| Mini Sagas

The Griffen Family

By Cameron, 13, Sarasota, FL, USA

'Jason hurry, you're going to miss the bus!' shouted Mary.
'But mom, I haven't finished my cereal yet.'
'I don't care. I'm not driving you to school. I have to go shopping.' At that moment the bus screeched to a halt outside and the doors opened. ' RUN JASON RUN!!!' Jason runs towards the door, grabbed his backpack, and ran for the bus. But the bus took off, leaving Jason in the dust. Jason kept running while he got a rope out from his backpack. He got close enough to the bus that he tossed the rope up on the roof of the bus. The rope tied around the emergency exit door in the roof. Jason pulled himself to the roof. He almost fell of when the bus hit a bump. He opened the emergency exit door and jumped in the bus. He landed in his assigned seat next to his friend Tim. 'What's up dude', said Jason. ' Nothing too much. How about you?' 'I'm just having a normal day.'
Back at the Griffin's house the phone rings so Mary picks up. In the living room Joe is sitting on the couch eating potato chips watching the news. 'Reports of UFO sightings have been issued throughout the Reno area', said the news anchor.
' Honey,' shouted Joe, 'Do we live in throughout the Reno area?'
' Yes Joe,' replied Mary.
'Ok' WAIT, I mean AHHHH! Aliens are going to attack!' shouted Joe.
'Joe, don't get your blood pressure high over a hoax.'
'But the man on the T.V said there's alien sightings.'
'Joe, don't get worried about it,' pleaded Mary.
'Ok'
'O yeah, Jason just called from school. He forgot his science fair project. He said his teacher, Mr. Burns is running late so if you hurry you could beat him there', said Mary. Just then a brown broken down mini van drove by the Griffen's house. It was Mr. Burns.
Joe ran to his plow truck and sped out of the driveway. Mr. Burns got stopped at a red light while Joe was barreling towards him. Mr. Burns was listening to his favorite song, 'Hit Me Baby One More Time,' and was singing loudly. He sang,' Hit Me Baby One More Time.' BOOM!! Joe plowed right into Mr. Burn's van without stopping. It was totaled. Joe's truck didn't get damaged because he had a giant plow attached to the front. Joe sped off toward the school. He pulled into the parking lot and met Jason outside.
'Here's your science project,' said Joe.
'Thanks dad,' replied Jason.
'No problem' Oh and I took out your teachers van so he probably won't be in school today.'
Meanwhile, Mary is getting to go to the store. She gets in her SUV and drives off. When she walks in the store she sees a giant stand where a man is stocking copies of a new video game. She goes over to get a better look.
'Aggravated Assault? This game is very violent. I can't let this game get out.' When the store worker leaves for a bathroom break Mary takes the cart of video games and runs toward the door. Outside the video game truck is unlocked with the keys inside. Mary loads up the truck and speeds off. She drives toward a local dump and dumps all the video games in a dumpster. Mary drives back to the store and parks the truck right where it was parked before. She jumps out of the truck and gets in her car. She speeds off, heading for home.
When Mary gets home, Joe is watching the news.
'Aliens have now invaded Reno. They have taken control of the dead, turning them into zombies. Their space ship is hovering over the playground at Reno Elementary School. I'm Brian Fink saying we're all going to die. Goodbye,' said the anchorman. ' Oh my god! Jason is still at school!' shouted Joe. Just then Jason opened the door and slammed it shut behind him.
'ALIENS!!!' he shouted.
'Everything's going to be alright,' said Mary.
'Yeah right,' said Jason, 'Those aliens are going to eat us!'
'Wait a minute,' said Joe, 'I read this comic once and aliens were attacking the city and they were powerless if even the tiniest drop of toxic waste got on them. I know what I have to do.'
'Please, Joe, don't go out there,' pleaded Mary.
'I have to do what has to be done,' Joe said.
Joe headed out for the power plant in his plow truck. Getting toxic waste would be easy because he worked at the power plant. When he got there he ran to his bosses office. He opened the door but couldn't see anything because the lights were off. Then he heard, 'Who's there,' coming from under his boss's desk. The voice sounded scared. Then he saw a figure crawl out from under the desk. Joe flipped the light switch on. He saw in front of him Mr. Whitney, his boss.
'Are the aliens gone,' said Mr. Whitney.
'No. That's why I came here. I need a barrel of toxic waste to defeat the aliens sir,' said Joe.
'Take whatever you need, just get those aliens out of our city.'
'I'll do the best I can sir,' stated Joe.
Joe backed his truck up to the power plant and loaded it up with a barrel of toxic waste. He sped off, heading for the school. Joe could see the school up ahead. There were zombies barricading the road to the school. Joe stopped a mile away from the school.
'OH NO!! How am I going to get past those zombies? It's nearly impossible to make it through alive. About twenty minutes later: 'Oh yeah, that's right. I have a giant plow on the front of my truck.' Joe punched the accelerator, hitting the zombies. Joe finally got through to the playground where the alien ship was. Joe got out of his truck and picked up a squirt gun and a rock off the ground. Joe through the rock at the space ship window. The window broke. Then Joe carefully loaded the squirt gun with toxic waste. He pumped the gun at maximum power and blasted 2 gallons of waste in the space ship. All the aliens on board died. The space ship dove like a Frisbee into a nearby lake. Splash!! The space ship was destroyed and Joe was relieved.
'Grave diggers are getting more work than usual as they bury the five-hundred bodies that were once zombies. And our top story tonight: Joe Griffen saved the day yesterday by defeating the alien invaders. He was awarded a gold medal for being a very brave man. Well that's all the news we have for you tonight. I'm Brian Fink saying, goodnight.

(March 2007)

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Where am I?

