our house.

My name is Dave and I am 16. My brother is Sammy, and he is 14 and annoying. But he and I need to rob to make a living because we are poor. We live in the Netherlands and right at this moment, we are thinking of how to rob the twins.

“So I think that we should go down the chimney,” I say.

“Well, I think that we should pick the lock and walk right in,” says Sammy.

“It would be less dangerous if we went through the chimney, because less people would be looking at us.”

“But it would be way easier to get the stuff out through the door than out through the chimney.”

“Well, we could just go through the chimney and then take the stuff out the door.”

Eventually we just end it by flipping a coin, our only coin. He takes tails and I take heads. It lands on tails. So, the next night, we end up picking the door lock, going inside and stealing their TV. When we are coming out, the cops see us.

They say, “Put down the TV and stand there!”

I’m feeling nervous. They’re pointing a gun at us. My heart is beating really fast. They come over and put us in handcuffs and shove us into their cop car. My brother doesn’t say anything. Soon, we get to jail. The next day we find out that we’re going to have a trial.

When we get into the court, we are really nervous. We don’t say anything. We look at the judge and everyone around us. The judge starts talking. The judge asks us to speak.

”We live in a shack with one bed and it’s tiny. We needed money. There’s nothing to really do except flip our only coin. So can you please understand,” my brother and I both say.

At the end of the trial we end up winning and I feel so good and I say to my brother that he should do what I suggest.

“Ok.”

PART TWO

(Sammy’s perspective)

When we are in the twins house it looks like a mansion compared to our house. The T.V. is so big, it is amazing! But when we get caught my heart’s on fire.

I want the T.V. not just for money but also to have something to do. All we can do is flip a coin all day. In the twins house we are talking, “ I think when we get this thing in the house we should sell the next day,” says my brother.

“I think that we should keep it at home and watch T.V. whenever we want!” I say.

“We will flip when we get home,” says my brother.

I wish I could just sit down on the bed in our house and watch T.V. I’d watch any show. I’d watch the news to see if people are trying to find us and put us in jail. After I get the T.V., maybe the next night we could get something different and disguise to sell it. I wish I could have a big house with anything I wanted to do and a lot of money and a car.

We get caught, and we find out we’re getting a trial and after the trial we end up winning but we have to give back the T.V.

We are thinking about robbing a different place with different people. But it has to be smaller so we can bring it back more easily. Maybe a little phone or something. We are nervous, because if we get caught, we’ll most likely not win a trial because we’ll have been caught for the second time.

I think we should wait a little longer, but my brother doesn’t. I wish my brother would always agree with me and do what I say. But after that trial I agreed to do what he said.

We’re thinking of robbing some place with a brother and sister because there’s probably more stuff there than if it was an only child. We walk and take the subway a couple times until we end up at the home. The parents are out, so it is just the brother and sister. The brother ends up awake and comes down the stairs and sees us there and we say, “We are friends of your sisters.” He goes back upstairs and we take some of their phones and leave the house. When we get home, we take the phones out and I say, “When are we going to get a charger?”

My brother says, “We will soon!”
“Ok,” I say.

I think we should go to a different place because if they do see us, they’ll know we’re not friends since we stole from them.

I wish sometimes that we could be a regular family. We could live in a regular townhouse and not have to rob people to survive and we could hang out with friends.

Well anyway, I think that in a couple of weeks we should get some chargers.

A couple weeks later, we rob a family with an only child, because all we need is a charger and it’s far away from the other family we robbed. But we have to cross the ocean to get there. We want to go far away from our neighborhood so it will seem like someone else had done it. We sell one of the phones to get a raft and an oar. We sell Dave’s phone, so we’re going to share my phone now. We get the raft and ask them to inflate it there and we bring it home. The next night we go out on the ocean, which is pretty dangerous in a teensy little blow up raft.

We feel like we are going to fall into the ocean and die. Dave says, “I want to sell the phone charger and the phone to get money so we could get a big home to live in.”

“But I want to keep the phone and the phone charger to entertain ourselves!”

“Well then how are we going to get the money to get food and have a bigger house?”

“First we should start with something more entertaining than flipping a coin!” I say.

“We’ll decide when we get home.”

A big wave comes and flips us over. We lose the oar. We get back on the raft and we have to paddle back with our hands. We feel like we are icecubes. We think that we will try it the next day and sell our other phone to get more oars. When we get back to our house I say, “Do you think we should really sell our phone? We could just rob around here and not sell our phone to get a phone charger. I think that we should just get a phone charger around here.”

Dave says, “I think we should get the phone charger in the neighborhood but that we should sell it after.”

I say, “We’ll decide now.”

So we flip a coin and he wins.

I feel sad, because I just want to entertain myself. I start thinking that my brother could rob a place while I rob another one so we can get more stuff at the same time.

The next day, we walk around and talk quietly about which places we’re going to rob tonight. We decide we’re going to rob a pretty big house with a lot of fancy carvings on the outside. It has a really nice prickly lawn. Dave’s going to rob this one. I’m going to rob a regular townhouse with two kids.

I feel like it will be unfair, since my brother gets to rob a big fancy mansion and I’m just robbing a regular town house.

Dave’s Perspective

Tonight I will be robbing this nice place and Sammy’s going to be robbing a regular townhouse because he wants to keep the stuff so he can get a phone and phone charger. I think we should just sell all of it, but he’ll have a phone and phone charger and then we’ll sell the rest.

When I get to the house I’m robbing, I climb up the roof and then go through the chimney and then come out of the chimney and I see this beautiful gold-lined and velvety red wallpaper. I see a really big flatscreen T.V. and a really nice kitchen with a marble floor and in the living room there are a bunch of antique couches and another huge flat screen T.V. There’s a huge bureau with a whole bunch of electronic stuff. It’s around midnight, and I keep it dark because I think that the dad and kid are home. I’m having a hard time deciding what I’m going to take and what I’m going to leave. I can’t take a T.V. because I don’t have a helper. So I decide I’m going to take two phones, a phone charger, an iPad and an iPad charger. I fit everything in my pockets that I could and then I carry the rest out the door.

I go out and I see Sammy coming out of his townhouse with a phone and phone charger and an iPad, just no iPad charger.

We run down the block and I get inside the house, but Sammy doesn’t.

SAMMY

I got caught by the cops again! I’m thinking about what I saw in the house. I saw toys on the floor and family pictures on the wall and I felt sad. I miss my parents. I wish I had a big happy family, even if we had to live a little shack.

I am in the same jail cell as I was in when we were caught the first time. They come in the next day and say, “You are going to be hanged and then shot.”

I look at the two guards that came to talk to me.

“Follow us,” they say.

I follow them outside to a huge crowd. I can see Dave in the crowd. He’s crying. I see three ropes. Two smaller ones for the hands and one for the head. The sun feels hot, I’m sweating. I hear cheering and crying. My body is collapsing. They put me into the ropes. There is a guy who is just about to shoot me. I feel a burning pain.

Dave

I’m watching and crying and I don’t know who’s going to rob with me and I’m going to miss him a lot. I see the bullet go into him and x’s in his eyes and he’s gone–gone–gone!!

I go home and jump on my bed and start crying. I start playing on my iPad so I can get a little bit happier. I try to forget for a moment, but I can’t. I wish I didn’t have to rob anymore.

THE END

Jack and the Diamond Sword

Once, long ago, there was a boy named Jack. He was a regular guy. He liked to pretend to play with pretend portals. He would pretend to have a gold sword, but he would use a wooden sword. One day, he saw a little portal in the ground. Then he touched it and it got bigger and bigger every time he touched it. Then it was big enough for him to jump in. He jumped through and there was a whole other world. He saw a powerful diamond sword with emerald spikes on it. He really wanted it, but all the monsters were guarding it. There were zombies with gold swords,  skeletons with diamond bows and diamond arrowheads, and skeletons on spiders with gold axes. The spiders could spit poison at you. Jack was scared of the world so he jumped out and then made the portal smaller and put it in a box in his room so that when he got better weapons he could go back in.

 

He asked his mom if he could borrow her car to go two blocks down the street to the weapon shop to get more powerful weapons. Finally he arrived at the weapon shop and he walked in. There was an old guy standing at the counter. Jack said, “Can I please borrow a gold sword just for three days?”

 

The old man said, “Yes. Yes, you can. But you must pay $15 dollars. If you keep it for more than three days, then you will have a battle with me and the weapons.”

 

Jack got the sword, went to his room and took the portal out of the box. He made it big enough to jump through. He jumped in with the sword. He saw all the monsters getting closer to him. The portal was closing, getting smaller and smaller every second. He didn’t have a choice — he had to fight the monsters.

 

The monsters were getting closer and closer. The skeletons were pulling their arrows back. The spiders were gathering poison from the ground. The zombies were sharpening their swords for the last time, and the skeletons shot their arrows. Jack deflected it with his sword, then chopped off the skeleton’s legs, and the spider started spitting out the poison. He ran from the spider and the zombies were getting near him. They were having a battle — him vs. ten zombies. The zombies all threw the swords out of their hands at him. He deflected them all with his sword. The swords went flying into the wall of poison and broke it. The poison was spilling out. Jack had to open the portal bigger again. He opened it too big and all the monsters got out, but not him. The portal almost closed, but he put his sword in the middle of it. It didn’t close.

 

He ran back to get the diamond sword and then he took his sword out of the portal and jumped through. He reached his room but the portal was destroyed. He could never go back in that world again, but neither could the monsters. The time went too fast when he went to that world. It had already been two days.

 

The monsters were in his room, trying to open the door, but they could not. They were stuck in the room. They were going to have a battle. The zombies had no weapons. The skeletons only had nine arrows left. And the spiders barely had any poison left. The zombies did not want to go in the battle because they had no weapons. So all ten skeletons hopped on all ten of the spiders. Jack did a flip over all the skeletons and spiders and killed all the zombies. So now the battle began: Skeletons on Spiders vs. Jack and a diamond and a golden sword.

 

Jack had his diamond-and-emerald-spiked sword in his right hand and the gold sword in his left. Then the skeletons fired all of the arrows they had left. The spiders spit out their poison onto the diamond arrowheads. Jack jumped to the side. He dropped his swords when he jumped and the spiders walked over for the skeletons to pick up the swords, but the spiders had bad eyesight and thought they were farther away, but they were stepping on them. The swords cut their feet off, and the skeletons fell backwards and their bow and arrows flew out of their hands.

 

Jack picked up both swords. He had one minute to return the sword or he would have to battle. The time was ticking down. He asked his mom to borrow the car with 30 seconds left. He hopped in the car with 15 seconds left. He arrived when he was three seconds late. He had to battle without the gold sword against the old man and his weapons.

 

He walked through the door and the old man said, “Hand over the golden sword and let’s battle.”

 

He handed over the sword. Jack did not see that the old man had a sword in his hand because it was underneath the counter. When Jack handed over the golden sword, the old man threw up the other sword. Jack lifted the diamond sword up to block the old man’s sword, but the old man threw the golden sword down at his feet because his hands were high and he was not looking. The gold sword didn’t really hit Jack. He was not such a good thrower. It cut off one of his shoelaces and the edge of the shoe but did not hit him.

 

The old man was mad that he missed. He unleashed what he really was. He was not an old man — he was an evil giant wizard with eight arms. He had a big cape surrounding his body that had stars and moons all over it. His brown hair stuck up like lightning. Jack saw a weak spot on the top of his forehead, where he did not have any hair.

 

He took a bow and arrow with two of his arms so he had six arms left. He took another bow and arrow for his other two arms on one side, so he had four arms left. And he had four golden swords, including Jack’s, on his other arms. So he had two bow-and-arrows, and three gold swords, and one wizard wand. He had all powers in the end of his wand.

 

He used electric power from his wand. He lowered his swords and shot both of his arrows at Jack. Jack ran down the street. The shop was broken down because the wizard was on top of it. He had as many bow and arrows as possible. He could just make more whenever he wanted with his wand.

 

Jack ran down the street. The wizard ran down the street too, breaking all the houses down. He was right behind Jack. Jack turned without the wizard looking, because he was too tall to see down low. He thought he was still running forwards because Jack was before. Jack turned to the wheat land. He ran through the tall grass, cutting the wheat with his sword. Then the wizard saw a line of cut-down wheat and knew that was Jack. He threw one of his swords down. The sword was so big that Jack could not get to the side of it or hop over it. He was stuck there. The swords were all blocking him in a triangular shape. The wizard surrounded the swords with arrows so that if Jack reached the top of the swords the poison would sink down on him. The wizard had taken the bow and arrows from the skeletons. He used a powerful spell to make a circle shield around it so that Jack could not get out. Good thing Jack had brought a bunch of really good working shovels. So he tried to dig his way out through the bottom. He finally reached out right behind the wizard. The wizard saw him and turned around and while Jack was trapped he was thinking of different ways to destroy Jack. He had one way to jump up and down on the street when Jack arrived so that Jack would get hurt hitting the street really hard. He started doing it and Jack got hurt but didn’t break any bones.

 

Jack had bruises and cuts all over his body, but there was no blood. But Jack did not give up. Then Jack ran towards the wizard, jumped as high as he could, threw the sword at the wizard’s weak spot, and the wizard exploded, and then he disappeared while in the air. Jack had beat the wizard and Jack could keep the diamond and gold swords and all the wizard’s weapons forever. And all the weapons shrunk to normal size. Jack had the wand. He fixed all the damage that had happened. Everybody in the village was so happy that they shot fireworks up. There was confetti. It was a great celebration.

THE END

Is There Really A Witch?

There is a pig named Plumpy McStuffed. He really wants a little banana as a friend, but he can’t, only because there is a really frightening house right in the front of where the banana lives. Nobody ever goes near the house because people say that there is a really bad witch named Boiled McSpoiled who lives there. There is a big grave from all the hunters who tried to kill her. The only way the little banana cannot be killed by the witch is because he is so small nobody will notice him.

But then Plumpy McStuffed has an idea: I will… Never mind, that won’t work, he thinks. But then he has another idea, one that might work.

One day Plumpy finds the little banana’s phone number in front of the barn and he saved it, so now he can use it…if his phone number is still the same. Well it’s worth the try ‘cause it could still be the same.

Okay, he thinks.      

Ring ring ring .

It was silent. Then a little funny voice answers.

“Hi.”

“Oh, hi. Umm, my name is – wait for it, wait for it.” Plumpy turns on music and he starts singing his name.

“My name is PLUMPY MC STUFFED. Yeah!”  

Then when he starts singing on the phone and sounding really bad, the little banana hangs up like any normal banana, food, or animal would do to save their ear drums. So then he calls the little banana again and he is ready.

Ring ring ring, the banana answers again.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

”Who is this?”

“This is Mr Porky, sir,” says Plumpy, trying to trick the banana so he wouldn’t hang up again.

“Oh nice to meet you. What can I help you with?”

“Can you fly your jet ten miles in the front of the Witch’s house? You will see a tall red brick house and a orange fence around it.”

“What witch’s house? There is only a nice lady that lives in an old house. I visit her every day. I can prove it.”

“Hi I’m the old lady that lives in that house. I’m so sick of people calling me a witch.” (She leaves, pretending to cry)

“So what about the gravestones in  front of her yard?”

“Those are just Halloween decorations that she put up and never took down because they are too much  work.”

“Oh, so never mind, I’ll walk to your house. Bye.”

“Bye.”

(Five minutes later)

“Hi Mr. Small. I’m Mr. Porky my last name is Chop. When I walked by the nice lady’s house I heard her say that she is ploning to eat you, so I was wondering if you wanted to team up to stop her and be friends because I don’t have any?”

“Sure, because I don’t have any friends either.”

Then Plumpy and the little banana heard that she was putting a poison outside at the time nobody was around. When the witch left to have supper, Plumpy stole it and then little banana helped Plumpy get it onto the roof of the house for their plan.

Then when the witch comes out she sees that the poison for the banana was gone and said

“Who dar…” and then at that moment they dump the poison on her head and she turns into a pile of dust. Then Plumpy and the banana are rewarded with whatever they want.

So then at the end Plumpy Mc Stuffed or should it be Mr Pork Chop plays with the little banana and become best friends. THE END  

HMS Biggles

Setting: A Pub

SCENE 1

NARRATORS 1

Hello good chaps. Welcome to the story of HMS Biggles.

NARRATOR 2

A 50 gun strong ship of the line.

NARRATOR 3

Here we go!

NARRATOR 1

By the way we are the narrators.

THOMAS

Another drink please sir.

BARTENDER

Two shillings.

THOMAS

Here you go.

BARTENDER

Thank you and here is your drink.

THOMAS

You’re welcome.

(Takes sip of his drink)

Thanks for the drink by the way.

BARTENDER

You’re welcome.

LUCAS

How you doing chaps? Could I have a drink too?

BARTENDER

Sure thing mate.

LUCAS

(Breathing in, smelling brandy, scotch, and other drinks all over the place.

Sees a group of strong naval officers.)

Blech.

Evening chaps. Best I be leaving now.

(Starts running. Group of seamen chase)

SCENE 2

NARRATOR 1

We don’t have time to show the rest let’s just say he got caught and that is how he became a captain in the navy.

NARRATOR 2

His ship was H.M.S. Biggles, Lucas is the captain of H.M.S. Biggles.  

NARRATOR 3

A 50 gun ship of the line.

NARRATOR 1

We already said that.

NARRATOR 3

I don’t care.

NARRATOR 2

We need to get on with the story.

NARRATOR 1

I agree.

NARRATOR 3

Me too.

NARRATOR 2

His ship was HMS Biggles, Lucas was the captain.

LUCAS

Welcome to the ship. Now, basically, you need to know this. You’re just a normal sailor. You’re on the HMS Biggles, a 200-man, 50-gun strong ship of the line. You see this?

(pointing to one of the cannons.)

This is a 20 pounder. You will see these a lot. Now, for the grand tour.

Scene 3

NARRATOR 1

I volunteered into the navy to fight, thought James, not to hear some old coop rambling about how to run a ship. Besides, I already know this. My father is a sea captain and my mother’s a nurse on a ship. . still I can’t believe it. Me, James Flynn, a sailor on HMS Biggles, possibly the best ship in Her Majesty’s navy.

He stopped thinking and started paying attention to what Lucas was saying.         

LUCAS

I assume you came to the navy to fight our enemy, the Americans.

JAMES

I am an American, sir. I was born in America, but raised in England, sir.

LUCAS

I see. Aren’t you a bit young to be in the navy? Let me guess, you’re ten.

JAMES

Fifteen, sir.

LUCAS

Doesn’t your mother think you’re a bit young?

JAMES

No sir, my mother doesn’t think I’m too young.

LUCAS

And what of your father? Does he think you’re too young to be at sea?

JAMES

My father’s a sea captain, sir.

Narrator 1

And that was that.

James (posing as lookout)

She’s an American privateer–four guns, fifteen pounder cannons. From the looks of it, around a hundred men. Probably an easy capture.

James (To himself)

Our three hundred and seventy-five-manned and fifty-gun Indiaman could easily destroy a small privateer. Still, though, Lucas apparently wanted to capture it. Strange man. Of course, being as it was a privateer, it probably had lots of loot aboard. Maybe that’s why he chose to capture it. The gunners led the attack with shrapnel rounds, violently shaking the ship everywhere. I nearly fell off. Suddenly, the American ship displayed its royals (it put out its fastest sails) and sped towards us. They might be trying to board. Eventually they got to the side of our ship, cutlesses and pistols ready. Marines on our side rushed to the top of the deck and the captain gave the order to repel boarders.

Narrator 1

They tried to board, and within minutes, what seemed like billions of American corpses  were lining the decks of our ships, killed by the barrage fired from the marines.

Narrator 2

The remaining ones on their ship surrendered and the British took it very easily. In total, the British took 12 prisoners and gained a lot of gold found in the hoard of the enemy’s ship and brought the ship back to a British port. The trip back to the port took a couple days, with our men on board the enemy’s ship driving it.

Narrator 3

They were split in half and there was about a hundred fifty men on each ship. Most of the marines stayed on the enemy ship. At port, we restocked. I took leave. We were at at a British territorial island that had many sailors and marines and houses there, but it wasn’t really much like London, where I grew up. For some of my life.

CHAPTER 6

SHORE LEAVE

Narrator 1

James went to his aunt’s house (apparently she lives there, never knew that), had some lunch, slept there for a night, had breakfast, then went back to the ship. They’d finally finished restocking everything, trading in the gold, and delivering the prisoners to the jail. It was almost time to set sail. James climbed aboard and learned that, due to my helping the captain so much, he was being promoted. Now he was just a rank below midshipman. James felt a sudden tinge of joy. He couldn’t wait to tell Lucas, but Lucas seemed sad when James saw him. He said that it was because the bank there wasn’t able to accept most of the gold and that they`d  have to transport it back to Britain.

James

Well, there’s another adventure. Here we go again.

Scene 7

Narrator 1

James woke up with a start.

Narrator 2

He was on his way to England.

Narrator 3

But the door to his room had been slammed open.

Narrator 1

It was Lucas.

Lucas

James! Wake up, wake up! Come and see this.

Narrator 2

There was a small American ship that looked like a tugboat, slowly steaming towards them.

Lucas

Help me wake up everyone on the ship.

James

I’ll climb up and ring the bell that’ll wake up everybody.

Narrator 3

Indeed it did.

Narrator 1

Soon the American tug boat was captured.

Narrator 2

They gained six prisoners.

Narrator 3

They arrived at England shortly after.  

Narrator 1

They had a jolly good time. And James became a rich man from his pay from the navy.

Narrator 2

Years later he became the captain of HMS Biggles after Lucas died in battle.

Narrator 3

But that is a tale for a different time.

Narrator 1

See you next time.

all

The End.

 

Hide and Seek

My name is Caroline Jones. I live in Boca, Florida. I started a game of hide and seek and someone went missing. Let me tell you how it all started.  

It was a dark and stormy night. Just kidding — it was actually a hot summer day. Me and my cousins, Tommy, Timmy, and Tammy wanted to play hide and seek. We started with Tammy as the seeker and she counted to fifty slowly.

She said, “Ready or not, here I come,” like you play. There weren’t a lot of places to hide outside, but Tommy found this really cool place somewhere between a table and a few trees.

I tried to argue with him to switch places, but he said, “No way.” So, I just found this place behind a tree. It was a regular, small tree, so I thought I’d probably be found first.

But I said, “Whatever, it’s fine. It’s just a game of hide and seek. I’ll hide in Tommy’s place next time.”

It turns out, I was right. I was found first! Then Timmy. But not Tommy. We heard a scream, but didn’t know at the time who it was from. Tammy tried to look for him, but she couldn’t find him. I tried to not say where he was hiding, but I couldn’t hold it in. I told her he was in one of the shelves next to the table, so Tammy went there. But Tommy wasn’t there.

We started to think of really weird ideas. Like, maybe there was a hole in one of the shelves and he fell down to the ground.

But then I said, “No, we just got those shelves yesterday.”

Then Timmy said, “Maybe he just switched places.” Then we looked all around again. But we still couldn’t find him. Things started to get really weird. At first, we thought he could be playing a joke, but it wasn’t like him.

We started to look inside the house. We didn’t tell our parents right away because we didn’t want them to get all worried and call the police. We couldn’t find him inside the house either, so then we got worried. We decided to tell our parents, so they could call the police.

The police said, “We’ll do an overnight search, and we’ll give you a report tomorrow.” Tommy’s mom was the most  worried.

For the rest of the day, Timmy and Tammy and I decided  to play Monopoly. I was the car, Timmy was the dog, and Tammy was the horse. But we were distracted by thinking about Tommy.

“What if he never comes back?” asked Tammy.

“Our family reunions won’t be full!” said Timmy.

“We shouldn’t have played hide and seek in the first place,” I said.

It was time to go to bed, but no one could go to sleep. We were in different houses, but they were all thinking about Tommy.

The next morning, the police came. “We found nothing,” they said.

Tommy’s mother started to cry. “No, this is horrible! Why did this happen to me? Why couldn’t it have happened to my cat?”

All the moms tried to comfort her with a nice cup of tea, but it didn’t work. Everyone was depressed. No one could do anything. Not even blink their eyes. It was crazy and it was all my fault. If I told Tammy where he was sooner, we would have found him.

The day was coming to an end and me Timmy and Tammy wanted to have a sleepover. It was a good way to not think about what was going on. We decided to figure out where Tommy went.

The first thing we figured out was that it took about 10 minutes between when we started playing the game and when I told Tammy where he was. So, whatever happened  to Tommy happened quick.

We started to look out the window to see if anything happened, and guess what? We saw a man with a duffle bag. He seemed like he was just a regular man, but he could have been in disguise. We all thought that the guy took Tommy, but then we realised more people were coming and it turned out to be a bunch of teenage girls getting off the bus from camp.

“Rats, how could this happen?” I said

“Do you know how annoying this is?” Tammy said.

“I think we all know,” Timmy said.

“Let’s go to bed. It’s getting late,” Tammy said.

The next day the weather report was horrible. They said that there was going to be a hurricane. Tommy’s mother started to cry so hard that she could fill a whole tank of water.

She started to say, “This is horrible, what am I going to do? He is not going to live in that weather! Why couldn’t this just happen to my cat?” she said, weeping her eyeballs out. Again we tried to comfort her with tea but it still didn’t work.

It was my turn in the family to check the mail. I was going through the mail like I always do and something caught my eye it had to do with Tommy. I ran upstairs to show everybody.

When I got upstairs everybody was silent. I showed them the letter. It said:

Dear Family and Friends of Tommy,

Tommy is safe. The reason he is not with you is because he seemed to have a lot of arguments with you, so he ran away. Trust me, I am not lying. I have sent this letter for you to fetch him. He is in London right now on Perry Road.

Sincerely,

Police Chief Charlie Kunkle

 

Everyone screamed with excitement, especially Tommy’s mom. We all bought tickets for London. Everyone was so excited to see Tommy, even the cat. The next day everyone started to pack. My mom sent me to go get my mail and I went through it (like I always do) and something caught my eye. It was another letter about Tommy:

 

Dear Friends and Family of Tommy ,

We have found out that the Tommy we found isn’t the Tommy we thought he was.I am so very sorry.

Sincerely,

Police Chief Charlie Kunkle

 

I showed this to everybody. Tommy’s mom started to cry again and everyone was silent. They stopped what they were doing. It was a mess. Timmy and Tammy were blank. No one knew what to do. They had to cancel their tickets to London, or sell them, and that was hard because the plane flight was supposed to be today. They had been planning this since yesterday. Also, they were leaving because the hurricane was supposed to come the next day. So, they unpacked their clothes and took out all their batteries and flashlights and radios. They turned on the news to see what was happening. It turned out that Tommy was famous! But not for a good reason.

The bottom of the screen said, “Child Missing: Hurricane Coming Tomorrow. What is He Going to Do?” Everyone started to panic, even if they didn’t know Tommy. They were still worried about him because he was a living child. Neighbors came up to them like somebody died and that they were sitting shiva and gave them food.

One person who was a yoga teacher came over and gave them an idea to do yoga to get their minds off of Tommy. But it didn’t work. One person tried scented steam meditation. But that didn’t work. Another person said just to sleep. So they tried to go to bed. But they couldn’t sleep. Then someone said the hurricanes aren’t that bad because you’re in the city and not next to an ocean.

Most of the neighbors suggested things, but none of them worked, so they just decided to sit there and wait for the hurricane and see if Tommy came with it. Then, I suggested trying to call him, because Tommy would probably bring his phone. So we tried to call him, Facetime him, and text him. But none of them worked.

Tommy’s mother said in a deep low voice, “We’re never going to see Tommy again, and we shouldn’t worry about him. I’m sad but I can’t be sad forever.”

My mom said to her, “You can’t say that. We have to keep trying.” So we called the police and said, “You need to help us. The hurricane is almost coming. We need to find Tommy.”

The police replied, “But — but — we can’t go it, it’s a hurricane! We’re going to get killed. A tree is going to fall on us!”

And we say, “If you’re not going to help us, we’re going to do it ourselves.”

“No, you can’t do that, it’s too dangerous! It’d be my responsibility if I let you go out.”

“So?”

“I can’t let you do this, ma’am.”

And then we hung up the phone. Tommy’s mother got up on the chair and made an inspirational speech. “We need to do this! We are all the friends and family of Tommy George Finkleheim. We need to do this! Power is us.”

So we got on our raincoats and hats and boots and flashlights and walkie-talkies (because they’re really cool) and went out. There was wind and a light drizzle, but we still went out. And we knew it was going to turn out to be a big storm with lightning and thunder, but we were prepared. We asked a scientist to get us lightning-proof clothes before we knew this was going to happen. We just thought it was useful in case something like this might happen. We thought that it wouldn’t happen, but it did. So we went to go find Tommy. We split up into groups. Me, Tammy, my mom, and Tammy’s mom were one group. Timmy, Timmy’s mom, and Tommy’s mom was another group. And the pets were the last group.

So we started the search. One went East, one went West, and one went North. We knew that he couldn’t go South, because the gate between us and our rich neighbor was locked. Unless, he climbed over, which probably didn’t happen because there was high tech security. I went North because I know the whole part of the North side of the neighborhood. We started the search to find Tommy.We asked our neighbors if they seen anything about Tommy but they all said no. It was hard we were out there for almost three hours and we couldn’t find anything.

We all decided that we would go back home at 1:30 because the person who took Tommy might come out late at night. It was 1:29 and still couldn’t find anything. So we went inside and went to bed.

The next morning, it was pouring outside. Trees were falling down on the road, cars were stopping. The hurricane started. My mom said to Tommy’s mom, “We can’t go out like this! We’re all gonna die!”
“Well, Tommy’s gonna die if we don’t find him.”

“Maybe we should do it later today, because maybe it’ll get quieter,” said Tammy’s mom.

“Okay. Let’s stay in and listen to the radio and see what the weather is like.” So they turned on the radio and Tommy was on the radio again.

We all came close and the broadcaster said, “There’s been one sighting of the missing boy. Police are going out to find him. Don’t be worried, we’ll get him home safe.” Tommy’s mom screamed with excitement. She started dancing with the cat. His mom was so happy that they made a pie. And that’s very rare to make a pie in our family. The pie was very good; it was apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top. We saved a piece for Tommy for when he got home — that is, we hoped he would get home. A minute later, the lights went out.

“We need to get our flashlights and turn them on so we have light.” We played hide and seek in the dark, and some other fun games.

“I have to admit it,” said Tammy. “This is kind of fun.”

“It sure is, except it’s pouring outside,” said Timmy.

“I wonder what it would be like if this was everyday,” I said.

“We could make this everyday if we turned off the lights and closed the shades. The only difference is that it wouldn’t be pouring outside,” said Timmy.

We went back to playing our games. And then, boom! The lights went back on. We started to sigh. We liked it when it was dark, and when all of the lights in the whole city were dark. Then the radio turned on.

“We’ve seen a second sighting of Tommy! We hope we will give you a report about seeing him a third time, or a fourth time tomorrow, or maybe later today.” Again, Tommy’s mother started to scream with excitement. She baked another pie. This time, it was blueberry pie with coffee ice cream on top. We saved another piece for Tommy. And then, the power went out again.

Me, Tammy, and Timmy started to scream with excitement, and started to say to Tommy’s mom, “You should bake another pie because we love it when the lights go out.”

“Maybe you do but I don’t. That’s not a reason for someone to bake a pie.”

“Fine, I’ll starve for pie. And I’ll die, and it’s all because you never made a pie! So sad, so sad.”

My mom said to me, “That’s not gonna happen.”

“How do you know it won’t? I once heard a story about a girl who wanted a pony, and she kept asking her parents and her parents kept saying no, and then she died.”

“That was just a tale, it’s not gonna happen.”

“Okay, but it’s not my fault when you see me dead in my room one time when you wake up.”

And then, boom, the lights went back on! It was another sad time. We really wanted them to go back off, except for the mothers of course. Then, the phone rang. It was our fathers. They’d been on a men’s day out because they all had a business trip on the same day. Tommy’s dad just heard the news. He started to cry. But they couldn’t do anything about it; they couldn’t get on a plane and come back because the hurricane was happening. They had to wait until it was over.

And then the radio turned on. “Good news!” Tommy’s mom was shrieking, crossing her fingers and holding her heart to see if it was Tommy that they found. But, no. They just said that the hurricane was going to be over. Then they said, “Another good news! We have found the person who took Tommy! Now we just need to find Tommy and he’ll be alright!”

Now, Tommy’s mother made another pie. It was the most delicious pie ever! It was strawberry and apple with blueberries and vanilla ice cream on top. This time, we saved two pieces for Tommy. So now we basically had a full pie but with different flavors. It was towards the end of the day and everyone got tired. Everyone decided to go to sleep.

The next morning there was no more pouring rain, and there were no more trees falling down. The hurricane was over. We all turned on the news, and guess what the news anchor said?

“The police have found Tommy.”

Tommy’s mother cried tears of joy. She called her husband and told him the good news. She was met with a lot of questions. “Is he home yet? Did he get hurt? I’m going to be home soon, I’m getting tickets right now.”

“I don’t know anything! He didn’t come home yet. But I’ll tell you when he does.”

Before she could say another word or make another pie, the doorbell rang.

Tommy came in. His mother ran up to him and hugged him so tight that he almost suffocated. “Tommy! Sweetheart! What happened? Where were you?”

“Well, you know how I went to the store to buy milk two days before we played hide and seek? I stole the milk because I didn’t have enough money. So the store owner got really upset. He said ‘This is one more warning you better not do this again but there might be something coming your way.’ He didn’t really do anything to me, I was just working in the back of the store. I tried to leave one time, but there were no windows in the basement.”

“Oh my god, how could he do this to you? Was he arrested? I need to make sure he was arrested.”

“Mom, what do you think the police are just gonna let him go?”

“No, just go back to the story.”

“Okay. So I tried to go through the door of the basement, but if I got caught he would turn me in for stealing so I couldn’t. I just waited for someone to figure out I was missing and take me out of this mess. And it worked!’’

“Oh Tommy I missed you so much! Let’s call your daddy.”

Tommy’s dad was already on the bus when he got the call. “That’s so amazing! Tell me the story when I get home. I am so happy he came home!”

When his dad came home Tommy told the story. After that, he ate his pie and went to sleep. And it was happily ever after.

THE END! I hope you liked the story of Tommy.

                                                       

Hearts And Horses

Chapter 1

 

My name is Charlotte Elizabeth Gavigan. I am ten years old. I have a mom named Kate, a dad named Shawn, an older sister named April who is 14, a younger sister named Piper who is five, and a baby brother named Mikie who just turned one. Oh, and I can’t forget my puppy dog Beau who is a shorkie (a shi-tzu yorkie mix).

A couple weeks before the end of school, my mom signed me up for this camp called “Hearts and Horses” and I was psyched to go because I love horseback riding. I wished school would just end so I could go the week after when we went to Bridgehampton for the summer. It was also a good thing for my family because my mom and dad wanted me to get “exercise.” And horseback riding was exercise, I guess. I was hoping that I’d meet someone new because I wouldn’t get to see my best friend Haley for the entire summer except on weekends and we usually saw each other everyday. I was hoping that Hearts and Horses was actually going to be a good camp.

 

Chapter 2

 

I couldn’t wait for the day of school to end. I was stuck in history class and I didn’t know what to do.

“…blah blah blah Franklin Delano Roosevelt blah blah blah…there was the rich and the poor blah blah blah…” said Mrs. Heffley.

I was whispering to my best friend Haley during this boring session.

“Bing!” the bell rang and everyone went running out. Some kids got pushed around because everyone was excited for summer to start. I said goodbye to Mrs. Heffley and I ran off with Haley.

We ran to my house and we planned out our secret escape so we could at least see each other a little bit, because she was going to Bridgehampton too, but not the same camp, so we’d only get to see each other on weekends and we usually saw each other every day. So we planned where we would have our secret room so we could just hang out for a while so we didn’t have to hear my dad with the TV on, and my mom reading to my little sister, and my older sister texting, blah blah blah.

“Okay, what are we going to do now?” I asked.

“Don’t know,” Haley said.

“Let’s spy on people,” we said together.

“Why do we always say things at the same time? I think we have a problem, we must be sick,” said Haley.

We both giggled and then put on black turtlenecks and black pants and tied up each other’s hair into a ponytail with black rubber bands and put black headbands on.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Ready Freddy,” Haley replied.

We went out of my room, which was a secret room, and we started spying. I heard my mom talking to my dad about Hearts & Horses, my camp.

“Are you kidding? I don’t know if a little girl like her is ready for that kind of pressure,” said Mom.

“She’ll be fine,” Dad said.

“No, she’s not ready for that kind of jumping competition. We shouldn’t let her enter,” Mom said.

“Well, we’ll talk about it at dinner with her, okay?” Dad said.

“Okay, Shawn,” Mom said.

I looked at Haley. She looked at me and we looked at Beau and Beau looked at us. And the three of us ran off into my room.

 

Chapter 3

 

Before dinner, my mom asked if Haley’s family wanted to join us for dinner. They said yes. Then the ten of us (my family, Haley’s family including her older brother Sam, her dog Elle, and Beau) would all drive off in my family’s car and Haley’s family’s car to Bridgehampton.

At dinner, my mom said, “Okay, I need a moment for a family meeting, just with me, your father, and you, Charlotte.”

I was chewing my steak and suddenly stopped chewing it and held it in my mouth, and my eyes also widened up, when I heard “Charlotte.”

I swallowed my piece of steak and then whispered in Haley’s ear: “Say you have to go to the bathroom even though you really don’t and I’ll tell my mom and dad that I want to talk about the thing near the bathroom,” I said.

“So what you want me to do is go to the bathroom but really listen to what your parents are saying?” Haley asked.

“Exactly,” I said.

Then I stopped whispering to Haley and said, “Just telling Haley our new secret handshake. Since it’s secret, I don’t want anyone to know.”

“Okay,” said Mom. “Let’s go.”

Once we got to the bathroom, I stopped and started talking to my parents. Earlier, Haley snuck in the bathroom and I assumed she was now listening.

“Look, your father and I have been talking, and there’s this big jumping-”

“I listened,” I said. “I was spying with Haley earlier today and I heard you and Dad talking earlier and saying that I wasn’t good enough to be in the jumping competition for camp.”

This is not what I was expecting, Haley thought.

“That’s not what we were saying,” Dad said. “We just didn’t know if you could handle that much pressure.”

“What am I, five?” I said. “I can handle this! I’ve been doing horseback riding for like, a really long time! Like five years, and you think I can’t be in the jumping competition? Come on! I know how to jump with my horse. It’s not that hard, okay? Are you worried I’m going to get hurt or something? You just don’t know what it feels like because you and Mom haven’t been horseback riding for like, a really long time.”

“We just want to make sure you’re safe,” Mom said.

“I will be safe. I won’t break a leg or anything. I’ll be okay,” I yelled.

Then I stormed off to the backyard and Haley followed me, and Beau came along and so did Elle (Haley’s family brought Elle).

“Charlotte, Charlotte, hey Charlotte! Wait up,” Haley said.

When she found me, she came running with the dogs following her from behind and saw me sitting on the top of the monkey bars.

Haley said “Stay Here” to the dogs and climbed up the ladder and sat next to me.

“Well, that’s not what I was expecting,” Haley said.

“I just had to tell them that I could do the jumping competition,” I said. “But apparently they think I’m going to get hurt or I’m not ready. You’re lucky. Your parents would allow you in a tennis competition.” (What Haley did was tennis camp).

Haley and I looked at each other, both making a kind of sad face.

 

Chapter 4

 

When we went off to Bridgehampton, I did my secret handshake with Haley and she went into her car and I went into mine. I turned on the TV which was in the car and I put in the DVD “Pretty in Pink,” and Haley got in her car and put in the DVD “Pretty in Pink” too because we both had TVs in our cars. Usually I would turn the TV off for a little bit to talk with my family and so would Haley, but this time we didn’t.

I heard my parents whispering. I didn’t know what they were whispering about.

“This isn’t like her,” Mom whispered.

“Maybe she’s tired, Amy. Relax. It was a long last day of school for a fourth grader like her,” Dad whispered.

“I guess you’re right,” Mom whispered back.

When we got to Bridgehampton at my house, I said goodbye to Haley. We did our secret handshake, and I said that I’d come to her house at 1 o’clock to talk about this entire situation. It was Friday night, and I was wrecked, so I grabbed some Oreos, put them in a cup, and went straight to my room and turned on my TV and watched “Dog with a Blog.”

When my Mom and Dad came in to kiss me goodnight, I said, “You still don’t believe in me?”

“Look, we’re sorry,” said Mom.

“Okay,” I said. “Love you.”

 

Chapter 5

 

Since I had a late lunch, after lunch I went off to Haley’s house. I got on my bike, put my helmet on, and rode down to Dune road. I put the kickstand down so it wouldn’t fall, ran to Haley’s house and rang the doorbell. Haley opened the door.

“Hi Bestie,” she said.

“Hi Bestie,” I said.

We did our secret handshake and then she said, “Do you want a snack or anything?”

“No,” I said. “I just had a really late lunch.”

So we ran to her room and then I told her what happened last night.

“That’s a hard one,” Haley said. “I don’t know how to deal with that one.”

“What do we do?” I said.

“Let’s take a little bike ride and get some fresh air. Maybe we’ll get an idea. Omg, omg,” they said together.

So I went outside and put my helmet on and waited for Haley to get her bike out of the garage. She put her helmet on and put the kickstand up and I put the kickstand up and we both rode a little and talked.

“I think I should just give them another chance,” I said.

“I agree,” Haley said.

“It just feels awkward and I don’t know why,” I said.

So we were about to turn the corner and we saw a boy fighting with his parents.

“I’m good enough to be in the soccer championship. Why do you think I can’t do it?” the boy said.

“We don’t want you to get hurt,” said the mom.

“It’s just like you and your parents!” said Haley.

“Let’s stay and listen,” I said.

“I won’t get hurt, I’ll be okay,” said the boy. Then he ran off.

“The only reason why we don’t want to allow him in the competition is because our baby is getting older,” said the mom to the dad.

I looked at Haley and then she looked at me and we both went back to her house, biking quick.

 

Chapter 6

 

“What are we gonna do?” Haley asked.

“Well, maybe my parents are worried because they don’t want me to get older,” I said.

Just then I heard a doorbell. I ran to the door with Haley and Haley opened the door. It was my mom.

“It’s time for dinner, sweetheart. Say goodbye to Haley,” said my mom.

“Bye Haley. Bye Mrs. Presner,” I said. I did my secret handshake with Haley and my Mom and I put on our helmets and rode our bikes back together.

 

Chapter 7

 

On the first day of camp, I was kind of nervous but mostly excited. So when I woke up I brushed my teeth and was still thinking about why my parents wouldn’t want me to enter this jumping competition. Maybe it WAS because they didn’t want their baby to do all that. Maybe the real reason they don’t want me to enter was because they cared about their baby.

At camp, I was riding my horse that I got, Peppermilk, and I was talking to her about what my parents were talking about the jumping competition. On Friday night, since it was movie night, I didn’t have camp the next day so I told my parents that I just needed to use the bathroom for a second. I was thinking about if I should ask my parents if they were worried that their baby was getting older. When I was washing my hands I told myself that I would do it.

I went up to my mom and dad and said, “Mom, Dad, can I talk to you in private for a second?”

They said, “Sure.”

So I said, “Is the reason why you don’t want me to compete in the jumping competition because you are sad that your baby is getting older and doing something like this?”

“How did you know?” Mom said.

“I took a bike ride with Haley on Saturday when I went over to her house and we saw this boy and his parents talking about that; his parents didn’t want him to enter this soccer competition because their baby was getting older and they were sad about it.”

“The reason we didn’t want you to enter is because this is your first jumping competition and it’s a big milestone in your life. But I want you to enter. I want you to be happy,” said Mom.

“Me too,” said Dad.

“Thanks guys,” I said. “But I’ll always be your baby.”

“Thanks,” they said.

So we went back in the living room and finished the movie Pretty In Pink.

 

Chapter 8

 

The day of the competition came and my family came and so did Haley’s family to support me. My family even brought Beau and Haley’s family even brought Elle.

“Go Chawit. Go Chawit!” said Piper and Mikie.

Even my sister April was supporting me after all those years of being mean to me. She was holding up a sign that said,”You can do it, Charlotte!”And Haley and her brother were holding up a sign that said, “Hooray Charlotte.”

I was neck in neck with a guy who usually bullied me in camp named Chris Waters. And then I thought, Not this time, Chris. And then rode Peppermilk faster and I won!

Chris’s eyes widened up and then he ran off. Everyone went and congratulated me and my parents gave me a big smile and I gave them a big smile back. I knew from the start that this was gonna be the best summer and it was.
The End

Head in a New Dimension

Chapter 1

I fall, a never ending black darkness, swallowing me. No walls, it almost seems like being inside of a shadow. Only just a few seconds did I fall through my grandma’s mysterious door at the top floor, seemingly locked up and never opened. It seemed like the strange disappearance of my parents folded me all into this peculiar nonsense. I had been “carried” off by my grandma. Now when I say carried off, I don’t really mean carried off. I highly doubt my grandma could pick me up, anyway. She hadn’t seemed too worried, though, which in all truth worried me. My grandma lives in the middle of nowhere, bright grassy plains, warm sun and deserted describes it all. I had visited my grandma with my parents before, but it was never as cheery as when I arrived, almost a little TOO cheery for my liking. As my grandma drove in her car, which always looked like it had been ransacked, I had plenty of time to think, most of all what I call WHY questions. Why had my parents disappeared? Why had my  grandma come so suddenly? Questions I don’t have answers to, bubbling and bursting inside of me. I wanted to cry in frustration. I never asked for this anyways…

“Grandma?”

“Yes, dear?”

Why…. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything, I had so many questions that I couldn’t bring myself to ask.  As I look back from this moment, I wish I asked my grandma those questions, but I didn’t know what I was going to get into.

 

A few days after I arrived, I went exploring the house. When I was five, I thought there was secret treasure hidden somewhere. I never found it. Until right then, I suppose. As I explored the top floor I found my treasure. I guess when I was younger, the door had never been there to me. I might have been just too excited and ran past it, my height ignoring the door, which now even seemed to have grown into the house, being a part of it.  As I looked at it now, it seems deserted, like the amount of people surrounding us, but quite the opposite of the setting I was deserted in.  Lonely, it seemed to beckon me. I hoped I wasn’t going to be like Pandora from my Greek myth book, but now I understand what she felt. I only hoped the door wasn’t bad as her fate, unleashing terrors around the world. All the things we wish were never in this world. But yet, at this moment it seemed to be staring at me. It seemed the cottage was holding its breath, the door included, everything staring, everything waiting, watching, a never ending silence. The door was beckoning me, “a quick peek won’t hurt anyone, Phoenix.” Shutting my eyes I shook my head, hearing a voice say that, hoping I was just unconscious or something, hoping I was somewhat ill, but not life threatening. I ran down the stairs, back to the second floor, as a ran into the hallway, I could swear my grandma’s marble dragon that was on the shelf blinked at me. I shivered and kept running, finally approaching my new room. I slammed the door behind me and locked it, plopping down onto the bed. I felt myself breathing hard, my heart beating uncontrollably. Laying down, I tried to control myself, my breathing, and my heart.
“DINNER TIME!” I heard my grandma from the first floor. Carefully, I opened my door and peered outside. Nothing. Quickly I raced down into the kitchen, the smell of pizza entering my nostrils. Then I noticed the spicy smell and grinned. Good, my grandma knows me. I entered the kitchen , eyeing the cup of buffalo sauce.

“Look at you, you look like a starving wolf that’s found some prey, licking your chops.”
“Ha. I’m hungry!”

“Starving, that is.“ My grandma handed me a plate with two slices of pizza with a cup of hot sauce, which I dunked over my pizza. I picked up a slice and bit into it, crust first.
“Crust first? Why?” asked my grandma.
“Because I don’t especially like the crust, which most would call ‘saving the best for last.’”

“Ok. So now I know.”

“Grandma, has anything…strange ever happened here, or is here?”

“….. Strange?? No……..! How’s the pizza?” My grandma started to fidget in her chair, tapping her fingers on the table.

My grandma was trying to avoid the question, but I left it.

“Good.”

That was how that day ended, but my grandma knew something, I knew it.

 

The next morning, my curiosity got ahold of me. I climbed up the staircase cautiously. As I approached the door I held my breath. It seemed even more grown into the house, like by tomorrow it would disappear. “What’s in the door?” I wondered aloud.
“Your destiny, Phoenix.” I screamed and turned around.

Behind me was… the marble dragon… flying?

“WHAT THE… ?!”

“Shh… do not be so loud.” The tiny dragon floated around my head.
“Don’t be so scared, things approach faster than you think.”

“W-who ARE YOU?!”

“Aurora.”

Well that covers SOO much…

“Wait, so did you blink at me yesterday??”

The dragon nodded, “Yes. I wanted to call to you but your grandma was approaching and told me-” the marble dragon stopped short.

“My grandma knows what’s going on?!” I exclaimed.

“Yes. It was just a matter of time. But you have to go in the door.”

“But why?”

“Because you’re needed.”

Needed. I’ve never been truly needed… My parents were independent people… But do I trust this… dragon? No I don’t. Nonsense.
“No.”

“Fine. just open the door and you’ll see how much you’re needed.”

What’s the harm in that, I guess… I opened the door and saw nothing, then felt something shoving me. Hastily, I turned around and saw the dragon pushing me, which I was surprised it could. But it did its job and pushed me through the door…

I fell, a never ending black darkness, swallowing me. No walls, it almost seemed like being inside of a shadow. Closing my eyes tight, I screamed. Hugging my knees to my chest, I opened my eyes and peered into the darkness. No source of light whatsoever. I looked up, trying to find the attic door.

Nothing. I’m afraid. Very, very afraid. But this time there’s no one to say it too. What did this dragon do? Had it been trying to kill me? Why why why…

Soon I began to see light… Now I must have been falling for about an hour and a half. I closed my eyes, once again, completely unprepared, when pain spread through my back, and going into another silent, strange darkness. Where was I now? There was a ground there, but it was also darkness… I wanted to walk away from this nightmare, I wanted to be back home, with my parents, I wanted to be able to close my eyes and be back with my grandma. I stand up, very annoyed with my life. I started to walk forward, then hearing a large swish noise behind me, I turned around. This time I was just too fed up to scream. “BOOOOOOO!” Not expecting a ghost, but I had the feeling I was going to see a stranger, maybe because of the marble dragon situation.

“Why aren’t you scared?” the ghost started to cry, tears going through her and leaking onto the floor. “Hey it’s ok!” I didn’t want to hug her or anything, because I would probably go right through her and make her feel even worse.

“Noooo it’s noooot! Noooobody is ever scared by me!! I doooon’t have any friends!!!!”

Question- what do you say to a crying ghost that has many problems? Well you can only say one thing, I suppose…

“I’ll be your friend.” What are you going to say to a crying ghost that wants a friend?

“Really?!” The ghost immediately stopped crying.

“Yeah.”

“Yaaaaaaayyyyyy!” The ghost started to circle around my head, chanting, “I have a friend, I have a friend! I haaavvveee aaa ffrrriiieeennd!!!!!!!”

“Okkk… What’s your name?” I asked.

“Ululate!”

“Doesn’t that mean-”

“Doooon’t say it! I know!!!!” Ululate means to howl or wail, which this ghost clearly does a lot.

“Ok Ululate, how do we get out of here?” I REALLY hoped she had the answer…

“Doooon’t wooooory, you’re waking up!” Huh?? I felt myself falling, for the THIRD time today!

Blinking I opened my eyes, and saw LIGHT!!! Then opening my eyes, I saw Ululate…
“Ululate??”

“Hii friend!!!” Ughhh…

“Hi…” moaning and groaning, I sat up.

“HIIII!”

“Where are we?”

“We’re in the land of Surda!”

“Whaaa… Is Surda…..”

“You don’t know what Surda is? Surda’s divided into two, one part where the humans and mythical creatures are, which is Surda, and the other half is elven territory!”

“Anything else I need to know?” I wasn’t really paying attention, but maybe if Ululate talked too much she would get bored.

“Well….This world is divided into twooo, unlike your Earth. The goooood part is Surda, and the oooother half is what we call the Evil dooomain…Which you shouldn’t gooo in! And in case you ever see them, the leaders oooof Surda are Sabrina and Alex Bell!”

My parents!

Heart School

CHAPTER 1

Cells

We live inside Abby. We are what protects her from germs. I am Healthia, red blood cell, at your service.

Right now, I’m in the Atrium, one of the four entrances to our school, Heart School. White blood cells have a different school: the brain. White blood cells have a different school because they are different. They’re Abby’s immune system. They fight the germs. We red blood cells keep Abby’s blood healthy, which is a totally different thing. That’s why my name’s Healthia.

The germs are our enemies. They have several schools: Mouth, Nose, Ear, and Cut schools (the cut schools are only temporary). Noticed something? All of the schools are entrances to Abby’s body. That’s how the germs get in.

I’m going to Defense class, which is probably the most dangerous. We get to spy on the germs and figure out what they’re planning.

This time, we’re visiting Mouth School. Abby’s biggest opening in her body is her mouth. All the germs gather there. We hide behind one of Abby’s teeth, and watch little germs gather on her tongue. We learn that the germs are planning to attack the brain. We return to the Heart, and call our own convention. I tell the principal, a red blood cell like me, and the white blood teacher ambassador, who’s visiting the principal, that the germs are planning to attack the white blood cell school. They are shocked. I actually tell the convention the news for them because they are too shocked. I guess they’re stunned because the germs have never decided to attack something as large and important as the brain.

We had a few hours to prepare ourselves and defend the school before the germs attacked. We put up lots of towers and set up lots of guard cells so that we could easily spot the germs when they came. But they never did.

CHAPTER 2

Germs

Our teacher, Mr. Germy, said that we should delay attacking the brain because we had a feeling that red blood cells were spying on us and then we could trick them into thinking we weren’t attacking after all, and when they took their defenses down we could attack then. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Germia.

So, anyway, we had a long wait. After days of planning, the big day finally arrived. Mr. Germy said that we should just go with the flow and ride along in the blood. That way, we could poison the blood, too. I think he was stupid. There’s probably blood cells, in Abby’s blood too, and they’re all fighting to keep us away. I don’t really care if we win or lose. Abby is a boring person to invade anyway. The cells make it really hard to invade her, so with every attempt to, we fail, and they mercilessly slaughter more and more of us. Also, Abby got a cold last week (courtesy of my friend Germonia),and she’s still sick, which makes it easier for us, but I like a challenge.

Surprisingly, all of the red blood cells were defending the brain so that none were in the blood to go tell the other cells defending the brain. It was an easy ride. When we got to the brain, we all had to hide against this one green part, because we’re green, and it was SO slimy! We germs are not used to this sort of thing because we are all outsiders, unlike the cells. Abby was born with all of those cells.

Chapter 3        

Cells

The germs never came. I was very surprised, and began to feel ashamed because I was the one that told everybody that they were going to attack the brain, and they’re not attacking it. I go on patrol duty, and I walk around and around and around the brain. It would make the most sense for them to hide in the little green spot which is hearing, but the germs are also green so it makes it hard to see. Finally, I hear a little voice coming from the green section. A germ emerges from it. The germ wants to go away out of Abby. I ask her for her name, but I know we can’t be friends because I’m the defender and she’s the attacker. Still, I get it. Her name is Germia. Germia’s teacher, Mr. Germy, comes out and says, “Germia, what are you doing?”

I yell for other cells. Soon, the germs are surrounded. I don’t want to hurt the germs even though it’s our custom to eat them. I think that we should move them out of the body and then start marching towards Abby’s ear. The surrounded germs and other cells follow. Abby’s ear is sticky with wax. I have to pull myself out of it sometimes. The other cells are being very annoying. They are singing as we march the germs out. And when the germs are out, they are singing as we march back to the brain. After we are safely there, I leave them telling the principal of Heart School and Brain School how I singlehandedly led the germs away. I go back into Abby’s ear canal to make sure none are left behind. All clear. I come back and on the way I notice something green. I hear a little cry for help that I didn’t hear before over the singing. The green thing is a germ and the germ is crying for help. The germ that’s crying for help is Germia. She was left behind, when she was the one who wanted  to go out most. I pull her out of the wax and hide her, and put her in Abby’s right big toe. I think she’ll be safe there. Days pass, but for us it seems like weeks. I bring Germia food every day, but I don’t know what she likes. It turns out that we share a favorite: Kellogg’s Fruity Snacks, Mixed Berry. I get them from Abby’s stomach. It’s gross, but it’s what we eat.

CHAPTER 4

Germs

I was stuck in the ear canal when we were marching out. Then, Healthia found me and hid me in Abby’s big toe. She’s not bad, really, for a cell, but I just wish that I could have gotten out like my teacher and friends.

Healthia brings me food every day. One day, she takes me out and into Heart School. She enrolls me at school, and I paint myself red and changed my name to Cella. I even join Healthia’s dormitory group.

But Healthia acted like she didn’t know me. I didn’t know why. So I went back to the big toe and wiped off all the blood substance (aka paint) and was my normal self again.

When my stomach growled, Healthia wasn’t there with food. I felt I was all alone. So I slowly climbed back up the leg, and into Abby’s stomach, and up into the esophagus and into her mouth. Her lips are closed.

CHAPTER 5

Cells

I feel so betrayed. I go with my friends to our amusement park, which only has one ride. We joined the blood flow and I tried to wash my thoughts about Germia away. We traveled all over Abby’s body, but I was still thinking about Germia.

I stopped making my travels to the big toe, because Germia left. I was heartbroken, well whatever happens to cells, because we don’t have hearts. I thought she was my friend.
Maybe I was wrong.

Maybe she isn’t my friend.

Maybe I shouldn’t’ve trusted her.

Maybe I should’ve listened to the teachers and shouldn’t have even tried to be friends with her.

Still, I can’t help being sad.

We go back to the dormitory because we had class. My next period is a history of humans. It’s my last class of the day, and the only class that’s actually taught in our school. I just passed notes with my friends. It’s finally over and I decide to go look for Germia. I can’t find her, so I go to sleep.

Somebody’s shaking me. I pinch myself and it hurts. I wake up to find that it was all a dream.

CHAPTER 6

Germs

I smell something funny. I realize it’s a cavity on Abby’s tooth. And the cavity is my friend Germania. I wonder why she’s not gone.

She says, “Why did you sleep so late, silly?”

I realize that it must have been a dream.

CHAPTER 7

Cells

I am relieved to know that it was just a dream. I wake up for my first class of the day: Defense class. We go to the Mouth School of the germs and spy on them. After hearing some information, we go back to our school. The white blood cell teacher-ambassador is visiting our principal. I tell them the news, but they’re so shocked that they can’t tell it to our assembly. The news is: the germs will attack the brain. (Yet again!)

Goopy Dogs Save the Day!

Once, long ago, there was a smelly boy who wore rags. His name was Joe. He had five really gross and goopy dogs that ate bricks, but they had no teeth. They snored like zzzZZZzzz.. It was so loud. Last night, they snored the loudest they had ever done. It was like this. “ZZZZZ.” It was the loudest ever, it was crazy!!!

They were also detectives who made detective gear and weapons and vehicles. They were really good at it. Yesterday they made one called rocket 700. It will be launched into space tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. on July 4th. When it is still in Earth it will shoot fireworks of red white and blue. There will be astronauts inside. They will have a lot of shrink rays in their hands and they will shrink the moon.

When they are done, they will bring the moon back down to Earth at 10:00 p.m. They will show everybody the tiny moon. The rocket has 700 fire blastin’ rocket boosters that are so powerful. They were made they were made in a building that they randomly found that said something that they could not read. It was all smothered ink on the door it said: S e, then smothered, then r e, then smothered, then L b and that was all that was on the door. So then they went in.

It looked so creepy, it had spider webs with spiders on them. They put hi-tech metal underneath so it would be safe to build the rocket, or else the rocket boosters would burn the place down. Then, after the goopy dogs finished building, there was an evil villain named Emerald Enemy because he had a emerald sword. The place looked different, there were foot prints leading outside of the base. The door was pried open and there were more foot prints leading down to Joe’s house.

Only Joe was home, so he opened the door and he walked in with his electric sword and saw Joe playing video games on the Xbox 1. Joe heard someone come in, so he grabbed the remote as a weapon and turned around and said, “Take me on like a man!” Joe did not know it would be such a big and fierce bad guy! But Joe had a wooden sword in his room. He was scared of the bad guy, and he would break the remote if he used it. So he went to his room and grabbed the wooden sword. The bad guy lifted his emerald sword to kill Joe but then the goopy dogs jumped in and exploded the house. The good guys survived and Emerald Enemy died and the Rocket 700 shot off and was glorious! They brought the moon down to Earth. Everybody loved it! It had been a fun day!

The End!

Hamburgler

Ronald McDonald wanted all kids to have free burgers. He wanted kids to have a better life than him. He was going to rob the hamburger factory and steal the burger making machine so in his illegal burger factory he can make burgers for free and sell them to kids. Ronald McDonald was a prison escapee and he was already a fugitive. He wanted kids to like him, so that future grownups would like him. The way he would make kids like him is by giving kids free hamburgers.

So he immediately began creating a plan. The first step of his plan would be to go to the burger factory at night, make sure there was nobody inside, and if there was anybody inside he would make a distraction by breaking glass on one side of the factory while entering on the other side. Once he got inside and got near the burger machine, he would incapacitate whoever was inside the burger factory and carefully but quickly take the burger machine into his getaway car, and drive off into the night. When he was about to carry out his plan, he noticed one major flaw to his plan. There was an electric fence around the factory. So he arranged for one of his henchmen to steal a monster truck so he could drive over the electric fence. Then he put his plan in motion.

He drove over the electric fence hearing a scary noise that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. He scaled up to the roof and looked in through one of the windows. He saw two employees and one armed guard. He made a loud thump on the roof by dropping a brick from his hands onto the roof. Then he slid down to look at the window. He looked in the window and saw that the guard had stood in front of the burger making machine while the two employees started to turn on the security systems. While this was happening, he broke the glass and slid onto a catwalk in the factory on the catwalk was a insane hobo. But Rian was not important. From the catwalk he carefully dropped some tear gas through a vent. He knew he would go through all of the vents but he only needed to go through one, the one that was right behind the guard. He covered his nose and mouth and waited until the gas cleared.

He saw that the guard was still there but unconscious. He carefully tied up the guard and gagged him. Unluckily, he had used too much rope swinging down from the catwalk that he didn’t leave enough to tie his gag on, but that was good enough. He carefully placed him facedown. He grabbed the rope and hope he’d brought specifically for hooking onto the hamburger machine, ran outside, tied it to the monster truck, and drove off. Once he was about 100 feet away from the factory, he put it on the monster truck and kept on driving.

When he was back to his lair, he immediately tried to use the burger machine, but it turned out that it had to be connected to a certain WiFi source for it to actually work. He didn’t want to go back, so he fiddled around with it and tried to hack the system. After hours and hours of hopelessly hacking, he got to an almost. He almost figured out that it could be assigned to a network. He found that he’d have to move it around, so he’d have to connect it to a cellular network, but he couldn’t connect it to a cellular network because everything he used was being tracked, and he could only get old electronics.

So he went back to the factory and he looked in all the windows from all angles and saw that inside of it, there was the WiFi generator. So he quickly stole the terminal. He picked it up and ran all the way to his lair. He plugged in the WiFi. It worked. But then another problem was that you also needed to get the buns, the meat, the cheese, the tomato, and all the other toppings you would want.

So we went out on a trip. He rented a farm. He invested on getting lots of tomatoes and meat and everything, but using a fake identity, Hercules Achilles, with the farm. Finally, with all the materials, he rented a 24-wheeler and brought it back to his lair. At his lair he quickly tossed all of the materials in the back storage unit of the lair and he connected it with a pipe to the hamburger machine.

So he invited kids to a building he rented and he used another fake identity, Barney Music, and earned a lot of money giving kids free hamburgers. The parents don’t have to pay him, but they pay him because he’s feeding their kids for free.

Ronald felt like the president needed his burgers. So he started to make a plan to put a burger in the president’s office.His plan was to climb over the fence and peer into the oval office then, he would use the vents to get to the sewer and emerge on the street and drive away. So once he got to the white house he noticed one big flaw there was a taco fight. The ground looked like a dead fish carcass.

Ronald decided to use the sewer. He climbed into the sewer and looked for the pipe named economy, economy was the codename for the white house strangely there was an old pizza box. Ronald entered the vent system looking for the oval office. He was crawling through the vents on his belly pulling himself along with his elbows when he finally reached the oval office and saw a camera, he noticed that the was only one camera and it was only recording the balcony so he elbowed open the grate and placed the burger on the desk and placed a note on the desk with his calling information.

Suddenly the camera faced him and immediately an alarm went off. Secret service immediately blockaded all the doors with over flowing trash cans and started to yell, “Hands on the back of your head and face the wall.” He heard the men enter the office as quick as speeding car he rolled two smoke grenades and quickly but quietly jumped into the vent and escaped into the sewer from there he could sprint, he sprinted as fast as he could. Running all the way to the ladder to the surface. And drove off into the night.

