First Quarter Creative Writing

Ghost from the past Anabelle Spielburg and Ghost Hunter Jack Grey by Brie P.

Ghost from the past Anabelle Spielburg and Ghost Hunter Jack Grey somehow met in an unusual way. Jack’s world was in trouble as there was a major war roaring through his small town city in Italy. Not just Jack’s world as he is desperately in trouble also.He naturally went to the conclusion that a ghost started it. He is a ghost hunter searching,desperately in need of finding the supernatural figure of a ghost to show the world he wasn’t a phony. Ghost from the past Anabelle was in trouble she was stuck running for hours stuck in a strange dark realm forest for not showing someone how to care for another like she was supposed to for her first mission. She is in deep trouble because if she is not careful on this next mission if she gets another chance she will be doomed forever if she is not already but she is almost sure that there is another mission coming,she can feel it. That is the only thing that she is sure of and the only thing she can feel here other than desperation.She had once died herself when she was a young girl. She had caught scarlet fever and there was no cure in that time to save her. She had no way to know how she was supposed to get out of here. Finally she found an escape which led her to a small unknown city that was surging with war.She has been in this realm for years it seemed and her clothes were ragged but still were in good shape. Her headband around her head served a good purpose for keeping her long black hair out of her face. Her very few belongings that she still had and brought with her when she died was the clothes she had on and the three necklaces around her neck.That was all she had ever had since.

There was a window that appeared in the darkness and it was showing a man holding a sword with a cruel hard look in his blue green eyes.He had once lost his little boy many years ago and it left a hole in his heart that he could not cure. Months after his son’s death the love of his life left him since she claimed it was to hard after losing her own little baby boy and couldn’t bear to be there with him. There he was by himself late one night and he suddenly awoke to find an old old woman made of a ghostly light at the end of his bed. She was glaring at him. She said,Jack you have been cursed with a spell only a true love can cure,you are a ghost hunter and I am a ghost also I had a son once,you took my son from me too,I have lost my little boy that I loved just like you did and therefore from this day you may break the curse if you learn how to love again. Anabelle was confused having to watch this play before her,what was she supposed to do.Annabelle was wondering where she was and what she was supposed to do about this man but this window had disturbed something in her. This must be her mission. The man was stubborn and didn’t believe the old ghostly woman but he wasn’t fast enough to catch her. He had a type of sorcery he learned his self. He could create a little ball of fire in his right hand which was handy during these tough war times.

Annabelle knew this was her last chance to try to show someone how to care for another and to find true love or she would be trapped in that dark realm forever. Late that night,she followed the man into his small little bunker house. She spoke to him saying,Sir I am here to show you how to care for another and how to find true love again and I can see that you are not happy,I too was once living but I am no longer living anymore,I died from scarlet fever when I was a little girl,I know how you feel,your world has fallen apart you lost your son,your sweet little baby boy,and then your wife and you are surging in this war,I want to help but I only will have so much time to do so,I have not seen my family in years,I have been alone,trapped in a dark realm. Suddenly,she actually noticed that she was a real breathing person that was not see through anymore.She also noticed that she could actually see where she was going compared to when she was in the dark realm. She knew this all was temporary at least until she can succeed or fail in this mission and she knows that she cannot fail lest she will forever be stuck in that dark nightmare realm. She is ready to move on. She failed the first time because she didn’t understand,now she does and she is older to. She must’ve been trapped there for many years. The man turned around and said,” How would I know if you are lying and that you are spying on me for the enemy lines,how do I know that you found out that stuff about me from someone else.” I then showed him my hands which I made transparent and glowing. His eyes got real wide as he gasped and fell to the floor. I must’ve surprised him. Then again it isn’t everyday that someone says they are a ghost and they show you. I dragged him into the small little bedroom and got him onto the bed. Finally around an hour later he came to.

His eyes got really big when he noticed that I was still there. He said,”you still may be lying because there is no way possible that you are a ghost,I have tried many years and haven’t caught one except for a little boy,my mind is just playing tricks on me because I am tired.No your mind is not playing tricks on you for I am really here and I can prove it because I am here to help you and if I succeed I move on and if I fail I leave without another chance,I told him. I then touched his shoulder as a little boy who looked exactly like me came into view. I felt that that was what I was supposed to do.This is a little boy and he needs your help Jack.

I don’t exactly know his name because I haven’t met him but you have to help him and save him.I can tell that he is in trouble. You must learn to love and care again. You have to love this boy like he’s your own. You can save us both but you have to do it and yes I will be there to help you. The only way to help me succeed and move on and to break your curse is to love someone again,you must show this little boy love,care,and affection,I know that you can,you have to do it to save us all,I said. Now get some sleep,you have a lot to do,I said sitting down on the small couch. We both soon very quickly fell asleep.

The next morning I was up first and so I woke Jack up as he got ready and ate and followed him out the door to the dangerous outside world. Luckily, I am only visible to Jack. We then found this little boy hiding inside of a small house that had a picture of him sitting by a tree in his little cape that he had on which is starting to look ragged and worn. I made myself appear to him. The little boy who was smiling in that picture in front of his tree looks nothing like this little boy sitting in front of me. This little boy was dirty wearing a dirty white cape that is torn and he was crying. I pushed Jack towards him to make him comfort him. The little boy looked up when Jack walked in and sat on the couch next to him. The little boy had huge eyes and looked half scared to death. It’s okay,I’m not going to hurt you but you have to follow me and where are your parents,what’s your name,Jack asked him.

Okay but my parents are gone,he mumbled pointing to the stairs,starting to cry again. I then noticed the mess,this little boy must have been hiding here for a while by himself. Okay but what’s your name,Jack asked again.This poor boy is probably scared to death and looks as if he is starving. This little boy can’t be any older than 6. I am Gavin,the little boy mumbled without looking at Jack. We then realized that the parents must’ve been killed in warfare.Okay well Gavin,climb on my back okay I am going to take care of you at my house,Jack said looking to me for an answer. I nodded and so Jack put the little boy on his back. Do you have any other clothes,Jack asked him. The boy just shook his head. Alright then,I have some you can wear that used to be my son’s clothes,Jack said looking and sounding sad thinking about it. What happened,Gavin asked.

He was taken from me a long time ago,kinda the way that your parents are gone,I have been alone too,but maybe together if you trust me,we can survive,Jack said trying to hide his hurt. I could easily tell that he was upset and talking about the past was hard but he has to let it go to help me move on. Part one of my mission is a success so far. We walked very quickly back to his house having to hide every now and again. Gavin must not have had any sleep in a while because Jack is holding him as he is now asleep. I appeared to Jack again since I had to make myself to where no one would see me.I would eventually make myself known to the little boy just not quite yet. Back at Jack’s house again we took Gavin to the other small room laying him gently on the unmade bed. I helped Jack to find some of his son’s spare clothes and they have never been used. Jack woke Gavin up and helped him to get dressed and found him a small pair of shoes. I made myself visible to Gavin and we explained that I lived here too. I hope he won’t notice when I am gone. I am going to try to be his mother since both of his parents are now gone.

We went to the kitchen as Jack prepared food and I entertained Gavin with a teddy bear and a few other small toys that he had.We ate and Gavin ate and ate and ate. I can see why he was starving it is hard to tell how long that he had been there on his own especially since he is so young he can’t fix his own food and with no one around besides soldiers in this warring city,I highly doubt that the soldiers would have helped him but made him a part in the warfare even at this young age and if not that then he would probably be like his parents.

Actually he was probably starving without any real fresh cooked food to eat.Afterwards,Gavin fell asleep so Jack carried him to the bed and tucked him in carefully without waking him up. We went to Jack’s bedroom and he quietly closed the door. Why do I have to do this I should take him to the orphans home in the morning because this is to hard for me just as losing my son was and I am trying to catch a ghost but I can’t seem to and I definitely couldn’t catch you and I can’t raise this boy on my own,he stated loudly.I just stood there glaring at him.

So you can just dump this boy out,he loves you and you need to care for him as if he were your own son,he trusts you but you want to risk it and yes you can raise him ,and definitely not but you need to let go of when you lost your son he will still love you but someone else needs you now,when I was a little girl I had a tough life just like this little boy because I lived in Africa and there was a plague going through,I had Scarlet Fever and yet no one could save me because we had no cure and I was left all alone at a mere 6 years old because no one else wanted to catch it and if we were lucky,our village got visited once a week to have the sick cared for if they were still living,my family was not aloud to be with me and had to move away and this is my last chance for this mission so I can move on and be happy again with my family and yet you are already ruining it I have been trapped in a dark realm for years,no you can’t catch me and I lost my parents when I was young also because they had to leave me there when I couldn’t get cured and they weren’t allowed in there with me,I said.Well that’s not my fault and you really think that your life is hard you have no idea,Jack said almost shouted.

I gave him a pointed look silencing him before saying,”it is because I was hardly even 6 years old and I had to face it alone without anyone by my side to help me through it and I then later learned that I had no cure and I was going to be left there alone and was going to die alone like many others in our little village not to include being stuck in there,in that realm, for years I would be almost 20 or 30 something now and I haven’t seen my parents once since the day they left and if I fail I go back and won’t get another chance and will never see my parents again and I haven’t seen them in years so you have no idea and I already love this 6 year old boy and you need to too”. I then fled running outside and leaning into a tree for support. Finally a while later,Jack came outside as I started to fall asleep. He carried me in,laying me on the bed in his small little house in this small little town in Italy and the house beared much resemblance to our little home in Africa. It was all way to hard to understand.

Finally I woke again the next morning to find Jack still asleep. I just then noticed I had 10 blankets on me and realized that to people I always feel cold even though to me I’m warm so he was trying to keep me warm last night. I noticed laying next to Jack was little Gavin. I noticed the boy tremble a little and then scooted closer to Jack calming down I had vague memories from last night.

I remember Jack carrying me in and covering me up and then hearing a yell and brought Gavin in here laying him next to him as he calmed him down. Gavin must’ve had a nightmare but I can see why knowing the trauma he has faced as young as he is,he is probably going to have this all of his life . I quietly got up waking Jack up too. He carried Gavin out to the couch tiredly I guess he hasn’t had much sleep sharing his small bed that is way to small for 3 people.

Gavin stayed asleep as Jack shuffled to the kitchen started breakfast seemingly tired. We would have to go to the market this evening to get more food and supplies. Last night's argument left me really annoyed but I guess we are over that now and so far this is my most promising mission and I sure hope it is because if not then this can be bad but it is going to be because I can’t go back there,I just can’t. Gavin woke up just as Jack was setting the table and laying the food out. We were having scrambled eggs and bacon which must’ve been expensive but it smelled good I never had this we were lucky to have food every day but when I was sick I barely got food because there was no one left to take care of the sick because all of the people who were doing it ended up with Scarlet fever and no longer had the strength to move so we were on our own fighting each day with it until one day we eventually lost although there was a few survivors.