By Nicole, 12, Sarasota, Florida, USA

"Hey what's that?' I asked my best friend Lola.
'I think it's some kind of watch,' Lola answered. We were in Mrs. Jenkins fifth grade classroom at Lakeview Elementary School. Lola and I had been in the same class every year since second grade. We had been best friends ever since we were seven years old. We did everything together. We went on vacations together; we went to the same school, and one of my personal favorites: we shoped together. We knew each other's strengths and weaknesses. We were practically sisters. We even looked alike. We both had long flowing blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes, and an almost perfect complexion. We did have some flaws though so don't get any idea that we were perfect.
Anyway, back to that watch. It definitely was a watch but it looked like anything but ordinary. The sides were coated in gold and the inside of the watch had a silvery colored back round. I don't know what it was about that watch but it seemed special. I didn't know what to do with it so I kicked it across the dirt-covered floor of the school.
'Hey, don't do that. Someone could have a strange emotional attachment to that,' Lola muttered.
'Roxy and Lola, please stop talking. There are other students trying to work here,' Mrs. Jenkins announced. I was so sick of teachers telling me to stop talking because other students are working. Teachers think that other students are working, but they aren't really working they're talking. All I did was look at a watch and she yells at me.
I stared hard at the watch and instead of times there were four digit numbers. I'd never seen a watch like that before. Maybe it's military time.
My other best friend Max interrupted my thoughts and rambled,
'Stop looking at that stupid watch; Roxy!'
'It's not a stupid watch. I found it and I'm using it,' I declared. Before I was interrupted again, I needed to set the time. It was three thirty five, so I guess I would set it to 3035. I had to I hit the SET button. Everything is started to become blurry and I couldn't hear anyone. Maybe it was something I had eaten. I started to feel a little dizzy and the room started to spin.
'Hello,' I still couldn't hear anyone. My palms were sweating and my heart was pounding. Where was everyone?
'Hello, is anyone there?' I shrieked. This couldn't be happening! My eyes shut and I couldn't open them. It was like I was being sucked into in a black hole. Some outside force was making me extremely tired and I started to fall asleep.
'Wake up, wake up little girl,' an unfamiliar voice whispered to me.
'Where am I? Who are you?' I asked tall brunette at the door. Everything in the room was electronic. It was the size of a bedroom and it looked like a hospital. There were stethoscopes and heart monitors sitting next to the bed I was lying on.
'Hold all the questions. You have been unconscious for a few hours.
Take a minute to wake up,' She said in a comforting voice.
'Ok, I'll start with my first question; where am I?' I asked.
'You're in Miami, Florida,' she answered plainly.
'Then I'm in the same town that I started in but, why does
everything look different?' I asked.
'Because this is the year 3035.'
'What!' I hollered. 'Are you trying to play some kind of joke on
me?'
'Of course not. Why would I lie to a little girl like you?' she
answered.
'First of all I'm not a little girl. I'm 13 years old and why would I trust a
stranger, but if this really is 3035 then shouldn't every thing look completely different?' I said in a suspicious voice.
'Well instead of me sitting here and answering all your questions,
why don't you look outside and see for yourself,' she answered confidently.
Now just to prove her wrong I looked outside. OH MY GOSH! She was right. Everyone was riding around in gleaming flying cars. The houses were mostly made out of glass so you could see right through them. There were robots everywhere doing daily tasks. They were washing dishes, doing laundry, and cleaning houses. The sidewalks were like conveyor belts carrying people. Those people had gotten so lazy but they still looked as healthy and fit as ever.
'Why are the dogs wearing reading glasses?' I asked.
'Because they can't afford contacts, duh,' Carlie answered.
I had one question that I still needed to ask.
'Who are you?' I practically screamed.
'My name is Carlie and I help all the time travelers that come to our city. I show them around, I teach them our rules, and some people like the life we live so much that they stay,' she answered.
'Well, Carlie, my name is Roxy and I can tell you one thing, I am not one of those people that's going to stay. I want to get out of here right now,' I exclaimed.
'You don't even want to see the city,' Carlie inquired.
'Nope.'
'Well then, let me see your time traveling device,' Carlie asked.
'I don't have one,' I responded and I was telling the truth.
'Of course you have one or you couldn't have gotten here. I'll help you figure it out. What was the last thing you did before you got here?' Carlie persisted.
'I set the time on this weird watch I found in school,' I answered. 'Can I see your watch?' Carlie asked politely.
'Sure,' I responded.
Now where had I put that watch? I thought it was in my pocket. It felt like a bunch of springs and loose parts. No wonder, it was just a bunch springs and loose parts.
'It's broken!' I moaned.
'What, that's your only way back to the past!' Carlie said in a worried voice.
If this is the future and they have time travelers visit this town then they have to have time machines.
'Carlie, why can't I just buy another time machine?' I questioned. 'Well, I've never seen anyone sell or buy a time machine but it is possible someone in this town could sell one.'
Now that I'd met Carlie, she seemed a lot like me. She was always positive and she almost looked like me, except for her brown hair.
'Let's get going. We can take my car!' Carlie called.
'Does it by any chance, fly?' I inquired.
'Duh' Carlie replied. It was time to get inside the car, which I wasn't sure about. I was afraid it might blow up if I sat down.
'Come on, we have to hurry before the stores close,' Carlie announced.
'What, haven't you been in a flying car before?' She joked.
'Not recently,' I said sarcastically. She started the car and it began to hover above the ground. Wow, it was actually pretty cool. We were going about 100 miles per hour. The people on the streets didn't even seem to notice. The town seemed so much cleaner and well behaved. There wasn't any garbage lining the sidewalk. Everyone would wave to each other. We had arrived at the future electric store. The manager was even a robot. Everything in the store was chrome.
'Excuse me; we are looking for any kind of time machine, can we find one here?' Carlie asked the clerk who was also a robot.
'No, everyone loves their life so much that there is no need for time travel so we wouldn't make any money if we sold them,' he said in a monotone voice.
'We need another plan,' I groaned desperately.
'Can I see the watch, I might be able to fix it,' Carlie decided. I gave her the watch, but I doubted that she could fix it.
'Done, I put most of it back together but this cylinder thing isn't working.' Carlie held up the battery.
'That's called a battery and it's dead,' I informed Carlie.
'Oh, Roxy, I'm so sorry,' Carlie replied sympathetically.
'No, that means it's not working anymore. It was never alive,' I told her.
'That was its power source and I need another one for the watch to be working again,' I explained.
'I've never heard of one of those things so I doubt this town sells them,' Carlie told me.
'There goes that idea. If you don't use batteries then what do you use?' I asked.
'We use solar panels. It saves electricity and it probably doesn't cost as much.'
'What if we could wire the machine to have a solar panel?' I asked Carlie.
'I can try but we need to go some place where they sell solar panels,' Carlie muttered.
'Sorry to interrupt but we sell what you're looking for,' the clerk told us. He gave us a panel that fitted the watch perfectly and some tools to work on it. We took a short cut to the park on the so called sidewalk. There were flowing green hills that spread all across the landscape. Back in my present time there were hardly any parks and the ones we had were nowhere near as beautiful.
'All I have to do is screw a few things in but nothing is that simple.' She started messing with a few wires but I didn't think that was going to do it.
'I can't seem to fix it. It's a lot more complex then I thought. We are going to have to find a professional to do it,' Carlie told me.
'What kind of professional are you talking about?' I questioned.
'A panelologist of course,' Carlie announced.
'A what?'
'A person who works on the towns solar panels there's only one panelologist in each county,' She told me.
'Let's get going then. Where can we find him?' I asked.
'That's the only problem. He's always moving,' Carlie replied.
'Hey what's she reading?' I asked. One of the people at the park was reading a holographic newspaper and the front page said, 'Panelologist is back.'
'I'll just ask her for the paper and it will tell us where he's at,' I muttered.
'Just don't be rude, it's one of our main rules here in Miami,' Carlie informed me.
'Excuse me, but can I take a look at what you're reading?' I asked her.
'Go right ahead,' she answered. I walked back to Carlie and showed her right where we would find him. He was at the north side of town at his warehouse. We walked back to her car and we started to make our way to his warehouse. I started to take notice of the streets because this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. There were streets called Kalamazoo, Shanaynay, and even, Mitsubishi. The signs weren't even real objects, they were holographic. I was actually starting to like it here. Everyone seemed friendly because they would wave and smile as we pass by. We had reached this man's warehouse and he was my only hope to get back to the past.
'Another rule we have is to always knock before entering,' Carlie whispered before we entered.
'Excuse me sir but I was hoping you could wire this time machine to have a solar panel. Please, I really need your help,' I said to a scrawny old man.
'Sure, but it's going to cost you,' He rasped.
'I don't care how much it is I'll pay it,' I handed him all of my money. He swiped the watch and the panel out of my hand and as quick as lightning and he fixed it.
'There you go. I hope that's what you wanted,' he breathed.
'Looks like it's time for me to go, Carlie. I'm going to miss you,' I said that as a small tear was sliding down my face.
'I'm going to miss you too but before you go I have to tell you I haven't been completely honest with you. I was the one who broke your watch while you were unconscious. Before you start to hate me I just want to say that it is part of my job. I told you in the beginning that my job is to show the time travelers around town and teach them our rules. I completed my task and I don't know about you but I had a great time doing it. You seem to be a great person to be around and I'm sure that when you go back to your time era that you will be very successful. This was a once in a lifetime experience for you and me. I will always be here if you need me,' Carlie explained all this very emotionally. She seemed like she had met a lot of other nice people that she also had to say good-bye to.
'You were just doing your job, I forgive you.' At this point we were both hugging. I knew I couldn't stand there forever. I just needed to set the year back to 2007 and I would be back home.
I hit the SET button and now everything was back to normal.
'Hey, didn't I just tell you to stop messing with that watch,' Max whispered.
'Yeah you did, and I don't think I'll ever be messing with this watch again,' I answered. The bell rang and everyone ran out of the classroom. I walked out into the hallway and I set the watch gently on the ground. I walked away and I heard two kids say,
'Hey, what's that?' Only one thought came into my head: 'Man they're in for an adventure.'
(March 2007)

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Life In a Swamp

By Jeremy, 12, Sarasota, Florida, USA

`Why are we walking through the woods, Tony?` I asked.
`Its ok Alex, you`re a big tough alligator, why are you scared? Are you some kind of chicken?` remarked Tony starting to make chicken sounds.
`Hey! Stop laughing at me turtle, or I`ll ... I`l ...` oh whatever.` I said. `You`ll what?` `Never mind.` `No, what were you going to... `Whoa!` All of the sudden a black snake with big red eyes that looked like shiny rubies dropped from a vine right in front of us. `Hey, whatsss up?` asked the stranger. `I`m Sssid, you?` `Uh hi-I, I`m Alex and this is Tony.` I answered. `Hi` piped Tony. `Where are you guysss going?` Sid questioned. `Well I was going to show Alex a surprise.` Tony said in a weird but mysterious way. ` Cool do you think I can come with you guysss?` Sid asked. `Um, sure, well I guess you can.` Both Tony and I said at the same time. For a second it was all quiet and you could hear all the different types of creatures that lived in the swamp. Cold winter air filled the entire swamp with one blow of nature's breath.
`Here we are!` yelled Tony excitedly. In front of us was the river that keeps the whole swamp alive. But the river was low and you could just about see the bottom through the murky water.
`WOW, this is cold water.` As we all stepped in. Suddenly we spotted fast moving shadows that came from the rocks below. Tiny nipping feelings started to touch my feet. Then there was a sudden sharp pain coming from both my legs and feet. The pain was so violent it felt like I was being stabbed by glass. `Ouch!` screamed Tony and Sid before I did. `What is that insane pain!` I yelled. `Its piranhasss!` answered Sid. `Run!` Tony screamed. As we all ran we could still fell the sharp pain the fish gave us. Finally we found what we were looking for. On the side of en enormous grey rock was a cave. The cave of swamp where mysteries lie. Who knows what might live or dwell in the cave? There were screeching sounds and the sounds of little wings flapping.
`Batsss.` Sid hissed. `I'm not sure about this Tony, I-I hate bats.` I stuttered.
`C`mon man it`s ok` Tony assured. After we all talked and assured each other, we grabbed a stick and lit it on fire and we walked in one by one starting with Sid, then followed by Tony and I. As I walked through the corridors of the cave with Tony and Sid, and I could see the stalagmites and stalactites shimmering from the glare of our torch. There was a heavy weight on my shoulder and I didn`t know what it was till Tony said `Um, Alex you might want to know what`s on you shoulder right?` `Yes` I answered, `Well it`s a bat.` Tony said. The next thing I know it I`m running in a circle and screaming my head off. `Calm down, he`sss gone now!` Sid yelled. Breathing heavily I finally stopped running. `Lets go and don`t freak out again ok?` Tony said. `Ok` I said patenting trying to catch my breath again. I could see red glaring eyes
coming from the ceiling and could hear the faint breathing of the dwellers in the cave. There was a sudden drop in temperature and it was starting to get stuffy and humid inside the cave. We walked on and I got a glance at a strange-looking object. When I got closer I could see that it was a human`s skeleton. In its right hand was a note that he must have written before he died. `Hey guys you might want to come and see this.` I said in a quivering voice. `What is it now Alex?` Tony questioned. Both of them walked over to me and starred at what was before them in amazement. `Holy.` They both said at once. `What`s in his hand` Tony asked, ` I`m not really sure Tony. It looks like some sort of paper note.` I replied. I picked it up and shook off the dust that has sat there for maybe years. It read:
For whoever has ventured this far in Shadow Cave, this will be your last venture. Beware of the other creatures that live inside. As you can see I could not make it any farther. As the last person before even me said that lie ahead is what for the adventurer to discover. He also said that there will be a code or passwords that you must enter to get pass the great door. The password he told me is swa`.