GREEN EYES

GREEN EYES

Hazel eyes aren’t green eyes

A pinch of green is like a tiny morsel of salt, it won’t add to the flavor

Blue eyes with green tops are not included

Nor are color contacts

Usually aren’t gingers

Nine percent of people on this planet have green eyes

Those rare people are intellectual and kind

They are not mutants, they’re just eccentric, unlike people with blue or coffee eyes

Shrieking inside of them is the pain, trying to get out

But it doesn’t come out, ‘cause green eyed people don’t let it

They have a pure liquid of happiness in their necks, trying to parch their throat

Or their stomach trying to pull the strings too tight

But those green-eyed people don’t let it

I have green eyes

I’m a ginger

I’m not intellectual or kind usually

I’m simple

I have pain outside and inside

The pure liquid of happiness parches my throat

My stomach pulls my strings too tight

This all leads me to thinking that I’m not special, I’m just a lost person wisping away in the wind

 

RAT OF THE SUBWAY

I go down the trashy locked staircase every day, where no one has gone for years except for me

I open the door and stumble to the train tracks

Hop over the third rail, something to always remember

Walk ten steps, then I’m safe

Open up the rusty door of the room where you change the tracks

Watch the litter of kittens on track three

Look at the train on track four that’s supposed to go on to track three

Change it

I might’ve lied before, I’m not kind towards people, you don’t have to be kind to people

But you do have to be kind to animals, because they’ve never done anything wrong, and I’m kind towards animals

I realized this when my dad dropped me off at the bookstore and never came back

He did something ungrateful and wrong and that’s why he left me there, so I could lead a better life

The only thing he did wrong to me was to leave me with nobody Other than a grumpy bookstore clerk

 

SAGE

My name is Sabrina Alex Gimry Elworth

If I knew anyone they would call me Sage, not Sabrina

Nobody calls me anything because nobody really wants anything to do with a little girl wandering around by herself

They’re all worried that if they try to help the little girl the parent is going to come and be afraid that they’re going to kidnap her

There is nobody to help me if somebody does kidnap me, except for police

I know you’re probably not going to want to read anymore of this story, because you probably think it’s too sad, but trust me it gets happy

The story of Sabrina is sad, but the story of Sage is happy

 

KIKI

Caramel is a coat of fur that I love, that’s why, when I was little, I was depressed that we got a black cat

I named Kiki after Kiki’s Delivery Service; I used to love those movies

But Kiki is a good cat, always cleans herself, takes care of herself, and is loving

She has black fur on her back, a coat of white fur on her belly, and silver clean white paws

She goes out without me a lot, looking around for food, I don’t care about this because she always comes back

One thing I learned through Kiki is that appearance doesn’t really matter whatsoever, it’s what you do that counts, and Kiki might not look so good, but she is loving

 

TODAY

Today was a generally good day

Actually today was a very good day

I went on the streets asking for money with a sign that said, “MY KITTY, MY FATHER, AND I ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE, PLEASE HELP” (which the part about the father is obviously a lie)

A woman who passes by every day and gives me money says to me today, “Here’s some lunch,” while passing me a thing that looks like a tv dinner but fancier

“Is it poisoned?” I asked.

“No silly, it isn’t poisoned,” she said.

Later that day I opened it

It had chinese sesame chicken, rice, blueberries, and pickles

I dug in, leaving nothing on the plate

 

THE SUN

The sun blanketed me when I woke up in my little apartment in Red Hook

I shoved the cockroaches with my foot and they scurried away under the floorboards

I looked out at the sun

It was flaming hot and looked very orange

The sun is a star and when stars are old they turn orange and start to fade away

The sun will fade away soon

Like this dream in the morning

 

DREAM

I woke up, relieved by not being in my uneasy sleep anymore

I felt a swarm of thoughts buzzing about in the crust of my mind, they all were my dream oriented

I looked in the mirror and realized that I was never Sabrina, I was always Sage

I heard my father calling to me from down the hall, while Kiki stretched out on my blanket covered legs

Strained inside myself I realize that I am real, not in a dream

I wish the dream I just had was a lucid dream so that I wasn’t so scared

But dreams are dreams and people are people and I am not a person who is lost, wisping away in the wind

I am just flowing with the wind

And I am the green-eyed girl  

Going Up To The Bigs

 

Chapter 1: Starting Baseball

Someone yelling “Home run!” outside his window woke him up at 6:30 in the morning. People were playing stickball, same thing as baseball.

“Lucas,” called his mom.

“What?” Lucas ran down the stairs thinking of what his mom was going to say.

“We are going shopping at Target soon,” his mom said. So Lucas had some breakfast, and off to Target they were.

When they were there, Lucas wanted a wiffle ball bat and a wiffle ball.

“Where are you going to play, since we live in the city?” asked his mom.                               

“Please,” said Lucas.

“Fine,” said his mother, “but that’s all you are getting.”

“You are the best mom ever!”

“I know.”

So right when they got home, around 10:00 a.m., Lucas started playing wiffle ball in the street with a couple of friends.

He did pretty well for his first time. Even though he had never played baseball before, he always knew he would like it. He went 2-4 with one double and one triple. He also got two strikeouts. He played stickball or wiffle ball almost every day now. He was always the first batter.

Then, his mom put him on a team. Lucas was really excited! He was 9 and he was playing with 12-year-olds. He was on the Brooklyn Stingers. His first game was on Saturday. They had practice on Thursday and Coach Garret told him he was batting first. When the game began at 7:00, the lights were shining, and he was surrounded by people with their eyes peeled on him. Lucas was batting and in front of 1,000 people. Lucas, stepping up to the plate with goosebumps, was as scared as if a monster was creeping up on him and almost killed him. Lucas got in his batting stance and took the first pitch. It was almost 80 mph!

The next pitch Lucas swung and CRACK Lucas hit a double down the line. Everyone was cheering for him. His coach was screaming, “That a boy, Lucas, that a boy, Lucas.” Lucas was pumped up. The next batter hit a single and Lucas was so fast he beat the throw home and they were already winning 1-zip.

Lucas got a strikeout next, but then, his third time at bat he hit a grand slam! He hit the ball 250 feet! Everybody in the stands had their jaws open.

They won the game 6-1 and Lucas was the MVP. Lucas was very happy about his first game.

Chapter 2: Getting Older and Better

Lucas’s birthday was in a week and he was turning 10! His birthday party was in two days and Lucas was really excited. They were going to play video games at Lucas’s party, but they switched it to playing baseball because Lucas started playing baseball.

Lucas had another baseball game tomorrow and he was ready for anything. But when he was in bed, he had a bad dream that he would get hit and break his leg, and when he woke up after that, he couldn’t sleep. When he was at his game, he hit 1-5 because he was scared he would get hit by a pitch.

After the game, Coach asked him, “What happened today?”

“I was just scared I’d get hit. My body was just scared.”

Coach answered, “If you get hit, it won’t hurt.” That made Lucas feel less scared.

His birthday party was later that day and Lucas was so excited. It started at 3:00 and ended at 7:00. They were going to have a five-foot-high cake! Lucas was looking at the time every minute, and he wanted his friends to come this second.

Lucas invited nine people so they could play a five on five matchup. When all his friends came, they were having fun playing a baseball game, and then Lucas’s dad yelled, “Someone is here for you.”

They walked over slowly and sadly, and then they saw Derek Jeter and perked up with their jaws opened.

“Hi guys,” Derek said. They were all too amazed to talk. Lucas finally said, “Can you play baseball with us?”

“Sure,” answered Derek.

Lucas’s team got Derek and the other team got two players from their team.

Lucas’s team creamed his friend’s team 21-4. Lucas went 10-10 and after the game they dunked one gallon of gatorade on Lucas and even got season tickets for the Yankees.

Chapter 3: Baseball Baseball Baseball

Lucas played baseball all day in the summer and went to Yankees games almost every day. When school started, he couldn’t go to as many games. His mom said two times during the week and two times during the weekend.

Lucas had a game the next day and hit 4-5. He got one triple, two singles, and a grand slam!

He had the best average on the team and he had the most homers on the team. His average was 555 and he had two homers! Then the next day he went to a baseball game and the Yankees lost. The good part was that he was right field and he was in the first row.

In his mind, he was saying that this was the going to be the best week of his life. The next day, he was just hanging out and played video games, played stickball, slept late.

But when he played stickball, he was running and slipped, and it looked like he was dead but wasn’t. One second, he was playing stickball the next he was in the hospital. In the hospital, he was thinking about what he said last night. He said in his mind that it was the best week of his life, but he took that back. Now he was in a cast for six weeks.

He was thinking of how boring it’ll be sitting around all day doing boring stuff, then BINGO he could go to the Yankees game. In his mind, he was actually excited to go to Yankees games every day.

He was even more excited because Yankees were doing well this season. They were in first place with a 61-49 record. The Yankees were playing the Indians and the Indians were bad this year so the Yankees did have a good chance of winning so Lucas was super duper excited! They went to the game and the Yankees won 5-2. The next day, Alex Rodriguez was up and he hit the ball right to Lucas. He stuck his mitt out and felt something plop in his mitt.

He looked in his mitt, and it was a nice shiny ball. Lucas had caught a ball, his dad cheering, “My kid caught a ball, my kid caught a ball.”

He was on the jumbo screen. Lucas was so happy he was crying.

After the game Alex Rodriguez came up to him and said, “Want to hang out in the dugout together?”

“Sure.”

That’s how their relationship started. His mom and Alex got in touch, and Alex started babysitting Lucas about once a week.

Chapter 4: Boring School Starting

Lucas’s school was starting in three days. Lucas was not that excited because he was going into 4th grade and all they do is work, work, and more work. The worst part is that Lucas got Mrs. Harvin, who is the worst teacher ever.

Even if you pass a test– “Lucas,” yelled his mother.

“What?” answered Lucas.

“Get dressed for baseball.”

Lucas finally had his cast off so he could play.

Never mind school, off to baseball. At the game, they let Lucas be the starter pitcher. Lucas pitched 7.1. He let up one run and they won the game 5-2 because the relief pitcher let up one run. Lucas was the MVP again.

Lucas’s coach said they would have to go to Staten Island for their next game. Coach Garrett secretly told Lucas that he was the best player on the team.

Lucas really already knew, but it was nice that his coach was actually saying it.

When he came back to his house, he had a playdate with his friend Robbie. Robbie was also very good at baseball. Robbie was 14, but Lucas was still better than him.

After the playdate, he went to sleep and then he went to school. Mrs. Harvin was always nice the first day, but then the next day, it was like magic. She got mean.

The second day of school, she gave them tests and all that boring stuff. Even if you passed a test, she yelled at you. It’s like she was a bully and she was a teacher. The only good thing about her was that she rarely let them get extra recess. At least she even let them have extra recess.

She seemed like a friendly teacher, but she was the exact opposite.

After school, he went to his baseball game. His team lost 12-10. Lucas did his part because he went 5-5. All his hits were doubles. There record was 3-1 and they were in first place in their division.

The next day, they took a 100-page test and she yelled at Lucas for getting a 99/100. “Stupid, right.” The next day the principal fired Mrs. Harvin because she saw her yelling at everyone!!!

“Hip hip, hurray,” everyone yelled. Their substitute teacher let them have a dance party. Everyone had the best day ever.

Chapter 5: Fun Fun Fun

Everything in Lucas’s life was fun. Baseball, school, and everything else you can think of. In baseball, they were in the World Series, and in school, they didn’t do any work. Lucas was turning 11 next month!

Who wouldn’t like Lucas’s life right now? When Lucas’s birthday came next month, he was going to play with a hard ball. They were going to play at Pro Swing. Lucas just loved his life so much.

When his team was in the World Series, Lucas got the walk-off hit and his team won 7-6. Lucas went 4-5 with three homers. He was totally the MVP.

Lucas was so good he played with high school kids. Lucas’s birthday was the best! He hit 7-7 and hit four homers.

His mother said, “When you get to be 14 I’ll put you in college.” If he could do that, it would be amazing. He would be famous!

Everybody followed Lucas everywhere. He knew how major leaguers felt now.

“Lucas! Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!” It was getting really annoying now.

Chapter 6: College to the Majors

When Lucas turned 14, he went to Duke University and he did phenomenally.

The Duke baseball coach said, “You are so good you could be called up any time. While you’re on our team, try your best and we’ll put you first in the batting order every time.”

Lucas did so well that he couldn’t go to school, so at college he went to someone who taught his grade. Lucas played outfield and the Yankees needed an outfielder. So it was perfect timing, but manager Joe Girardi thought he should stay in college one more month and in that month he hit 950. That was the best average ever in one month and in the draft the Yankees selected Lucas Griench from Duke University. Lucas was so excited to be in the majors with his favorite team.

Going Free

Prologue

(September 1934)

 

I remember. The shouts and yells as we were ushered into the trucks. A man waited with a needle by our truck. Already busy tattooing numbers on the arms of my fellow refugees. The thrum as we packed into the filthy dirty noisy truck like a bunch of pigs, and the open engine making it impossible for anyone to rest. “I want to be free,” I told my mother, and she said, “Time, Jonah, time. Life goes on, and we must follow.”

 

Chapter one: Life ever goes on

(October 1942)

 

It was eight years to that fateful day,  three years before the end of the war, and still as ever I yearned to be free. It was around sundown, and I had returned from hard work, digging trenches for cisterns down the road. I had been on my feet for twelve hours. My body protested. The food here was little more than a scrap of bread that has been nibbled upon and encrusted completely with mold. It tasted awful. As the soldiers briskly walked through the alleyways of the camp, yelling “Nahaufnahme! Standbildaufnahme!” I had been here long enough to know what that meant. “Close up! Lock down!” and every night after evening bell, I remembered my mother’s words to me. Since that fateful moment on the truck, she was transferred to Bergen Belsen. But I remember her words well. Life ever does go on. And that is true even now, because even in the tyranny of the Germans, a boy still grows to become a man.

 

Chapter Two: Dog Days

(October 1942-June 1943)

 

Every day was the same. Every month was the same. Every year was the same. We would rise at around 04:12. We would have a quick breakfast of moldy strawberries and sour orange juice. There was spoiled milk if we wanted it. We were only allowed to spend ten minutes each at the breakfast table. Then we would travel back to the dorms for cold showers. Each person was only allowed 60 seconds under ice cold water. You got five minutes under lukewarm if you pleased the warden. Then it would be off to our backbreaking work. There we would be forced to dig trenches all day, or wade through patches of stinging nettles, and every chance I got I stared at the sky and thought about just how much I wanted to be free. But my mother’s words sustained me. After backbreaking work, all through the day, we were called to return to the meal hall. But before we could eat, we were required to line up. And then the warden decided who would never see the sunlight, but just clouds of red gas. Then it was time. At around 12 hours after we got up, the soldiers shoved us back into our bunks, and once again yelled the ever persistent phrase. “Nahaufnahme! Standbildaufnahme!” There was a buzz and suddenly everything was dark and we found ourselves unable to open the doors or windows, as it was every night. And that was the day, and I didn’t know it then, but salvation was on its way.

 

Chapter Three: New Arrivals

(June 26 1943)

 

That afternoon, we had a very very rare occasion: lunch. Soon we all discovered why. A thrumming could be heard, and the military caravan drove in.  There were trucks and soldiers in blue uniforms, motorcycles with sidecars and jeeps with officers. The caravan stopped and soldiers jumped down from the tailgates of transports, undoing the canvas on the back of the trucks. I heard a few wild yells as berserking prisoners tried to make a break through the now-open gates and into the yard, but there was much gunfire and when the smoke cleared all you could see was bodies twisted in astute and odd directions and positions. Yet another reminder to people already in the camp. Try to escape, and  the guards would shoot first and ask questions later. Startled, the rest of the new arrivals fell into long lines and obeyed the sergeant’s command. “Marsch!” One or two, however, did not look like the rest of the pack, and the sunlight gleamed on something metal that they had. We knew that something was amiss when we saw that glint of metal.

 

In the evening, they called us to the common room of our bunk, saying, “Brothers! We will meet tonight after the lockdown. For the Germans are fools. They don’t do anything once the lockdown has been settled. Except there are no lights and no people entering or exiting. So we may have a secret meeting after dark.” I was very very excited. When darkness came I was one of the first people in the room. Already in the room were the three people that we had seen coming off the trucks that afternoon, they said, “Welcome, brother! Welcome! We are of the Jewish Society, of the city of Boden. There, Jews are safe. We wish to aid you in escaping. We have been hired by the Swedish government to get ourselves captured so we can help you escape. But before we get into all of that, we have a present for you.” And he produced some of the most unlikely things possible: a metal box full of pistols. I gasped, along with my fellow captives. He said, “Now which of you here are trained infantry?” About twenty people raised their hands. “Alright then,” he said. “Come up one at a time to get your weapons. Do not fire them for we only have limited ammunition.” And so the line progressed along. “Conceal these well. If you do not, you will be killed. Now, brothers. In a few days we will work out our plan. Good luck to everyone.” And that was the start of salvation.

 

Chapter Four: The Plan

(July 21 1943)

 

Three weeks later….

The new arrivals had become accustomed to camp life. And now, they had let the word out that it was time to convene, come up with a plan and get out of this slum. So that day, we broke our backs and cut our hands and strained the muscles in our our legs. But we did all of this happily because we knew that soon we would start our plan to escape. That night was both a happy night and a sad night. The sad part: Lieutenant Captain Mark Smith was gassed at around 8. The happy part: it was time for us to begin our escape at last. We all rushed back to our bunk. We were happy all through lockdown. Then it was time. When the two men from the Jewish Society entered the room, they said, “Davidson, you still got your pistol?” “Yep,” he said. “What about you, Jacobean?” “Yep!” And so the process continued. The man finally said, “Alright. Everyone has checked in. So we may begin. We can give you a few ideas on what has worked in other camps. But overall you are the people who know this camp best. You are the ones who’ll be the base of the plan. One of the things that worked a lot is having someone hide out with a pistol in one of the bunks and fire off a shot, causing the guards to run over there. He can kill a guard or two. That way more guards will have to come through and divert their attention from the posts on the exit. All in favor of that plan?” About half of the people said “yes” and half of the people said “no.” The people who said “no” offered to dig tunnels. And the Swedish sergeant said, “Alright then. It is decided. Now for your jobs. Mister Steel, you will work on acquiring supplies. Mister Manning, you will be the engineer, working out safety for the tunnels and the rail lines that we will build inside. Mister Shire, you will work on forging passes for us to get out of the country to Sweden. We have a network in case the plan fails, but if all goes well the plan will work out.” Then he said, “The rest of you: you are guards. you will take your pistol and guard our operation, injuring and even killing soldiers if need be. Oh, and by the way, Mister George, you will be the persuader. You will work to curry favor in the German ranks and use them as supply links. Any amendments?”

After three hours, the plan was decided. Everything would go as originally said, except for the fact that the Swedes would be leading two “divisions” each of the divisions would have workers that worked on things the Swedish officer was skilled at. It was almost time to implement the plan. But there was one more very important part. That was the secrecy swearing. Everyone had to be sworn to secrecy and promise that they would not reveal the plan and also aid the plan wherever it took them. Once this was complete, the two Swedes said, “It’s almost midnight. You get some rest or you will only have four hours and twelve minutes to sleep. Go now.”

 

Chapter Five: Implementation

(July 22 to Midnight July 23 1943)

 

In the morning, I walked off to my position as a guard. I was assigned to the forgers. I concealed my pistol carefully underneath several layers of the thin papery bedsheets. We had arranged to that some of the Swedes were now guards, stationed strategically at the frisking point leading to the work areas. They deliberately ignored bedsheet-wrapped bundles in our orange belts. We exited out of the camp inner sanctum walls, to the work areas in the outer ring. My job today would be to enter the office and make sure that the forgers were not discovered. I scurried along to the door and I sat down to wait.

BOOM. “Herauskommen! Hände über dem Kopf! Fallen keine Waffen auf dem Boden!” Two German soldiers raised their rifles and prepared to fire. A third ran forward with handcuffs and so I stepped out with my hands above my head and my glinting pistol lying on the ground. One of the soldiers called the sergeant over and abruptly the sergeant yelled, “Isolation. Zehn Tage. Jetzt. Wärter!” So two guards came with handcuffs and marched me off to the Isolation chamber. They locked the doors and said, “You won’t get any food for two weeks. Sergeant’s orders. Goodnight!” The door slammed shut with such force that it caused the entire wooden shed to vibrate.

The head of the theft and forgery division said, “Where’s Mathewson?! He’s needed to be a forge guard and he hasn’t shown up since the morning!” “Sir, he’s in the isolation chamber,” came the sad reply. “Alright then. We must do it now! Quickly, notify all people to proceed to hiding place one.” Then everyone was running towards an insignificant little shed that the guards had always presumed to be an outhouse down by the edge of the camp. Not wanting anyone to escape, all waste was placed in the holding tanks so that no one could possibly escape by sewer. But they had deliberately kept the tanks clean. So they stood inside the toilet and climbed down. Inside of the septic tank, instead of human waste it was like a small apartment. There were canned foods lining the walls and a modestly sized radio transceiver. One of the Swedes stepped up to the transceiver. He pressed a button and after around 30 seconds something flashed orange and a crackly voice came through with a bit of an accent. “Welcome to the Swedish Intelligence Office. This is the Center for Radio Control. How may I help you?” “This is Operative 1313978A. We require assistance on the mission. This radio may be monitored, so we can’t say much. But we require extra agents and perhaps a government supervisor.” “Alright. That can be arranged,” was the reply. The new agents will arrive by sundown tomorrow. I wish you luck and hope it works out. Goodbye.” And the radio fizzled out. “Alright,” said the Swedish supervisor already there. “Our first step is to rescue Jonah from isolation. “Let’s do it, then!” said one of the guards. And so they set off.

 

Chapter Six: Rescue

Midnight July 23 1943

 

It was now dark. Someone had picked the lock on the front door. During midnight blackout, there were no guards on duty, so they passed the isolation building in the far left corner unnoticed. The isolation building was surrounded by a tall wire fence.  “Alright,” one of them whispered quietly.  “Since there are no guards on duty, there’s no one to open the skeleton gate leading to the isolation room.  We’re going to have to cut our way through.”  “Supplies.  Have you managed to acquire any wire cutters?”  

“Yes,” someone replied.  

“Great.  Lets go.”  So they cut through the wire and snuck along in the darkness to the door.  “Lockpick” was the whispered command.  And so the lock was picked and they entered.  

There was a bolt on Jonah’s door, but we opened it with ease.  Inside, Jonah jumped up and said “You came to rescue me!”  

“Of course!” said the Swedish agent.  “Now lets get out of here, it’s almost midnight.”  So they ran back to the bunk and were inside with the door locked by 11:59.  “Phew, that was close,” one of them said.  “Now make it look as if you were sleeping.”  So they did.

 

Chapter Seven: Two Turnings of Tides

October 1943

 

Sunset the next day… we heard the roar of a plane.  The German guards look up and just figured it was a military plane departing from the nearby airbase.  

The two Swedish operatives are down in the septic tank base.  The radio crackles to life.  “This is the Swedish field service.  We are progressing towards your location.  Please provide a means of entry,” I heard a squawking voice on the other end of the line.  “Right,” was the reply.  “Guards, see to it that the gate is unlocked and open for the operatives to arrive.”  Once again I addressed the person on the other side of the radio.  “We only have another half hour before the German guards come back on duty.  You better be quick.”  “Of course,” said this squawking voice.  “Signing off.”

There was suddenly a light outside of the gate, and the soft patter of wilderness uniform boots on the hard packed dirt outside the compound.  They saw the Swedish operatives run in.  I jumped with joy.  Reinforcements!  The tide was finally ready to be turned.  

“Lets all go to sleep now, we have a long day ahead of us.  It’s one step closer to freedom!”  

In the morning, something quite unusual happened.  We were roused at our normal time, but besides the usual breakfast hubbub, there were many more soldiers marching about than usual.  One German sergeant shouted, “Inspektion! Aufstellung!”

I grimaced as we lined up. SO this was another of those dreaded inspections. Most of these inspections ended with half of the camp going away to the gas chambers. I gasped as I realized they were doing this inspection because they heard the operatives coming in last night. Their safety is in jeopardy. As one soldier passed me, I tried to appear rigid, my face not worried. Soon one of the Swedish intelligence officers was wrestled out of the crowd by two German soldiers who put them in handcuffs. He was pushed up against the wire fence behind a line of soldiers. Soon another one came out of the crowd, then another, then another, then soon all the Swedish operatives, our only hope for freedom, were picked out by the Germans.  They formed quite a sizable number, the total of them.

One of the Germans barked, “Why have you got a bulging spine?”

“Because I’ve got THIS” said the Swedish operative, and he pulled out and automatic rifle, shooting down three German Soldiers in rapid succession.

The guards brought their weapons to bear quickly and fired upon them. A fierce gun battle ensued, the guards, me included, went into this sort of protect-the-leader rage and all pulled out pistols. More and more guards came and soon we were outnumbered, still fighting. We weren’t defeated yet and we wanted the Germans to know that. Soon one of our members, Jacobean fell to the unending barrage of machine gunfire. The other agents all pulled out automatic machine gun rifles from their shirts too and soon it became a scene of mass carnage, more and more German soldiers and more and more operative streamed through the camp. The time for secrecy was over. We would probably all be executed in a few days, but at that time we didn’t care, I didn’t care, my friends didn’t care. We were fighting for freedom and that’s all that mattered.We had killed three German guards by now and wounded 7 more but we were still outnumbered. However, the Swedish operatives were more skilled than the standard German infantry and the Swedish operatives had a kill rate of around 20 to 1. However, the Germans had the advantage of numbers on their side and soon it almost swarmed us over. We retreated back to the septic tank. They all jumped into the toilet and closed the lid. With a bang, German soldiers ran toward the outhouse. Everywhere was a tumultuous smoke of gunfire as the operatives made their retreat. There was angry yelling and I could tell that the commander was angry. Suddenly I heard a whirring, grinding noise and I saw a tank. I couldn’t believe it, I yelled to my comrades to take shelter. We dived to the bottom of the tank, covering our ears. There was a sonic BOOM and the tank shell ripped through the ceiling. Suddenly, all around me, metal was twisting and groaning. Smoke was billowing. I could hear the screams of my friends trapped under the masses of mangled metal. We had the get out of here but how? There was a tank and 5000 german soldiers on the surface, what were we supposed to do. Suddenly, I heard a wailing.

Oh no, not an air raid! If there was an air raid on top of what we were already facing then we would all probably die. I said my final prayers, cried for my mother for a moment, and then steeled.

I could hear a faint and distant whistling. The sirens, the screams, the shouts, all drew distant as my world faded to black.

When I woke up I was in a dark room covered with a soiled white sheet which stank of human body byproducts. I groaned and rolled over. So I wasn’t dead, but I would still be forced to live on in torture forever. My head felt heavy and I stared up at the lamp hanging above my head. Goodbye, I told the world, goodbye.

And I slept.  

 

Chapter 8: Air Raids

November 19-November 26 1943

 

In the morning I woke up and there was a soldier beside my bed. He spoke to the white clothed doctor beside him. “Ist er tot?” “Nein.” a voice replied out of the darkness.

Hazily, I understood. They were discussing whether I was dead. It appears that they had come to the conclusion that I had not, which was true of course, but I had no idea why in the world I was alive.

There was more talk, “Sollen wir ihn wieder an die Arbeit?”

A reply came out of the darkness.

“Geben ihm drei Stunden und weisen Sie dann ihn bis zu einem gewissen geringeren Innen Pflicht. Persönlich ist mir egal, wenn er stirbt, und weder sollten Sie.”

Now I understood. They were going to send me back to work, even in my poor condition. They really didn’t care about people’s lives here and I doubted they ever would. So, and hour passed and then I was put to the work of peeling and chopping potatoes for the evening mess. The potatoes were the least meaty of the crop, just enough to keep someone alive, and covered with mold and gone bad. Our job was to scrape the mold off and then peel the potato, placing them in the pot for cooking. We were not allowed near scalding hot water lest we use it as a weapon against the guards. I sprained at least three fingers in the course of doing this, got whipped by a German soldier once, and shocked in the leg by another. After a hellish six hours, that backbreaking, unbearably painful work was finally done. I sighed. They said, “normally you wouldn’t get dinner, but we need to keep you alive to break your back.”

I’m kidding, they didn’t actually say that, but it sure sounded like that.

I dejectedly picked at my moldy peas which looked wilted and were bitter. They made us eat raw pork here so I had several cases of tapeworms already. Then the air raids happened. We all ran out of the building and cheered as several allied aircrafts raced overhead, bombing the massive camp. There was a radio signal picked up by the radio in the septic tank saying ‘We are raiding the camp, , hide in the potato warehouse, that is the one place we are not bombing. That way you can survive for liberation. Quickly now!”

We all rushed happily yet sadly to the potato warehouse, barricading ourselves inside. Several German soldiers charged in and held us at gunpoint, every one of us. They said into our radio that if the air raid didn’t stop they would slaughter every one of us, so the air raid had no choice but to be stopped, as advent as we were about bringing death to the German forces. The German soldiers released us quickly, shoving us into one another, marching us out of the warehouse into the gas chambers.

 

Chapter 9: Survival

Noon November 27 1943

 

As we entered into the gas chamber, which, of course, they did not expect us to know it was a gas chamber, there was a small window. As we entered the ‘baths’ as they called them. A little girl whined. “I’m suffocating, mama,” she said, “Will you tell the man to open a window?”

I wanted to laugh and say, “ha, to have you suffocate is the idea!” But I refrained.

It seems that the Germans were not yet ready to reveal the true purpose so they said, “Alright, one window may be open for five minutes.”

And that is how we survived. I returned to the bunk in high fervor, excited about surviving the gas chambers. The Swedish agents had reconvened yet again, brought in more agents and better manpower, spun captivating capture stories that the Germans believed to be in every way true. This time, they brought in an automatic rifle for each guard and told them to conceal it in an inner pocket of their pants.

“Now for the second plan,” the new Swedish head of operations said. “We have a better plan now and automatic rifles to help us along. WE shall do the same as before except that now all guards will be equipped with forged ‘warden’s pardons’ which will allow them to be about in the camp without supervision from soldiers. Then we will be protected from isolation and other forms of torture that the Germans may subject us to. Now onto the second phase of the plan. We’ve got Swedish operatives posing as German soldiers and actually officers in the German high command that will attempt to work on giving you as much leeway as possible. Of this, Hitler will not and must not know. For freedom!

There was a rising responding call.

“For freedom!”

The officer told us to get some sleep and then we did.

 

Chapter 10: Implementation ii

November 27-November 30 1943

 

We had a plan. We would pose as prisoners transferring to a different camp and board military trucks that were manned by the Swedish operatives posing as German soldiers. When we got in, we would make for the boarder of Germany and freedom in Sweden. This way we didn’t have to focus on forging and we had one less thing to do but we would escape they assured us.

Time to go, work on reacquiring supplies and escape this hellhole once and for all!

We all went about our jobs. The old persuader worked to get the prisoner transferred orders. We all worked hard to seem as innocent as we could, and the Germans seemed happy that for once, we were acting as dejected hopeless Jews instead of budding revolutionaries. Time went on, but we endured the cruel tortures happily, knowing that freedom was on the horizon.

 

Chapter 11 – War, Bad News and a Spark of Hope Extinguished

February 1945

Somebody had stolen a newspaper from one of the guards and the news that it carried was not good.

 

Schweden ausgesetzt!

In den Nachrichten an diesem Morgen, ist eine atemberaubende Durchbruch. Es wurde festgestellt, dass die schwedische Betrieb sind pro-jüdische Zellen, die Juden zu befreien, so dass sie uns helfen kann zu zerstören. Entlang von diesem, hat Ihr Anführer und Beschützer Schweden den Krieg erklärt. er schwört, dass wir werden nicht aufhören, bis wir erbärmlich Schweden in unserem Kielwasser zerdrückt. Lange kann das deutsche Vaterland und die arische Rasse zu leben.

 

In my later years, I have found time to translate this news article and it may be found in the Annex materials section. However, we have no time to read that now, so heres the basic content. The Germans have discovered the Swedish intent, and intend to declare war upon them so we cannot be free. I go back to my work saddened by this prospect, but the Swedish operatives are telling us that they will continue to aid us at all costs. This cheers me a little, but not much. They say we must go on with our plan, but after reading the article some of my brothers have abandoned the attempt. I, however, and most of my friends have not. ¨The plan must continue,” we say. For those of us who are not abandoning the plan, we are close to salvation but yet another setback occurs and we are yet again set back.

It was morning time. The Swedish operatives came out of the shelter looking dejected. One of them sighed and proceeded to tell us ”Because of the war, our superiors demand that we pull out and aid them in the war and aid them in the defense of our country. We will not be doing any offensive campaigning because that would result in the loss of too many lives unless there is a breach in the German defenses which we will fully utilize. I will not see you for a long time and I hope we meet again on free ground, my brothers. Now, I must leave.” So he went to the car where the two German soldiers were waiting for them. ”Me and my remaining comrades did something bad so they would transfer us between camps aboard a truck. A Swedish plane will raid the truck and pull us out so that we can go home.” All of the people of the camp were sad as the agents car drove away. Some cried. Some fainted. Others attempted to throw themselves at the door to the gas chamber. I myself sighed and fell on the spot. The blissful blackness of the dirt encasing me…

I woke up again in that same bed of the same building I had been in before. Once again, the familiar conversation, ”Ist er tot?” ”Nein.” ”Sollen wir ihn wieder an die Arbeit?”, ”Geben ihm drei Stunden und weisen Sie dann ihn bis zu einem gewissen geringeren Innen Pflicht. Persönlich ist mir egal, wenn er stirbt, und weder sollten Sie.” Three hours later, as normal, I was put back to work. Time flowed by unendingly. There was no hope now. Sweden was gone. There was not now but oppression. No hope. Nobody. No nothing. Just war. War and death. I fought to keep myself alive. Now there was nothing. The air raids had been forced to stop. No salvation. War. I prayed to Adonai hoping for something better and it turned out that God didn’t wish for me to die today. There would be another attempt. Soon, that attempt presented itself…

 

Chapter 12 – Freedom Eludes Us Again

April to early May 1945

 

Soon, that other opportunity presented itself. Into the camp, two Jews, who had been escape artists in the circus, they promised that they might be able to save us and our beliefs. We gave them the wire cutters that weeks ago (it seemed like years now) supplied the escape effort. On June 22, 1939, it was scheduled to happen. We would break free at all costs. We swore, saying we would come out of battle free or dead. That was the rekindling of the spark of hope. The next day was that fated day; it was June 22. Morning rose quietly but trembling with anticipation. It was time for the escape. The artists met at the appointed hour in Bunk 6. It was time. Blackout had come and gone. The final planning was over. We went together to the gate. “Hey!” I yelled. “Aufhalten!” he replied, “Stop, stop now! Succumb, I order you!” I pulled out a rifle I had saved for the last uprising. I fired. The guard fell. Wild yells penetrated the air around me. Yells of anguish and happiness as more people charged forward. They ran. The rest of the guards held them to the choking point. I, however, as one of them was able to divert the attention from the real escape. The artists dived out from behind cover. They snuck to a point about 780 feet west of the nearest guard tower. One of them pulled the wire cutters from their pants. They attempted to make a step to make a hole. The time left of the diversion was running out. The main body was rapidly being overwhelmed by the guards. I ran to the front and, shooting down one guard, narrowly missed three more shots fired by another. I ran for it. Diving behind cover when I could, I charged one of the towers. Three people backed me and together we were able to defeat the guard. They were almost through. We had to give them five more seconds. “Five! Just five!” I told myself.

I hurried to fire a few more shots. Another one of our friends fell to the guard. Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Boom!!

It was over. We had failed. I saw the artist lying dead on the ground by the wire. There was blood but the ground was rapidly soaking. There were yells and dejectedly we once again dropped our rifles. Some fell from exhaustion just then. I slumped over. We had been foiled. Escape was now a long way away. The guards handcuffed us. We were sent back to the gas chambers which, thankfully, we once again survived. This time they did not hesitate to inject the gas to the chamber. Each of us, however, had nose clips stowed in our outer pockets. I clipped my nose clip over my nose and whipped out a pair of goggles. These I placed over my head. I also had a rubber mask. I placed that on as did most of my friends. We let the red gas wash over us. Then there was just darkness. 23 seconds later it was over. All over. The gas had dissipated. Assuming of course that we were all dead. We did our best to appear so and whipped off our nose clips and eye masks and lay down on the floor, splayed out as if dead. They came and carried us away and placed us in the ‘Tomb of Auschwitz.’ There they left us. Suffocating in the brittle air, we struggled to survive. Day by day we crawled to the door, struggling for breath. As quietly as we could we exposed and activated the trigger for the vile of gas that we had procured. We debated, whispering quietly among ourselves, “Should we kill the Germans? It’s the only way to be free. But do we want to take anyone’s lives in the quest to be free? But it’s the only way to be free!”

Then we were at the door. We climbed out. We were free. However, a steady guard of Germans had been placed at the entrance to the Tomb of Auschwitz because they had known that one of us would probably play a trick like this eventually.  Now our trouble was getting past the German guards. WE didn’t want to have to do this but we had captured a vial of Zyklon B. This we threw at the guards and that was how we got out of the tomb. It was very very hard for me to throw the canister. I didn’t want to kill anyone in the quest for freedom but if it had to be done, it had to be done. So we got out and prepared to escape.

 

Chapter 13: Victory and Tipping Points

May 7th 1945

 

But then we heard a heated discussion between four German officers.

“We have surrendered to the Allies but should we tell the prisoners now or later? Should we let them be free now?”

“Tell them now, we have surrendered and if we do not free them now the allies may kill us” another soldier retorted.

We began to chatter excitedly among ourselves.

“Let’s go back to the camp so we can receive British aid.”

An so that’s what we did!

That was it. Salvation was here. Trucks drove in but this time they weren’t German trucks. They were Allied trucks. A soldier stepped up to me and said, “Hey, do you speak English?”

“Yes,” I replied calmly.

“Please get aboard the truck now then, we will take you to the airport at Trier. From there we will fly you to the British constituate in Spain. From here you can do whatever you wish. You deserve to be free, you have been through a lot. I myself am of your brethren and I commend you for what you have done and the people you have lost. Get aboard the truck now.”

And so I got aboard the bus. We left the camp behind. It was now covered in a grey film of dust. During the Allied occupation of Germany the camp was used as a training site for Allied bombers. Some buildings were tossed aside and the gas chambers were the first to be bombed.

 

Epilogue: In Memoriam and My Travels in The World

October 1949

 

The minister finished his prayer with an amen that was echoed by all.

“And so,” he said, “These heroic people fell in battle for freedom of religion, of belief, and physically. They died fighting for their brethren, their life. And I commend them for their losses. May everyone watch over them.”

It had been a long mourning, filled with stories, heartfelt narratives that are too long to include in this narrative, but I think that they were beautiful and represented the dead more than adequately. Once I was free, I traveled by plane to the United States in 1956. There I stayed for ten years visiting the sights and telling the people of my experience at the camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, but the most important place that I ever traveled in that time was in fact the same place I had come away from. Germany. The refugee society member tracked down my mother. I visited her. She was overjoyed to see me as I was to see her. I was happy and overjoyed to know that after the deportation of men to Auschwitz, Jews were isolated from the rest of the camp an not assigned to work teams. In October 1943 1700 people were sent to Auschwitz so the remaining Jews were not assigned to work teams, so her condition did not deteriorate as much as mine. We discussed our experiences and she was horrified to learn that I had gone to Auschwitz and noted that the conditions that I must have faced were probably ten times worse than hers. She constantly pestered me. I told her of all the details and she told me of hers. Then I traveled to France, visiting sites where prisoners like myself had languished and I was free after 11 years of terror.

 

Annex Materials

Here are some things that will help you understand this story better:

 

  1. Newspaper Translation from Chapter 11:

 

Sweden exposed!

In the news this morning, a stunning breakthrough is made. It has been discovered that the Swedish are operating pro-Jewish cells which help to free Jews so that they may destroy us. Along by this, your leader and protector has declared war on Sweden. He vows that we will not stop until we have crushed pathetic Sweden in our wake. Long may live the German fatherland and the Aryan race.

  1. The Beginner’s Guide to German Military Language And Phrases Described in This Book
  1. Further Reading:

Here There Is No Why by Rachel Chencinski Roth

Night by Elie Weisel

The Book Thief  by Markus

THe Diary of Anne Frank

Surviving Auschwitz by Primo Levi

Maus I & II by Art Spiegelman

 

Florence (Part 1)

When I was one year old my uncle started taking care of me. I still don’t know what happened to my parents. Neither my relatives nor my uncle have told me. We live in a small apartment with one bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. I go to school everyday and have summer vacation just like every other kid. I also have a normal and plain name, Izzy. But something is different about me. I keep a list of questions I have that have never been answered. They can be big questions like where my parents went or just small questions that are just not appropriate for anyone to answer because of my age.

What I have found out:

  1. When I was little my parents and I lived in a large house.
  2. We didn’t have much money but the house had been in our family for generations, so we were able to keep it.
  3. Now we don’t have the house because the government took it, because we weren’t paying the full rent, just before my parents disappeared.
  4. My dad had a job working in a factory making shoes and didn’t get paid much by his mean boss.
  5. Our town didn’t like our family because we didn’t pay taxes to help our parks and buildings. We didn’t pay them because we were too poor. We could barely pay for our house.

I decided that the first person I wanted to ask questions to was my uncle. So after school I went to find him. He was in the kitchen.

“Hi, Uncle Kevin, can I ask you a question?”

“Just a minute Izzy, I’m making a sandwich.”

“I only have a quick question.”

“Okay,” he sighed. “What is it?

“Were you there when my parents disappeared?

“I told you, I don’t know anything, they just told me to take care of you for a little bit and then they were gone.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yes,” he said. “I’m sure.”

I knew that wasn’t true.

“Did they tell you anything else before they left?

“Oh, fine!” he yelled. “I’ll tell you. Before they left they said that they had to go somewhere to make money so that they could raise you better instead of raising you with no money. They told me not to tell you this because they just wanted to come back as fast as they could so that they could raise you. But with you pestering me, I couldn’t stand it.”

“Thank you, but why have they taken nine or more years? They left when I was one.”

“Who knows. But I think you should forget about it for now.”

That was something I wasn’t going to do.

 

When I came home from school, I heard my uncle talking in the kitchen to a voice I didn’t recognize.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I tried to give her something to kind of lure her off of the path, but I think she’ll see through it. She even makes a list of things she doesn’t know and does know,” my uncle said.

“I would never do that… It’d take too much time and organization. I got better stuff to do,” the other person said between bites of a cupcake. He had bad grammar and etiquette.

“Hey,” I said as I came into the room. “What’s your name? I’m Izzy.” I asked the person talking to my uncle. He looked very unbathed. He was also wearing jeans that were cut at two different lengths and his shirt’s buttons were uneven. I guess he just didn’t care how he appeared.

“I’m Joe, I drive trucks. Garbage trucks,” he said as he choked on some apple cobbler. He was eating up all my dessert.

“That’s nice,” I replied. “Do you live in our building?”

“Yeah, I live in the apartment right next to yours.”

“How have I never met you?”

“I move a lot.”

“Why?” I said curious.

“Anyway, I have to go.”

“Bye,” I said.

“See you later!” my uncle said.

“Why was he here?

“Just wanted to um, ah, you know, talk to someone while you’re at school? I get really lonely.”

“That’s never happened before.”

“Enough… With… THE QUESTIONS!” Suddenly he was shouting. “Does it ever occur to you that it is ANNOYING!?”

“Sorry,” I replied meekly.

 

The next day I went into my bedroom to think about what had happened yesterday. They were talking about what my uncle had told about my parents. He said it was a lie. What was he trying to do? Then I thought of going to Joe’s apartment. He might have some answers. He didn’t seem very smart, so it wouldn’t be too hard to get information out of him.

 

Knock, knock knock. “Joe?”

He opened the door in a quite unpleasant way. “Oh you. Ya live over there, don’t you?”

“Uh, yeah.” He was in his pajamas and it was 4:00 in the afternoon. “I just want to ask you some questions. Are you busy?”

“No, come in.”

As I walked into Joe’s apartment, I was very confused. Everything didn’t seem to match his personality. It was neat and all the furniture matched the carpet, there were no clothes on the floor and the walls were white without anything on them.

“I can’t stand dirty places, so I choose to keep mine clean,” Joe said.

That seemed kind of suspicious, so I immediately started asking questions.

“Do you know who my parents are?”

“No, isn’t Kevin your dad?”

“No, he’s my uncle. How do you know my uncle?”

“He welcomed me to your apartment, since I’m new here.”

“Oh, I’m not going to get anything out of you. You’re too- never mind.”

With that, I left. As I opened the door to my apartment I noticed something was missing.

“Uncle Kevin? Where are you? Are you home?”

No reply. He was here when I left so I doubt he would have gone anywhere since I was only at Joe’s for five minutes. I went back to Joe’s apartment and told him that my Uncle was gone.

All he said was, “We’ve been caught.”

Then he took my arm and led me out the door. I don’t know why, but I trusted him. He didn’t seem like the person he pretended to be. So as he took my arm and led me out of the building, I didn’t stop him. We ran down the street and passed all the buildings to Anchor Lake which was at the very very tip of our town. Surrounding the lake was the woods and through the woods was the next town. He took me halfway through the woods and stopped me.

“Look, Izzy, I have a lot to tell you.”

“Well, then tell me! I’ve only been waiting my whole life!” I said, exasperated.

“Well, your parents are spies, and they work for the government. They couldn’t tell you as much as they wanted to because the government couldn’t trust you. I’m also a spy, like your parents. Your ‘uncle’ is not your uncle, he’s your bodyguard. He never wanted to take care of you but your parents made him. Your real name is Florence, your parents met in Florence, Italy, spying together. We had to change your name to something plain like Izzy, because Butler and her people know that there’s only one Florence, you. But now Kevin’s been caught and we have to go find your parents, Berkle-Butler is onto us.”

There was so much to process in my mind right now, I didn’t say anything. I was angry at my parents for abandoning me, I was worried that my parents, Joe and I were in danger, I was frustrated that no one ever told me this and I was surprised that my parents were spies working for the government. My head was swirling with all these emotions and I still had nothing to say. I was going from my boring life and now I was going to find my parents.

gg

Jacob and Josh

Jacob is Ceyon – loves eating pizza and video games and not doing his chores.

Josh is Jacob’s friend – he is responsible, he does his chores and his homework, and sometimes he does Jacob’s and he doesn’t play video games all day.

Problem: It’s math class class and Jacob is having trouble but him and Josh were doing something at night. They brought their phones and laptops but the light’s didn’t work — they think something is there, like a big shadow. But there are four people, one girl and three boys. The other boy’s name was Stewy and the girl’s name was Megan but some people just called her Meg.

So Stewy and Meg bring their laptops and Jacob and Josh brought their phones but when they turned on the lights that didn’t work. They felt like something was there watching them, so they were watching movies and then they heard a noise. “Chchchchchc you’re breaking up chchchchch.” So they go look at it, but first they download this app so they can have light so they download a night vision app and a regular light. Same thing for the phones. They hear in the Janitor’s room, it was showing this restaurant called Freddy FazBears. There was a night watch so they all took the job, 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. First night the limited power is 100, the pay was $20.10 minimum waged man.

So on the first night they heard a noise, it sounded like “Ruu ch chch.” One of them was trying to find where it came from and they noticed there was three animatronics on the stage, but one was missing. They told them, “I am going to check the kitchen.” They looked at the kitchen camera but there was nothing.  

 

Chapter 2: The missing Stewy

“Stewy don’t go, use the camera, cuz we can’t see you in there and already two of the animatronics are gone — Chica and Bonnie!” said Jacob. “Let Josh go with you with the laptop light.”

“Fine, but if I hear that noise one more time…I’m about to flip,” Jacob said. So they went to the kitchen and they saw Bonnie sitting down near pizza and Jacob screamed, “Josh, Stewy, come back, we have to close the doors.”

They all left and closed the door, but Stewy wasn’t there.

And then it was 6 a.m. and the animatronics went limp. And Stewy was found by Josh, alive.

 

Chapter 3: The Animatronics

The animatronics were on stage and they were talking in some secret mood. Chica got in the room and said, “Do you have a phone charger, I need to order pizza!!!” Jacob his going back to work he look at Foxy, he was pecking at the cam. He called the manager to tell him the Foxy is staring at the cam. Staring is not the problem, he’s not in the cove close the left door “nigbone.” Open the door, it’s magnetic, your power is low powers out freedy his that you music stops “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ah crap man wheres josh stewie guys found you.We have to get out of he its night 3 5am 321 6am is 6am now.” The place close and  left to rot they  used the old parts to make new and shine animatronics.

                   

Chapter 4

Night 6, the final night until we get our paychecks.

It shouldn’t be too hard. Josh came, Stewy came, and Meg came. We all brought our flashlights but it’s closed! There’s locks and the building stinks, but there was a not attached to it.

“Please come to the new location, please come to it in two week.” Signed, the manager. “And here is your paychecks.”

Two weeks has passed. They place looks new. Even the animatronics look different. They are shinier and Chica’s bib changed. Instead of “Let’s eat,” it says “Let’s Party.” We had a limited amount of flashlight batteries. There is a phone ringing, somebody is speaking. There is no doors to close and I have to wind up with the music box. This is so much harder. Instead of just closing doors and no music box I have to look out for that thing and this box and there is vents. The first night was fun, amazing, nothing happened. I think the second night might be harder.

On to the sixth night. He had to work a little later. From 12 to 7. He had to work at the day shift tomorrow too, that might be fun. He checked the camera and Bonnie was missing. He checked all the cameras and then he wound up the music box. He saw Bonnie with his guitar in the party room. And then the phone rang. It said there was a new animatronic like Foxy. His name was mangel in the new place. “Well see you tomorrow night,” said the manger at 6:00 a.m. It might be harder checking the left door. “Aaa Bonnie right door aaa chica,’” said Jacob closed. At 2 a.m. the biulding has 69% power left they are not there the animatronics are gone.

The 6 a.m. lights are on the left door. He sees Freddy and closes the door. 60% is left. Freddy left, he’s gone. He opened the door at 7 a.m. He got his paycheck which was 189 +200$ because he had to work til 7=389.

Frogs Are Awesome

What makes frogs awesome is how they are slimy,

how they have a backbone, how the Tomato Frog can puff itself up

until it’s so large nothing can eat it.

And how the One Eye frog has one eye on the top of its head,

and two eye-like things on its bottom,

and anything that sees it thinks it is a monster.

And how the Camouflage Frog blends in with rocks, the bark of a tree.

And how the Poison Arrow Frog spits poison the way people spit

on the ground in Switzerland. If the Poison Arrow Frog

made its way to Switzerland, it might begin to eat schwabenbrotli:

white, soft bread. What is awesome is the skin of a green frog–

soft, white dots on its back, the frog leaping in the grass.

Gods and Goddesses

Characters:

ATHENA: War, wise    

ARES: God of war

ZEUS: King of all god

HERA: Queen

HADES: Lord of the dead

APHRODITE: goddess of love

ACHILLES JR.: Achilles’ son, shy

The three Fates: CLOTHO, LACHESIS, and ATROPOS

Scene One

ATHENA and APHRODITE are in a fight over who is the most beautiful. It got so big ATHENA and APHRODITE started a war with the gods. They are in elementary school. ARES, APOLLO, ARTEMIS and their mother are on APHRODITE’s side. Everyone else is on ATHENA’s side. ZEUS and ACHILLES JR. are neutral.

At the school. In the gym during gym class. All the characters are there except ZEUS and ACHILLES JR. They are playing soccer. APHRODITE and ATHENA are the team captain choosing the people on their team.

APHRODITE

Ares!

 

ATHENA

Hermes.

 

APHRODITE

Artemis.

 

ATHENA

Hera.

 

APHRODITE

Apollo.

 

ATHENA

Poseidon.

 

APHRODITE

Leto.

 

They start playing.

 

ARES

You’re gonna lose!

 

ATHENA

We’re gonna win!

 

ARTEMIS passes the ball to ARES. ARES gets the ball and scores.

HERA passes the ball to ATHENA. ATHENA scores.

 

GYM TEACHER

Five minutes left!

 

HERA scores. They cheer.

 

GYM TEACHER

One minute left.

 

ARES scores for APHRODITE’s team. They go into overtime until the last minute of school. The game lasted 24 hours. HERA falls asleep in the middle of the floor. APHRODITE scores. Her team wins three to two.

It’s already the next day and they have art. ZEUS and ACHILLES JR. also in art class. ACHILLES JR. is painting like a normal person. ARES punches HERA in the face. She tries to punch him in the face, but she misses. APHRODITE uses her intoxicating perfume to make the teacher faint. HERA comes up to her and APHRODITE punches HERA in the face. HERA falls down bloody.

 

HERA

I hate everyone.

 

ZEUS

Well we shouldn’t say mean things!

 

ARES

We should have a war, Hera. I’ll send you to Hades!

 

ATHENA

Having a war is not wise.

 

HERA

Who do you think you are Aphrodite!

 

APHRODITE

Goddess of beauty and love!

 

ACHILLES JR. is going home to get his lunch, which he forgot. He is walking through the woods near the school. POSEIDON kills ACHILLES JR. by throwing his trident in his heel.

POSEIDON runs away to Mount Olympus.

The three Fates, CLOTHO, LACHESIS, and ATROPOS are on the end of the earth. They cut the string. See ACHILLES JR. with blood gushing out of his heel.  

 

HERA

Oh no! ACHILLES JR. is badly hurt.

 

APHRODITE

Whatever, he’s not even beautiful.

 

ATHENA

We don’t want any more mortals to get badly hurt!

 

ARES

Okay. I don’t want to drain all my powers for this little fight.

 

HERA

Little fight? This was the biggest fight ever!

 

The End

Fire Emblem

“Bonus Page”

 

Chrom – The Leader

Roy – The Fire Hero

Marth – The Speedy Gonzalaz

Ike – The Fearless knight

Robin – The magic witch

Lucina – The Antagonist

Lucina’s Minions – The Minions of Lucina

The Civilians – The Civilians

Xander Mobus – The Announcer

 

“Introduction”

 

So this is a story about five young warriors, Ike the fearless knight, Robin the magic witch, Marth the speedy fighter, Roy the flaming hero, and Chrom the British leader of the team. They all try to kill the evil queen, Lucina. Why? Because she has trapped the other warriors in dungeons. I don’t think they should kill her and just, well… lock her up instead of the warriors. Okay, enough about them and more about the story. Hope you enjoy it.

 

“Ahh! What-a lovely day,” said Ike as he was at the pub. While Chrom was at his part-time job as a blacksmith, he noticed Ike was supposed to be with him because he was a blacksmith as well. And Ike was not there! After a few seconds of looking around he knew two things. He snuck out of work and he was busted. Chrom knew he was at the pub. He felt annoyed because Ike loved beer and he always went to the pub.

Meanwhile at Marth’s place, Marth and Robin were ready to kill Queen Lucina but Roy, Chrom, and Ike were not. “I’m glad I am 12, because I’m the youngest in the group, ha!” said Roy randomly as he was watching his favorite childhood TV show, SpongeBob. Than Ike came home to Roy and helped him get ready for battle and gave him many fighting tips some that he knew already. Someday Chrom was thinking, his 2-year-old son would get ready for battle. Roy was glad he was the youngest because he didn’t have the fear of dying of old age.

 

Meanwhile at Queen Lucina’s kingdom, her minions were rushing around in the trash and found a newspaper. They read it because it was the only “entertainment” they had. And it said the Fire Crew (Roy, Marth, Robin, Ike, And Chrom) were going to kill Queen Lucina. The minions had to warn Lucina right away! So this just basically caused havoc over the city. Lucina jumped to action and went straight to Fire Crew’s City. The ground started rumbling and-

“AHH,” said Marth.

“C’mon everybody, go go go!” said Chrom.

“Yes sir!” said Robin.

 

The minions started coming and invading everybody’s houses for weapons so they could fight the Fire Crew, but there was a downside. Lucina’s minions don’t know where the blacksmith shop was and everybody’s houses only had silverware. Lucina’s minions didn’t know what weapons were and they just thought that silver objects were weapons. But there was about ten million minions and the six of them were as strong as Ike’s sword.

 

“Bonus Page”

 

Lucina’s minions looked like purple chubby bears but with a suit of gold armors on and had blue diamond swords about the size of two normal-sized adults that smelled like rotten donuts.

 

So Lucina’s minions searched and searched until they found some…silverware. “ATTACK!” said Lucina’s minions.

“Wait, wait, wait, you guys are using silverware,” said Chrom. “Silverware, what’s that? We have weapons,” said Lucina’s minions.

“Just because they’re silver doesn’t mean they’re weapons,” said Ike.

“Yeah, you have to go to the blacksmith shop to get weapons,” said Marth.

“Where is that exactly?” said Lucina’s minions.

“Oh just make a left on Viagra street,” said Marth.

“Thanks,” said Lucina’s minions, rushing to Viagra street.

“MARTH! Why did YOU do THAT?!?!” said Chrom in a deep voice.

“Sorry sir,” said Marth in a scared voice.

“Well, well, well, look who it is,” said Lucina.

“How did you get here?” said Roy and Robin at the same time. Then Lucina’s minions rushed into battle with real weapons this time.

“3…2…1…Fight!” said Xander Mobus.

 

Chrom Vs. Lucina’s Minions

Chrom slashed his sword and since Lucina’s minions don’t know how to use “swords” yet, Chrom won by default. And the minions gave up.

 

Roy Vs. Stronger Minions

Roy lost against the stronger minions, maybe because he’s twelve?

 

Marth Vs. Lucina’s Decoy

Marth won because Ms. Decoy messed up. Because if robot make one mistake they lose and Lucina needs her minions but if she doesn’t have her minions she’s pretty much poop.

 

Ike Versus 9 million minions!

It was a tie. They both gave up because it was too hard. Lazy people.

 

FINAL ROUND

Chrom Vs. Lucina Queen of the Darkside

Chrom won! The whole city is saved!

 

But there was one more thing they needed to do…

Save the other warriors!

Except they lost Marth’s sword because it broke during the battle.

 

So they rushed to Lucina’s Kingdom In a snowstorm.

“Uhh…I feel sick,” said Ike.

“We have to save the other warriors, Ike. C’MON, MAGGOT!” said Chrom.

“Don’t you think thats a bit harsh for Ike,” said Roy.

“He’s right, Ike is only 34 years old that acts like a 19 year old,” said Marth.

They noticed something in particular, Where’s Robin?

“Your right, where is Robin, Narrator?” said Ike. You’re not supposed to talk to the Narrator! Uhh…they break the fourth wall every time.

“If we weren’t busy arguing, we would have stayed with Robin. Everybody run as fast as you can!” said Chrom.

 

Meanwhile at Lucina’s Castle, Robin was freeing the warriors and 31 minutes later the rest of the Fire Crew appeared and they helped free the warriors too.

After that they were UNSTOPPABLE!

 

THE END

Fire Spreading

Red paint

Swirled out of a bucket

Onto its blanket

Of cream-colored

White

Fire swirling,

Blooming,

All over

Its blanket

Of cream-colored

White

Flowers sprouting,

Bearing crowns

And wings

Of cotton

Spreading

On its blanket

Of cream-colored

White

And after the day

Is leaving for home

Upon the blanket

Of cream-colored

White

With flower

And fire

And paint

A tired head

Is dropped

Upon

The pillow

Five Minutes Until The Bomb Goes Off

Five minutes until the bomb goes off, everyone might wiped get out.

Five minutes until the bomb goes off, everyone stay calm, don’t shout.

Five minutes until the bomb goes off, whatever shall we do?

Five minutes until the bomb goes off, the first one dead is you.

Four minutes until the bomb goes off, we have to get out of here.

Four minutes until the bomb goes off, the time is getting near.

Four minutes until the bomb goes off, we have move to the corner.

Four minutes until the bomb goes off, we better have us a big warner.

Three minutes until the bomb goes off, everyone hang on to each other.

Three minutes until the bomb goes off, gee, I want my mother!

Three minutes until the bomb goes off, how do we turn this off?

Three minutes until the bomb goes off, please protect my skoff!

Two minutes until the bomb goes off, what is the password?

Two minutes until the bomb goes off, I think I may have heard.

Two minutes until the bomb goes off, Fred what did you hear?

Two minutes until the bomb goes off, the password might be “red ear.”

One minute until the bomb goes off, the password wasn’t right.

One minute until the bomb goes off, everyones screaming in fright.

One minute until the bomb goes off, the room is fully loaded.

One minute until the bomb goes off, it has just exploded!

Finding the Perfect House

I  walk up to Colin’s room, feeling nervous. I knock, and then he opens the door.

“Hey, what’s up?” he says to me.

I say, “I want to still  to live in California but I don’t want to live in San Francisco.”

Colin says, “When I was younger I used to want to move too but mom and dad weren’t even close to saying yes.”

“We need to come up with a plan to get them to move.”

“What do you think would convince them?”

“Maybe we could sneak out tonight and go to the park to talk about plans.”

So we did. Our house is very close to the park, but there aren’t a lot of crosswalks. Since we are just kids, we have to walk around a bunch of houses because they have the crosswalks.

In the park, we sit on the swings and swing, talking. I say, “How about we say to mom and dad that we still want to live in California, but more south toward the beaches? We can say, can we first look at the houses down south and maybe that will change their mind?”

“Let’s ask them in the morning.”

We go back home and go to sleep. The next morning it is our mom’s birthday. Colin and I  bring her breakfast in bed.

Colin says, “Allison and I want to still live in California but move down south. Can we please just look at the houses down there and see where we get?”

“Fine, but you have to wait a few weeks until your dad gets home from a big work , I trip.”

Well, it’s not the worst thing, I think. She could have just said no.

“Thanks, mom,” we say to her.

Three weeks later, when our dad gets home, we run and give him a hug and a kiss.

“Dad!” I say. “Three weeks ago, we asked mom if we can look at the houses down south.”

Their dad says, “Absolutely yes.”

So the next day we drive down south. We look at a house that was right on the coast between north and south. The house inside had a big kitchen, a patio, a backyard with a swing set, a front yard. There were two floors and an attic. There was a dining area, tv area, and this house was so different from our house because it is so much bigger. We each would get our own room. In our own house, Colin and Jeremy have to share a room. And our house didn’t have a basement, and this house did. When we are cooking in our own house, we are all squished together. When we make different dishes, but this house’s kitchen has an island, two sinks in different locations, six burners, a lot of storage areas, a refrigerator and freezer. The island also had chairs around it so you could sit there too, not just in the dining area.

Allison says, “What do you think?”                      

Her parents say, “I really like it but we do not have the money right now.”

“We need to get jobs that make more money,” the mom says. Right now, she is an editor of baby books, but she only makes $20 per book and has to give half of that money to taxes, so she only comes home with $10. Our dad works in adult books and makes $40, so he only comes home with $20. Between the two of them, they only make $30 each day, so not enough for the house.

The mom and the dad want to get new jobs to make more money. Because they really like the house too and they also think that it would be way better too. The brothers had jobs that paid $15 a day, so every weekend, our family takes all the money they made and put it together and see if it’s enough money for the house.

That isn’t enough so I want to also get a job, but I can’t find one, I asked my mom and dad, “Can I help you with your jobs?”

Together, my family decides to work part time at their jobs and then open a bakery. So we started to build a bakery. It turns out great. We found out that the bakery made more money than our regular jobs, so we quit our old jobs. We focused on our bakery. My job is to sell the pastries. My favorite thing to make is the sugar cookies. Two months later, we finally had all the money we needed for the house.

I  was so excited, I was bursting with happy tears. I couldn’t wait to move down there and make new friends. And go to the beach. Finally we moved into the house.

* * *

Two years later we are so happy in our new house. I have made a lot more friends than in San Francisco. I like to go to the beach now. I like my new school better than my old school since it is bigger and nicer. Now that we have a garage, we bought bikes and have been going out on bike rides. We’ve been walking around streets because it’s more of a neighborhood.

We still have the bakery in our old neighborhood, but we only go down there every weekend to see how it’s going. It’s been going very, very well, more money than we thought we would. It’s so big and famous! My specialty is my sugar cookies because they were so soft and creamy.

Two weeks later, we finally get on the news and go down in our suits and dresses to talk to the reporters about it.

“How come you started this bakery?” the reporters asked us.

“We started this bakery because we wanted to buy a house down south and we wanted to see how much money we could make. If this goes really well, we might start a bakery in our hometown now.”

The reporter said we just found out that  if this bakery does really, really well this bakery might be able to be all over the country. My family is so excited!!      

         My mom says, “Allison you were right about moving.”

                                      THE END

Fashion

More schools should have students wear uniforms because fashion is bothering kids in school academically. People say they want to go to Yale and Harvard, but meanwhile their grades are like B’s or C’s and that is because they are so worried about what to wear in the morning and how much makeup to put on. I think that people should be more worried about how their grades are not how much makeup they are going to wear. This mostly happens to girls not boys and that is why people say that girls don’t get far in school, but I want to prove that wrong because if more schools start wearing uniforms then more girls will have opportunity to be a better student in school.

 

If you ask most parents, they will say that if you want to get into a good college than do not fall into the fashion trap. In fact, my mom did not fall into the fashion trap and ended up going to Yale. Some girls are so caught up in putting a bow in their hair and they are never really caring about what they really should be caring about. Most people think that a lot of people will like you if you are fashionable and beautiful. You might also think that you will be the most popular girl in school because of beauty and by that you will be the only one in your grade that gets a scholarship to whatever college that you want to go to. But that is not true. Go ask ten different moms if you will get a scholarship to to a college by being the most popular and fashionable girl in school and all of them will say no.

 

Some girls might not like to dress up and that is fine. Putting on a uniform might not magically get you good grades but putting on a uniform might stop you from worrying about fashion. You might be thinking that you don’t worry about fashion in the school day, but that is also fine.