This is what I missed the most,having family dinners together even though this isn’t my family I have a mission so I can move on.They might as well be my family because even though we haven’t known each other for long and probably won’t,we are pretty close like a family.Gavin then went into the living room and called to Jack and I to go and read him a book he had pulled off the shelf. It was a book of fairy tales so naturally I snuggled up next to Jack who had Gavin sitting in his lap as they began to read the story book. We laid there all day. Then there came a strange knock on the door and I sensed that something bad was about to happen so Jack made Gavin and I go hide quietly.

We heard men’s voices fill the house a they shouted loudly. They wanted Gavin,at a mere 6 years old to go, and become a soldier in this war that was spreading like wildfire throughout the city.Jack was refusing them he was not going to lose this little boy too. I have no boy here,it is just me,I am a soldier but I was released to come home for a few days,I heard Jack say back to them. I don’t believe that and I know you are not alone because I heard you talking now who were you talking to and another we know you have the little boy because we caught you on camera yesterday,we also know that you seem to be a ghost catcher but have only caught one supposedly,the strange men said in unison. I have no one here and I was reading aloud to myself,I was out in the warfare yesterday,Jack said. We don’t believe you and if so then may we search your house,they asked. No absolutely not I have nothing here and I keep telling you that now if you don’t mind I am trying to read more about the warfare so may you kindly leave,Jack said.

We were breathing really heavy we were all nervous we never thought that we had committed a crime which we didn’t.I can tell that the way Gavin was holding onto me,he didn’t want to be taken away from us. Fine then I guess that we will have to battle this out and if we win then we get to search your house and if we lose then we will go away,a man said. Fine by me just let me get my sword and weapon of choice,Jack said. We heard a lot of noise outside our window just as I heard the door lock. In Africa where I died in our house we had no door and we had no lock or proper windows or curtains for that matter. I remember one time someone from away tried to rob us but I was all alone and barely still alive but they left seeing we had nothing. I saw shadows as they moved by the window and it looked a bit gory so I made Gavin look away as I held him close. I hoped Jack would win but there is 2 men and only one of him. If Jack gets searched he can get arrested too,not to include that I will fail my mission.We were hiding under Jack’s bed. Finally about 2 hours later,Jack came inside unlocking the door.

It’s all clear you can come out now,Jack said. Gavin was crying off and on having to hide I guess this was bringing up the traumatic images from before and making it even more traumatic. He was mostly asleep so I carried him to the bedroom and laid him on his bed. He was asleep instantly. I walked back out and into the kitchen where I had heard Jack’s voice call out. There he was sitting at the table,head in his hands. The men had lost so they had to run away back into the warfare spreading like a wildfire throughout this city. Jack,I mumbled. He looked up. I noticed that he had a black eye,his clothes were all ripped up and ragged,he also had a few small cuts on his cheek and forehead,not to include a slightly larger one on his hand. Gavin’s asleep now,we’ve been worried,he’s been crying off and on,are you okay,I asked. Yes,I guess,I won and I am so sorry for bringing you into this,he said. I moved closer to him and rubbed my thumb over the cut on his cheek. He was warming up to us which means if I am lucky I may have a few more weeks left with them. You aren’t okay,you're bleeding a little,you're injured, stay there I’ll be back,I said. We found out later on that he had a minor concussion and a few bruised ribs. I ran to the bathroom,getting a first aid kit. I then cleaned his cuts on his forehead and cheek and covered them. I then cleaned the larger of the cuts on his hand and covered it.

I grabbed him a small bag of ice,telling him to ice his eye that was now swelling a little. The next day,Jack walked himself to the hospital. I watched Gavin. He told the doctors that he was injured in the war.That’s how they discovered he had a concussion and bruised ribs giving him medicine for the pain. Well,I guess we were pretty lucky when he walked in that night. I knew I was going to be moving on soon for I could feel it it was just this feeling I had like any other time just not this strong which means that I have succeeded at this mission finally during my second try. I don’t want to leave now though because I will miss them way to much and they are the only ones I know because they are the only 2 that can see me. I will have to tell Jack that I am leaving. I don’t know how I am going to tell Gavin though because he is so young and has already lost people close to him and he won’t understand if I tried. When he touches me he just thinks I’m cold when I’m not I just appear that way to humans.

Later that night,Jack came into the bedroom and I asked him,are you still sore. It looked as if he was limping. A little,but all is good,Annabelle,he said. Now that I think about it we don’t really know much about one another. I rubbed my finger over the covered cut on his cheek. I looked up into his eyes and that was how I knew that this was what it would have been like. I wondered,are we aloud to love each other because I am a ghost and he is a human. I guess I got my answer when a moment later we found ourselves in our own romance trail. We were kissing although it was strange because I am a ghost and yet he a human we are in love. I rubbed my hand over his hair. I would miss this when I leave. The next morning we were up early because we couldn’t sleep well. We slept though. We let Gavin stay in his own bed. We heard a knock at the door. Oh,not again,I mumbled. I mean he is still injured and limping slightly from apparently he said when he tripped on a rock and hurt his ankle. I went into Gavin’s room. I heard the voice of a boy older than Gavin but still very young.

A moment later when I heard the door close and Jack lock it did I come out of Gavin’s room. From there I saw the smile on his face. Why do you look so happy this morning,I asked giving him a small smile and smirk. That was the town crier and apparently the war is over it ended last night we won so tonight they are having a celebration in the square since it is really nice and was not destroyed in the war,Jack said smiling even bigger. Well we have to go,he said.

Okay we will have to tell Gavin when he wakes up and maybe we should get him some new clothes today,I said. I have never been to the square,and nobody can see me,this is going to be a fun and weird night,I thought to myself.Fine by me,Jack said starting to cook our breakfast containing eggs and bread. We would have bacon but it’s to expensive. We then went to town that day we were going to buy me a new dress but realized that may freak people out since they can’t see me and would only see the dress floating in mid air.

Even if I were to make myself visible to them than they would have to believe to be able to see me. Without believing in ghosts they can’t see me not that they can anyway. We then went and picked Gavin out some new clothes. That wasn’t cheap even though they were just athletic clothes. Jack bought a new shirt. After buying some more food and linens for the bed we went home to get ready.

At home Jack helped Gavin to get ready. It took a little while especially since those 2 couldn’t decide on one outfit for him to wear tonight. Finally after Jack was finished getting ready we were almost ready. After dinner which was delicious,we set out on our slightly long walk to the square. Jack was carrying Gavin on back since Gavin could never walk this far on his own. We had also bought new winter wear of course I could not wear any. I wasn’t cold right now anyway but Jack and Gavin were wearing heavy coats,hats,and gloves. They also were wearing long dark denim jeans. I could definitely feel it stronger tonight that I shall be leaving them soon. People all over were there.

Most have come a long way and all of them were dressed like Jack and Gavin was. Gavin got down off of Jack’s back when we were there but held tightly onto Jack’s hand. It was getting dark out now. It was a dark night. The festival to celebrate since the war is over and we won was beginning.It was the night of the festival. People were crowding the streets. It was a romantic night and Gavin seemed to be happy and having fun. The trees shone brightly amongst the blue lights,carefully hung around them. The streets were very dark but very bright too. The lights from the buildings helped to light the streets also with the trees blue lights making them shine bright. The square was filled with people still filing in with a good many walking along the sidewalk. Most were gathered along side in a circle listening to the amazing sound of music with the small circle of light that was there for the musicians to see. A few of the buildings were shining brighter among the rest of them.

Some of the buildings remain dark but a few still show some lights. People,they were everywhere though. Crowding around and surrounding everything in the square. The lights were beautiful. It was a cool fall day and seemed totally surreal. Some held umbrellas since it was a light drizzle.

Most were dressed in winter coats and hats against the cool winter air. Tall buildings with many windows surrounded it being a witness to amazing scene playing out. All of this was way to amazing but still seemed unreal as if it were appearing in a romance novel. It was Paris the most romantic city. The small square surrounded by buildings and edged with the beautiful cobblestoned street. In the center surrounding the small circle was trees. Trees that had few leaves if any at all. The cool winter air seemed to settle in sooner than winter but came in fall. The cool,chilly air,made everyone’s face that was exposed a bone chilling red.

Still yet they stayed for the magical night despite the cold. Most stayed to join together with everyone who came out to witness the night. The streetlights not nearly as bright as the buildings and trees combined. The landscaping was beautiful and was a sight to see. There a few words that can described how beautiful and amazing the sight truly was. Every had to capture the moment in their mind for if not there is no way to remember this except for memories. Memories are all that can be left of this night for most that have traveled the long way to come to this event to celebrate others stayed home. The ones staying home were to tired and weary wanting to rest.

As Jack noticed me shivering because I felt a cold chill,wrapped his arms around me holding me and a sleeping Gavin both thanks to the device Jack just bought which wasn’t cheap. It is a thing that goes over his back and will hold Gavin as he will lay his head on Jack’s shoulder. I knew after putting Gavin in there that death was once again coming for me tonight but that it felt pleasant. I have succeeded in this mission but I was going to miss them. I then fell asleep standing there like that in his arms. Later that night, I knew I succeeded because Jack was not only carrying Gavin on his back but was carrying me in his arms too. I slept the whole way and didn’t wake until the next morning. Gavin was still asleep in his own bed. For once,I felt really hot like I did when I had that terrible fever all those many years ago.

I am like 28 now I died 22 years ago. I was 6 years old when I died from that terrible disease that had taken over my body.Jack I then noticed was standing above me,staring,looking anxious and terrified. What,I asked my voice sounding weak,quiet,and raspy. He then held up my hand which I looked at and then realized it was fading slowly which means that I am going to move on soon.I was at peace and that it felt so pleasant and yet so sad because I will be moving on and will be without them.

Jack informed me that Gavin is still asleep. We are strangers yet so close together and yet still so far apart. Your warm do you feel okay,he asked me. I nodded my head slowly and tiredly. I later then decided that I needed to tell him that I am going to leave soon. I told him,I am leaving I succeeded so I am moving on today and I will miss you because I noticed now that even though I never got to fall in love I am now with you except that I must leave you again. My other hand was beginning to fade also. I just lay there,still fading. He eventually bundled me and his comforter in his arms as I faded even more.

You can’t leave now,I need you,I just learned to love again and I love you,Jack whispered starting to cry. We knew that this inevitable was coming. We can’t avoid it. I have known this day has been coming but now it feels pleasant compared to the past 2 times. I faded away even more. My body was almost see through. It was limp and weak. I was going to miss them I started to cry. I told him,I will miss you but take care of Gavin and I love you but you must find another. I can’t I need your help to raise him,Jack said.