The rest of the note corner was torn off. `I wonder what ssswa` isss,` Sid hissed. `I think all of this stuff is kind of creepy.` Tony said. `Well, all I want to know is what is behind the door the dead guy talked about.` I said. We walked on. Then the cave felt like it was starting to shrink down on us every step. I realized that the cave was becoming a tunnel to another location. Next thing you know it we`re crawling through a hole. A small stream was running under our knees as we crawled through the dark hole. We came to a room and in front of us was the biggest and widest door I had ever saw. Also there was a shiny gold doorknocker and doorknob that both had a tree design that was painted a very dark brown. On one side of this enormous room was a small waterfall that created the stream that was in the tunnel. And on the other side was a small garden with different and colorful varieties of mushroom and flowers. `Whoa!` was the first word that came to my mind. `Now this is what I call a crib`, joked Tony. A booming voice that seemed to come from all around said `Those who are here and have managed to get pass the evil bats now have another challenge. This is for you have to tell me the password." For a second I thought this was a joke like some sort of TV game show. I froze for a second and then started to yell, `Is it swa... swamp!?" The booming voice again said `You are correct and this is what you have won.` `But first you must get pass one of the hardest part of the game. The door in front of us opened slowly with a creaking sound. "Ahh, booby traps!" screamed Tony. A sudden whoosh of air bulleted past my head. It was an arrow, one of the most classic traps. "Everyone watch you step and be careful where you step." I cautioned. At the end of the hall was an open door that was giving off shimmering light. Quickly and as carefully as possible we ran toward the light. Dodging all the shots being fired by the traps on the wall. Finally we reached what we were all hoping to find. Inside of the room were at least millions of gold coins and sacks of money. "We're rich!" We all screamed at the same time.
`Surprise! This is what the big thing I wanted to show you, I signed us up for a TV game show`, said Tony. I was beside myself in shock. `Do we keep all of this money?` I asked. `Yeah!` screamed Tony excitedly. We all turned out to be filthy stinking rich animals at the end of our adventure. And we used that money to buy the biggest bamboo house any animal and money can buy. We also used the money to buy Tony a brand new shell that was made out of diamonds. And Sid and I got what we wanted, is to get our scales waxed and shiny. Finally we can relax and enjoy Life In A Swamp for the first time in luxury.
(March 2007)

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One big happy family

By Sarah, 12, Sarasota, USA

DING!!! That was the sound of the 4:15 bell. I, Molly Carson, walked
outside into the breezy air. As I was thinking of what I was going to do
over the weekend, I saw my mom pulling up in the distance. Except
when I looked in the window it was my sister, Laura. My mom drives a
huge truck, so when Laura pulled up I literally had to jump into it.
`He`s gone`, she sobbed.
My stomach dropped as I shakily said, `Who?` Then all of a sudden
her face went blank and she stopped crying. Immediately I asked her
what was going on. She started laughing hysterically.
`What is so funny?` I asked.
`Oh, Nobody died, I was just kidding!` she said.
`Just Kidding? So you think that is funny?` I exclaimed. My sister was
laughing so hard she didn`t reply; as a matter of fact, she couldn`t reply!
`Well if that`s the way you want it to be, then bring it on! Because I will
get you back!`

Normally, Laura and I got along, but at that point I had had enough. I
gave her a dirty look and yelled at her, because she still thought
something was funny. `That`s it!` I screamed. `Stop the car!`
`NO!` she yelled back.
`Laura, I said` STOP THE CAR! I`m walking home-without you!`
`Fine.`
`Fine.`
`Fine,` we bickered back and forth.
I hopped out of the truck and began my journey home.
`OH MY GOSH, I hate her,` I thought with every step I took. I started
picking up rocks and throwing them at the ground, pretending it was
Laura.
As I got to the end of my driveway I saw Laura`s car, but when I
walked inside, nobody was home. Nothing bad ever crossed my mind` I
just figured that my mom was still at work, and my sister had a friend
pick her up. My dad was always traveling and he was in Hawaii, so I knew
he wouldn`t be home for a while.
When my mom got home two hours later I told her everything that
had happened. Unlike my sister, my mom didn`t think anything was
funny. In fact, she even gave me permission to give my sister a taste of
her own medicine.

It was 7:30 and my sister still hadn`t shown up. I waited on the couch
looking out the front window impatiently- I had a plan! About five
minutes later, her friend pulled in, and Laura hopped out. I had my mom
park in the garage, so Laura didn`t know that she was here.

`She`s here!` I screamed. Then my mom quickly sped into her room. The
door opened and my sister walked in. Meanwhile, I was sitting on the
couch `crying` my eyes out. She then came over to me and asked what
was wrong. `Mom hasn`t come home from work yet,` I choked. `And an
employee called and said she was in a serious accident, and they didn`t
know if she was going to be okay.`
She must have forgotten all about the situation earlier, because she
fell for it. She ran into her room and began to cry. I let her go for a
while, and then I went into her room and began to laugh at her. `Mom`s
not dead!` I laughed.
`What?` she said.
`I told you I`d get you back!` I replied.
`How dare you do that to me?` she asked.
`And how dare you do it to me!` I said in return. `So you think you can
do it to me, but I`m not allowed to do it back!` I said in confusion. `Well,
now you know what it feels like!` I snapped.

Mom walked into the room shortly after. `You knew about this?` my
sister asked.
`Well yes`, she replied. `I`ve been hiding in my room the whole time.`
`Ughh`, my sister said.
`Well now that you know what it feels like, I think you owe your sister an
apology.`
`Sorry Molly` my sister said. ` I guess I didn`t really know how it felt, and
how bad it actually hurts.` she confessed.
`Okay girls` Mom said. `I hope you guys both learned a lesson from
this.` `Now lets go get some dinner to celebrate that no one actually
died today.
`Okay,` said Laura. `Dinner`s on me.` My mom and I were shocked to
hear these words coming out of LAURA`S mouth.
`It`s about time I am treated to dinner,` joked my mom. And we all
began to laugh. Now here we are`
`One BIG HAPPY Family` (March 2007)

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Middle School

By Briana, 12, Sarasota, FL, USA

It was the first day of school and I walked up to the double doors, opened them and walked into a building named McIntosh Middle School that looked to be the size of Sarasota! When I entered, I saw the hallway flooded with other 6th, 7th, and 8th graders ready for their first day of school. I felt so nervous trying to find my way to class! I thought to myself, `Will I make any new friends this year?`
I got to my first encore class and I stopped cold in my tracks. My jaw dropped open, and one hundred little eyeballs were staring at me. On top of that, I was in chorus and I HATED my singing voice, especially in front of a bunch of people I had never seen before! When I opened my mouth to sing an F-sharp, a B-sharp came out of my voice box. I felt so embarrassed! I just couldn`t wait to get out of that crowded place. Finally, I was in P.E. and I was sitting in the bleachers with some of my friends from last year. We learned the objectives and rules for physical education. Then came the brutal part: we had to run the track in the freezing cold! And of course, the bad luck came pouring on me then. I tripped, stumbled and fell, and there were the hundreds of evil eyes staring straight back at me again! I went to the clinic, got cleaned up, and I was out of there.
I made it to my social studies class, but it was the part when I walked in the door that stunk. My teacher, Mrs. Cox put me in a group with three other `cool kids` named Scott Pierce, Juan Lizardi, and Ryan Mulligan. Let me tell you something, they talked about the weirdest and nastiest stuff the whole period. It was time for lunch, `Oh no!` I exclaimed. The pizza was as hard as wood and the chocolate milk was stale to go along with it. I got the last seat at the table, which was next to Chris Rollins, the boy of my dreams! It was so awesome just staring into his eyes and smelling his cologne. I think that time was the most fun I`d ever had sitting next to a boy!
Next, it was time to break out the numbers and operation signs because here came the `Math Magician.` I loved math in fifth grade, but for whatever reason, my brain was not cooperating with me at all! So, when I raised my hand to give an answer, I got it wrong. My cheeks turned as red as cherries. I felt really bummed the rest of pre-algebra, but little did I know, I was about to make my most awesome friend in my whole life.
It was time to put my language arts skills to the test. I went into Ms. Jacks` class and I was all cool just sitting there by myself, but Ms. Jacks moved me up a row so that my partner would be Lisa Cesaroni. She looked quite nice, but that could have just been her looks. I wasn`t going to let her fool me! I complemented her by saying, `Your handwriting is very nice.`
`Wow, you`re about the fiftieth person that said that today!` Lisa responded. To finish up the class period, we played that game called three truths and two lies. Lisa guessed all of mine incorrect and I guessed everything about her correct. We both laughed together after we finished playing our game. Then, we talked until L.A. was completely over. We made jokes, gave each other our phone numbers, and had so much fun! Ms. Jacks said that we should work together more often because we were so well behaved and didn`t goof off in the middle of the lesson. We didn`t interrupt her while she was talking either. We took out our hot pink pens and made a contract that we both signed, saying that we could never fight. If we ever did, all of our memories of the other person would be up in flames.
We went bowling together, skated together, and hung out all the time. Whenever we needed cheering up, we were there for each other. Lisa always had the best jokes and a great sense of humor. We were practically sisters; we were together all the time. Some advice from me to you, `Treat people the way you want to be treated, it`s a great way of making friends!` (March 2007)