 

If you are a girl, believe in yourself. The thought that boys are smarter than girls is not true and I believe that we can change that thought and turn it the other way around. If you are a school that has a no uniform policy, than maybe go ask your principal if you can put in a uniform policy and then she might say yes. You might be uncomfortable with that policy for the first five days but when you are getting straight A’s and being the smartest kid in your grade then you will thank me. You might not like this, but you may love it in a couple of years. You might actually surprise yourself in a very good way. You go ask your principal if you can have a uniform policy if you don’t already have one.

Excerpt from Leah’s Adventure

Chapter 1:

 

Leah

 

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Leah. Leah was twelve years old. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She was a very nice girl and very smart. She loved playing football. She also loved a lot of hobbies, traditionally associated with boys. She loved to wear T-shirts and jeans. Leah lived in Orlando. She loved to go to Disney World. Leah’s favorite ride in disney world was Rock’n Roller Coaster. Leah’s favorite roller coaster was very cool. It went up and down and was very long, and went very fast. At some moments you were upside down. It was a little scary.

It was so fun!!!

Leah always loved traveling around the world. She loved to travel in lots of different places like China and Japan. But the place she most wanted to go was Africa. She always wanted to go into Africa because she loved animals. Animals were one of her favorite things to do. Leah did not have siblings, but Lea always wanted a sister. That was why she loved animals. Leah wanted to go in the jungle of Africa to see all the animals.

 

The next morning she ate breakfast. Then she went to school. She returned to school from summer vacation. There were a lot of people. She saw a guy…

Excerpt from Escape From Magic

Chapter Two

My name is Jacqueline, just don’t call me that, because I prefer Jack. My mother and father learned that the hard way. From the day I was born I hated that name, Jacqueline. It sounds all sophisticated, and believe me, I am not sophisticated. A normal princess, or at least my mother’s definition of a normal princess, should wear dresses, not pants, and your handkerchief should be in your handbag, not used as a bandana. I am not your stereotypical princess, though I know my mother wants me to be. The one thing I do that she wants me to do is go to Bellmapel Magic Academy. It is horrible. All the other girls are those stereotypical princesses who wear gallons of makeup (by the way, we are thirteen) and big, poofy skirts and dresses. And the teachers don’t make it any easier. We actually have a beauty lesson. Can you believe that? Its ridiculous. We have to learn magic, too, and that’s not as bad, but still pretty bad. The annoying thing is, I’m actually pretty good at magic. I am classified as a witch, because I passed the test last year, and partly because my Great Aunt Filipina was a first class Magician, and so was my mom. You can’t apply to be a first class Magician until you’re seventeen, and I’m only thirteen.

I like to sew a lot. My mother says it’s waste of time, because our servants can do it for us. But I love to look at a beautiful outfit that I made. It makes me really relaxed, and it something I really enjoy. But of course, the one thing I like to do my parents don’t approve of.

Find Them

Chapter 1

Glory

 

It had been three hours before Glory realized he had lost Marvel.

Glory had been hiding from the Supreme Police, when he had noticed he was alone.  He had spent some precious time checking the trees for Marvel, but no, Marvel wasn’t there.  Glory was lost.

Glory now sat huddled in his blanket as he scanned the horizon for his brother.  The woods were silent, unfortunately.  Was running away not a good idea?  Maybe telling Tyler and Taylor first would have been better…

It was getting dark. The sun was fading quickly, and it was getting hard to see fifteen yards in any direction.  If the Supreme Police were going to kill him now, now was the time.  Glory was in a clearing with absolutely no protection to conceal him.  For all he knew, the Police was watching Glory as he struggled to get sleep.

The nocturnal animals were starting to rise from their daytime sleep.  Every now and then, Glory would jump from the sound of an owl snacking on a mouse.

“I know you’re here.”  A voice whispered from above.  Glory stayed silent, because maybe some crazy hunter was going into the woods to hunt for game.  After all, most of the people in the nearest town hunted in these woods.  That’s how the Supreme Police found him.

“Stop trying to hide, Glory.  This is a horrible place to hide.”  The voice spoke again, and this time Glory sat up and threw off his blanket.

“Who are you?”  Glory said into the night sky.  “If you’re a part of the Police, I suggest that you get out.  I have a knife.”

The person who had spoken before laughed.  “Yes, I know.  You have a small pocket knife that was your brother Tyler’s when he was six.  Although I sincerely compliment you on the way you stole that knife from your brother’s safe.  Almost as good as when I steal things.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of answering a question?”  Glory asked.  “Who are you?”

“Haven’t you ever heard of concealing your identity?”  The person asked.  Glory could now tell that it was a boy.  “You’re a feisty one.  Do you even know why I’m here?”

“I don’t care.”

“Well then, I’ll have to give you the usual,” said the boy, and out of nowhere, a tall person dressed in red jumped into the clearing and pinned Glory down.  

Glory screamed.

 

Chapter 2

Marvel

 

Marvel knew that Glory was a goner as soon as the Supreme Policemen went in pursuit of him as they split up.  He also knew that he had to go save him.  He didn’t really want to, but if Marvel came back alive and Glory was dead and Marvel told everyone why Glory was dead, he was never going to hear the end of it from Tyler and Taylor.  

It had been three hours since they had split up, and Glory was still running, with Marvel at his heels.  Marvel sighed quietly.  Glory didn’t even know that the Supreme Policemen wasn’t even near them anymore.  Glory never looked over his shoulder as he ran.  Marvel was smarter than Glory, and he knew it.

Marvel stopped running, but Glory kept going.  Marvel didn’t care.  Glory was slow, and Marvel could easily catch up to him later.  Right now, Marvel needed a place to make camp.

If you are in the woods, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a good place that has enough space to sleep in and has plenty of trees to conceal yourself.  It wasn’t too long before Marvel found the perfect place.

Marvel looked at his watch.  It was about 8:30 at night.  At 4:30 in the morning, the Supreme Police would go around the woods to check for runaways, illegals, poachers.  Naturally, Glory didn’t know that, so Marvel would have to wake up at 3:30 to go get Glory so together they could get out of the woods.  This would result in about seven hours of sleep.  This was better than yesterday, when Marvel and Glory were forced to get only two hours of sleep because of a surprise Supreme Police attack.  

Marvel took his blanket out of his pack and lay down.  He kept his eyes and ears ready in case of an emergency.  He was glad that Glory wasn’t there to annoy him while he slept.  Soon he found himself dozing off.

Four hours later, Marvel awakened to someone screaming.  His instincts drove him to stuff his blanket into his pack and run towards where the noise was.  As he ran, he realized something; the scream belonged to Glory.

Knowing this, Marvel didn’t really want to run to the scream.  But, of course, if Marvel made it back alive and Glory was dead, and Marvel told everyone why Glory was dead, he would never hear the end of it from Tyler and Taylor.

SInce Marvel was fast, he quickly reached the scream.  He tore through the grass that was the boundary for a small clearing.  Right there, in the middle of the clearing, was a boy pinning Glory to the ground.

“Oh, no,” Marvel whispered.

 

Chapter 3

Rhys

 

Glory screamed, so Rhys used his other hand to cover his mouth.  “Shut up!”  Rhys hissed.  “You’re attracting people!”

Glory’s answer came out muffled, and Rhys could hardly catch it, it was so quiet.  “My brother’s here.  He’s going to rip the snot out of you.”

Rhys turned around.  Standing at the entrance to the clearing was a boy that was younger than Rhys but almost as tall.  

Rhys turned to face Glory again.  “No problem.”

Glory’s brother (Marvel, maybe?) began to walk towards Rhys.  Rhys ran and tackled the boy, who ended up unconscious.  

Rhys brushed off the dirt and walked back over to Glory.  “Do you know who I am?”  He asked.  

“Of course I do,” Glory seethed.  “You are a disgusting, smelly, moron who likes to injure people physically.”

Rhys chuckled.  “Am I?  I am Rhys Reagen, leader of the Reagen Troop, fellow trillegal.”

“What’s a trillegal?  Is it something you made up, you big loser?”  Glory said angrily.  “I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.”

“Do you honestly not know what a trillegal is?”  Rhys asked.  “You are a trillegal.  You violate all three of the Superstition Laws, which means that you are not an only child, and you have an “r” and a “y” in your name.”  

“Liar,” said Glory.  “All those years, I haven’t been arrested or anything.  I’m normal, just like you.”

“You are foolish, oblivious, not ready for the real world,” said Rhys coldly.  “Haven’t you noticed that somewhere during the afternoon, your mother ushers you quickly back to the house?  Do you even know what I’m saying?”

“He’s right, Glory,” said someone at the entrance.  Rhys spun around and saw Marvel standing up and brushing the dirt off his clothes.  “You shouldn’t call the legend of illegal people a liar or a moron.  You should respect him.  He is the Rhys Reagen.”

“Ah, good morning, Marvel,” said Rhys.  “How are you today?”

“Quite fine, Mr. Reagen,” said Marvel.  What brings you in the woods this lovely day?”

“I recently picked up the files of you and your siblings and I realized that you were illegals.  I like illegals.  Therefore, I invite all four of you, even you, Glory,” Rhys eyed Glory, “a chance to

become a part of the Reagen Troop.”

Nobody spoke.  Not even Glory said anything.

“However,” said Rhys.  “There is a test involved with getting in.  I just might have to get the Supreme Police chase you again.”

 

Chapter 4

Marvel

 

A boy was leaning on the doorway of the Reagen Headquarters when Rhys, Marvel, Glory, Tyler, and Taylor walked in. Glory, Marvel, and Rhys had stopped and picked up Tyler and Taylor along the way.  The boy stood up.  “Rhys?  Just the usual level one?”

Rhys smiled.  “Sure.  These are the ones that we’ve been searching for earlier this year.”    

The boy grunted.  “These ones?  Do we need them?  They’re so small.”

Marvel spoke up.  “Please don’t judge us by our size.  We’re just small for our ages.  We can’t help it or anything.”

“Don’t worry, Ryan, if they pass the test, we can find a job for them to do.  They’ve lived all this time.  They’ve been on the run for a pretty long time.  Why shouldn’t they belong here with us?” said Rhys.

Ryan sighed.  “Whatever, Rhys.  I’ll get the equipment ready while you explain what’s going to happen.”  He backed out the doorway.

“Okay,” said Rhys to Ryan, and turned to Glory, Marvel, and their brother and sister, Tyler and Taylor.

“So, you guys, here’s what happening right now.  You’re taking a test to see if you’re worthy of becoming part of the Reagen Troop.  What’s going to happen is that you’ll be placed into a simulator where there will be some Supreme Police CPUs that are chasing you.  You have a knife, a bottle of water, and a small box filled with twelve crackers.  You need to escape the Policemen and stay alive.  You’ll have a hunger and thirst bar that can’t drain out.  Use your supplies to get to the big portal at the end.”

“How did you get the simulator?” Marvel’s brother Tyler asked.  “Did you buy it?”

Rhys squared his shoulders.  “I, well, I actually made it myself.  It took countless hours for me to build it, but it’s well and working, and it’s pretty high quality, too.”

“This is a simulation, right?”  Taylor asked.  “We won’t die if we screw up, right?”

“Of course not, Taylor!  You know what a simulation is, right?” said Rhys.  “Hopefully you do.  But the answer is no, if you get caught in a fire, you won’t actually burn to death or something.”

“That’s a big relief,” said Glory.  “When you were testing your simulator, did the thing threaten to kill you?”

“No, of course not.  It’s all programmed into the computer,” said Rhys.  “C’mon now, let’s go.  There’s a test you have to take, and we’re already running out of time.”

 

There was only one simulator, so Tyler, Taylor, Marvel, and Glory had to take turns doing the test.  Tyler went in first.  Rhys’s brother, Ryan, pressed some buttons, and Tyler’s test had begun.  Marvel heard a lot of crazy noises as the little room covered in black drapes shook about.  “Is this safe?”  Marvel heard Taylor ask Rhys and Ryan.  Marvel felt scared for Tyler, who most likely wasn’t ready for the test.

After a really long time, and after a lot of shaking, the simulator stopped buzzing, and Tyler came out of the simulator, covered in sweat and face very pale.

“Congratulations, Tyler Set, you passed the test with flying colors,” said Rhys.  “You are officially a part of the Reagen Troop.  You must be ready for missions, risking your neck, and enduring torture.  You are to stay here at the headquarters to begin your training.  Ray?  Take him to the gym.”  Another boy came into the room and led Tyler up a staircase.

Next it was Taylor’s turn.  Taylor also passed, and now it was Marvel’s turn.  

Marvel stepped into the simulator and found that it was all dark.  Soon a light came on, and a man’s voice came on.

“Welcome to the Reagen Troop Simulator, or the R.T.S.  Today you will be chased by some computer-programmed Supreme Policemen.  Please just act like they are real.  Use the environment around you to not only escape the Police and make it to the portal at the end, but save the dying people that you will find on your way.  You have a knife, a bottle of water, and a box filled with twelve crackers.  Just note that you might have to use your water and food to heal your patients.  Use your wits and supplies wisely, and make sure to keep your hunger and thirst bars high enough.  Good luck.”  

Soon Marvel had faded away into a hot desert filled with cactuses and things.  Marvel looked over his shoulder (something Glory would never do) and saw a large group of Supreme Police soldiers about fifty yards away running quickly at him.  

Marvel began to run in the direction of some mountains, hoping to find a hiding spot to hide in.  The soldiers were almost within shooting range, and they had drawn their guns.  Marvel kept on running and soon reached a hill leading to the top of one of the smaller mountains.  He also kept an eye out for dying people that he would have to take care of.

The soldiers seemed farther away than before, but Marvel kept at it.  He raced up the hill and climbed up the mountain.  His hunger bar was decreasing the least bit, so he ate half a cracker and took a sip of water.  But as he got to the top of the mountain, he realized something.

He was on a cliff, and he couldn’t get down.

Marvel knew he would have to jump the cliff, but he was forty feet above the ground, and if he jumped, he would definitely die and flunk the test, so he looked for something to jump onto.  

Soon, he had come up with a large nest of moss and leaves, and he had used sticks to put it together.  He crouched down low so the soldiers wouldn’t see him, and then he dropped the nest down to the ground below.  

Luckily, there was no wind, so the nest dropped down to exactly where Marvel needed it to be.  Marvel then picked where he needed to jump, muttered, “Please, don’t die” over and over again, and jumped.  

It was a great moment.  It kind of felt like he was flying and the world around him had stopped.  

Marvel fell straight into the nest.  Once he landed, he immediately got up and started running again.  The ending portal was in sight.  Marvel just kept running, and running, and running until he reached the portal and bright lights showered over him…

And then he was back in the black simulator, and the man’s voice was saying, “Thank you.  You now may exit the R.T.S.”  Marvel walked out.

“Tremendous job, Marvel,” said Rhys as Marvel walked out.  “In all of these times I’ve stood here, I’ve never seen such a good job.”

“I thought that there were going to be dying people,” said Marvel.

“Well, there is supposed to be, but you took a route where there were no dying people to interrupt you.  And the nest you made?  That was almost as good as mine.”

“Thank you,” said Marvel.  “It’s a real honor to be here.”

“Time to train!  Ray, take him away,” said Rhys, and the boy (Ray) took Marvel by the arm and led him up the staircase.

 

Chapter 5

Taylor

 

The training at the Reagen Headquarters was absolute chaos, but Taylor and Tyler and Marvel managed to get through it.  Here’s a picture of what it was like:

The gym wasn’t crowded, only filled with three or four other people, but the floor was covered with gym equipment.  Everyone there was shouting and there was a lot of sweat involved.

When Taylor had walked into the gym, a boy had walked up to her.  

“Hi,” said the boy.  “I’m Rich Reagen, Rhys’s brother.  I look after the training gym for him.”

“Hello, Rich,” Taylor replied.  “Is there some sort of routine we have to do?”

Rich shook his head.  “Each day, you have to train for four hours throughout the day.  You can split it up however you want.  You could just do four hours straight, split it into two different groups of two hours, whatever you need to do.  It’s about 2:30 in the afternoon right now, so you should start now.”

Taylor glanced around for a minute and saw Tyler at the rolling station, where you have to take a knife, roll, and get up quickly in time to slash off the head of the nearest dummy before it knocks you out.

Taylor walked over to the station and found Tyler recuperating over on the sidelines as he watched the other kids train.

“Hey, Taylor,” said Tyler.  “This is a painful experience.”

Taylor let out a small laugh.  “Are you okay?  I feel like there should be some sort of beginner tour or something.”

Tyler sighed.  “I feel kind of sick.  It’s very tiring, this training.  You should start now.”

Taylor nodded and got in line.  A boy turned around to face her and grinned.  “You scared?”  He asked.

Taylor nodded vigorously.  “It’s crazy, this station.”

“Don’t be scared,” said the boy.  “I’m Matthias Casillas.  I’m a second child.  If you fail, it’ll just push you off to the side.  They never changed the sign where it says you get knocked out, but they altered the dummies ever since I got hit and didn’t wake up for three days.”  Then he turned around and completed the exercise perfectly.  

Taylor was good at these kinds of things, so she did it with ease.  But she kept wondering, is this place dangerous?

 

At around 6:30, a bell rang and all of the people there started to file out the gym.  Suddenly Matthias was standing next to her.  “C’mon, I’ll lead you to the dining hall,” he said.  They started to walk down the staircase Taylor had walked up with Ray four hours earlier.  “You just passed the test today, didn’t you?”

Taylor nodded.  “Did you think it was hard?  The dying people were annoying.  I’m not much of a healer, but somehow I made it to the end.”

Matthias shrugged.  “I used to live in Spain before I came here.  Ever since the Superstition Laws were established, Spain has been drowned in epidemics.  My family were more on the richer side, so I got vaccinated along with the rest of my family.  Most of the other rich families just went on with their normal lives, but our family, they like to help people.  I’m a healer-in-training.  I just used the environment around me to heal the people and then I just ran to the portal.  I’m not bragging or anything, I just know how to do that stuff.”

“Do we learn how to do things like that here?”  Taylor asked as they walked into what looked like some sort of cafeteria.

Matthias nodded.  “But only during your special lessons with the Reagen family.”

Taylor turned to face Matthias.  “Thank you for taking me here.  I have to go find my brothers now.”

“It was my pleasure,” said Matthias.  “You and I can become good friends.”  He nodded goodbye and walked away.  

Tonight’s dinner was mac and cheese that Rhys had made.  It must have been really good because most of the kids in the cafeteria were getting seconds already.  

Taylor got her food and as she did so, she glimpsed Tyler and Marvel sitting and talking together alone at a table.  She walked over to their table.

“Hi, guys.  Where’s Glory?”  She said.  Glory was not in sight.

Then she realized it.  And when she looked at their faces, her guess was confirmed.

Glory hadn’t passed the test.

 

Chapter 6

Tyler

 

Tyler was absolutely sure that Taylor would burst into tears when she heard that Glory hadn’t passed the test.  Surprisingly, she didn’t.  She just sighed and sat down with her mac and cheese.  Maybe she was too tired to cry, and she’d cry later.

Rich had dropped the news on him two hours into training.  

“Um, Tyler?”  He had said to him as he was training at the PvP (player vs. player) station.  Tyler had stepped out of line.

“Hey, Rich.  What’s up?”  Tyler had said, shaking Rich’s outstretched hand.  

“Well, Rhys was busy cooking for dinner tonight, so he told me to pass along the message that Glory didn’t pass the test,”Rich had said.  “I wanted to tell you earlier, but you looked so into the training activities, which is great, that didn’t want to stop you with the bad news.”

“Can’t he take the test again?”  Tyler had asked.  “Or does he need to be invited?”

“He would need another invitation from Rhys,” Rich had said.  “And Rhys told me he knew that Glory wouldn’t pass the test and that he didn’t need a little ten-year-old.”

“I bet Ryan was furious, because he had to stand out there longer than he actually need to,” Tyler had said.  “But the age doesn’t matter really, does it?  I thought he needed young children.”

“Ryan wasn’t as mad as you think.  He just has to press the start button, correct the level knob, and make sure the thing doesn’t malfunction,” Rich had replied.  “And I think Rhys doesn’t want Glory in his army, not because of his youth, but because he naturally doesn’t like him.”

Doesn’t like him, Tyler had thought at the time.  Why wouldn’t Rhys like Glory?  He’s just annoying sometimes, that’s all.  “What would cause Rhys to not like Glory?”  Tyler had asked.  “He’s just annoying sometimes.”

“Glory called him a liar and a moron,” Rich had said.  “You wouldn’t like someone calling you that, would you?  Now, run along.  You’re wasting training time.”

 

Tyler then forced Rich to not tell Taylor.

It was 7:00 at night when people started leaving the dining hall.  Tyler copied people who were putting away their dishes and then walked out of the room.  As he left, he looked over his shoulder and saw Taylor walking and talking with this blond-haired boy.  Taylor’s friends with someone already?  He thought.  Taylor’s so much better at socializing than I am.

Directly across from the exit to the cafeteria, was a sign that was headlined, DORM ROOMS.  A couple of people were looking at it, so Tyler went up to read it.  It said:

 

Room 1:  Peter, Matthias M, Taylor, Conor, Tyler, Matthias C

Room 2: Rhys, Ryan, Ray, Marvel, Jason T, Jason C, Rich

Lights out at 9:00

 

Tyler figured out that since he and Taylor were in the same dorm room, he should follow her and that boy she was with.  Soon, he was in a large room with six cots that were spaced wide apart.  Next to each bed was a small drawer.  And a bathroom with two stalls were spaced off in a far corner, and next to it, there was a shower.

“Do we just hang out here until 9:00?”  Tyler asked a boy who was sitting on one of the beds.  “I’m new.  I just passed the test today.”  As he said this, he thought, even though Glory didn’t.

The boy nodded.  “Congratulations.  You must be Tyler, then.  I”m Matthias.  Matthias Marquis, not Matthias Casillas.  We were good friends even when we lived in Spain, so people always can’t tell which one is which.”

“Interesting.  And yes, I’m Tyler,” Tyler replied.  He noticed the bed next to Matthias Marquis’s bed was empty and unclaimed.  “May I take the bed next to you?”

Matthias nodded.  “Sure.  We could become good friends.”

“I guess,” said Tyler.

 

When it was time for lights out, Tyler lay in bed, thinking.  I wonder if I like this place.  Do I?  I don’t really know.  Will I?  Possibly.  I’ll have to find out more…

 

Chapter 7

Glory

 

Thoughts raced through Glory’s mind as Rhys’s private jet soared as they flew back to Antarctica.  It was so unfair.  Why couldn’t he get reinvited?  Rhys had said that under normal circumstances, he would’ve gotten another chance, but only he couldn’t get another chance.  Rhys didn’t know that fairness was an important thing in life to remember.

Glory sighed and put on his jacket.  The plane was landing soon, and Glory needed to get adjusted quickly to the colder climates.  “If not for Rhys, I wouldn’t have to ride this stupid plane,” Glory muttered.  “I’m going to hire someone to kill Rhys the instant I get off the plane.”

Kevin, Rhys’s non-illegal  brother, heard him and said, “There’s no need.  Most people want to kill him already, so all you need to do is send an anonymous letter to a Supreme Policeman telling him to try harder to kill him if you really need to.  But I’d advise you not to, because Rhys has saved your butt at least a hundred times without you realizing it.”

“You aren’t an illegal.  Why can’t you kill him for me?”  Glory asked.

“I may not be an illegal, but Rhys is my brother.  Would you seriously kill Marvel or Tyler or Taylor just because they might be a royal pain in the neck sometimes?”

“Is Rhys annoying to you?”  Glory asked.  “Or are you just one of those rebels who give blind devotion to Rhys Reagen, the saviour of all, who actually didn’t do anything?  Are you trying to persuade me to stop my plan?  Well, if you are, then it’s not going to work.”

“I’m not trying to talk you out of it,” said Kevin.  “You won’t be able to do it, Glory.  For one thing, you don’t know where he is.  For another, he could kill you in two seconds.  And finally, he would know you were coming.  He can see us talking right now.”

The plane landed and Kevin led Glory off the plane.  Glory began to think again.  Will Mom and Dad be mad?  Or will they be happy because at least one of their sons is home with them?  Will they say that they didn’t want me anymore?

Glory’s mother and father were standing by the stairs.  They greeted Glory with a hug.  

“Hi, Glory.  Good to see you again,” said Glory’s dad.

“Why aren’t you mad at me?”  Glory asked.  “I didn’t pass Rhys’s test.”  

“You don’t have to succeed in everything,” said Glory’s mom.  “The Rhys Reagen test is very difficult.  It’s not your fault.  You’re great just the way you are.”

Chapter 8

Taylor

 

It had been three days since she passed the test, but Taylor was just as confused as the first day.  Matthias just really made her head spin sometimes.  Did Matthias have a crush on her?  Possibly.  There were a lot of times when Taylor caught Matthias just looking dreamily at her.

At the moment, she was sitting on the roof alone with Matthias.  Matthias turned to her.  

“You know, you’re really pretty,” he said.  

“Thank you,” Taylor said.  

He took her face in both hands, and it looked like he was going to kiss her, but then he moved back.  “We’re so alike,” Matthias said.

“You have a little brother, don’t you?”  Taylor said, struggling to change the subject.  “Jason, I recall.”

“Yes, I do,” said Matthias.  “He’s a pain.  He sounds a bit like your brother Glory that you always talk about.”

“Oh, yes, Glory,” Taylor said with a little sigh.  No matter how confused about her life Matthias made her, the fact that Glory had been forced to return to the cold climates of their home in Antarctica haunted her each day.

“Did you know that my father’s a hypnotist?”  Matthias asked.  “He used to use his powers to get women to love him until he realized how horrible it was.”

“That’s horrible!  Why would you ever think that it was okay to do something like that?”  Taylor asked.  

Matthias shrugged.  “My family is powerful without them even knowing it.  My father didn’t know he was hypnotizing his girlfriends until they banded together and started a protest in the main square at home. For all I know, I could be hypnotizing you into loving me right now.  Don’t get mad.  Just tell if I am.”

Taylor thought for a minute.  Was Matthias hypnotizing her?  Is that why she felt so confused around him?  “How does it feel to get hypnotized?”  She asked.

“My father used hypnotism on me and my siblings as a punishment.  It feels like the world’s drowning out of your sight and you black out.  I don’t think I’m hypnotizing you.”

And next thing she knew, Taylor woke up.

 

Chapter 9

Rhys

 

Rhys was frustrated.  Something he was working on was going horribly wrong.

There was a double-crosser in Rhys’s Headquarters.  

Rhys had no idea who it was.  He had no leads, he had no clues, and he had no proven suspects. The only thing he knew was that someone in his troop was destroying inner defenses and barriers that Rhys and Ryan had spent hours building and putting up.  Rhys was furious.

Rhys paced the halls, wondering who it could be.  His top suspect was his latest addition, Marvel Set, but that kid looked only about twelve, so it might not be him.  His next guess would be Tyler Set, and it seemed more realistic than Marvel, since Tyler was fifteen and was pretty strong.

Rhys thought about screaming at the top of his lungs, but then he remembered it was ten o’clock and that people were sleeping.  

“Why,” Rhys said through gritted teeth, “Why can’t I figure this thing out?”

 

The next morning, Rhys decided to interrogate who he thought was a traitor.  He knew he couldn’t have a traitor in his army if he was going to be the leader of the rebels.  Rhys shuddered as he remembered a time when he added an adult named Peter Pevensie into the group for a couple of weeks.  But Rhys had kicked him out after a while because Rhys’s brother Peter had informed him that the other Peter’s dream was to betray someone or something.  

Breakfast was at 7:00, and all of the kids were sleeping.  Rhys snuck into Room 1, but it just happened to be that Tyler’s bed was empty.  That meant that he was probably in the gym, but it was 5:30 in the morning.  Who would ever go train that early in the morning?  

It was extremely dark, and Rhys couldn’t find the light switch, so Rhys had to use the walls to get around.  Slowly but surely, Rhys made it up the staircase to the gym.  The light was on, and Tyler was working out.

“I know what you’re here for,” said Tyler.  He didn’t look at Rhys.  “I’m not a traitor or anything like that.  I’m in the gym early right now because I’m loyal to you, and I’m putting in my commitment.”

Rhys’s accusations swallowed in his throat.  Tyler was right.  He wouldn’t have gone out there that morning if he didn’t actually want to be there.  But then again, to draw attention away from himself that he was the double-crosser.

“If you really want to know who it is, I can tell you,” said Tyler.

“Who?”  

Tyler raised his finger and pointed across the room and around the corner.  Rhys looked and saw a blond haired boy with headphones tapping out a message on a computer.  Rhys instantly knew what that boy was doing.  

It was Matthias Casillas.

 

END OF BOOK ONE

Emma

Chapter 1

 

Emma walked home in the rain because her dad forgot to pick her up again. The rain was dripping from her hair and onto her back. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter. Ugh, why did her dad have to come back? Why, why, why? She knew the way home, because this was the sixth time he forgot to pick her up. Two miles from school she had to walk. Walk in the rain. Ugh!

Finally she got home. But her dad wasn’t home. Yet she knew exactly where he was, at Murray’s. Murray’s is the local liquor and bar store on the island of Cortin. Cortin was a small island so Murray’s is one of the only liquor stores on the island.

Emma sighed and went to the fridge. She slide a microwave pizza in the microwave. Then Emma went into the living room and grabbed her laptop and her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty. She felt that everyone in the sixth grade knew that they were way too old for Disney movies. But Emma loved them, they comforted her. Almost made her feel like her dad, her life, and everything was gone. Ding! The microwave woke her up from her fantasy. She rushed into the kitchen and put her pizza on a paper plate.

In her room Emma popped the DVD into the laptop. She heard the familiar theme music and saw Bugs Bunny. When the prince kissed Sleeping Beauty a tear rolled down her cheek and splashed onto her laptop. Why couldn’t someone save her? Then she started the movie again. Hi Bugs Bunny!

After the second time Emma watched the movie, it was 10 o’clock. She put the movie and computer away. Then she slipped on her PJ’s and brushed her teeth. Emma climbed into bed. Just when she got in she heard the front door open. Oh no, Dad!

No, mom! Yay! Today she came home from her long business trip. Mom is always working, but dad is unemployed.

“Sweetie, are you home?” mom shouts.

“Yes, mommy!” Emma shouted back. Seconds later she poked her head through her bedroom door.

“Where is your dad?” mom questions,

“Murray’s,” Emma sighed. She nodded then sighed too.
“Ok, well guess what?” her mom said. “I have to go away tomorrow at four in the morning to China, so I won’t see you.” Tears brimmed Emma’s eyes. Does she have to go?

“I know it has been hard on you ever since your father came back, but that is life. You are who you are because of him coming back last summer, ” her mom said sadly. She kissed Emma on the cheek where tears have somehow creeped out of Emma’s eyes. They were like little drops of sadness. Falling, falling, falling. Emma’s mom turned off the lights and Emma thought maybe she could see a tear in her mom’s eye.

 

Chapter 2

 

The next morning Emma stumbled through her morning routine. Put on clothes, brush hair, brush teeth, eat breakfast, grab bag, go on bus. She felt like a robot going through the same motions over and over and over again.

On the school bus, she sat in an empty seat in the back. Her friend, Charlie, came on the bus. Charlie moved to Cortin just this year. Charlie and Emma had became very good friends.

“Hey Em!” said Charlie, sliding into the seat next to her.

“Hi Char, how’s it going?” Emma replied.

“So did you hear about the plane crash this morning?” Charlie asked excitedly. Charlie’s mom is a news reporter, so she tells Charlie all the news.

“No Char,” Emma said, half-heartedly.

“Well,” she begins, “a plane going to China crashed and everyone on the plane died.” Charlie finishes excitedly.

“Mmm,” Emma said, not really listening. Charlie talks enough for Emma and herself combined, so sometimes when Charlie talked Emma tuned out.

At school in Social Studies they were talking about a plane crash. Emma decided to listen.

“The plane left at four this morning,” Mrs. Kelley told the class, “trying to go to China.” Emma’s heart stopped beating. NO! Emma raised her hand, almost scared to ask the question. Mrs. Kelly’s eyes fell on Emma.

“Yes,” she said.

“Um… could you maybe um, you know, print out a sheet of the um, names of the um, people who um, died,” Emma barely made out the words.

“Of course, Miss Emma Clount. I am so happy that you care about this horrible tragedy that has fallen upon us,” Mrs. Kelley said. Charlie shot me a look as if to say, She is such a drama queen. Usually Emma would laugh, but right now she didn’t care. Emma heard the printer going whir, whir, whir. As though every second was an hour the sheet came out of the printer.

Mrs. Kelley took the paper off the the printer and made her way over to Emma. With shaking hands, Emma took the papers made warm by the printer. Then she scanned the list.

 

Chapter 3

 

Emma heart stopped beating. There, her mother’s name. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Emma weakly raised her hand. Mrs. Kelley smiled and called on Emma.

“Uh, I don’t feel well,” Emma said and coughed just to prove it.

“Oh no! Horrible killer cough. Go to the nurse’s office, and here is your hall pass,” Mrs. Kelley said. Charlie made a face as if to say, What? I know you aren’t sick! Emma ignored it.

At the nurse’s office the nurse said that Emma didn’t have a fever, but just in case she would send Emma home. The nurse called Emma’s dad, but he didn’t pick up the phone.

“You will have to lay on the bed in the sick room until the end of school,” the nurse said politely. Emma smiled weakly and turned to the bed. In the room it smelled of moldy cheese and rotten cabbage. Ugh, dad. Sadly, Emma sat on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

The bell rang. Emma snapped awake, she looked at the clock: 3:30 p.m., school was over. Emma sat up and walked back over to the nurse.

“Is there a ride for you, sweetie?” the nurse asked in a honey-coated voice.

“Yeah,” Emma lied, pretty sure her dad wasn’t coming.

“A girl, Charlie, brought you your bag!” said the nurse.

“Thanks,” Emma barely replied. She scooped up her bag and walked out into the rain. Emma went to the circle of parents waiting to pick up kids. In that circle was her dad! Ugh, this was the last person she wanted to see right now.

“Hey Emma!” he shouted. Emma grumbled. Her dad walked over to Emma, beer in hand and the same shirt he has been wearing for the past three days.

“Your mom died,” he said. “But I’m gonna swing by Murray’s, how ’bout that. Woo-hoo!!!” Then Emma got very angry. Murray’s!

“Why do you care that mom died? You know what? Maybe you wanted her to!” Emma screamed. Tears stung her eyes. “Go to Murray’s and never come back!” Emma screamed. Emma turned on her heels, crying, and walked home.

Chapter 4

 

It has been a month since Emma and her dad got into a fight. He still hasn’t come back. There were stacks of bills piled high on the kitchen table. Emma was starting to get nervous — she didn’t have any money to pay the bills. There was only almonds left for food, and she hadn’t gone to school for a month.

But Emma had taken care of school; she wrote a note saying they had moved. Emma sighed. This was kind of her fault; she had told her dad to go and never come back. But what parent would leave their kid alone for a month? A bad parent, that’s who! Just then, there was a knock on the door. Confused, Emma rushed to open it.

Emma pulled the door open, standing there before her was a very, very, very tall women in a gray pantsuit. The very, very, very tall women looked down at Emma. The very, very, very tall women had gray eyes that matched her pantsuit. Piled on top of her head there was a bun.

“You must be Emma,” said the very, very, very tall women. “I am Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert. Where is your father? At Murray’s, I suppose.” Emma stared at Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert. How did she know all that stuff?

“Yes, he is,” Emma said very, very quietly. Emma looked Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert in her gray eyes and asked, “How did you know that?”

“It’s my job,” Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert said like it didn’t matter.

“Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert, what do you mean it’s your job?” Emma asked very confused.

“Please call me Ellie, Emma,” Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert said. “I am a spy, Emma, and after a month I have decided to step in and help you.”

“I’m okay, I don’t need help,” Emma said, closing the door. Ellie stuck her foot in the door and kicked it open again.

“You do need help. Your mom is dead and your dad has disappeared. Honestly, you need a world of help,” Ellie said. Emma had to say Ellie had a point.

“How are you going to help me?” Emma asked.

“Join us in spying! Endless possibilities. Time of your life and something you really want to know,” Ellie said in a magical voice. “Plus, if you don’t trust me, then I know someone who you will. She works for me. Charlie, get out of the car!” Out of a black limousine stepped Charlie. Charlie was also wearing a gray pantsuit. On top of her head was a bun.

“Char? Oh my gosh! Sure I’ll join, Ellie!” Emma said excitedly. Ellie clapped her hands together and Charlie brought forth a gray pantsuit.

“Change, and then tie you hair up into a bun on the top of your head,” Ellie said. Emma nodded and changed.

 

Chapter 5

 

Emma climbed into the car. The windows were tinted so Emma couldn’t see the outside.

“Hey Char, this is so cool!” Emma exclaimed. Charlie didn’t answer. “Char?” Emma poked Charlie.

“Would you just be quiet, okay? I wasn’t ever your friend,” Charlie said. Hurt, Emma didn’t talk any more.

“Where are we going?” Emma asked Ellie.

“Be quiet, girl,” Ellie said to Emma, then to Charlie, “gag her, Charlie!” Charlie tied a gag over Emma’s mouth so Emma couldn’t speak. It was also pretty hard to breath. What is happening to me?! Emma thought. Then Charlie tied Emma’s hands behind her back.

The limo pulled into a driveway, Emma was trying to scream but no words came out of her mouth. Emma was afraid to move but she tried anyway and successfully sat up. But then Charlie tied Emma’s feet together and Emma couldn’t move anymore.

Ellie pulled the limo into the driveway and got out. Emma was petrified in fear. Emma’s door opened and Ellie grabbed Emma. Ellie slung Emma over her shoulder. Ellie was surprisingly strong for her age. Ellie turned to yell at Charlie about something and Emma got a glimpse of the building. It was a little white cottage with ivy crawling up the walls. Somehow, this building seemed familiar.

Once inside the building, Ellie threw Emma inside a small room. There was very dim lighting but Emma could make out a figure. She looked kind of like her mom. But that would be impossible; a single tear dropped from Emma’s face at the thought of her mom. Then a very familiar voice said,

“Is that you, Emma?” It was mom! Emma tried to reply but the gag stopped her.

“Ghrlb,” was all Emma could make out.

“Oh no, sweetie! Here, let me try to get your gag off,” Emma’s mom said. Emma’s mom’s hands were also tied behind her back so she had to turn around to get the gag off. Emma’s mom also took off Emma’s hand-and-feet-ties too. Once freed, Emma undid her mom too.

“Emma, you can ask me questions later but right now we need to escape.” Out of Emma’s mom’s jean pocket she revealed a flashlight and switched it on. The room flooded with light, as Emma looked around the room memories poured into Emma’s mind.

Emma was little, two, maybe, bouncing up and down on someone’s lap.Horsie!” Emma shrieked. “Again, again!”

“I’ll give you a boost.” Emma’s mom pointed her flashlight to the window. Emma snapped back to reality.

“Ok,” Emma said. Her mom unlatched the window and pushed it open. The breeze rushed through Emma’s hair. Emma’s mom lifted Emma up and Emma fell through the window. Seconds later her mom came toppling after. Emma stood up and brushed leaves off her. Emma’s mom took her phone out of her pocket. She dialed a number and pressed call.

“Hello? Hi! Could you give us a lift…we are at the cottage…mmmh…thanks!” Emma’s mom put away her phone.

“I never got on the plane,” Emma’s mom whispered. “They took me right before.” Emma smiled. Maybe Ellie did help her, without even knowing it. “We were kidnapped because your father was a spy and they wanted information from us. I will explain everything later.” Just then a black jeep pulled up behind some trees.

“Come on!” Emma’s mom said. She pulled Emma’s arm and they ran into the backseat of the jeep. Inside the jeep a man turned around. He seemed so familiar. He had jet black hair combed perfectly.

“Who is this?” Emma asked her mom.

“This, this is your real father!”

 

The End

Emily and the Land of Exbow

 

Emily was walking through her front yard and humming absentmindedly until she tripped on a stone.

“That’s funny- I never noticed that stone before,” said Emily.

She slowly picked up the stone and angled it at the sunlight so that she could see it better. It had a gray sheen that was almost white and it sparkled several colors of the rainbow. Suddenly a rainbow sprang from the stone. In surprise Emily dropped the stone, and the rainbow disappeared.

“What was that?“ Emily said to herself.

Emily picked up the stone again, and the rainbow returned. But this time, Emily touched the rainbow carefully, and to her surprise, it was solid. Then, not knowing why she was doing it, she slid onto the rainbow. Then suddenly, a strong wind whisked her away. Terrified, Emily clutched on to the rainbow as she slid on it. It winded around and around and around like a slide in a playground, and then there was a sudden up. She stopped at the top for a moment to look down at the beautiful scenery of the buildings lining up and the rolling green hills. Then suddenly, she went down fast like a rollercoaster, and the kind of thrill in her stomach was the same kind of terror and thrill in your stomach. Then, she went down so near, her feet grazed the top of a roof. And then up again into a white cloud (they’re much more cold and wet than you think they are). Down down down down, faster than she had ever gone before, so fast she wasn’t able to give the breath to scream. She saw, coming up, a gray stone wall. How do I stop it? How do I stop it? How do I stop it? Was all Emily thought right before she crashed into the wall. But it wasn’t a regular wall. She went through it and spiraled in a white light, her body morphing and reforming. With a bright flash she hit solid ground.

Emily groaned as she stood up, and as she looked around, she noticed that she wasn’t in Westchester. Emily also felt like she wasn’t in any other place on the planet earth. Emily felt like she was in a different universe. As Emily looked around she noticed that this planet was much brighter than earth and much less polluted than the cities Emily had visited. The air was fresher and horses that seemed to glow unnaturally grazed in the fields ahead of her. A stream of fresh water up to Emily’s knees rolled past her. She heard the crashing of a waterfall below. The fish in this land were very different. It seemed they had both lungs and gills. All of them sparkled in three different colors, and each of them had a pair of underwater wings that could be used for both sky and water. Some of the fields were strangely flat, and some were rolls and rolls of green hills. Tucked in each hill were little towns, looking so small from where Emily was. But then, far away, the valleys turned dark and shriveled, as if darkness had taken over that place. Another weird thing was that instead of birds flying around in the daylight, there were bats instead, except the bats’ voices sounded exactly like the chirp of a bird. One thing that stuck out most to Emily was a valley that seemed to go on forever like it was endless, with the same flowers blossoming, the same clouds moving, and the same bats chirping. The endless valley seemed strangely too good.

“Strange,” Emily said.

But just as Emily was taking this new world in, a big beefy hand grabbed her by the shoulder. Emily started to scream, but another beefy hand wrapped an old piece of cloth around her mouth and tightly knotted it. Both hands were wrinkled, green, and hairy.

“QUIET,” said a gruff voice.

And she came face to face with a what looked like an ogre from a children’s story. Its skin was green and it had boils all over its body with bloodshot eyes, a pointy nose, stringy hair, and bits of mold around its body. It was plain ugly. All it wore was a dirty brown cloth that must have had a color a long time ago, but had gotten much too dirty for appearing. Emily also noticed that there must have been more of the cloth draped around his body, but it had rotted away with time. Then she was thrown into a smelly sack . After that Emily forgot what happened next because she fell into a restless sleep.

 

        When Emily awoke she found herself in a cold cave surrounded by ugly ogres and all of them grabbing for her and moaning and saying things like:

“I get to eat her brain- that tastes the best.”

“No no no, I get to eat her brain!“

“Can I eat her toe nails?”

“Leave the eyeballs to me.”

Emily crawled away from the crowd of ogres, her stomach turning around and around as the ogres got closer and closer, until she was cornered. Then, one orge that looked like the leader reached forward for Emily with one grubby hand. Emily could not help herself with all the fear building up inside her, and she screamed. The ogre reaching for her took his hand away as if surprised. This gave Emily time to think, and the first thing that Emily thought was RUN! And Emily ran and ran and ran. She ran past the leader ogre and Emily dodged the other ogres reaching for her. Then one daring ogre ran in front of her as she was running, and, not having time to think, Emily dove under the tough looking ogre.

“Oooohhhh!” groaned the ogre.

“After our food!” roared the leader, “or you get no food.”

Emily quickly scurried over the boulder blocking her path. There was a wall made of stalagmites that was blocking her path, and the only way to get through was by going up and over it. Not wasting any time, Emily jumped up on it and started climbing, but a small child ogre grabbed her foot.

“I got food!” he cried.

Emily kicked him in the face, but instantly felt bad as he started crying.

“Sorry!” she said as she started climbing higher and higher.

She could feel the ogres huffing and puffing as they climbed up the stalagmites. One more ogre jumped on. Emily heard a creaking sound, and one of the ogres on the ground yelled, “Too much weight!” and the stalagmites crashed to the ground. As they crashed down with Emily at the top, her leg fell forward, scraping a stalagmite and making a small wound on her leg. Biting back her pain and her fear, Emily kept running. There was one boulder blocking the entrance.

“Haha!” roared an ogre, “Our food is blocked.”  

But what the ogres didn’t know was that Emily or any other human could easily squeeze past the sides of the boulder. So Emily pressed herself against the wall and squeezed past the boulder into the cold night air.

Emily looked around. The first thing she saw was a structure that looked like a house. She started running/limping toward it until she heard a big BOOM. She turned around and saw the ogres had pushed down the boulder and were filing out. Turning on her heel, she started running as fast as she could to the structure. At last she got there and it turned out it was a stable.

“Must be an abandoned stable,” muttered Emily to herself.

Slowly, she opened the door as it creaked open. Then, with one last look behind her, she closed the door. Emily walked around cautiously until she found an old patch of hay. Right before she went to bed, Emily washed her wound in the stream. Then, she snuggled down deep inside the hay. Her dreams were filled with ogres grabbing, screeching, groaning, wanting to eat her.

And the leader saying in a too-sweet voice, “Come to me, Emily. Come to me.” And reaching his gnarled hand toward her. Emily awoke many times with cold sweat.

 

Sunlight streamed into the stables, making the hay Emily was sleeping in seem pure gold. Emily blinked a few times, and she felt something soft nuzzling her cheek.

“Get away, get away! Stop it ogre,” mumbled Emily.

Then, something licked her cheek.

“What?” Emily said, and this time fully opened her eyes.

To her surprise, there was a white stallion nuzzling her cheek. Emily blinked a few times, and she got up, groaning as she dragged her leg behind her.

“I guess this isn’t a completely abandoned stable,” she whispered into the stallion’s ear. “You’re a beauty,” she said, stroking the stallion’s mane.

It was a pure white horse with a glossy white coat and a thick bushy tail. With big chocolatey brown eyes. And as Emily was stroking its back, she noticed something different. It had huge white wings folded up by its sides, shining with a silvery sheen.

“A pegasus,” Emily whispered, amazed.

She stared into the horse’s eyes for a while, and finally she broke from the phase.

“Well, I better go,” Emily said, and she peeked at the door.

The field looked deserted.

“Good,” she said, and she started out on her way.

 

Emily had been walking for a while, and her leg had turned a sickly green color. The scenery hadn’t changed at all. She was still in what seemed like a neverending field of green grasses and small streams. Flowers bloomed brightly in the morning sun. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a horse trotting behind her. She turned to look and saw the beautiful stallion had been following her.

“What are you doing here?” she questioned.

It gently nuzzled her chin.

“Well I guess you’re gonna stay with me, so I better name you,” Emily said, “I think Snowy will be good, since it suits your pure white color.”

Suddenly, the stallion stretched out its big, white wings as if stretching his arms. Emily turned and started walking again, but the stallion stayed there.

Emily turned around and asked, “Aren’t you coming with me?”

The stallion held his head high and lifted his wings even higher.

“You want me to go on your back?” she asked.

The stallion nodded his head. He got down on his knees, and Emily jumped onto him.

“Ow!” she flinched as the pain in her leg intensified.

Snowy put her down and started licking her wound.

“Oh don’t do that, Snowy. It’ll probably make it worse!”

But to her surprise, when Snowy was done her wound had completely healed.

“You have healing powers?” Emily said, shaking her head. “This place really is crazy.”

Emily jumped on again. Then Snowy held his wings out and started running as fast as his legs could carry him. Faster and faster and faster, until they were lifted into the air. Emily clung onto his neck and looked down at the valley. It looked beautiful from up here. And she floated past clouds in the blue sky.

 

It was nighttime and they were still flying past the stars and the moon. Emily grew drowsy soon, and slept comfortably on Snowy’s back as he landed gently on the grass. Then, he too nuzzled up beside her and closed his eyes. But he opened his eyes quickly, sensing the danger around them, and instead stood pacing around Emily, protecting her all night.

 

Snowy neighed and awoke Emily.

“What is it?” Emily said, and she opened her eyes.

As she stood up, she saw a tall, lean boy with a red mop of hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a lopsided grin. Snowy protectively stood in front of Emily, separating her from the redheaded boy.

“Who are you?” Emily said with a tinge of cautiousness to her voice.

“My name’s Jack,” he said, spit on his hand, and put his hand out to her.

“Um hi?” she said, and waved her hand shyly, NOT accepting his hand.

Jack, getting the message, quickly put his hand away.

“Now we better be going,” he said and jumped onto Snowy.

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.

“A long time ago,” he said, “a prophecy was made about a girl from the human world who would stop the ogres from eating the innocent people in our towns. “

“Me?” Emily said, her eyes widening. “But I almost got eaten myself!”

“Eaten or not, you’re the girl from the prophecy. But no time to chat. Come on. Quickly!” Jack said, lifting her onto Snowy.

“Away from here! Wherever we are,” said Emily.

 

Finally, Snowy landed for a break in the endless field.

“Do you want something to eat?” said Jack.

“I’m okay,” said Emily, but her stomach growled in protest.

“Seems like you’re hungry to me,” said Jack.

“You win. I’ll take a little bit,” said Emily

He handed her a fresh cob of corn. Emily munched on it happily.

“So tell me more about the prophecy,” Emily said as she munched on her corn.

“Well, it is really simple, the prophecy. It was made 16 years ago when I was just a wee baby. It was made by an old wizard whose name is long forgotten. One day he fell into a phase that lasted for days. He wouldn’t eat or drink for days, and all he did was stare into his magical orb that held all his powers. While he was staring at this orb, evil spirits seemed to be dancing outside of his workshop, taunting him, but he listened to none of them.  And when he got out of his phase, he was never the same, but still he did have some good in him and went straight to the king of Exbow.

“The king of Exbow?” Emily asked.

Jack looked at Emily like she was some evil creature that disgusted him. “You don’t know the king of Exbow? The king of Exbow is a fair leader who rules this land. King Exbow at once made the prophecy official, so that every knows about the prophecy. It is said that a human girl riding a pure white stallion with wings is to defeat the ogres terrorizing the innocent people.”

“WOW, this place really is magical,” said Emily, amazed.

“That’s the only thing that makes us different from your world- everything here is magical. Even you are, when you are in this world. Every one of us has a power here. Now, I would like to know what yours is,” said Jack, eyeing her suspiciously, with one eyebrow raised.

“W-what? I h-have no idea what y-you are talking about,” Emily stuttered as Jack’s eyes bore deep down into her. It was as if he could read her mind, and it made an uneasy feeling in the air.

“Let me show you what I’m talking about,” said Jack with a touch of distrust in his voice.

Emily watched Jack as he closed his eyes, then suddenly, he disappeared. And a moment later, he was right next to her.

“What was that?” said Emily, staring into space.

“My power is that I can teleport myself.”

“This place is more like Superhero land than fairytale land,” Emily said.

`I can even do that with other people,” he said, “I’ll do it with you.”

“No no no no no,” Emily said.

“Too bad,” said Jack with a slight grin.

Emily felt a warm tingling go up from her spine into her head till it felt like her head was floating with warm liquid.

When Emily opened her eyes she was far behind in the stables where she had met Snowy. She heard the sound of an ogre’s grumbling right outside the stable.

It said, “She’s wounded. She can’t get far.”

Emily crept down and hid, but one ogre saw her.

“It’s her!” he growled.

“What are you talking about?” said the ogres, “We checked ten times remember? Last time it was a bat.”

“Well if you’re not gonna check, I’m going to,” said the ogre, and he shoved the door open.

“Jaaack, now would be a good time to leave,” Emily said, hoping Jack would hear even though he was miles away.

Just as the ogre was reaching to grab for her, Jack appeared right next to Emily.

“Let’s go!” said Jack, and tightly gripped her hand.

The tingling sensation was back, but Emily didn’t notice it as she saw the ogre’s eyes widen as he reached a little bit farther.

“Alert the ogres more up west!” he yelled.

Then, they reappeared in the field with Snowy.

“How did you do that?” she said.

“Magic,” Jack answered.

“But now they know we’re up west,” said Emily.

“Probably not too up west. Nothing to be worried about,” said Jack, patting her gently on the back.

Suddenly, a rumbling was heard, and when Emily and Jack looked up a rampage of ogres was thundering toward them.

“Yeah. Nothing to be worried about,” said Emily.

“Run! Hide!” Jack cried.

He scurried behind a tree. Emily looked around for a hiding place, but she saw nothing to hide behind. Emily saw Jack beckoning her from behind the tree, but she knew they would be too big together, and it would only put him in more danger. Emily shook her head at Jack and grimaced. Emily started running, but it was too late, an ogre had already grabbed her by the shirt.

“Get off me!” Emily cried.

Jack jumped out of his hiding place.

“Hey! Nananana booboo!” he yelled to the ogres more behind.

One of them leapt out and grabbed Jack.

“Aaawww,” whined the ogre, “He’s not the girl.”

He dropped him roughly on the ground,

“Ugh,” Jack groaned as he landed hard on his backside.

“You stupid murderer,” Emily said, not thinking.

“Enough!” cried the ogre, and he bopped her on the head so hard that Emily felt the vibrations through her whole body.

All the blood in her body went to her head.

Emily felt dizzy and the images in her head blurred.

Emily forced her eyes open and saw the blurred features of a orge.

A cold laugh filled the field, and everything went black.

 

When Emily woke up, she found herself in what seemed like a jail cave. There was some kind of hardened liquid as the bars around her. The ground was cold, but Emily could feel the pulsing of the earth beneath her hand. The jail was dimly lit with one torch. A bowl of mushy, green stuff that looked disgusting was by her feet.

“I need to get out of here,” whispered Emily.

She tried breaking the liquid bars, but they were surprisingly hard. Emily heard a cry and looked up. There were bats hanging from the ceiling in her cell.

 

Jack crept out of his hiding place. He saw Snowy easily walking toward him.

“Emily, come on out!” he said.

Snowy pointed his head toward where the ogres had headed.

“Oh no,” said Jack. “Come on,” he said turning his head to Snowy. “Their traps are still on the ground we’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”

 

Emily heard a moaning in the cell next door. “Who’s there?” said Emily, her voice echoing in the hallway.

“Meeeee,” moaned the voice.

“Show yourself,” said Emily.

“It’s just meeee,” moaned the voice again, and this time, it sounded like it was right behind Emily.

“What?” said Emily, and she whipped around. In front of her, she saw something light and wispy. Emily put her hand through it, and it felt like she was going through cold air. “You’re a ghost?” she said.

“No, a spirit,” said the spirit.

“Okay, spirit. What were you before?” said Emily.

“I was a girl like you,” the spirit said.

Emily looked at the spirit. “Not meaning to be rude, but you look a little bit more like a cloud.”

“I cannot be in my boooooooody,” the spirit said. “for I died a long time ago. My boooooody is in the cell next door if you want to see it.”

“Um, no thank you,” said Emily. “But I would like to know what your name was as a girl.”

“I forgooooot, it was such a long time ago,” said the spirit.

“One more question, if it doesn’t bother you too much,” said Emily, “How do I get out of here? I mean, you seem experienced enough.”

“You have to unlock your inner power,” said the spirit, and it started to dissolve into thin air.

“Wait! What do you mean, ‘unlock your inner power’? What? No! Don’t leave!” Emily said.

But the spirit was already gone.

“Thanks for the help!” said Emily, a little bit sarcastically.

“Unlock your inner power? What does that even mean?” said Emily. “Unlock your inner power? Unlock your inner power?” Emily kept saying to herself. “Unlock your inner – POWER! Of course! My power that Jack was talking about, like some kind of psycho!”

“But how do I do that?” said Emily. “Oh, great,” said Emily, throwing her hands up in the air. “I know what to do but I don’t know how to do it.”

Emily sat on the cold floor, sulking. Soon her thoughts drifted off to how mean the ogres had been to the innocent people in their towns. All their bloody hatred was boiling inside of her, making her head hurt and her cheeks red.

“I am getting out of here no matter what, and I’m going to say what I want to say to those jerko ogres,” Emily said, grinding her teeth.

With all this anger building up inside her she felt the same tingling sensation up her back. The same tingling sensation when Jack had unleashed his powers. And, for some reason, she looked at the bars and stared deep down at them. She imagined the bars breaking apart by her command, and then she heard a cracking sound and looked up. The bars looked like they had been pried apart and Emily easily stepped through. With her newfound power, Emily found confidence in herself and started walking toward the door. Until she came across a metal bolted door in front of her. Knowing how to use her power, she used her power to open the door. An ogre guard was standing in front of her. He raised his hand to punch her on the head again. But she moved his metal helmet above his head and dropped it on him before he could move a muscle.

“Ooohhhhhhh!” the ogre screamed.

Emily turned on her heel and started running. Suddenly, she saw something that didn’t look like an ogre with a red mop of hair and its back turned from her. Must be a really short ogre, Emily thought. And she lifted a torch until it was touching the ogre’s fingers.

“Hey! Ow!” said the ogre, and he turned to face her.

“Jack?” Emily said.

“Oh my gosh, Jack! You’re here?” said Emily, and she flew into his arms.

“Come on, Emily! We have to go now!” said Jack as he sucked on his fingers.

“Sorry about the torch,” said Emily as they started running. “I thought you were an ogre.”

“Did you think I looked like one?” said Jack.

“Hey,” said Jack, a new realization coming to him. “You found your power! But … it’s fire?” said Jack, looking confused.

“No! said Emily with a laugh. “I can move things without touching them. Hey, where’s Snowy?”

“Well, he’s supposed to wait outdoors to fly away with us, but I don’t think he really liked the idea of doing that.” Suddenly they heard a crash, and Snowy leaped through the window.

“Snowy!” said Emily and Emily ran forward, about to embrace the stallion, not knowing that a big ogre was right behind her with a pan raised above her head. Snowy and Jack both shoved her out of the way, at the same time making them tumbling into a ball together with Jack sprawled on top of Snowy.

“Run!” Jack cried, as he and Snowy got up.

And Emily ran. Emily turned to see Snowy and Jack fighting against the ogres, but she could also see that they were outnumbered. Ogres kept blocking her path, but she kept burning them with torches. Suddenly Emily saw light and had hope – until the leader ogre grabbed her by the neck. He squeezed and Emily started coughing as he choked her. Without being able to focus Emily couldn’t move things.

“Emily!” cried Jack, and he threw her a dagger that he had disarmed from an ogre.

But right after that, an ogre tackled him to the ground. And poor Snowy had cuts covering his body. Without thinking, Emily took the dagger and stabbed it into the leader ogre’s eye.

“Aaaaahhh!” the ogre screamed. And he dropped Emily on the floor.

Emily watched in horror as he evaporated into the air. All the ogres turned to her in horror, but when Emily thought they were about to attack her, instead they bowed down deep to her.

“Am I missing something?” said Emily, looking around, confused.

One of the toughest looking ogres said to her in a deep, gruff voice, “Whoever kills the leader of our tribe is the new leader. What must we do for our new queen?”

“Um,” Emily said, about to tell them to stop eating innocent people, but then she heard Jack coughing, with a cut on his forehead, and Snowy whimpering on the ground.

“Help my friends,” Emily said.

Soon Jack and Snowy were all healed by a magical antidote that only the ogres knew. Emily had ordered the ogres not to eat innocent people from neighboring towns, and now the ogres ate good meals of berries, nuts, fruits, and the occasional deer. Emily also didn’t forget her debt to the spirit, and had the spirit set free. Emily did feel some happiness as she watched the spirit spiraling out and whooping with joy. But as one of her ogre servants handed her an outfit to wear that day (a white blouse and jeans), Emily said, “I can’t stay here. I have to go back to my home.”

“You cannot,” said the gruff voice of her servant, “Now that you are our queen you cannot leave us without us having a new ruler.”

But already an idea was forming in Emily’s head.

 

The next day an announcement had been made that Jack would be the next king of the ogres.

“And from now on,” said Emily, “instead of killing each other to be leader, you will choose who will be the leader. But I have to leave.”

Jack handed her a stone that looked exactly like the one in her backyard.

“It’s your only way back home,” he said with a slight bit of sorrow in his eyes.

So then, they went out into the great field. As Emily held up the stone to the sun for a moment she paused.

“Goodbye,” she said to the ogres.

She and Jack hugged, and she nuzzled Snowy and gave him a sugar cube. Then Emily held up the stone to the sky and the rainbow sprang up. Emily slid on it and the wind whisked her away.

“I’ll be back!” Emily cried as the wall came up.

Emily hit it with confidence, and she went through the portal back into her backyard. Holding the stone tightly in her hands, she heard her mother call her.

“Emily! Dinnertime!”

“Coming!” Emily said, and she slipped the rock into her pocket.

 

THE END

 

Short story about snowy

 

Once the mythical animal, Pegasus, had a small colt, but sadly the colt was weak and sickly. One day, the colt went out on a walk alone, and there was a earthquake. The colt was badly hurt and almost died. The only way for the delicate colt to live was for it to go to a different planet, for that was the only planet that had the medicine. It was called Exbow. But that meant never coming back home for the colt, because once the colt went to the new world, he could never come back. The colt grew big and strong with the good raising of a humble farmer, but when the young stallion bothered the other farmers, the farmer was forced to let the stallion into the wild. Luckily, he survived and became Snowy years later.

Do Calculators Have a Negative or Positive Effect on People’s Brains?

I have seen many kids use calculators who don’t understand what they are doing. They don’t understand the consequence of their actions. The handheld calculator was invented in 1967. Even by 1986 (29 years ago), calculators represented an estimated 41% of the world’s general-purpose hardware capacity to compute information. Calculators have a negative effect on people’s brains. It causes kids to not know basic math facts.

Calculators were invented as a tool for adults to use in their jobs. Adults use calculators to figure out their rent and issues like that. It is used to calculate money so they don’t pay too much or too little money. Calculators are not supposed to be used by kids who just want to get their math homework done quickly. It is better to take time and learn the basic facts. It is important for kids to have a base in math just like a building that needs to grow bigger and bigger, just like how the math is going to get harder and harder when you get older and older. Math is hard enough. Not learning basic math facts would make it even harder. Adults are supposed to use calculators because they have already learned how to do their basic math facts. They also need a calculator for their jobs, unlike kids.

The consequence of calculator use is that kids do not get to learn their basic math facts in calculator use. The USA is under average at math and science. This is because of calculator use. The USA also gives less school hours and days in the year.  The USA has less than 180 days in a school year. People in the Singapore curriculum can use calculators because they know how to do the basic math facts. What is the point of teaching someone how to do math if they forget how to do it later? It is like the story where the guy catches fish for the man, but the man still doesn’t learn how to catch fish. Christina L. Sheets Wallace, in her NE Math in the Middle Institute Partnership Action Research Project Report in partial fulfillment of the MAT Degree Department of Mathematics University of Nebraska-Lincoln July, said that her students between 7th and 12th grades had lowered their grades on tests because of excessive calculator use.

Calculators have a negative effect on kids who don’t know their basic math facts.  It makes math harder than it needs to be. Calculators are mostly for adults to use in their jobs. Next time you see a kid use a calculator to do their homework, stop them.

Different Girl

 

Chapter 1

Samantha was bored, bored waiting to get her test knowing that she failed and she knew she was going to be in trouble. She had not studied even though she had two weeks to study but did not study.

“Samantha.” Uh oh that was the teacher. Samantha went up to the teacher’s desk and got her test. In black letters it said 73%. She was in trouble big trouble. RIIIIIIING

Chapter 2

CLICK

Samantha opened the door and called, “I’m home.” Her mother rushed down the stairs all dressed up in a dress. “Mom why are you all dressed up?”

Mom said “I have found a man I like. He can be your father.” Now you can tell that Samantha’s father died. Luckily for Samantha her mother forgot about the test… for now.

Samantha raced into the kitchen grabbed a snack and a black marker and raced upstairs. Once she was upstairs she closed the door and ate her snack. Then took out the paper and uncapped the pen, scriggled out the 73%, and wrote 100%. Samantha stuffed the paper in her bookbag and went to bed.

Chapter 3

When Samantha woke up she found her mother and this stranger man which Samantha thought was the man her mom went out with. Samantha got breakfast and went to get her backpack and on the way out of her house to school the test paper fell out and Samantha did not realize it.

At school, a girl was handing out invitations for a party at her mansion. Samantha walked up to the girl and held her hand out.

The girl said, “What do you want? I did not invite you because you are weird. Oh and everybody else is invited but you.” Samantha turned away and walked to her desk.

Chapter 4

Samantha trudged home and opened the door and walked in to find her mother with a frown and holding her test paper and her phone which said Samantha=73% because the teacher had sent the test grade. The paper said 73% scrapped out and a 100% instead. Her mother grounded her. Samantha had to study that was her punishment. She ate dinner took a shower and went to bed. Samantha woke up earlier to go to her cousin’s house across the street. Samantha’s cousin is usually awake at 5:00 to get ready for work, which starts at 8:30. Samantha told Martha about her problem. Martha just listened.