No you don’t and your curse is gone now you must keep moving on,get a good job,support Gavin,and you will find someone else,you can do this,I said. I’ll try,he promised. I then completely faded away and I was gone. I was floating through a golden area which felt like cookies and milk. I heard a sobbing and I noticed that it was Jack crying and wishing that I was there with them. I wish I was there with them I have only been gone a minute and yet it feels like years. I miss them already. Eventually,I made to this golden area where I once again saw my family. You are not done yet,they said in unison.

Why not and what do you mean,I cried out. You have one more mission and you will be living again,they said. I don’t want to without them,I said. So then I was off again,floating through space. Eventually in what felt like years but was only 9 months,I finally saw the world again. As it turns out,when I opened my eyes for the first time I saw Jack standing over me once again although he looked different. I saw as he picked me up and carried me to this beautiful young girl who I took to be my mother. Finally after sleeping quite a lot,I opened my eyes to see Gavin. He was a year older now and looked so much different. He was holding me and just then did I notice that he was holding me and that I was once again living. A week later,we all went home. My new mother was kind and pretty and took great care of Jack and Gavin.I was grateful because I wasn’t here for them that at least they had somebody.

I was back with them again. I was so glad that I was.Years later, I am 4 years old now. Jack is my new dad and although we were in love before I moved on I am just glad to be with them again. Jack and I was outside running and he chased me around the yard before picking me up and swinging me around in his arms. My name though is not Annabelle anymore but is Amelia Grey. I missed him so much and I am glad to be back although he does not know that I am Annabelle too. Gavin has grown so much. I remember that day though because Gavin had walked in an hour after I was gone to Jack crying. Of course Jack had to explain that I was gone but that he will see me again soon. Although I highly doubt that Jack thought it was going to be this soon. My new mom is nice enough although I am kinda jealous of her sometimes. I have her facial features and Jack’s hair. I also have his skin tone. My new mom has green eyes and full lips. I have those and many of her features. She is constantly buying us new clothes though because they are too cute or that we just keep growing.

Jack has no idea that it is me though. I wish I had some way to let him know as the years keep passing. I just don’t know how and as the years pass,Gavin and Jack age older. I am getting older and bigger. I am surprised to have gotten a second chance at life especially like this. I guess that Jack had loved me enough. I can tell that he still has this uncertain sadness in him probably from where he lost me before and now he has a little happiness since I was born. After I died I notice that something changed in him. I can tell that something is different about him. When I get older I will have to see if he remembers me.

Years later,I am now 10 which makes Gavin 16. He mostly hangs out in his room now. Of course,through all the new memories I have made with them I still remember the old along with everything from my first childhood. Finally that night,I was sitting on the couch reading a book. My new mother was in bed and Gavin was in his room. This must be as good a time as any to tell him that it's me and see if he remembers. Moments later,he came in and sat next to me on the couch. I looked up at him. Do you remember Anabelle Spielberg,I asked. Yes,why,what about her and how do you know her,he asked. Well this is going to sound strange but I know her because I am her,I said. That’s impossible she moved on when she was sitting in my arms years ago,Jack said in disbelief. Yes but as I moved on I saw my family for a split second and they told me I wasn’t done yet and so then I was born as your daughter,I said. I just can’t believe it and if it is you then tell me a memory of us,Jack said. The night after the war and we went to the festival and Gavin fell asleep so you carried him home on your back and I had fallen asleep to and so you carried me home and there was another one where the men had shown up at the door the day after we brought Gavin home with us and you had a fight with them,I said. Oh,it really is you,you’re here,but you look different is this what you really look like,Jack asked me. No,I got new looks when I was born but I am back,I said. Gavin doesn’t really remember me I bet,I said. I have been wanting to tell you both but now that I think about it Gavin probably won’t remember me,I said. He might because when you left me of course,he had heard me crying and came in asking where you were and I had to tell him that you were gone but he will see you again soon although I don’t know if he remembers or not,he was six so there is a chance that he might,Jack said.

By the way,I am not really your father,we don’t know who your father is because when I met your mother,well,your new mother she was already pregnant without knowing it and so we got married because it was either that or she would have to move away and give you up for adoption which she didn’t want to do,I wouldn’t either and I am glad that I made that choice because you are back with me,Jack said.I needed to move on because I had to find a job and I couldn’t leave Gavin by himself at the age he was when you left,he has grown up quite a bit and you were right because I didn’t need your help to raise him after all,I did it,I actually raised him,Jack said. Yes you did but you cannot tell anyone it was me because what would they think if there is a 28 year old ghost living inside of a 10 year old's body,it must stay between you and me,I said. But,Jack said. No buts I’m sorry but I am only doing what’s right,I said. Years later,I was now 18 years old and Gavin has grown up and already graduated from high school,he is 24. Things have changed a lot from when I first met them. The bad part is that Gavin could not know about me so he has no idea that I am actually Anabelle and Amelia. I am graduating high school this year. Jack seems happy about it especially that it’s me because every night once my new mom is asleep we sneak out to the living room and talk or he reads a story to me like the old times. As soon as I graduate from school I have to find a husband. I don’t know how or when or why but I just have to and that is what upsets us both because I have to move out of the house. Finally that day came and I graduated. Jack had found a good job too apparently after I left because he no longer hunts ghosts.The months following my graduation was long because I started college and got married to another man who was amazing and Jack seemed pretty happy but we miss the way the old times were. I guess that is how it will always be.

The end Savannah by Samantha S.

Savannah went to Hollywood, and a guy name Bob is trying to kill her because he doesn’t like her. she put a spell on his family, she put drugs in her drink because he wanted her to died really bad. she didn’t want to die. so she ran away but he wanted to find her so he went everywhere to find her and 25 day later he find her and because she started dressing up then he started to be nice to her and then 10 month later he ask her to marry him. A year later they had a baby girl named Ally and she was the most cutest thing ever.

Ally was born July 19 2015.One day ally come home and callie came to the house and tryed to take Ally so them Bob call 911 and told them what she was doing and then she went to jail and that was the end of callie and when she got out of jail she NEVER came back and she tryed to take Ally because Callie thought that Ally perents were being mean to Savannah but they wheren’t being mean to her they just want to get her parents in trouble so then Bob called the police and then the police came and got here and then the EMT came to there house and then they check Savannah out to make she wasn’t hurt.And then the EMT had to take he to the hospital and she had a broken arm and they ask he how she broke he arm and she didn’t now how savanannah thank that she feel out of the bed and then got back in her bed with out nowing so then they put a chast on her arm.

A week later she got her cast off and She hated having the cast on because it made her arm hurt and she didn’t like it.but when she got her cast off she was the happiest person on the earth. When Savannah got home she played outside and she was happy that she got to play outside instead of playing inside and she got to hang upside down and she really like hang upside down and she gets to play on the playground at school but she has to be careful and she tried really hard not to break her arm again and if Savannah breaks her arm one more time she wouldn’t be able to do anything with her arm again.so she played really careful everytime she went to play here parents told her to be careful so when she went to swing she would swing really slow because she didn’t what to fall of the swing arm again.

Survive by Bridget I.

This story is going to be for anyone going through bullying, has anxiety, or depression. I know you will make it through whatever problem you have just believe in yourself ignore all the people that like to put you down and hurt you they only do it because they know it hurts you so they keep doing it. Smile at them show them that they can’t hurt you, show them how happy you are even if it means putting on a fake smile do that to show everyone that nobody can hurt you and it might maybe go all away. I have anxiety and depression I know what it feels like to be constantly hurt and in pain. Nobody should ever make a cut on their body because it’s not going to help anybody. Yes it might cause pain and to some they don’t call it pain the call it pleasure, because they’ve done it so many times they are so used to it.

I know a lot of people out there cry themselves to sleep, because they got called an ugly name and or they got bullied. I hate to see people so hurt and put down I try my best to help anybody who’s going through this right now. I’ve been through it all and I want to help want to make somebody’s day. I want to tell a story about about my good friend Janna. Me and her became friends over Facebook and we became very good friends we talked everyday and we really got to know each other very well. We planned on seeing each other soon, but sadly we live 9 hours away from each other. She lives all the way in alabama! After awhile she started trusting me more and more and told me a background story of her life.

She got called names and her parents didn’t care about her anymore, because they had found out that she wasn’t straight anymore. One night she came to me and told me that people wouldn’t stop calling her names and two girls wanted to beat her up. Yes she cut all the time and had to go to the hospital a lot from bleeding too much, but that night she came to me and told me she wanted to be done she wanted to be dead she couldn’t take it anymore. I stayed up that whole night and talked her out of suicide. She still thinks about now and then, but i stop her from doing it. I helped her to cut less I tried to keep her from doing it at all but I couldn’t. We don’t really talk much anymore now, but it’s every now and then i’ll get a text from her asking how i’m doing and i’ll make sure she’s okay too.

I know a lot of my friends who go through depression and has anxiety. I want to try to help them tho. I also want to help other with this too. Just always remember you are not alone there’s people out there that love you and I know one day soon you will find the special someone that will help you. Life might seem hard and painful but all you really got to do is just relax and think about something positive that makes you happy and then keep thinking about that. After a while it might get boring about what you’re thinking about so you start to think about something else that makes you happy and you keep doing that. If there is somebody that you trust with your whole life tell them what’s going on and ask them to help you out with anything that is wrong. Most people just want to be alone when they are upset or going through the stuff in their life, but try to talk to somebody that you trust and you know that they won’t go off telling other people about it. Trust me it will help you a lot with whatever you are going through that is what I did I told my boyfriend everything about what’s going on in my iife and ever since then he’s been more helpful than ever. I used to cut but he stopped me he’s keeping me from doing all that type of stuff. He’s also helped me with my anger issues that I had. I read online that if you cuddle with someone that you love with all your heart it’ll help relieve most of your stress. Don’t be afraid to ask somebody for help and or tell them what’s going on. You don’t have to listen to anything I said or do any of it, it’s your life and you can choose to do as you please, but just don’t cause any harm to you or anyone else. If you’re feeling the need to hit something just take a pillow and have somebody hold it up and u can hit kick and do whatever you need to just as long as you don’t cause harm to anybody. Just be yourself and do you. You shouldn’t listen to what anybody says about you because you know it isn’t true, but you choose to believe it is because you are scared and confused. Everything is ten times worse with anxiety and depression I know, but it’s okay I made it through it and I believe in every single person going through anything terrible in their life. YOU CAN DO IT! Life is a beautiful thing so don’t end it!

Cerdaminus and the Eldrich Chronicles: Part one, Peritio

By: Sariel L.

There once was a man named Cerdaminus. He was one of The Primals, a group of wizards who work for the Primal Beast, a creature said to be made of pure primal magic and said to have created the realm, and he is an Infernus wizard, and has founded the School of Infernus, the school where all fire wizards are trained in the way of Infernus. One day, he overheard a conversation through some of his students,

“Have you heard about the new student coming to our school?”

“You mean that girl who who’s mother uses dark magic?”