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Mergirl

By Eleanor, 11, Oxted, UK

It had happened again. She was just settling into the family, when they decide they don`t want her. It was hard, moving schools every three months, she`d just made friends, when it all disappeared, and she was back to stage one. Usually, it was a baby being born, or they were moving, that got her dumped back into the care home. She had cried, when she was little, but now, Chloe was determined not to.
It had been bad though, this time. She had stayed with that family for a month, and she finally felt part of it. She loved it there, just Mr and Mrs Jones, no children. That was how she liked it. But then, they ruined it. They bought a dog. Not a cute, playful puppy, but a full- grown, vicious rottweiler. She remembered it so well, the monster straining on its lead, Mr Jones laughing, as if it was some kind of hilarious joke, urging her to come and stroke it. She wouldn`t, she was too scared. That was it. Mr Jones had simply let go. It leaped on her, clawing and biting at her clothes. The next thing she knew was that she was sitting in the car, suitcase by her feet.
At least they didn`t mind that she was different.
`So this is your maths classroom. You`ll have Miss Nelson.` Chloe shook herself back into focus, and suddenly realised she hadn`t paid any attention to the headmaster`s tour of the school. The headmaster, Mr Vincent, was a tall, balding man wearing a shirt and tie with a round face and blue eyes. He carried on, oblivious of her lack of attention; `here`s your school planner. You write homework in it and things. Now, I need to be going. You`ll find someone to take you to your next lesson. Good luck!` With this, he walked away. Chloe looked at the door, with its peeling paint, and slowly knocked. The muffled voices ceased, and a voice said;
`Come in.` She turned the handle, petrified. It opened with a creak. She wished it would shut up. She shut it carefully behind her, then looked around. A class of around thirty stared at her. They were all about eleven or twelve, most of them with top- buttons undone and shirts hanging out.
`What a sight I must be,` she thought. `Too-big school uniform, top-button done up, shirt tucked in...`
Chloe was right, she was a sight. Her school jumper, stiff and itchy, hung way past her waist. Her thin blonde hair straggled loosely around her shoulders. She had grey-blue eyes with something mysterious about them, something unsettling. She always looked ill, as she was so pale. Small and skinny, standing in front of the door, Chloe had a sudden feeling of vulnerability.
`You must be Chloe,` the teacher said, checking her register. `Chloe Daniels?`
Chloe opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. Feeling foolish, she closed it and simply nodded. Unmistakable sniggering came from the class. The teacher just smiled.
`Don`t be scared. Just go and sit down between Rebecca and Chloe- front row there- here`s your book. I`m Miss Nelson, your maths teacher. Rebecca, I want you to take Chloe to her lessons, OK? Now class, fractions``
Chloe looked at the empty seat in the front row. The girl sitting next to it was grinning widely at her. She assumed this must be Rebecca. The smiling girl had dark- brown, shoulder- length hair and vivid green eyes. The boy, supposedly Chloe, had spiky ginger hair, and simply raised his eyebrows at her. Forcing a smile, she sat down. She scribbled her name on her new orange maths book, and turned to look at the teacher, aware that the entire class was watching her. The grinning girl whispered;
`Hi. I`m Becky. I was new in my old school. Scary, huh? Mind you, this is a good school, but the teachers can be a bit stressy. Not Miss Nelson, though. She`s nice` Becky added when she saw Chloe`s terrified look. `What have you done to your hand?`
Chloe had been dreading this moment, however many times she had wriggled out an excuse. She had completely forgotten the bandages on her hand. Hurriedly, she tried to think up a good cover- story.
`I, um, I cut it on a ` err` sharp piece of metal when I ` was fixing my bike. Yeah` I cut it on one of the spokes.` This was a complete lie, but Becky nodded, and went back to her work.
Chloe touched her hand, the place where the scar was. That was why she was so different. That was why people turned down the idea of fostering her. The people at the Children`s Home knew, of course, but no one else. It wasn`t a normal scar, it wasn`t reddish and rough. It was a pearly blue, smooth, crescent- moon shaped scar, curving round the knuckle of her index finger. She had had it for as long as she could remember. Doctors had tried to work out why it looked like that, but in vain. They gave up and told her only to worry if it started hurting. It hadn`t hurt, it hadn`t done anything, it was just there.
At the end of the lesson, Chloe was grabbed by the arm and pulled out of the classroom by Becky. By the end of the 5- minute lesson changeover it seemed to her that Becky had chattered away more than any normal person could have done in a month. On and on she went, gabbling about anything and everything. This didn`t bother Chloe too much; she was always quiet, and just switched off after a while.
English, the next lesson, was a nightmare.
The teacher, a smiling, cheerful lady asked Chloe to come up to the front and talk about herself. After refusing at least five times, she was practically dragged up to the front by Miss Thompson. Chloe took a deep breath and tried to begin;
`Hi, I`m C`Chloe and, err, I`umm` she stuttered. `I like, um, r`reading and, err, I have` err` she faded away into silence, scuffling her feet.
`Alright Chloe.` The teacher said sympathetically. `You can go back to your seat now.` A loud, purposeful snigger came from the corner of the class. `Henrietta!!` Miss Thompson snapped. `Outside- NOW!!!` At this, Henrietta burst into loud shrieks of laughter, making her way slowly towards the door. `Sorry about her, dear` she smiled, turning to Chloe.
Chloe felt tears sting in her eyes. No. I can`t. Not here. Not now. Quickly wiping her eyes with the back of her jumper, she sat back in her chair.

At the end of the school day, Chloe was been introduced to Rebecca`s equally chatty friends.
`You walking home, Chloe?` asked Sophie, a very tall girl who claimed to be the best at netball in the school.
`Oh`yeah`
They continued up the road talking. Chloe switched off and focused on remembering the way home. Whenever one of the girls asked her something, she would simply nod.
After a little while, Chloe had to turn off down a smaller road
`Wow, Chloe!` Izzy, another chatterbox, was looking in awe at her. Soon the others noticed and accompanied Izzy`s shouts.
`What?` asked Chloe, bewildered.
`You live in Avebury Way????` Vicky, an extremely small girl, exclaimed.
Chloe frowned.
`Yes` she replied `so???`
`Chloe,` Becky said slowly, with the impatient manner of someone talking to a stubborn two- year- old. `The houses down Avebury Way are huge! Mansions! That and a Children`s Home.` This last remark was followed by snorts of laughter from the girls.
Chloe turned quickly on her heel and, before any of the girls could say anything, was out of sight.
That was why Chloe couldn`t talk about her family; that was why she felt so different.
That and her scar.
She knew she was over-reacting. So what she lived in a Children`s Home? Nothing. Nothing at all.
Her scar`
When she was smaller, it had made her feel like Harry Potter. She`d even believed that Voldemort and Dementors were out to get her. She`d had nightmares. I was little. Little and childish. She`d believed with all her heart that she would go to Hogwarts, and be just like Hermione. I was only five. I had - an imagination.
Drawings, childish scribbles, filled her note-books. Magic, wands, unicorns, fairies, mermaids... So many mermaids... Something in her head just told her to draw them. An obsession. I liked them. That`s it.
Thoughts plagued her head.... Becky ... Henrietta ... the Jones ... her scar... taunting laughter ringing through her ears ... mermaids ... her scar ...
`BOO!!!` Chloe jumped with surprise.
`Bronnie!! You scared me!!!`
`Exactly.` Chloe laughed. It wasn`t really funny, but she just felt so miserable that she would take any chance to cheer up.
Bronwen had been her best friend for ages. It was very hard to keep in touch with your friends after you`d been fostered, but somehow Bronnie and Chloe had always pulled it off. Bronnie had been at this Home for three months. She was the same height as Chloe, had dark- blonde hair and hazel eyes. She now smiled, deliberately showing her teeth.
`I like your braces` Chloe grinned.
`Thanks. I got them a few months ago. The only thing is; I can`t eat toffee!!!` Chloe laughed, this time because it was funny. Bronwen lived for toffee. She had once sneaked some from the sweet cupboard when she was little. She`d also told Sandy, the head Care-Worker that if she could take ten things to an island, it would be ten packs of toffee. Bronnie made an exaggerated sad face as they turned up the drive towards Stockley`s, the care home.
They ran into the care-home talking about Chloe`s first day at school.
`What was your excuse this time?` Bronnie asked, referring to her bandaged left hand.
`I cut it on my bike` Chloe replied. Bronnie grinned again.
Two twins sat on the bottom step.
`Hi Lauren. Hi Holly.` Said Bronnie brightly.
`Hi guys.` As always, Lauren and Holly spoke simultaneously.
They met Sandy in the hallway.
`Hello Chloe.` She said brightly. `Had a good day at school?`
` It was OK` Chloe replied.
`Best bit?`
Chloe glanced at Bronnie, then giggled;
`Coming home!`

***
Chloe sat in her new room that she shared with Bronnie, doing her English homework; Geoffrey Chaucer, the facts. Bronnie sat at the small desk that stood in the corner, doing history.
`Why weren`t you in maths and English?` Chloe asked quite suddenly. Bronnie swivelled round in her chair.
`You know, I`m not in the same maths class as you, and I had to go to Mr Vincent`s office.`
`Why?`
`You. He asked me to show you around school, make sure you settle in. My word, he can talk. It could have taken two seconds, but he made it last an hour.`
`I thought Becky was... But Bronnie cut across her.
`Becky??? Becky Jackson- Moore? I hate her!! She`s such an attention seeker!`
`She`s not that bad.`
`You`ve only known her for two hours, Clo, you`ll learn to hate her, believe me. Anyway` when was the Magna Carta signed?`
`1215`
This brief answer was followed by a few minutes of silence. Then Bronnie asked without looking up;
`Henrietta give you trouble?`
`How did you know?`
`We`re talking about Henrietta. Please. She is apparently the most popular girl. She laughs at anyone not cool enough as her. Which, in her opinion, is everyone.` Chloe raised her eyebrows. Bronnie raised hers back. `Hopefully,` she added, `You`ll stay long enough this time.`
`I hope so too.` Said Chloe, more to herself than Bronnie. `I hope so too.`
(March 2007)

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Magical Mayhem!