Chapter 5

Her cousin Martha said she would talk to Samantha’s mom about how Samantha didn’t want to get in trouble but wanted a good grade. Samantha went to school happy and got good grades at school and impressed her mom. School finished and Samantha got good grades and over the summer Samantha’s mom got married and Samantha, her mom, and new father were happy. Samantha’s new father surprised Samantha by bringing her to the movies on her birthday. Samantha liked the new guy.

THE END

DJ Fly

One day, DJ Fly was walking to work through the noise of the traffic. He was working at a teacher but he was really a superhero. DJ Fly’s mom and dad were superheroes and sometimes they helped DJ Fly but usually they didn’t because they wanted DJ Fly to be a real superhero like them. DJ Fly was only a junior superhero. They all had secret identities. The mom and dad lived together in California and DJ Fly lived in the sewers in New York City. He fought Ground Man and Air Man. Even if two hundred buildings fell on them, they were still alive. Sometimes DJ Fly wished he could be normal because sometimes when he fought one hundred bad guys he became really exhausted.

When DJ Fly was walking to work, he saw something weird. The ground was shaking. When he saw the ground shaking, he remembered that happened yesterday, too. The ground was shaking because the bad guy, Ground Man, was underground, using a gadget to make it shake. Ground Man and DJ Fly used to like each other, but then they didn’t. They were mad at each other because a month ago Ground Man stole money from DJ Fly’s bank since he didn’t have any more money left. That night a month ago, he was going to steal from a different bank that Ground Man didn’t like, but by accident he went to DJ Fly’s bank and stole the money. DJ Fly was mad.

DJ Fly wanted to teach his students because it was the last day of school. Ground Man was stopping him from getting to school because he didn’t want him to see the students. Ground Man didn’t want him to see the students because he wanted to get DJ Fly’s superpowers: strength, lasers, and flying. Ground Man was jealous – he wanted to fly, but he can only make the ground shake. He had always been jealous. Even on DJ Fly’s birthday he said, “Could I have your powers?”

DJ Fly flew to the school but, after school started, DJ Fly came back and the ground was shaking. Ground Man was disguising himself as DJ Fly’s friend, Dino. DJ Fly went underground to fight Ground Man. When he got there, he was surprised to see Dino. Immediately, DJ Fly realized that this wasn’t Dino because his costume was falling off. There was an error in Ground Man’s plan. Ground Man got confused. He thought he was in his own underground lair, but he was really in DJ Fly’s lair, so it was easy for DJ Fly to trap him. When they both got in DJ Fly’s lair the doors locked. DJ Fly went out and locked Ground Man inside with no food. Then Ground Man found a little food but it was actually covered in something. The food was actually a jewel with some of DJ Fly’s powers in it!

Then Ground Man found a key because of the superpowers, so the key opened the locked doors to get out. When Ground Man got out, he opened another locked door, and then he finally unlocked the door to get out of the lair. When Ground Man got out of the lair he realized that DJ Fly tricked him. The jewel was actually Ground Man’s power! So then Ground Man’s power, when he performed it, made the ground shake, and he fell inside DJ Fly’s lair and he got trapped on purpose, by a net! He did it to himself!

When Ground Man got trapped, he had a plan. He got out of the trap and the net fell on DJ Fly. But then DJ Fly realized he could use one of his superpowers! Lasers! So DJ Fly used his lasers to break the net open.

Now that he broke the net open, he realized he hadn’t seen his Mom and Dad for five years. He started to miss his Mom and Dad. He tried to visit them every day by flying or going underwater. But every time he tried, a crime would start and he would have to come to the rescue.

So he flew to California. This time, he was successful in seeing his parents, but he could only stay for a year. This was because the last day of the year he spent with his parents – June 1 – they told him that Air Man and Ground Man were actually robots they made to teach him how to be a real superhero. So DJ Fly was surprised. He was even more surprised when he came home to the lair and saw Air Man and Ground Man frozen still. DJ Fly’s parents did this for him so he could break Air Man and Ground Man up into little pieces and he could be a real superhero. Regular superheroes just help people but real superheroes fight. And so he became a real superhero.

 

Dear Miss Fairy Godmother Sincerely, Her Majesty.

Dear Miss Fairy Godmother

Sincerely, Her Majesty

June 11, 1982.

Early in the morning, just at the crack of dawn, I got out of bed. I walked into the attic to work on the inventory. My mother started an inventory of our house, she says that with the baby on the way we need to throw out whatever we don’t use. She also says our house is unnecessarily messy. I on the other hand don’t, our house is perfect, it’s cosy. I want one thing right now, I want to take a chill pill. However if you know my family you would know that my mom is boss no matter what anyone else thinks. The thing is that you don’t, so let me introduce myself.

I am April Joplin, I don’t know how you got this diary but now it is yours. I read a lot of books, they have given me inspiration. One of those sparks of inspiration in my life was to write a diary. A diary so people of the future will know how life is now. Other than that I would like to tell you more about my life. I have two younger brothers named Levi and Alex, I also have another sibling on the way; I want it to be a girl. We live in a neighborhood called Quail Hill. There is an apartment complex, houses, a shopping center with a lot of restaurants and an elementary school which I currently go to. By the way I am 9 years old, Levi is 6, and Alex is 4. Our family owns a horse stable where people can have lessons. Therefore all of us are pretty attached to horses. Actually horses and steam engines are our main modes of transportation. I think I’ve introduced myself enough, let’s get on with the story.  

So I go upstairs to the attic and started to go through them. Soon I had finished the shelves, now time for the boxes. I started moving paintings and frames around and my eyes fell upon a chest. I pulled it towards me. I found the lever and opened it. Had I not known that magic was not real I could have sworn a rush of magic went straight through my heart. Unfortunately, I know magic is not real. So I decided to kick out those magical feelings and get back to work. I peered inside, and inside were a lot of envelopes that were unsealed. I pulled each one out and when I was done I started to read them. The first one I read said this:

Dear Miss Fairy Godmother,                       December 22 05M

It has come to my attention that you live in a place unlike any other. I would wish to visit this place. If you could kindly reply as soon as possible, saying that transportation arrangements need to be made.

Sincerely,

Her Majesty

Well that’s a very weird letter, I said to myself, I wonder what the next one says? So I opened the next one and this one said.

Dear Her Majesty,                                Jan. 1st 06M  

Unfortunately as the fairy-godmother I cannot have any strangers enter my kingdom. To make sure the decision I have made is fair I have discussed this problem with the fairy council and they also agree that my final decision should be NO! Another thing I would like to ask is how did you come to know about my kingdom? As you should know being the Fairy Godmother is somewhat like being a queen and it is my number one priority to make sure the citizens feel comfortable and safe.

Sincerely,

Miss Fairy Godmother

So let me get this straight, there is a queen who wants to visit a Fairy Godmother’s kingdom, but the Fairy Godmother does not want to let the Queen in and neither does this Fairy Council thing-a-ma-bob. Also what is up with that date, on the first letter it said Dec. 22 05M and on the second one it said 06M. When it comes to modern times I only know 2 measures that start with M: minute and millennium. Maybe it’s one of them? My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to read the next one, the next one was from the Queen to the Fairy Godmother. It said:

Dear Miss Fairy Godmother,                                     Jan. 25 06M

I expected you to be a little bit more kind and considerate of the fact that I asked you first. Since you have been so rude I shall no longer ask for permission instead I will barge in. Give me the directions and I will come and give a gift, something which we like to call a PUNCH. And if you dare not give me the directions then it shall be off with your head. That brings me to the second matter: Where did I come to know about the kingdom. I know because I know, I know everything and it is none of you business anyway.

Sincerely,

Her Majesty

Now the fairy had to have a lot problems with that letter; it was not at all constructive. And let me be honest with you, I normally don’t pick sides but this time I agreed with the Fairy Godmother. Suddenly I heard Mom calling from downstairs. I put all the letters in the box and rushed down stairs to help her with breakfast.\

After breakfast Mom told be to go back to the attic and continue the inventory while she tackled the second floor. So, I said to myself, I won’t get caught reading the letters anymore because mom will think I’m doing the inventory, which I am not ever going to do again in my life!!!

At the attic again I dumped out all the letters and kept aside the ones I had already read. I picked up one and it said:

Dear Her Majesty,                                      Feb. 2nd 06M

For your information I was considerate of the fact that you asked for permission, that is why I also asked the Fairy Council for advice on the matter. Secondly if you do not tell me where you found out about this kingdom from, then I shall not directly hand you the directions. Enclosed with this letter is a loose leaf that has a code. Decode it and you have the directions. Also if you ask me or anyone for help I shall be off with your head. And remember if you decode the directions, you can come to my kingdom.

Sincerly,

Miss Fairy Godmother

Wait, what??? First the Fairy Godmother says her final answer was no, and now she says yes only if the Queen decodes the directions. This is confusing, but I don’t want to set high expectations. What if the Queen never decoded them? So I pulled out the loose leaf paper here was what was written:

మీరు చెక్క చేరుకోవడానికి వరకు వెస్ట్ వెళ్ళండి. తిరగండి మరియు రెండవ ఆపిల్ చెట్టు. మీరు చూడండి ఐదవ ప్లం మీద అడుగు. లోపల దశలను డౌన్ వెళ్ళండి. మూడవ స్థాయి వద్ద ఆగుతాయి. కుడి చెయ్యి అప్పుడు కుడి అప్పుడు ఎడమ అప్పుడు వదిలి. హాలులో లోకి వెళ్లి ఏడవ తలుపు మారిపోయాయి. Gat లోపల వెళ్లి మీరు చూడండి మొదటి సైన్ వద్ద ఎడమ వైపు తిరగండి. ఇప్పుడు మీరు నా రాజ్యంలో గేట్ చూస్తారు LandiniaMagina

I thought to myself, I have seen this text before, it was used in the South of India in war zones. I learned all about it in school. I even have a conversion chart. So let me convert it and I will get the directions. Here is what I found out:

Go west until you reach the wood. Turn at the second apple tree. Step on the fifth plum you see. Go down the steps inside. Stop at the third level. Turn left then right then right then left. Go into the hallway and turn into the seventh door. Go inside the gate and turn left at the first sign you see. Now you will see the gate to my kingdom Landinia Magina.

I have to admit those were some pretty complex directions. But I also am starting to wonder why were these letters in my attic. Was I related to the Queen or even the Fairy Godmother? I wanted to ask my mom badly but I didn’t want her to know about the letters. So what should I do???? I decided to read the next letter, so I opened it but to my surprise there was no letter inside. Instead was another code and it looked like this:

Gdy dojdziesz do bramy trzeba jechać prosto, gdy widzisz Gemini będzie na moje oko, bo tu leży mój grób dla będę martwy na długo zanim mnie znaleźć. Ale jest ktoś, czekając na terenie zamku, który przyleciał na was. Wejdź do środka i szmaragdy znajdziesz w mojej dziewicy oczekiwania. Dla niej jest z karą będziesz recive, gdybyś poprosił o pomoc w tej podróży do mnie. Lot będzie slayed, rozmawiać będzie uwięziony i zachować spokój, kara czeka, to jest dilemma więźniowie, to sam powinien rozwiązać, nie być pojedyncze śmiertelny kara czeka. Pamiętaj, że jesteś sam, jesteś sam, jesteś sam!

That is definitely not a code, that is actually a language, what should I do??? I can definitely not ask my mom. But at the same time I cannot do it by myself. Should I do the right thing or should I do the wrong thing? Tell don’t tell. Right or wrong, tell don’t. These words started to coagulate my mind and I was overwhelmed. I immediately decided what I needed to do, go for option “RIGHT”!

“MOM,” I screamed loudly.

My mom answered with “WHAT COME DOWN HERE AND TELL ME!”

So I went down to her room where she was going through piles of clothes I started to narrate everything from the first letter all the way to the code. Ok I have to say she took it well, all she said was, “Let me come up there and look at this myself.”

So both of us went upstairs together. There I showed her chest and all the letters I read plus the two codes. She read through each of them with extreme care and caution. And in the end she concluded that the second code/language thing was written in Polish, she also said that I had decoded the first code well and that was exactly what it meant. Then she told me to get some rest and go back to the inventory of the attic tomorrow. I guess I am going to have to say goodbye diary, for today. But I also have to say I am starting to believe that magic is real and the kingdom might have actually existed.

June 12 1982

Again I woke up at the crack of dawn, but this time I did not go straight to the attic. Instead I went to my mom and dad’s room and woke up my mom. She was a little grumpy at first but then I convinced her to come up with me to the attic, to look at the letters. Mom again read through the code once again and started to decode the second one, this is what she said:

When you get to the gate you have to travel straight, when you see the Gemini you will be upon my eye, for here lies my grave for I will be dead long before you find me. But there is someone waiting for you inside the castle that has flown upon you. Go inside and you will find Emeralds the maiden in my waiting. For with her is the punishment you shall receive, had you asked for help on this journey to me. Flew you will be slayed, talk you will be jailed and keep quiet, punishment awaits, this is the prisoner’s dilemma, you alone shall solve, fail to be single, a deadlier punishment awaits. Remember you are alone, you are alone, you are alone!

“Interesting,” she said to herself. “You know what would be fun?” she said suddenly. What I asked hoping she would say go for a swim or something. But instead she said something that surprised me even more. She said to go find this kingdom.

“WHAT???” I said in surprise.

“Yes,” she said, “The whole family could go on horseback. Put all the luggage in the wagon along with the tent and set off.”

“Let’s do it,” I said.

So mom and I started to wake up everyone and pack. We also loaded the wagon and took the supplies the horses would need. Then it was decided that we would leave tomorrow at dawn and we would take Rocko and Merlin (the two horses). While mom and dad are packing all the food it’s time for me to say goodnight dear diary, I’ll see you again tomorrow.

June 13 1982

Time to leave, have we got everything, it does not matter let’s leave. Those were the words that I kept hearing, but finally we were all in the wagon.

Our wagon’s front is open and there is a  plank of wood for the person who is steering the horse and one other. My Mom and Dad are sitting there, while Levi, Alex and I are sitting on the back plank. All the luggage is behind us, the back has a door and the whole wagon is covered including the front plank. After a while everyone except my parents were asleep and I don’t know how long I was asleep but when I woke up it was lunch time. Mom had packed sandwiches earlier in the morning which were really delicious. Since we had brought the chest Mom told me to reread the first code as well as the second one. So I did and Dad concluded that we were about one and a half hours away from the wood. And today we should camp outside the wood for today.

After what seemed like one minute all of us could see the wood, and I could definately not agree with Dad that we should camp outside the wood for tonight; I want to continue on our adventure. Levi, Alex, and I helped Dad get the tent and fire set up while Mom started preparing for dinner. She brought quite a few pots, pans, knives, and cutting boards as well as plates, bowls, and silverware. Since my mom is very strict about having healthy meals she has done a lot of cooking courses and she makes awesome food. So for dinner we had some delicious pumpkin soup with garlic croutons. When we were done Levi, Alex, and I washed the dishes in a small pond nearby. After all of that was done Mom (being a typical mom) said: Time for bed. So all of us changed into our jammies and got our huge family-sized tent. This tent is huge I mean it can fit about ten people, so we all were pretty comfortable. Now all I can say is goodnight dear diary, hope you enjoyed today.

June 14 1982

Finally we have hit the road again, after a breakfast of french toast and fruit. We are right now going through the forest and so far we have seen zero apple trees. If you remember the directions it said: Go west till you reach the wood. Turn at the second apple tree. I guess it is going to be a long day. After what felt like 500 years, we found one apple tree. Then after what felt like another 500 years we saw the second, so we turned right. And soon we saw a lot of plums, all of us carefully counted and we got Rocko and Merlin to step on only the 5th one. Suddenly we felt our carriage going down, down, down. Then without any warning whatsoever, we stopped! And with a thud we hit the ground. Mom told me to read the code again and these were the directions we needed to follow:

Stop at the third level. Turn left then right then right then left. Go into the hallway and turn into the seventh door. Go inside the gate and turn left at the first sign you see. Now you will see the gate to my kingdom Landinia Magina

So we stopped at the third level, and it was pretty obvious as there was a sign.

“Now all we need to do,” I said in a relieved tone is “Turn left then right then right then left. Go into the hallway, turn into the seventh door. Go inside the gate and turn left at the first sign we see. And we’ll be there.”

“Ok,” said my dad “But according to the time on the wagon clock it will take at least half an hour, it may take even more, so I suggest that you all sleep and I will wake you up when we reach there.”

“Fine” I said, I hadn’t realized how sleepy I was until now because as soon as I closed my eyes I entered slumberland.

I don’t know how long I was asleep, but finally my dad woke me up, we had officially reached our goal. My dad. Now it was time to read the second code. We went straight until we saw the Gemini. And now we know we are upon the Fairy Godmother’s eye. So we went straight inside the castle that had flown upon us, I had already warned everybody to keep quiet when we reached Emeralds. And soon we did, not by eye but by ear.

Emerald said, “We have waited a long time for you, Alisha,” she said to my mom. “Ever since you were born we have been watching you. Your daughter was the one that found the letters, it was meant to be your destiny.”

Slowly, we saw her emerge. She was wearing a long emerald gown with a black belt. Her shoes we also black and so was her hair. Her hair was twirled up in a bun and her piercing green eyes stood out.

She came to us and said, “Congratulations, to all. You have worked hard and it all started with an inventory.” Then she gave my parent handshakes and fistbumps and high fives.

Then again she said, “We have a surprise for you.” She snapped her fingers, and a beautiful lady appeared. She was dressed in sky blue robes and her hair was all styled up. She also held a crystal wand that was fully transparent. With a wave of her wand a family tree appeared and all of us were on it! She was the Fairy Godmother! That’s what she meant by we.

She (the Fairy Godmother) explained to us that my mom’s mom was her daughter. And she married a man from our world. But she did not want her daughter (my mom) to grow up with magic. She felt it ruined people’s character. So my mom grew up without knowing she was actually the next Fairy Godmother. And so did I until now. So that means Levi, Alex, the new baby and I are all part Fairy. That also means that The Fairy Godmother is our Great Grandma. And guess what, she is offering Levi and I magic lessons, which are totally happening, she also said that Alex will be able to have lessons in one year. And when the new baby is born they can have lessons once he or she turns five. YAY!!!!! We can live right here in Landinia Magina. This is AWESOME!! And more good news I will be the next Fairy Godmother and Levi and Alex will be my apprentices and maybe even the new baby. This day and adventure has come to an awesome end. But only one thing is left unanswered, what happened to Her Majesty, nobody knows and nobody really cares either. And now all I can say is goodbye dear diary I will see you again in my next adventure.

The End  

Daybreak

Daybreak

Sometimes it’s good to start over

when the damage is done

though some won’t allow

say the damage too deep

but even the most evil

should be forgiven

given a second chance

a clean slate

a chance to try again

because someday that

might be you

Flying

Stung

cat got my tongue

not believing

grieving

my eyes are blurred

he whispered three words

I go from crying

to flying

Pool of Tears

I’ll find my pool of tears

where all my dreams come true

all my dreams of dreams

Secret Wish

I have a secret dream

that nobody seems to know

and I don’t want to tell

people guess

world peace

no matter how hard you try

that will never happen

love

that will happen when I’m ready

happiness

enjoy the little things

you’ll be the happiest person on earth

here’s my dream

now can’t you see

the freedom of dream

without disbelief

Growth

Does not mean

going through life till the end

it means living life to its fullest

having fun

making mistakes

but not making the same ones twice

changing

understanding

growth

Peaceful as a lion

I shouldn’t

not worth it

what is he talking about

no

no

nooooooooooooo

he didn’t

crying

sad

angry

unsure

scared

not peaceful

Dawn

Pink

orange

gold

sky

colors mixed

like painting

where the sun

and moon

whisper

Too Deep

Start over

what’s that supposed to mean

put puddles back in the sky,

leaves back on trees.

start over

not gonna happen

some cuts are just too deep

 

Criminal Warehouse

PROLOGUE

I have been here for weeks months days years hours minutes seconds.

Okay I have been here for five minutes. Let me explain.

I live in a huge mansion, and just minutes ago a man (or woman) just locked me, my brother, and my mother in our pantry closet. I woke up this morning and read the newspaper. It said that a criminal group had five failed attempts to take over rich mansions. FAILED. I wasn’t worried. I went to my private school. We were talking about what to do if a criminal came into our house. Little did I know I needed to listen.

I’m really scared. What if my house is a victim of one of these criminal warehouses? I’m nervous. I was trying to smile and keep quiet so my mother and brother would stay calm. That didn’t work. My mom won’t talk, and all my brother can think about is dividing the food in the pantry. In his defense he’s only four and does not know what’s going on. In my defense neither do I.

CHAPTER 1

ONE YEAR LATER

We’ve been living here for a year. We’re running low on food. This pantry is dusty. This pantry smells like old ketchup. The floor is too hard to sleep on. I can hear the mice in the walls. Everything tastes like mold. I am now nine. My brother is five. Mother went missing. I didn’t cry. I knew this was a challenge. I had to take it head on. We just went to bed one night and when we woke up she wasn’t there. I hate living here. I know that my house, MY HOUSE, is now a criminal warehouse. I hear every night commands. Commands such as, “If that girl and brother find out about us we’ll put them to work.” I hate living here. I hope they find us. I’d rather work for criminals than live here one more night.

CHAPTER 2

THEY FOUND US.            

One morning we were eating some ridiculously stale muffins, when the door opened. I knew it wasn’t mother because the figure was wearing a black suit. Mother doesn’t own a black suit. The figure said no words but it’s time for work. My brother and I gulped. On the way into the main area the figure asked our names.

I said, “Livvi and Josh.”

“Kids, we’re putting you to work,” the figure said.

I had only one question on my mind: would we get to see mother? I had only so much to lose so I said, “What did you do with my mother?”

“She works for us now.”

I couldn’t help myself. “Will we get to see her?”

“Yes! Tonight… if you behave.”

“What do we have to do?”

CHAPTER 3

OUR FIRST HEIST

I pass filth, dirt, and well, all the people I’ve ever seen in a newspaper. They growled at me. My brother spoke gibberish. That is all he ever talked since the mold started building up. I am so grateful he is not dead. He is my only friend. He always has been. Ever since dad died three years ago, he has been my best friend. I’ve heard enough to know that we would be working for these criminals. I figured that since my life already sucks so much, I have nothing to lose, so I start asking every question I have.

“What is our first mission?”

“You are going to distract the people working at the bank.”

“How?”

“Pretend you are missing your mother.”

“I am missing my mother,” I said quietly to myself.

CHAPTER 4

IN THE BANK

We entered the bank using the front entrance. All of the criminals went through the back entrance. I feared they would kill us if we didn’t complete the mission. I was trying to keep calm, but I was shaking. I had to complete this mission.

If I die, the criminals will keep my brother just to torture me. I couldn’t let that happen. We went up to the bank teller.

“We have lost our mother, sir.’’

We talked for about ten minutes.

A women popped into the room.

“Is that your mother?” said the bank teller.

“Yes,” we said.

And sure enough it was.

My mother and I hugged in the backseat of the van while the other criminals talked about how much money they took. I wanted to learn about the criminals before Mom, Josh, and I escaped.

CHAPTER 5

RONNIE

The first criminal I wanted to learn about was Ronnie. I cornered him in the hall. He said, “Leave me alone, or I’ll take the upstairs room away from you,” he said like he didn’t want to be bothered. I stood there pretending I didn’t notice how grouchy he was.

“I WAS ACTUALLY WONDERING HOW YOU GOT HERE.”

“Well girl…”

“Mmmmmmmmmmmm.”

“What?”

“Mmmmmmmmmmmm,”

“WHAT?”
“My ma left me when I was young. She was bad, now I’m bad, okay?

“What if you gave your mother a second shot.’’

“I’ll give her a shot. I’ll give her a shot to the head.”

“Just give her a chance, mothers don’t just leave their children.”

His face was full of confusion. He started crying. The toughest criminal here. CRYING.

CHAPTER 6

LULU

The next morning I told my mom what happened when I talked to Ronnie. She just kept talking about getting out of the warehouse.

“There are only four criminals who live here regularly. We just have to take them out.”

I could not stand it. I went downstairs to get oatmeal. That’s breakfast, dinner, and lunch here.

I noticed Ronnie wasn’t there.

“Lulu, where’s Ronnie?”

“Went soft, kid.”

“Said somethin’ ‘bout goin to find his ma.”

An idea came into my head: What if I made all the criminals soft? Then we could get out of here.

“Lulu, why are you here?” I asked.

“I was a bank teller. Everybody who worked with me was trying to get money. I wanted money. I had a son. We were not poor. I’m just very competitive. I was the youngest of eight children. I had seven older brothers. I wanted to be a leader.” Lulu looked away from me, as if what she had to say next embarrassed her. “I wanted to be a leader so much that I killed my husband and robbed the bank. I put my son up for adoption. I didn’t love him.” Lulu looked back at me, an expression of horror on her face. “Wow. I’m terrible. I didn’t realize what a terrible person I was before this. I want to be a leader not a follower. I think I’ll do what Ronnie did. I’ll make my life better. I’m so sorry. I’ll tell the others to get out.”

CHAPTER 7

13 YEARS LATER

It is my wedding day. It has been 13 years since the criminals left the warehouse. Guess who is at my wedding. Lulu. I paid her bail. I am rich you know. She even got to adopt her son, Michael. That is who I am marrying. We have a lot in common. I do love him. My brother is now giving a toast. We got him treatment so that he doesn’t speak gibberish anymore.

I barely even think about what happened. I just think about my new life.

My new criminal life. I’m following in Lulu’s footsteps. JUST KIDDING. 

 

Csend-o

Book 2

 

Jason and Squitai were eating at lunch when they suddenly got attacked by voodoo! Voodoo shot a dark mega-plasma ball at them that was dark purple. Then he used his beam of plasma and shut the whole building down. The lights were still on, but all the building was broken. The wizard used his magnetic power to pick up all metal things and threw them at everyone. The people ran away and Jason pulled out his special gun kept in his pocket for one year. He used the gun to shoot poop on the wizard! The wizard was really mad! He fell over and disappeared into the ground. It made the ground rumble at the place he disappeared. Then Jason and Squitai went home. The next day their home was destroyed and the wizard was about to shoot Jason with his plasma gun, when Squitai shot the wizard with his ink gun (because he was half squid and half man).

He has a human body but the color of a squid, has one big eye, has ten arms, and he has legs twice as big as a human’s leg because a squid has two giant tentacles. He has a mouth on the bottom of his head under his chin, and he has a point on the top of his head instead of hair.

The wizard was blinded by the ink because Squitai shot it in his eye. Then, the wizard started shooting his plasma gun everywhere! It destroyed everything that was one mile away. BANG BOOM CRASH! Then, the wizard disappeared into thin air except the ink. And then the ink fell down on the ground.

 

The End

 

To be continued…

Clutterfunk

 

Jimmy

Mom knocks on my bedroom door. I freeze. My hands are hovering above the keyboard. I look over at my bedroom door. It slowly starts to open. I could see my mom’s face. She was glaring at me with her firm, dark blue eyes. She didn’t seem too excited to see what I was up to — computer coding.

Mom rolls her eyes. “Can you do anything else?”

“I’m just finishing up.”

“Okay, because I want you to do some other stuff too.”

I nod vigorously.

“Finish up in about ten minutes. Then do something like basketball.”

I nod again.

I’m a little bit disappointed. I just started coding ten minutes ago, and now I have to turn it off. But anyway, I wasn’t working on anything.

But still, how come she doesn’t appreciate coding? I wondered. Maybe it might be too much screen time that she doesn’t like. She put me in a melancholy mood. Maybe if I do something great with coding, will make her think it is worth my time.

I open a new window and think about something that will change mom’s perspective on coding. I think for a long while.

After about three minutes, the idea comes to me! A contest, on coding! Maybe if I got a prize, I would impress mom enough that she would recognize my talents! I search Contests within New York. Baking contest, drawing contest, costume contest. Wow, I didn’t know that contests were so abundant in New York.

I scroll to the bottom of the list before I finally find what I want:

Coding contest 7/15/15

145 Drake Hill Dr.

Make a fun, addictive game to get on the featured list on scratch! Entries due by 7/11/15

If I get on the featured list, mom will realize my talent! I think. I could almost see my game on the featured list and mom seeing that coding was the talent God gave me.

About a year and a half ago, my computer teacher, Ms. Wilson, started an end-of-year session on coding. I thought everything was amazing: the fact that code went in cars, computers, and phones. So I tried it out, and it was really fun. When you did something right, you would see it all work smoothly and gracefully on a screen. It was so fun that I decided to practice it at home. Dad was just as fascinated by coding as I was. But mom frowned; she wasn’t fascinated. She was almost upset that coding seemed to be the talent I was born with, but I never knew why. Perhaps, she thought it wasn’t healthy, but she decided that I could continue with it anyway.

But now, I have to prove to mom that coding is a great talent and is a great learning experience too. Because mom will never let me enter a contest about something related to computers, I have to enter secretly.
Then I realize something. My best friend Dan might want to enter the contest too. He also loves coding. I give him a quick call. “Hey Dan.”

“What’s up?”

“I found a contest on coding, and–”

“I think I might have entered the contest already. Which one is it?”

“The one on Drake Hill.”

“Well then, I did enter that contest. I finished my entry.”

“Oh, okay then, see you there.”

I have to hurry and start my entry, because I found this contest a couple days late.

[]

After two days, I’m almost done with my entry, a game called Clutterfunk.

Kyle, my brother, is coming in to my room to watch me code. But this time I don’t want him around. He has to wait until I have finished CLUTTERFUNK completely before he can see it.

“Shoo Kyle, I don’t want you in here,” I try to say nicely.

“Why not?” Kyle asks in reply.

I grumble, then mutter, “‘cause I don’t.”

Kyle whispers something under his breath, so I can’t hear him.

Kyle runs off and tells mom, and then mom comes up to my room to tell me that Kyle can watch me. So I argue, “But mom, I can’t focus on my work with someone breathing on my shoulder.”

“But Kyle says that you were being mean to him and that he just wants to see your game.”

“I want Kyle to see it when it’s finished!” I yell.

Mom crossed her arms. “Jimmy! Do not talk back to me like that!”

“This is my computer.  I bought it myself, so I get to choose who sees it!”

“Jimmy, your father paid for that laptop, not you,” mom says angrily. Kyle whispers something in mom’s ear. Now mom looks mistaken. (Kyle must’ve told mom that I actually did pay for the laptop.)

“Mom, please just leave me alone so that I can finish my game for the contest,” I say.

“What contest?” Mom says.

“I entered a contest… with Dan, and it’s in a three days. And it’s for coding,” I stammer.

“You can not enter any contests without asking ME first!!” Mom’s cheeks are flaring and her face is turning red. Her fists are clenched tightly and firmly. “This is a warning Jimmy, if I catch you entering any type of contest again, no coding for a month.”

You’re gonna have to be more strict than that. I have a lock on my door and I only code once a week.

“So I can enter my game into the contest?” I ask. If I can’t enter this contest, nobody will recognize me. I will pass up my chance to get onto the FEATURED LIST–the place where people have their projects on the homepage so that everyone will see them. And also the chance to get mom’s approval of coding.

“No you are not in the contest anymore, Jimmy,” mom replies in a quiet, yet still strong kind of voice. Mom, the contest is my big opportunity, I say to myself as she and Kyle leave the room.

[]

I finally get a chance to work on my entry. I add some ghost and pixelate effects to my title screen and add my logo to the bottom right corner.

Now for the music, I’m using the song Clutterfunk for my game (hence the name of the game). But one catch is, I deleted my Java connection to a website that makes recording easy, so I have to record it from youtube and on speaker, which picks up noises for miles around.

I bring up Clutterfunk from Youtube and record it. Luckily, everything around the speaker’s pickup range is absolutely silent. And so I think that the recording is gonna be amazing. The song Clutterfunk is four minutes and fourteen seconds long.

I am three-and-a-half minutes through the song when Kyle opens my unbearable, creaky door and ruins the whole recording! I stop the recording and look at Kyle. I give him my best icy stare.

“What are you doing in here?!” I grumble with annoyance. “You ruined my perfect recording! I also told you that I didn’t want you in here! Don’t you have any respect for people’s privacy?!”

Kyle’s shoulders are drooping, and he starts to frown. “I…I just want to see the game,” Kyle whimpers. I do think that I overreacted a little, after all, he didn’t know I was recording music. So I decide to make it up to him.

“You know what Kyle? Come back in about 10 minutes, and the game’ll be done.”

Kyle perks up. Now he isn’t upset, which is good. He practically jumps out of the room.

[]

 

In the next 10 minutes, I work silently and efficiently and complete my game in a matter of minutes. It takes another few minutes to write the instructions and the credits.

“YES!!” I cry out. “YES!!” It’s done! I can’t believe it! It has highscores and smooth text fonts and everything! “Kyle! You can see my game now!”

There’s fast thumping and then the doorknob twists and Kyle flies in at the speed of light. He loves seeing my finished games, and he seems to be extra excited with this one.

He plays it about fifty times before stopping, and he gets a high score of 67. He is way better at the game than I am. My high score is a measly 16. Maybe it’s the control flip that screws me up. I don’t feel like telling mom though, because she thinks coding is a waste of time. And she also might find out that I was still entering the contest. When dad gets home from work, I’m going to show him Clutterfunk. But in three days I’m going to face a bigger problem: getting to the contest location. Considering that mom is not on board with the contest idea and dad is at work, which isn’t good because he likes coding just as much as I do.

 

=================================================================================

 

Vicky

 

In the next town, in a huge mansion, another contestant had finished their ‘not so great’ game.

“I finished my game! I’m gonna crush everyone in this contest easily!” Vicky yells gleefully.

“Don’t get so worked up Vicky, I’m sure other people have great games too,” Mom replies.

“No one will match the expertise in my game! I have been on the featured list twice!”

“That’s because you helped make scratch and you are the one who goes around featuring things,” Mom counters, rolling her eyes.

Vicky gets too worked up over coding contests, and she thinks that because she’s been on the featured list twice means that she is amazing at coding. When in reality she doesn’t know how to use pen (which everyone on scratch knows how to use by the way).

“But I helped make scratch, the most complex coding of all!”  Vicky says proudly.

Her older brother gets in on it. “You only tried to boss people around in COSTUME DESIGNING and you didn’t succeed. You also didn’t do any coding, because you’re horrible at it.”

Vicky sulks and turns to face her brother. “Very encouraging, also you’re bad at coding.”

This is stupid to say because her older brother is amazing at coding and has 204 followers and has been featured 5 times by some other scratch worker. He also knows how to use pen. Vicky has 1 follower– herself– she doesn’t know how to use pen, and she hacks, but with the help of her friends who know how to code.

 

=================================================================================

 

Jimmy

 

A week later, on the day of the contest, I ‘m starting up my plan.

I’m using the oldest trick in the book, saying that I will be sleeping over at Dan’s house and that I will be bringing my laptop so that I can code with Dan and then I will run off to the contest location.

I grab my laptop and run downstairs.

“Why did you bring your laptop down from your room?” Mom asks suspiciously.

Here it goes: “Can I sleep over at Dan’s tonight?” I ask.

“You still haven’t answered my question, why did you bring your laptop downstairs?” mom asks again.

“I’m gonna code with Dan at his house,” I answer. This is the big moment. I hope mom will say yes. The fate of her respect depends on it.

“Fine,” mom replies, waving her hand in a shooing motion. “Go get your sleeping bag and walk down.” Yes, I say in my head.

I go upstairs to get my sleeping bag. I dart down the hall. Open up my creaky bedroom door and run in. I always keep my sleeping bag underneath my bed. I reach under my bed and grope around for my sleeping bag. After a couple seconds of hitting carpet instead of cushions, I finally grasp the strap of the compact bag and squeeze it out from under my bed. I sling the sleeping bag over my shoulder and walk back down the stairs.

I do sort of feel guilty about lying to mom about the sleepover, but I’m twelve and I am not afraid to make my own choices. But I’m making it even: she hates the fact that I code, so I go to a contest that means a lot to me. Kyle sees me with the laptop and sleeping bag.

“What are you doing?” he asks curiously.

“A contest.”

“Didn’t mom–”

“Shh!”

“But–”

“Don’t even think about telling mom.”

Kyle pretended to zip his lips together, “Alright, I won’t tell mom, but next time–”

“Okay, okay, I won’t do again. But there is a reason that I’m doing this.”

I don’t want to lie to everyone, so I let Kyle in but make him promise that he won’t tell mom.

I pass through the kitchen and out the door. “Bye mom!”

“Bye honey! Have fun!” but mom eyes me suspiciously right after she says it.

 

=================================================================================

Vicky

 

Vicky is riding in her limo to the contest, when the driver pulls up at the final destination, a Victorian-style house. It has a double oak front door with a brass lion head for a knocker and a golden keyhole and doorknob. The house in general is tan, with many bay windows and lots of windows with no sills.

“I thought it would look nicer, it’s not even a good house,” Vicky scoffs. Compared to Vicky’s mansion, it was a shack.

Vicky hops out of the limo without giving the driver any sense of gratitude. Vicky doesn’t even look at him. She just walks off with pride and up the cobblestone pathway. I’m gonna win this thing, Vicky thinks confidently. She stomps up the cobblestone steps and swings open the oak double doors without knocking first.

There are many kids in the room, from nine-year-olds to 16-year-olds. Vicky shouts at the top of her lungs, “MAKE WAY LOSERS!! THE WINNER VICKY IS COMING THROUGH!!”

Everyone stops to look at Vicky. Some people laugh, and everyone blocks that obnoxious kid’s way. One kid even says, “HEY!! YOU’RE THE HACKER, THE… THE… GIRL WHO DELETES PEOPLE’S PROJECTS FROM SCRATCH, YOU HAVE FUN RUINING OTHER PEOPLE’S HARD WORK AND EFFORT!!! I’M TELLING THE JUDGES THIS!!!”

Vicky’s face turns pale. That kid somehow knows that she deletes projects by hacking with her friends to get an edge in competition! That’s impossible! How does he know that? Vicky thinks. She now knows that everyone else has an ADVANTAGE on her.

“YOU GUYS ARE ALL LOSERS!!!” Vicky yells again.

 

=================================================================================

 

Jimmy

 

Everything is working smoothly! I escaped from the house and now I’m walking to the contest! I drop my sleeping bag in the front of my house against the wall so that I won’t have to carry it. And then I dash off before mom can see me without my sleeping bag. I walk for a little while after I and sure mom can’t see me through the neighbor’s finely trimmed hedges.

After a while, I arrive at the contest. Dan is waiting for me at the front double doors of the awesome Victorian-style home. It’s like a McMansion! He waves me over. So I run to him.

He cups his hands over his mouth while he whispers, “I got rid of a threat.”

“Huh?” I say in confusion.

“When an obnoxious hacker walked in and yelled that her name was Vicky, it took me a second to realize that she was Vicky12. The deleter of projects that are amazing. She has hacked and deleted 15 of my 67 games on scratch. I’ve also had to remake my entry because she writes discouraging comments on my not-shared project, which is not possible, then she says that she will delete it, and next thing you know, 127 lines of code are gone forever.”

“So that’s why I couldn’t find my platformer.”

“Yep.”

“Whoa.”

“I told the judges this and they said that it would affect how they rate her game. Now Vicky’s not so sure of herself.”

I grin, so does Dan. He has very good memory, and with that move he saved all the contestants! Vicky probably would have deleted everyone’s entries before the contest even starts! Dan and I go inside the house.

There are only twelve kids. One after another every kid is called in individually. And after five contestants go up, it’s Dan’s turn.

=================================================================================

Dan

 

Dan walks into the judges’ room carrying his white iMac. There are three judges: a man around fifty years old, another man around forty years old, and a woman around thirty-five years old. “Welcome, contestant No. 6. How are you doing?” says the woman.

“Fine, how are you?” Dan replies politely. He is getting all jittery inside and is extremely excited.

“We are all very excited to see your entry,” the woman says again. She smiles.

Dan set his iMac on the judges’ table. He opens up his scratch account– ScratchLikeDan. “This is my game, Qix 2. It is a game that is a re-creation of the old arcade game Qix. You are a small red diamond that runs along a grid making squares and rectangles to enclose that cube so that it bounces an average every other second. Arrow keys to move and draw. When you press and hold the f key, you move faster when drawing. When you press and hold the s key you draw slowly, but is worth more points. It the cube touches the line you are drawing that is not finished, you die. Anyone wanna try?”

The fifty year old man tries first. He beats level three and loses on level four. He gives the game four stars. The forty-year-old man goes next. He beats level one but dies on level two. He gives it four and a half stars. The woman beats the whole game and rates it five stars.

Dan pumps his fist in the air and closes his laptop. “Thank you!” Dan says as he walks out of the room. He hears on the loudspeaker:

Will contestant number SEVEN please come show his or her game?

=================================================================================

Vicky

 

Vicky walks up the stairs to the judges’ room. She runs into Dan. “Hey! Watch it loser!” She yells.

Dan smirks. She notices with horror that he is ScratchLikeDan, the kid who yelled about the hacking, and also her favorite target for deleting projects. “Hey, Vicky12, good luck getting more than a 2-star rating in there,” Dan sneers. She hates him. She only recognizes him from his profile picture.

“Did you figure out how to design Minecraft? Or did you REMIX a really good game and hack to erase the remix label?” Dan scoffs. He also sounds like the kid who yelled about the hacking. Vicky now completely loathes him. He is insulting how good she is at coding! Did he not know that she helped code scratch?!

Vicky can’t take his insults anymore. She clenches her fists and grits her teeth, and…

=================================================================================

Jimmy

 

I saw the whole thing unfold, Vicky12 calling Dan a loser, Dan insulting Vicky12. Vicky12 getting angry, and then Vicky12 punching Dan in the gut and screaming. Dan only laughed though, he’s had two concussions from playing football and has been punched harder than that many times. But I still yelled at Vicky12, “Hey!! What the heck are you doing?! Go tell your mother that you have behavior issues!”

Another kid supposedly called Marcus ran up to tell the judges. Vicky12 got disqualified for cheating and assaulting another contestant. She also earned a judge to call her mom. The judge even mentioned something about BEHAVIORAL ISSUES! (I know that because I’m a champion eavesdropper.)

After the remaining contestants (and I) went, these people won these prizes:

 

Third prize: Monica Jones and her game: Amusement Park

 

Second Prize: Logan Brandenburg and his game: Chillstep

 

First Prize: Jimmy Brendon and his game: Clutterfunk

 

Grand Prize: Daniel Ronan-John and his game: Qix 2

 

[]

I walk to Dan’s house with Dan. I have a big smile on my face, Dan has a bigger smile on his face. “I can’t believe that I got grand prize in the contest. I guess the judges really liked my game.”

“Yeah,” I reply. I admit that his game was better than mine, but I’m happy that I’m getting featured tomorrow.

“But hey! I’m on the featured list right now! And you’ll be on the featured list tomorrow!” Daniel says excitedly. I slap my hand onto his back. He laughs, I grin. We’ve both had a really exciting day, and it all ends with a celebration sleepover at his house. Dan starts to run. He’s too excited to see his game on the featured list that he runs at the speed of his sprint as a running back in football.

When we get to his house, we rush up the stairs and into Dan’s bedroom. He sets his laptop on his desk and opens it up. Then he opens up scratch, and there it is:

Qix 2

By: ScratchLikeDan

 

Dan nearly breaks into tears of joy as he writes in the credits:  

FEATURED 5/7/15!!!!

MY FACE WHEN THIS GOT FEATURED o_o

(DO NOT WORRY THIS IS A NORMAL REACTION TO BEING FEATURED)

[]

The next day in the morning, I take out my laptop with Dan and open up scratch. My game pops up on the featured list just as we open up scratch. I currently only have 17 favorites and 26 loves. But I start to get comment after comment, and love after love, and…
I keep trying to answer everyone’s comments, but it is impossible. There is a new one every second. My hands are flying across the keys like mad. Everyone is saying Amazing game! and My highscore is only 15, but still, great game! Maybe I will tell mom that I got featured. Maybe that’ll get her to understand that I’m good at coding and that I love it and that I should continue with it. Maybe…

[]

 

When I finally leave Dan’s house, I take in the fresh air and look around. The sky is a brilliant blue, with occasional puffy, white, cumulus clouds. Trees are swaying lightly to the quiet, gentle breeze. There is also the distant humming of cicadas and a landscaper blowing leaves.

When I arrive at my house. Mom is setting up the dishwasher and Kyle is watching TV in the family room. I walk right into the family room where Kyle is sitting on the couch watching his cartoons.

He looks at me. “How was the contest?” he asks quietly, as if to be sure mom can’t hear.

I smile, “Great.” I hand him the prize winner sheet.

He glimpses it. He notices that Dan won grand prize, and not me. “You didn’t win, huh.”

“No, I didn’t. But at least Dan did.”

Just then mom walks into the room. She sees that Kyle’s holding a piece of paper. Mom says, “What’s that?” She eyes both of us suspiciously and sees the words:

First prize: Jimmy Brendon and his game Clutterfunk

=================================================================================

Kyle

 

“Nothing,” Kyle says. Jimmy’s eyes are wide with worry.

“Then why, may I ask, does it say JIMMY BRENDON AND HIS GAME CLUTTERFUNK?!!” Mom yells, “Jimmy! You are banned from coding for a month! Kyle! You attempted to lie to cover your LYING brother so that he wouldn’t get in trouble! Well you just made the situation worse! You’re not allowed to watch TV for a MONTH!!!!”

Personally, Kyle thinks mom is wrong. She shouldn’t be disappointed that Jimmy’s hobby is coding. She shouldn’t be trying to force me and Jimmy to do ballet, she should be letting us choose what we want to do, whether it’s coding or astronomy (which is what Kyle is into, but mom isn’t much happier about that choice). So I am going to protest by bringing my iPad to my room, shutting and locking the door, and watching my astronomy shows there. And I think that Jimmy’s gonna do the same.

=================================================================================

Jimmy

 

As ifm, Mom, I thought, Kyle and I have locks on our doors and we’re both gonna do what we love, coding and astronomy. So you can punish us all you want but you won’t stop either of us. So Kyle and I both grab our iPad and laptop and dart up to our rooms. I code and Kyle should be watching his educational astronomy shows from his iPad.

A little while later, mom is pounding on my bedroom door. I hear her yelling, “YOU BETTER NOT BE CODING!! I’LL TAKE THAT LAPTOP FROM YOU!!!”

I yell back, “IT’S MY LAPTOP AND I BOUGHT IT SO YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING WITH IT!!!” That makes her lose momentum.

“OK FINE! BUT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT CODING!!”

I say in a normal tone, “Alright.” I unlock the door and let her in.
She doesn’t look that angry anymore, and she sits on the bed with me.

“Now, Jimmy.”

“Yeah?”

“I might have been a little too angry for the situation, but I’m still angry that you entered that contest without my permission, because the truth is, I would’ve let you do it if you’d asked me first.”

Oh that would’ve been easier, I think.

“I’m happy that you found the thing that you love to do– coding.”

I nod slowly. “But why do you seem… well… so unsupportive of it?”

Mom looks down at the floor. I could tell that there was a more serious reason then staying active, “It’s just that… your dad understands it, and so do you. Even Kyle sort of understands it.”

I nod again. She continues, “I don’t understand it. It’s all so confusing to my eyes. So seeing all you guys enjoying it, it would mean a lot to me if I could join in, do something with you guys. That’s why I don’t look like I support you. But I do.”

“I could always teach you the basics, so that you can get a simple understanding of it.”

Mom smiled, and gave a small laugh. She put my hand on my shoulder, “You could do that for me?”

“Yeah,” I grinned. So did she.

She got up and said, “I’m very proud of you Jimmy.”

“You still can’t code for a month,” mom continues, “but after that if you ask permission I’ll let you in on those contests.”

Yeah!

She smiled, nodded, and then left my room.

Wow, I’ve misperceived a lot of things about mom. I thought she didn’t like that I coded, based on how she acted when I coded.

 

[]

In the end, today and yesterday were pretty interesting days. Probably the most exciting days I’ve ever had in my life. I mean, mom all along did appreciate my coding, and Vicky12 is now in trouble with her parents and with scratch. And Dan and I got on the featured list on scratch and each have 20000 views!!!! I also found out the truth about mom, and I started to teach her the basics of coding every other day.

 

THE END

Callie and the Valentine’s Day Catastrophe

 

    Callie walked back from the school bus, feeling sick of all the pink, red, and violet flowers that were unfortunately all over the place. Cupid decorations could also be found here and there. Today was Valentine’s Day, and eleven year old Callie was not very happy about this. Her school, however, celebrated Valentine’s Day, and appreciated its many colorful qualities, unlike Callie. When she finally got home, she walked into the kitchen, washed her hands, and prepared to make herself a delicious after school snack. As she was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Callie saw her baby brother, Tyler, sitting in his little crib next to the couch. Looking at how adorable Tyler was, her mood was raised immediately, even if it was just a little bit. She smiled to herself then got back to work.

    Callie groaned as she heard the girly squeals of her sister as the front door slammed shut. Reyna walked into the kitchen gushing happily about prom night, and showing off the chic, expensive dress that Mom and Dad got for her. Callie gave her sister a sheepish smile, and was about to walk away with her two pieces of peanut-butter jelly covered toast until SPLAT! Reyna shrieked and Callie gasped as they both discovered what Callie-the-butterfingers dropped her toast on this time. The dress! The perfect, amazing, gorgeous dress was now covered in peanut butter and jelly. Oh great, Callie thought, this is just the thing I needed to add to this perfect, perfect day. Reyna was probably about to slaughter her.

     Callie ran up to her room, and angrily sat on the covers of her bed. She then noticed  something written onto a sticky note on her desk. It was from her mom, and it said: Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetie! Don’t forget to finish your homework before dinner! Love, Mom. She buried her face into her pillow and replayed the entire day in her mind. Now that Callie thought about it, today was a great, unbelievably amazing day for everyone. Except for her. She thought, I wish I could go back in time and start this entire day over. Then none of this would’ve happened. She closed her eyes, crossed her fingers and wished hard. Then she lay down, and minutes later, fell asleep.

      The moment Callie woke up, she knew something was wrong. The Valentine’s Day decorations from the previous day were still hanging. That was unusual. Since Callie  hated Valentine’s Day, her parents had a “decorations are not to be hung before or after the day itself” rule. She checked the calendar. It was once again, Valentine’s Day. Callie’s wish had come true! What she didn’t know, but would soon find out, is that time travel has consequences. Her parents had mentioned something about being able to time travel once, but she didn’t actually dare try it. But now, it seemed like she accidentally had. Suddenly, Callie froze. She slowly looked up. She didn’t know how, or why, but Callie was face-to-face with a prehistoric grizzly bear. She screamed as it opened its mouth, and that’s all she could remember before the room went dark.

Two Months Later:

    Callie opened her eyes, and for the the first time in a while, she saw light. A bunch of men with hunting weapons were gathered around her as she crawled out of space she was in. When she asked them what happened, they told her she’d been in a bear’s stomach for approximately two months and a half. So unless she’d miscalculated, it should be April 29th. Callie thanked the hunters for killing the bear, and quickly dashed out of the forest she’d ended up in, and back into her neighborhood. What made Callie jump about five yards into the air was the screams she heard when people saw her casually walking down the sidewalk.

   She went up to her house and walked in silently, making sure she didn’t slam the door behind her. As she went into the living room, she saw her mother crying, and Reyna and her dad attempting to comfort her. When they looked up and saw Callie, they all rushed up to her and hugged her. They told her how her status was “missing” for the past couple months, and everyone thought she was dead. A lot of people wanted to have a funeral for her, but her parents refused and didn’t lose hope, though they were on the verge of doing so. After they cooled down a little bit, Reyna awkwardly strolled over to her sister, and said probably the closest thing to nice that someone like Reyna could manage. Reyna told Callie that she was glad Callie wasn’t dead. And Callie, for once in her life agreed with her sister.

     A month passed, and prom was right around the corner. Reyna had purchased an even more expensive dress after Callie ruined her old one. She liked this one even more than the previous one, and wouldn’t stop talking about “the most important night of her life”, much to Callie’s “delight”. Plus, flashbacks from when she was in the bear’s stomach were haunting her. Everyone kept telling her how lucky she was to be alive, and they were transfixed when she told the tale of how she had to eat raw meat and drink the juice of the contents in the bear’s stomach. Although it disgusted her, it fascinated others. So anyway, with prom and her sister’s excitement, she decided that this just had to be the best month of her life.

One Week Later:

     Callie had been feeling a little moody lately because of the tightness of the many new rules that were added to their household after her return. Her mom insisted on tucking her in every night, and her dad changed the curfew to an hour earlier than usual. They were both suddenly extremely strict, and saying Callie didn’t like it was an understatement. The one thing she did enjoy about this situation was Reyna’s behavior towards Callie, and that was because it was good behavior. For the first time since probably when Callie was born, Reyna had actually started treating Callie in a sisterly way. Instead of giving each other nasty snarls back and forth, they exchanged cheerful glances, and occasionally smiles. The one thing Callie did not at all appreciate about this newfound friendship was how Reyna always insisted on giving Callie a makeover. Now, this kind of thing was not optional, because Reyna (who played soccer every day after school) always said Callie can either do her laundry for a month, or receive a makeover. For some reason, Callie never chose the laundry option. Neither of them knew how, but they had become great friends, and they both liked it.

  Anyway, it was finally prom night. Their mom took Reyna’s picture with her date, and then just like that they were out the door. Callie smiled to herself, then headed back upstairs. She paused and turned around. She shivered because of the sudden coldness, and called out to see if anyone was there. When she looked around and didn’t see anyone, she walked up the stairs with suspicion, and a little bit of fright. She didn’t hear the wind blowing behind her, or the sudden amount of darkness at the bottom of the stairway. The lights turned off and a dark whirlwind entered her room, taking a few of her belongings with it. She didn’t have time to scream before it swallowed her up too.

   As Callie opened her eyes, she attempted to look around her to see where she was. However, she couldn’t. It was dark. Very, very, very, dark. She was scared. She’d simply had enough. She yelled and screamed and shouted, but no one heard. Even Callie herself couldn’t hear anything. That’s when she remembered. Back when she was at school, they’d learned about it in Science. Callie finally realized where she was. The thought frightened her, but it was the truth. Callie had fallen into a black hole.

    Callie was straight up annoyed. She’d been in the black hole for such a long time, she thought at least a whole day had gone by. Then, she was struck by a thought. What if she could somehow climb out of the black hole. Objects were always whizzing in and out, so why couldn’t she? She looked around for any objects she could use to give herself a boost. She saw a table, a really tall lamp, and four chairs stacked on top of each other. She grinned, stacked them all on top of each other and with a lot of effort, she was finally able to climb out.

     For the second time in the last two months, Callie opened her eyes after seeing dark for a long time, and saw light. She heard Reyna telling their parents that she’s finally awake. The three came into Callie’s room, surrounding her. Her mom then played the “explain yourself, young lady” card. Callie told the story starting from the peanut butter, to the bear, all the way over to the black hole. Reyna joked that the universe was probably after her for messing up the strings of time. Callie laughed. That’s when she finally learned her lesson: no matter how awful, your day is, you’ll survive it, and if you’re lucky, you’ll survive it without time travel.

Bubbles the Hamster

Once there was a hamster named Bubbles. He lived in the woods. One day, he was scavenging around when he heard some rustling in the bushes. He turned around to see what it was, but it was too late. He was captured! He looked up and saw a wrinkly, old, dirty looking man. The man put Bubbles into a humongous red truck. It was very noisy inside the truck, and there were a lot of unusual animals. Then the truck started moving. Suddenly, a woman picked him up very gently and put him in a cozy cage. He looked in the next cage and saw a weird looking reptile sitting on a small plant. Bubbles looked in the back of his cage and saw a brownish, orangish, white-ish ball of fur. Bubbles went to the back of his cage to figure out what it was. When he got closer, he heard a snoring sound. He had never seen this creature before. He surrounded the ball of fur. Every step he took, he got closer and closer to the ball of fur until he touched it!! He ran to the other corner of his cage. He saw one eye look at him then another one. The creature started walking toward him until Bubbles’ back was against the wall

“Who are y-y-you?” Bubbles asked.

“I’m a guinea pig — and who are you?” said the guinea pig.

“I’m a hamster,” said Bubbles.

“I guess we have to share this cage. By the way, I’m Chewy,” Chewy said.

“Well, I’m Bubbles. Do you know anyone around here? I’m sort of new you see, I don’t know anybody here,” said Bubbles.

“Well, you know me. Oh I know I can give you a tour of the pet store,” said Chewy.

“That would be great,” said Bubbles.

“So, first there’s Jose the chameleon. Then there’s Bongo the frog. Oh and you can’t forget Tee the turtle — he is the fastest turtle in the world and tha- oh wait, I almost forgot the new fat-tailed leopard gecko named Link and that’s pretty much all I know,” said Chewy.

“Thanks for the tour. I really appreciate it,” said Bubbles.

“You’re welcome,” said Chewy.

Then, the woman returned and picked Bubbles and Chewy up. She placed them in a room with a whole bunch of toys. The woman also placed the animals that Chewy was talking about right beside them.

“Okay, hi guys, this is Bubbles the hamster,” said Chewy. “Okay, Bubbles this is animal fitness.”
Chewy puts on his headband and gets his whistle and says, “Ok, all you creatures out there let’s get moving. We will start with some jumping jacks. Then drop down and give me twenty.”

After the lesson was done, they were placed back in their cages. Bubbles went to the corner of his cage to take a nap. He was fast asleep when somebody tapped him on the shoulder. It was Chewy. He wanted to eat crackers with Bubbles. So, they went over to their food bowl to eat crackers, until Bubbles remembered that he needed to get out of the pet store.

Bubbles said, “Chewy, I have a mission for you, can you get me out of here.”

“Well, I have tried to get out at least 20 times, but I do know a way that might work for you. I’ll tell you the plan at midnight,” Chewy said.

So, they waited till midnight, and Chewy called all of his friends to come to the playroom. They all did. He told them the plan, and they went into action. First, Jose went into the office and turned off all the secret cameras, and then Bubbles rode on the back of Tee, and Link used his tail to open the flap door, and then Bubbles was out of the pet store. He was so happy, until the man, who had first gotten Bubbles, went outside to look around because he heard something in the bushes. He looked and he saw Bubbles. The man was furious, and he put Bubbles back in his cage. The man also saw all the animals out of their cages and he put them back into their cages.The next day, Bubbles was so sad, until he saw a big face at the side of his cage.

Suddenly, he was being taken out of his cage by the woman who first placed him into it and she placed him into a girl’s hand. She was a nice girl named Callie and she really wanted a pet hamster.

Bubbles heard Callie say, “I want this one.”

Then he was even more sad. He was being adopted by a girl, how worse could this get? Chewy started crying, and Jose stopped eating flies and Link lost his tail and T stopped being a fast turtle. They were all so sad. Then, Callie put Bubbles in her mother’s car and drove him home to her house where he was set on a cabinet in her room. After three days, Bubbles was lying around bored in his cage. At the pet store, something else was going on.

There was a boy staring at Chewy and at the woman, who picked Bubbles up, picked Chewy up and put him into a boy’s hands.

Chewy heard the boy say, “I want this one.” Then, Chewy was placed in a new cage, and put in the car and put in the boy’s house. Apparently, Chewy saw another cage inside the boy’s house, and there was a hamster inside.

Chewy said, “Excuse me, do you know how to get out of here? I really need to get out. I am not supposed to be here.”

Then the hamster looked up at him and said, “I feel like I know you.”

Chewy said, “Me too.”

Then the hamster said, “I’m Bubbles, who are you.”

“I’m Chewy. Oh my goodness, Bubbles it’s you!! Remember me who used to live in the cage you lived in? I guess the person who got you was a sibling of the person who got me!” said Chewy.

The boy was named Tom, and he took Chewy out of his cage, and Callie took Bubbles out of his cage, and they put the two pets in a big cardboard box together.

“I think they know each other,” said Tom.

Then after the two pets played together, they were put into their cages, but in a different room. In that room, there were a lot of animals. The animal that lived in the cage next to Bubbles was a humongous cornsnake. The one living in the cage next to Chewy was a tiny komodo dragon.

Bubbles and Chewy were invited to Callie and Tom’s dinner (they were literally allowed to be on the dinner table).

They heard Kyle and Tom’s parents saying, “Since your birthdays are coming up. You are going to have a very big surprise. So, we have decided that you can have three pets from the pet store, but you have to decide which ones you want together.” On the weekend, they went to the pet store, and got a chameleon, a fat-tailed gecko and a turtle.

They brought them home, and when they saw a guinea pig and a hamster Jose said, “I feel like we know those people.”

Then T said, “I feel like we helped that Hamster get out of the pet store. I wonder what happened to him after that?”

Then they asked, “Hey guys what are your names, we think we know you two?”

Chewy and Bubbles asked, “Are you talking to us?”

“Yes we are talking to you,” the new pets said.

“Well, I am Bubbles and this is Chewy,” said Bubbles.

Then Jose said, “I knew it was you guys. Remember Jose, T and Link? That’s us.”

Then Chewy said, “Oh yeah, hey guys.”

Then after Callie and Tom’s lunch they went to play with all five of their pets, and put them in a cardbox.

Tom said, “I think they all know each other.”

Callie said, “Yeah, I feel like they do. Hey, maybe they can be our mascots at our birthday party on Sunday.”

It was their birthday party and five of their friends came over: Sam, Lisa, Lizze, Max, Xavier. They all played duck duck goose and they all got to pet the pets. They had so much fun at the birthday party, Tom said, “This is the best birthday party in the whole wide world.”

During dinner, their parents said, ”We’re moving and all of your pets can come with us too. We’re going to move to Hawaii.”

Callie said, “Yay! Now I can take all of my pets to the beach.”

When they got there they all figured out their fortune, Chewy became the best swimming guinea pig in the world. Bubbles was the best sand castle builder, and he built a famous one of him out of sand, and Jose went into a contest of catching flies and he caught 20,000 and Link found out that he had the fattest tail in the world and T got into a race with a Bugatti and he won.
(P.S. they found Bongo lying in a coconut tree drinking coconut water and he also found out that he could play the ukulele).

And that’s it.

Bucks, Bucky, Bucksy

Bucky and I are now best friends. But then something happened…

Me and Bucky were in the park, swinging on the tire swing. Then someone started to come up to us.

“Who do you think that is?” I ask Bucky.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care as long as she doesn’t bother us,” Bucky says.

The girl continues walking towards us. She comes so close me and Bucky have to stop the swing. She has long wavy brown hair. Her eyes are blue, so blue I could have told from a distance. I wonder who she is. Did she just move here? This question runs through my mind, until she says something.

“Hello. Can I join you?” She asks us. I wonder what to say. I decide to let Bucky answer. She’ll know what to say.

“Um, sure,” Bucky says, hesitant for a moment. I wonder why Bucky was hesitant. She usually is never hesitant.

“What’s your name?” I ask her, as she sits down next to us in the three person tire swing.

“My name is Bucksy,” the girl who I now know as Bucksy says.

“What are your names?” Bucksy asks us.

“I’m Bucks,” I say.

“I’m Bucky,” Bucky says.

“Hey that’s funny, our names all start with B. Our names are very similar,” Bucksy says, sounding slightly surprised.

“Cool,” I say.

“That’s interesting,” Bucky says.

We start swinging after Bucksy sits down.

Later, we leave the park. It hadn’t been fun. Bucksy and Bucky were doing everything together, and I was just there.

Later Bucksy leaves. Me and Bucky start having fun again.

Later we leave the park.

The next day we go back to the park. This time, Bucky sees Bucksy and goes to do things with her. I go and join in, but they don’t seem to notice me. This has never happened before. But, then Bucksy says something interesting.

“I recently moved here. I’m going back in a month” Bucksy tells Bucky. I’m happy about

this, but seeing Bucky’s expression, I know she’s not.

Later, Bucksy leaves the park. Bucky brings up the topic.

“Isn’t it sad Bucksy is leaving?” Bucky asks me.

“Yes,” I lie.

“Didn’t you have so much fun with her?” Bucky asks me.

“I don’t know. She didn’t really do anything with me,” I say.

“Oh, I didn’t realize,” Bucky says.

“I don’t care,” I say.

“I thought you wouldn’t,” Bucky says. Later we leave.

That night I find out some terrible news. I’m moving. I dread going to the park tomorrow. Bucksy is Bucky’s friend and she’s moving. I’m Bucky’s friend and I’m moving. We’re Bucky’s only friends. I feel terrible for Bucky.

Tomorrow has to come. But, I dread it. I feel terrible for Bucky. It is horrible. Bucky will be so sad.

“Bucky, I have something to tell you. I’m moving,” I said to Bucky.

“Oh no! That’s terrible news,” Bucky says.

Then Bucksy came into the park. She came running.

“Bucky, Bucky! Great news! I’m not moving. We can stay, and be friends,” Bucksy says. This makes me feel terrible. Her staying and me leaving.

I leave the park early.

I go back the next day. I spin around on the tire swing until Bucky comes.

“I don’t like Bucksy as much as I like you. I would rather her leave then you,” Bucky says.

“I’m going to miss you,” I say.

“Me too,” She says.

I go home from the park early again.

I go to the park late, the next morning.

Bucky comes up to me and asks me a question.

“Where are you moving to?” Bucky asks me. I tell her where I’m moving to, and I get a shock.

“My family told me we’re moving. I thought I’d see if we’re moving to the same place. And we are,” Bucky tells me. I’m really happy. But, then I think about Bucksy.

“What about Bucksy?” I ask Bucky.

“I know, I was thinking about what to tell her,” Bucky says. Just as Bucky finishes saying that, Bucksy comes into the park.

“I’ll tell her,” I say.

“Bucksy, Bucky is moving,” I tell Bucksy.

“Oh, that’s good for you,” Bucksy says.