“Yeah, that girl. She is said to know a lot about it,”

“Really? I wonder if she could tell me how to use it,”

“Fat chance, dude, fat chance,” they were saying.

He became interested and researched more about this magic called ‘Peritio’, and what he found astonished him. He found out about not just more about dark magic, but the Peritio Spirit itself is the physical manifestation of evil. It corrupts minds of wizards to not just follow the spirit’s orders, it also causes magical insanity, called warp. He was astonished about this discovery that he must tell the Primal Beast about this discovery. He researched more about Peritio and learned that there are other realms, like the eldritch realm, but also more about one of his colleagues, Isabella Peritia.

The next day a new student came into his school, one from the deadlands where Isabella lives. When Cerdaminus saw her he quickly greeted her. “Hello new student! Welcome to the School of Infernus! May you tell me your name please?” he said. “My name is Sarah Peritia, daughter of Isabella Peritia, and I became interested in Infernus about a year ago, so thank you for letting me into your school!” Sarah said with a smile. He was surprised Isabella’s daughter in my school! Maybe she will help me know more about peritio. Cerdaminus thought to himself.

The next day he was in the hallways until he saw Sarah again. This time she looked different. She was wearing some red robes and was acting a little weird. She was shaking in fear while her eyes were a dark purple as a sign of corruption or hallucination. In her hand was a black book with a distorted skull on it. “May I see that book, Sarah?” he said with uncertainty. “Y-y-yes sir, just keep them away from me!” she said with fear. Cerdaminus was trying to figure out why she was acting like that. It must be warp that is making her act like that. he thought, Warp can have crazy effects on the mind. After taking his arcane bath to ward off warp and remove nonpermanent warp away. He researched more about the book. He learned about a arcane cult called “The Crimson Cult”

In the book he also learned their intentions, to go to the Lost Realm and destroy the Eldritch King and gain the ultimate form of magic, The Primordial Pearl, so they could use the Primordial Beast to rule the whole realm. He took this book to the Grand Wizard Hall so the Primals can discuss about the problem. They decided that the Primals should find the way to the Lost Realm, but it would take a long time finding the obelisks and the item needed for it.

The next day he had some news from the Pechs, The Deadlands is going to go to war against Infernia. Cerdaminus is surprised! Why would she want to start a war with me?! he thought. The next day he went into the Grand Wizard Hall to tell his fellow wizards of what Isabella is planning. All of them have decided that war is inevitable.

Cerdaminus and Isabella met the next day with their armies at the Great Plains of Herbalis. Isabella was wearing the same red cloak as Sarah back at his school. “For… the…cult…” said Isabella in an ominous tone. All of a sudden Isabella was radiating the same darkness of the book about the Crimson Cult when it was held in his hands. Isabella held up her wand and fired a beam of pure darkness at Cerdaminus’s army.

Cerdaminus started to cast a spell made of raw magic and devastating aftermath. “Primolius, Destructivas!” he yelled, sending pure raw magic to the Peritio Army, killing half of her army, but caused his wand to overheat. Isabella retaliated with a swarm of hell vampire bats, causing Isabella to gain all of the magic of the weaker wizards causing them to become completely mundane and vulnerable. Cerdaminus’s wand cooled down and he casted lightning that killed all of Isabella’s weak wizards and turned their corpses to become arcane infernus zombies, killing hundreds more of Isabella’s troops. Isabella casted a dark beam straight to Cerdaminus. In return, he casted the most powerful flamethrower spell in the land at Isabella.

The flames went through the pure darkness and hit Isabella, knocking her down. Cerdaminus then held his sword and pointed it at Isabella’s neck at about a inch away from her as a sign of victory. Cerdaminus and his kingdom has won the war. He sent Isabella to the Grand Wizard Hall for questioning. “I am a queen to my kingdom, but a slave to the Crimson Cult, now my work is done, go ahead and exile me!” Cerdaminus knew that something must have happened for her to be like this. “Tell us why you betrayed us and joined the Crimson Cult,” Cerdaminus demanded, “We want an explanation before we exile you to the nether!”

Isabella answered willfully, “I joined because my husband was in their prisons, and planned to execute him and hunt my daughter unless we joined the cult.” Cerdaminus felt guilt for having to exile her, but justice must be done. We all decided that Isabella will be exiled, and her daughter will take her place. Cerdaminus will have to try and purify Sarah’s heart as much as possible before she becomes completely converted to pure evil so she can join the council.

Cerdaminus decided that he would take Sarah to the Wizard Christmas Palooza at the plaza. Later he found out about the eldritch. The eldritch have been known to have fought against the Crimson Cult in the past. The eldrich guardians are known to look like wizards, but more like ghosts. They sometimes enter the world using the warped mind.

It was Christmas eve in the kingdom. There was snow on the ground ready to be played with by the children and preparations are being made for the Wizard Christmas Palooza, including the Deadlands. Cerdaminus and his colleagues decided that the Wizard Christmas Palooza was- going to be successful, and hopefully purifying so his plan can work. He took Sarah to the palooza, hoping joy in the air and the very magic of Christmas will cure all of Sarah’s Warp. When Cerdaminus and Sarah were walking around wishing everyone a merry christmas, a little innocent girl came up to Sarah and greeted her,

“Hi!” said the girl.

“Hello child” Sarah responded with a weird feeling, “What is it?”

“Would you like to help my team in the snowball fight that we are having?”

“Um… I don't know…”

“Come on, it will be fun!”

“Alright, I might as well!”

Her innocence was powerful enough to help cure most of the warp, but there was still some inside of her. Sarah still went into the snowball fight she promised to go to. When Cerdaminus went over to watch Sarah, there was snowballs flying all over the place! Snowballs thrown left, right, and center. It was a bullet storm. One even got on his face! Sarah laughed and threw another at him. Cerdaminus threw one back in retaliation, and he joined the other team and started having a snowball war.

Cerdaminus knew that the warp left in her can’t be taken away unless they use the ritual, until Sarah saw a chubby man wearing red robes, boots with bells on them, and a red elven hat. Sarah knew this man was none other than Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus. He came down from his village in the north pole to help hand out gifts to the wizards across the world. Sarah was overfilled with joy and innocence. She came up to Santa and greeted him. “May I sit in your lap, Santa?” Sarah said with the sweetest Cerdaminus heard her speak. “Yes, you may, Sarah,” said Santa with a radiating smile. Then came the magic that was needed for ultimate purification to any child, even her age.

“Now, what do you want for Christmas, Sarah?”

“I would like mainly an oricalium cosmic wand and a bottomless pouch.”

“Ah, so you are a wizard also, hmm?”

“Yes, mainly a Peritio wizard, but I also know a little infernus from my teacher,”

“Ahh, I know your teacher. Isn’t his name Cerdaminus?”

“Yes, he is the greatest fire wizard in the realm!”

“Ahh yes, me and him work together,”

“You’re also a Primal?”

“Yes, and you’re going to be in your mother’s place,”

“Really, Santa?”

“Yes, indeed,” they said.

Cerdaminus checked Sarah’s warp levels and there is no warp at all! Sarah is ready to become a member of The Primals. After Nicholas promised that what she wanted would be given to her on Christmas, Cerdaminus and Nicholas brought Sarah to the Grand Hall of Wizards to present Sarah to the Primal Spirit. “This girl, free from warp, but knows everything from her mother and is mainly Peritio, but she has infernus from her heart, showing that she is brave and loyal,” said the spirit in a ghastly voice, “She shall be the new Queen of Peritio, if you bring her to the Peritio Spirit itself.”

All of a sudden a radiating darkness entered the room. “You… will… die… Cerdaminus!” said the darkness in a familiar voice. All of a sudden the livid spirit took Sarah and took her whole soul and put it in a void jar. Then the spirit put herself into Sarah’s body, making itself interactable to the mortal plane. Then, the thing left the hall and all that was left was the void jar. “Sarah, what happened to you?!” said Cerdaminus, with surprise and fear. “My mom, she became the Peritio Spirit and took my soul out and possessed my body!” said Sarah, in a spiritual voice, “My mother is trying to help the Crimson Cult rule the world, and killing you is the first step in the process!” Cerdaminus was surprised to hear that! Isabella found a way to come back as the Spirit of Peritio to rule the whole world?! Then why did she choose her own daughter’s body?! He then was looking for more answers but there was no chance to persuade Isabella to stop her rampage.

The next day Sarah looked like she was suffocating. The void jar was slowly killing the real Sarah! He must find a way to save her from this, and there was only one way, turn her into a node. Nodes are the most powerful forms of magic, but other wizards will sap most of the magic away from them and other nodes will steal all of the magic from them. Only the most sympathetic and the most powerful wizards will dare to spare nodes. The only way to save her as a node is a node stabilizer. He did what must be done, she became a node and was put in the device. She could talk still but can only be heard by The Primals, most notably, Cerdaminus.

Cerdaminus knew that something must be done, he must defeat the Peritio Spirit himself. He stormed out of the room, knowing that justice will be served. He talked to the other Primals and decided that in order to stop this madness, action must be done. At this moment, Cerdaminus knew, it was about to go down.

He left the hall, saying goodbye to everyone in case if he dies in this fight. He went to his tower and grabbed his ichnor robes and weapons. He grabbed his pouch, his staff, and his amulets for protection. He then left Infernia, and went on with his journey, to destroy Isabella, once and for all.

On the way there he saw a figure, dressed in green void robes, but with wings of gold. Cerdaminus came closer, and he saw angelic items, orichalium staff, a huge pouch, a ring with wings, and two glowing eyes of green. “Hello, Cerdaminus,” said the figure, “I knew you were coming here.” Cerdaminus raised his weapons, and then the figure spoke again, “I am Kreeponite, god of The Overworld, and I am here to help you with your journey,” said the god, waiting for his response.

Cerdaminus was surprised! He didn’t think that all the madness would bring a god down from Kreeptonia just to help Cerdaminus succeed in this! “If you are Kreeponite, then who is my father?” said Cerdaminus, testing the figure. “Ah… Cerdamaximus, I know him.” said the figure, “In fact, Cerdamaximus is my mortal form.” Cerdaminus jumped! Wait… if my father is a god, then how come I can’t fly like he does? Cerdaminus thaught. “You know, son, I can hear your thoughts,” said Kreeponite, “The reason is you’re a demigod, an entity that is half mortal, half god. That is probably one of the reasons why you are a Primal!” Cerdaminus laughed. Then Cerdaminus asked Kreeponite one more question, “Can you help me destroy the Peritio Spirit once and for all?” he asked.

“For one, I can give you wings,”

“Why would I need wings?”

“Your spells for flight still cause fall damage, also, it takes tons of mana,”

“Ok, but what else?”