By Sasha, 9, Tamworth, UK

Chapter One!
Long ago in a far away land lived two girls: the youngest, who was five, Charlie and her older sister Teigan who was ten years old. They lived in a very small. tight cosy cottage. They lived with their auntie who was so cruel to them and never bought anything or fed them and that's when they decided to run away...
Chapter Two!
Charlie and Teigan were half way through their journey. They came to a huge enchanted forest and there they saw a tiny, shrivelled up man with a long nose. He was shouting at them.
Charlie was scared.
The man asked the children nicely.
"Please could you help me out of here? Oh… I'm sorry for shouting at you!"
"Of course we will help you," replied Teigan.
In return he gave them a wand. He told them that it was magic and they were only to use if they were in trouble or danger.
Chapter 3!
Later that day Charlie whilst Teigan wasn't looking, picked up the wand and waved it! It moved very swiftly and then in amazement Charlie dropped the black and white wand, it made a bang on the floor as loud as a big beating drum. Teigan noticed a big puff of smoke and a shoot of golden stars, the colour of the sun, appeared and fell all over the two beautiful girls...
Chapter 4!
Just then Charlie felt whiskers on her cheeks. Teigan felt big crystal clear, white pointed ears and teeth. They began to grow fur and shrink. They had turned into mice!
"Oh no!" Squeaked Teigan
They both ran together in the woods .
But standing there was a ginger, evil eyed cat. It looked VERY hungry and was aiming to pounce on the mice!
Chapter 5!
Suddenly one of the tiny golden stars turned into a tall wizard. He was called the wizard of Tammy and he was there to save the children!
He was wearing a long blue robe with silver stars on and a tall blue had on his head that was blue and had stars on too.
"ZibZab Zoo, turn these two, into children again!" Shouted the wizard as the mice were so low down they might not of heard him.
"Thank you very much...er...wizard of...er...tammy,"muttered the children.
The hungry cat now looked very confused.
The wizard told them never to handle magic again.
Chapter 6!
The wizard of Tammy decided to teach the girls how to use magic properly but only if they used it for more good and inportant things.
The wizard told them that they could live with him in his castle where all the wizards live! The girls were really excited! When they got to the castle they thought it was huge.The wizard of Tammy took them to a magic school for young witches and wizards.
Everything was going so well when suddenly their auntie appeared and she was nice to them! Their auntie lived with them from then on and wasn't nasty to them EVER again.
The End!
(March 07)

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Lost In Space!

By Courtney, 10, Naperville, IL, USA

Tara, Lost in Space

By: Courtney Wisinski in 2nd grade
Chapter 1: Let`s go to The Movies!

One Saturday afternoon, Tara was going to the movies with her friends, Kate, Lexi, Carson, Taryn, Alex, and Bradley. They were going to see a new movie premiere, LOST IN SPACE. Their other friends (Natalie and Brett) had said it was a really good movie, so Tara and her friends decided to go. The friends all hopped in Mrs. Vondrasek`s car and she drove the 7 friends to the movie theater.
`Have fun, guys and girls!` Mrs. Vondrasek said.
`We will!` they all said together. Then the friends walked into the theater.
They walked over to the ticket booth. The lady behind the counter said `Hello, children! How many tickets do ya`ll need? And what movie will you be seeing?` Then Bradley said, `We need 7 tickets and we`re seeing the movie LOST IN SPACE.`
The lady said `Okay dokey! That will be $7.05, please.`
Quickly, Taryn reached into her purse, grabbed $10.00 and gave the lady the money. The kind lady gave Taryn her change and their tickets. They thanked Kelly, (that`s what her name tag said!) then left. Then the friends walked over to the concession stand. Bradley bought 5 bags of popcorn to share, and for the boys a couple of TWIX bars. After buying their snacks, they walked into theater #9. As they walked in, the commercials had just started.
`Oops! We forgot to get some soda!` said Bradley.
`Here, I`ll go and get some.` Alex said. So Alex got up and went to the concession stand, AGAIN!

Chapter 2: Oops!

After Alex had returned with their sodas, the movie JUST started. They sat there watching the movie. Then & OOPS! Tara`s cell phone rang. She quickly pressed the green phone button. It was her mom.
`What time is the movie over?`
`I have no clue. I`ll ask Lexi.`
`Lex!` Tara whispered loudly. `What time is the movie over?`
`4:15` Lexi replied.
Then Tara whispered into the phone `4:15.Okay! Bye!` Tara hung up.
Then Tara looked at her brand-new watch. It was 4:05 right at the moment. `Oh no! Only 10 more minutes until the movie is over!`
Just then, an alien`s flying-saucer appeared on the big screen. Then the boy named Michael turned around in his spaceship and flew away. Then, he landed right in his own bed and woke up. He was VERY surprised, but he was happy, too! Then the movie was over and they showed the credits. They threw away all their garbage, and then they left the theater. They searched all over the parking lot for Tara`s mom. Then they all found her, finally. The seven kids hopped in.
`How was it?` asked Tara`s Mom.
`GREAT!` they all said together. When Tara and her mom were done dropping off Tara`s friends, Tara went to her house and went to her room and wrote in her journal. Afterwards, she ate dinner and went to bed. She almost fell asleep, her doorknob turned. Tara`s mom came in. `You are going fishing with daddy and Papa on Thursday.` Tara was really overjoyed now! `AND you`re going on a field trip to a space place tomorrow. Wow! That rhymes! I`m a poet and I didn`t even know it!`
Tara COULD NOT wait!! The next morning, when she woke up, her mom was in her room. `Rise and shine, sweetie!` Then Tara got up and got dressed. Then she ate breakfast and ran outside to catch the bus.

Chapter 3: The Field Trip

That morning, while she was getting on the bus, she spotted an open seat next to Alex and Taryn. She walked up to them.
`This seat taken?` Tara asked.
`Nope! Alex answered. `We were saving it for you!`
Tara sat down next to Taryn.
`Do you want the window seat? Alex asked Tara.
`No thank you, sir!` Tara replied.
`You sure?` Alex asked again.
`No!!! Oh, I mean Yes!!!` Tara said, angrily.
`You positive, Tara?`
`ALEX!!!`
`Sorry!` said Alex.
After that, they laughed, talked and goofed around for almost the whole trip! When the bus arrived at The Museum of Science and Industry, they met some astronauts. They also went to a gift shop to look at some outer space things. (You could also buy something if you brought money.) Tara bought a book on a few important astronauts, such as Neal Armstrong. Somehow, this kid got `lost` (as we thought`.)! We ended up finding him eating a snack at a mini-restaurant. After that, the whole 6th grade ate lunch and did a couple other things, like go inside a REAL spaceship! Then Mrs. Crooks had the class line up to go back to school. When the class got back to the classroom, they got their art boxes, pencils, and their glue and went to art class. They were starting a new project. They were making a mural. A mural is a huge painting someone or a group of people make. In Tara`s art class, they each were supposed to make either a house or a business. They were making a mural of

Starry Night By: Vincent Van Gough

It is SUCH a pretty painting! After art, the class went back to the classroom and got their backpacks. (It was spring, so Tara and her friends didn`t need their jackets.) Then they all went home. When Tara got home, she played with her neighbor, Samantha, for 2 whole hours! Tara and Samantha played tag, hide- and-go-seek, and a couple of other games. After time was up, Tara had to go inside and do her math homework. When all Tara`s homework and chores were finished, Tara set the table. They were having mashed potatoes, salad, and that dreadful broccoli!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! (I bet you can guess, Tara hates broccoli!) After dinner, Tara took a shower and got into her PJ`s. After that, she hopped into her bed and read HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE. Tara stopped at chapter 2, then she put a bookmark in and laid back, shut her eyes, and fell asleep and she started to dream &

Chapter 4: Away in space!

Tara woke up to find herself in OUTER SPACE!! She was wearing a blue and hot-pink spacesuit! She was also sitting first-class in a blue, hot-pink, and yellow spaceship. She floated in space for a bit. After flying for quite awhile, she started feeling tired, so Tara `punched `a little button to stop the ship from flying. Tara closed her eyes and almost fell asleep when`

ROCK! ROCK! ROCK!
ROCK!!!

Tara heard something rocking the spaceship! She looked out the window next to her. EEK!!!!` Tara screamed. `IS THAT AN ALIEN I`M SEEING HERE!!?? I HOPE NOT!!` Then, Tara pushed the same button she had hit before and made the ship go again.
She flew off until she reached a planet. It must have been Mars because it was red. Tara all of a sudden saw a TINY spaceship in the distance. As soon as the ship landed on Mars, a strange pair of objects appeared in the shadows.
`Hi, Tara!`
The objects appeared to be Carson and Taryn.
`Hi, guys!` Tara said. `Where are Alex and Nat?` Tara asked. `Alex is at his little brother`s Little League baseball game and Natalie is baby-sitting at Chris` house.` Just then, they herd a voice behind them. Tara turned around. `Yo!` Someone said. ` AHHHHHHHHHH!!` Tara screamed. `Whoa! Don`t scream, Tara! It`s only me!` Alex said. `I am so sorry! Oh, I didn`t know that was you!` Tara told Alex. `What I really came to tell you was `do you want to go sight-seeing with me?`` `Sure, but what about your brother`s game?` `It`s raining back on earth. It was canceled.` `Okay, let`s go!` So the 3 friends took off in their spaceships. They flew all around all over space and when they were done, they couldn`t find their way back. They were LOST IN SPACE!!!!!

