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.

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

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!

“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?

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.

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

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.

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 !                                                

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.

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.

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    

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:

“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.

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.

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

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…)

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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~

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

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

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.”

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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   

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 to ‘cover 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.

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.

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