“How about some of my amulets, they give angelic protection,”

“I could also use some more of your items and some of your foci,”

“I can duplicate, so you can have them,”

The god gave Cerdaminus some void robes, the bottomless pouch, amulets, foci, and an item called the “Angel Ring.” Cerdaminus put it on and grew magnificent golden wings, just like Kreeponite’s. “I have never seen these wings before!” said Cerdaminus, spreading his new wings, “They are magnificent!” Kreeponite bid farewell to Cerdaminus with one wish, that he would take his father’s mortal name, Cerdamaximus, someday.

Cerdaminus went on with his journey, getting closer to his destination as every day passes. Fifty days has passed since his encounter with his real father, Kreeponite, and discovered that he is a demigod, and still no sign of the Peritio Spirit. Suddenly, in the horizon, a weird tower made of crusted flux & corrupt arcane bricks surrounded in gravel and sand. He has found the Tower of Peritio, the source of all of this chaos. Cerdaminus walked for eight miles through cacti, shifting sands, and scorpions. He approached the door with caution. He opened it, and went inside. He was then greeted with taint tendrils, tainted Crimson Cultists, and a stairway up to a strange purple light.

The cultists saw him and charged straight at Cerdaminus, showing their tainted sharp teeth. The taint turned them into rabid animals it seems, making them wild and insane. He selected one of his new foci and shot lightning from his wand at the rabid beasts, instantly frying them at the spot. The tendrils got out of his way in fear of getting fried too. He then proceeded through the dungeon to be surprised to see what was going on.

Cerdaminus saw the leader of the Crimson Cult, hung up by the arms, being slowly stripped from his powers. The Peritio Spirit then took his soul and ate it. The spirit then possessed his body, and completely tainted it to become a giant beast. “Cerdaminus, just in time…” said the beast in a demonic voice, “I was just about to hunt you down and kill you, but because you’re so much of a dear and came here, I just might just eat only your soul and make you my minion!” Cerdaminus readied himself to attack,but he he got tangled in the taint tendrils.

The beast went over to Cerdaminus and tried to take out his heart, but some weird magic was blocking the claws from even touching him. It was the angelic amulets! They were the cause of this magic! Then, in godspeed, Kreeponite appeared and impaled the beast with the legendary Terra Blade. Growling in pain, the beast attacked Kreeponite, knocking him out of the thermosphere. Cerdaminus is now left to himself. He took his Sword of the Zephyr and cut all the tendrils that were on him, and landed back on the floor. The beast saw him though and grabbed him by the neck and tried to choke him to death, but then Cerdaminus cut off the beast’s arm. It grew back, though, due to the taint and the beast attempted to attack, but Cerdaminus dodge the attack just in time. The beast then breathed a dark fog, killing the taint and the cultists in the room. Cerdaminus casted a shield over him right before the fog got near him.

The fog was seemingly endless. Cerdaminus was trapped in his shield, not able to move. He also felt like all of his mana was sapping out of him, every last drop of it. He felt that his power to protect himself is getting weaker. His shield got fainter and fainter, slowly cracking. Finally, the shield broke, due to him running out of mana. He closed his eyes and prayed. “So, this is the end, huh Isabella,” he said, “I don't care if I die, I care if I die a hero.” Then, in a flash, Kreeponite returned and cleared all of the fog, and banished the beast to the deepest parts of the nether for eternity. “I know you can do better than that Cerdaminus, your a demigod, remember,” said Kreeponite, “I know you can beat that beast some day, I just hope that thing doesn’t return.”

They both left the tower, leaving it to crumble to pieces. Kreeponite was able to recover Sarah’s old body and restore her. When Cerdaminus returned, the whole town held a celebration for him. The mayor of the town decided that the day that Cerdaminus returned will be called “Cerdaminus Day,” due to his heroic deed. There will be festivals, culture, food, and magic. Cerdaminus knew though that the beast will return, and will poison the world with chaos again, and he plans to be prepared when that happens.

Will Cerdaminus ever see the beast again? Or will another primal spirit cause chaos, find out in “Cerdaminus, and the Eldritch Chronicles: Part 2, Aurus”

A Story by Michael S.

One day a young girl named Jasmine was going to the store to get some fruit for her mother. When she entered the store she saw a man that was all alone and looked sad. Jasmine is a very caring person so she went up to the man and asked him, “What is wrong?” The man replied and said that his mother had just passed away. Jasmine was very sad to hear that so she asked him if he wanted to eat dinner with her and her mother. He thankfully went along with Jasmine. On their way back Jasmine asked the man his name and he replied, “My name is James.” Jasmine asked James where he lived he he replied, “Not very far from the store.” Then Jasmine added, “Don’t feel bad my father passed away about a year ago.” When they got back Jasmine introduced James to her mother. They all sat down and ate and talked like they had known James for years. After dinner James thanked them and then went home. The next day Jasmine went back to the store to see if james was there,but he wasn’t. Jasmine wanted to find him to invite him to have dinner with them again. She checked about a mile away from the store for him at some houses she went door to door trying to find him. Then finally after an hour of looking she found him then she asked him to come to dinner he thankfully accepted the request. When they got back they asked James how he was doing and he replied, “Not to good I am still very sad over the lose of my mother.” They said he could stay at their house if he wanted. James replied, “Are you sure?” When Jasmine said something she meant it. The two went to James’s house to gather up his things. When he came across his mother’s bedroom he fell to the floor in tears and he said, “It’s so hard to let her go she’s did so much for me.” Jasmine told him it was going to be ok. Then James got up and said, “I’m ready to go.” When jasmine and James got back they couldn’t find Jasmine’s mother. They looked everywhere except the basement. They went down the stairs and when they looked to their left there was a man pointing a gun at Jasmine’s mother’s head and said, “This is what you deserve” and then a loud sound went of BANG! Right after the man shot he jumped out a window and sprinted away. Jasmine was in shock and crying James didn’t know what to do so he went up the stairs and called 911. When he got back down the stairs he told Jasmine help was on the way but it was too late Jasmine’s mother had died. A few days later Jasmine was still very sad and the police still haven’t found the man that killed Jasmine’s mother. James said “I’m tired of waiting for the police to find him let’s do it together.

James and Jasmine went to an old friend of Jasmine’s mother and told him the news. He was very sad he gave them some guns and sent them off. They left the man’s house and then tried to remember who he was. They remembered what he looked like and started searching in town. They asked people where he lived and no one knew where he lived until they got to one old man. He told them he lived up in the mountains and he had a grudge with Jasmine’s mother because they used to date and then she left him for Jasmine’s dad. They got to his house ready to have a shoot out and then suddenly they heard a loud bang. Both of them got down and didn’t move a muscle they had no clue of where the bang came from. Then right behind them they heard someone say get up and keep your guns on the ground. The man took them inside and locked them in the basement with no food or water. The man came down about three hours later with a meal and water for both of them. The man said “eat and then I will be back down to get you.” They were starving so they ate and then the man got them and took them up stairs.

He started questioning them on where they got the guns from James said, “They were ours.” The man then replied, “You’re lying” then he smacked James in the face and said, “Tell me the truth.” Jasmine then said, “We got them from one of my mother’s friends.” Then the man said, “Where does he live?” Jasmine said, “He lives in town beside the store in a brown house.” He left then about three hours later he came back with a sack full of guns and blood all over his hands. Jasmine screamed, “Did you kill him?” He then laughed and left the room Jasmine started crying then James said, “Don’t worry we will get out of this.”

The man put them back in the basement. James was thinking for a way to get out, then he looked over in the corner and there was a knife. He inched his way over and cut the tape off of his hands and then said, “I have a plan.”

James put his hands behind his back as Jasmine called for the man to come down stairs. When he got down the stairs he yelled, “What do you want girl” then Jasmine said, “I’m hungry again” then the man said, “Well you’re not getting any more!” Then James got up and stabbed the man in the back he fell to the floor in pain tears rushed to his eyes. Then James cut the tape off his legs and Jasmine’s arms and legs. They found a window in the basement and jumped out, and James took the man’s gun from his pocket.

Right after they left, the man had friends over they heard the man and ran down the stairs to find their friend laying in a puddle of his own blood. He was dead. His friends were furious and wanted to find James and Jasmine and kill them. James and Jasmine were running through the woods scared as can be. When they got back in town they went to the police and told them all about what happened. They didn’t tell the police that there was other people coming to get them because they didn’t even know.

The next day Jasmine and James went to a local hardware store then moved to the mountains where no one could find them. They would go back to the hardware store every week for supplies that would help them build their new house. Then one day James had to tell Jasmine something he got down on one knee and asked Jasmine to marry him. She looked shocked for a moment then said, “Yes James I would love to!” They went to a local church and got married. Then one day as they were walking to the hardware store they saw men with guns asking for them. So they snuck around them to get the supplies they needed and this was the last day they needed them.

Their house was done, and they were happy with the it too. Then one day they heard how the men had killed a whole family because they wouldn’t tell them anything about James and Jasmine. So they were furious they said they were done with them killing people. They were about to go kill them when suddenly their wooden house caught on fire they knew who did it to they escaped the house they took cover. They saw the people and started to shoot. After all of them had fell James and Jasmine went to look at them all of them were dead. Their house burned down and they didn’t want anything to do with the town so they moved to a place where no murders had ever happened. They had a good time their the streets were always packed with joy. Jasmine and James both got really good jobs they were the most successful people in the city. They were billionaires and they also donated over 100,000$ to charity. Then one day a man walked into their house in the middle of the night and begged for money they asked why he said he was addicted to drugs and that’s what he wanted the money for so they didn’t give it to him. He was furious and about ten years later he attempted to kill them because they wouldn’t give him money. They saw him and James shot him dead. Everybody knew about the man because the man did it to a lot of them too so they praised Jasmine and James then later that year made them the kings of the continent. They were the richest people on the planet then one day both of them passed away but a couple hours before the knew they were about to die so they donated all of their money to charity except they gave about seventy million to their kids they had two girls and one boy. One of the girls names was Makayla the other one’s name is Maddie and the boy’s name was Michael. They were very sad because of their losses but they all stayed in the huge mansion they all got married and left the house except for Maddie she lived there with her husband and two daughters and one son. Michael and Makayla lived in the city in their huge mansions just like Maddie’s they also had two daughters and one son. They all kept in touch and were always at each others mansions doing stuff together. All of their kids were about the same age and they all went to the same school. All of their lives were great no problems with anything they owned a lot of things and still carried on the tradition of donating money to charity. Their family was still the richest on the planet and people loved them. One day a man walked to Maddie’s front door and asked for money to buy alcohol she declined and slammed the door. Everybody inside asked what it was and she said, “Remember when that guy snuck into our house well it was kinda the same thing.” Then Michael said, “Well that scares me because he tried to kill mom and dad!” “Lock all the doors and prepare because he might be back to do the same thing the man tried to do to mom and dad” Makayla shouted! Later that night the kids were in bed and Michael,Maddie and Makayla were still up waiting to see if the man was going to come. Then as they were making a plan they heard gunshots and breaking windows and they knew what was happening. They all ran and got guns then took cover after about three minutes of waiting they heard police sirens and a lot of gunshots. They all got up ran outside to see about ten people with street clothes on and fifteen police officers. There were two police officers on the ground and four men dressed in street clothes on the ground. When Michael,Maddie and Makayla stepped outside they started shooting like crazy until there were no more men dressed in street clothes. There was a ton of blood on the ground and sirens going off ambulances picking up people it was crazy. The four men dressed in street clothes were already dead but the two police officers were barely alive but the ambulance could only take one of them,so Michael hopped in his car and said he would take him in his car he rushed to the hospital trailing right behind the ambulance when they got there they men were almost dead. The surgent’s had to operate quickly or they were going to die. Michael went home the kids were still in bed and Maddie and Makayla were watching the news Michael was all over the news on how he saved the life of that police officer. He was so proud of himself and the whole time he was thinking about how proud his parents would be. Michael was famous everyone was calling him superman and he got interviewed with so many talk show hosts. He even got to go on “Good Morning America” he said that was the best. The surgeons said that if Michael had not did what he did the man would have died. Two years later the whole family moved to America that’s where their James and Jasmine were both born. They all lived in big mansions in Malibu they never had problems with anything. For the rest of their lives the whole family lived in Malibu and never left.