Chapter 5: Lost in Space

They searched all over the galaxy and they couldn`t find Earth. After 20 minutes of searching the large, black galaxy, they spotted in the distance the sun and the moon. They knew Earth was in between the sun and the moon. So they flew in between and finally saw Earth! Just as they zoomed toward Earth, Tara WOKE UP! She woke up to find herself laying on the floor of her closet, which must have felt like the spaceship. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn`t still dreaming.
She thought to herself. ` I am glad to be back home!`

THE END
(Mar 07)

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The Many Looks Of Santa Claus

By Emma , 10, Daphne, Alabama, USA

Christmas time comes and goes so fast, it seems, that generally the only think about him being associated with bringing gifts in the night, or maybe a religious figure, too. But did you know that Santa Claus' life is filled with many details, just like yours and mine? Many things about the jolly old fellow are very unclear to those living away from the North Pole. I am here to clarify the facts of Santa's life. I shall now begin to relay the story of all the things happening around Mr. Claus during the time in which he has fame and publicity.
"Ricardo, Ricardo!" Santa Claus called to his number 2 man. "Have you gotten Rudolph and the gang ready for the big ride tonight?" "Sure have, chief. What about yourself? I recomend that since tonight's Christmas Eve, the big night, when you take your shower you should try washing behind the ears," By the time Ricardo was finished talking, Santa was too far away to hear him. Santa had run off to put on his fat suit because, for your information, Santa is in much better shape than he is made out to be in. ( The cookies he eats while delivering presents are usually all the cookies he eats during the year.)
When Santa got to his room, he noticed the sun was going, and that meant he would have to be going soon. When he noticed that, Santa quickly strapped on his fake stomach and ran across the hall to Mrs. Claus' room.
"Why so fast?" she asked him when he arrived.
" Gotta go," he replied.
So, with a good-bye kiss for Mrs. Claus, the most famous man of the night departed on his journey across the sky. The night went by like any other Christmas Eve. It was filled with falling down chimneys, eating cookies, and cracking the whip to get Rudolph and his crew going. When Santa got back to his home on the North Pole, and after taking off his fat suit, a very tired Santa went to bed.
Something most people don't know is that Santa doesn't live in a factory, he just lives in a rather large cottage. With that, you probably now presume that the big (not really) fellow lives a rather normal life when it isn't Christmas time. For the most part, your presumption is correct. Santa goes to the doctor once in while, just like you and me. He goes to the dentist. Hopefull you go to the dentist, too. Some things in the mans everyday life iaren't so normal, though. Santa is commonly thought to not have a job apart from delivering presents to the familes of the world once a year. But that to is a rumor about our favorite holiday figure, for he does have a job during the rest of the year.
Santa is the head of the Christmas Products and Advertising Inspection Agency, or the CPAIA, and also models for holiday signs and pictures. The CPAIA inspects pictures and paintings of Santa Claus that are used for advertising holiday products for flaws and/or phony models (in pictures). You would expect that finding phony models would be very simple because the top inspector should be able to remember if he went to a photo shoot, but it is not as easy as it seems because many people with most companies are trained to be able to put the most minute features on the real Santa's face onto the face of the man's look-alike using the computer.
At home, in his cottage located at the North Pole, Santa lives a comfortable life. nearly every day he gets dozens of fan mail letters and wish lists from children around the world. Also, his phone is often ringing off the wall with agents in the FBI trying to scope out the location of Santa's home. (That information is strictly confidential and kept a secret by anyone who has any idea that is more specific than just the North Pole.)
So as you can see, the great Santa Claus has his 15 minutes of fame every year, but after that he goes back to a partially normal life.
(Mar 07)

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David and Goliath

By Adam, 7, Birtley, Chester Le Street, Co Durham, UK

The philistines were enemies of God. They sent their strongest soldier to fight King Saul's army. Goliath yelled "bring out your best soldier to fight me. If he kills me we will be your slaves but if I kill you, you will be our slaves". King Saul's army were too frightened to fight the giant. Meanwhile David was taking food to his brothers and saw goliath and went to King Saul and said, "I will fight the giant". "Ok", said King Saul giving him armour. But David could not hold it so he took it off and he got his sling and went to a stream and picked up five stones. He ran to Goliath and let the stone fly and it hit Goliath on the forehead and he died. THE END.
(Feb 07)

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Poppy the fairy

By Sumaiyah, 8, Peterborough, UK

Poppy is a fairy. She likes pink,and always wears a pink dress. When it`s not raining Poppy loves to water her plants. One day she was working, planting some flowers in her garden. It started to rain. She flew as quick as she could. "I`ve got to find shelter" said Poppy.
At last she found shelter under a toadstool. It stopped raining so she rushed home to change her clothes.
Poppy lived in a cottage by the river. Her cottage is pretty, it has flowers around the door and windows.
After Poppy got changed she went to Sylvania to stay with her friends. It took 45 minutes to fly to Sylvania. When she arrived in the village only a few people were there.
"I wonder what`s going on," she said.
Just then Poppy saw bright lights in Willow Hall. She flew into the hall and saw Winton, Ewan, Barbara, Iona, Sean and many more. They were all dancing.
Willow Hall was the most beautiful hall in the land.I t had golden tables and chairs. There was a vase on each table with daisies in.
It was Iona`s birthday. Poppy looked at all the presents. There were a head band in a beautiful bag, some flowers, two pairs of pyjamas, eight books, sixteen pounds, two cats and six kittens.
"Oh no "said Poppy."I haven't got a present for Iona's birthday".
Poppy quickly flew out of willow hall and went into the shop. The shop had lots of lovely things. She chose a bunch of pretty flowers and a little fairy. All together it cost eleven pounds. When Poppy got back to the hall everyone looked at her. Ken ran to Poppy and gave her a present. It was a bag of flower seeds and a little bag of soil. Poppy gave her present to Iona and they all went dancing.
THE END

(Feb 07)

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Before the Picture Burned

By Brianna, 12, Guyton, GA, USA

He died. My wonderful life was supposed to be with him, but what else do I do?
My father was in the hospital, sick with cancer, in his deathbed, seemingly waiting to die.
One day, he took my hand and quoted his well-known saying, `Shakespeare said that all`s well that ends well, but he don`t know that some people don`t have that kind of luck.`
I always thought that he was wrong until the day he was supposed to be at my birthday party. My father said that he was well enough to come to his daughter`s party, so my mother was doing my hair for hours to make sure that, for the little time I spent with my dad, I looked pretty.
But something unexpected happened. My mother answered the phone for me and then said yes to every little squeak from the other end of line. She hung up the phone, then put it close to her heart for moments that seemed to move by slowly with each sob that escaped from her chest.
`What`s wrong, Mama?` I asked, trying to make the question vague so her feelings wouldn`t hold back the answer.
`Your father`` she paused, holding her hand over her mouth as she held back a wail, `has no pain right now. All` his pain is gone from him. He`` she gulped, seeming to try to avoid the following word -- `died.`
My heart fell to the pit of my stomach. `What?`
`You heard me!` she yelled, running to her room.
I sat down and started to cry until I ran out of tears.
That night, I sat down next to the warm fire, my hands turning warm during a freezing winter night.
I looked at the flaming conflagration. It reminded me of my dad`s soul. Ugh! Just thinking of him made me want to crush everything in sight!
I took a picture of him and me hugging each other on our trip last summer at the Grand Canyon. My own piercing scream ripped through my eardrums as I took the photograph and tore it into shreds then threw it into the fire, then watched mine and my dad`s face melt in the extreme temperatures.
All I did was look at the remainder of the photo and whispered quietly to myself, `He`s gone, just like the picture. No need to think about him any more. He`s never coming back. Let`s face it!`
`Don`t forget about him,` my mother told me, `He was a wonderful man, like you`re a wonderful daughter. You shouldn`t be sad at what happened. God wanted him, so, we have to deal with the consequences of his soul`s journey.`
She came to me and wrapped her arms around me, making me feel warmer. `He said that, if he died, I would take care of you. So, it is my job to help you keep the memories alive, even the not so good ones.`
So we started to talk and laugh until I knew he was in a happy place - a place without pain - somewhere far away but still so close, I can hear his whispers.

(Feb 07)

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The Three Little Wolves (yes you heard me ,wolves)

By Olivia, 10, Bolton, England

Once upon a time there were three little wolves who lived in a cottage with their mother. A few years later the three little wolves left home for their fortune.

The first little wolf was happily skipping down the road, when he met a kind old man. He had a bundle of chicken in his hand. The wolf kindly asked "please may I have some of your chicken?" The old man gave the wolf some chicken and the wolf found a small patch of ground to build his chicken house.

The wolf was dreamily building his house for ages when at last he finally finished. Just as the wolf was settling in a greedy pig was stomping down the road. The pig knocked on the chicken house and shouted "little wolf, little wolf let me in."

The wolf said "no, no not by the nails on my furry, furry feet." The pig got very angry and screeched "I'll eat and I'll defeat and I'll pinch all your fur"
So the pig ate and defeated the wolf and pinched all his fur to make a coat.

The next day the second wolf was joyfully leaping down the road when he met a kind old woman who had a bundle of turkey. The wolf kindly asked "please may I have some of your turkey?" The old woman gave him some turkey and the wolf found a small patch of ground to build his turkey house.

The wolf was lazily building his turkey house when at last he finally finished. Just as the wolf was settling in the greedy pig approached once again. He said "little wolf, little wolf let me in."

The wolf said "no, no not by the nails on my furry, furry feet."

The pig got very angry and growled "I'll eat and I'll defeat and I'll pinch all your fur." So the pig ate and defeated and pinched all his fur to make some gloves and a scarf. The third wolf was very clever and met a child with some pork. The wolf thought pigs are made out of pork and I know they wouldn't eat themselves.The wolf kindly asked the child "please could I have some of your pork?" The child gave the wolf some pork and the wolf found a small patch of ground to build his pork house.The wolf spent all day working on it.

For the last time the greedy pig knocked on the pork house and said "little wolf, little wolf let me in!"
The wolf shouted "no, no not by the nails on my furry, furry feet"

The pig got really angry and shouted "I'll eat and I'll defeat and I'll pinch all your fur!" The pig soon began to eat the pork house and started to feel sick.

Slowly the pig was sucked into the pork house and made a gate for the pork house. The pig was stuck there forever and the little wolf lived happily ever after.
The End.
(Feb 07)

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The Gingerbread Girl

By Mrs. Rocha's Kinder Class, 5 & 6, Surprise, AZ, USA

Once upon a time there was a Mom and Dad and they decided to bake a gingerbread girl cookie. While she was baking the Gingerbread Girl snuck out of the oven and ran away. As she was running she found a gingerbread house and decided that she would live there. The Gingerbread Girl needed some stuff so she decided to go to the store. At the store she met a fox who began to chase after her. The Gingerbread Girl ran to the forest to try and hide. As she entered the forest she ran into a horse that also began to chase after her. Not long after a bleating goat joined in the chase.
The Gingerbread Girl ran to her gingerbread house to hide. When the animals got to the house they tried to break in but the house was to strong. The animals then decided to start eating the house but by the time they got to the Gingerbread Girl they all had belly aches and were too full to eat her. The Gingerbread Girl took off running back to the Mom and Dad's house where they caught her as she ran in the door. The Mom and Dad then gave their Gingerbread Girl a great big hug and they all lived happily ever after.