“I’ll try and talk to you some how,” Bucky says.

“Cool!” Bucksy says excited.

We all become friends, but me and Bucksy are still not best friends.

Botched Quiche

“So Virginia, what do you think you want to be when you leave this university?” said Ms.Carter, the guidance counselor. Hi, my name is Virginia Lois and I am 24 and I love to cook.

“I want to work at The Universal Studios as a chef.”

“Okay, I know some people, I can give you their phone numbers so you can be in touch to have an interview there,” said Ms. Carter.

“Great.”

I woke up this morning and I am very nervous and I had to get some new business suits for my interview. Since my university is about an hour from Universal Studios, I had to get up very early.

“Hello Mr. Clark, my name is Virginia Lois, I am 24 years old and I was wondering if I could work at Universal Studios as a chef!”

“Well I am happy to interview you today. I will also need you to prepare a dish for the head of the food department.” So we had the interview and he seemed very impressed with my knowledge of cooking. Next I met the head chef and he asked me some questions about what I am going to cook. He then showed me everything in the kitchen and he said I could start preparing my dish.

So I started to make a quiche, so I got my eggs and my pie crust and was going to add some tomatoes, lettuce and some butter. I put everything inside and added my eggs and then crumbled some goat cheese on top. Then I put it in the oven to bake. I was going to make a quick garlic sauce. I peeled the garlic and mashed it together, I added a little salt, pepper and some water, mixed it up and tasted it, and it tasted like it needed some more salt so I poured more salt in the sauce. I wasn’t really paying attention and all of the salt went in the sauce. My first mistake. I realized as they were watching that I needed to finish quickly.

So I just doubled the recipe and and tasted it, it was okay and it wasn’t great. It was too salty, I was thinking of scrapping it, but the head chef was looking at me and it seemed like he really wanted to taste it. So I just kept it there and took out my quiche. I cut it into some slices and put the sauce on the side of each plate. I gave a piece of quiche and sauce to the head chef, the head of the food department and Mr. Clark, the manager of Universal Studios.

I am really confident about about this dish and I think they are going to love it. Everyone looked really impressed and started smelling the dish because it smelled really good, and I was hoping that it tastes really good too, though I am sure that it tasted delicious. They all took a bite of the quiche with the sauce and they all made strange faces, like it was sour. That’s when my confidence went from 100 to a 0. Mr. Clark said, “The quiche is good, but the garlic sauce is very bad and we can’t have mistakes like that at our amusement park. So, I’m sorry, you don’t get the job.”

I said, “Thank you, I enjoyed the interview,” and I left with a broken heart. I really wanted the job, so I decided I need to get more training. I knew that in France they have really intense training and the teachers are really great, so I thought, why not try to get there and get trained. When I got back to school I told Ms. Carter what happened and she said to try to get into the training program in France was a great idea.

I just got off my plane and I am really excited that I am in Paris to be trained to be a better chef and I am a little nervous because I haven’t been out of the country before and that is a very scary thing for me. The sights look really cool and pretty. I got here a week early so I can could look around and see what Paris really looks like and see the cities. I will be staying in a really nice posh apartment. I have a roommate, her name is Annabeth, she is very smart and fun. She really loves the history of cooking.

It’s my first day of school and I am really excited. I think that I will be the best student besides Annabeth. My culinary teachers names are Mr.Pierre and Ms. Jorris. Ms. Jorris welcomed us, she explained our course schedule and put use in groups of three. I got paired with Annabeth and my friend Anthony. We are all the same age so I am really excited.

The first assignment we were given was to make a dinner with our group. We each decided to make a course. I was feeling very confident so I volunteered to make the dessert. I wanted to do something hard and really fun that I know how to do very well. I picked profiteroles, which I love. I will fill them with a lemon cream and some powdered sugar on top.

The first dish we presented was an appetizer made by anthony which Mr. Pierre especially loved. Next, it was the entree, a delicious looking roast chicken with white rice and roasted vegetables. Both Mr. Pierre and Ms. Jorris enjoyed the entree.

Now it was my turn to present. I was sooo nervous, my heart was pounding. It happened so quickly I couldn’t believe it. They bit into my profiteroles and smiled I smiled back then they frowned, their faces looked like they had just ate something rotten later after a lot of water and coffee Mr. Pierre and Ms. Jorris told me the puff tasted good but the lemon in the filling was sour and had an after taste. I was heart broken at the news and the started to cry. Our team did not win the best meal even though Mr .Pierre said we had the best entree and appetizer. Ms. Jorris did say that we would rather have you serve an okay meal than an okay and really bad dessert. But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to have an okay dish.

After seven weeks in France and some very intense training, we had our final tests on Friday. I had a written exam that was fairly easy then a visual presentation. We had one hour and 30 minutes. When I did the presentation I was kind of worried. I didn’t want to mess up. I wanted to redeem myself, so I decided to make cheesy bread, quiche, and lemon puffs. The cheesy bread was very easy, I just got some nice shredded gruyere cheese and put some salt, pepper, and a little butter on the bread and sprinkled the cheese on top. I put it in the oven and started on my quiche. I wanted to do the quiche again because I wanted the judges to know that I could make the quiche and I wanted it to be perfect because I knew I wouldn’t get past the class if I didn’t make it perfect.

First, I made a homemade pie crust which is very simple. I mixed everything then rolled it out, put it in the pan, and then quickly tossed it in the oven and so the pie crust would be cooked fully when I put the eggs inside. I added tomatoes, lettuce, salt and pepper, put it back in the over. I took out my appetizer and let it cool. Then I started on my pate choux for the profiteroles. By the time I finished making the dough and got the puffs in the oven, I took out my quiche and started on my garlic sauce. When I made my garlic sauce, my hands were shaking because I didn’t want to mess it up, especially with the salt this time. When I made my garlic sauce I tasted it and it had way too much garlic. It was so spicy! I decided that I needed to throw away the sauce and make a new one quickly. I started to sweat I was afraid I wouldn’t finish in time. But finally the sauce was finished. With my shaky hands I took out the puffs. I instantly made the lemon cream which was delicious.

I plated everything very neatly and brought my food to the judges. I told them what I made and they looked excited.

“Why did you make this,” asked the judge.

“I want to redeem myself with the profiteroles and I love cheesy bread. And they reason I did the quiche is because I was interviewed, but I messed up the quiche, and I wanted to know that I could do it right.” So they said thank you and they took big bites of the quiche with the garlic sauce. The day was so bright because they were all saying how good it was and saying “ummm” and everyone ate their entire slice of quiche! They also loved the lemon cream puffs and thought that it was just the right sweet and tangy. I was so happy and I started jumping for joy.

I am so happy with my new job at Universal Studios! When I tried to get the job again there were no mistakes. They all seemed really surprised at how good the food was they especially loved my garlic sauce. Mr. Clark said. “I will work on getting this sauce on the new revised menu.” That night I called my parents as soon as I got home they were soo happy for me that they were going to fly from California to Florida to congratulate me. I feel so blessed.

Box Man

One day there was a person named Boxman and he wore a box his as clothes. He was very shy and he lived in the local U.P.S store in New York City. Boxman lived his life by stealing food from the workers at the store. Then one day everything was going fine and Boxman forgot to hide when the mailman came. So he got packaged and sent all the way to Alaska.

When Boxman arrived in Alaska he finally opened his taped box and he was hungry. So he went to a restaurant and stole a burger, fries, and an airline ticket to New York City first class from a blind careless billionaire. So he got on the plane and after an hour the plane landed for fuel but Boxman thought he was at home so he opened the emergency exit, jumped out, and ran in front of a truck. He jumped on and knocked the guy out and started driving. “Weeooweeooweeoo,” the sounds of a siren. The cops were chasing him. So he stepped on the gas and sped away. After an hour the car broke down and he got sent to jail in the Texas maximum security jail.

Fortunately he had gunpowder in his fingernails. But first he wanted to see what jail was like. Jail was horrible. They made you stay in your cell for the whole day, they made you eat horrible food, and he was sick of this place so he decided he was going to break out. The next day in his cell he took out his gunpowder and rubbed it against the wall and BOOM, the wall exploded. He stood back. Charcoal and ashes flew everywhere.

He dived for a police car and started driving. The police lost him.

“Phew,” he said. Then he had an idea to kill the president, the mean and evil Hillary Clinton. He drove all the way to Washington D.C and drove straight into the White House and killed Hillary. He had a problem: his car broke down. So he ran and dove into Hillary’s Mustang and this time it was no problem when the cops chased him because he went so fast he lost them in one minute.

When he arrived at home at the local U.P.S store, he ran in and slowly, in his box, made his way to the storage room.

He saw the mailman and boxman took out his gun and said to the mailman, “You sent me to Alaska, meanie.” BOOM. He shot him and the mailman was dead. Later in his box listening to the radio he heard that Donald Trump was the new president.

“Yaaaaaaa!” he said to himself. He continued to live his life by stealing food from the workers and he never got packaged away again. But one day he stole a lottery ticket from one of the workers and won so he used the money to buy a better box.

The End

Book 1 and 2 of the Bob and George

Bob and George

BOOK 1

One day Bob and George were playing Monopoly. They were two years old. The game was going on for hours, but Bob had to go to the doctor. So George went home.

Bob went to the doctor with his mom. He had to go to the bathroom, but it was time for his appointment. So he ran to the bathroom. But he just remembered that he wasn’t potty trained, so he went in his pants. He was scared. So he ran home to change his pants. His mom was wondering where he was. Meanwhile Bob was running to the doctor’s office. By the time he got there, it was time for dinner. As soon as he got there, he had missed his whole doctor’s appointment. He had wasted a whole hour. But he felt fine. So he went home, showered, and then he got into his pajamas. Meanwhile, his mom was making dinner — meatballs with pasta. George came over to Bob’s house for dinner. They finished all the food, and Bob’s mom had to make more, but by the time she had made food, it was time for their bed time. She was so furious that she had wasted a half an hour, just making another batch, so she and her husband had to have an extra lot of meatballs. George and Bob were laughing by the time they went to bed.

George went home, and Bob went to bed, and Bob dreamed a peaceful dream about him killing a dragon, and blowing up a palace. The end.

BOOK 2

After he blew up the castle, he dreamed about his friend George. He had won the monopoly game against George. But before he could finish his dream, his mom called, “Time to wake up!”

So Bob got out of bed, got dressed, and then got back in bed but did not go to sleep so that he was ready and could wait for breakfast.

But then his mom called, “April Fools!”  

Bob was wondering, “What’s going on?” So Bob got his pajamas back on, and went back to sleep.

Two hours later, Bob’s parents moved Bob from their bed to his bed, and swapped beds, so that when he would wake up he would be in his parents bed, but his parents made the wrong decision because his bed was skinnier than theirs. So his parents were squished together, and then they started screaming.

Bob woke up, and said, “Why am I in my parents’ bed?” It was still dark in the house, and Bob crashed into a few walls. But Bob was fine. By the time he reached his bedroom, his parents were fast asleep in his bed. So he shouted, “What is going on here!”

And his parents woke up and said, “This is our room.”

And Bob was like, “No, I was just in your room.”

And his parents said, “Why were you in our room?”

Bob said, “Is this another April Fools trick?”

Then his mom was like, “Uh yeah. Duh.” Then his parents got out of the bed, and back into their own bed, and Bob got back into bed.

Now his mom was like, “Bob! Time to wake up!”

So Bob woke up, got dressed, and then he got back into bed, ready for breakfast. Two minutes later, his mom said, “Time for breakfast!” so he went down, and his mom gave him a can for breakfast. Usually he had cereal, and a springy snake jumped out at his face, and he ran into his room screaming, got into pajamas, and went back to bed. He was really mad at his mom. Bob threw tantrums when he was mad.

Then finally his mom as like, “It’s time to wake up!”

He said, “Is this an April Fools trick again?”

She said, “Noooo. Here’s your bowl of cereal.”

And he was like, “Whew.” And he started eating cereal. When he got to the bottom he started eating these squirmy things, and he said, “What are these?”

His mom was like, “Gummy worms!”

He was like, “Yay! Gummies!”

Then it was time for school, so his mom drove him to school, and he went into class, and on the calendar it said, “April Fools’ Day tomorrow,” so all the kids were like, “Get ready to set something on the teacher.”

One of the kids asked, “But is the calendar an April Fools trick?”

And then Bob said, “It has to be! This morning my mom made a bunch of April Fools tricks on me.”

But then when he gets home from school, his mom said, “April Fools! It’s not really April  Fools!” And then the mom was like, “All along the teacher told us to fake out April Fools.”

The End

Bolt and Snowflake

There was a White Shepherd dog named Bolt. He had a collar, a dog tag and a home, but he went out for a little walk — by himself. In those days, it was only him. He lived with 11-year-old Katie Daniels. Katie just stared out the window, hoping for Bolt to come back before dusk.

Meanwhile, there was a female Eskimo dog called Snowflake. She was a stray dog since she was six weeks old. Some people gave her half their food — but sometimes, it was DISGUSTING.

Bolt met Snowflake at noon. Snowflake was trying to get hot dogs from a hot dog stand.

“Ah. Seems like the hot dog guy won’t share. He doesn’t share so often. I’ll talk to that Eskimo over there,” said Bolt sneakily. He continued, “Hey, Eskimo, you gotta learn more about the streets. It’s either a mystery or everyone knows it. But I know about the streets. I’ll get hot dogs from a stand.”

“Okay,” said Snowflake. “So when are we going to get the hot dogs?”

“Right. Now,” Bolt said quietly, not exactly whispering. Bolt got the hot dogs and ran.

Bolt and Snowflake were beginning to cross construction. Bolt had the hot dogs wrapped around his chest, but some were going between all his four legs.

“So when are we going to eat?” asked Snowflake. She got angry because Bolt was running away from her. “HALF OF THOSE ARE MINE!” cried Snowflake angrily.

“Why Should I Worry? Why Should I Care? I may not have a dime, but I got street savior-faire! Why Should I Worry? Why Should I Care? It’s just be-bopulation, I got street savior-faire!” sang Bolt. He sang it all the way home. A pack of dogs was waiting for him at the basement, which is actually some remains of the RMS Titanic. But what Bolt DIDN’T know was that Snowflake had followed him.

Bolt was about to eat the last hot dog when Snowflake BROKE out of the hole between basement ceiling and the sitting room floor. EVERYONE stared at her like how the heck she got here. “I wanted half the hot dogs, but your ‘friend’ just ran away from me.” Nobody said a word until Katie came into the basement. When she saw Snowflake, she said nothing, other than “Hey puppy. I’ll name you-”

“Snowflake,” said Snowflake in a barking noise.

“Alright,” Katie responded. “I guess I’ll just have to get you things for dogs.”

The next day, Snowflake had a collar with a dog tag that said: Snowflake. 50th Street. Between 8th and 9th Avenue, a food/water bowl, a newspaper as a toilet, and toys — perfect for a dog only 14 weeks old.

That night, Bolt turned the radio on. The guy on the radio said, “It’s bumper to bumper on the highway to the beach.”

“Thanks,  Mr. Obvious,” said Snowflake sleepily. She yawned.

“What? A yawn? Am I boring you?” asked Bolt.

“No,” said Snowflake. “But I want to see what the TV does.” Once Snowflake hit the remote control, Disney Channel appeared on the TV. She and Bolt slept through all the commercials and whatnot, and when the fifth commercial appeared, Bolt and Snowflake were already dreaming. When the sun rose and all the alarm clocks were ringing, Katie could see that Disney Channel was on. “I wonder if dogs are THAT smart,” wondered Katie. It was true. She went to school and her parents went to work.

“Staring contest. I bet you can’t beat me,” bet Snowflake. But before it even STARTED, Buzz Mccallister, a cat that belonged to Katie’s classmate, jumped on Bolt and Snowflake’s bedroom window and talked about his dream.

“I had a dream that I had a big boat, JUST like Stampylongnose’s. And I had a big hot water river that I could bathe and sail in. And I had chickens no taller than my knee to make the boat sail. And I had…I had…”

“You had a good kick in the butt, Buzz Mccallister. Remember those April Fools pranks you laid on me?”

Flashbacks:

“We’re gonna get Charlie back. I’ll put this fake helmet on in case he smells bad.” (Everyone laughs) “Very funny, Buzz Mccallister.”

“I see a GIANT FLYING SHEEP!” (Everyone laughs) “Buzz Mccallister!”

“Oh. My. God. Misty. (On his flank, there is a paper saying: THIS SPACE FOR RENT. Everyone laughs) “Darnit, Buzz Mccallister!”

Flashbacks end here.

“You see? That is why we are BEGINNING to have you as a pet peeve! Snowflake, get that doofus!” Bolt yelled. You would think his entire body would catch on fire.

“Fine,” replied Snowflake. She teased, “THIS is the garbage truck that leads to an incinerator. THIS is where we send ALL the troublemakers.”

“We?” asked Buzz Mccallister.

“The creepiness will start in a moment. EVERYBODY, COME HERE!” replied Snowflake. All the dogs she knew (including Bolt) came and threw Buzz Mccallister out the window and in the garbage truck. “We’ve burned dozens and dozens of rats that almost ate party cookies. And now we’re gonna burn a cat that annoys us!” But Buzz Mccallister was actually alive. He saw Ryder Adams’ apartment and made a dash for it.

About 20 minutes later, everyone was bored. No one did anything but sleep. Then, an idea burst in Bolt’s head. “I know! Let’s cause some mischief at a rundown fishing boat that dates back to the 1950’s!”

“Alright?” asked Snowflake to herself.

When they arrived at a fishing boat, it is probably obvious why it is called a ‘fishing boat,’ because there were at least 500 fish in the boat. The only other thing there was is a garbage bin.  What they didn’t know was that the garbage truck was less than a mile away from the fishing boat.

Misty found the garbage bin full of rotten fish. There was a big rat that owned the boat. Bolt found a claw. He picked up the rat with the claw. “Let go of me, you IDIOT!” shouted the rat. It was too late. Bolt made the fingers open WIDE, making the rat fall into the garbage bin. “SAVE ME!” cried the rat.

“Okay?” responded Snowflake. EASIER SAID THAN DONE. Snowflake ended up in the garbage bin with the rat. The garbage truck’s back wheels were already touching the dock. Charlie, a puppy that lives at the Bark Park Adoption Center, ran screaming all over the place, fearing he was almost touched by a human child. “Seriously?” asked Pixel to herself. Pixel was another puppy who lived at the Bark Park Adoption Center.

“Oh boy,” Bolt gasped. “We better get Snowflake outta there, STAT. Stat means PRONTO. Pronto means LICKETY-SPLIT. Lickety-Split means QUICKLY. Quicky means FAST. AND THAT MEANS NOW!” The dogs almost got Snowflake when she and the garbage bin went in the garbage truck. So did all the other dogs.

The garbage truck reached the dump. Everyone went “HHHHAAALLLPPP!” deeper in the dump. Everyone except Bolt and Snowflake. They managed to leap over the hole, leading to an unknown place. “We have to work as a team to save them,” whispered Bolt to Snowflake. Bolt jumped in the hole, while Snowflake grabbed his ankles.

Actually, everyone was trying to get out the way they got in. Luckily, everyone — even tiny Pixel — got up and sighed in relief. The garbage truck was departing. “Come on, let’s work together!” announced Snowflake.

The smallest ones went first. Then the ones between big and small went second. The biggest ones went third. Finally, Bolt and Snowflake hopped on the garbage truck. “LET’S GO HOME AND ENJOY OUR LIVES!” yelled Bolt to everyone.

The Bark Park Adoption Center puppies hopped off quickly with the help of Bolt and Snowflake when they saw their home (not adopted dogs often called the dog shelter they lived in ‘home’). When Misty and her pack saw their home, they got off with the help of Bolt and Snowflake. Once Wink and the others found home, they got off. Despite being huskies, Bolt and Snowflake helped them off. When Bolt and Snowflake found their home, they jumped off by themselves. They ran to Katie. Katie opened the door and hugged Bolt and Snowflake. Then, she went to bed. The dogs went to their room and slept.

And what happened to the rat? Well, he ended up being burned in the incinerator.

Back at Katie’s home, Snowflake said, “I am starting to enjoy this place. If we get a third pet, who knows what will happen?”

Two months later, they got Jessie, the spotted kitty with a red and white collar.

THE END.

 

Blue

 

Blue is the feeling of wind.  The ocean breeze biting my cheeks

Blue is the smell of palm trees going through your nose and dancing in the sky

Blue is the taste of a ripe berry filling your mouth with flavor

Blue is the sight of a blue-jay perched on a branch

Blue is the sound of rain dripping down my window

Blue is the feeling of sadness shattering your heart

Blue is the smell of salt cleaning your soul

Blue is the taste of cold ice tea sinking down your throat

Blue is the sight of snowflakes, each one unique in their own way

Blue is the sound of waves crashing against the shore  

Blue is the feeling of a warm bubble bath

Blue is the smell of a cool breeze when standing on the highest point overlooking a lake with not a cloud in the sky and no haze from pollution Blue is the taste of cotton candy filling your stomach with excitement

Blue is the sight of truth.  The sky can never lie to you.

Blue is the sound of bubbles floating over the land as if they were never going to pop

Blue is the feeling of sea shells tickling my feet  

Blue is the smell of blue-berry muffins dipped in milk

Blue is the taste of cool snowcones turning your tongue blue

Blue is the sight of a grassy meadow with the sunshine beating on your neck and not a single cloud in the sky

Blue is the sound of a baby in a deep sleep

Blue is the feeling of warm tears running down your cheek

Blue is the smell of a fresh rain in the countryside that cleans all the dirt away from the flower petals and gathers in small pools for birds to bathe in

Blue is the taste of orange Fanta

Blue is the sight of night.  Looking into the eye of the moon and howling at it like a lone wolf that has been set free

Blue is the sound of peace.  I am sitting on top of a mountain, day dreaming into the mist, thankful.

 

Bobgoblin Adventures

Bobgoblin In the Land of Luck (Part 1)

It was gone, all gone. The leprechauns had taken the gold. The goblin’s gold! So the prince of the goblins, Bobgoblin, sent men to get the gold back. He waited and waited, but they never returned. Ransoa, the king of the babies, sent 40,000 strong babies and 49,000 baby goblins to show their power. Little arrows and spears were everywhere, some golden arrows and some iron. The stakes were high in the little war.

Then Bobgoblin took matters seriously, so he took himself and his friend Boblin and another friend Boboblin, and started marching to the leprechaun dimensional portal. But there was a lepredragon guarding the portal. The lepredragon was like a big fluffy leopard with wings, but he was completely green because he was part leprechaun. He breathed lucky clovers and gold. But Bobgoblin was smart. He brought his dragon Gobdragon, who looked like a rabbit with feet like a wolf and giant wings, and he could breathe rocks and gold. There was a big battle, but finally Gobdragon won by turning Lepredragon into solid stone and gold. And then Lepredragon turned into a gold four-leaf clover.

Then, they entered the dimension. It was full of four-leaf clovers– four-leaf clover mountains, four-leaf clover fields, four-leaf clover flowers. It wasn’t called the luckiest dimension for nothing! But then, Bobgoblin found this giant leprechaun tower, bigger than all the four-leaf mountains, even Mount Lucky. Mount Lucky contained golden luck. So of course there was a four-leaf clover tower there too, but there was a four-leaf clover wall surrounding both the tower and the mountain. But then, suddenly, King Jochaun came. King Jochaun was a short leprechaun, not with a leprechaun hat but with a clover crown. He was the luckiest in all five dimensions, but he wasn’t the richest. The goblins were the richest.

Jochaun pulled out his clover mace and clover shield. Bobgoblin pulled out his golden sword. Then, they started battling. Then, Gobdragon changed the leprechaun king into gold. Then, Boblin said, “Free my cohort and give me the gold back!”

Jochaun said, “We don’t have it.”

Then Boboblin and Boblin started searching the entire clover castle, but they didn’t find it. And then Jochaun said, “We stole it but then the mountain giants took it from us.”

To be continued…

Bobgoblin On The Rocky Road (Part 2)

Panting, they finally got to the giant portal. But then they had to get past Stragon the stone dragon. But first they took a night off just to get a rest after all that luck. Then the next day, Bobgoblin realized his two artifacts, the crystal clover and the golden goblin, could defeat the dragon. Two artifacts together can defeat dragons. In the morning Bobgoblin and Boblin combined the two together and suddenly the blinding light froze Stragon. Then they entered the mountain giant dimension. So they just had to follow the rocky road to the rocky fort on top of Mount Megamount, the tallest mountain in all nine dimensions. But suddenly they heard big thumps; then the rocks started moving and–“Mountain giants!” Boblin yelled. Gobdragon snarled. Then Bobgoblin said, “We need a clover wall! Now!” So Gobdragon created a clover wall, but the giants crushed that. Then Bobgoblin said, “Clover soldiers, attack!” But they were crushed. Literally crushed. So they had to use his artifact again. Then they finally got to the castle where a really, really big giant met them and squished them, but they survived. Then Stoking, the king of the mountain giants and the biggest in all nine dimensions, challenged them to a fight with his giant weapons, the granite mountain club and the granite shield. Around his neck was the giant gem. “You challenge me to get your gold and my gem, my precious gem!” he crackled. He sounded like a rockslide. But Bobgoblin had an idea. He got on Gobdragon and whispered to Gobdragon, “Fly around him in circles, but close to his head.” So Gobdragon started to do that. Then Bobgoblin climbed on one of his wing while Boblin steered. And Bobgoblin waved his sword, cutting right through Stoking. Finally Stoking yelled. It sounded like a big avalanche, which crashed into rocks and created a rockslide with giant balls of snow coming in too. So then Stoking said, “Fine, take your stupid gold and my poor, precious gem. But why did you come for my gem?” “I didn’t, but thanks.” And then Bobgoblin said, “Also, can you give Gobdragon the rock powers?” “Fine, anything, anything!” Later, when they returned home to the goblin kingdom, the goblins ran out weeping. They all said, “The dwarves stole our weapons! Boo hoo hoo. Sniff sniff.”

To be continued…

Bobgoblin in the Land of the Silversmiths (Part 3)

“Wait, take this dogragon he can lick gold, stone, luck, and snow.”

“She’ll be nice addition” said Bobgoblin.

“Here take herculin the goblin.”

“Cool” Boboblin said. lets go.

When they got there there was a shining ball of metal. It was Silgon, the guardian of the dwarves’ portal. They sent Gobdragon to get him, but after a few minutes Gobdragon was tossed back. He crashed against a rock, and he was really hurt. “Plan Number Two,” said Bobgoblin. “Artifacts.” But turns out he didn’t have the right artifacts. He needed the northern fallen artifact and the mountain giants’ artifact, and he didn’t have them.

So he sent Gobdragon to get him, and he licked Silgon into luck. Silgon began to transform into a giant four-leaf clover, but then he took the form of a dragon with a four-leaf clover necklace. Then, suddenly, Herculin said, “Run!” So they ran through the portal.

When they got through, they began to walk. Then, THUMP THUMP THUMP. “The mountain giants are after us!” Boboblin yelled.

But Boboblin was not totally right. It was golden colossals and colossdrakes, which were machines that the dwarves made and used. These shining giants suddenly grabbed them. But then, the last thing they saw was the little dwarves who were powering this machine. Then, the next thing they knew, they were in a dungeon. There was a little light, but they were behind bars. Dun-dun-da-dun! A trumpet played. “Welcome one and all!” someone said. “To the First Ever Prison Dungeon Death Duel!”

Suddenly the gates opened. “Out! Out!” a small robot said.

Then, suddenly, the goblins were pitted against twenty golden robotic lions with titanium armor. They had to fight them. They were given their weapons. Herculin, the youngest of them all, was also the bravest of them all, because he was related to Hercules. So, with his club he just ran up at six lions, bashing them up, but that did not work. He was thrown back.

Then, the second youngest of them all, Boblin, charged at the same lions, stabbing them with his spear. Finally, when he hit it in the mouth, the lion was destroyed. But there was another nineteen left. Then little Boblin said, “Poke them in the mouth! Then they’ll be destroyed!” in his little baby voice.

Then Herculin came back. He said, “You’re hungry, eh? Have my club!” and stuffed the club down the lion’s mouth, and then spinned around another hit, and when he turned around, another hit, and then both fell in a boiling lava circle surrounding the arena.

Seventeen left. Then Bobgoblin started stabbing them in the mouth. But Boboblin wasn’t much of a fighter, so he just kept being chased by lions. Poor guy.

Then, Herculin had jabbed his club into the mouth of a lion, and then he was on the back of another lion. Herculin, for some reason, always had a screwdriver. Then he unscrewed the lion’s titanium armor, then unscrewed his golden skin. Under it there wasn’t anything there. It was just open space.

Then he decided to go into the open space so he could control the lion. He started using the lion as a battering ram. Then the lion re-took control. Herculin fell out. But the lion drove himself right to his death with another ten lions. All the lions were gone.

Then two other silgons came. “Beat these and you and your dragons will be free!” said the king of the dwarves, Dwarvy.

So he would have to fight two more of them. This time, Herculin pulled out a red cloth and said, “Ole! Ole! Uh…Silvy?”

A silgon came down from the sky but it missed Herculin and fell in the lava. And then all four of them went for the second one. When the second one landed, all the goblins got on and started hacking the top of it. But this one was a little different. It had a titanium vest too. Sadly, Herculin dropped his screwdriver. But then Bobgoblin came up and asked for Herculin’s club and then started bashing the windshield of the robot dragon. Then, finally, when he got through, they all jumped in. The three dwarves inside panicked and ran, so they crashed into the locked door.

Then Bobgoblin did something a little mean. He let them fall out of the window. But they had parachutes, and they parachuted into the lava. Then they landed the silgon and pushed it into the lava too. Then Dwarvy said, “Fine, you have won that. You are free, but leave us.”

“No!” squeaked little Herculin. “Give us the armor and weapons!” he squeaked again. “And for good keeping, all your gold.”

“No, you’ll have to fight us for that.”

“Fine, let us free then,” squeaked Herculin again.

So they were let free, but they didn’t leave. They came back but they were met with a fleet of elite fighter jet submarine tank things led by Dwarvy and his soul-son Darvy. They had to beat that too.

THUMP THUMP THUMP came from behind them. “Hello!” said Stoking. Then came Stragon the stone dragon. Then another twenty mountain giants and two hill giants (or baby giants).

Then there was a big battle. Colossals dueling with mountain giants, and a lot of mountain giants and colossals falling, and goblins trying to get through this maze. Finally, when they got through the battle they had to breach the electric fence wall thing. They did that by hitching a ride in a rice vendor. Once they got in, they ran to the armory. “Give us our golden armor back!”

“Golden armor? Oops. Well, the babies stole it a few minutes ago,” said the blacksmith.

Will they get it back, or not? To be continued…

Bobgoblin in Babyland (Part 4)

Bobgoblin was outraged. One adventure after another. When could he finally sleep?

He was on his way to Babyland. He was wearing two heavy artifacts and two light ones. Then they got to the baby portal, the youngest of all portals, and the youngest of all dragons, the Baby Dragon. He was cute. His hair was really curly, and he made voices like “Ga ga goo goo, goo goo ga ga.” Then Bobgoblin said, “This is gonna be easy. All we need to do is make him laugh, make him go to sleep, and we will run through the portal.”

Bobgoblin’s plan took a really long time. Finally, when Bragon, the baby dragon was sleeping, they made a run for the portal. When they got in, what they saw was crazy. There were little saplings but no trees, little everything, little goblins running around, a nursery… There was nothing there to stop them from getting their weapons, but suddenly a bunch of nipple spears came flying in their direction. The nipple spears didn’t hurt, they just paralyzed them. They made them quiet because they went in their mouths.

Suddenly all the babies became evil. They started running towards them, and when they got there they started doing little punches, little kicks, little slaps, little everything. But the baby dwarves weren’t that bad robotics makers. They had made little colossals and there were little hill giants. So soon they were taken to the king of the babies, Gaboo.

Gaboo sentenced them to be sent to the baby arena and the baby prison, but the bars weren’t that hard to break because they were made out of little wood. The room was too small because it was meant for babies. Then the next day, the little babies would have to fight Bobgoblin and his friends to prove their worth. If the babies won, they would be sent to their kingdom. If they lost, they would stay in baby land till the next tournament, which was once a year. When they were in the prison cell there was a little baby goblin weeping there.

Herculin squeaked, “Why are you crying?”

“Because they sentenced me to be put in yail till the pournament,” the little baby cried.

“Don’t worry, we’ll let you back to the land of the goblins with us. What’s your name?” said Boblin.

“My name is Jeflin.”

“Come on, let’s do the tournament together!”

“Fure!” Jeflin answered.

The next morning was the day of the tournament.

“Day of truth, Jeflin,” Herculin said.

“Yah, I guess you’re right,” Jeflin answered.

Then, the gates opened. They had to crouch to get through the gate because it was also meant for babies.

“Gaaaa gaaa gooo gooo!” the babies screamed together.

They would have to be facing ten dwarves, three hill giants, and ten goblins, who decided to join Bobgoblin. Then it was the goblins vs. all. Luckily, Gobdragon and Dogragon were with them, but they were all unarmed. So, they decided to get on the dragons and fight. Both could fly, but Gobdragon was better. So they flew higher than the hill giants. Then they dived in. Gobdragon licked the head of two of the hill giants, turning them into clovers. Then, Gobdragon turned the other one into clovers with his magical powers, and it was the dwarves left, but the dwarves had their silver colossals, which were smaller and weaker than golden ones, but still pretty strong. So Gobdragon used his horns as a battering ram against the windshield. Herculin jumped on another while Dogragon licked a few. Finally, when the collosdrakes were gone, there were no pools of lava, so the dwarves escaped. The dwarves had emergency sledge hammers, and the dragons couldn’t beat the sledgehammers. So it was up to the goblins. The goblins just jumped on the babies, and sadly Jeflin was bashed up and died.

But the goblins won the tournament, so they could go home with their armor and tools turned back to gold.

Will they save Jeflin or not? To be continued…

Bobgoblin in Shadow Castle (Part 5)

“Come on! Get up boys!” said Bobgoblin, “We’re going to the shadow castle.”

“So early.” Herculin said

“Herculin has a point there,” said Boboblin.

“So what? Let’s go!” said Bobgoblin.

So they left, but they left the baby goblins behind. When they finally got to the gate, Bobgoblin forgot they needed the Northern Fallen Kingdom gem to enter. So they left for the skyship port at the end of the Sky Island. When they got there, the sky ship manager told them it would cost 90 pens. Bobgoblin hesitated and gave the manager the pens.

They headed off. They wanted to go the short way, but had to take the long way to the Northern Fallen Kingdom to avoid sky monsters. Sky monsters are basically dragons, but they don’t have to land; they can float around forever. Finally when they got to the Northern Island, they told the pilot to wait for them. The pilot told them it would be 40 extra pens. When they got to the castle, they had to pass the dragon that caused the defeat of the Northern Fallen Kingdom. He was a big, black and dark red fire dragon. They took turns fighting him, but all were beaten. Then, they tried to fight him together, coming from all sides. Finally, the dragon flew away. “He’ll be back soon. Let’s hurry!” said Bobgoblin. They hurried into the castle where they were safe… in some rooms.

They split up to search the castle. “I FOUND IT!” Herculine screamed, “Come on let’s go!”

They went back to the skyship. When they got there, Boboblin said, “Turn on the engines! We’re out! The short way! I don’t care about the monsters!”

That’s when they discovered that the pilot wasn’t there. They saw a trail of blood that led back to the castle. “The dragon got the pilot! Someone turn on the engine!” Boblin cried. Herculin turned on the engines. They returned to SkyShip Port. “Sorry about the pilot,” they all said.

“Don’t worry about it,” said the manager.

They left to go back to the Shadow Castle. When they got there, they were prepared to fight a dragon, but there wasn’t one. People were so scared to go to Shadow Castle because the rumor was that if you went into Shadow Castle alive, you wouldn’t come out alive. They placed the Northern Fallen Kingdom gem into the keyhole and the dimensional portal opened. They entered. Sulah, the evil queen, said, “Muahahahaha you all will never make it out alive. You won’t even make it out dead muahahhaha.”

They looked around for Jeflin. They saw Jeflin was standing up and staring at them from a dark and gloomy corner. “Jeflin, come on! Let’s go!” Herculin whisper screamed.

Bobgoblin in the Land of Golden Light (Part 6)

“Oh God! Let’s go! We have to meet them up at the gates of Heaven, but first we have to get the Southern Fallen Kingdom gem,” said Boboblin. So they left for the SkyShip Port. When they got there, they had to again negotiate with the manager about the cost of a SkyShip rental. Finally, they got it for 80 pens and 40 pins.

When they left, they flew full speed ahead.  When they got to the Southern Fallen Kingdom, the same dragon from the Northern Fallen Kingdom! They had to pass him again. This time, they knew what to do. All they had to do was charge him together, and then tickle him to death. Then, they went inside the castle. They knew where the gem was, and grabbed it. They returned home and went to the Meeting Port with the gem. Bobgoblin led his army of goblins through the gates of Heaven. They were met by the Heaven army, and surprisingly, all the people from Shadow Castle were there too. Then, there was a big battle- a lot of yelling, crying and death. Finally, Bobgoblin and his goblins broke through the lines and started to stab Susu to death.

Finally, there was peace in all of the lands again. The people returned to all of their kingdoms and there was Peace in every dimension.

THE END.   

 

Blood Red Forest

 

The full moon shone upon the dense forest, a spotlight in the starless abyss of night.

Its the kind of place that felt as if there was something you didn’t know about it.

A secret.

That was the kind of thing Trish was thinking as she stumbled on through this dense forest, deeper and deeper into the night, closer and closer to our secret.

It was secrets that brought her here now, my dear reader, and you must know, that secrets are a dangerous business.

That is why, naturally, our world is swimming in them.

Secrets are part of everyone’s lives, but our friend Trish was not keen on accepting that.

She isn’t the type for reasoning, I must warn you.

She wasn’t much for listening ether.

But she is the subject matter here, so don’t be picky.

And she is a person of action.

One of her various actions was the one that is over all making her the subject of this book.

The action to run away.

Secrets were a big hobby for most of Trish’s family members.

Rich nobles with upturned noses and squinted brown eyes and pale skin made up trish’s family.

Unknown tales and illegal deals and secrets.

Trish wasn’t like them. Her long brown curly hair sat tangled on square shoulders. Wide green eyes pierced through the night and elf-like features littered her face.

So that’s what brought Trish here.

Her dislike for the constant secrets of her family, and her differences.

For she was about to enter the realm of secrets.

And that would be, my dear readers, our story.

 

“They say I can’t do anything, HA, they can’t even tell the truth!” Trish told herself as she walked through the forest.

Lying was something Trish had a distaste for, but was also a talent of hers.

“What kind of person would keep things out of reach from their own daughter?!”

Trish, who was carefully taking all the “bad habits” and constructing a valid argument, had blinded herself to her surroundings.

She had not noticed the air of mystery in the air, and that the crickets had stopped chirping, and that the forest was easier to navigate because the trees weren’t thick as glue anymore.

There was a slight breeze, and the air was crisp, like rain had just fallen. Fog clouded her vision.

And just for a second, it felt as if time itself had slowed down.

The crickets returned, the air returned to its average state.

Only after a tree offered its opinion about her carelessness and gave her a bump on the head as some advice, did she care to look around and give the appropriate response.

As she shook off the daze, her gaze focused on her surroundings.

“Where in the living world am I?” (This was spoken in a half whisper, so that she could know that she was still capable of words,

but also to not disturb, well, whatever this place was)

She was in a bed of grass next to a shimmering mirror of a lake so clear,

and the pale moonlight so bright you could see her reflection as well as day.

She felt a sense that this was not at all the woods she had run off to earlier that night.

She stood (her legs not very much liking that decision very much, because they had been walking for so long that they did not want to let go of the small moment of relief of sitting down, for you must know, before this whole story started they had been had been, along with the rest of her, quite spoiled).

While her spoiled little self slowly rose up from the short term rest, something growled behind her.

She had no feelings about this, for there was no time for any feelings on the matter.

Only time for action.

Of course my dear reader, Trish is a person of action.

Trish ducked as the mysterious figure (this is a place of mystery, after all) lunged over her,

Its pearl white fangs shone as its lips drew back into a wide grin.

Its well worn fur as the effect of age.

Yet there was an air of power surrounding her.

Something that rarely anyone has, and is quite hard to achieve.

“You think you can outsmart me?

I am the ruler of this forest, and with that too, soon the world as well.

I am not one to be underestimated, for soon all of this planet, seven seas and all shall know my name!

No creature of your kind has ever came to this realm, and now you dare to insult me?

Speak strange creature, and with your words you may shape your fate.”

Trish was at a loss for words, so all that came out was a choke.

As soon as she caught her breath (as you must know all this activity was not well suited for one with a pampered life, and was quite tiring for someone like Trish)

She managed to make the words, but they were barely a sound,

“Who are you?”

“The creature dares not know my name, the name of her ruler!

What a petty servant it shall be.

But for pride is a mere misunderstanding for some, I shall spare the creature this.

I am Silverfang, ruler of all, and of the many before, but you shall address me as master, or Queen.”

What a strange concept this is, for power comes with great effort and practice in the art of leadership.

Silverfang was one of all creatures that was not keen on accepting that.

Now I can go on and on, but we must get on with the story.

And so, as you can see, our poor friend Trish was at a loss for words.

As Silverfang circled around Trish, she took a close look at her.

Silverfang had fangs that shone like two daggers stabbing through the night.

Her gray pelt, though old, moved with her like the waters in a river.

Her icy eyes pierced Trish’s soul.

As she stared at Trish, Silverfang decided to go by the common cliche:

“Better safe than sorry.”

As she glared with those icy eyes at Trish, taking in every detail, every breath, every move, she gave her final answer.

Speaking to what seemed like air, she said calmly,

“Kill her.”

Now don’t think that Silverfang is truly evil.

You have every right to think that, for she seems like a horrible, power hungry freak.

Well she is, but it wasn’t always this way.

Let’s take a journey back, shall we?

For whatever is done is not for no reason.

There is a side effect to everything.

I guess that makes us all side effects of the human race.

Silverfang was just a side affect of life’s cruelty…  

   *   *   *

“Silver! We need to go hunting today!”

Silver sat in the cave as her father called for her.

“I can’t.”

“Don’t be silly, of course you can!”

“Just leave!”

“Your loss.”

As he left the cozy clearing, Silver dragged herself to the water hole.

After she made sure all had left, she examined herself, and sure enough,

right where her heart would be, was a gap.

She couldn’t prove that it was gone, but she could not feel it.

She didn’t feel its beats, and it comforting buzz.

All nothingness.

Emptiness.

And it’s not easy to “have a heart” when yours has been stolen.

As her heartlessness grew, the gap ripping her apart, she replaced it.

She needed to fill the gap.

She filled her gap with the worst of things, but it was the only thing that stayed long enough:  

Craziness.

The evil crept into her as well, a shadow, grew into a heart that fed of of pain and misery, and poisoned her from the inside out.

This was not Silver.

This was Silverfang.

*  *  *

As soon as Trish heard those words her heart beats became a storm.

And without thinking it over, she flew across the lake!

Just kidding.

If you knew Trish at all, you would know that is way too much psychical activity for her.

But as the shadows seemed to draw nearer, and the darkness choking, she became desperate.

She saw what seemed like a million eyes, yellow headlights, beaming through the darkness.

Each pair was like two suns, the gaze strong and determined, yet their was something soothing about them.

Then they attacked.

It was just a blur of fur and teeth.

“Get rid of her,” voices surrounding her chanted.

In the tornado of the, the, the cats!

She was in a catnado!

As she looked around, she could just make out their furry bodies.

As she looked around, looking for a escape, the suffocating craziness surrounded her.

“RUN!” screamed a quite intelligent looking squirrel.

Its fur had a neat tuxedo over it, and it looked quite dapper.

As Trish grabbed its tiny, furry little paw, it started to run quite fast for a squirrel I must say.

As they ran alongside the lake, the squirrel introduced himself as the most proper squirrel in the whole woods, and these were his precise words:

“Hello strange creature, and of your ladylike air, I take to question that you must be what they call a girl, yes? Oh, of course!

Let me properly introduce myself my fair, um, what should I address you as?”

“Oh me! Trish would be fine.”

“Oh, of course, trash? Oh dear no! I’m so sorry, I don’t know what has got into me this fine morning!”

Trish looked up from her slow jog (she couldn’t manage more than that, for she was so tired, that as she ran dark spots floated in and out of her sight.)

And as she did, she noticed the bright blood-red sun, slowly climbing up the trees, and making its way to the top of the forest.

The birds sang their songs, the melody weaved into a gentle tone, that flew with the wind and ran with the rivers.

The sophisticated squirrel broke the silence.

“So what a wonderful morning it is!”

He brought his paw out in front of him as a gesture to show the wonderful morning.

“Of course, we haven’t gotten to my name yet. I am Sir Strange of the Sophisticated.I am part of the group for the Intelligent Squirrels. And I am here to escort you.”

That didn’t sound right to Trish.

Squirrels didn’t talk, and they most definitely did not have groups for “Intelligent Squirrels.”

But here was one, claiming that he was an “Intelligent Squirrel.”

But even that didn’t bother her too much.

She was worrying about the fact that she was going to be “Escorted.”

That did not really have Trish thinking about anything good.

But she knew better than to question.

That had already gotten her near to killed.

This squirrel had saved her from Silverfang, and the strange yet believably scary catnado.

There was no one else with her, and she was taking a huge risk, but she decided to trust him.

Trust is a very fragile thing, and is easily broken.

Trust is also, in my opinion, the most important thing for anybody to believe.

If you can’t trust or be trusted, you become lonely and depressed.

Finally, Trish broke the silence.

“Escort me where…?” she questioned.

“Shhh!” Sir Strange hissed  “Trees have ears. Come along now, we must be arriving soon!”

                                    

About an hour of walking later, Sir Strange finally came to a stop.

They were in the entrance to a small cave.

“This is where we part, my dear. This cave is the home of them.

They know all, and they tell little.

Don’t let them teach you.

They are there to guide, but not to teach.

Keep their advice with you, but don’t let it change your ways.”

Destiny is a strange sort of thing.

It’s something you want to know, but will change if you know what it is.

It’s a ticking bomb, my friend, and with one malfunction it will explode.

As she turned to face the cave, she looked back and asked “Why?”

But it was words wasted.

Sir Strange has left.

As she looked back to that cave and found something in her that she hadn’t had in a long time.

It was bravery, my friends.

It was bravery.

She stepped forward, and as she did, she took one more step towards fate.

Trish had been walking for what felt like hours.

The walls were covered in vines, and as she walked leaves crunched under her feet.

The walls started to cave in, and the air became thick with dust.

But the fire of bravery still burned in Trish.

The walls suddenly opened up, and a dim light shone through the ceiling.

The walls seemed to whisper, and then the whispers came together to make a voice.

The voice was an ancient whisper, and seemed to be wise above all.

It spoke.

“Who dares to disturb our deep slumber?!

Weary traveler or seeker of their life.

They who have came to this olden grim, have come out as the different man.

And as the traveler who travels, come near, and to the spirits of the wood you must dare speak.”

Trish stared into the darkness, looked deep inside of her for that courage, and spoke.

“I am Trish. I have been sent here by Sir Strange of the Sophisticated. I’m am here to find my fate.”

“Fates are shaped by their master. Before you figure out your fate, you must find out who you are.”

“But I know who I am! I am Trish!” she exclaimed. “I need to know my fate!”

“Very well, but fates in the hands of one who does not know themselves will do more harm then good.

You must return to the high of the low, and find one who will not know what it is to be true, and with them they carry the ruby of the soul. You must take this, but beware, this creature is a master of the art. If it sees you, your time will end.

Wander on to the place where the crow meets the eagle.

There you will find either friend or lies, and journey still you must, to a land where not all is at seems, and when you get there, the ancient ground will unearth, and your journey shall be done.

Use these words as guide, and use them well.”

The whirling dust came to a gentle rest, and silence overcame the cave once more.

A loud echo hit Trish’s ears.

“Begone!” it screamed.

Trish didn’t need another word.

 

Clueless, that’s what Trish was.  

“The high of the low, the high of the low… What on earth does that mean?”

But she knew.

She knew exactly where she needed to go.

She just didn’t want to admit it.

The lake.

It was at the bottom of a mountain,

The place that Silverfang tried to kill her was on a natural platform, about five feet up.

She didn’t want to go back.

It was a childish thing to do, to be afraid of a place.

But we have all felt that.

Some are afraid of the dark, and being in the dark is a sort of place.

Or the attic. Or the basement. Or wherever.

Then it started to rain.

It was a light drizzle at first.

Then the wind came in.

Gusts of freezing, rain filled air, striking Trish at every opportunity.

Trish shook from head to toe.

The cold crept in and attached itself to her.

She made the decision.

She would go to the place where it all started.

After twenty minutes of walking through the bitter cold rain she reached her destination.

And there lay, as prophesied, a person.

Or at least that’s what it seemed to be.

No, it wasn’t a person.

It was a shadow.

The shadow had no owner, and it lay as its own creature.

“It is mist with a life of its own,” Trish thought.

Just like another person.

But that wasn’t true. It was far from another person.

It wasn’t really there, yet it was.

It was something with no life or meaning, but this one had both.

It was incredibly, impossibly, true.

There was a glint of red in its satchel.

It was a dark blood red sort of color.

It was moving.

No, it was beating.

“With them they carry the ruby of the soul.”

The words flashed through Trish’s train of thought.

It was a heart.

The ruby of the soul was a heart.

And she needed to steal it.

Now how Trish was going to steal this shadows heart she did not know, but there was one thing she was sure of:

She was a horrible thief.

She needed to find someone.

The rain had slowly ended, first the rain had slowly became a drizzle, then it stopped, like the sky had cried out all its tears and now was bringing itself together, the high after the pain.

The wind slowly became a breeze, and the cold melted off and the sun rose like a flower in bloom.

The shadow was there.

But it was no longer a shadow.

Trish shook off the cold and went off into the forest (now buzzing with life) to look for a thief.

Now you must know that finding a thief is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Thieves are masters of disguise, for that is part of their jobs.

They must remain hidden, along with their, well, gifts that were not given, let say that.

There is one thief, though, that does not follow this rule.

The Fox.

The Fox is the most clever of the thieves.

But the Fox is not at all trustworthy.

And trust, my dear reader, is a fragile sort of thing.

Now it just so happens that Trish stumbled across one of these foxes.

The sun stood straight over the withering tree that, in the shade, Fox lay beneath.

Now Trish, naturally, is clueless about these creatures.

So of course, she spills her story.

Now this Fox was quite interested in this “heart” that she needed (for reasons she refused to say), and started to think about what he could do with this heart.

Now, he being a Fox and all, lying came to him like flies to a venus fly trap.

On this day, he was quite bored.

He wanted to get in trouble.

And so he went with Trish.

He told her he would steal it.

But it’s not about what he said.

It’s about what he didn’t say.

He never said that he would give it back.

Trish stood by the side of the wood.

“If anything goes wrong,” the Fox had said. “You may come interrupt.”

“Okay!”

“Of course it is. Now don’t interrupt. This is the work of a thief.

It requires concentration.

Now where is this shadow?

There is only a wolf.”

“WHAT!” Trish exclaimed.

She pushed the Fox back so she could get a better look.

Sure enough there was a wolf.

But in the satchel she could still spot something dark red, or blood red.

This sight spread relief through her, and she relaxed her tense self.

The Fox noticed this (he had a eye for detail), and he struggled to push in front of Trish to see what had happened.

He spotted the heart in the satchel, but he had also spotted something Trish hadn’t.

The face of the wolf.

It was familiar.

But the plan continued.

The wolf had walked off for a moment, taking the satchel.

As he lifted the satchel off the ground, something red, blood red, had fallen out and rolled to the ground.

Trish noticed this, but the Fox did not.

His pride and arrogance had deceived him, and as he walked off, a shadow to the shadow, Trish kneeled down, and reached for the heart. Each step the Fox walked, the farther he was from his final prize.

Maybe even the cleverest can deceive themselves.

Trish turned around, her back facing the Fox, and journeyed on.

 

As Trish journeyed on with a piece of her fate in her hands, she came across a sign that read:

“sdrawkcab fo dnal”

Next to the sign stood a garden gnome, or what seemed like a garden gnome.

“Well, this is gibberish,” Trish sighed. “Where in the world is this? The land where not all is as it seems.

Fate doesn’t seem to like me very much, that’s for sure.”

“If you are your fate then what is fate itself?” someone stated, matter-of-factly.

“Excuse me?”

“If you believe in fate then you’re just really self confident.”

“I guess so,” Trish replied. “And may I ask, who is speaking?”

“Ah, thats where you’re wrong,” Trish was trying to pinpoint the voice “Fate and self confidence are two terribly different places.”

It was the gnome that was speaking!

“Are you a gnome?”

“I do not think that gnomes can talk, now can they?”

“So you are not a gnome?”

“Well, I do not see my self to be so, but that is different depending on the eye of the beholder.”

“So, you’re not a gnome!?”

“To you I am a gnome, but gnomes can’t talk can they?”

“Are you a gnome or not!?”

This creature was really getting on her last nerve.

“Well gnomes can’t speak.”

“Whatever. What is this place?”

“It can be any place. It depends on the size of the person in question’s imagination.

To me this is home.”

“You live here?”

“Well you say it in that tone and it seems to be a bad thing.”

This was not her ideal gnome.

“I am your tour guide for today.”

“Is there any way I can skip the talking part of the tour?”

But her comment had already been blocked out by the gnome.

It had already started talking.

“Well here we go,” Trish mumbled.

She had been here (wherever here was) for barely five minutes and she already hated it.

Yet there was something interesting about it.

So the tour began.

I will spare you the long, quite uninteresting details (that will be a whole other story, my dear reader.)

And I will pick up when the story gets interesting.

*  *  *

“Now trash…”

“IT’S TRISH!” The gnome had made that mistake far too many times.

“Now, here is where the battlegrounds are.”

“The what?”

“Battlegrounds. Should I spell it out for you?!” the gnome said in a mocking tone.

“No, thank you,” she said in a voice that showed her suppressed anger.

“Continue.”

“Of course. Now these ground have been around for centuries.

They are some of this places most prized landmarks…”

Hadn’t the prophecy said something about ancient grounds?

Trish heard a surprising yet familiar sound.

It was a growl.

Silverfang had returned.

“A pleasure, really, seeing you again,” Silverfang said in a cold tone.

“You don’t sound too pleased,” Trish replied in a equally feelingless tone.

“Yes well, we were rudely interrupted at our last meeting.”

“Yes, well, that was preferable. A better option than my dead body!”

“I don’t remember mentioning any options.”

An idea flashed through Trish’s brain.

It was not a very thought-through decision, and it was risky, but Trish was a person of action, not thought.

“I think I have something of yours.”

“And what possibly could you have of mine”

“I think you left your heart in the shadows!” Trish reached into her pocket.

“The shadows seem to love you so much, that your heart is such a lovely token for them.”

Trish pulled out the heart and thrust it at Silverfang.

“Want it back? Come and get it.”

That was the stupidest decision she had ever.

If Sir Strange had thoughts on that, they would go something like this:

“What a strange thing that is, a little girl fighting a full grown wolf! This world is true to its common chaos!”

But Sir Strange had no comment, and we must get back to the story.

We have most definitely lost track of time (it is not quite important in times like these),

so I shall let you know that the pale orange moon had just rose as Trish said those words.

Now, let’s get back to the story.

A flash of realization crossed Silverfang’s face, and was gone again in a instant.

But it was there.

That was her heart.

And without a thought, she lunged (the gnome had fled by now).

The battle was short yet action filled.

Clawing, punching, teeth marks and bruises.

The final screams of the girl and the last cry of the wolf rang out into the thick darkness.

By the end, under the pale orange moon lay two bodies, the wolf and the girl, laying lifeless, the moonlight gleaming on the thick,

Red

Blood.

The heart lay at its rightful place, at last at rest with its rightful owner, and the prophecy was fulfilled.

Fate in the hands of one who does not know themselves does more harm then good.

(“Why this is an unusual end for a little girl! Stay away from dark woods like these, children, you never know what’s hidden in the shadows.” – Sir Strange)

The End

 

Back Together Again

“Okay, Aprille, Jackson, time to go, I’m running late. Your lunches are on the table. Aprille take care of your brother at school OK. See you at 7:00. Love you. Bye.” Slam. She shut the door hard.

“Jackson, time to go to school. Ma already made lunch and breakfast. Come on, get up. I don’t want to be late again.”

“Uhhhhhh,” came a groan from the stairs. Jackson was going down the stairs, but slowly.

Thud, munch, thud, munch. The sounds were coming from Jackson’s  footsteps and Aprille’s sounds of eating.

About fifteen minutes later the siblings were out the door.

“You know sometimes I wonder if Ma and Pa are ever getting back together,” Aprille said.

“I know. It gets me sad to think that Pa lives in another country, ” Jackson said looking down at the pavement. “We only get to see him once or twice a year.”

“I can always tell when Ma is feeling sad or depressed but she always makes us feel like everything is how it used to be,” Aprille said with a tiny smile on her face. “You know her birthday is coming up soon, we can make a surprise party for her.” Her grin grew bigger.

“That’s right. We should figure it all out after school,” Jackson agreed. “Class is about to start. Bye.”

“Now students, today’s lesson is the story of a family. Of course most of you in this classroom have two parents, woman and man, but maybe you have two dads or two moms. Or maybe you only have one parent,” Mrs. Bloome said.

All of a sudden Aprille slapped her chest where her treasured necklace stayed. It was a necklace her father gave her when she was only a young girl. She never took it off, never. It was the only thing she had left of him.  She missed him so much. She wished to see him more often.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Bloome,” Aprille said with her hand in the air. “May I use the restroom.”

“You may, Ms. Hollow,” Mrs. Bloome said.

Outside in the school halls, Aprille was the only thing alive, everything else was just benches and lights.

Aprille was still clutching her necklace. Aprille’s eyes began to get teary.

“What if I never see him again,” she said to herself through small sobs.

When she entered the classroom again, her eyes were still a little red from the crying.   

“Are you alright Aprille?” Mrs. Bloome said. Aprille just simply nodded.  

About half an hour later, everyone was rushing to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was always a noisy place but  that day it was crazy. Everybody was screaming and running around, but not Aprille or Jackson. They were quietly sitting at a lunch table all for themselves. Neither of them were talking, just quietly eating their lunch.

Three hours later, school had ended and the siblings were walking home.

“You know now that I think about it, we haven’t celebrated Ma’s birthday in years.” Jackson said. ”I think she needs something like that to cheer her up.”

“I agree, we should get started right away,” Aprille said and started running to the door.

It was Friday morning and the siblings’ mother had already left for work. Aprille and Jackson were at the table eating breakfast and getting ready for school, when they heard a knock on the door.

“Stay here okay,” Aprille said to Jackson. Aprille answered the door and didn’t believe who it was.

“PA!” Aprille yelled, and flung her arms around her father.

“Oh my gosh my children, they’ve grown so much. How old are you, Aprille?”

“Thirteen.”

“And you Jackson?”

“Ten.”

“Where’s your mother?”

“She is at work, ” Jackson replied. “You know her birthday is today and Aprille and I were planning a surprise party for her, could you help?”

“Why not,” their father said.

“Do you know Ma’s  favorite food, we were thinking on ordering her favorite food,” Aprille said.

“Oh, I remember our first date. Your mother and I were still in college, we went to this Italian restaurant. I remember it like it was yesterday.” The siblings could tell he was deep in thought so they didn’t want to interrupt him.

Aprille pulled her brother to a side. “This might be easier than we thaught. I think they really miss each other,” Aprille whispered in his ears.

“Uh-uh,” Jackson said nodding.

“Well Jackson and I should be heading to school but we will see you  later,” Aprille said grabbing her backpack and gesturing Jackson to the door. “Bye,” the siblings said in unison. Their father could just smile.

In class neither of the siblings could concentrate on their school work; they could only focus on what was going on outside of school. The school day felt like it was going to take days to finish. But finally the second to last bell rang. It was the last subject of the day.

“This hour’s subject is science, as you all know, and today is Part 1: Electricity,” Mr. Gaven the science teacher said. “Electricity runs through our homes all the time. When we turn on the light, when we cook, and even keeps the refrigerator cold. But …”

Aprille could no longer hear Mr. Gaven talking because she was trapped in her thoughts. She thought that if she could keep her parents together for even a small amount of time she might be able to get them together again forever.Aprille was anxiously tapping her pen on her desk. She was watching each second go by on the clock. Then finally the moment the siblings had been waiting for. RING! The bell rang and Aprille and Jackson were the first to get out of their seats.They immediately started running towards home.

The sibling’s home was fully decorated. There were signs that read Happy Birthday Mary and I Love You and balloons all over. “Wow Pa you did a great job,” Jackson said in amazement.

“Thanks, what do you think of the cake?” Their dad had made a circle cake covered in chocolate icing and there were pink sprinkles shaped like hearts all around the borders of the cake. In the center was a candle of a family.

“This is all wonderful,” Aprille said

“Glad you think so, but I still haven’t ordered the food yet. I will do that right now, you two should put on something fancy.” So off the kids went into their rooms to change. A couple of minutes later the siblings got out of their rooms. Aprille was wearing a white dress up to her knees. She had a pink belt around her waist. She had pink slip-ons and a pink head-band in her hair. She had diamond earrings and a pink purse.

   “You look gorgeous sister,” Jackson said

   “Thank you brother, You look very handsome yourself,” Aprille said back.

   Jackson was wearing a white shirt with a black tie. He was wearing black jeans, shiny black shoes and a nice black coat.

   Then the siblings went down stairs and the food was already there.

   “Wow kids you look great. Could you set up the table while I get dressed.”

   The siblings got right to work. Their mother would be there any minute. Five minutes later the table was set and their father was dressed. The three of them couldn’t wait any longer, they were about to burst. Then the door knob turned and the door creaked open. Their mother had finally arrived.

SURPRISE!

“Oh my gosh.” Their mother hugged the kids, but once she saw who else was in the room she froze. Tears started to form in her eyes. “I’ve missed you so much,” she said and hugged her old husband.

“I’ve missed you too,” he whispered in her ear.

All four of them were partying all night long.

Then finally Paul proposed for the second time.

“I can’t bear another day without you Mary, I want to live rest of my days to be with you.”  

Right away Aprille touched her necklace. “We are a family again,” Aprille thought to herself.

“Will you marry me?” he said

“Yes. I will!”

Beth’s Journal

 

July 7th

Dear Journal,

I hope I’m doing this right. When I asked my mother what a journal was she said it was like a diary but it wasn’t a diary. But then she couldn’t finish because the phone rung and so she raced over and answered. Like, wow Mom. Thanks! That helps a lot.

Summer vacation has started. I’m truly, honestly sad. Well now isn’t that bizarre. You wait and wait and wait and wait for something, and then you feel sad.

So, Journal, since we’re going to be together for a while, my name is Beth. I’m 10, and I can’t quite solve the problem of who I am yet.

Today I went on a plane ride by myself. No mother, no father, no annoying siblings! I was going to my grandparents.

I was super scared. I got on the plane. It smelled like my little brother’s socks that he filled with stinky cheese and left to rot, then put it in my sock drawer. Remembering that, my stomach felt like a boiling pot of oatmeal. When climbing onto my assigned seat I held my breath. I couldn’t have done that forever. From holding my breath so long I had slumped into the seat and I was feeling dizzy.

“Are you okay, ma’am?” one of the helpers had said. Awakening to my senses I said that I was and took another gulp of air. At that point it smelled so bad that I remembered that I had “borrowed” some of Mother’s perfume for my visit, for my grandparents’ house smelled of bitter baby wipes.

After that, it was a pretty peaceful plane ride. I got off, hugged my grandparents, and you can pretty much imagine the rest.

Before I climbed into bed this night, I wrote in you.

Beth ♡

July 8th

Hiya Journal,

You won’t believe what happened today!!! Just listen. Or read. Or something.

Mother, Father, and all of my other siblings called. Mother and Father said I could stay an extra two days! And, I got this sparkly blue pen! I’m using it to write in you! Grandpa is grumpy. And he still wants to invent a cigarette out of cheese. I told him it would smell horrible in a couple of days. He just said “BAAAAHHHH!” The cheese had reminded me of my little brother, Dennis. He’s one of those — first he’s sharing his secret stash of candy with you, then he’s putting his stinky smell blue cheese socks in your drawer — kind of little brother. Yup!

Mom and Dad are your average lousy parents.

Meg, the oldest sister, is your bossy girly girl.

Today was probably the rainiest day yet. But hey, you know what that means! Grandma and Grandpa took me to see a movie.

It was a mix of action, adventure, and comedy.

There was this part where me and Grandpa burst out laughing. Then Grandma said we were a bunch of goofy howler monkeys.

When we had gotten home Grandma taught me how to knit. Before I had knew it, it was already 9:30. A.K.A. bed time!

Beth ♡

July 9th

Journal. Guess what.

Did I say yesterday was the rainiest day? Well, today is the rainiest day ever in the universe of universes.

(Gramps and Grandma didn’t let me see another movie.)

Signed, a very sad Beth.

July 10th

Journal!!!!!

The rain continues. 🙁

I’m making a sewing project. It’s, well, it’s GOING to be a picture of 3 sheep, 1 tannish and whitish, 1 white, 1 gray and black, and they’re all going to be in a meadow.

That’s what I worked on for most of the day.

At dinner, there was some gossip. Imagine this —

(a nice quiet family eating dinner.)

Gram = How was work today?