A Story by Camryn M.

Thinking about the day's wonderful events, Adam Cook slid his notebook back into his pack and casually exited the hospital. Casey had her baby today. A healthy 7.3-pound baby girl. Jackie, Adam's wife, had first heard that Casey was pregnant from one of the women at Jackie's book club. For three months, Adam and Jackie had been very impatiently waiting.

In three days, their plan would go into effect. In three days, Jackie would offer to watch Casey's baby while Casey went back to the hospital for her check-up appointment. In three days, Adam would stage a break in. In three days, the couple would save Casey's baby and in three days, their plan would be executed. Adam pulled out his phone and dialed Jackie. She picked up on the first ring.

"Adam? How'd it go? The baby, is it okay? Boy or girl?"

Adam chuckled, "Calm down, Jackie. It was a smooth delivery, the baby is perfectly healthy. 7.3-pound baby girl."

Adam heard her squeal on the other end and he laughed again. "Oh my gosh Adam, I'm so happy," she sighed. He smiled, "That's good. This is going to be great for us, Jackie. This is going to be great for the world."

~

Jackie picked up her phone off the counter and began to dial the number. It was answered on the third ring. "Hi Jackie, how are you?"

"I'm well, thank you," Jackie replied. "I was just wondering how the baby was doing?"

"She's great."

"Have you picked a name for her yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Well... Casey, I was wondering if you had a babysitter for tomorrow?"

Casey seemed a bit taken aback by Jackie's question.

"Uhmmm... No, I don't."

"Would you mind if I babysat her for you? I love children so much and since I've never been able to have any children of my own... You know."

"Yeah Jackie, of course. I understand. Can you be here at 1:30? My appointment's at 4 but it's a bit of a drive to the hospital and I'll need some time to show you where everything is." "Sounds great, Casey. Thank you."

"Anytime."

Jackie could hear the smile in her voice and she hung up the phone. Adam came into the room just as their phone call was finished. "So?" He asked.

"I will be at Casey's house at 1:30 pm tomorrow. At 3 you should be there and that will give you plenty of time to make it seem as if the house was broken into and I was knocked unconscious. Is your bag ready?"

"Yes, it is."

"I think we're ready," Jackie said.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. Like you said earlier Adam, this isn't just for us, it's for the world."

Adam smiled and bent down quickly to kiss his wife. The two smiled at each other for a minute before Adam said, "Why don't you get yourself all dressed up and I'll take us out for a nice dinner?"

"That sounds nice," Jackie said with a smile. "I'll get ready now."

Forty-five minutes later Adam knocked on the door to his and Jackie's bathroom. "Hun? You okay?"

"Yep," Jackie replied perkily.

She opened the door and turned around. He looked her up and down quickly. She had on an obviously expensive dark green ball gown. "I'm going to miss this," she said. "The fancy dresses, the nice dinners, my book club meetings... What if this all goes downhill, Adam? What if something happens? This will all be gone... You quit your job, you sold the company!"

Jackie was looking at the floor, the tears starting to flow down her cheeks. Adam took her hand in his and with his other lifted up her chin and wiped her tears away.

"It'll all be okay, Jacqueline. Trust me."

"Really?"

Adam nodded solemnly and smiled at her. She smiled back. Together, they walked out of the bathroom and onto the front porch, locking the house's massive doors behind them. Through the windows in the front, you could see the wonderful gold and glass chandeliers, the elegant spiraling stairways, the brilliant mahogany floors, and the marble counter tops. The house was beautiful. Fit for a king. But soon it would no longer be theirs. As of the day after tomorrow, it would be someone else's.

"Football" by Damian T.

I practice everyday to get better and better to get where I am in football right now. I've been busting my butt the from the beginning of the summer to get stronger,faster and better. I'm glad I did that over the summer because I wouldn't be this strong right now if it weren't for my brother.

My first game went bad, we lost 7 to 30 something or something like that. Every game we play the day after im always mad at myself because i'm always telling myself “ i've could've done better”. The best game I played was against Parry McCluer. I can't stand the fact that the refs are so unfair because they don't call anything on them but they call everything on us.

The last games I played was against was Page I sucked that game but I had some really good plays that happened. When I was on kick return I had a 57 yard run and I ran it back from the 20 yard line. Then when I was on defence I got an interception but I didn't gain any yards. The crowd was screaming my name and my teammates was so excited for me. But at the end of the game I still thought I played horrible like always.

I can't wait for my next game against Stuarts Draft this wednesday, and it's home. I can't wait because I get to hit people and sometimes make a touchdown for us.Then after that game we will have 4 more games left which I'm going to be sad about but I still got 4 more years to play. I heard that Stuarts Draft is really good at every sport they play.

Game day is tomorrow baby, so I get to take all my anger out on the opponent's. Witch i'm going to do like always I'm vicious when I'm on defence you should see. But I feel bad when I have to go against people like Isaiah's size or even smaller, that's what I have to do last game. I slammed a little kid on the ground I felt bad just a little.

I'm so mad that we mad have a game today and i'm in a bad mood because of that. We didn't have a game because of the stupid rain and the athlete director doesn't want the jv to mess up the field. But I heard that this practice we might mess up the game field because we didn't have our game today. We have a 20% chance that we had our game today but now we don't even have a game.

One of my teammates told me that we might have our game on Friday. But I don't believe that because my coaches said that we were going to have it Thursday but varsity is having their game on Thursday. Now we've only played 4 and a half games because our one on Wednesday got canceled because of the rain.

Most people would've said that we would lose our game yesterday but aye you never know. That's the thing that gets me mad and go all out on the field. Whenever that happens I start cussing out the opponents and I still go at it after the whistle then the refs say “ last warning 15 then you're out” or something like that. But I almost get kicked out of the game and I told one of my teammates at the Luray game “ last two minutes of the game i'm going to try to get kicked out of the game. But I didn't because for the last two minutes of the game they kneed the ball so I couldn't. For our last game I want everyone to fight because it would be pretty fun everyone fighting and cussing out the other team. I at least want to get kicked out of one game, at a away game. I'm so excited I don't have practice today it got canceled because of the rain and the hurricane that's supposed to come tomorrow! But if it does come our football season might be over. The game field is going to be all torn up and we won't be able to play on it because of the hurricane. We have four more games left and I at least want to win one of them so our season isn't 0 and 10. We've could've won at least 3 of our games but we didn't give it 110% of the time and we need to work on our kickoff team the most. That's what gets us the most kickoff team they usually score on us because we don't do what we're supposed to do.

My sister and mom think I would be able to play for varsity next year even though I would only be in 9th grade. The varsity team only has like 32 people on the team or a little bite more. There's 8 or 9 seniors on the varsity team and 9 or 8 player is a lot to lose. Then you have to think about all the guys that are going to drop out then the numbers are going to get lower. I don't know if you ask me I don't think I will make varsity next year.

"A Story" by Bailey H.

One eyed willy was a mysterious and man he watched his own mother and father get killed right in front of his eye.He grew up in blood his parents were killer and soon to find out he would be too.

His first blood was to an old lady just walking from the store he was trying to steal her purse but when she refused and so he got his sword and stuck her in the neck, but today he felt empty and alone like all the killing don’t matter to him any more so he turned himself in and when he got out he met this foreign lady and got married and settled down. She didn’t know about his old life until one day she was walking to the market to get some food and she ran into this poor man and he said you’re married to one eyed willy .She said you must be mistaken my husband’s name is William. He said you don’t know do you he said you’re husband was a killer he went to jail because he turned himself husband’s heart and guts out and he found her and while she was begging for her life he killed her and took their boy. He teached the boy to fight and become a killing machiene just like his father and the boy did he killed kids woman men and homeless people but six years in.The next day the william found out and went to kill the poor man but she found out and stoped him.She said she is leaving him and he said no.She said she would die before coming back to him and he said that could be aranged and she got scared and ran for her dear life and got away but 3 years latter he found out she was married and had a child so he went to find her and when he did he spit her later he found out his dad killed his real parents and took him so one day he asked his fake farther what was his mother like and his dad said she was stupid and she left him and his son got so mad that he kept lying and left.That same night he snuck into his dad’s room and killed him in his sleep and started laghfing Ha ha ha.His dad’s last words were who’s the phyco path now.But it turns out one eyed willy was still alive he just faked it so he wouldn’t stab him another time.”I guess it wasn’t my time to die” he told himyself.So six years latter he got all his weapons and started hunting his son down but couldnt find him.He finally found his son he was at a beatifull festeval with a girl and 3 kids wait that must be his family.But he doesn’t care he follows them home to go kill his own son and his family.So he gets to the house and goes to his sons room to kill him but his son just walked in behined his dad went because he just went to get a cup of water and he sees his dad but he thinks it’s a ghost. His son says is it really you “yes it’s me in the flesh ready to kill you.but suddenly his wife walked in with two guns pointed at his father.But suddenly their son walked in and that gave one eyed willy plenty of time to get his gun out and shoot but his grandson went to one eyed willy and gave him a hug and said I can’t believe you're here and one eyed said i think you got the wrong guy and his grandson said no you're my my grampaw one eyed willy dad has told me so much about you.willy looked at his son and said really and started tearing up.He was so happy he dropped his weapons and sat down and started talking and coming into his grandsons life and he visited once or twice each week and told stories and legends and stuff.He really was a great person after that day and his step son started treating one eyed like he was really like his dad and they loved each other again and they went hunting and fishing.But soon one eyed got older and older until one day he got very sick and died everyone mourned for his death but his grandson was the one who was most affected he wouldn’t eat or talk to anyone for so long.He was so sad he ran away from home.His mom and dad went out looking for him and they finally found him he was hiding in a cave crying himself to sleep.