Written By: Mrs. Rocha's Kindergarten Class 2006-2007
(January 2007)

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From Me to You

By Sulin, 12, Minnesota, USA

Chihiro was an average 12 year old girl with black wavy, curly hair that comes down to her shoulder blades. It was her first year in America and today was Halloween. After Halloween she would return back to Tokyo and live with her mom and dad. She had an ominous feeling about tonight.

That night Chihiro put on her Japanese costume and grabbed her bag and went out to trick-or-treat. Chihiro wandered around and stopping at house to get some candy when all of a sudden, she felt the wind. "Man, my candy bags heavy" she said as she held he candy bag in her arms. Few minutes later...

ýShhhýý
"Who's there" Chihiro said and she looked around to find no one. Not even a house in sight. "I must have wandered off to far" she thought. "Woo" said the wind. It sent chills down her back. She felt the wind going north so she follows the wind.
She soon found herself standing in front of an old, gray, run down house. Chihiro didn't know why she was here but when she took a step away from the house...

The house started to rumble, it started to change color and then the door burst open and a rope came out and grabbed her ankle.

"What the" shouted Chihiro as she tried breaking free. She twisted and turned as the rope pulled her inside, until she was in complete dark.

"What's going on" thought Chihiro as she was finally free from the ropes and only a little bit of light around. "Come here" she heard a whispered, as she walked towards the light. Every step she took, she could hear her heart beating faster and faster. She held her candy bag closer as she reached over to open the door. She opened the door to see the darkness everywhere.

Chihiro gulped down and stepped inside of the room. She walked towards the middle. "Swish" slammed the door. Chihiro jumped a little and heard the whisper again. "Chihiro" it said as it became louder which means its coming closer. "Chihiro" it said again. Chihiro closed her eyes when all of the sudden...

"Surprise" shouted everyone as the lights turn on and Halloween decorations were in the entire place. Chihiro threw her candy bad in the air as it landed on the ground and something fell out of it. "What's going on" Chihiro asked surprised. "It's a party for you for your first anniversary here since you came" shouted a friend of hers by the name of Shouta.

"Did you all plan this" asked Chihiro. "Yeah" said Shouta as he came up to her. "We wanted to make it special but scary at the same time" he said. "Did you get your gift yet" asked Shouta. "No, I don't know where it is" she said. "It's in your bag" he said. "My bag" she asked confused, as she walked over to her candy bag to find a red rose with candy around it, and a heart necklace. "What's this" she asked. She picked it up and her eyes widened as she read what was carved inside.

`Side by side or miles apart, dear friends are always close to the heart.` She looked at the picture to see Shouta and her next to each other smiling and laughing.
"F-for me" asked Chihiro as she had tears in her eyes. He nodded and said "No matter where you are, we are always connected" as he showed her the same one but it was around his neck. Chihiro got up a hugged Shouta and whisper "Thank you". "Yeah, and Happy Halloween" Shouta said smiling.
(Feb 07)

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The Gingerbread Man

By Jill, 7, Forest Park, IIL, USA

The gingerman ran away from the fox and went to the city. In the city he met a cat and a mouse. They became good friends and lived together forever. (Feb 07)

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Lucky Pencil

By H.W., 12, Seoul, South Korea

It was last Wednesday when I first found my lucky pencil.
I was cleaning up after class, sweeping the floor with a broom, when the plain yellow pencil on the floor caught my eye.
It was just an ordinary pencil, but it was a reasonable length, and since I was short on pencils then, I picked it up, and slipped it in my pencil case.
I went home as usual with my best friend James. The big test was in four days, so we had no time to play today. We said our goodbyes and went on home.
Throwing my bag on the floor, I sat down on my desk. Taking out my pencil case, I got my schoolbooks out and started studying.
That's when I remembered that we had Social Studies homework. There wasn't much time left, so I panicked. The worksheet wasn't too hard, but it was soon time for my martial arts class. I scribbled as fast as I could on it with the pencil I picked up in the classroom. I thought the answers were pretty stupid, but I shoved the sheet into my bag and went off to martial arts class.

The next day our teacher made us hand in our homework. I looked at my sheet in dismay, thinking of the low mark I'd get. But I had no choice, anyway, and handed the sheet in.
The teacher handed out the marked worksheets after lunch. I sqeezed my eyes shut as the paper landed on my desk. When I looked, I couldn't have been more surprised. A bright red A was smiling up at my stunned face. James looked equally surprised. I couldn't have missed his red C.

The pencil's luck didn't end. I summited a drawing to a contest using the pencil, and surprisingly, it won third place. Three tests using the pencil, all A's.
But soon trouble arose. No matter how careful I was with the pencil, it became shorter and shorter from use. I couldn't help sharpening the pencil regularly, it was annoying to write with a blunt pencil. I was worried, as I knew this couldn't go on.
It was the day of the big test. I reached into my pencil case for my lucky pencil, but panic arose in my chest when I saw that the pencil was no more than a nub. The eraser was flat, having had its last rub long ago.
Taking a deep breath, I took another ordinary pencil, and took the test.

The next day I was surprised once more. I had still got an A on the test! That's when I realized the truth: It was me and not the pencil, without a doubt. I felt so lucky to have found that out. All along, the pencil hadn't been lucky at all, it was me who did all the work and got all those A's.
I felt truly lucky.
(Feb 07)

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Flying without Wings

By Lacey, 13, Huntersville, CA, USA

Hope, such a small word can cover so much, hope. Hope can be from the smallest thing, like hoping you'll eat the next day or the biggest thing,l ike hoping you'll win the lottery. People rely on hope and hope relies on people. no matter where you look you can find the tiniest piece of hope that can accomplish the biggest most amazing things. In this story I'm going to give you that tiniest piece of hope, hoping that you'll pass it on, so someone else can accomplish great things!

"I heard she quit because she didn't make the A team!" Melissa whispered to a small bunch of onlookers as I walked by. "What a baby! She wasn't even that good, no wonder she didn't make the team!" When I heard this all I could do was stare at the floor. At that moment all I wanted to do was run up to Melissa and punch her two front teeth out and let her know that I heard what she said about me,and it wasn't true, but of course all I did was walk on by to my locker. WHat difference would it make if I told Melissa what she said wasn't true? Melissa doesn't know why I quit and I could never explain it to her anyway! Why did I quit anyway, do I really know why I quit in the first place? For the rest of the school day all I could think about was what Melissa said, and how maybe, just maybe it might of been true.

x+2-6*8/5-2*x-4/x+2*x... I hate math homework, what good is x going to do me in my life? I thought atthe kitchen table pondering over the numbers and letters in front of me. "Great news!" My mom said coming into the room and hanging up the phone. "That was Mr. Coopers and your soccer game against the Eagles is reschduled for tomorrow night!" That's great news, yeah right! How am I supposed to play my town's soccer team while I'm on a diffrent team? No way! "But what are the girls at school going to say when they see me playing on another team?" I asked my mom. "What are they going to say?" My mom questioned. "Don't focus about the girls,focus on the game," My mom said seeming to answer her own question. "But, it's a little weird playing your old soccer team," I protested. "Lauren honey, just play your best and show you coaches what the missed out on. Do it for you!"

"It's almost time to leave Lauren! Do you have all you stuff?" My dad called up the stairs. Without answering him I just sat on my bed staring at my clock wishing I could stop time. I want to win the game, I just don't want to walk off the field wishing that I could've played a little harder, I want my coaches to know they made a big mistake by not picking me. "Time to go!" My dad yelled.

When I stepped outside a burst of cold wind blew into my face. "Come on we don't want to be late!" I gently stepped into the car letting my soccer bag hit the floor. My dad pulled out of the driveway and at that point I knew there was no turning back. "Tonight Lauren I want you to get up into that goalie box and score. Get into the right position and nail a couple into that goal," My dad said turning up the heat. " I've been telling you this since you were a little girl, and this applies to everything, your job, your family, even soccer, the only person who can stop Lauren is Lauren. If you want something you work to get it and dont let anyone tell you that you can't do something because you choose your future, don't let your future choose you," We stopped at a red light. I cleared my throat, blanketed in the darkness. "Dad, can I ask you something?"
"Yea,"
"Why did I quit the Eagles?" I sat there waiting for a response. "Because you were ready for a change, because you were the best player on that team and youwere being wasted. Your new team actually wants to play soccer not goof around," He replied. The light slowly turned green and I could see the dim glow of the lights surrounding the soccer field. My dad pulled up to the entrance to the field and let me hop out. "You know what to do," My dad said kissing me on the cheek. " If you want to win bad enough you can do it, I believe in you Lauren, what you need to do is believe in yourself, you're an excellent soccer player," If everyone else can see how good I am, why can't I?

"Hi Mr. Coopers," I smiled running onto the field. Most off my team was already there. "Hi Lauren, we're stretching right now," Mr. Coopers told me. I bent down to touch my toes and as I bent down I could see the Eagles checking in with the referee. While the ref took the a girl's player card I could see Melissa looking over at me. Our eyes connected for a second and then I quickly looked at my cleets. When I looked up again I was attempting to pass the ball to my teammate, game time. "Joci!" I tried to get my midfielder's attention as Melissa tries to get the ball from me. Joci quickly bolted up and I passed her the ball. As soon as I passed Joci the ball I ran up to receive her crossing pass. "HereJoci!" I yelled the cold winds slapping me across my face and I started to tear. " I'm open!" I cried when Joci got trapped in a corner by an Eagles defender. Joci looked up and kicked the ball across the field towards me. The ball went over evryone's head bunched up in the center of the field and dropped into a vacant area where I quickly ran uo to recieve the ball before the Eagle's goalie did. I could here the parents on the sidelines cheering my name as I ran as fast as my legs possibly could. The ball bounced a few times and I knew if I got that ball that I could show everyone, everyone how sorry they should be that I wasn't picked for their team. I stretched my foot out to receive the ball and dribbled 5 yards up so I was just outside the goalie box. I could here Melissa breathing behind me, I didn't quit the Eagles because I didn't make the best team, I quit because no one wanted to play soccer, and the coached never gave me a chance to do this... then I shot the ball.