Gramps = BAAAAHH!!

Me = BAH? What kind of answer is…

(Gram had interrupted me.)

Gram = Uh oh.

Me = Uh oh? What?

Gram = What happened?

Gramps = Jack got fired.

Me = Jack? Who’s Jack? What’s…

(Gram interrupted.)

Gram = Why don’t you put your dishes away and get ready for bed. Then read until I tuck you in. Okay Beth?!!!

I did just that. When Grams came in and turned out the light I asked her who Jack was.

Gram said, “Just a friend of your grandpa he met at work. A really good friend.”

Beth ♡

July 11th

Journal! The rain stopped!

I woke up at 10:41am. Yup! I checked the clock. After that, I worked on my sheep picture. I learned cross stitching, rug hooking and even rug latching or whatever it’s called. I’ve been using that kind of really dense cross stitching. I didn’t see Grandpa today. When I asked Gram about that she didn’t hear me. Or at least she pretended to not hear me. Sigh. My wrist is starting to hurt…Geez, after you start writing for a while every night, you get sick of it really fast. Well, good night Journal.

Beth ♡

July 12th

Jornal,

It’s so hard to write, so sleepy. Tell you tomorrow.

Beth ♡

July 13th

Hey Journal!

Here, let me explain about yesterday. First I had pricked my finger on the needle for the sheep cross stitch. Then I was so tired from working on my sheep cross stitch that I took a nap.

Do you know one thing I didn’t tell you? Well, I’m so glad that Gram and Gramps live in the country and not the busy loud noisy city that I live in.

So, yesterday after I took a nap I played in the nice cool country. In other words, I went outside. My head had been up feeling the cool air but then I tripped on a root and fell into a little puddle of mud. It had smelled worse than the plane.

So I went to take a shower but the only soap they had was some baby soap that smelled like carrots, beans, and peppers. Which wasn’t that bad, but believe me, you don’t want to smell like that.

So, I went to bed.

Today, news = Well, I pretty much cross stitched my sheep. I’m  two thirds done!

I played outside. This time with my head down.

Beth ♡

July 14th

Dear Journal

I woke up to the sound of music. Opera. Blah. One day Meg had tricked me into going to an opera show thing.

That’s why, if you’re wondering, I hate opera.

Buckwheat pancakes were cooking in the kitchen. I could smell it. Gram was GF A.K.A. gluten free so we have buckwheat pancakes a lot.

Today I read a book about karma. I thought about that a lot.

There was a picture in the book that was a man sitting on the ground.

There was a ring of dominoes around him. Actually he was part of the ring. He had pushed one end of the ring.

Thought about that.

Beth ♡

July 15th

Journal,

Nothing spectacular happened today. My sheep project is coming out perfect. I have finished the meadow. I look on the back of the masterpiece. This is exactly what I saw.

Tangled knots, loose strings. Droopy cross stitches!??

Ma ma mia.

Beth ♡

July 16th

Hiya Journal,

I’m leaving to go home tomorrow. Gramps’ eyes were red when I saw him this morning. He suggested me and him to go for a walk together since this was going to be the last full day with him.

Sunlight had streaked through the leaves on the trees, making the world look like a greeny golden. I could hear leaves rustling. Twigs and sticks cracked as we stepped on them.

In the mud Gramps pointed out some deer tracks. I’m going to try to add some dialogue here.

Gramps = Jack was a…a good friend.

Me = A really good friend. Right?

Gramps = Yup.

Gramps = Yup. Yup Yup.

Me = Yes, you were.

(Gramps’ eyes were a bit watery now.)

Gramps = …yup.

(A long silence.)

(In a whisper) Gramps = Get down low.

Me = Why?!!!

Gramps = Shhhh!

I got down low through the golden green. A deer gracefully cautiously stepped one by one through a clearing and kept on walking until I couldn’t see it anymore.

We finished our walk. When I got home I lied down on my bed and thought what it would be like to be a deer.

Beth ♡

July 17th

Dear Journal,

At 8:30 AM I had to get up to get to the plane. It smelled fine. It was just that other plane that had smelled.

I stared out the window the whole time watching the country turn into the city. And wondered worryingly about Grandpa.

Beth♡

Baby Unicorn

Once upon a time, there was a little princess baby unicorn and everybody believed in her. Everybody believed in her parents, everybody believed in unicorns. But one day, this alien moved from a far distant planet to earth and he never believed in unicorns and he told everybody nasty rumors about unicorns, especially baby unicorns. He said they were the worst.

One day, everybody just hated unicorns and that alien said, “Yes! Nobody likes unicorns! Now this place can be dark and no more unicorns can exist!”

But there was one person who still loved unicorns. And her name was Olivia. She thought all those nasty rumors were lies and he was just trying to make sure unicorns never exist. She knew that every time someone doesn’t believe in unicorns, the unicorns start to fade. And when they’re all faded, the world will go dark and darkness will cover the earth for 300,000 years.

And Olivia, she visited the unicorns everyday, telling them that she always believed in unicorns and that aliens started nasty rumors about unicorns. And so she told them a plan that with all the magic that they had left, they would defeat the alien and then everybody would believe in unicorns again and then they wouldn’t be in darkness for another 300,000 years.

So Olivia walked up to that alien and said, “Whatcha doin’ here?”

And the unicorns said, “Uhh-huhh.”

And she yelled, “CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!!!”

And magic was everywhere and Olivia was punching and kicking because she took Tai-kwon-do. And the alien had very quick reflexes so he flipped and twisted and rolled, but the baby unicorn had these future powers, so she knew where he would move next. And she let out one bolt of magic right where he was going next and he fell to the ground in despair, and he was dying and everything was light again.

And then everybody believed in unicorns again. And it was all like Yay!

 

The End.

 

ANNOYING BROTHERS

Pesky, Pushy, and Annoying,

The time together I’m not enjoying.

 

He’s very bad you will see,

He’s even mean to me!

 

He’s like a broken robot,

In the world, he’s like a tiny dot.

 

Nothing helpful, meaningful, or nice,

He’s sneakier than sneaky mice.

 

When I see him in my eyes,

His whole inside is full of lies.

 

But if you know him you will find,

HIM, I don’t really mind.

Another Day Another Person

 

Prologue

Hello, I’m Marta Pennington and as my parents say, “Your life is a jewel and you’re the center.” That basically means my life is perfect. I live with my mother and father in a big house off the coast of the pacific ocean. I go to a top priority private school with kids who need special attention, whether we are really smart or have some trouble. I have wonderful parents that love me with all their heart, while I try to be their perfect daughter. There are some kids at my school who are really mean like Amira, she doesn’t try in school and she is always complaining, which I find perfectly crude. I don’t think I could ever understand her.

Chapter 1: Marta

This day, like any other day, was wonderful, but a thousand times more wonderful. I could not stand the suspense of finding out who my teacher would be. I was so excited that I woke up at 5:00 which is an hour earlier than usual. Who your teacher is shapes your entire future. If you get a good teacher (which I always do) you learn a lot, then that knowledge may come in handy on your S.A.T’s. If you use your results to get into a great college, boom! You have your whole future shaped out in front of you.

When I found out who my teacher was I raced into the house. I really wanted Miss Sweet.

“Hey honey, who is your teacher?” asked mother when I got inside.

“Miss Sweet,” I replied ecstatically.

“It’s like we always say,” said father walking into the room. “Your life is a jewel and you’re in the center.” I giggled, my family made my life even more perfect.

Chapter 2: Still Marta

The first day of school is always the best. In school I am top of my class. Sadly my class is very small. On the first day of school Miss Sweet asked if she could speak privately with me. I (of course) consented.

“Marta, I need you to go down to the lower classrooms and help out a girl named Amira. She needs special attention. Can you tutor her in math when we have math class since you take a math class at the high school?” she asked.

“I’d love to,” I said. Yes I may not like her but everybody needs to be given a chance.

The next day before math class Miss Sweet looked at me with those gorgeous blue eyes, and said, “I think it is time to go Marta.” I looked at the clock. Dang it! I was almost late.

“Yes Miss Sweet, I believe it is. Thank you for your concern. It is deeply appreciated”, I said. I always try to sound as sophisticated as Miss Sweet. Then I got up from my desk and walked out of the of the classroom.

The students who have problems with things such as learning, have their own “special” classroom dedicated to helping. Normally I think that it is better to die than step foot in the lower classrooms. Anyway I walked in and I thought that I had walked into kindergarten. There were bean bag chairs and clipboards instead of desks and hard chairs, there wasn’t a single educational poster in the room, and the worst of all they were making paper airplanes while their teacher Mrs. Hellion yelled. I went back outside shut the door and knocked as hard as I could. Then walked back inside this time everyone stared at me with wide open eyes. While I walked toward Mrs. Hellion I could hear whispers all around me like a thousand little bees buzzing all around.

“Isn’t that Marta?”

“She shouldn’t be here.

“I hear she is the smartest kid in the school.”

“Doesn’t she go to high school for math or something?”

I ignored all of this they weren’t important enough to make gossip about me. “Mrs. Hellion, I am here to tutor Amira.” I said her name with such disdain I was afraid that Mrs. Hellion would detect it.

“Ah yes, this way. Amira is a handful. I thought a child her age would help more than I can,” she said hinting she didn’t like Amira either.

When I sat down with Amira her scowl looked like it was permanently etched on her face. She was as thin as a stick with a pale pinched face. I smiled and said, “Well Amira, since we are going to work together for a long time we might as well get to know each other.”

“We both know you’re just doing this to impress somebody so why bother.”  I was deeply offended but swallowed my pride and tried to continue talking as if nothing had happened.

“I’m trying to help you, because let’s just say I didn’t exactly want to come in at all today. Everyone including you deserves a second chance.”

After days of trying to help I decided to quit. Normally I’m not a quitter but you have not seen her when she gets angry. She is a monster (all I said was, “In Miss Sweet’s classroom you actually learn things you were supposed to learn in sixth grade not third.” Is that mean?), and after our last fight I was at my wit’s end. I hate Amira. I tried to give her a chance, because I’d hate to judge her too fast, but Amira blew it. I was right, I’ll never understand Amira.

Chapter 3 Amira

I was woken up today by the piercing sound of two pots being banged together. I’m never woken up by anything but my alarm clock’s tuneful song. I looked around confused, and I realized I wasn’t in my bedroom with my four poster bed and my lovely pink velvet curtains. I was in a small closet, the ones that are infested with spiders and other creepy crawlies. Gross!

“Amira, are you going to get up? You have school, baby.”

Wait back up, who did she just call me? Oh and who is talking to me? This had to be a dream, and anyways since I can control my dreams I’ll be fine, might as well “get up.”

When I got up I was amazed and horrified by my dream. It was so realistic, but I didn’t know if I’d ever seen anything so dirty and small. The walls were covered in something that could’ve easily been mold or mildew, the rugs were threadbare, and the windows were grimy.

“Oh good yer up my little Fuzzykins.” I looked up and saw a young woman in her late twenties. Was this woman a mom? She couldn’t have been more than eighteen when she had me or possibly Amira.

“Er mom?” I asked.

“I know, I know, don’t call you Fuzzykins,” she said sighing.  

“No thats not it all. I was wondering where’s Amirr- my dad?” The second I asked I knew I shouldn’t.

“ Oh Amirrikins you know the man is in jail,” Amira’s mom said. Then her face became the victim of a downpour.

“Just go to school,” she called in between sobs as she ran away. What? In jail? I didn’t know that poor Amira. I decided to get to school even though my head was crowded with thoughts.

I got to school on time and sat at my normal desk in Miss Sweet’s classroom

 

“Ummm Amira, sweetie, you aren’t in this class and that is Marta’s desk.” I wanted to shout “I am Marta,” but thought better of it. This was starting to feel more and more like real life and less like a dream every minute. The whole class laughed and my face felt red with embarrassment. No one had ever laughed at me before.

“Class stop laughing and Amira please go to see Mrs. Hellion. You’re missing school hours.” I hung my head and left the class. My class is nice. They would never laugh at anyone. Oh well at least the kids in Mrs Hellion’s class would be nicer to Amira. I was thinking so hard I rammed into a wall and a couple of 7th graders laughed. Wait this couldn’t be a dream. I just felt that wall. It was hard, bumpy, and hurts people. How did I become Amira? Maybe I’m hallucinating, or delirious or something. It can’t be logical to be able to turn into someone else, especially without your knowing. Without realizing it I’d just walked into Mrs Hellion’s classroom.

“Ah Amira, you’ve finally joined us. Did you disturb anyone else today on your rampage through the school?” asked Mrs Hellion. She couldn’t do that. I thought that I’d read somewhere that teachers cannot cruelly tease their students.

I seated myself at myyyy- Amira’s desk, my head swarming with thoughts.

In jail for what? Her mother is like what 29? I am Amira?!

“Amira, Amira,” said a sharp voice I looked up to see Mrs Hellion.

“Yes?” I asked. What did she want?

“I wanted you to answer my question, what is 5×10.”

Uh oh, I knew this easy, but if I answered it like Marta then people would get suspicious, but I didn’t want to give Amira a bad grade. She had been through enough.

“As I see Miss Hoolie (that is Amira’s last name) cannot answer the question in under a minute, ah Rebecca, what about you?” said Mrs Hellion.

“5×10 equals fifty,” said Rebecca, obviously excited to please.

I had a long day of sitting alone at lunch, being bullied by friends, and Mrs. Hellion giving snide comments. I was walking out of school, kids were talking together on the school stairs telling each other secrets and problems no doubt. I felt awful for me, err, Amira. She didn’t have a friend she could talk to about her family situation or to laugh with. I was done with being Amira. She was such an unfortunate girl. If I went back to being Marta Pennington I would become friends Amira and tutor her. I’d help her mother and her get back on their feet. I wanted to help Amira.   

Chapter 4 Back to Marta

After a blinding flash of light and a rather painful transformation back, I was me again, Marta Crystal Pennington, daughter of John and Lisa Pennington. I wondered where Amira was when I was her. Was she me!?  I knew I must find Amira. I wanted to help her. I felt awful. I thought she was the bully when all along it was people like me who were quick to judge.

    “Amira!” I cried giving her a huge hug.

“Gerroff Marta!” she cried.

“Sorry I’m just so happy to see you!”

“Why?”

“Well lets just say I know what is like to be like you and I am sorry.”

“Okay, then are you feeling alright? You normally don’t want anything do with me.” I could sense that Amira was trying to keep her hopes low. I had been her for a day so I could tell she really wanted a trustworthy friend, but didn’t want to get stuck with a dead end friend like I was.

“I know you want a friend and I feel awful I was mean to you. I’m sorry.”

“People always let me down but think they can come crawling back to make my life more miserable. What makes you any different?”

“Just let me help you. I know whats going on at home and at school and I just want to be there for you. Let me.”

Finally Amira gave in at this point I guess she thought she had nothing to lose.

“Oh fine, but only because everyone needs a second chance.”

I couldn’t believe it. Amira was joking! I smiled. She did a half smile which was good enough for me.

Epilogue

Amira and I have been best friends ever since. Amira’s mother eventually got back on her feet, and got an awesome job as the head of a very successful business. Amira and her mother moved into a splendid little house with two very grand bedrooms and a fine kitchen with good things always on the oven. I visit Amira often, and was even there when she was told that she’d been moved to the middle class in school. Amira recently told me that her mom was getting married and I am a bridesmaid, Amira is the maid of honor.

As Time Goes On (Excerpt)

Chapter 1.

As I walked out of my office I pulled on my sweater. It had been a long day at work and I was exhausted. The street was noisy as it always was at this time of the day. Cars and people rushed by, dogs barked, and the homeless man sat on a blanket begging for a dollar so that he could buy his dinner. And that’s when I heard it: a wail so faint I couldn’t be sure it was there. But there it was again, sounding even more desperate. It sounded like it was coming from the abandoned building across the street. As I crossed, I wondered what the sound was from- was it an animal or a screaming child whose mother refused to buy a lollipop? I hesitantly pushed open the broken door, careful not to step on any shards of glass. And there, lying in the corner, was the source of the wailing. Wrapped in a blanket and wearing nothing but a diaper was a little baby girl-or boy, I’m not sure.

Chapter 2

“No, Alice please!!! Come on, please!!!” Beep Beep Beep Beeep Beep Beep-!! “ALICE!!!!”

I carefully picked up the child the way I thought was right. I used to want children, but now I had no interest. I know nothing about them I had never even picked up a child! As I tried to shush the infant, I noticed a little piece of paper attached to the blanket. I picked it up- it read: Please take care of my child. My heart started thudding. Please take care of my child. This baby was abandoned and its mother had left it here in an abandoned house with nothing but a blanket a diaper and a note. I held the child closer and muttered into its ear

“Now, what are we going to do with you huh?”

The baby whimpered. I sighed.

“Well I guess we might as well get you home. You need some food and some place warm to stay tonight, don’t you?’

It just sniffled.

“You don’t talk much do you? Anyway, we better get going. Why am I talking to you anyway, huh? You don’t answer.”

Chapter 3

As I walked to my car I thought over what had just happened. I had found a child, and I knew nothing about children. As if to prove my point, a mother with a stroller walked by giving me a strange look. I guess she noticed how I was carrying the infant. I climbed into the driver’s seat, the baby on my lap. Worn out from crying, it had fallen asleep in my arms. As I parked in my garage, I looked down at the sleeping child in my lap, sucking its thumb and lying on my lap, its head resting on my shirt. I smiled.

Chapter 4

I lay the infant down on a towel on my dining room table with a cloth, safety pins and a box of tissues. I took a deep breath and took off the diaper. Quickly wrapping the cloth on and fastening it with safety pins. Well, it was girl. I picked her up and as she looked at me with her big blue eyes I made my decision.

“Hello Alice Lily McKinley, I am your new daddy.”

Chapter 5

“Johnykins?”

“Yes Alikins?” I turn away from my baby name magazine.

“How about this one?” She points to a name on a list of girls names.

“Lily?”

“Yeah don’t you like it?”

“I love it.”

Little Alice watches me as I rummage through the attic.

“I know it’s here somewhere!”

I curse as a box fall on my foot, and Alice starts crying. I climb over the box to go comfort her.

“I know, I know you’re hungry. But I’m trying to find a bottle I know we have one from-from-never mind.” I kiss the top of her head.

“Just give me a sec ok”

She nuzzles into my neck and I try not to drop her.

“Ok, after we feed you I’m gonna have to find out how to carry you, won’t I? And tomorrow we can learn how to properly change a diaper.”

I lay her back down on the floor and she starts to whimper.

“Alice, let me just find your bottle, ok? Give me one second.”

I kiss her and head back to the boxes, and there, away at the back, is a couple of boxes labeled Lily’s things. I pull them out and cut through the tape as tears start dripping down my face.

Chapter 6

“Come on, up you go. Are you ready for some milk, hmm?”

I lift her into her high chair and pour some milk into her bottle. Then I lift it to her mouth she sucks on it eagerly drinking about ⅔. Then she starts howling. I lift her out of the high chair, patting her on the back to try and calm her down.

“Shh Shh Alice, what’s wrong sweetie hmm?”

She continues to sob and I try rubbing her back talking softly to her, and then- she vomits-all-over-me.  

 

Chapter 7

How To Carry An Infant:

Slide Your hands underneath their Head and bottom And hold Them Close To Your Chest

“Alright Alice, do you think I can I can do this? Well it doesn’t hurt to try-ok, slide your hands underneath their head and bottom… Ok….Hold them close to your chest…… There we go… What do you think, Alice, am I doing it correctly? No. Ok let’s try this again. Slide your hands…… Ok good-hold them close to your chest……OK yes!”

Alice looks up at me quizzically. I kiss her forehead.

“Now I can finally take you out without everyone staring at me!”

Chapter 8

5 years later…

“Daddy, really, it’s fine, I’m a big girl now, I’m ready for school!”

“I know, sweetie. I just can’t believe you’re starting school! Have you got everything? A pencil box, pencils, erasers, crayons, markers? What about your scissors? Have you got a folder?”

“Yeeees daddy.”

“Wait, what about your lunch?”

“It’s in my bag! Come on, I’m gonna miss my bus!”

She tugs on my hand, pulling me after her. The bus pulls up just as we arrive at the bus stop. I pull her into a hug as she gives me a kiss.

“Bye daddy!”

“Bye-bye sweetie have a great day!”

“I will! See you later!”

“Bye!”

Smiling, I walk back to the house. The little baby I fell in love with 5 years ago was starting school and a new journey in her life.

Animal Breakout

There once was a pig named Lisa and she lived on a farm. Lisa the pig always wore her violet bow. One day, Lisa was eating her food and she saw a key that was in her bowl. She wondered what it was for.

She asked the horses what the key was for. The horses just said, “Naay ask the cows! They must know.” She asked the cows what the key was for. The cows said, “We don’t know, ask the sheep.” She went to the sheep, but the sheep said, “This looks like a person dropped it in your bowl on accident. It must be for opening up all the pens!” Then all the animals got really excited.

So, Lisa took the key and opened up everyone’s cage, including her own. The farmer walked outside and said, “How did everyone get out of their pens? I must have dropped the key somewhere.” Then the farmer saw all the animals running towards the village. The farmer said, “Oh no! Everyone is going to get mad.” The farmer ran towards the village and tried to catch all the animals. He knew that it was a long way to the village, but the animals were almost there. The animals finally got to the village. All the animals were scared at first, then all the villagers said, “It’s ok, we will not hurt you.”

The farmer was near and the animals were all trying to hide, but they could not find a spot, so the villagers helped them. The farmer looked and looked and could not find the animals. He was very confused. He asked all the villagers where the animals could be. The Villagers stated, “What animals?” This made the farmer even more confused then before. He then left to go back to the farm.

The animals then came out of their hiding spots and were so happy, they had a celebration! All the villagers picked one as their own. The villagers were happy. Lisa, her owner, and all the other animals were very happy, they had a celebration.The farmer was on the way back to the farm, he heard all the noise and thought he should go get the animals. The farmer then took them all back to the farm. This made the animals and villagers very unhappy. Back at the farm, he checked out the situation. When he arrived, he was surprised to see they all wondered where his key was. Lisa the pig realized she had the key in her bowl!!! When the farmer left, she took out the key and freed all the animals. All the animals went back to the village. When the farmer came back he could not  believe his eyes, the animals escaped again! He did not care anymore. He just went to the village and all the animals were really sad. But to their surprise he said, “You can keep the animals but you need to pay.” Then all the villagers agreed. And the farmer went back to his farm with all his money and everybody lived a happy life.

An Army of Robots

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, Mack went to Jake’s house. Mack has freckles and has a mohawk. Jake has a plain hairstyle and he is a regular person. They go upstairs to Jake’s room and they see a little crack in the wall. They open the crack. They see a workshop with plans. They don’t read the plans because they see a purple-then-blue portal that looks like a cylinder. They look at potions in the workshops. The potions have labels.

“Shaving cream potion,” says Mack. “Should I drink this?”

“No Mack, drink this tuna can,” says Jake.

They both drink the potion. They turn into tuna. They see a potion on the floor that says NORMAL and Jake rolls into a ball and rolls to the potion. He drinks it. Jake is now normal. He gives the potion to Mack. Mack is now normal.

Jake says, “How old do you think this laboratory is?”

“Maybe a thousand years,” says Mack.

They go into the portal. They feel like they’re stretching and all of their weird dreams come alive. Mack’s dreams is putting shaving cream on but can’t get it off and then his face turns white. Jake dreams that Mack has turned him into a frog. They see monsters chasing after them in the portal. They run for their lives from the monsters and Jake extends himself to kick the monsters back and they run to the end of the portal. They are running so fast that they have to slow themselves down because they see the top of a volcano in the distance.

They land on top of the volcano. When they are on top, the volcano is about to explode. They start running, but Jake trips with the magic key in his hand. He drops the key and slides down the mountain. It is too late to go back for the key. The volcano is about to blow. They have just enough time to escape before the volcano explodes. They are sad that the key was lost in the lava. How will they get home without the key? What they don’t know is that the key isn’t actually lost in the lava. The evil Dr. Lavaface had faked the volcano explosion. Dr. Lavaface’s laboratory is under the volcano and he had pulled a switch to make Jake and Mack think the volcano had erupted. Now the key is in Dr. Lavaface’s hands. He plans to unlock other worlds and have his evil robot army take over each world: Clowntown, Waterworld, Cloudworld, Haunted World, Fairy Land, and Superhero Land. The evil robot army is made up of one billion blue and red robots. The red robots look like Dr. Lavaface with their helmets melting down their faces. The navy blue robots wear dark cloaks with tall boots. Dr. Lavaface had spent five months getting the army together. Dr. Lavaface himself has a red helmet with a microphone that allows him to tell the entire army what to do. For practice, there is a plastic world with puppet people. Dr. Lavaface would tell the robot army to warn the plastic puppet people that if they didn’t run, they would have their world destroyed. Dr. Lavaface switches the fake lava with 500 gallons of real, smoking hot lava. It is nearly impossible to escape.

Jake and Mack invent a robot. It is red. They’re gonna see what happened to the key and they want to find it. He goes in to pretend to be a red robot and then he breaks another robot. And when he does that, the robot falls down a trap door and tumbles down the volcano. Jake and Mack think it’s their robot that got broken. They fix the robot. And then the robot tries to explode them. They run from the robot, and Jake has a little gun he finds on the floor and he picks it up and aims it at the robot and shoots it and it falls to the ground.

They go to the volcano and there’s a secret door they push open. The robot is trying to find the key. Dr. Lavaface says, “Get back into your place or you will serve me some snails!”

And then it refuses to do anything, so the robots lock him up in the dungeon. And they take away the battery. Now he just looked like a robot that had been thrown out.

Jake and Mack go into the hall. They see a lot of dungeons and they open each one. Dungeon 5 actually holds the robot but they don’t know the battery got taken away and they look identical. There are ten dungeons.

Chapter 2

There’s a giant snail machine down the hall. First comes a giant snail pit. Then the snails get washed off in boiling water and the robots put them on plates. Then Dr. Lavaface calls out a number and the robot brings him that plate.

Jake and Mack’s plan is to follow one of the robots down the hall to Dr. Lavaface’s laboratory. There’s a little door to their left. They follow one of the robots but the trouble is, if the robot hears them, they get caught. And they get caught! The robot tries to explode them with his laser eyes. Jake recognizes their robot’s battery in this robot, but Dr. Lavaface programmed it to be bad. They run for their lives, and then they get chased by more robots. There’s one more room before Dr. Lavaface’s laboratory. It’s the lava room, where he keeps the 500 gallons of lava. There are little rocks Jake and Mack have to jump on in order to get to Dr. Lavaface’s laboratory, but Mack trips. Mack gets caught by a robot, and Jake says, “Now I have to find a robot and Mack? What’s next, I get caught?”

Jake looks down the hall — there’s a room with a sign that says ARMY ROOM. It’s white with conveyor belts marching on the ground. There are a thousand robots marching on the ground, and leading them is Dr. Lavaface. There’s a big robot-maker taking up half the room. Jake thinks, “If all these robots catch me, I am dead!”

He pretends to be a robot by walking mechanically. Mack and Jake always played robots. Jake thinks to himself, Mom’s gonna be so mad at me. It’s almost time for dinner.

Jake is able to blend in because he’s wearing a red shirt. He takes a step out of the army to see who’s leading it. Jake thinks to himself, It looks like Dad!

Then he walks up to the front of the army to talk to his dad. “Hi Dad!”

“Huh? What? Where?” said Dr. Lavaface.

Jake thinks to himself, That’s why he’s always late for dinner.

“Jake? What are you doing here?”

“Dad, we found the key in the backyard.”

“You did? Now we’ve got a little secret from Mom.”

Jake thinks to himself, I’m gonna get in so much trouble because Mack is supposed to be home by now.

“Five more minutes until my place shuts down and I go back with you.”

And then Jake said, “What about Mack?”

Chapter 3

“You brought Mack too?”

“Yes. I went to his house because I thought it was just a key and then he unlocked it and the portal appeared and we just came in the portal, and were captured by the robots.”

“The robots will never let me in the dungeon room,” Dr. Lavaface says. “They’re programmed to guard it.”

“Dad, what are you going to do with all the robots?”

“Make a movie! Mom knows that I’m a movie director, but she doesn’t know I’m doing this. When this turns into a movie, I’ll be famous. You can be famous with me. You can be in my movie. You can be the kid running down the hall with Mack, and I can be the evil Dr. Lavaface. But I’m making my movie in one week so I’m practicing it right now. That’s why I go off every day. The portals are just to shoot my movie everywhere. The robots have a movie program too so everywhere they go they show the movie. And that’s why I always eat late dinner. But we gotta go find Mack immediately because it’s going to shut down and everything’s going to be dark.”

“We have a new robot who’s good,” Jake says. “We made it.”

His dad says, “He can be in my film. He can be the only good robot and we can pretend to destroy him.”

And then Jake says, “So Dad, what are you gonna do with all the robots after you shoot your movie?”

“Make more of them.”

But as they’re running down the hall, Mack is in Dungeon 11 because that’s where humans go.

“Where is Dungeon 11?” said Jake.

“First you take a right, then you take a left, then you take a right, then you take a left, then you go straight, then you take a right, then you take a left, and then you’re there.”

“How long is that gonna take?” says Jake.

And then Dr. Lavaface says, “About, maybe, three minutes. I have a map of the dungeon. Here you are.”

“How long does it take to get out?” says Jake.

Chapter 4

“About two minutes from there,” says Dr. Lavaface.

“Do you think we can make it in time?” asked Jake.

“Maybe you can,” says Dr. Lavaface.

Jake gets confused with all the turns, but looks at the map and finds his way.

“Here we are in Dungeon 11.”

“Oh no,” says Dr. Lavaface. “What says Jake!”

“I left the dungeon key back at my office.”

“Stay here, I’ll throw you the key. You can get out with Mack even if I don’t make it out.”

Jake says, “Ok so go now.”

Dr. Lavaface started running.

“Here Jake, here’s the key,” says Dr. Lavaface.

“I caught it,” says Jake.

“Hurry up, we’ve only got 30 seconds!” yells Dr. Lavaface.

Jake unlocks the dungeon, but only the volcano shuts down. Jake quickly unlocks it, grabs Mack by the hand, and before Mack can say anything, “The doors are closing in ten seconds!” yells Dr. Lavaface. “Five seconds!” “One Second!” Jake and Mack dive for their life. They make it out, barely. Mack’s shoe falls off in the building but it’s too late to go back for it. Jake says, “Mom is going to be so mad at me. It is bedtime already.” Mack also thinks that too. They get the key out of Jake’s pocket and unlock the portal. They jump in the portal but they land on Cat Street, but they need to get to Dog Street. But first they need to go through Fish Street, which is very long. Jake says, “I should have brought the robot that I invented.”

“What can we do. We have walk to Fish Street. That’s gonna take forever!” said Mack.

“Maybe not,” says Jake

“We could stay in the other portal for one night and then we could open it and then go with our robot.”

“We’re already on Fish Street, we would have to go all the way back.”

Chapter 5

Mack said, “Oh no, we would have to go all the way back to the portal. Do you think Mom would be mad at us?”

“Maybe not, I’ll go in alone,” said Jake. “Mack, run back to the house and tell your mom and my mom that Jake and my dad are staying at a hotel. I’ll spend the night with Dr. Lavaface.”

Mack says, “How are you going to get in?”

Jake says, “The top of the volcano is fake lava. I hope he hasn’t switched it out yet or I’ll be dead.”

“Ok, now run,” says Mack.

Jake unlocks the portal with the key. He lands on the top of the volcano again. He’s about to jump in. Dr. Lavaface has a special material that can break the doors open and then he runs up the volcano. When Jake is about to jump into the volcano Dr. Lavaface jumps out and saves Jake before he dies. Dr Lavaface is hanging from the volcano with one hand and is about to fall in the lava, and he is slipping. His fingertips are on it now. “Jake I want you to know something. I have been planning the movies for 20 years. You can take over the business for me.”

“I can’t do that, it’s your business and I’m only a kid,” Jake says.

“Whatever you do, don’t tell mom about it,” says Dr. Lavaface.

Dr. Lavaface falls in. Jake is sobbing. Jake jumps over the hole in the volcano and into the portal. He runs down the streets to his mom. “You gotta see this! Come here!” He grabs his mom by the hand before she can even respond. He jumps into the portal with his mom. He says, “Dad is making a movie and he said I need to take over the business because he fell in the volcano.” And then Mom says, “Son, I want to tell you something. He told me about this a long, long time ago. And I forgot the secret. He said he wanted to pass it along to you someday. He forgot he told me the secret. His helmet is lava-proof so he’s not dead. He is coming.”

“You should hide! It’s the robots,” said Jake.

The mom hides behind a rock and the robots come out. There are four of them and two of them grab each arm, and the other two grabs each leg. They are holding him as Dr. Lavaface comes up. Dr. Lavaface had seen Jake and his mom from the computer in his laboratory. And then the robots say, “Obey us now or we’ll drop your son in the volcano.”

“Ok, I’ll obey you,” says Dr. Lavaface.

“Sych it,” says the robots.

The robots drop Jake, but the good robot comes out and saves him. The good robot flies out of the volcano. Jake jumps off of the good robot’s back, but just then, the good robot’s battery dies and it falls back in. Jake makes it safely, but with a little scrape on his back from falling down the volcano. Jake pulls out his gun and shoots the four robots. All the robots fall into the volcano. The mom and dad jump in the portal and Jake is the only one in the portal’s world. He looks at the world. The robots had a spell and the four robots were the most powerful so the world changes into a good world. All of the people come out from their houses that the volcano had destroyed. Jake jumps back into the portal. They have a feast dinner. They invite Mack but not Mack’s mom and dad because they didn’t want them to know about the secret chapter seven because Mack would be grounded. At the party they dance and have a big feast. They make a movie about it but it only belongs to Jake’s family.

19 years later, Jake’s makes a movie and his dad is retired but he watches the movie every day.

Adventure 1

Momo-Mickey is looking for regular dynamite and diamonds. He gets attacked by Luishead. Luishead uses a thing on his hand that can make mega-fireballs. Momo-Mickey uses his dynamite to make a very loud noise that knocks Luishead out and he find Obsidian in Luishead’s pocket when it felt out.

Momo-Mickey uses another of this dynamite to blast onto a building and then jump away. His hands, his right foot, his left leg and the right half of his hair and his left ear were the parts of him that were monster.  

He gets back to his base and finds sugar canes. Now he can make a book. He uses the book to make an enchanting table. He enchants all the diamonds he has. He enchants his diamonds to dynamite. Now he enchants his dynamite and takes his jet outside of the universe. Suddenly he gets attacked by Luishead. This time, Luishead has his staff and uses it to destroy Momo-Mickey’s jet. Momo-Mickey uses his mini jet to go to the  universe and he gets away and sets the dynamite and makes his new world.

The End

Alliteration Poem

an alligator ate an apple

bashfully bad bats

can cats clap

do dogs do doo-doo

elephants eat eggs

faint fashion far above

giant gum is great

hope hopes for hopscotch

it is impossible to be invisible

jim jumping, jackrabbit black, we are all jumping like that                                          

katey kit-kat is katty

love your looks                                                                                                                    

mom is mother and moon is melon

nobody nodded nothing nowhere

out in outside of outer space

please play pool gently

quiet quilts quark quails

rhinos run really fast

shimmer in the spotlight

special sparkling snowflakes see snow

time to team up

up umbrella, unicorn flight

value vapperating

wonder woman wins wars

x-rays are x-cellent  

yawn, yo-yo, you know

zebras are zombie

 

A Race for Friends

I stood nervously at the top of the mountain waiting for my turn.

“Aria Albright.”

My dreaded turn came up for the race. I took one last breath before doing the slope perched a foot away. I started the slope, making sharp turns, my long brown braided hair flying in the wind getting little snowflakes stuck in it. My poles bouncing off the gates swinging back. My turns cutting through the powdery snow leaving a wisp behind me. My skis going over the moguls (moguls are bumps of snow that are scattered everywhere). I fell on one of the moguls. Someone was shouting my name.

“Aria, are you okay?”

It was my twin sister Mackenzie who was shouting my name from the top of the mountain. I was okay. When I got up, I zoomed past everything in sight leaving a trail of sugar looking snow behind me (one time when I was little I thought the snow flying behind my dad was sugar and I ate it. It left a cold watery surprise in my mouth). Finally finished, I heard a faint voice from the top of the mountain call out, “Mackenzie Albright.” I knew she, just like I had, dreaded her turn, but all I have to say is she did all the same things that I did.

After the race, Mackenzie and I went home. Then I got an email that said me and Mackenzie were invited to have a sleepover at Stephanie’s house. When we arrived at Stephanie’s house, she was waiting at the door with three cups of hot chocolate. I looked down at the floor.

“Thanks,” Mackenzie said, “I owe you.”

“Yeah, me too,” I chirped in, looking down at the floor. Then we all burst into laughter.

“C’mon, follow me,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie invited us into her room. Her room was perfect for winter sleepovers because she had a fireplace that we roasted marshmallows in. She had a TV, video games, a laptop, and everything else you would need for a sleepover.

“So what are we going to do first?” Stephanie asked.

“How about we watch some TV first?” said Mackenzie.

“Ok,” Stephanie said, and she pulled up her favorite channel, Nick at Night.

And her favorite show was on, Full House. It was mine and Mackenzie first time watching Full House. But after about ten minutes we could tell why Stephanie really liked that show. Eventually, we got a little bit bored of watching TV.

Stephanie shouted at me all of a sudden, “Aria, you’re such a selfish brat.”

I was offended. “Oh yeah, am I?” I yelled back.

I was so angry with Stephanie I packed my sleepover bag and before anyone could say anything. I ran all ten miles home.

“How did you do in the race?” it was mom.

“You know,” I said.

“Honey, c’mere,” mom said her outstretched supporting arms hugging me.

“Mom,” I sobbed into her sweater. She didn’t seem to care. “I quit because I suck at skiing.”

“Aria, ,just ‘cause you fell doesn’t mean you suck at skiing,” mom said sweetly.

“Then why did Mackenzie not fall?” I yelled.

“This isn’t about Mackenzie,” mom replied.

Finally I decided to tell her about the sleepover with every single little detail.

“Sorry about Stephanie, her parents have always been so snotty, that’s probably why, and anyways, nobody’s perfect.”

Mom always cheers me up. And I guess she’s right, nobody’s perfect. Not me, not my friends, and definitely not Stephanie.

Mackenzie ran down the stairs and hugged me and then she said, “Come upstairs, we got a puppy.”

We raced upstairs. When we got upstairs a cute little pug puppy started licking me.

 

THE END

A Spell of Good

In the year 5018, once a month all the witches in New Paltz met up in a little shack. The shack had two rooms, one room was a potion room and the other one was a bedroom. These meetings were called GSWMs, which stood for Grand Secret Witch Meetings. The leader of the GSWM was named Gretel Lipe. She had two assistants. Their names were Lereta Scott and Joan Tuck. There were 50 witches but the witches split up into 25 and 25. Half went into a shack with Ms. Lipe and the other half split up into five groups. Five arranged the bedroom which had triple-decker bunk-beds and one regular bed. The other five dug out a bathroom hole and five went to the Bronx and spied on Ms. Lipe’s evil sister who had another group of witches.

Cornwall Connercobb stayed in the Bronx Riverdale with her 24 witches and split them up into three groups. Eight spied on and guarded the area. Eight had a meeting and drank butter-beer. Eight just chilled. In Miss Connercobb’s meetings, she tried to solve how to not look like corn so much. She was straight like a pencil and had yellowish skin. She had the silk that corn has for hair, but only a few strands of it. She always wore a wig. Sometimes the wig fell off. Then blue drool came out of her mouth. All the witches exploded into peals of laughter. Cornwall said she was very appalled at their impudent childish behavior. Afterward all the witches stopped laughing except for one or two.

“I’ll take your wands away if you two don’t shut up soon,” said Cornwall in her most witch-like voice after she cackled. Her cackle sounded horrible. It sounded like a dog with a bad cough.

Dear Miss Lipe,

I will get you. You know who I am. I shall plant a curse on you in your G.W.S.M. You will be under a trance, where you will be good forever. If you try to harm me, you will fail. I will have your wands taken away, before the night of the duel. Don’t bring anything but yourself. My spies will have taken away your wand. Buy a plane ticket to Hungary. I’ll send the money. If you don’t come, my spies will get you. My spies have magical powers. They could turn you into a roach and put you in their pocket. Keep this a secret. If you don’t, I’ll get you. I have immortal life. I’m disguised as the countess of Hungary when you get off the plane. Meet me at 3:00 A.M. sharp. Bring an assistant with you (only if you please) but don’t bring them to the ball. In the duel, wear your best black robe and your witch hat. We’ll dine in the best Hungarian Pastry shop for breakfast, for lunch we’ll dine in a fancy Hungarian restaurant, and we’ll do the same for dinner. Don’t worry about the money, I’ll pay, but do prepare to die. I might let you keep your wand, if I feel like it. Your plane flight will be at 11:30. My spies have no mercy. They hate you just as much as I hate you. Before the duel there will be a small party with the Count and Countess of Hungary. The Count and Countess hate you. Even though they act as though they like you (as a friend).

Yours Truly,

Cornwall

Over the coffee table in the potion room, Miss Lipe got the letter. She was so shocked that she dropped her cup of butter-beer and spilled it all over the table and got it all over the Witch’s Daily Magazine, which got on one of her witch’s assistant’s robes and that witch was quite mad. It was her- her- her SISTER CORNWALL! Her face turned pale as a white rose. She fell back in her chair and hit her head. She felt the letter and read it over and over again. Her face turned a mix of pink, white, orange, purple, gray, blue, aqua, indigo, and brown. “Wait, I need to find a way to keep my wand safe,” she said.

“Where should I hide my wand?” said Miss Lipe in a strangely obnoxious way.

“In the secret closet in the bedroom,” said Miss Tuck.

“They know where it is.”

“No they don’t.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve been spying.”

“Really, Tuck?”

“Yeah,” said Miss Tuck.

“Great,” said Miss Lipe.

“Thanks.”

“Are you sure they don’t know?”

“Yep.”

“Cross your heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye.”

“Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.”

The plane ride was very nice. There were sweet Hungarian pastries. The pastries were doughnuts filled with jello, and cream on the inside of the jello. Except that you can’t only eat sweets. She always ate sweets on the plane, even though the stewardess offered other foods.

After the plane ride, Miss Lipe got a very bad migraine and passed out for three hours! She was an hour late to the duel! And when she woke up, she felt discombobulated.

On the other hand, our dear friend Cornwall was very upset about that. Ms. Lipe had passed out in the trolley where you get your luggage, and everyone had seen her, but they had just kicked and pushed her around because they thought she was a dummy! When Ms. Lipe woke up, she found that she had quite a lot of bruises, and she was very upset about that.

Cornwall had made a very, very, very, long list of what she was going to scream at her sister. When Miss Lipe went to the pastry shop for breakfast, the bakery had closed, but Cornwall was standing right in front of the door and handed her a stale chocolate croissant, a roast beef sandwich with very stale, hard and thick roast beef. The bread wasn’t that pleasant either: it was moldy, a small pörkölt, and old water.

“Erm…thanks,” said Miss Lipe in a timid way.

“You’re welcome,” said Cornwall in a gruff voice.

There was a small note taped to the water bottle.

The party with the Count and Countess was canceled.

 

  • Cornwall

 

Miss Lipe was so disappointed that the party was going to be cancelled. She wanted to see the charades. The clock struck twelve o’clock midnight and she realized that she had three more hours until the duel.

She flung on her best witch robe, witch hat, and laced up her boots, and grabbed her broomstick, and dashed out the door. She mounted her broom and was off in a flash.

When she got there, Cornwall screamed at her sister because she was an hour late. At first, Cornwall said “Aredofphgzzzzaaaayyyybbbbhhhkkkabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz,” which was a spell that made you pass out. But Miss Lipe screamed “Alchercom,” which meant reject.

“Ihcfoyruftgujokploppyoiuhbtcv,” said Cornwall, which meant kill.  “Alcher. Cormbatcometikialcheerfomtomtomcom.” That meant shoot a laser into the hand, wand, and heart. The match went on for five hours until Miss Lipe screamed, “Cormbatcometikialcheerfomtomtomcoms.” Cornwall didn’t die because remember, villains never die. She just passed out.

Cornwall was put into a top witch hospital in Hungary. Cornwall had planted a curse on Miss Scott because when she came back she told everyone about her success and Miss Scott screamed at her and said that she was going to change groups and she did. Miss Lipe told Miss Scott that she was a jerk. Miss Scott screamed back that Miss Lipe was a bobblehead. The fight went on for a while, until Miss Scott took off on her broom and Miss Lipe took off on her broom and caught up to Miss Scott and jolted her off her broom. Miss Scott fell off her broom but grabbed onto Miss Lipe’s broom and then climbed back onto her own broom which Miss Lipe had jinxed so that when Miss Scott crossed the Atlantic Ocean she fell into a hungry shark’s mouth.

Dear Cornwall,

I hope your treatment goes well, so that I can kill you. I will give you five mandrakes a day, so that you will get better in two days. This time I won’t be nice and I’ll actually kill you.

Yours hately,

Miss Lipe.

P.S I will see you for a duel in London a week from tomorrow. This time, I’ll be the sponsor.

The end.

Abe Lincoln

One day long before he became President, Abraham Lincoln was selling things in a shop. Then there was a mysterious man with rags and had a barrel. He wanted to sell it. The man said that the barrel would change Abe’s life.Then he left.

Abe opened the barrel, there was a book inside. Abe loved reading so he opened the book. When he was done reading, he learned about slavery.When he looked outside, he saw the saddest thing he ever saw. He saw dark-colored people getting sold on auction! They looked very sad. They were chained together by the foot. Very, very sad, he thought. He imagined how it would be like if he was one of them and he imagined how they would miss their family if they got separated.

He wanted to stop it. But how? When he got home he tried to think about stopping it. The next day he saw more people on auction like yesterday! Now he was very mad but he didn’t have the power to stop them doing it. The people would easily kick him out! Still, he was very angry but how would he stop them? When he got home he saw a woman running, she stopped into Abe’s house. Abe’s heart was pounding. Was she the one he saw two days ago?! His mind had tons of questions to ask but nothing came out of his mouth. He was speechless.Then the woman spoke, “Hi my name is Harriet Tubman, I am a runaway slave.”

“How did you get to my house in North Carolina?” he asked.

“I was running in the woods and I found a house and I was very hungry and tired. My life on the plantation was hard because we had to pick cotton for the master, and get whipped by  the wife if I didn’t do good on weaving. I wanted to run away because of that but my husband didn’t want me to, so if he noticed me run away, he would tell my master and I would get caught.”

“Wow, so how did you finally escape?”

“I sneaked into the night while both of them were asleep. I took some food and started to head out. It was very dark and I heard the sound of squeaking noises, like mice and owls hooting. I ran for a long time until I got to the North and I saw the light on in your house.”

Then Abe said, “I want to free slaves, do you want to help me?”

Harriet said, “Sure, but we first have to try it ourselves to see if it’s safe and then we can free the slaves.”  

“Sure,” said Abe.

First they packed some food to eat just in case they started to get hungry and they took some water. Then they took off. While they were walking Abe was trying to find his compass but he just couldn’t find it.

Abe said, “Harriet I think we’re lost.”

After saying that sentence, he spoke too soon, so they found a cottage. He opened the door and they saw an old lady sitting by a fireplace.

Harriet and Abe asked the lady if she could help. “Can you show us how to get to freedom?”

The lady said, “Sure.”

“But where do we go?” asked Harriet.

“Go to the Underground Railroad,” said the lady.

“What is the Underground Railroad?” asked Abe.

“It’s a pathway in the woods that the slaves use to escape, but sometimes they still get caught.”

“Where is it?” asked Harriet.

“Five miles more north,” said the lady.

“But how do you know?” asked Harriet.

“I saw other slaves like you running through the woods and they stopped in my house too, but they got caught. It was very sad,” said the lady, filled with pity. “But I hope that you two don’t get caught.”

Harriet and Abe thanked the woman, and then started their journey again. They were in a forest and it was very cold, but they still walked and walked until they got to the Underground Railroad. It was a pathway with bushes around it and with trees. There were already footsteps there, so they followed the footsteps.

They were so happy. Abe thought he would be brave because after working so hard, going on a trip and being cold and scared, they finally found the place to lead them to freedom.

Suddenly they saw a white slave hunter and the slave hunter saw them.

Harriet and Abe were so frightened, they tried to run away but they were not fast enough.

So they got caught. They got lassoed.They were chained together by the foot walking in a straight line.                 

When they were heading to the South, Abe found a knife in the slave hunter’s pocket and Abe tried to cut the chains. Finally he broke it. It took two hours to break the chains open but the slave hunter didn’t hear them because he was deaf.

So they escaped easily.

It was still a long way to the north because they took two hours to break the chains and THAT was a big disappointment.

After a day they were running out of food but they were to the north. Finally they could free the other slaves because they knew where the Underground Railroad was. They went back to the old lady’s house and asked for a wagon.

“Can we have a wagon to help free the slaves?” asked Abe.

She said, “Sure, it’s outside in my backyard.”

Harriet thought: We can use it quicker and faster to get to the South because last time we had to walk on foot.

They took the wagon and freed more of the slaves at night. When they went back to the South, they took the slaves to the Underground Railroad. They pretended to be slave hunters so no one would think they were actually helping the slaves, and they hid the wagon with bushes.

Finally they freed all the slaves in two months. All the slaves thanked Harriet Tubman and Abraham Lincoln.

Abe said to Harriet, “If we didn’t do it together, we would have failed.”

“We did lots of teamwork the whole time,” said Harriet.

Then they built a house in the North instead of the South. They lived in the house for many years.

                                                  THE END

A Perfect Halloween

Once there was a girl who really wanted a cape but had no money. Her name was Nicole and she was short, with long, dark brown hair. She lived in Michigan with her twin sister Rebecca and their dog Charlotte. Even though they were twins, Rebecca didn’t look the same as Nicole. She was tall with short blonde hair.

So the thing you should know about Nicole and her home is that the town she lives in loves Halloween. Every year they celebrate and everyone in the town wears a costume. In fact, nobody had ever once forgotten! So it was a really big deal and if she were to show up on Halloween night without a costume, everybody would laugh at her.

Rebecca already had her costume — she was dressing as a spooky witch. She bought the costume down at the dollar store, and it was the very last costume they had. Nicole had wanted to be the witch, but now she couldn’t. More importantly, she couldn’t wear any costume because the dollar store was all out, and the only other store in town that sold costumes was really expensive.

“I think we need to make a lemonade stand,” Nicole said to Rebecca.

“Why’s that?” Rebecca asked.

“Because I want to earn money for my costume.”

“Sure thing,” said Rebecca. “I’ll help!”

So they went about building the stand using wood from the porch. They got paint from the basement, and they painted a big colorful sign on the stand. Then Rebecca and Nicole made the lemonade using a special recipe from their grandma’s cookbook. The book was kind of old and skinny with pages missing. They made five full gallons of lemonade. When Nicole tasted it, she said, “This is really good.”

Rebecca tasted it, too, and said, “Yeah! It is!”

So Nicole lifted the lemonade and started carrying it out to the stand on the side of the street. Suddenly, Nicole heard the sound of a barking dog. She looked up to see if it was Charlotte, who was known to escape from time to time. Just then, Nicole tripped on a rock and spilled all five gallons of the lemonade.

Rebecca came outside and saw Nicole and the spilled lemonade. “That was all the lemonade we made, and now you’re not going to make any money!” said Rebecca angrily.

“It was an accident,” said Nicole.

“Now you’re not going to get your costume, and I’m going to be humiliated!” Rebecca said.

“We can make more lemonade,” said Nicole.

“We’re out of lemons!” said Rebecca. “You need to think of something else to make money.”

“We could sell the candy inside the house that we got for Halloween,” said Nicole.

“Okay, we can give it a try,” said Rebecca.

So Nicole and Rebecca went back inside and got the candy and started going door to door selling it to people who had forgotten to buy some already. And, as it turned out, a lot of people had forgotten to buy candy for Halloween so they were able to sell theirs for a lot of money.

When it was all over, they had made a pile of cash.

“Now you can buy your costume,” said Rebecca.

So they went down to the fancy Halloween store and Nicole bought the fanciest costume in the shop! She bought matching witch costumes — capes and all! — with Rebecca and some of their friends. They even bought a black cat costume for their dog, Charlotte. And when they went out Trick-or-Treating, everyone complimented their costumes.

 

A Quest For Family

CRASH! A dark, furry, brown creature crashed into the clearing and ran off into the deep, dark night. It was a grizzly bear, and the forest it lived in was ablaze behind them. Plus, the grizzly (soon to be mama bear) was actually pregnant, and the cub would be out soon.

There had been a drought in California for a long time, and the forests had practically been waiting to be set on fire. And one finally had. The choice wasn’t good, as it was a giant forest filled with animals of all sorts, and the firetrucks’ sirens just made them more confused than ever. Some of them started running around and getting themselves roasted to crisps. Others ran off, trying to get out of the forest. Along with them was the Mama grizzly bear, trying to escape from the flickering flames, not to mention the loud siren noises, and making sure the unborn cub was safe.

The next morning, all was quiet. The fire was gone, but little wisps of smoke was all around the place, and everywhere you looked you would see burnt trees and scorched grass and dirt. Not many trees were left of the forest. But at the near border of the forest, there was a perfect circle of trees that had been left unscathed. In the middle of this peculiar clearing, there laid a dead grizzly bear. It had been seconds away from death, yet it still died.

When some humans came to try to clear the wreckage, they found the grizzly bear, lying down in the grass, dead. They called an animal specialist there, and it could tell that it had given birth there. No signs of the cub, boy or girl, anywhere. People didn’t think much of it. They thought the cub must have died, getting scorched by the fire by accident as soon as it was born.

In truth, the cub was alive unwell, as 1. it had nothing to eat (no mother milk), 2. it was lost, and 3. it was alone. The cub was scared, but managed to find a warm hole at the bottom of a tree to sleep in, and found a surviving bush that sprouted berries on it. After trying to eat for a bit (it was supposed to just eat mother’s milk only, not other things), it curled up and fell asleep at the hole in the tree.

After spending a few months trying to finish the berries on the bush, it could finally eat them easily and found a stream a ten minute trod from the tree home. When he visited the stream, he found some salmon and trout swimming in the water, unaware of the fire a few months ago. The cub tried in vain to catch some to eat, but only got a trout. Still, it was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten and as he ate, he thought about his mother. He wondered, where was she? Did she get burned? Did she go to heaven? Did she die because of something else? As far as he knew, she died because of the fire. All of a sudden, he wanted a family. He needed a family! Overcome by sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness, he retired to his tree, trying to hide tears, and fell asleep.

After a year living in the tree, he found he couldn’t fit in it any more. Sadly, he decided to explore the world to find a home, starting by walking along his stream. Remembering once he had overheard a little girl had sung a song about this moon river and traveling the world by his stream, he sung it in his head as he walked along the stream (He didn’t know english).

Moon River, wider than a mile,

I’m crossing you in style,some day,

La la, la la la laaaaa

(he couldn’t remember this part)

Lalalalalalalalala la,

Two (one?) drifters, off to see the world,

there’s such a lot of world to see,

We’re after the same rainbow’s end,

Waiting ‘round the bend,

Moon River and me.

After singing the song, he felt better and settled down for the night, dreaming about moons and streams and meeting a family.

The next day, he got up early and decided where to go. Would it be north, south, east, or west? He decided south. He began walking north. Soon, he realized his mistake and began walking the other way. He knew that animals could tell different directions— well, he could! MOST of the time. He wondered why they could and how. He couldn’t make heads or tails of it, so he took a little nap. The nap lasted longer that expected, as he woke up the next day.

He traveled for two years, two months, and two days, eating fish, berries, roots, and sometimes grubs. It was quite remarkable how fast he traveled, he had already crossed into South America, and into Peru at that. He found a nice forest there, and decided to settle down there for a bit, for a change from traveling. He thought about all the difficulties he had experienced, including a chase with wolves and getting battered by salmon tails. It had been a very tiring trip, but it was almost worth it-all he needed was a family to live with. Exhausted from the journey, he fell asleep….

“Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? Hello?” A voice said in a weird language (English). The young grizzly bear, who had still wanted to sleep more after the journey from California, rolled on it’s back and made a sound like this: “Grouwlllcchhh.”

“Oh,” said the voice. “Right, you’re a bear like me, so I’ll have to speak bear! Growwwllluchiaulll? (Who are you?)”

The young grizzly bear opened his eyes and saw another young grizzly bear staring down at him.

“Growwliciasuwla,” he said (I don’t have a name.)

“Hmmmm… I’ll have to teach you English!” said the other cub. “My name is Paddington, so your English name shall be Padton!!!”

He took “Padton” back to the den where he lived, and introduced him to his family. Luckily, they decided to take him in, and Padton looked around at the faces smiling at him.

He thought, Home. Yes, home. And home it was.

A New Life

A New Life

Chapter 1

Hi, I’m Sophie. I’m ten and today is my first day of school at my new school, PS 158! I have so many feelings stirring up inside of me: angry, sad, and excited! I’ll tell you why I feel each of these feelings. I feel angry because I had to leave all of my friends in my old town, and school. I feel sad because all of my friends still live in California and now I live in New York.

“I feel excited because I can not wait to meet new friends! If everyone was nice in California, then everyone has to be nice in New York!” I said to my mom on our way to school.

“Well Sophie, I don’t know if everybody is going to be as nice as your old friends in California,” my mom said.

“Well I guess I’m going to find out now,” I said to my mom as I walked into not just a new school, but a new life.

 

Chapter 2

Good morning class,” said Ms. Witney.

“Good morning Ms. Whitney,” the class cooed.

“Today we have another new student! And her name is Sophie!” Ms. Whitney said to the class and then turned to me and smiled. “You can sit next to Anna. She is the girl in the blue dress,” Ms.Whitney said. I saw the little girl in the blue dress she had her head down and it looked like she was…sleeping?! It was good I saw that because now I could now prepare for a long, boring year.

 

Chapter 3

After a long boring four hours, which felt like 1,000,000 hours, it was lunch.This felt like a test to me. This is my only chance to make new friends. The only table open was the table that everybody was putting their trash on. But I had no choice, I had to sit there. A little later Anna came over to me and I realized that she was a weirdo, she was wearing a blue elmo dress with hearts and flowers around it and talked in a very perky voice, so I just walked away laughing. When it was time to go, my mom was late so I watched everyone leave with their mom & dad. Then I saw Anna, she was running to her mom & dad, crying. Now I realized what I have done.

 

Chapter 4

The next day I saw Anna, and I knew what I had to do, say sorry. “Um …Anna I’m really sorry that I laughed at you, you are actually a very sweet person,” I said to her and smiled.

“Thats okay, everyone makes mistakes,” said Anna.

”Would you like to be friends with me?” I said, hoping that she wouldn`t say no.

“Of course!! I know that feeling you get when it`s your first day of school and you don’t know what to do or say,” Anna said to me.

”Thanks for understanding Anna, you’re a very good friend!” I said as we walked into the playground talking.

A Kids Life: Poems

A Kid’s Life

Do you remember that teddy bear you named with all your heart that you still think about every day? Or did you have a doll maybe her name was Alice you would have tea parties and you would take her everywhere. Or maybe you had a sister that you played with and when it rained you would build forts between the two chairs you would play spies and try to listen to what your parents are saying. Or you had a journal to write stories in. Did you have a baby brother to read to or play cars with? But you know when you told your parents you were bored it was just so they would play with you or help you build forts or read or maybe just maybe so they would be bored with you.

 

The Backyard

Do you still have that little picture your mom took of you on the playset you had in your backyard that your dad put up for you. Or the swing that you pushed your teddy bear on or your sister off of. Do you remember that tree you used to climb and one time you fell off and broke your arm. Or when you got a new bike and tried to ride on the grass and you fell but it did not hurt. When you put a table in the yard and put a coloring book and colored (outside the lines) and drank pink lemonade.

 

Rainy Day

That day when it rains and you were a kid you made a fort with your imaginary friend named Sunny or Carl you watched a movie and you liked watching the raindrops and say that the big man was crying and Carl would say I think he is crying tears of joy. But Sunny would be sad because there was no sun. Your mom would read to you and you fell asleep when you awoke the rain was gone. You walked to that swing set in your backyard without any shoes your feet getting wet when you sat down on the swing your butt would get wet but you would not care because you were with your friends Sunny and Carl.

 

Imaginary Friends

You remember Sunny and Carl those friends that were not real but were always there. Through sun through rain they were there. Through good times and bad through mad times and sad they were there sometimes but sometimes Carl was gone but Sunny was there with you waiting for Carl’s return. Then one day carl left and he took sunny with him you did not seem to mind you were all grown up and soon you went away to college you don’t know what happened to sunny or carl but you still miss them.

 

First Day For Us All

Your alarm went off and you got dressed. You ran downstairs your mom used the hairbrush and mom tugged your hair telling you not to squirm. Dad runs out of the house forgetting his pants mom runs after him. Meanwhile baby brother poured out his cereal, mom yells a bad word we get in the car. At school I get scared new faces new things new people new times. The day is done I go home and get sleep then we repeat and repeat.

 

Leaving Us But Why

You say he is leaving us but why. Where could he go that is a better place. You say our dog Buddy has gone to a farm but where is it let me see I love the farm. I was digging in the backyard and I found him asleep. He has not woken up don’t tell me he is dead. I thought he went to the farm I thought we would visit he is gone. He is gone he is gone he is gone he is gone.

 

THE END

A Jittery Private Eye

 

There was a private eye

a jittery one

when he went on a mission

he jumped all around

Once he went on a mission

he went to the docks

the reason he did it,

was to capture an ox!

But when he did it

he jumped at a sound

the sound of an ox

made him run all around!

When he got back,

the leader said:

“Where is the ox,

you big noodle head?”

He said where it was

and he went to retrieve it

but when he got there

the ox was nowhere

He went back

to tell the bad news

to the leader,

who was in the middle of a snooze

When the leader would snore

the private eye jumped

When the leader woke up,

he yelled at the man:

“What are you doing without the ox?!!”

“I’m coming to tell you, that the ox is lost!”

The leader sent men

to go with the man,

to capture the ox

who was lost at the docks!

They went to the docks,

and saw the ox,

just walking around,

so they tried,

to capture the ox,

but instead,

they ran around the docks!

The private eye jumped,

probably 28 times,

and they captured the ox,

after at least ten tries

They went to the leader,

who said with a sigh

“wonderful job,

all of you did!”

And from then on,

when the private eye jumped,

everyone said,

“It’s nothing, noodle head!”

The leader made sure,

that the missions he went on,

no matter what,

would not make him jump.

A Love and Hate Relationship Between…

 

Hi I’m Olivia, I have autism and I have no friends. I don’t go to school. I have a tutor that comes to my house five days a week, just like normal school but at my house. I am very shy and am petrified of the outside world. I have a bossy sister named Mia who always makes fun of my autism. I absolutely hate it!!! Really you don’t understand! She makes fun that I have no friends and that I am not a normal 8-year-old girl. Gosh she’s so annoying!

“I just want to be normal.” I always say that in my head! My sister also always lies to Mom that I am always being bad and that I am never going to be able to go to school. So if my sis keeps up with this I will definitely never go to school and be a little more normal! I always think about normal kids and how fun it would be to get to go to school and have so many friends! But all I ever do is get made fun of by my ANNOYING sister Mia! Another thing I always think about is going to sleepaway camp and having an amazing experience! My sister goes every year and always brags about how fun it is! All I ever want to do to her is to have her be in my shoes and see how it feels! I bet she would hate it so much!!

I was walking down the street with my Mom. I was holding her hand tightly, when suddenly I saw a fluffy dog pop right in front of my face. I slipped my hand out of Mom’s hand and ran up to the dog. The dog had a mean face on it. OW! It bit me. I yelled! I had blood dripping down my neck! OMG! I was in excruciating pain!

OMG I was thinking, “my whole life is absolutely ruined! This is so awful! I hate you dog!”  My Mom dialed 911 when even more blood started dripping down my neck! The ambulance finally came and gave me a huge cup of ice to put on my bloody neck. He then rushed me to the hospital! When we got to the hospital named ‘Helpful Doctors,’ Mom had to carry me into the ER. While holding the ice on my neck! I was totally in shock! So we got into the ER and the doctor rushed to bring me on the stretcher into the room. When we got into the the room the doctor said, “Oh my gosh what happened?”

Mom said something like, “She got bit by a dog!”

“Wow!” the doctor said!

I couldn’t really understand the conversation between the two of them because of how in shock I was.

The doctor stitched me up and then took X-rays and said to my Mom, “I am sorry to say but I think your daughter has a stutter!”

Omg, I thought in my head, did I really just hear that or was I dreaming!

When I woke up from my ‘dream’ I asked my Mom what the doctor said. She said, “he said that you have a stutter!”

So I found out that it wasn’t a dream after all! I really did have a stutter!

“Are you kidding me,” I stuttered!

I yelled and screamed and kicked! When I talked it sounded so awful! Mom told Mia about what happened and how I have a stutter from the dog biting my neck. (All I wanted was for Mom to tell Sis that I have a stutter now) now she will make fun of me even more!

“I hate my life,” I screamed!

“Olivia honey calm yourself,” Mom said!

“NNNOOO!”

I then ran to my room slammed my door closed and starting crying so hard! It sounded so terrible! (Possibly because of my stutter.) I then heard a knock on my bedroom door. Who do you think it was? Of course it was Mia. I bet she came just to make fun of me more! When she knocked on the door i wouldn’t let her open it! But instead she yelled from the hallway,

“Haha now you’re even more disabled!”