"A story" by Addison H.

Michael and his family moved to Montana way back in the woods in a little yellow house with a creaky porch swing and a squeaky door. Michael and his sister Caiden hated the fact that they had to move away from all their friends. ‘’I hate this ugly house; it's trashy’’ said Caiden.‘’Quit your nagging” stated Michael. Bill their father tried to get them into liking it but they don’t listen. Michael threw open the front door and got the feeling that something wasn’t right. Bill stepped through the front door got a warm sensational feel of the heat coming from the fireplace in the corner of the living room. How could this house get any more cozy bill enthusiastically asked? It couldn’t mumbled Michael. You need to give it a chance Michael.

‘’Yeah Michael’’ said Sarah their youngest sister,

‘’Why did we move here daddy?’’ said sarah,

‘’Well sweetie before mommy went to visit god she told us it wasn’t safe in Texas.’’ ‘’But why did she go see god? I miss her’’ Sarah said morosely.

‘’ Because he wanted her to visit him.’’

The next morning Sarah woke up and ran downstairs to find her dog Trooper hung by a rope on the door. She screamed bloody murder ,‘’DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’’ Bill ran down the stairs klunk klunk klunk and slipped in a puddle of water that had been leaking from the roof. BING BANG BOOM Bill went clattering down the stairs,Daddy Sarah yelped. Michael at a leisurely pace walked down the stairs and mumbled,

‘’ What’s all the racket for?’’ Sarah screeched,

‘’Daddy hurt himself and can’t move.’’

‘’ Where is dad? and why is Trooper dead?’’, ‘’Daddy is right there’’ as she pointed to the little woven rug at the bottom of the stairs,‘’Where Sarah?’’ Michael said unaccountably, ‘’Laying on the rug help him’’ as they turn around they see a tall slende ghostly like man holding bill by the collar. Michael woke up to a screeching alarm and realized it was all just a nightmare. He checked the time it was 6:50 and he needed to get ready for his first day of school Bill yelled for them to get ready he slowly hopped out of bed put his slippers on and went to the bathroom. As he got ready he noticed a secret door in his closet ‘’ Michael hurry up we’ve got to go!’’ ‘’Okay okay’’ Michael said. He knew that when he got home he’d surely get caught if he tried to go through it. He had to plan out how he was going to go in it but not get caught. When Michael arrived at school he was a bit nervous but then he had seen the prettiest girl he had ever made eye contact with she had long straight blonde hair bright blue eyes. she was tall and slim and had the nicest smile anyone could ask for. Later that day he saw her in the hallway and asked her what her name she replied ‘’Ashley what's yours?’’ ‘’Michael’’ he stuttered. when michael got home he quickly walked to his room slammed the door and locked it he knew that it was now time to do it. He slowly slid open the door and peaked in it was to dark to see anything so he grabbed a flashlight and went in, It wasn’t big enough to walk through so he had to crawl. He felt like it had been going on forever but he had only gone a couple of feet. The tunnel was dirty and musty and smelled like mold. He wanted to get out but he had to figure out where it lead to. After several minutes of crawling through the tunnels he finally saw a light he started crawling faster and when he got to the end he could see where the light was coming from it was a vent hanging above the living room. He had heard something and looked up and there was a giant gray rat with long string like whiskers and nasty teeth. He screeched and crawled back the opposite way. When he got back in his room and closed the door and never wanted to go back in. The next day at school he saw Luna and approached her ‘’hey Luna’’ he said ‘’hey, Michael right?’’ yeah. ‘’Sorry i'm not very good with names.’’ ‘’It's fine’’ as they were walking to lunch Luna asked Michael if he wanted to sit with her at lunch he replied ‘’sure.’’ after school on the bus Michael asked Luna out she didn't answer until the next day. It was now friday at school Luna said she was sorry but she didn't know him well enough and that he was really sweet and that maybe once they get to know each other more they could date. At Least Michael had all weekend to figure out what that that doors purpose was. When everyone was in bed Michael heard something downstairs. He was terrified but got up and went down to see what it was he saw a monster. It was digging in the refrigerator Michael was so scared he backed up and knocked over the stool at the desk. The monster stood up it had long teeth and big vibrant red eyes it made a terrible howling noise and went after Michael he screamed. He got cornered in the living room ‘’I’m coming buddy!’’ Bill yelled soon after that the monster was closing in on Michael. Bill blasted through the living room door with a shotgun and shot the monster bang bang bang! It fell to the ground Sarah came running up and started beating the monster with a toy golf club ‘’ die monster die’’ she repeated that several times. Later that night they called the cops everything was back to normal The cops determined that it was just a crazy homeless man looking for food dressed like a monster. They all went back to bed.

Three days later everything was normal like nothing even happened Michael had to walk Sarah school. Because their dad’s suv didn’t start They had to leave earlier because it was a 30 minute walk. They usually there before school started but they had to leave at 6:30am. Caiden was home sick with the flu that day and had to stay home by herself. After school Michael and Sarah ran up the driveway, When they got there the front door was locked so they tried the back door, It was locked to ‘’ Man I forgot the key this morning’’ michael said ‘’Then how will we go in?’’ Michael shrugged his shoulders and walked to the front door on the way there he saw that the kitchen window had been broken out he started to wonder what happened. He started yelling for Caiden but he got no response. They had to wait two hours for their dad to get home and let them in Michael asked there dad about it. He had no clue they went up stairs and they didn’t hear any movement from Caiden’s room and they didn’t want to just barge in so they left it.

At dinner that evening they knew Caiden wouldn’t want to eat so they saved her some soup. When they were about done Michael felt something drip and land on his face. He asked and he said it was blood they ran up stairs and saw that Caiden had been killed.

It was now three years later Michael was now 16, Bill was 38 and Sarah was 9. the family still took the death of Caiden Harrison and Emma Harrison hard. They never thought they would recover and they never would. Back in 2001 they’re mother passed away in a terrible car crash it had been the worse thing that ever happened to the family before Caiden. They never knew why their mom told them to move away from Texas. They had some ideas why and they knew how their mom got killed in a car crash they all knew it wasn’t an accident. They knew that her co-worker killed her. He never got charged because there was no proof. She died almost instantly. by the time the police got there she was dead. Bill lived to be 89 and died of cancer and Michael lived to 101! and sarah lived on to 102 years old.

"Chapter One" by Autumn D.

Chapter 1

The end of time

Since it’s Sunday and it’s stopped raining, I think I’ll take a bouquet of roses to my grave. I have had a rough life but it gets better ! The bouquet of flowers smelt like roses on a Autumn day with the rain and the mist! There was fog so thick that I could cut it like a warm piece of cake. I got to the grave and I sat there thinking of how long it’s been it's been a year marked to this day.I got up and started to go back to the house and then at that moment I realized I wasn't alive. oh i forget Hello my Name is Tasha Niamien and I died a horrible death.

Its was gushing rain like a beautiful waterfall on a late night at iguazu falls on the border of brazil and Argentina.I was on the road going twenty-five miles per hour and the last thing I remember was I was doing eighty-five on a forty-five zone not thinking and went off the edge of dead man's cliff. My best friend Alyssa Mccarron got worried I didn't show up for school so she went to my house to ask my Sister if I was there; But my sister thought I was only at school studying.She called the police curiously wonder where I have gone to.

Alyssa almost departed away; she had to break the bad news to Falicia (my sister)the only one who has been taken care of me for the past few years. The good thing is I got to go to my funeral and I could of handled it but my “mom” came so… My mom left when I was two years old; my Sister practically raised me for fourteen years. I was only “sixteen” and she was thirty three and she wasn't ready for that responsibility. She didn't mind it but on the other hand she was going to college to find a job to support me. My dad (Zachary Parker) wasn't even there once he found out that he was having a kid he left and that's all I know of him.

The odds of Zachary Parker showing up is slim to none. I don’t care tho he never wanted to be in my life anyways so what's the point? All I did try to talk to him and when he wanted me he only wanted me to work on the farm which i didn't mind considering my sister owned one back at 263 mareen street. My life was all good i was student president, My Sister had money, I had a job and a handsome boyfriend. My life was complicated at times but i had everything I wanted.

Seconds past then it became minutes then it became hours and there was no hope. My heart knew I was gonna die but somehow my brain knew there was hope but my hope faded away after awhile. My life was cut into pieces when i died.

TO BE CONTINUED !!!!!!!!!!

"Abigail's Travels" by Melissa O.

Abigail was a sweet kind hearted girl, her father always said that she was his sunshine because she was always happy. That is until they took her father away from her. You see Abigail lived in Kano, Nigeria in Africa, so things weren’t always just.

Abigail was pretty she had a nice shaped face that came down to a delicate point. She had dark hair and eyes. Her hair was wavy and soft, and her eyes seemed to change from dark brown to a lighter brown depending on if it was sunny or not. She liked this because she looked like her mother, but had her father’s eyes.

She’d never met her mother because she died during labor. Still she felt as if she knew her from the stories her dad had told her. They must have really been in love because when her dad talked about her mom his eyes lit up and were light and happy. His voice sounded happy until he got to the part where she died.

The last time Abigail saw her father was when she was 8. Her father and her were celebrating her birthday when a group of strange men knocked on the door. They had pale faces unlike them. Her dad told her to climb out the window, go to a friends house, and that he’d meet her there. Abigail never saw her father again and never forgot the fear in her father’s face. On that day she promised herself she would find those men when she was old enough.

When that time did come she knew it wouldn’t be easy to find them, but she did have a useful piece of information. One that haunted her every night when she went to sleep. The name of one of the men which happened to be Albin. She didn’t know what Albin looked like, but she had a name. Which would be good enough for now.

Abigail was 15 when she decided it was time to look for the man named Albin. Albin was an unusual name so she figured it would be easy compared to the rest of her journey. She was right, but it was a bit harder than anticipated. She started out by calculating how far he could have gone, and learning how to use a sword. Sense it was 7 years ago that the men took her father she decided that this man could be anywhere in the west hemisphere.

This only made it harder to find Albin. She decided to start over and ask people around her if they knew of a Albin. Most of them said no, but some answered, my cousin? While others said yes he’s somewhere in France. That’s when she decided to go to France. She was going to find Albin and her father if it was the last thing she did.

She packed everything she thought was necessary which included rope, food, a map, money, water and a few extra things. She started out on her long journey. First she got on the bus and slept thinking about how she would need some type of covering for her face in about 14 hours she would be coming up on the next town where she would buy more supplies and ask when the next bus would come. When she made it to the city of Massakory she asked one of the locals where she could get off next. They said there were many stops but the best was Moussoro.