"Lets give Lauren a special cheer for really showing her Eagle friends what she could really do and showing them how wrong the were!" Mr. Coopers shouted. The team went ballistic shouting my name and hugging me. The we got in to a line to shake hands with the other team. We walked down the field high fiving the Eagles players. When I got down to Melissa I gave her an extra hard high five. She stopped and looked into my eyes and I think she understood why I left the Eagles, so this is how it feels to fly without wings, and for the rest of the night that's all I could think about, flying without wings, I believe in myself, I can fly without wings!
(Feb 2007)

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The Demons of Morgrail

By Daniel, 11, Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland

Dawn broke grey and dreary, bringing with it a depressing drizzle which swept menacingly across an unsuspecting countryside, aided by the ceaseless howl of a bitterly arctic wind. Dark, irate looking storm clouds, which had hung ominously in the chilly air for hours before daybreak, now opened up, releasing the steadily falling raindrops that dropped mercilessly down on the ill-prepared townsfolk, who had been scurrying about their daily business in the villages and hamlets that dotted the saturated grasslands, but now took shelter and waited for the formidable storm to pause in it`s mighty onslaught. The sun, it seemed, had suddenly deserted them.
Rone was the son of the innkeeper in a small hamlet called Hanewer. He was fifteen, a month from manhood, with sandy, longish hair and piercing hazel eyes. He was average height for his age, had a stalwart, well-built body and was blessed with extreme speed.
The teen`s broad, tanned face peered around the frame of his bedroom door, on the second floor of his father`s three story inn. Having donned a dark-navy tunic (complete with a deep hood) over still darker leggings, and pulled on a pair of black boots of soft, clothe-like interior, which reached his shin, along with a loose fitting jerkin concealing all but the hem of the tunic, Rone set off toward the descending flight of stairs at the end of an oak floored corridor. Dressed in his all dark garb, the shadowy form flitted downward. He reached the first floor where the few guests continued to sleep soundly on their hay stuffed mattresses and preceded to the roomy common room, down more wooden steps to the ground floor.
Raindrops pelted heavily against the single pained windows of the sturdy building, standing near the edge of the secluded village. `The Honewer lodge` remained the only inn in the hamlet, as it had been since Rone`s ancestors had built the cosy building over a century ago, when Hanewer had been nought but a few ramshackle houses on the edge of the sinister, `Morgrail forest`.
Paranoid advisers had warned Rone`s great grandfather against constructing the inn so near the mysterious and fearful trees, but the young highlander in search of a fresh start away from battle and war, cast aside the dubious counsel, and set about erecting the stalwart structure. In the hundred years since, the village had been built around the much used lodge, and the dark warnings had all but elapsed through the cruel master of time, though with good reason.
Rone reached the common room in due course and, seeing that his father had yet to rise, set about his morning chores.
In the ten minutes following, the resourceful teen lit a crackling fire in the hearth and ignited the several candles on the oak tables. He rolled in two barrels of ale from the diminutive yard out back to join the three under the counter in the bar, and snatched an apple for a hasty breakfast to eat in the garden beyond the barrel yard.
He sat in contentment on the drenched grass, the rain having paused briefly in it`s flooding descent. The sun had still to penetrate the thick cloud cover and the a new nippy breeze encircled the pleasant scene though he shivered at it`s playful touch. Without the sun, it was unwanted, though with it, it would have been welcome. The overgrown lawn was surrounded by trees. Birches, oaks, hornbeams, they all grew in abundance here. The very apple the innkeeper`s son now set upon had came into existence in the lively garden. As Rone munched on the sweet, home grown piece of fruit hungrily, he gazed curiously into the depths of the forest, some ten metres from where he was seated. And wondered.

Some time later Rone realised just how long he had been sitting there and so he tossed his apple core into a thorn bush near the rim of the Morgrail and began to rise, the back of his trousers soaked through. By now, a pale sun had risen over a hazy horizon and so it preceded to cast it`s feeble rays over a now fully awake land. The birds soon joined it, twittering and singing happily. The swallows had long since gone south, but the robin red-breast helpfully obliged to assist the sun in refreshing the dreary land.
He was about to exit the garden and enter the inn when it started. It began as a dull hum in the back of his conscience, as though he was recalling an old song or piece of music. He would have cast it aside instantly had it not strengthened, clouding mind, blurring his vision. He frowned, attempting to fight it, but to no avail. Now it ensnared his senses and suddenly, under its sinister influence, he felt a need, a yearning, to throw himself into the Morgrail. The dark magic took over Rone`s mind now, and so he turned and lost himself within the swaying trees in minutes. He was lost inside himself, out of control.
The Demons of the Morgrail and their evil sorcery had reawakened. And they were hungry. (Feb 2007)

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Crystal's Destiny

By Tahmina, 12, Bristol. UK

`Why are you so miserable this morning dear?` asked mum.
`There`s nothing wrong, it`s just ... just nothing`, I said worriedly. I`ve been getting these weird dreams lately, I don`t know if it`s true or not. They just keep bugging me. If I told my family they wouldn`t believe me, they`ll just think I`m making a fool of myself. `I`m so tired I never had enough sleep, because of that unusual dream`. I mumbled. While I was getting ready for school, I felt like I had power, like I could do anything. Something unusual is going on around here. I mean me, feeling more power?
I went walking to school with my friend Cacey, she`s really kind. I told her about what had happened. She started laughing at first, but I told her to take this seriously, so she did. But all she said was that I have to wait till I get more dreams like this and see if it comes true, then I get to search for it and get more information about it. While we were having lunch I had to return my history homework, so I left Cacey having her lunch.
But something strange happened. I was walking down the lunch corridor when I heard voices. But then I realised that it`s my imagination running wild, I guess I was thinking about the dream too much. I heard it again. NO it couldn`t be! I`m going crazy! It`s the same voice from my dream. `Come, come it`s your destiny` the voice said.
The voice took me into the toilet. Suddenly a white beam of light appeared but quickly as if by magic a fairy appeared, glittering with her shiny silky dress with lots of sequins. I asked who she was, she kindly said her name was Claire.
`What was that destiny thing you told me?` I asked politely.
`You are the chosen one, the fate of the whole world is in your hands, you need to find the crystal diamond necklace hidden in the haunted woods,` she replied with a soft voice.
`By the way my name is Crystal, I forgot to introduce myself,` I said with myself embarrassed.
`If you ever need my help just whistle and I`ll be there to help you,` said Claire.
Soon a clear lightning flashed right in front of my eyes and all of a sudden she disappeared. I went walking home and thought about what she had said to me in school. Just for a moment I stopped walking and wondered if I should take a visit to the haunted woods to look for the necklace.
When I arrived home I jumped flat on my bed thinking what I should do. But then a thought came up in to my head: Claire did say the whole world is depending on me- but I don`t know why. So I decided that I would go to the haunted woods after dinner.
After dinner I went in to the garden and whistled very loudly and right in front of my eyes I saw Claire. I told her I wanted to visit the haunted woods for the Crystal-diamond necklace, she felt surprised because she thought I didn`t want to do it.
`Exactly why do we have to find the necklace and what would it do?` I wondered.
`Each day the sky will go dark and stay that why forever, but you can stop that from happening if you find the Crystal-diamond necklace and take the diamond out and brake it` said Claire in an anxious voice.
We left the house at seven in the evening. Once I entered the haunted woods I as shaking and frightened with all the freaky noises. I went walking past the old trees in a straight clear path with Claire on my side so I know I`m safe and nothing could attack me. There was two many owls screaming and foxes howling there all just scary. While we were walking we came across a lake that we couldn`t cross because our pathway had ended.
`There`s no point standing around here all day thinking,` said Claire surprisingly.
`What do you mean?` I asked.
`I have a plan, we could use one of those tree trunks and attach it on both sides of the lake and walk across` said Claire in a jolly voice.
We carried a heavy tree trunk and placed it on both sides of the lake and walked across, but there were three entrances so we took the third entrance on the right and walked through. I realised that I was running late and my watch said five to nine and my bedtime is at nine and my mum checks if I`m asleep, I`ve got to go back home.
When we walked through we landed back at my house, I was so happy but Claire disappeared in thin air. I guess she had to go. I ran home and opened the door quietly and slowly went up the stairs. It was two minutes till nine so I was just in time for bed so I got changed into my nightie and went to bed. When my mum came into the bedroom she didn`t notice a thing.
I woke up on a Saturday morning and had egg on toast for breakfast and went out into the garden through the third entrance and took a deep breath and whistled and out came Claire.
`Let`s take another look at the haunted woods and look for the Crystal-diamond necklace but this time we take the second entrance, ` I said with excitement.
`Well what are you waiting for` Said Claire with a hurry.
We walked through the second entrance and came to another pathway and followed it.
Suddenly the sky went black but not fully black. We panicked, we didn`t have much time left, and we kept looking everywhere. But we didn`t try looking behind the bushes, so we tried looking behind them. The blackness was few inches away from the sun. Claire spotted the Crystal-diamond necklace, she passed it on to me to try and break it but it was stuck it wouldn`t come out, I pulled it really hard but it still wouldn`t work. Claire and me tried it both together and pulled and it finally came out. I lifted it up in the air and smashed it down into pieces and it broke. Soon all the blackness went away from the sun and was shinning brightly. Claire was glittering up in the air.
`Crystal I have got to go, I have finished my duty it is time for me to go back to the fairy world. You have succeeded your destiny,` said Claire happily.
`Wait don`t go, will I ever see you again? Thanks for your help` I said sadly.
`I will always be by your side just whistle,` said Claire.
Claire disappeared with a glittering smile.
The End
(Feb 2007)

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