“Weeeell you knooww whhatt geettet oouut offf myyyy liffeee!” I shouted!

It literally took me like 2 minutes to only say not even a sentence! Because of my stupid stutter!

It was Saturday evening when I woke up, I saw something red! I was so sleepy that I didn’t know what it was. (Obviously blood from my dog bite.)

I ran to Mom’s bed and screamed in her ear, “My neck was bleeding in the night there’s blood all over my sheets!” I stuttered!

“OMG honey come on we have to go back to the ER hurry up!”

Mom quickly got dressed and she picked me up and ran to the car she slammed the car door closed and turned on the ignition.

We finally got to the ‘Helpful Doctors’ hospital when I realized maybe Mia was playing a trick on me and this whole blood thing was a prank. But I didn’t want to say anything to Mom because to be honest I was kind of in pain. We walked into the ER and Mom asked to see Dr. Webber. The person at the desk said he’d be there in a sec. So me and Mom sat down and waited. When Dr. Webber came we told him what happened. He said that I would have to stay over night so he could watch over my neck.

I thought in my head, “my goodness this is so terrible!”

Mom ended up going home to get some clothes for tomorrow. I hoped I would only have to stay one night.

So Dr. Webber brought us to our room and said, “If you’re in pain Olivia or if you need anything just push that button right above you and I will come.”

I thought in my head, “this is going to be a bad night. The bad hospital food, the bed and everything else! Gosh Mia I really do hate you!!”

When it was about 9:00 I got into the bed and thought, “this is so uncomfortable I will never be able to sleep!” But I really had no choice! So I closed my eyes.

The next morning I woke up and saw there was no blood on my sheets thank goodness! The nurse brought us breakfast. I really didn’t want to eat this horrible hospital food but I knew I had no choice! The nurse gave us a bagel and a muffin. I took little nibbles of it. It tasted very stale and rotten!! It was also very hard to eat it because of my neck. It hurt so badly! I didn’t eat much of my food because it number one was very painful to eat and number two wasn’t very good. After Mom and I ate, Dr. Webber came in and asked me how I was doing.

I stuttered, “I am doing a bit better”

The doctor felt very bad about my stutter! He said, “I am so sorry!”

Mom said, “She will be ok. She’s a tough cookie.”

He said we could go home I felt so relived. I got dressed then Mom and I got into the car and drove home.

“Thank goodness we’re home,” I stuttered.

Mia acted like she didn’t know what happened but really she did because she played a prank on me I knew it! I ran up the stairs and walked into my room and saw that Dad washed the sheets with the blood on it. I wrote a sign on Mia’s door to her room that said I hate you! You’re the meanest sister ever! You made me sleep at that stupid ER for absolutely no reason! I hung the sign on her door. Then I went down the stairs very carefully (because I didn’t want to get yet another injury and get more made fun of! That’s all I needed!) So when I got downstairs I motioned to Mia to come upstairs so I could have a talk with her. But of course she refused to! So instead I told on her. “Sorry you lost your chance of not getting punished,” I thought. I said to Mom that I really wasn’t bleeding Mia actually played a prank on me just to be so mean! Mom was so in shock!!

She yelled at Mia and Mia then said, “What no I didn’t! I would never do that!!”

“Yes she did,” I stuttered!!

“Mia that’s it, you’re grounded!!” Mom yelled!

“Haha,” I thought!! Mia made a face at me and I made a face back at her like I really didn’t care!! Mia then  ran up the stairs stomping her feet so loud I felt like he whole world would be able to hear it! When she sees the sign she justs makes a face tears it off and throws it in the trash. She slams the door closed and then starts crying!

“Hahahahah,” I stutter! In my mind!

The next morning I woke up at 2:00! I must have been really tired!! I barely knew what was going on because of how late I woke up! I got dressed then went downstairs to see what was going on.

“Hi Mom,” I stuttered. “Wait a sec I don’t have a stutter anymore Mom!”

“Wow honey! How in the world did you get rid of that? I am so proud of you!”

“I really don’t know, someone must have casted a spell on me well i was asleep for so long!”

“Let me go to tell sis,” I said in a happy voice! I walked up the stairs then pushed open Mia’s door and yelled, “My stutter is gone! Now you have one less thing to make fun of me!”

“Wow sis that’s very cool!”

From Mia’s perspective:

I realized a very important lesson! I should really stop making fun of Olivia! She has a disorder and now I really understand what a hard life she has! I should make her a letter shouldn’t I! Then I won’t be grounded anymore! I took out a pink piece of paper (that’s Olivia’s favorite color) then I found a pen. I then started writing.

Dear Olivia, I realized a very Important lesson!

I am so sorry for what I’ve done to you!

I realized that you really do have a tough life.

I apologize for being so mean!

I promise I will stop!

I love you!

From your sister Mia!

I then folded it up ran down the stairs and all of a sudden I hear Mom say, “Mia aren’t you grounded what are you doing down here?”

“I want to give Olivia something special,” I answered back.

“Ok,” Mom then said, “She’s on the couch resting.”

I then went to the couch and saw Olivia, she was watching TV. “Olivia,” I said, “I have something special to give to you!”

She just sighed and said, “Ok,” like she thought you’re not giving me something special! You’re usually so mean to me!”

“Here Olivia,” I said.

She opened the card and read! She had an amazed look on her face like wow is this really my sister! She then gave me a huge hug and kissed me right on the cheek and said, “Thank you so much Mia!”

Mom then ran over and said, “What just happened?”

I said, “I gave Olivia a special card!”

“Wow Mia,” she said in a surprised voice! “You’re not grounded anymore that was so nice of you!”

“Thanks Mom,” I replied back.

“I love you Olivia!”

“I love you too Mia,” she replied back!

Back to Olivia’s perspective:

I felt so great about how Mia and I made up! It was Saturday evening when Mom yelled up the stairs, “Olivia do you want to come on a walk with me?”

“Sure,” I answered back. I walked down the stairs and then both me and Mom went outside.

When Mom and I got outside i was thinking about that stupid dog that bit my neck! I hoped I wouldn’t see him! When Mom and I were walking down the street I was asking myself questions about that dumb dog, such as “What if I did see that dumb dog and what would happen?” If I saw him would he bite me again? I really hope he wouldn’t bite me again because then I would have to deal with my stutter all over again! That would be so awful!” When I was done asking myself questions, I asked Mom If we could turn around and go back home? She said yes.

I was walking home when suddenly I almost fainted!!

“Honey are you ok?” Mom asked.

“Oh yes I think I’m fine.” (I think). Omg my face was literally as red as a tomato!!

“Mom,” I yelled, “I see that stupid dog again!!”

I looked into the dog’s eyes and he looked into my eyes, I then said, “Mom It looks like the dog feels bad for what he did.” The dog’s face looked so sad and it looked like she wanted to run up and give me kisses!! I then said in a questionable voice, “Mom I feel like going to pet the bad dog!”

Mom answered, “Honey, why would you ever want to go pet that BAD dog that gave you a stutter!”

“Well I just feel like he might now like me because he feels bad for what he did to me.”

“Ok Olivia you can do what you want but if he bites you don’t come up to me complaining,” Mom said.

I said, “Ok, here I go.” I walked up to the dog very slowly I looked into his eyes and he looked into my eyes. Nice doggy, nice please don’t bite me, I thought. “I pet him,” I yelled.

“Great job, Olivia,” Mom said!

“Thanks Mom!”

After I pet the dog I asked the owner what the dog’s name was he said her name was Lucy. I answered back, “Wow that’s a very nice name!”

He said, “Thanks!”

Mom then started walking towards the owner and asked him if maybe it would be ok to do dog therapy because her daughter had autism.

The owner said, “Absolutely, I would love my dog to help with your daughter! Oh and by the way I am so sorry about my dog biting you!” the owner said.

Mom said, “It’s ok i am glad they like each other now!”

“Let’s get back to the therapy,” said Mom.

“Ok, so when do you want to start and where should we do it?” asked Mom.

“Well I think we should do it at my house and maybe we could start tomorrow and do it two days a week,” said the owner

“Ok I guess that’s fine!”

“I can’t wait,” I said to Mom!

Mom and I then finished walking home. It was so pretty on the walk home. It was night time so the sky was like an orangey and pink color! And the sun was shining right in my face! It felt so good to be outside! And the fresh air smelt so woodsy! I just really love the smell of woodsy!! When Mom and I got home, I told Sis about how I am going to start taking dog therapy! She thought it was very cool! She also seemed a little jealous!!

She said to me, “I feel a bit jealous.”

“Well sorry,” I said back. I couldn’t stop thinking about tomorrow I was so excited I really couldn’t wait!! I was thinking to myself questions such as: How is this going to work?  Will this really help my autism? and Will the dog be nice to me during the sessions? After I thought about those questions I realized it was already 9:00 and that’s when I go to bed. So I got ready, took a shower put on my pj’s then gave Mom a kiss goodnight and got into bed. I then snuggled under my covers and closed my eyes and fell asleep.

It was the next morning when I woke up and shouted, “I can’t wait for dog therapy today!” I felt like I just woke the whole world up because of how loud i shouted! But really I only woke my family up! So I was exaggerating a little too much! Dad, Mom and Mia were a little surprised when they heard me shout so loud! I then went into Mom’s room and asked her,

“What time does dog therapy start?”

She said, “It starts at 8:45.”

“Ok well should I start getting ready?” I asked.

“Yes honey,” Mom said.

I then walked back to my room and got dressed. I put on something that I wouldn’t mind getting dog hair all over (not something fancy obviously!) After I got dressed i went back into Mom’s room to ask her if she would make me breakfast. She said, “Yes.” I wanted pancakes, so she made them for me. They were very good! We then walked out the door and got into the car to drive to the man’s house! I was so excited I had a rush of adrenalin and my heart was beating as fast as a 85 mile car! That’s how excited I was!! I was also thinking to myself I really want a dog!! Maybe if Mom saw I really loved Lucy she would get me one. I would hope so! When we got to his house him and Lucy were waiting outside for us. Mom and I got out of the car and went to say hello. I pet Lucy and Mom started talking to the owner about the therapy. Lucy was giving me kisses everywhere and was just being super fantastic to me!!

When we all got inside Lucy’s owner named Bob asked Mom and I if we wanted anything to eat or drink. We both said no. Then we went downstairs because that’s where we were going to do the therapy. When we got downstairs Bob got Lucy ready and told her to sit, and to be good and behave! I agreed with Bob. I hope he would make me feel comfortable with Lucy.

Bob said to Lucy, “Give her a paw!” Lucy gave me her paw and then I gave her a treat for being good! It was literally like the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen! Lucy was trained so well!! She did so many other tricks for me and she really helped me calm down!!

“I love you Lucy,” I said!

I think she might have heard me so she then gave me kisses back!! When the session was over Bob said that I could give Lucy a lot of treats because of how great we both did!! I felt amazing after the session!

When Mom and I walked into the house immediately I told Sis about how much fun I had! Keep in mind I wasn’t trying to brag to Mia. Really I didn’t want to start up again with the fighting and arguing! That would be awful! It was then already bed time!! the day went by so quickly! I got washed up and ready for bed! “Goodnight,” I yelled to Mom, Dad and Mia.

 

It was the next morning when I woke up and heard a barking sound! Was it a dream or was it the next door neighbor’s dog? I went downstairs to see what it was and guess what I saw. A big fluffy dog right downstairs in a cage!! I couldn’t believe my eyes!!

“We got a dog!!!” I yelled.

Mom came downstairs and said, “I decided to get a dog because I saw how much you enjoyed Lucy!!”

“Thank you soooooooo much,” I said while hugging her!!!

All I ever wanted was to have a pet!! And you know what I really did learn an important lesson: it was to always take second chances in life because you never know what you’re going to expect!!

THE END!!!!!!

A Great Vacation

I put the suitcase on the bed. I look around the room and it is beautiful. There is a balcony and a fireplace and even a refrigerator filled with yummy drinks.

Oh! I almost forgot. I’m Marissa and today I’m at Great Wolf Lodge for four days. I can’t wait to start an awesome vacation!

I start to unpack my things and put them in the dresser drawer. Then my little brother Andrew says to me, “You brought too many clothes.”

“No, I didn’t. You didn’t bring enough clothes,” I say anxiously.  

He looks in his drawer and there are only two pairs of everything, two shirts, two pairs of pants and socks, and two pairs of shoes. Then my mom says to us to get our bathing suits on so we can go to the waterpark at least for a little bit since we got here a little later than expected.

We are at the waterpark and the first water slide I go on is the Toilet Bowl. The Toilet Bowl is where you slide down a slide and you get in this big bowl and you go in circles. Then in the middle there is a slide. We go on a bunch of slides and then it is time to leave the waterpark. Then we go back to the hotel room and take showers.  

Then we go to look around. We see people holding wands and wonder what they were for so we ask at the front desk. They told us that it was for a Magic Quest. The Magic Quest is a game where you go on a quest or an adventure and you start at a station and it gives you points. It also gives you hints of which station is next and you keep going on and on until you’re at the last station. You even get to keep the wand!   

We ask the kids with the wands where we could get some and they said that there is a room up ahead that has things for the Magic Quest. We find the room and go up to the desk. We ask for a girl wand and a boy wand. My wand is dark pink with streaks of light pink and sparkly and Andrew’s is black with red streaks and a dragon on it. Ours both had MQ in the middle of them for Magic Quest. We go to start the quest but we can only do a little bit because it is almost time for dinner.

We go to the restaurant there and I get spaghetti with marinara sauce. Yum! My favorite!  When I get it, I eat it in two minutes. My brother has not even touched his food because he isn’t allowed to have something that unhealthy. He had a lot of junk the day before. After I finish I ask my mom if we can have dessert, but she said no so we had to leave.  

Then we get our PJs on. My brother and I both are allowed to play on our iPads for a bit. We both play Geometry Dash for a little. Then since it is early we watch a movie on Netflix called Step Dogs. My brother doesn’t want to watch it but he has to since he picked the movie a couple nights before. When the movie is over we have to brush our teeth. After I brush my teeth I read a chapter of Whatever After: Dream On. The book is really good so far. I am on chapter 11 in the book. The series Whatever After is about these two kids, Abby and Jonah, who have a magical mirror in their basement that takes them to princesses’ worlds such as Snow White, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and Sleeping Beauty. Then we have to go to bed. When we wake up we get dressed and get ready for a big day. I can’t wait for today because we are going to do more of the Magic Quest and go to the waterpark.  

“Hey Marissa!” says Andrew loudly.

“Yes?”

“I can’t wait for today! Can you?”  

“Yeah I’m super excited for today! I mean like we are going to do more of the Magic Quest and go in the waterpark!”

“Come on guys, let’s go!” says my mom.  

We get to the waterpark and I just get poured on by the giant bucket of water that said Great Wolf Lodge on it. I am going on the slides and they are really fun!

Then we go to eat lunch at a restaurant out of Great Wolf Lodge. The waitress comes up to our table to order food and I ask for a grilled cheese with fries. Andrew gets mac and cheese. While we are waiting for the food, Andrew and I play hangman on the paper that you can draw on, on the table. I let Andrew choose the word first because usually I always go first on everything. He finally thinks of a four-letter word.

“Really, a four-letter word!?”

“What’s the problem, it’s just hangman,” he says angrily.  

“Whatever,” I say. Then I guess the first letter.  

“M,” I say while he puts it on the paper.  

“It has to be Mine,” I say to him.  

He looks at me. “How did you guess that so fast?”

“Because all you know is Minecraft.”  

“Oh yeah, I do know Minecraft,” he says, surprised.  

Finally our food comes.  It looks so good and yummy! I can probably eat this in two minutes too. I take a bite into it and then I realize that it was so good and I want to eat more. Then we all finish and we have to leave.  

We do more of the Magic Quest when we got back. I like how when we are on one of the stations it gives you hints for the next station.  

“We did a lot today — let’s go eat dinner,” I tell Andrew.

So this time for dinner we get it delivered to our room. I get mozzarella sticks and a hotdog.  We watch the movie Boxtrolls. Then we have to go to bed.  

When we wake up, we go downstairs to eat breakfast. We wear our bathing suits under our clothes because we decide to go straight to the waterpark. I have pancakes for breakfast and they are really good!  

Then we went to the waterpark. We did more water rides and I kept going on the Toilet Bowl. That one is my favorite ride. Then we go to the Magic Quest. I finally get up to the station. It is my favorite station so far because it has fairies and I love fairies. Then we spend a lot of time on the Magic Quest and we almost finish.  

“Come on guys, let’s go. Let’s save some Magic Quest for tomorrow. It’s our last day tomorrow,” mom said loudly. We go back to our room to get dressed nicely since we are meeting my mom’s friend at a restaurant nearby. We are finally at the restaurant and my mom’s friend is already there. We say our hellos and then order our food. This time I get pasta with butter, but that means that we have to eat a healthy dinner because we haven’t been eating very well this vacation. We eat our food and it is really good. Then we say our goodbyes and leave.  

Then we go swimming in the pool. My dad is throwing us up into the pool. We play toothpaste and have races. We are the only ones there so we have the whole pool to ourselves. I have so much fun at the pool because it was our first time. Then we play on our iPads and chill for an hour or two. I text my friend Gianna because she has just moved and I want to see how the new house is going. I Facetime her and we talk and talk and talk as always.  

Then we go eat dinner. We eat at the restaurant there because we hadn’t since the first day. We get steak and salad for dinner. The steak is really good but I don’t really like the salad. We finally get dessert for a change. I get vanilla ice cream and Andrew gets chocolate ice cream. It is really yummy.  We finish dinner and go back to our hotel room. We get in our PJs and went to bed.  

When we wake up I am so sad because it is our last day and we are leaving tonight. We have to go eat breakfast so I get dressed and we went downstairs. I get french toast with syrup and chocolate milk. Yum! After breakfast we go to the pool. We play more toothpaste and I do a lot of flips and gymnastics. That is my favorite part about the pool: you can do a lot of gymnastics. I go in the hot tub and it is really warm! Andrew does the ice bucket challenge and he freaks out when he pours it on himself. He runs into the hot tub and screams.  

We go to eat lunch. I get spaghetti with marinara sauce again and mozzarella sticks. Yummy! Yummy!  

After lunch we do more of the Magic Quest. We are almost finished so we only have five stations left. We are on the last one and we finally finish it. We go to the front desk to get a prize. I get a glass snowman and Andrew gets a slinky.  

We have to go back to the hotel room to start packing. I am so sad because we are leaving in a half an hour. We are finally done packing and have to leave. I am so sad that we had to leave because I have had so much fun these four days at Great Wolf Lodge. But I can’t wait to write about this in my morning journal at school tomorrow and I can’t wait to see my friends again. We’re walking out the door and I say to myself, “Goodbye Great Wolf Lodge — hopefully I’ll see you next year!”

The End

7 Keys

A few days ago, thought Maddie, it all happened few days ago.

A few days ago, she and Sophie went into the woods and found five keys. They didn’t know what these keys did but they seemed to be some sort of magnets. As soon as they dug the keys out, the keys started to shake and rose up in the air. They zoomed forward into the woods. The five keys each had a drawing of a dragon on it. The keys led them to a waterfall but they zoomed behind the waterfall into a cave. That cave was filled with golden money and coins. They wanted to take out all the money but as soon as they got in the cave, they couldn’t get out. Where they had entered was now a solid wall. Now that they were trapped inside, they had nothing to eat, drink, or do.

She and Sophie were really far away. “We should get out,” Maddie shouted.

“Yes, but how?” Sophie shouted across the cave. Sophie and Maddie were twins and both had jet black hair. They had almond-shaped hazelnut eyes framed with bangs.

“Keep talking and shouting,” said Sophie. “Then we should be able to find each other and track where the other person’s voice is.”

They tried for hours, but the cave had an echo so nobody was getting anywhere. They didn’t know it, but they were actually getting further away from each other.

“I hear water!” exclaimed Maddie. She followed the sound of water and found the keys.

“We had five keys before, didn’t we?” Maddie called out to Sophie.

“Yes we did,” replied Sophie.

“Well, now we have seven keys,” Maddie said back. The seven keys were floating in the air and started hitting themselves against a wall.

“Maddie?” Sophie called. “Why are there wolves in here?”

“Oh, they’re just statues,” Maddie said.

“Then why are they moving?” said Sophie.

Sophie glanced at the glowing red eyes and their paws slowly moving towards her.

“Run!” Sophie and Maddie exclaimed at the same time.

They ran, but they didn’t know where they were going. They ended up following the keys but instead of going through a wall, they went through a wall of water. They hadn’t realized it, but they had been in the cave for one day. They picked up the keys which were on a rock in the shape of a circle with one key sticking up at the bottom. Since it looked like a toy that you spin, Sophie spun the keys and each of the dragons on the keys looked like a dragon moving in a circle. They picked up the keys and went home because they were able to get through the waterfall again. They ran back home and wrote their adventure down in their journals.

The next day at school, they showed all their friends their story but no one believed them. After school that day, Sophie and Maddie showed their friends the waterfall where they were yesterday. Once again, when the kids entered, the wall turned solid behind them and after one day they came out from the waterfall.

“Now do you believe us?” said Maddie.

“Yes we do,” said her friend.

That night Sophie and Maddie went home and thought about it all. They looked at the seven keys that had brought them to the waterfall.

“That,” said Maddie, “was one crazy adventure.”

“I agree,” said Sophie.

 

Part 2

 

Now that Sophie and Maddie had the keys, they didn’t know what they could do with them, but they realized that the keys could serve as entertainment. One day, when Maddie was holding the key and rubbing it like a coin, little wisps of smoke came out and said, “You have taken me out from thousands of year. I am the Wind Goddess. I have been trapped in these keys for thousands of years. Now that you have freed me, you may get one wish.”

Maddie thought and thought. She finally said, “Please, may I have three more wishes?”

“Yes, that is a wish so your wish is granted. What are the wishes you would like?”

“Firstly, I would like everybody in the world to be happy. Secondly, I would like there to be no war. Thirdly, I would like everybody to be treated equally in the world.”

“I am impressed!” said the Wind Goddess. “Most people would have asked for money. But you have asked for the good of other people.”

Maddie was astonished. “Well, I just want people to be happy. Money can’t buy everything, you know.”

“I am granting you and your sister a visit to where I live, up in the clouds,” exclaimed the wind goddess. Sophie and Maddie each took one of her hands and they drifted up to the sky.

“Why are my clothes changing?!” exclaimed Maddie.

“Up in the sky, your clothes will get very wet and moist. These new clothes that you’re wearing will make you feel light.”

Down on earth, Sophie and Maddie’s parents were wondering what happened to them. One second, they were in their room, and the next, they were gone.

“I don’t care,” said their dad. “I hope they haven’t gone to that forest again. I hope they know where they’re going.”

“I wonder where they are then,” said their mother.

“Oh I wouldn’t worry,” said their father. “They’re probably off on some goofy adventure.”

Up in the sky, Sophie and Maddie were flying all around the kingdom. It was made of rubies and silver crystal.  Inside the palace was a grand feast prepared for them.

“I have never seen so much food in my life!” said Sophie.

“Well yes,” said the Wind Goddess. “We’ve prepared this feast and kept it here for 1000 years until someone released me and asked for the proper gifts.”

They sat down and had the feast. Nobody said a word while they were eating because the food was so good, they didn’t want it to become cold. When dessert came in, then they started talking because cake could not become cold. It would stay the same temperature.

“Today we had a very interesting time,” Sophie told the Wind Goddess. “May I ask you why you were trapped in this key?”

“Okay… One thousand years ago, I was up here in the clouds and lived normally. One day, a visitor came up here for the first time. We granted him a great feast, but he got greedy and trapped me in seven keys so he could rule the land of the clouds. He didn’t know that he could get destroyed ruling this land, so one day he exploded into red dust and then nobody ruled for the rest of the time I was traveling. But now that I’m free, I can rule as a good leader,” explained the Wind Goddess.

“I think I should bring you back to your home,” said the Wind Goddess. “After all, it has been almost six hours since you left.”

“Okay, take us home,” said Sophie.

So the Wind Goddess flew Sophie and Maddie home.

“We shall never forget you!” exclaimed Sophie.

And they never did.

 

THE END

#YOLO

 

Paris. Finally. I was in Paris.

Leaving my home in London had been the most difficult thing in the world to do, but it was worth it. Birds swooped and swirled above me. The Eiffel Tower was silhouetted against the sunlight sky much farther along the Seine. Clear and blue, the Seine was rushing down the river bank in a comforting rhythm where shopkeepers with bright banners and flags were selling their merchandise. The wind was whispering through the bright green leaves of the trees. Further down, I could see the landscape of the Luxembourg Gardens with its perfectly mowed lawns, rippling ponds and park benches.

I felt someone grab my arm. “Look, Emma,” my twin sister gasped in awe. She was pointing farther down the Seine.

I followed her finger and saw a big boat full of passengers gliding across the shimmering water. It split through the river like a knife in a cake. I waved to the boat as it docked. A mob of people swarmed off and they dotted the landscape like an ink blob, growing bigger and bigger by the second.

“Maia, we should probably get back to the hotel,” I said, tugging on my sister’s sleeve. Maia had the same long and vibrant red hair as I did, and the same sparkling bright blue eyes.

“Wait, this is what we came for. Look at the light! There won’t be another time of day like this,” she replied, and lifted her camera from her bag.

I couldn’t argue, so I did the same. After snapping a few pictures, we agreed to come back tomorrow at break.

Maia and I were 14 years old and both quite the shutterbug. It was only this past year that we were accepted into the Parisian School of Arts even though we had been submitting work since we were ten. The lessons were to begin tomorrow. We had gone to a fine school back in London, but nothing compared to this. Some of the most famous photographers had gone here, and about ten years ago, they began taking in students from the ages of ten to nineteen.

Maia and I headed back to our hotel in silence, snapping a few more photos on the way. We each flopped on our beds, tired from a long day’s flight. It was only a one hour time difference from London to Paris — thank God, what if we had been flying to the United States — but we were still exhausted. Soon we were fast asleep.

The next day when I opened my eyes, I was groggy and sprawled in tangled sheets. It took me a few moments to realize where I was, but when I did, I took no matter hesitating in waking my sister.

“Maia!” I cried, shaking her. “Maia, wake up!”

“What?” Maia groaned as I flung open the curtains. “Oh no, Em, too bright.”

I grinned. “Lessons!” I said. “Up! Up!” I felt like a five year old trying to wake her parents on Christmas.

Maia flung off the covers. That tactic worked, I thought as I got dressed.

Sooner than you could say photography, Maia and I were out the door on on the streets. We quickly rented bikes and sped off towards the school. It was a giant building, located just to the right of the Luxembourg Gardens.

A crowd of kids was joined at the door and they were all chatting excitedly to one another. As Maia and I approached, we made out the excited faces of some, and the calm ones of others. Nobody seemed sad.

“Alright everybody!” a voice called, echoing over the chatter. Everyone stopped talking at once. “Hi guys. I’m Lauren, and I’ll be your counselor for today. Ten to 13-year-olds on the left. 14 to 17, you’re on the right. Eighteen and nineteen in the middle,” Lauren said, and Maia and I took the middle. “Right then. Stay in your groups and follow me!”

Maia and I obeyed and passed through the courtyard and into the building. It was all spacious and marble and–whoa! Ice statues! A diamond chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Everyone was oohing and aahing, especially the new students. The only person that didn’t seem surprised was a blonde haired girl who was sighing and saying loudly to anyone who would listen, “Oh please. My mansion at home looks like this. And besides, I’ve been here since I was ten, I’m so talented. Yeah. They took me on my first try.”

I glanced at Maia and we rolled our eyes in unison. In twin language, that pretty much means, Seriously? And I know, right?

A boy nearby ran his hands stupidly through his hair. What was wrong with these people??

“I’m Shelby Moore, by the way,” the blonde said shrilly.

There was a chorus of “no way’s” and “oh my God’s” throughout the room. Shelby Moore was probably the all-time most famous child photographer in all of Europe. The only thing was, she was kind of a diva.

Before Shelby could say anything else, Lauren ushered the fourteen to seventeen year olds into a room filled with film and cameras.

“Okay guys,” Lauren said. “I’m the mentor for your age group as well as Jia and Saio.” She motioned to a brown haired girl and a Korean boy. They both looked about 25 years old.

“Your goal for this term is to take wonderful photos and enter them in the art exhibit that we have — open to the public — at the end of each term.

“But this year, we have an extra special treat.” Everyone’s ears perked up. “You will have the option to submit five photographs that you took to The Traveler.

There was a murmur of excitement floating around the room. I looked at Maia and we both grinned. The Traveler was a magazine that went from city to city all over Europe displaying prize-winning photos.

“You will have the chance,” Lauren continued, “to win 50,000 euros if you win first prize.” There were some cheers and a couple of whoops at this. “For second place, 30,000 euros. For third, 10,000 euros.

“But beware,” Lauren continued. “Only three of you will get these prizes, and there are 25 of you. Work as hard as you can and you can do it. Now. For the lesson.”

Maia and I settled down into chairs and listened to Lauren, but before she began, I heard Shelby whisper, “I’m totally going to get first prize.” That made me want to get a prize even more. Beating the world’s best child photographer who also happened be the world’s biggest diva? Score! Getting first place? Bonus points!

At break, Maia and I immediately hurried back down to the Seine. We grabbed a baguette to share and settled on a bench. I set a timer on my phone to make sure we didn’t stay past one o’clock. After all, we had regular school lessons in addition to photography classes. I snapped some pictures and so did Maia, but mostly we enjoyed the view.

Just then, an earsplitting screech sliced through the air. I leapt up from the bench in unison with Maia.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

I wasn’t the only one. People were screaming and pointing. In the sky was a giant red dot zooming towards the earth. Was that…? A meteor!! Maia and I seemed to realize at the same time, because we both jumped and frantically began gathering our stuff.

“Run!” Maia screamed, and we took off.

The meteor, a big ball of burning flames and coal, was just miles away… it came closer and closer…and closer…I was losing focus…my head was swimming…then suddenly, everything went black.

“Emma!” I was shaken awake in a pile of rubble. “Em! Emma!” It was Maia.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. Maia was staring down at me, her face blurred.

“Wha-what happened?” I gasped, pumping air through my lungs.

“Oh, thank heavens you’re alive!” Maia breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, the meteor plummeted into the Seine and you fell and…well, you went unconscious.”

“Wow,” I said, sitting up. “I really reacted to that crash.”

Maia nodded. “I’m just happy that you’re alright. You could have died!”

I bit my lip. “What time is it?” I answered my own question by glancing at Maia’s watch. Two fifteen. I had been unconscious for pretty much two hours.

My eyes flitted around the scenery. Everything was buried in lumps of ash or coal. Heaps of debris like plastic bags floated around in the air like clumsy birds. There was nobody — nobody except Maia and I — around. Even the Seine was murky. There was still a faint tint of fiery orange at the bottom from the meteor. I winced as my eyes fell on the half sunken boat that had carried passengers just yesterday. So many lost lives…all those people who didn’t deserve it…

Maia seemed to know what I was thinking. Softly she said, “We’d better get back to the hotel.”

I scoffed. “Like it’ll still be up after this,” I said.

“It’s like a mile away,” Maia retorted.

I shook my head reluctantly but got up from where I was sitting. Almost at once, I buckled back down onto the ground. “Ow,” I said, clutching my ankle. “It hurts.” I closed my eyes and let the pain sink in. If I lay there long enough, maybe it would just go away.

“Oh, yeah, Emma, it’s swollen,” Maia said. “I–wait. What’s that?” I opened my eyes and followed Maia’s finger to see a stick of green poking up from the rubble.

“It’s a four leaf clover!” I gasped. I inched closer to the clover and pulled out my camera. “This is perfect for the contest!”

I snapped a few pics from different angles and grinned. This would win me the contest for sure! My caption would be This clover is different from the rest, like me and my sister. It’s been through bad times, but it’s stood strong throughout them.

“Okay,” I said to Maia. “Put your arm around my neck and we’ll get to the hotel together.” And off we went, the silhouette of two girls stumbling along a sea of ashes and coal.

It took weeks for the mess to be cleaned up, but when it was gone, life resumed as normal. My ankle got wrapped up and a was put on crutches for a few weeks. Luckily it was only a mild sprain.

Finally, the day everyone in my group in photography was waiting for arrived; the day that the prizes were given out. Everyone gather excitedly in the hall.

Maia had chosen to take her picture of me — yay! She had asked me to face away from her and she got a great shot of me silhouetted against the Eiffel Tower.

Lauren motioned us to get in a cluster and we obeyed. “Okay! Wonderful job this term guys, really excellent. Now. Third prize is…Maia Blac!”

I cheered so loudly that my twin had to scream at me before I stopped. I could tell she was happy by the way her pale cheeks were now full of color.

“Congrats, Maia,” Lauren said, motioning for her to come to the head of the group. Maia was handed a big back of clinking euros. The crowd clapped once more. “Now,” Lauren continued as Maia joined me again, “second place is to Shelby Moore!”

I heard a scream of outrage: “WHAT?” Shelby shrieked. “No!! You’ve made a mistake! I need first place!!! RAHHH!!!” And she stormed from the room.

I grinned.

“First prize,” Lauren said slowly goes too…” she paused… “Emma Blac!! Congrats!”

Me?? Me! I won first prize! This was like a dream. I gratefully accepted my 50,000 euros and the class was dismissed.

Maia hugged me so tight that I could barely breathe. I was so happy.

We plopped down on a bench and looked around. It was an amazing sight. Then it hit me. This is what it was all about. Paris, I mean. It wasn’t about pictures, it wasn’t about money or contests of the stores. It was this. The experience. A Parisian isn’t a just stylish person or a talented artist, they know how to live the moment in time. Whether it’s good, bad or bland as buttered pasta, they know that you only live once and you need to live every moment of that life with feeling. That’s what makes Paris Paris.

So, my last words to you are this:

YOLO like Parisians

-Emma Blac

…And His Name Is John Cena

 

Chapter 1

Lars

In the dragon apocalypse nobody is your friend. Currently, my only friend is a wrestler. And his name is John Cena! He and I are the last survivors. We only survive on gatorade and solid form Gatorade. Before the dragons tried to destroy us they gave us one last wish each. I was one of the 20,000 people who wished to meet John Cena. If you’re wondering why there is dragon apocalypse it’s because Donald Trump took over the United States of Eh (a super country/mix of the US and Canada) and turned it into an oligarchy. The other oligarchs are the leaders of ISIS (who are dragons). So, now there is a dragon apocalypse.

So, back to John Cena. John Cena took all the 20,000 people up to the top of a mountain. So, I took the chance and pushed 19,999 people off a mountain. I was the only one with John Cena. John was slightly alarmed, but he didn’t say much.

After 24 hours everybody had died except for John and I. We were living in a cave formed by all the 19,999 people rolling down the mountain. John was expanding the cave by punching the rock when he hit what he thought was an oil outbreak. He said, “Lars, I think I hit an oil outbreak. We’re rich!”.

“Everybody’s dead, remember?” I said, “and that’s not oil, it’s Gatorade!”

After finding Gatorade all we drank was grape Gatorade and all we ate was solid form grape Gatorade. After a day John and I were developing what I call ‘Gatorade Cramps’. John and I started brainstorming how to stop the dragons at 5:00 pm. John thought there were other people left. But, I said, “There can’t be any people left, ISIS killed them all.” We continued brainstorming until John decided we should leave Colorado. I asked John, “What time is it?”

Then John said, “Midnight.” Time flies like ISIS dragons.

The next day, as we were leaving the cave, I asked John, “Where are we going and how are we getting there?”.

He replied casually, “We’re going to the Mega-Ultra-Super Amish people. And we’re taking the Cinnamon Toast mobile.”

“What’s the Cinnamon Toast Mobile?” I asked. “It’s about time you knew,” said John, “John Cena is just my secret identity. I am really … Cinnamon Toast Man!”.

“What are your powers?” I asked curiously.

“Er, I don’t really have any,” explained John.

Then, we finally got on the highway. When, we were on the highway John said, “Not much traffic.”

I replied, “Everyone’s dead, remember John?”

“My name is Cinnamon Toast Man!

“Okay, Okay, just go faster!” After driving for a couple hours in John’s “Cinnamon Toast Mobile” (*Cough* 1985 Honda Civic *Cough*) we found the “Mega-Ultra-Super Amish people”.

When we found the Mega-Ultra-Super Amish, they were doing nothing. So, John and I introduced them to metal. By the end of the day we had an acoustic metal band named Spontaneous Exorcism. Though Amish don’t permit music in their society, when they realize it’s probably their last day to live they decided to do it. Eventually, we got the Amish people to join our side. We’re on amish-on, to stop the dragons!

I was surprised when I heard the dragons didn’t attack the Amish, but apparently, They’re so far out of the way that the dragons couldn’t find them. I was even more surprised that they had tanks (the tanks were wooden, and were powered by pedaling). So, we set off to stop ISIS.

We traveled out of the country because the Amish leave near a port. We took a boat and set sail. After a couple of days we saw land. I was very excited. About mid way through the trip we started fishing to provide food.

We decided to search the island to find allies to help fight the dragons or a secret hide-out. After searching the island for a while we found a very small tribe of people who looked like Native Americans. Apparently they had survived the dragon-apocalypse, I don’t how though. John tried to explain to them that we came in peace, but they started shooting their bows and arrows at us. They clearly weren’t allies.

When we realized we had a war we were terrified. At least, I was terrified. The enemy’s war cry was, “Smell Whale!!!” I don’t know if that meant something in their language or if they were just telling us to smell a whale.

Chapter 2

John Cena

Lars ended up dying in that war. By the way, this is John telling the story now. I wasn’t going to let ISIS, Trump, and The Northern Sentinelese (the people who killed Lars) destroy humanity. The dragons even made their own cracker called “Children” supposedly using real children. Their slogan is “The snack that smiles back: Children!”.

We ended up defeating the Northern Sentinelese, but many of our soldiers died. Only 50 other soldiers came back with me on the ship, but we felt pumped. When we were about halfway between the Northern Sentinel Islands and the US of Eh my evil twin Anec Nhoj joined our party. He tried to AA me, but I did a reversal AA knocking him out. Then I AA’d him off the boat.

When we reached the U.S.E we went straight to the Trump Towers. At the Trump Towers there was a dragon guarding the doors. He insisted that I beat him in a rap battle to p***.

So,I started;

“Your time is up my time is now,

You can’t see me,

My time is now,

It’s a franchise what we shining now,

You Can’t See Me My time is now!”

I kept going;

“In case forgot or fell off,

I’m still hot knock your shell off,

My money stack fat plus I can’t turn the swell off,

The franchise, Doin’ big Bid’ness,

I live this,

It’s automatic I win this.”

The dragon melted because my rap was so fire. We took the elevator up to the top floor. When we got there, we were met by a dragon.

That time I  started again;

“A soldier, and I stay under you fightin’

Plus I’m stormin’ on you chumps like I’m thunder and lightning,

Ain’t no way breakin’ me kid, I’m harder than nails

Plus I keep it on lock like I’m part of jail”

That dragon also melted. Then, it was time to battle Trump. I walked down the hall to an office … and stepped in.

Donald’s chair was turned around so I couldn’t see him. “Long time no see, Mr. Cena.” He said.

Then I said, “You don’t sound like Mr. Trump at all …”

“It’s about time you knew John…” Then while spinning his chair around he said, “I am really your arch enemy … ANEC NHOJ AKA !NAM TSAOT NOMANNIC”.

“But, But, … I defeated you earlier today!”

“You always forget John, I’m immortal!

Anec started the battle:

“Whether fightin’ or spittin’ my discipline is unforgiven

Got you backin’ up in a defensive position

An ***-kcikin’ anthem, heavyweight or bantam

Holdin’ camps for ransom, the microphone phantom

Teams hit the floor this the new fight joint

Like a broken needle kid you missin’ the point

We dominate your conference with offense, that’s no nonsense

My theme song hits, get you reinforcements

We strike quick with hard kicks, duckin’ night sticks

Bare-knuckled men through fight pits, beat you lifeless

Never survive this, you forgot like Alzheimers

Two-face rappers walk away with four shiners

The raw rhymer, turnin’ legends to old-timers

My incisors like a viper bitin’ through your one-liners

New DeadMan Inc., and we about to make you famous

Takin’ over Earth and still kickin’ in Uranus”

He was good. But he hadn’t seen me yet. I sang my whole theme song, not just parts of it like the previous 2 times.

“In case you forgot or fell off I’m still hot – knock your shell off

My money stack fat plus I can’t turn the swell off

The franchise, doin’ big bid’ness, I live this

It’s automatic I win this – oh you hear those horns, you finished

A soldier, and I stay under you fightin’

Plus I’m stormin’ on you chumps like I’m thunder and lightning

Ain’t no way you breakin’ me kid, I’m harder than nails

Plus I keep it on lock, like I’m part of the jail

I’m slaughtering stale, competition, I got the whole block wishing

they could run with my division but they gone fishing –

– with no bait, kid your boy hold weight

I got my soul straight, I brush your mouth like Colgate

In any weather I’m never better your boy’s so hot

you’ll never catch me in the next man’s sweater

If they hate, let ’em hate, I drop ya whole clan

Lay yo’ *** down for the three second tan

(Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh)

Yeah, uh

It’s gonna be what it’s gonna be

Five pounds of courage buddy, b*** tint pants with a gold T

Uh – it’s a war dance and victory step

A raw stance is a gift, when you insist it’s my rep

John Cena, Trademarc, you all are so-so

And talk about the bread you make but don’t know the recipe for dough though

Aimin’ guns in all your photos, that’s a no-no

When this pop, you’ll liplock, your big talk’s a blatant no-show

See what happens when the ice age melt

You see monetary status is not what matters, but it helps

I rock a timepiece by Benny if any

The same reason y’all could love me is the same reason y’all condemn me

A man’s measured by the way that he thinks

Not clothing lines, ice links, leather and minks

I spent 20 plus years seekin’ knowledge of self

So for now Marc Predka’s livin’ life for wealth”

I thought my rap was a bit better, but he didn’t seem phased at all. There was only one way to end it … A fight to the death!

Chapter 3

A fight to the death

The fight to the death started. We immediately grappled each other. He ended up shoving me out of the office. Then shoved him into a – suspicious – open elevator. We took the elevator to the roof floor. Once we got out of the elevator, I got Anec in a fireman’s hold. I was about to AA him off the side of the building, but then, I got a cramp. I wasn’t just a normal cramp, it was a … Gatorade cramp! Anec and I both fell off the side of the Trump Towers. I thought we were both going to die. But then I remembered Anec is immortal. He would live and I would die! But, then the MUSA (Mega-Ultra-Super Amish) stepped in.

When I was falling of the building the MUSA got a trampoline and put it under me. Luckily, I landed on the trampoline. Anec and I took the battle to the streets. I AA’d him and the he AA’d be back. The MUSA rolled in with one of their wooden tanks. They ran over Anec Nhoj! But he’s immortal so he survived. The only way we could beat him was with magic.

I jumped in to the MUSA’s tank and we rolled away. We took a boat and sailed to England. We docked in Southampton. We then took the tanks to London. It took about seven hours to do that. In London, we went to King’s Cross Station. From there, we went to platform 9 ¾. We rode the Hogwarts express all the way to Hogwarts. Of course, all wizards were unharmed from the DracoTrumpocalypse. We told Prof. McGonagall (Dumbledore is dead) that we needed her help. She told us to contact Harry Potter. So we did. We rode back to New York on Harry’s broom.

When we got to New York we found Anec almost immediately. Harry said, “Avada Kedavra” and Anec died.

The End!

 

#FairytaleBall

Chapter 1: #Princess

Once upon a time in the year 2013 there was a girl named Emily. Emily was the princess of England. Emily pictured herself as the perfect princess. Filthy rich. Amazingly beautiful. The only thing that could stop her was the perfect night at the ball.

”Emily where are you?” yelled Emily’s father.

“I’m in my room Father!” Emily called back, as she started to braid her hair.

“Father I need you to buy me a dress for the ball, like, now!!!”

“Ok sweetie. Be patient. I told you we are going dress shopping tomorrow.”

“But Father! I want to go today! If Mom was alive right now she would take me at my beck and call! I deserve more, father! I’m amazing! I’m the most beautiful princess in the world!

“And my prince! Oh my prince! He will be there with me, while I’m in the perfect gown and we’ll look like the perfect couple dancing under the dim lights of the ballroom ceiling. Being around all of those filthy rich people who are gonna adore me more then they adore their own children! It’s going to be wonderful father! If we cannot at least get the dress today, then let’s go shopping for the jewelry! I will look so pretty with sapphires or maybe emeralds on my necklace, to make my long blonde hair and blue eyes to stand out. Oh and my beautiful pale peach skin would stand out with rubies! So much to choose from! Lets go! To the vault!”

“Ok, but hold on. Your mother told me when this day comes, she knows you will try to wear more than three pieces of jewelry. So you may go down and pick one necklace, one pair of earrings and your crown. That’s it! Do you hear me?”

“Yes, Father,” responded Emily, like she was a little upset.

As Emily went down to the vault to pick out her jewelry, someone else was thinking about the ball.

Chapter 2: #Prince     

“Mother! How do I look in my brand new tux? I got the tailor to make it for me for the ball.”

“It looks good on you, son. I’m so proud of you, and so would your father. He would be proud that you grew up so handsomely, I know I am,” said the mother of Edward as she fixed her hair.

“Thank you Mother. I love you.”

“I love you too, Edward.” said the mother.

Edward turned around from the mirror and stared into his mother’s wet, damp eyes. Then he hugged her tight, his carrot-red hair sticking to her dress, and his hazel green eyes blinking lightly while he rested his head on her small boney shoulder.

“I cannot wait to dance with Emily under the beautiful ball ceiling. Although it’s in a month, I’m still super excited.”

“I know you are. I know. Ok, well we still have to go find a crown for you. Come on let’s go upstairs.” As Edward and his mother went to the vault in their castle someone was thinking about the jokes that were going to be made at this ball.

Chapter 3: #Jester

“Oh I can’t wait to see all of their faces when I make my jokes! It’s going to be the funniest night of their lives!” said the Jester.

“Honey, your jokes will be hilarious. But don’t forget that it’s a ball, so don’t get upset if they want to dance instead of listen to your jokes, okay?” said his mother.

“Okay mother. But I know that my jokes will be too funny to resist. I’m just too funny to ignore.”
“Yes sweetie, but nobody wants a stuck up jester. It’s just wrong. It’s like Miley Cyrus with her tongue sticking out. Trust me I would know, I am the queen of jesters after all.”

“Very funny mother. Those are the type of jokes that I need for the ball.”

“I think those are good jokes sweetie but you need something with more pizazz. Something that will make them die of laughter.” She made a noise, “ba da! Ba da!

“Where did that come from?” asked the Jester.

“When you’re a jester, sweetie, you need to have that to make your jokes funny.”

“Yeah ok. But, don’t you think I’m funny without all of that stuff?”
“Um, well. Uh. Well.”

“MOM! AM I FUNNY?!

“Um… no, sorry, hun, you’re just an average joker.”

The jester put his hand to his chest and dramatically gasped.

“Mother! I thought when I was 5, you named me a jester and not a joker anymore because I was one of the funniest jesters!”

“Yeah, well, I did that because you would cry if I didn’t give you the title soon.”

“You lied to me! Thats it! I’ll show you! I’m still going to do my jokes at the ball! And everyone will love them! Even you, mother! I’LL SHOW YOU! I’ll show you!” screamed the jester as he walked out the door.

Chapter 4:# The Jester’s Mother

My son is absolutely insane. He thinks that when he goes to the ball everyone will laugh at his jokes. Pssshhhh.

No one at that prissy ball will listen to him. They’re too fancy and full of themselves to even look at my son.

Plus, when I started, no one wanted to listen to me. They basically chewed me up and spat me out onto the street. I was the chewed up gum on someone’s shoe. I was the pile of poop that got walked away from because my jokes stank so much.

‘Ba da ba pa ch’

Anyway, the point is, he’s never gonna be a good jester, because he is the type of person who gives up if they fail the first time. I’m just afraid that when they do shoot him down, he’ll come running over to me telling me I was right. That doesn’t really matter because that is what I like to hear.

Anyway, I wish he didn’t choose to go to the ball. I wish he chose not to, so I wouldn’t have to see him get hurt.

Ever since his father died, he’s been really insecure about his jokes lately. It’s like he’s my son, but he’s not.

Chapter 5:# The Princess’s Father

My daughter is absolutely insane.

She’s so full of herself, it’s funny.

I’m really thinking about not letting her go to the ball. I mean, she really needs to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around her, although she is beautiful, and she chooses whether or not kids should go to school, and she supports the homeless people, to give money to us rich.

So I guess, yeah, physically, she does rule the world but mentally, she does rule the world.  Oh my god. She does rule the world.  Agh  We’re all gonna die!

Oh my god.

Oh my god.

Oh my god!

It’s time to panic! Everyone Panic! Now! I can’t believe done this! She rules the world! Agh!

Ok, I’m ok. I’m ok. I’m ok. I’m ok.

Ah! We’re all gonna die!
I’m not okay!  Agh! We’re all gonna die!

We’re all gonna die! Agh!

While someone was talking in their head, and worrying, another was thinking about her son.

Chapter 6: #The Prince’s Mother

“I fully support my son’s decision about Emily. Well, not fully. Actually not at all. She’s such a brat. I don’t want no girl like her to be dating my son. She will change his personality. If she does, she doesn’t know what’s coming for her. I will get her, I will hunt her down and get her!”

“Hey mom. What are you yelling at?” asked the prince, as he walked in his mother’s bedroom.

“Oh. You scared me sweetie. I didn’t you were there.”

“I scared you? That yelling scared me. It sounded like it was coming from here.”

“Oh no, nothing is going on here. It’s just me and my old self. Doing old things. Sitting like an old per-”

“Mom! Focus!”

“The screaming. Where did it come from?”

“Oh ok. You got me. I was screaming at a bird on the window sill.”

“Yup. You were right. Old people stuff,” said the prince as he walked out of the door.

Chapter 7: #Princess

“My ruby earrings and necklace are gonna look so nice with my pink sequined ball gown I picked out for the ball. I’m gonna be the prettiest girl they have ever seen! I’m gonna be the life of the ball! I think its time for me to sing the victory song!

“Oh what a beautiful princess! Oh what some beautiful money! I have a wonderful feeling, everything’s going my way!!”

“Bravo sweetie! Bravo! Just like your mother!”

“Father! You were listening?!”

“You’re beautiful.”

“You have my attention.”

“I have found you the most handsome prince in the whole land!”

“But I already have one father.”

“Your hair flows beautifully in the wind.”

“You have my attention again.”

“Here he is!”

“Hello. I’m Philippe. You’re beautiful.” Philippe said, entering in to Emily’s room. He brushed his dark spooky black hair with his hand, and looked in her eyes with his dark green ones.

“Father I’ve changed my mind! I’m going to the ball with Philippe!”

While someone was dumping someone, someone else was thinking.

Chapter 8: #Jester

“I still have to figure out my jokes for the ball! And what to wear! Wait I’m a jester. I wear those stupid clown hat thingys. Duh.”

“What are you doing?!”

“Mother! You again?! I thought I ditched you!”

“As you did, my son, but don’t forget who’s the better jester here. Oh right. There’s only one! Ha ha ha.”

“Yeah there’s only one. And its me!”

“What are you even doing?”

“I’m picking out what I’m wearing to the ball!”

“Why? You’re a joker all you need to pick out for the ball is your jokes, and trust me I know you haven’t done that yet.”

“Mother you’re such a conniving snake!”

“Funny. But that’s my trick, so get your own!”

“No, I better keep it, just to annoy you!!!”

“Yeah ok. You annoying me? Hilarious!”

“Mother, you’re such a conniving snake!”

“Hey!!”

“Mother, you‘re such a conniving snake!

Mother, you’re such a conniving snake!

Mother, you’re such a conniving snake!

Mother you-”

“OK! OK! I GOT THE POINT! THE CHALLENGE IS ON! LET’S GO TO THE BALL!”

Chapter 9:# The Jester’s Mother

I can’t wait to see my son fail! Oh and all those people! They will be laughing at him! It’s going to be the most funniest thing that ever happened! I can’t believe I was about to feel bad for him! Ha! But now all I’m gonna do is kick his butt at being awesome! Or funny I guess. You know what I mean! I can’t wait to see him crawl back to me! This is gonna be great! Well, first, I gotta go investigate what jokes he’s doing!

While someone was starting to spy, another was thinking about changing his daughter’s date to the ball again!

Chapter 10: #The Princess’s Father

Ooh. I’ve got an idea. I think I’m gonna change my daughter’s date again.

It will show her that she can’t always have what she wants and she can’t always change her mind in a snap because she can hurt someone’s feelings! I can’t wait to show her!

“Hello, father. You rang my bell from the kitchen. What do you need my prettiness to do for you right now?”

“I need you to meet your new date to the ball.”

“You mean Philippe? But I already met him, father.”
“No sweetie, not Philippe. Philippe is gone. I’ve got a new date for you.”

“But I like Philippe. He – he’s genuine,” said Emily all googly-eyed.

“Is that because he said you were beautiful?”
“Maybe…”

“Ok. well, this is Duke. Duke has loved you since you were little.”

“Hi. I’m Duke. I really like how beautifully your eyes sparkle in the moonlight. I also really want a cookie.” said Duke as he swung his long brown hair against his sunset skin, and blinked his brown, hazel eyes, while he walked into the kitchen door.

“H-H-Hi. Father! I’m going to the dance with Duke! Forget Philippe!”

Chapter 11: #Princes: Philippe, The Prince, OH! AND DUKE!

“I can’t wait for the ball next week bro. I’ve got a new date.” Said the two princes at the same time.

”You go first” said Philippe.

”No you go first.” said the other prince.    

“Ok. How about we both say her name at the same time?” suggested Philippe.

“Ok. 1, 2, 3!”

“EMILY!”

“Wait wha-” said both boys.

“Hey guys. Just got a new date to the ball. Her name is–” said Duke.

“EMILY!”

“Yeah how did you guys know?”

“Oh just knowing that me and Philippe have the same date, it was just a hunch.”said Edward.

“Wait… So she’s taking us all to the ball? Awesome!”

“No dummy! She dumped us for you!” yelled Edward.

“Oh! Well, You don’t got to be so rude about it! At least I wasn’t the one who got

dumped.” said Duke.

“Yeah well-” started Edward.
“Guys! Guys! Stop fighting! We aren’t supposed to be fighting each other! We’re the fighters! Not the ‘fighties’!”

Chapter 12: #Princess is Mad      

Knock! Knock!

Suddenly the door opened.

“Hello boys. What would you like from Ms. Emily today?” asked one of Emily’s many servants.

“We would like if we could all speak to her at one time.”

“As you wish. Ms. Emily! Your future husbands are here!”

“Ok! Coming Pemberly!”

“Hello Pember-”

“Hello Ms. Emily.” Said all three princes at the same time.

“I can’t believe we all fell for you.”

“Me neither, but you did. So now we will see who wins.”

“Huh?” Said all three boys at the same time.

“You guys are going to play a game. You’re going to… fence over me!”

“Uh… no way we are fighting over you! You’re a coward! Forget you! Go to the ball on your own!” said the three boys firmly, as they walked out the palace door.

“Well that was some visit, wasn’t it Ms. Emily?”

Emily looked at Pemberly. “Yeah! Some visit!!! Hmph!”

Chapter 13: #Prince’s Mother

“I can’t believe Emily! She ruined my son’s life! She will pay for this! All he’s been doing for the past week is eating royal, rocky road ice cream, in a robe, watching TV, and every two minutes, he has new bits of chocolate ice cream in his hair, because parts of the ice cream was too chocolatey for him! I told Emily – well didn’t tell her I told me, but still she’s gonna have to pay! Ooh! I know! I’ll get her at the ball!”

Chapter 14: #Dear Diary,Jester

Dear joke book, I have decided that I am not going to do my jokes at the ball.

It’s just making me feel pressured, I guess. It makes me feel like my mom isn’t my mom anymore. She laughs when I mess up on my joke work, she doesn’t make me lunch anymore, and she tries to eat the whole breakfast before I get down from bed.

I miss her. I wish she didn’t challenge me as much as she does now. I wish she was back.

Signed,

Jester

Chapter 15:# The Ball

“The ball! It’s finally here!” said Emily

“The only thing is I don’t have is a prince,” said Emily all upset.

“I know sweetie. But at least you get to ride in this beautiful glass carriage.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same!”

Then someone else was on their way to the ball…

“I can’t believe none of us have dates!” said Philippe.

“Yeah well at least we got each other,” said Duke.

“Duke…”

“Yeah?”

“I think thats the first time you said something smart!” said the Prince

“I know right!!!” said Duke, back to the first prince.

While someone was talking another was apologizing…

“Honey… I have to tell you something…” said the Jester’s Mom.

“Yeah, okay! What do you possibly need to say to me?” said the Jester.

“I need to say I’m sorry…”

“What?! Did you just say… sorry?”

“Yeah… I’m your mother, I’m supposed to cheer you on… I’m not supposed to go against you…”

“Thanks mom…”

“You’re welcome… but I want to wish you good luck.”

“Good luck? I thought I told you… I’m not going to do my jokes.”

“What?! No! You have to!”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not gonna do it either!”

“Oh… well…. I’ve decided to be more of son right now then a joker… so let’s just let them have no jester!”

“Now you’re thinking hun! I missed being a team with you….”

“Same,” said the jester.

Chapter 16: #Happily Ever After

Now everyone lived happily ever after… Well of course, except Emily.

The princes all got a date to the ball…at the ball,

The jester and his mother are still working as a hilarious team,

The father of Emily taught his lesson, Emily had no one to go to the ball with.  

Emily also got another lesson taught by the prince’s mother, and Edward’s mother and Emily’s father started dating.

And finally… Duke got to eat a cookie.

“Animal Land” Disaster

Spotty the giraffe had a very long neck to get to her food. She was the only type of animal that can have a very long neck. Spotty lived in Animal Land with her family. Everyone that lived there were animals that could talk. In Animal Land, the animals lived in the same land but there were different habitats, even if you were neighbors. None of the animals in Animal Land were enemies. They were all friends. Spotty lived with her younger sister, Hooves, along with her mother and father. Spotty and her family didn’t live in a house like humans do. They stayed outside on green grass plains. In their habitat, there were acacia trees. There are acacia trees because that was what Spotty and her family ate. Acacia trees were different than other trees because the tree grows flattish on the top where acacia leaves grow. Acacia leaves are very thin and round on the ends, they also have a lot of lumps.

One day, Spotty went with Hooves to see if their neighbor, Blacky the panda, was free to play with them. Blacky the panda lives in a habitat with lots of bamboo. Bamboo are a type of plant that look like a green stick with lines in between. Sometimes bamboo grow leaves on them. The leaves look like long and thin almond shapes. There are lots of bamboos because they climb and eat them. He only lived with his mother and father, he does not have any siblings. Blacky was free, so they went to play. They liked to play with a very bouncy ball. While they were playing Spotty, Hooves, and Blacky heard other animal families talking about how Animal Land was ending the next year. It sounded like it was ending because humans thought the land was useless, because no humans lived there. Humans wanted the land because they wanted to have houses and wanted more people to live in different places. All the animals were worried about when and where they would have to go. They were extremely worried about where they would get their food, because Animal Land was the only land that had the different types of food the animals eat. Spotty was really worried, because no one had told her about this. Spotty wasn’t really sure if her parents knew either, so they went back home quickly, and told their parents. Spotty’s and Hooves’s parents heard something like that before, but they didn’t know if what they heard was true. Their parents have always trusted Spotty and Hooves. So this time when they heard it they believed it, and they hoped it wasn’t a prank. Spotty and her family were trying to think of ideas of what they could do about what was going to happen. One of the ideas they thought about was they gather all the food they could find and store them in small boxes. They decided that they should start doing that, because collecting as much food as they can would take a while. All four of them spread out in different parts of Animal land; they went to different trees and grabbed the leaves off. Because, Giraffes only ate acacia leaves, they had to find that type of trees to get the right food.

On the way Spotty met a human named Lisa. Lisa was someone that lives in a village near Animal Land. She had always loved animals since she was young. She was 36 years old, and she had straight blonde hair with nice blue eyes. She worked as a zookeeper. She was the first and only nice human that Spotty and her family knew. When Spotty first met Lisa, she was nervous about what she was going to do because she had never seen a human before. But after getting to know her better, Lisa became very nice to all the animals. Lisa did not want Animal Land to be gone, because she knew animals actually helped humans. Lisa went to Animal Land once in a while because she loved to see what the animals are up to. Lisa was the only human that did this. Spotty started to talk with Lisa.

“Humans need us! If they need us, they should let us live. We are also living things! We need our habitats! No other place have the things we need! This is the only place we can be! Can you let us stay?!” Spotty said.

“Maybe. I’ll try my best, but I’ll have to see if I can get everyone else to listen to me and see if they will agree that we need animals,” Lisa replied.

“Okay, but come back as soon as you get an answer.”

“I will,” Lisa said as she walks back to her village.

“I think this is enough leaf picking for today. We can continue tomorrow,” Spotty’s parents said.

“Can we go tell Blacky and his family to also collect all their bamboo?” Spotty suggested.

“Sure!” Hooves agreed. They walked back to Blacky’s house.

“Hey, Blacky! Can we tell you and your family something?” Spotty asked politely.

“Sure!” Blacky answered.

“We wanted to give you an idea that you should collect all the bamboo you can find, and store them somewhere; so that you won’t run out of food when Animal Land ends,” Spotty and Hooves suggested.

“What a great idea!” Blacky and his family agreed. “We should start now if it will take a long time,” Blacky continued. Blacky and his family started on their food hunt.

Spotty and her family went back to their own home and decided to rest. They had gotten tired from collecting all their food. After a while, Lisa came back and told them the news.

“I made a speech and some others started to agree and some still disagreed,” Lisa said.

“Oh! So the speech didn’t convince everybody?!” Spotty exclaimed.

“Sorry, I couldn’t. There were people saying we need that land to be a land with humans!” Lisa said sadly.

“Well, you tried your best, didn’t you?” Spotty asked.

“I did what I could. I told them we need animals! We also need humans, but that’s not the only thing we need!” Lisa replied. Then Lisa’s phone started to ring.

RINGGGGGGG RINGGGGG RINGGG.

“Hello?” Lisa answered the phone. It was the mayor!

“The humans over here have agreed to save Animal Land,” the mayor said happily. After Lisa hung up she told them that the mayor said Animal Land wouldn’t get destroyed. The mayor also agreed they should keep Animal Land. The mayor was a very handsome gentleman. He was 52 years old and had made great choices for the world.

“REALLY, REALLY? IF SO, WE MUST TELL EVERY OTHER ANIMAL IN ANIMAL LAND!” Spotty exclaimed. “Let’s go, Hooves!” After they told everyone in Animal Land, some humans started to come in. None of the animals knew what was going on. The animals were a little nervous because they thought it would be something bad. Then when all the animals heard the humans talking, the animals realized the humans were here because they really like the animals. After hearing the humans talk they became very happy. Some of the humans didn’t know how beautiful Animal Land was. Humans finally realized animals were useful because animals gave food to humans, and also some dogs could help the humans who were blind. Now that they knew animals were useful, humans were coming and going, in and out of Animal Land.

The Unlikely

Chapter One: I’m Lizzie

 

Hello, my name is Lizzie, I’m 11 1/2. I perform at the Rose Theater in England. Today, I perform “Alex and Alex II.” I play Ida.

 

I’m going to tell you a story about a strange thing that happened to me.

 

“Lizzie, do you know where my prop is?” Ron asked. I reached for pink flowers with brown stems and handed it to Ron.

 

I finished my costume and went back to my teeny-tiny apartment. I looked at my savings jar. There were three sides — Spend, Save, Share. I used to be an orphan, but when only three orphans were left (including me) the caretaker bought us each a tiny house, and bought us each a dog. And that’s why I live alone.

 

I felt a lick. It was my dog, Lucy-Rosie.

 

“Hi girl! I’ll feed you right now,” I said. “Here’s your food.” I gave my dog a bit of dog food and washed her. She was very dirty.

 

Now back to my savings jar. I have one nickel, two quarters and three dimes. I realized I left my rainbow earmuffs from Gemma at Ron’s garage, where we were practicing.

 

Chapter Two: Bows and Buses, and a Strange Visitor

 

I tried to find a nickel to see if I could buy a bit of ribbon to tie a bow for my costume. After I found the nickel and made the ribbon, I got on a bus. I found a seat in the back — the only one left. I found a candy wrapper and tied it into a bow. (Did I mention I’m good at making bows?)

 

When I got off the bus for the second time, I put my earmuffs on and I walked inside. I noticed that my window was open and my dog was gone. I thought my dog was hiding, because the closet door was open and I could smell her wet fur.

 

Then a pretty red-head came in and said, “I think I found your dog!” She showed me a golden retriever with a pink bow and a pink leather jacket. It wasn’t my dog.

 

There was a very pretty teal pouch lying by the dog. I saw the girl run away. I think she might have been rich, I thought.

 

“Wait!” I said, but it was too late. She was gone.

 

I saw a very pretty pink card with sparkles on it. I opened it. It said:

 

Dear Poor Girl,

You can keep the puppy and what’s inside the pouch.

From,

Emily W

 

There was a gift card for H&L. I’ve never been to H&L, but my half-sister works there.

 

Just then, my best friend walked in with Lucy-Rosie.

 

Chapter Three: I Tell My Friend…

 

“The weirdest thing happened!” I announced. “A girl named E-”

 

“Well? Tell me what happened!”

 

“I shouldn’t tell you. You’re gonna be afraid. You’re a scaredy-cat.”

 

“No I’m not!” Elizabeth said, shaking her head.

 

“Can you give me a ride to H&L?” I asked.

 

“But…oh, okay.”

 

I got into a wagon with two horses.

 

Chapter Four: H&L

 

“Wow, can I buy anything here?” I looked at my gift card. How could this be? I knew she was rich, but I didn’t know she could get me a…I gasped.

 

It was a $100,000 gift card!

 

The first thing I found was a white tank top, very plain, but I turned it around and there was a package of fabric markers. “I like it,” I whispered, and I plopped it into my cart. Next, I went up two flights to a sign that said “Dog Clothes.”

 

“Oh, my!” I gasped. I saw the most beautiful jacket that comes for you and your dog. And then I saw a pretty red tee-shirt for my dog also. “I’ll buy this stuff!” I whispered loudly as I plopped it into my cart.

Life’s a Mess

August.12.1986

Lab

 

Heart beating and racing.

Pulse strong,

fast.

Words floating in my head randomly.

People treating my life as just a retrospective,

the way I live.

Facing the threatening fear of

DEATH.

 

August.13.1986

Truck

 

Blood pouring from my chest,

down to my numb,

pale legs.

Crawling hands feel like they’re climbing up

my spine.

Tickles make me nauseous.

Flash back:

lhkjk! mggfusti! io!

(Don’t take my precious daughter! What are you doing! NO!)

kjdgkj!jhfsdh!

(Sorry! I can’t help it!)

kjkjsgggskg,jsgjkg! jfshsdffdk!

(What’s going on! Stop this!)

 

*Bleep* is all I hear,

now chattering.

Heavy woman carrying me now.

Tears roll down my cheeks heavily.

I seriously can’t take control of this.

 

Anonymous

August.13.1986

To Mr.Pres

 

The alien is caught! Can’t you believe it!

 

SoORrY! CANt wRiTE!

Gernemrwer BLOdb

 

{Same Day}

 

I was

craving this.

Delicious humans

this planet

brings!

*Lips

licking.*

 

August.14.1986

?

 

Escaped.

 

August.15.1986

Girl’s House

 

Saw girl.

Followed her.

Girl has dark hood.

Demonic prayers?

Beady,

crimson eyes.

Hands like claws.

Wings like thy raven.

Left dark,

mysterious trail.

 

Ever so

 

Peculiar.

 

The girl gave me

a dark stare.

“Curse her!” The girl mumbled into the darkness.

She snapped her cloak sharply.

Observed a book

laying on desk.

Force brought it

to her.

Calamine air filled

the room.

So very

 

suspenseful.

 

I followed her anyway.

 

She walked into a portal leading into a dark cave with a shrine. She took off her hood and a beam rose to the sky, making a hole in the cave and in clouds straight in the sky.

“Ugh, I can’t control this!” The demon girl exclaimed. She lit out her match with the tip of one of her fingers; if I did that, I would melt!*

She fainted.

 

*I’m made out of slime even though I have some normal human body functions.

 

The candle flew out in the peculiar shade of aeneous which transformed into a neon orange and then into pure cinerious,  making the delicate candle burn into ash. I blew the now lukewarm candle and formed a flame with my slime.

 

August.16.1986

Slime Shack

 

Inside the cave, I made myself a shack,

a slime

shack.

Where I held my

insecure feelings.

Specifically

about this new

earth culture.

Suddenly,

a boy

in a dark cloak

walked up to me,

handed me a

burnt

rose.

 

You couldn’t tell if he was blushing under his dark cloak. You also couldn’t if I were “blushing” because I’m just formed slime. Even though I did smile awkwardly.

 

August.17.1986

Back at girl’s house

 

The girl is back at

her cave.

She put

her amulet

on.

It

unleashed

another solar

beam.

Suddenly,

she broke the amulet

in half;

in two halves.

And the boy fell

out of the middle of those two halves.

But this time,

he completely

ignored

me.

*TEAR*

 

August.18.1986

Still at girl’s house

 

Girl found me,

locked me into

a

cage.

I think I locked myself

into a metaphoric

cage.

I’m not out of this cage,

but I’m walking,

civilized.

Little bits of slime,

falling off,

in this heat.

This

heat

wave

of

metaphoric

infinites.

 

August.19.1986

Locked in my own heart

 

Out of this

metaphoric

cage.

Now I’m locked into my own

 

HEART.

 

IN IT’S DARKEST DESIRES, DEEPEST NEEDS, PLAIN ME, MY LIFE

 

HOODED UP IN A DOME.

THE DOME.

zzzzzzzz

 

THE DATE DOESN’T MATTER AT ALL

IN INFINITES WE LIVE

IN THE DOME

 

DARKNESS FROLICING IN THIS DOME

MY DOME

IT’S NOT LIKE ME

AT ALL

I SEE THE BOY

IN A CAGE IN MY HEART

I LOCK HIM OUT

HE PLANTS

A KISS

ON ME

I KNOW

IT’S

NOT

ACTUALLY HIM,

IT’S

IN

MY

SLIMEHEART

RIGHT NOW

I DON’T CARE.

 

HE HANDS ME THE SAME

AMULET THAT

THE

DEMON

GIRL

HAD

IT’S

THE

EXACT

REPLICA.

 

INSIDE,

THERE’S A

SWORD

WITH

A

SUPERSHARP

BLADE.

I LIFT IT OUT AND

KILL

MY

HEART.

 

A

GIRL

POPS

OUT

ME.

I’m not me.

 

blonde,

frizzy

hair

beady

blue

eyes

rosey

shirt

I’ve

been

brainwashed

for

all

these

years.

 

END.

 

 

 

 

Saving Grace

Chapter One

 

Grace Cook and her sisters, Sadie and Ellie Cook had been best friends since the day that Grace had been born. They didn’t really fight. Even though Ellie was ten years older than Grace and Sadie was five years older, the trio acted in unison. But all of that was about to change on October 1st, 2010.

 

Grace left for school at 6:30 to catch the bus. She ran across the street with her long red pigtails whipping in the wind. She got on the bus and her friend Alyssa called out from the backseat: “Gracie, Happy Birthday!!! You’re finally ten!!”

“Thanks! And you know that you only turned ten, 21 days, 3 hours and 2 minutes ago, Alyssa.” Grace slid into the seat next to Alyssa, next to the window.

“That’s still 21 days, 3 hours, and 2 minutes ago!” Alyssa bragged.

Grace sat the rest of the bus ride listening to Alyssa talk excitedly about the six-person sleepover Grace managed to talk her mom into doing. Grace sat very quietly and stiller than a trash can when no one is in the room. She looked out the window and wished that Ellie and Sadie were here. Her favorite part of her birthday was going to be the secret feast that she was going to have with Ellie and Sadie at midnight. They had done this when Sadie turned ten. Grace couldn’t remember what they had done when Ellie had turned ten because she had just been born two months ago. The sleepover wasn’t it. It hadn’t been hard to get. She had just asked for The Feast. Ellie, Sadie, and Grace would be breaking a couple of rules.  a) They weren’t supposed to be up at 12:00 b) No food was allowed in Grace’s room and c) There was no c.

“Grace!!! We’re at school!” Alyssa shouted, shaking Grace’s arm.

They got off the bus and Alyssa skipped off to find their friends, Ela and Chloë Ledger, her strawberry blond hair bouncing back off her shoulders each time she took a skip. Grace ran after her, flying like the wind. She had been told that she was as graceful as wind when she ran. She flew to the school steps and sat down. She was feeling really lonely and wished that she could go to middle school with Sadie. Even if she still had few friends, at least she would be with her loving and kind older sister.

“I hope that the birthday girl doesn’t plan on sitting on the steps for the whole day,” a voice said over Grace. Grace looked up into the smiling face of Chloë Ledger, “Mind if I sit with you?” Grace shook her head. Chloë sat down and looked straight into Grace’s purplish-blue eyes and Grace stared right back into Chloë’s sea-blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Chloë asked.

“Oh, nothing.” Grace sighed and dropped her gaze from Chloë. “Where’s Ela?”

Ela was Grace’s best friend from first grade. That was when she had also became good friends with Matilda. Even though Chloë was Ela’s twin, she had only became good friends with her in 3rd grade, same with Alyssa.

“Ela’s inside. It’s almost 8:15. We should get inside as well.”

Chloë stood up. Grace got up too and as they walked in their school doors, Chloë took Grace’s hand.

“lt will be okay,” Chloë whispered into her ear.

They ran to the door and were sitting down at their wooden desks when the morning bell rang and their teacher, Ms. Kate walked in with a clip clack of her gold high heel shoes. She walked to the front of the room, sat down at her polished white desk, and turned to face the class.

“Good morning, ladies,” Ms. Kate said, and started the longgggest school day of school in Grace’s life.

Seven hours later (only it felt like seven hundred hours to Grace) Grace walked out of Elm Elementary and searched for their car that was going to pick Grace up.

“Over here, Gracie!!”

Grace whirled around and saw her sister Ellie standing by their Green Subaru.

“Ellie!!” Grace shouted, and ran into Ellie’s arms. Ellie laughed and ran a hand over Grace’s red pigtails. Grace looked up into Ellie’s warm brown eyes, and the loneliness melted away inside of her.

“How are you, Ellie?” Grace asked.

“How am I? How is the Birthday girl?” Ellie asked.

“She’s fine.”

“Hop, in the car, kiddo.” Grace got in the car and buckled herself into the seat. Ellie put the key in the keyhole, pressed the pedal, and the sisters set of home.

 

Chapter Two

 

At 7:30 in Grace’s apartment, Grace and her Family were eating 3-Cheese Mac-and-Cheese (Grace’s all-time favorite meal) and were having a nice conversation when Grace’s Mom, Sara, asked the question that would change Grace’s life forever.

“Did you get a letter yet, Ellie?” Sara asked Ellie. Grace looked at Ellie for an answer.

“What letter? Tell me, Ellie!” Grace demanded, looking Ellie straight in the eye. Ellie wouldn’t meet Grace’s eyes.

“Um, well, Gracie, I have to go to college and, well, I applied to Harvard, and umm, err, I got accepted there,” Ellie mumbled, looking down at the marble table. Grace stared at her sister in horror.

“You got accepted at Harvard!” Sara and Grace’s Father, Leo exclaimed, “That’s great news, Ellie!”

“No it ISN’T!!” Grace screamed, “How will I SURVIVE without my older sister???!!”

“I think you’ll manage,” Leo said. Leo didn’t understand Grace’s friendship with her oldest sister.

“Well, I just got an email from Boston School of Arts,” Sara said, “And they want to take you in. It would mean that you would move to Boston with Ellie.”

“Oh, Yes!” Grace cried out, “Thank you-”

Grace stopped and saw that Sara had been looking at Sadie. The email had been about Sadie not Grace. Sadie looked at her sister. She really wanted to take the spot but she knew that Grace would never be able to handle it. She would fall apart. She felt like she should be there for Grace. But on the other hand, not everything could revolve around her little sister. And being an artist was Sadie’s dream.

“I don’t know,” Sadie said.

“Come on, Sadie,” Ellie pleaded, “We would have so much fun! Boston wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“Maybe…” Sadie shrugged.

“My WHOLE world is about to FALL APART!!! And on my BIRTHDAY!” Grace screamed, got up from the table, stormed down the hallway and into her bedroom.

She got onto her warm bed and began to cry. Grace lay down on her back and looked up at her ceiling which was black had all of the constellations painted on it in gold. The rest of walls were royal blue. Grace got out her pillowcase (where she hid her diary), pulled out her diary, turned to a page, pulled out her favorite flow pen (red), and begin to write.

Dear diary,

My world may be about to end.

The next thing Grace knew, she was being shaken awake.

“Gracie Bear, get up!” Leo started to tickle Grace and her eyes flew open.

“Dad!” Grace groaned.

“Kiddo, you got to run! The bus comes in 20 minutes!” Leo said, pushing Grace around. Grace jumped up, very awake, and ran down to breakfast. 20 minutes later, Grace was once again running to meet the bus. She got on and thanked the bus driver for waiting for her (again).

“No problem, kid,” the bus driver said.

“Grace! Over here!” Alyssa shouted from the middle of the bus. Grace made her way towards her.

“Slept in?” Alyssa ask, “For the first time in forever?”

Grace grinned and said, “Yep. For the first time in forever.” Grace sat down next to Alyssa and said “Ready for school?”

“Ready to Fly.” Alyssa and Grace shared a secret smile.

They were doing their secret pumper-upper. Grace looked away from Alyssa, out the window. She then remembered what she had been thinking the morning before. The secret Feast! They had never done it last night. Grace felt hurt. They had done something for Sadie but not for her? Of course, Grace had noticed how close Ellie and Sadie were. They shared a room. They most likely had billions of whispered talks after they turned out the light and Grace could never know what they were about. They had forgotten. That was it. It was the most that they had ever hurt Grace. She felt like crying.  Soon they might be living in Boston together for 4 years. Grace knew that Sadie wanted to take the spot at Boston School of Art. What if their friendship fell apart? Grace thought it might. Sadie and Ellie had been distant for a while. Suddenly, the bus jerked to to a stop in front of Grace’s school. Grace got off and found herself head to head with Chloë Ledger.

“Chloë,” Grace said, looking into Chloë’s trusting eyes, “I’m about to be an only child. My world is about to end.”

 

Chapter Three

 

One month later Grace and her family were at Elm Tree Airport, so they could tell Ellie and Sadie (who had decided to take the spot) goodbye before they flew to Boston for 4 years. They had rented a little house near Harvard and was also close to the Boston School of Arts. Grace was heartbroken but she tried to put on a brave face as she hugged Ellie and Sadie goodbye. She was going to miss them more than they could imagine.

“Plane 3444 Boarding now. Please report to gate 5 if you are on plane 3444,” said a woman’s voice over the speakers. She sounded bored like she couldn’t believe that all she had to do was say the number of the planes and their gates all day.

“That’s our plane, Sadie,” Ellie said. “It’s showtime.” Sadie and Ellie gave everyone one more big last hug and took off running towards gate 5. Grace kept her eyes on them until they were out of sight.

“Gracie Bear,” Leo said, “We need to go back home.” Leo gently stirred Grace back to the car and drove home. When Grace got home her mom said:

“Grace, would you like me to make you some cookies?” Grace knew that cookies wouldn’t help the space left by Ellie and Sadie but cookies are never something that you want to miss on.

“Sure,” Grace said sadly. She ate the cookies wishing that she had been eating them with Ellie and Sadie at the Feast they had promised but had never happened

The next day at school, Grace felt even more lost than before. The gap left by her sisters was bigger than before. She spotted her friend Ela standing by the biggest elm tree in the schoolyard. She walked up to her, planning on telling her how she was feeling and hoping that Ela could help her.

“Hey Ela,” Grace said.

“Grace!” Ela cried and threw her arms around her.

Grace pushed Ela’s arms away and said, “I have a problem.”

“What is it?” Ela asked. “You know you can always tell me everything.”

“Well, it’s about my sisters,” Grace muttered looking down.

“Oh no! Not about them again! You know you’re supposed to fight with them sometimes in your life, Grace. You’re like the perfect family on a reality show!” Ela practically shouted.

Grace looked hurt and walked away. She thought that she could tell Ela anything, but that was obviously not the case. She knew that her friends thought that she and her family were perfect because they didn’t fight. Obviously, they didn’t know that Ellie and Sadie had completely ditched her.

“Hey girl,” Matilda said, walking up to Grace. Grace jumped in surprise. She hadn’t seen Matilda lurking right nearby.

“I hate to tell you this, but it’s true. You are like the perfect family on a reality show, Grace,” Matilda said sadly.

Grace shouted, “Oh no, not you too! I am not the perfect family! You don’t know the half of it! Ellie and Sadie just completely ditched me! They left for Boston for the next four years to have tons of fun without me!” Matilda looked doubtful. “It’s true!” Grace screamed and stomped away.

She stomped off to the school steps where she had sat just one month and a day ago. She couldn’t believe that one month ago she was worried about missing Sadie and Ellie for an entire day. Now she was worried about missing them for four entire years!

Just then, the bell rang. Grace ignored it, though. She put her head in her hands and started to cry into them. Her sisters had only been gone for a full day, and already she was missing them like they’d been gone for five years.

The school door opened and Ms. Kate came clickity-clacking out. “Grace,” she said. “Where have you been?”

Grace fiddled with her hands and nervously looked up at her teacher. “Okay, I’m coming inside, I’m coming inside.”

Grace had many days like that. She got through a month of school with her grades keeping up and keeping herself together. But one day, Grace completely fell apart. Her grades started to go down. First Bs, than Cs, then Ds. She couldn’t take her report cards home. She threw them out in the trash. She cried herself to sleep every night. And worst of all, her parents barely paid any attention to her. They didn’t do anything to make it better or worse. One day before school, Grace completely fell apart. She sat down with her back against a tree. She put her head in her hands. She felt someone slide down next to her. She looked beside her. It was Chloë.

“Grace,” she said sternly. “I know nothing’s okay right now.”

“Well, I miss my sisters,” Grace sighed.

“I know,” Chloë said gently. Grace looked up in surprise. Whenever she tried to talk to someone, they shouted at her, screamed, or said she wasn’t even trying to get through it. But Chloë’s behavior was different.

“What if I become your replacement sister?” Chloë asked. “It might help you get through your situation.”

Grace brightened immediately. “You would do that for me?”

“Of course I would!” Chloë said, smiling as bright as the moon.

From then on, Chloë and Grace became best friends. They had sleepovers every weekend. Chloë stuck with Grace whatever Grace was going though and Grace did the same for Chloë. The two acted like sisters. Grace’s world was put together again. Chloë helped Grace get though missing her sister and little by little Grace got used to Ellie and Sadie not being at her house. Chloë saved Grace from falling apart. She stitched Grace’s world back together. Chloë was Grace’s Saving Grace.

 

4 years later

 

“See you later!” Grace called over to Chloë.

“The sleepover still on?’ Chloë asked.

“You bet!” Grace said, looking over her shoulder as she got on her bus, M 91910. She sat down on a seat and pulled out her copy of the Iliad. She had just started to love poetry when she turned 14. Her mother had given her Homer’s poems and she loved them.

She thought back to four years ago when Ellie and Sadie had first left. She had been a wreck. She couldn’t handle not having them around. Now? It was better. She still saw them over summer break and spring break but their relationship was strained. They also seemed to be giggling to each other or they seemed to know something about Grace that she didn’t know. They texted their friends in Boston a lot. They stilled played with Grace but she knew that they were growing up and didn’t really want to play anymore. But they still had fun. They would talk and have fun hanging out with Grace. Once they left; it was always hard for Grace. But then she would get over it. All because of Chloë. They were still best friends today. Grace was still friends with Ela and Matilda but she thought they were shallow and silly. Alyssa had moved to India to help her mom and aunts out with their grandpa, who was king of India.

She even now had a little sister, Maddy Cook! Maddy had brown hair and brown eyes. She was the light of Grace’s past 2 years. Grace made a friendship with Maddy, just like her one with Ellie and Sadie.

Grace realized that it was her stop and got of the bus. Two people were waiting there for her. One was taller and the one next to her was smaller. They both had fire red hair and kind, warm brown eyes. They looked familiar.

“Hey, Gracie,” one said.

“Ellie!” Grace exclaimed and flew into her arms.

“We’re home.”

 

Horse Academy

Horse Academy

 

Chapter One

 

My name is Scarlet Brook. I have been waiting all school year for this day. Summer! All school year, it’s all about work, work, work! But in summer, just do whatever you want! Well, at least that’s what I thought. The first day of summer, I thought I would be going to hang out with my friends or something, but instead my mom forced me to babysit my annoying little sister, Sydney. Sydney wasn’t too happy herself.

“But, Chelsea! I want Chelsea to babysit me! She’s better!!” she whined.

“I told you! Chelsea is going on her honeymoon!” mom said.

“Can I at least hang out once today?” I said.

“Of course! The whole summer will be fun. Remember? I signed you up for riding camp!”

Oh, I forgot to tell you. I live in a magic land: a place where there are unicorns, wizards, and dragons. Usually normal people don’t have flying piglets as pets. Well, those normal people don’t live here.

 

Chapter Two

 

The next morning, I woke up still exhausted from what happened last night. First Sydney wanted water, then milk, then orange juice, then candy, and finally she wanted to watch a movie. But she wasn’t finished yet, then she wanted popcorn, and to go with popcorn she wanted soda. How does Gabriela do it? Well, she had ruined the first day of summer but not all the days! Then I just remembered. I had riding camp today! I hopped out of bed and into my riding gear. I brushed my teeth and brushed my hair. Then I ran out of my room and I thought, Wow! Am I doing well today!

 

Just then, I spotted Pip, my flying piglet’s mud footprints splattered across the floor. Uh oh, I thought. Then mom came out and screamed.

“Take Pip into the bath tub! Stat!!!” I slipped on the mud and grabbed Pip. I put Pip into the bathtub and ran out. I grabbed paper towels and slid them across the floor. When I saw mom slip, I couldn’t help but laugh. With her hair all tangled, her body all muddy, and veins popping out of her forehead, she looked just like an angry witch! Mom glared at me and made herself calm down. She sighed. “Wow, what a great start of a day!” she said sarcastically.

“Umm…mom?” I said, “Don’t I have riding camp today?”

My mom nearly fainted. “Go! Go! Go!” she screamed.

I ran out the door. “Wait!” she ran after me. She handed me my lunch and gave me a map to the camp. I ran all the way. On my way there, I thought to myself, Wow, I’m late on my first day of camp!

When I got there, I saw a bunch of riders on their horses. I ran to the coach and explained what happened. I could hear people whispering about me. The coach told me to take a seat on the line. I sat down.

“Listen up, kids! my name is Betty. Get a partner, we will be practicing jumps on our horses,” said Betty. Betty paired me up with a boy named Henry.

“Hi,” I said. He didn’t say anything to me. He just hopped on his horse. I looked at him.

“Well?” he said. “Don’t just stand there! Get on your horse!” he yelled. I jumped. I don’t know why, but I felt mad. “I don’t have a horse!” I screamed. Henry must have been frightened because he started backing away from me. Betty came over to see what all the commotion was about.

“What’s going on here?” she asked.

“That girl’s crazy and she doesn’t even have a horse!” Henry cried. He bumped into a girl that had dirty blonde hair worn in a low ponytail.

“Ow!” she said, turning around, “What was that for?”

“She made me!” wailed Henry.

“Calm down, riders!” Betty yelled.

“She’s not even a rider!”

“Quit screaming!” yelled a girl with brownish hair held in a tight ponytail. I had a feeling today was going to be a long day.

 

 

Chapter Three

 

When I came back to riding camp the next day, the girl who had screamed “quit screaming!” came over to me.

“Henry’s such a jerk,” she said to me.

“Tell me about it,” I said.

“I’m Bryn,” she said. I smiled.

“Thanks for being the first one to tell me their name. Well, besides Betty.”

Bryn laughed.

“Emily!” she called. The girl who Henry bumped into ran over.

“Hey, aren’t the one who got into the fight with Henry yesterday?” she asked. I shrugged.

“Nicely done!” she said, smiling.

“Huh?” I said. Emily and Bryn started laughing.

“Henry’s a pain,” said Emily. I joined in the laugh too, even though I didn’t know why we were laughing. When I got home I told mom all about it. Mom said she was happy I made friends. But I left out the part with Henry in it because I knew mom would ask all about it, or she would get mad at me for getting into a fight or call Henry’s mom telling her what happened.

Mom told me someone moved in next door. I was so excited! Maybe she would become my best friend! We could send flashlight notes to each other at night. And we could have sleepovers whenever we wanted! Oh. What if it was a boy? My heart dropped. I crossed both of my fingers.

“Mom,” I asked, “is it a girl or a boy?”

“A 13-year-old boy.” I felt like someone had dropped a heavy ball on me.

“And a 12-year-old girl named Jane.”

Yesss!!! I thought.

“They also have a 3-year-old named Taylor.”

“When are they coming?” I asked excitedly.

“Oh look! There they are right now!” she said, while pointing out the window.

“Moooom!” I moaned. “I wanted to greet her when she came!”

“Oh, doesn’t matter! Go!” she said. “I wanted to make her cookies!”

My mom sighed. After we made cookies, I fixed my hair and put on a blue blouse and a white frilly skirt. I walked out of my house to their house they had a porch that had white paint that was peeling off. I rang their doorbell and a big jolly lady opened the door.

“Hello,” she said.

“Hi!” I almost screamed. “I live next door. I came here to give these cookies to your children.” Hey, I know it was cheesy, but I was trying to be friendly!

“Oh, my!” she said.  “That would be lovely!”

Score! I thought. Just the response I was looking for.

“Right this way,” she said. “Jane! Someone’s here to see you!” she yelled.

“Really?” I heard a girl’s voice yell from upstairs. Then I heard footsteps coming from the stairs. Then I saw a girl with brown hair held in a braid on her shoulder.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi, I’m Scarlet. I brought cookies,” I said, feeling kind of stupid wearing my Hello Kitty bag.

Jane’s eyes lightened up when I said cookies. “Cookies!” she repeated. She grabbed my arm and brought me to the kitchen. There I saw a little girl with light brown hair with a butterfly clip in her hair, smashing a toy against the table.

“Taylor, stop smashing your toy against the table!” Jane looked at me. “Little sisters are so annoying,” she said, glaring at Molly. “Oh, and that’s not all. My older brother Henry is such a pain. He just started riding camp.” Just then a boy came out of a room. My jaw dropped. It was Henry.

 

Chapter Four

 

Jane showed me her room with her adorable little sparkle bunny. Sparkle bunnies are bunnies that can jump super-high and sparkle when they are happy. It started shooting sparkles everywhere. My mom said I couldn’t get one because they are too messy. But I love Pip. She’s the perfect pet for me. Okay, well, you didn’t get a good experience of Pip on my first day of camp, but she is a wonder to have around.

Her sparkle bunny was named Fiona and was light brown. Whenever I looked into Fiona’s eyes, she was squinting. Then she would bend down and put her paws on her head like she was trying to scratch her eyes. “Why is she doing that?” I asked after the third time she did it.

“I think there’s something wrong with her eyes,” answered Jane, while planting a kiss on top of Fiona’s head. Fiona looked at me with her sparkling deep-hazel eyes. But when I looked at her, she did it again: squinted and then rubbed her eyes.

But then I noticed another cage next to Fiona’s. Jane must have saw my reaction because she said, “That’s Millie’s cage.” She put her hand on top of the cage.

“You have another bunny?” I asked. She opened the cage and pulled out a white bunny with it’s eyes closed. Fiona jumped on Jane’s shoulder and looked at Millie. Both of them sparkled.

 

Chapter Five

 

Henry came into Jane’s room. “What are you doing with that, crazy girl!” he asked. Jane looked hurt. “What do you mean?” she asked, signaling for him to go away. Then a tiny spike dragon came out behind Henry. Spike dragons are dragons that can protect you by shooting fire spikes from their mouths. They never turn against their masters. They can also fly. They are awesome! But they are also very rare. “You have a spike dragon!” I exclaimed without thinking.

“You mean Rex? Nah, he’s a thorn dragon.”

“Oh,” I said. Thorn dragons can turn invisible. They turn into a thorn when they sleep.

“Anyway, what are you doing here?”

“I live next door,” I said. His face got big.

“What?!” he asked like the world was ending.

“Umm…” I said. “I should go home.”

“Yeah, you should,” said Henry, kind of doing a sideways smirk.

 

Chapter Six

 

The next day at riding camp, I finally got a horse! It was light brown and had a beautiful brown mane. It had strong silver wings. I named it Miracle because it was a miracle that I got such a beautiful horse. Henry had a black horse with a black mane and black wings. It was ugly. He named it Spike. Bryn had a white horse with silver wings and had a beautiful brown mane. She named it Lucky. Emily had a brown horse with a brown mane and big silver wings. She named it Beauty. She was a beauty. The first time I got on Miracle, I felt like I was flying. I felt like Miracle was talking to me. Like she was telling me I was going to be okay. A couple times I got nauseous but when Miracle looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes, I felt like everything was going to be fine.

 

Chapter Seven

 

I didn’t even know we were going to have a competition! But I was totally surprised we had a competition in three days! I mean, who would do that? Just put a competition six days after the camp even started! We practiced what we were going to do in the competition. Betty said we were competing against other riders too. We were going to race. I had to memorize the obstacle course. I thought I thought I was going to win.

When I got home I thought I was home alone because it was so quiet. It is usually very loud. Since I thought I was home alone, I started freaking out.

“Momm!!!” I screamed. “Where are you?!”

“Booo!” someone cried behind me. I felt like I had a heart attack. I turned around and saw…

“Aunt Audrey!” I screamed. I hugged her.

“Hey Scarlet! I’m taking you out for dinner today!”

I squealed.

“With Sydney!”

I stopped freaking out. “Awww…” I said.

“Hi auntie Adwey!” Sydney said. Aunt Audrey took us out to my favorite Japanese restaurant, “Tatany.” I ordered my usual (udong, dumplings, and miso soup). Sydney ordered her usual  (miso soup, and tofu teriyaki).

 

Chapter Eight

 

The day of the competition, I had my riding gear on and we were playing in a stadium. I couldn’t believe we were going to be on TV! My family was here. So was my aunt Audrey, in her “I love NYC” shirt, my uncle Tim, my other aunt Mary, and my uncle Jeremy. I was surprised to see my cousins, Salina, Curtis, Alex, and my baby cousin, Molly.

We took our places in the stadium. I looked at the guy with the gun. I held Miracle’s mane tightly and she looked at me. I looked over at Bryn and she winked at me. I looked at Henry, and for the first time ever, he smiled.

“Ready, set, boom!” went the gun. Everyone went, including Miracle. I think Miracle was startled because she almost tripped when the man shot the gun. We flew up a hill. I passed a rider on a brown horse, then a black horse. I could see Bryn and Emily behind me. Then came the big hill. Miracle tried going up the hill but when a couple horses passed us, Miracle fell down the hill. “Miracle!” I yelled. Then Henry stopped near us. “Wow,” he said. He helped up Miracle.

“Thanks,” I said. I kept going. “Come on, Miracle, we can do this,” I said. Miracle flew up the hill. “Come on,” I said, “We’re almost there. I could see the finish line from here. Miracle went super fast and we saw a black horse that was about to cross the finish line and… zoom! Miracle passed the finish line! After the finish line, Miracle slipped and I fell off Miracle. Everything went pitch black.

 

Chapter Nine

 

I woke up in the hospital. Mom was kneeling next to me. “You won,” she said quietly.

“I won,” I repeated.

“Look,” she said pointing out the window. I looked out the window and saw Miracle! She had a gold medal around her neck. Then I saw Betty holding another medal. Then I saw Henry. I remembered how he stopped to help up Miracle. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. I smiled. It felt good to be a rider. I felt like it was going to be a long, great, awesome summer.

 

The End

Adventures of Emily

“Go outside, Emily. Go outside.”

 

Emily heard the voice in her dream. Emily was a girl that was blonde and had bright blue eyes. Emily went to a regular school, had a regular family, had a regular dog, and had a regular house. “Go outside Emily. Go outside.” Emily was hearing this for the fifth time so she decided to go outside. When she was outside in her yard, she saw a statue that she had never seen before. It looked like a statue of her grandfather that she never met, it told her, “Tomorrow, go to the graveyard at noon…”

 

The Next Day…

 

As the statue told her, she was there at noon. She saw the statue on top of her grandfather’s grave open and she saw a staircase leading downwards. She decided to follow it. It was a very twisty and slippery staircase. Once she reached the bottom, there was a big room covered in moss. She saw a shadow that looked a little bit like a ghost. She saw something glow and she decided to clear away the moss. After a little while, she saw a plaque that said…

 

“The 25th daughter of Quadricles will discover that her power is stronger than the power of Varniduca.”

 

Emily got scared when she saw that, and she thought, Who is Varniduca, and what powers is the plaque talking about, and who was Quadricles? Then she heard that same voice that was in her dream say, “Varniduca is an evil witch, Quadricles was a wizard, you are the 25th daughter and you must discover your powers on your own.”

Who is that? Emily wondered as she looked around, and suddenly she saw a shadow walking towards her.

 

“Hello, I am your grandfather, Anderson. I will help you learn to use your powers.” Then the shadow took off a cloak and Emily saw an elderly man.

 

“You will be able to walk through walls, turn invisible, read people’s minds, see the future, fly, and you will have laserbeam eyes.”

 

I have powers!? thought Emily.

“How did you talk to me in my dream?¨

“I have magical powers.¨

Emily asked, “How come everyone thought you were dead?”

“I hid down here to make a plan.”

He showed her a piece of paper that had a picture of the witch’s house and a bunch of lines and x’s.

“What’s this?” asked Emily.

“This is our plan,” he said, and then he explained that Emily would go inside the witch’s house and hide until the witch fell asleep, and then Emily would get the gems. She would have to get the two gems that control time. She stole the one that controls the sky and the one that controls the sun.

 

The next day…

 

“We have to work on the plan.”

“Why right now?” Emily said.

“Because we have to get ready for the big day.”

After working on the plan for three hours, they were finally ready.

 

The next day…

 

After walking for two hours, they finally made it to the darkest part of the forest where all the evil creatures lived.

“Where’s her house?” asked Emily

“Just a little bit farther forward.”

“Why do we have to hide?”

“Because if she doesn’t know we’re here, we’ll have a better chance of capturing her.”

“What’d she steal?” whispered Emily.

“She stole two of the five jewels that control time in the magical world.”

“Is that her house?” asked Emily pointing to a big purple and black mansion.

“Yes, be very quiet.”

“Is that her?” asked Emily, pointing to a lady looking out the window.

“Yes.”

“Should we go now?” asked Emily.

“Five…four…three…two…now!!”

Emily ran towards the house and knocked the door open.

“WHO DARES TO ENTER MY HOUSE!!” shrieked the witch.

Emily hid behind the bench as the witch started to search. Emily turned invisible and read the witch’s mind.

She was thinking, “Is it Tommy’s cat again?”

Emily thought, “Phew, she doesn’t know I’m here.”

Emily silently walked forward.

Emily went behind the witch.

Emily tripped over the back of the witch’s dress and made a loud sound.

“WHO IS INSIDE MY HOUSE?”

Emily hid behind a closet while the witch put a forcefield around the house so that nobody could get out once they were inside and the power of invisibility didn’t work.

“I seee you,” said the witch.

As the witch started to look for Emily, Emily quickly searched the house for all the hiding spots possible. Emily hid under the witch’s bed and hoped that she wouldn’t look for her there. After searching for three hours, the witch said, “Whoever was in here must have left. They couldn’t have stayed in here without food or water. I will take off the barrier.”

 

After waiting for three hours, Emily heard the witch start to snore. Emily decided to take a chance and come out of her hiding spot. Emily silently tip-toed away from the bed and searched the house for something that might look like a magical gem. After searching every room in the house, she found a pattern of stones on the floor of an empty, very small, dusty room. After thinking for a little while, Emily thought it was a code. She recognized this type of code from books, I have to step on the correct stones for something to happen. Emily also noticed that there were clues for which stone to step on. They were: Blue is the fifth color of the arc of seven colors.

The bright yellow sun is the closest star to the earth. The midnight sky seems far, far away. White is the center of all the colors. Grass is the middle of the sun and the water. The bright color of royalty belongs in second place. The color of ever-lasting fire belongs on the third mark of seven. Emily thought and wrote in her notebook and came up with the answer. Purple, gold, red, white, blue, green, yellow. Emily stepped on the stones in that order, and she found herself inside a huge room. I have to get the stones. But then she thought, What if she catches me? Emily chose to search for the gems. After searching everywhere, she found the gems in a big box. Emily was about to grab the box and run, when the witch said, “I found you.”

“I see you too,” said Emily.

“I know you see me,” the witch said. The witch made a bubble around her and Emily so that they had to move in that small space. Emily made a laser net around the witch and after a little while, the witch gave up and said, “I give up, you can have the gems.” So Emily took the gems and with some help from her grandfather, the forest animals, and the birds, they brought the witch to the magical prison, where she would stay for one hundred years. Emily also returned the gems to their spots in the magical rainbow castle where they belonged, and everything was normal again.

 

The End

Route 66

Chapter One

 

My headphones were in while I stepped out of the car. I flipped my hair, then put my black sunglasses on. I didn’t realize how sunny it was here. I grabbed my suitcase and rolled it inside the hotel. I heard my mom calling my name in the distance, but I ignored it. I was too into my music to turn around and talk to her. I was listening to Calvin Harris, his new single, “Outside” feat. Ellie Goulding. I walked into the hotel and waited in the lobby for my mom. I sat down and took out my headphones. My mom came in carrying a bunch of my bags. I wanted to help her, but the hotel guy seemed to have it under control. When she came over she put down the bags and got a cart.

“You know, Hallie, it wouldn’t hurt if you helped a little,” she said to me.

I stood up and started helping her. If you don’t understand what’s going on right now, I’ll tell you.

Me and my family lived in Nashville for 16 years, but my parents got divorced last month, so my dad stayed in Nashville with my older sister, Emily, who is 18, and me and my mom packed our bags and moved to Los Angeles, California. I didn’t choose to move, it actually wasn’t my choice at all. I didn’t have a say in it. I didn’t mind leaving my dad, he was always kind of mean to me and my mom. He hit me sometimes. It was Emily that I had trouble leaving. She was not only my sister, but she was my best friend. We did everything together and we told each other all of our secrets. We had a really hard time saying goodbye. But enough about that, it’s going to make me cry. My name is Hallie. I’m 16 years old and I love producing music. My hobby’s are making music and DJing. when I left Nashville I brought all my equipment with me, oh, and my cat, Dibbles. Dibbles and Emily were the only things I really had in Nashville, I didn’t have a lot of friends, I was very independent. I spent most of my time locked in my room making Music. So in a way moving to LA wouldn’t be such a bad thing, new friends, a new start. It would also be a good break from everything. I love Emily, but she was such a goody-two-shoes. That’s why my dad never hit her, because she was perfect. Every little thing about her. I have light brown hair with blonde highlights, it’s up to my shoulders, I have side bangs, they don’t really show, but it’s okay. I like it.

 

Me and my mom went up the elevator to our room, we would be staying here a while until we can afford a real place. When we got to our room, I started unpacking. My mom came up to me, “Hey, sweetie, I know this is tough for you but I’m really proud of you for pulling through.”

“No problem mom, anything for you.” I said.

“Oh, sweetie, you’re the best.”

I smiled and put Dibbles on the floor so he could stretch. I put my clothes into drawers and put my DJ equipment on my bed. I went into the bathroom to check on my mom, and she was fixing her hair.

“Sweetie, remember tomorrow is your first day of Brookstone,” she said to me. Brookstone was the new school I would be going to. I nodded and hugged my mom. She really was the best.

“I love you, mom” I said.

“Aw, sweetie, I love you too. So, so, much.”

 

My mom was my hero. She was always there for me. I loved her so much, when I was younger we had our occasional fights, but they usually only lasted for five minutes, then we would hug it out and say we loved each other, we don’t have a bad relationship, and we don’t have a perfect one either, we have one that would last through the good and the bad times, and I loved that about us. Her name is Julia, she’s 38-years-old, I know, pretty young, her and my dad had kids early.

 

Chapter Two

 

The next morning I had to wake up at 6:50 a.m., because Brookstone was very far from the hotel. My mom wasn’t up yet so I decided I would surprise her with some breakfast in bed, she was going through a really hard month and I knew she was stressed out, so I went into the lobby in my PJs with Dibbles in my arm. I went inside the coffee shop and bought two Caramel Lattes (her favorite) and two Scones (also her favorite). I saw people staring at me- they thought I was some kind of freak because I was in Pajamas and holding a cat in my arms. I didn’t care, though, I was used to it. In Nashville people would make fun of me all the time for the way I looked. You should’ve seen me, I looked like a freak, seriously though, when I was 12 I dyed my hair pink and chopped most of it off. I know. Freak.

I went back to the room and woke my mom up, it was now 7:15. She woke up and smiled when she saw the Caramel Lattes, I told you those were her favorites. My mom is very pretty, she has dark curly brown hair that goes all the way to her ribcage. She sat up and grabbed the Latte out of my hand. We both laughed. I put Dibbles on her lap and grabbed clothes from the drawer, I changed into my outfit. I was wearing a plain white crop top and long black overalls, my signature black sunglasses, and my beige suede wedges. I walked out of the bathroom. My mom saw me and was paralyzed.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“Not at all, you just look so beautiful,” she answered. I smiled at her. I checked my phone, it was now 7:27, I had 3 minutes before I had to go. I grabbed my backpack and hugged Dibbles goodbye, I didn’t want to leave her. I haven’t left her alone in 3 months.

“Don’t give mama so much trouble, be good, Dibbs.” I kissed her forehead. then I hugged my mom so tight I could hear her heart beating.

“I’m gonna miss you, mama” I said.

“Oh, honey, I’m gonna miss you too. But trust me, you are going to kick Brookstone’s butt.”

I laughed. I let go of her and took a deep breath. I stood up from the bed and said goodbye one last time, then I walked out the door, (not) ready to start a new school.

 

Chapter Three

 

I needed to take the bus to school. It was a 30 minute ride. School started at 8:30. and it was 7:38 now. I put my headphones in and walked to the bus stop. While walking, I looked around noticing everybody, they all looked so different then the people from Nashville, they went from cowboy boots to five-inch-high heels, from old-fashioned jeeps to bright red Maseratis, big country hats to bandanas, leather backpacks to leather jackets. I started missing Emily, so I called her. The phone rang and rang. No reply. Dang, Em. I left a message.

 

“Hey, Em, it’s Hallie, just wanted to say I miss you. You’re probably at school right now, I’m on my way to Brookstone now. I really don’t know how I’m going to survive without you.”

 

I started tearing up. No. No. Not now. No. But it was too late, by the time I reached the bus stop I was sobbing.

 

“Well, now I’m crying. I love you, Em. please call me soon. Bye.”

 

I hung up and wiped the tears from my face. It was 7:49. The bus came at around 7:51.

 

On the bus I sat alone. Everyone was playing on their phones, or throwing spit balls at one another, I was sitting by the window in silence, I wasn’t in the mood for anything. I felt so different, I was actually, for the first time in my life, nervous about something. This was not me. I did not get nervous. I was tough. Wasn’t I? Well, apparently not.

 

I got off the bus at 8:27, 3 minutes early. When I got off the bus I was completely starstruck. The school was 10 times bigger than the one I went to in Nashville. My heart began racing. I wasn’t ready for this. This wasn’t me. I’m not a california girl. I’m a nashville girl with a heck of an accent. Would people make fun of me? Would they think I’m weird? god, I still own my cowgirl boots from 5th grade. Snap out of it, Hallie. you don’t get scared, you don’t get nervous. You are strong. But the truth was, I wasn’t at all.

I walked inside the school, and there were people everywhere. I basically fell over. I didn’t know where I was going. I wanted to ask, but everyone seemed busy doing their own thing. This is so weird, I thought, I mean, it’s January 25th, and I’m starting school. It’s the middle of the year. What the heck am I doing here? I reached the principal’s office at around 8:34, and knocked on the door.

“Come in!” he said.

“Hi, I’m Hallie Steinfeld, I’m enrolling here.”

“Hallie! so nice to meet you! Please, take a seat,” he said to me.

I sat down and took my sunglasses off. The principal started talking to me about a bunch of school stuff, but I wasn’t paying attention. Behind the principal was a big glass window where I could see everything going on. It was a regular school, I guess. It had all the labels, the jocks, the nerds, the popular click, the rockers, the goths, and the loners. That was me. When the principal finished talking he stood me up and took me to my first class. English. I walked in and took a deep breath. I was ready. The teacher introduced me to everybody and then gave me a seat. Right in the middle.

“This is it, Hallie” I thought. “This is it.”

 

Chapter Four

 

English was interesting. but mostly the same as my old school. I guess it was better. I saw some boys staring at me, that was a good sign. Hopefully. Classes went by pretty quickly. I found my locker, I was next to a jock and a popular girl which kind of sucked because they were just talking really loudly about this sick party that I wasn’t invited to. But it was okay because I didn’t expect to be invited to anything yet. I had five minutes left of Math before I went to lunch. I was actually pretty excited to meet new people. Too excited. I dropped my text book and it made a huge bang on the ground. Dang it. Everyone stared at me, and I even heard some laughs from the people in the back row. I leaned down to go pick it up, but somebody got it before I had the chance. I looked up. right there was the most beautiful boy I have ever seen in my whole life. He had green eyes and blonde hair. He was obviously a jock because he was wearing a varsity jacket that said “BROOK 4 LYFEEEEEEE.” Then I realized who he was, he was the jock next to my locker, he was the one, he was- ring.

I snapped out of my daydream, I guess I just spent five minutes looking into the eyes of that handsome hunk. And… and… he stared back! When I got to my locker to put my stuff away, I felt someone tap my shoulder. It wasn’t my- I mean- the handsome hunk, it was lady hands. I shut my locker and turned around. right there was “the” clique, the one that every single school has. the popular ones, the pretty ones, the only ones that everyone looks up to.

“Hi, is it.. Bayley?” the blonde one said.

“Hallie,” I replied.

“Whatever your name is, you better stay away from Jared,” she said with sass.

I was confused. who was Jared? Wait a minute, the blonde, she was in my math class, Jared must be… the handsome hunk. Even his name is hunky …

“Listen, blonde, you can’t control me. You might be physically flawless, but it doesn’t mean I like you.” What. Was. That. I’m such an idiot. The clique walked away laughing at me. I leaned back on my locker and sighed. Then somebody came over next to me.

“Hey,” the voice said, “I’m Jared”

Ah Oh my God what is life. I acted cool.

“Hi, I’m Hallie,” I replied. I turned around to face him. He was sooo tall. He must have been 6’4.

“Can I take you to lunch?” he asked.

Ahhh, I’m going to die in this dream.

“You may.” I replied, acting casual. We started walking. Then he looked at me and said, “Your hand looks heavy, let me hold it for you.” Then he grabbed my hand.

I seriously almost passed out. I laughed a little. Oh my god Hallie, what was that? But it was okay because he smiled.

“so, what do you like to do?” he asked me.

“I produce music.” I said.

“No way! My dad works for a record label!” he said.

“Awesome.” I replied. I started to get used to this. I wasn’t shy anymore. We were laughing in the lunch line talking about our lives. I pulled out my phone and showed him Dibbles. That was a big hit. He loved cats! Yay! I feel like I could tell him anything: I told him about my parents and how they got divorced, about how I live in a hotel with my mom, how I have a sister, and how I lived in Nashville. Everything. Now I know we’ve only known each other for a day. But I felt like I’ve known him all my life. It was so easy to talk to him. The words flew right out of my mouth, and the best part was, he didn’t think of me any differently knowing about my past.

“Hey, Hallie, I’m having this party tomorrow at my house, do you wanna come?” he asked.

“I would love to!” I replied. I was so happy. I knew I was going to like this school. but it gets better.

“Hallie, do you mind if I have your number?”

I was done. Completely done. What is this I can’t even. I gave him my number and he texted me right away. I’m pretty sure I passed out.

 

Chapter Five

 

When I got out of school that day I was so happy I skipped all the way home. When I got to the room, my mom wasn’t there, but had left a note.

 

Hallie,

I will not be home until late tonight. I am going on a job hunt. Be safe and take care of Dibbles. Text me if you need anything. Love you.

 

Mama <3

 

I smiled and jumped on to my bed. Dibbles was sleeping. I opened my phone. 3 messages.

 

Emily-

Hi, Hallie, I’m sorry I missed your message. I love you so much and I know you’ll get through this. You are so strong and brave. I miss you too but I know that you are going to do just fine in LA. Always text me, Hall. <3

 

I replied:

 

Thx so much Em, you’re the best, I met someone today and I think I really like him. 🙂

 

There were 2 more messages.

 

555-2424

hey, hall. it’s Jared  😉

 

hehe… he called me Hall…

hey Jared, I had a lot of fun getting 2 know you today  😉

 

I sent it. Ah!!! Be calm, Hallie, be calm.

 

Dad-

hey, sweetie. how’s LA?

 

I didn’t feel like talking to him. so I just deleted the text.

Then I got 2 more messages.

 

Emily-

already?? omg, girl. you cray-cray.

 

I laughed.

 

Jared-

me 2. so r u going 2 the party? it starts at 8:00.

 

Duh! Of course I was going!

 

i’ll be there.

 

Jared-

great, I will pick u up at 6:50

P.S

i think ur really pretty and cool. just wanted u 2 know.

 

Oh my god! This is unreal.

 

thx. you’re also really cool. and really handsome….

 

Uh oh. I think that was too much. Oh, well!

 

Jared-

lol thanks. ur the best. ik we just met. but I think ur the most beautiful girl in the world.

 

I’m dead. R.i.p me. I died. Dead.

 

omg thanks you’re so sweet.

 

Jared-

maybe we could get dinner together sometime?

 

Ahhh! I stayed calm. Pf, No I didn’t!

 

I WOULD LOVE THAT <3

 

Ahhh!

 

Chapter Six

 

The next day went by fast. Jared and I talked a lot at our lockers. He was my first friend at this school, and I think I really liked him. I didn’t have any other friends. I mean, there were these two girls that I talked to sometimes in Social Studies, Gabby and Mia. But they weren’t really like me. They weren’t mean or anything, they just weren’t relatable to me. After school I ran into them, and they asked me if they could come over to my house. Okay, so I didn’t tell them that I lived in a hotel. They couldn’t be expecting a mansion. I said yes and they cheered the “EEK!” cheer. They linked my arms and we walked home together.

 

“So, Hallie, what do you like?” Gabby asked.

I could tell she was the chatty one. Mia was like her sidekick.

“Well, I like cats” I said.

“NO WAY! My uncle has a cat!” Gabby said.

“Wow!” I said sarcastically, I told you I was more independent, I didn’t like talking! When we got to the hotel they looked shocked. I just ignored them because I don’t even care if someone makes fun of me. This was my life, I couldn’t change it. They looked disappointed, so I turned and looked at them. “You think I want my life to be like this? You think I chose this path? Wow. You guys are super selfish to think that everyone just has a perfect life. Because not everyone lives in a huge mansion like you guys.”

I was going to keep talking but Gabby’s nails were so long they were sticking into my skin.

“Are you going to Jared’s party tonight?” She completely ignored what I’d just said. Wow.  I nodded.

“Maybe we could get manicures together!!!” Gabby screamed.

Done. I was done. I just can’t.

“Yeah, but, um… listen… I… can’t because I need to… um….. visit my uncle! At the… police… station.” That was the worst lie in the world.

“Oh, okay! We’ll see you at the party!” Gabby said.

God, she was so cheery! I opened the door to the room. I didn’t see my mom.

“mom? mom?” I saw Dibbles hiding in the corner.

“Dibbs, where’s mama?” He started shivering. Huh. Then I heard something. it was coming from the bathroom. I opened the door, and there was my mom. Lying on the floor, sweating, most of her hair chopped off, wearing dad’s old shirt.

 

Chapter Seven

 

I started freaking out. I started sobbing. I grabbed the phone and called 911. It was ringing.

“Hello, this is Hallie Steinfeld. I just came home from school and my mom is lying on the floor sweating and looks like she passed out. I really need an ambulance.”

“Okay. We’ll be right there, what is your address?” the policeman said.

I told him everything he needed to know. I was freaking out. I went to the bathroom and leaned down near my mom.

“Mom. mom, answer me mom. I know you’re there mom. mom, please.” I starting crying like crazy. The ambulance came 10 minutes later. They rang the door and I answered. They ran into the bathroom and took my mom on the stretcher. They carried her away and I followed. In the car, they were feeling her heartbeat and saying a bunch of medical stuff. I pulled out my phone to call Emily.

 

Ring. Ring.

 

She answered.

 

“Hi, Hall! What’s up?

 

“It’s mom, she passed out today and I found her in the bathroom. She was sweating and most of her hair was chopped off. She was wearing dad’s shirt. I called the ambulance and we are in the car right now. God, Em. I’m freaking out.”

 

Tears kept running down my face. I couldn’t survive without my mom. She was my hero. What would I do without her?

 

“Oh my god, Hall. I’m so sorry.”

 

“I don’t know what to do, Em.”

 

“She’s going to be fine Hallie, she is strong and she will pull through.”

 

“I don’t even know what happened, or how it happened.”

 

“You never know, but she’ll be fine, Hall. I really wanna be there for you but I’m in the middle of finals. I’m so sorry.”

 

“It’s fine. I guess I just really needed my older sister to come here and tell me everything’s alright instead of hearing her voice on a freakin’ phone.”

 

“Hall, don’t be like that.”

 

“No, Emily. When I need you the most, you aren’t there. Silly of me to even think that you would fly to LA to see your mom who might die. because we both know that you don’t even care.”

 

“HALLIE!”

 

I hung up the phone, then the tears came out, they came out and never stopped. I knew my life sucked, but I thought my sister didn’t. We used to be best friends. Now we felt like strangers.

 

Chapter Eight

 

I was in the hospital waiting room for about three hours. They wouldn’t tell me anything. I just kept pacing back and fourth. I texted Jared.

 

jared im so sorry I have to miss your party. family emergency, im at the hospital r n. long story, I am so sorry I really wish I could be there but I just cant.

 

I sent it, and leaned my head back against the wall. Why did this have to happen? Why does my life have to suck, why is my family a freak show? Why is my “sort of” boyfriend popular, why did I have to move, why did my parents get divorced. Why did my dad hit me? Why isn’t Emily here. Why? Why? Why?

 

Jared-

party cancelled. coming 4 u, hall. ill be there in 10.

 

No, he was not really coming. He did not just cancel his party to see me. A girl that he’s known for 2 days. I couldn’t believe it. I never thought I would say this, but I was in the hospital, with my mom who was passed out, not knowing if I could be happy again, and a guy that I’ve known for 2 days, who is hot, and popular, made me … smile. Made me smile at one of the hardest times in my life. He was the one that brought me up when I was down, and to think … that used to be Emily. But now, it’s him. It’s him.

 

Jared did come. He ran in and threw his arms around me, I hugged him so tight that I could feel his manly arms come out of his shirt. He sat me down and held my hand. He made me so happy. The doctor came in about 15 minutes after.

“Hallie?” he called.

I stood up with Jared, whose hands were in mine.

 

I saw my mom in the hospital bed. She looked horrible. So sick and red. I started crying again.

“So what happened?” I asked holding my tears back.

“Well, it’s hard to tell, we found her on the ground holding scissors in her hands, so it must’ve been suicide, and that also explains the cut hair. Suicidal thoughts happen all the time. Apparently she’s had a mental disorder since she was 34, but nobody knew so it couldn’t be treated. She’s also suffered from very serious depression. She is going to have to stay here for a while if she wants a chance to survive, I am very sorry to say this, Hallie, but it is a very easy situation for her to die.”

When those words came out of the doctor’s mouth I stopped breathing. I stopped moving. The earth stopped spinning, everything just stopped, well, at least for me. I ran out of the room. I heard Jared call my name but I ignored him, I was so depressed. I am nothing. Literally, nothing. Silly of me to think there was such a thing as happily ever after.

 

Chapter Nine

 

The next week went by so slow. I was spending it in the hotel with Dibbles. I know I was supposed to go to school, but I couldn’t, it was to hard for me. I texted Jared for most of the day, and called the hospital to check in. I wasn’t allowed to stay at the hospital because they were doing surgery. I got a text from Jared.

 

Still on for tonight? xoxo

 

Oh my god, I totally forgot, I had a date with Jared tonight. I had to go, I needed to get my mind off of mom.

 

of course. pick me up at 7? xoxo.

 

I changed. I was wearing my white crop top with a high-waisted plaid skirt, I wore my old-fashioned high heels and my black purse to match. I wore my mom’s gold necklace for good luck. Then the door rang. I opened it.

“Wow,” he said, “You look amazing.” I blushed.

“Thank you. and you as well,” I replied.

He took my hand and we walked to his car. He had a big,black van, you know, the one’s that rich people with drivers have. It was amazing.

“Wow,” I said. He laughed and opened the door for me. What a gentleman. We drove to a sushi place near his house. It was so fancy. We sat at a booth in the back, and it was so nice. We started talking about his life and what he does and his family. I found out his mom had died. When he was three, she got into a car accident. He had a sister named Gigi, who was 18. He had such an interesting life. We got our sushi 30 minutes later; I got an avocado roll and he got a california roll. We laughed so much that night. When we were done I leaned my head against him. He smiled.

“I really like you, Hall. I know we just met but I think you’re the one for me.”

I smiled and stood up.

“Me too.”

He leaned in, I leaned in, and the next thing you know we were kissing, and I never felt so happy.

 

It was 1:00 when I got home. But I didn’t even try to fall asleep, I just texted Jared all night.

 

tonight was amazing. thx for the sushi. <3

 

No problem, hall. 😉

 

What is this, some kind of sick joke?

 

so are we dating now? <3 I sent.

Was that too much? Nahhhh, it’s okay.

 

I felt mean, I know I should’ve been paying all of my attention to mom, but I couldn’t help it. He was the only one that made me happy and I needed to be happy more than anything right now.

 

if thats okay with you…. <3

 

Ahhh! We’re dating. Ahhh!

it’s totally okay with me. ily.. <3

 

Before he could respond I got a call. It was from the hospital. I answered it. The words they said on the phone call were the two words I would never forget.

She. Died.

 

Chapter Ten

 

How could they do that? Just say it like that. “She died” not even a “She passed away, i’m so sorry” type of thing. I was over it. Over life, over everything. I didn’t care anymore, all I had left was a crappy hotel room, and my cat that sounded like a rooster. I was completely done. So I went away, I packed my bags and started the car. I drove through the city with the roof down and my hair blowing in the wind, I didn’t tell anyone, not even Jared. I just abandoned my life because it was pointless. My phone kept buzzing with texts from Emily, dad, and Jared. But I ignored them. They weren’t important anymore, nothing was.

I drove all the way to, you guessed it,

Route 66.

 

THE END

 

Conclusion

 

When I went to Route 66 I found a small shack near the water. I ended up telling Jared where I was, and being the gentlemen he was, he came to get me. I wouldn’t go, though. I didn’t want to live in that sick town. So he bought me a house, about 15 acres across from his house. He visited once in a while, but me, I lived with Dibbles for five years, until one day Jared came over and bent down on one knee, and you know where this is going. We got married and lived, I guess you could say, happily ever after.

Emily and dad came to the wedding, and me and Emily were friends again. Not as close as we were before, but we were sisters, and some things would never change between us. But dad was gone. He wasn’t dead, but I never talked to him again. It was so wrong it almost felt right. So Jared, Dibbles and I, along with our one kid, Julia, yep, named after my mom, ended up living on Route 66.

 

The Night Before School in Texas

Once there was a family, the McKnight family. They moved from Utah to Texas during the summer. Here are the people in the family. Mindy is the mom of the family who has her own youtube channel called The Mom’s View. Shawn is the cameraman for the youtube channel. He’s also the Daddy’o. Brooklyn is the popular girl, was head of the cheerleading squad(in Utah), who makes friends very easily and is super nice. She is 14 years old. Bailey is Brooklyn’s identical twin who is 2 minutes younger and is super shy and funny. Obviously, you know how old she is. Tyler is very cute and is going into his sophomore year. He is 15. Kayla is the little daredevil of the family and is going into 4th grade. She is 9. And Riley is a very quiet soon-to-be-kindergartener, age 5.

So here’s the story. They were all eating dinner at the dinner table and talking about the first day of school tomorrow.

“Is everybody ready for their first day of school tomorrow?” said Mindy.

“I am!” said Brooklyn. “I’m ready for new friends and I hope to be the head of the cheerleading squad at Presner School.”

“I’m not,” said Bailey, looking annoyed and folding her arms.

“Why?” said Riley with her quiet, tiny, five-year-old voice.

“Because I’m not going to make any friends and I’m going to be a solid-D student and have the worst time ever!”

“I bet you’re not!” said Kayla.

“Bailey isn’t that nice that Kayla thinks you’re gonna have the best day tomorrow as a freshman.”said Mom

“I care,” said Riley”.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I do too?” Tyler said, obviously confused.

“But, I care the most,” said Brooklyn.

“No you don’t!” said Bailey. “You always take all the attention away, you entered to be class president because you knew that you would get more votes. When I’m trying to make a friend you takeover, YOU RUIN MY LIFE! I’m done with dinner, Mom.”

“Me too,” said Brooklyn.

Brooklyn went up to her room and saw that Bailey was on the right side of the bed. So Brooklyn was about to get on the left side of the bed when Bailey flipped over on the left side.”I think you’re having trouble getting comfortable,” Brooklyn said .

“Yeah, Well it’s kinda hard to sleep when there’s a knife in your back,” Bailey said. She used her body to try and cover the entire bed so Brooklyn didn’t have any room.

“I think I’ll just sleep on this chair,” Brooklyn said as she sat on the armchair next to the AC.

”But if I get up to get a glass of water, you’ll steal the bed! LIKE YOU STEAL EVERYTHING ELSE!” Bailey said.

“Bailey I didn’t know I was hurting your feelings, and I am so sorry,” Brooklyn said.

“I thought you were my friend,” Bailey said.

“I AM your friend!” said Brooklyn.

“Well, I hate to see what you do to your enemies!” Bailey said.

“I don’t have any enemies!” Brooklyn said.

“You do now,” Bailey said.

“Ladies, ladies,” said a voice. It was Lucas. Lucas had a  crush on both Brooklyn and Bailey but, Brooklyn and Bailey didn’t have a crush on him.

“How long have you been here?” Brooklyn said.

“The whole time,” Lucas said. “I hate to see you two fighting! I want my future first and second wives to get along,” Lucas said.

“Get out!” both girls said.

 

September 4 ,2015 10:20

 

I’m trying to fall asleep but I can’t!

 

XO,Bailey

 

So Bailey hopped out of bed, went down the hall and to the left, into Riley’s room. She slowly opened the door and pinched Riley to wake her up.

“AH!” Riley said. “What are you doing here?”

“Riley, I’m nervous about my first day of school tomorrow. Do you have any advice for me?”

“I’m only five! Go to sleep!” Riley said as she got under the covers, hiding her entire body.

“Fail number one,” Bailey said as she closed the door slowly and headed into Kayla’s room. Bailey opened the door slowly and pinched Kayla to wake her up, same as she did to wake up Riley.

“Hey!” Kayla said. “Shouldn’t you be in bed? With Brooklyn?”

“I need some advice for school tomorrow because I’m nervous. Do you think you know anything about a freshman year?”

“I’m nine, I’m not an idiot,” Kayla said.

“I never said you were nine, or an idiot,” Bailey said.

“Just go to sleep,” Kayla said.

“Fail number two,” Bailey said. She closed Kayla’s door slowly and headed in Tyler’s room, thinking that he wouldn’t be such a big help. But she went in Tyler’s room anyways. She pinched Tyler to wake him up.

“Huh what huh?” Tyler said. “You’re so annoying ,” Tyler said. “Why can’t you just chill out for one minute? You’re exhausting,” Tyler said. He pulled the covers over his head and went back to sleep. Bailey didn’t even say Fail number three, because that was barely a try. So Bailey went into her parents’ room and opened the door. They were watching Odd Mom Out in their bed.

“Mom? Dad?”

“What are you doing awake?” Mom said.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed with Brooklyn?” Dad said.

“I can’t sleep. I’m nervous about my first day of school tomorrow!”

“You have nothing to worry about!” Mom said.

“You’re going to be just fine,” Dad said. Just then, the three of them heard footsteps. It was Brooklyn.

“Mom, I need my nighttime pills. I forgot I left them in your bathroom.”

“You didn’t take your nighttime pills tonight?” Mom said.

“No, I didn’t,” Brooklyn said. “And Bailey, what are you doing awake?”

“I feel like you guys should have a little talk,” Dad said.

“About what?” Bailey said.

“You know what, honey,” said Mom. “

Fine,” Bailey said.

“Brooklyn, you get your nighttime pills. Bailey, hop into bed,” Mom said.

“I’ll be waiting,” Bailey said to Brooklyn.

When Brooklyn came into the room, she said, “I don’t know what’s up with you, usually at the dinner table you’re telling jokes or listening to stories others are telling.”

“I’m just nervous I’m not gonna make any friends, I’m gonna get bad grades and I’m gonna be lonely and scared. I’m gonna have no one to hang out with.”

“You can hang out with me!” Brooklyn said.

“Wouldn’t you rather hang out with your friends that you’re gonna make at school?” Bailey said.

“The only reason I make friends easily is because those people are nice to me. I don’t know if the people in the new school will like me,” Brooklyn said.

“The truth is, I’m kind of a little shy. Not that many people like me.”

“But how did you get to be so popular? And how did you get to make so many friends at our old school?” Bailey said.

“The only reason I got so popular was because I was head of the cheerleading squad, and I was class president last year. The only reason I had so many friends is because a lot of people liked me.”

“Oh” Bailey said.

“I’m sorry about our fight earlier. I shouldn’t have told you that you ruined my life. Cause you really didn’t. Now I understand. I’m sorry for taking all the attention away,” Brooklyn said.

“You didn’t,” Bailey said. “I was just jealous.” They hugged each other.

“Let’s rest up for our big day tomorrow,” Brooklyn said.

“I’ll be right there,” Bailey said. “There’s just something I have to do.”

 

September 4, 2015 10:35 PM

 

Dear Diary,

 

Everything worked out just fine. Everythings ok, for now…

 

XO, Bailey