She had to catch the next bus at 9:00 pm it would be a little while until then. At 8:17 she was done shopping and finding her way back to the bus station. She didn’t know what else to do so she sat down to read the map she had just bought. She would have to stop at Fada after she made it to Moussoro that would be a long ride. It would be about 673 km on a bus with people she didn’t know or trust.

She slept through some of the stops, so when they stopped it startled her. Where was she? It was morning so she had to be close unless they stopped for the night. It turned out they hadn’t stopped and were halfway to Fada. She would have to get of at the next stop because she needed to stretch, but for now she was happy to curl up in a ball under her blanket that smelled of home. She sat there like that until they reached a small town in Batha she never did find out the name of that town.

She was happy to find a fruit stand she bought a peach. It was delicious and the juice ran down her hand. It was the best breakfast she had had in a long time. After she finished her peach she bought some lunch and dinner. Then she went to the bus station she made it with only seconds to spare. She climbed on and they were off. she curled up again and looked out the window. She loved how the cotton looked like snow as they passed by it. Soon she was drifting off to sleep. She woke up startled and confused. The bus had stopped and the driver had tapped so she would wake up. It was dark out and could have been one or two in the morning. She got off wondering when the next bus would come. She asked someone when it would come and they said about 5:00. She wondered if she should just find a place to stay or hop on the next bus. She, later, decided to just spend the night in this big city.

She walked down the dirt road to find the only place lit up. It had to be a hotel. What else could be open this early. She was right, but found out there were no rooms she could afford there. She would have to go somewhere else.

After what seemed like hours she found a place she could stay. It was a bed and breakfast neatly tucked between a restaurant and another bus station. She thought this was convenient because she could her when the next bus pulled up. She paid her fee and went to her room. It had a twin bed, and a beautiful rug.

These were the only things she noticed before she hopped in bed. That night she dreamed of her father. It was summer and they were running through a field towards each other . When they and when they met they hugged. Her father looked at her then kissed her head. Then remarked on how tall she was. Then out of nowhere the earth beneath her father’s feet broke open. She held on to him, but soon ran out of strength. He was starting to slip and eventually he just fell. He breathed his last word which was Mabel. She woke up startled.

She was so startled she almost didn’t remember the name. Why would her father say an english woman’s name. Mabel it was pretty a pretty name, and Abigail liked how it rolled off her tongue. Still she wondered why her father died, and why he said Mabel as he was falling. She almost thought she heard him say something else, but was too frightened to remember.

The next morning the sun shone through the curtains waking Abigail up. She wiped the sleep out of her eyes and changed. She must have been really tired because she had slept in her clothes from the day before. Her room was nicer than she had thought last night. She was surrounding by four white walls It had a nice twin bed with a red comforter, and a rug and curtains that matched it. She was surrounded by four white walls, and pictures of sunsets, and strangers she didn’t know.

She had just finished breakfast and was ready to embark on her adventure. She waited for the bus on the wall facing towards it. She was again wrapped up in her blanket. She noticed things that she never noticed before. Like how the birds chirped beautiful music. That’s when she realized that she was so carried away with her father that she’d never taken time to enjoy herself. Her father would not have wanted this for her.

She then started looking at things she hadn’t before.She noticed how when the bus pulled up it whizzed and stopped. How had she not realized these things. As she stepped on the bus she noticed how empty it was. She would never see the world the same again. It was like a blind man opening his eyes for his first time.

As the bus pulled up she realized it wasn’t just a bus. It was alive it whizzed when it had to stop, and it groaned when it had to start out again. It needed breaks as much as people do. As she got on the bus she noticed how empty it was. Only two people rode and they didn’t seem to take interest in anything including each other. Yet they were sitting together and they both had rings. Abigail sat across from them and wondered if they were married and if they were why. She later said, “Hello, how are you today.”

They both replied, “Good, how about you,” in unison.

This resulted in laughs and the their eyes met. It was beautiful. That was how she always imagined Papa looked at Mom. That moment was and would forever be stuck in her head forever. Then there was silence as they thanked her and leaned in for a kiss.

She was proud because she had helped those people and she couldn’t wait to tell Papa. She knew he would be proud. She then felt a smile and she turned towards the window and thought about her dad. She quickly fell asleep.

She woke up by a gentle tap and a quiet whisper.It was the man and the woman they said,” We’re getting off now, but if you ever need something you can find us at this address,”and she handed her a piece of paper. Then she continued to say, “Goodbye and thank you so much.”

Abigail was touched and replied, “Goodbye. There is no need to thank me but there is a reason to thank you.”

Just like that they walked away. Abigail would miss them but she could always visit them. She knew now what was important in life. Helping people and actually realizing thinks. She could now see the world in color and see was never going back.

She continued on her adventure. She was almost there and was getting hungry. That’s when she remembered the dinner the dinner she had packed. It was just crackers and some cold soup so she figured it would be fine from three nights ago. She sat there dipping her crackers in her soup. It was tasty and had she liked how it just slid down her throat.

After she was done she curled up and looked out the window. It was dark out now and all she could see was the outline of trees and the candlelight of house near the road. She could also see the stars. There were so many and they glowed so bright that night. She thought about how they must be so bright to be seen so far away. She liked how they seemed to be holes that the light bleeds through the night sky.

She soon fell asleep thinking about how her father was looking at the same stars. She was not going to dream a terrible dream of her father but instead of the sky. The sky can be orange, yellow, purple, or any other color it wanted. It is and always will be this way. No matter how far you travel the sky is home.

She woke up to the sun hitting her face and telling her to wake up. It was a beautiful day and she wished she could escape this bus. She wished she could run barefoot through the field that ran beside them. It was a chartreuse green that seemed to light up the whole earth. There was nothing so beautiful as how the grass complemented the sky.

She stayed awake for the rest of the day talking to strangers that slowly turned into friends. She mostly looked out the window though. She watched as the whole world zoomed by. She thought about what would happen if she just jumped out. She could touch the warm grass and enjoy the beauty more, but what would be the point.enture for one day.She would give her adventure for one day.

The day seemed to last forever on that small cramped bus. When the day did end the colors were the perfect finally to that beautiful day. The sky turned pink where it touched the ground and then it turned to purple. Next it turned to yellow and finally to a light blue. She wished she had something to save this moment.

The rest of the trip went by in a blur. She didn’t stop any more unless she needed to eat and other important things. She visited many cities but there were none as beautiful as the day with the sunset and meadow. There were any other moments but that one was her favorite.

Soon she was in France. The countryside was beautiful here. There were stone roads, fields, ponds, and lots of farm animals. One thing really caught her eye though. It was an abandoned little stone house waiting for someone to love it again. It had an old wood door and a small hole in it’s roof. It was surrounded by yellow flowered plants and lots of rocks. Abigail promised that house that she would come back for it one day.

She passed the house and was soon in the suburbs of France. This was it, this was where Albin must be. She didn’t know how she knew this, but she knew she was right this time. It seemed so weird to speak that name, Albin. It felt gross as it formed in her mouth, and when she finally did say it it lingered in the air.

She got off the bus at the next stop and went to the nearest diner. She was so hungry and needed a warm place to eat. It was very small and was decorated with red velvet ribbons and tablecloths. She ordered a warm cup of coffee and a croissant. She thought about how she would feel when she saw her father again they could live in that little house and be happy.

When she left the diner she noticed a sign about an autumn festival. She would have to go it because it seemed to be the event around here. Plus, Albin could be here. She sat down on a bench to think and rest. She was so tired and before she could think about moving she was asleep.

She woke up to the footsteps and mumbling of people walking by. She was so confused. She could barely remember anything from last night. Then she remembered the festival. How could she have forgotten about this one chance to find her father? Abigail was so excited for the night to fall that she jumped off the bench and run for what seemed like mile.

Soon night fell and everyone gathered together in the square. It was late summer and the cool air was nipping at everyone's noses. The night seemed endless as people came to see the beautiful lights against the night sky. People from all cultures and backgrounds came to see the trees wrapped in blue lights, and the light up shops of France. Under the street lights everything seemed more colorful and defined. The air was filled with laughs of joy and oos and ahhs as people saw the beauty in each other.There was a moment of silence as all the people joined together and forgot all their differences. Everyone knew that from the moment they’d never forget that night and that they’d always be friends.

That’s when the silence was broken by a crash of wood against the sidewalk. It seemed like everyone jumped yet no one went to investigate. Abigail decided she was going to be the one to do so. Everyone else had gone back into their own deep thoughts and she was now the only one moving through the crowd.

She went into the dark alley where she suspected the sound came from. She was starting to get jumpier and jumpier the closer she got. She was about to turn around when she heard another crash this one was hollow like something bumping into a trash can. She entered the alley at last and suddenly wished she had brought something to protect herself with. The alley was dark and she could only see the silhouettes of the things around her. There was a trash can and the smashed crate on the ground. Abigail then saw what was the source of all the noise. It must have been the little black cat.

Abigail started to turn to go back to the festival. She regretted ever leaving the feeling of the festival. Just then she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. The hand was dry and it’s fingers were short and stubby with nails that were bit as short as possible. The person connected to the hand then spoke,”I’ve heard you’ve been looking for me. Well here I am.”

Abigail froze she recognized that voice. It belonged to Albin. She could have recognized that raspy, deep voice from miles away. She was really starting to worry. Was Albin going to take her like he took her father.

She then worked up the courage to say the only thing that came to mind, “Albin?”

Abigail said it so quietly that Albin could barely hear her.

She realized this and said what she really wanted to say, “ Where is my father?”

This time there was no mistaking it Albin replied in laughter and the taunting she hoped to never hear,” Your father is dead.”

Abigail started to cry right then and there. He was laughing about her father’s death!

Something must have snapped in Albin’s tough guy personality because he said,” I’m so sorry I was young and didn’t want Ja to kill him, but he said he had no choice. I promise I never thought he could do something like that even after he said he would. I’m sorry.”

They stood there crying there together and she felt herself letting her father go. She would always think of him as the man he was before they took him from her. She would forgive Albin from what he did and would move to that beautiful house. Several years later she was living in that little house and there was a knock at the door. She answered it to find a woman older than her and the lady then said,” Are you Abigail?”

Her voice was happy and alive and when Abigail answered, ”Yes,” she gathered her into a hug and said, “I’m Mabel.”

Isaac by Isaiah K.

Isaac was wanting to go hunting since the day he turned five years old. His grandpa always took Bryan hunting, but not Isaac. Isaac’s mother wants Isaac to kill a deer, but Isaac’s grandpa, Bob doesn’t want to take him because he thinks Isaac is to scared to shoot a gun. What Isaac doesn’t understand is you can’t shoot a deer with a .22. It’s illegal to kill a deer with a .22. His grandpa tried to tell Isaac that he can’t take a .22 in with him because he can’t use it.

One day Isaac’s dad came home from the military. Isaac told his dad ‘’ Grandpa won’t take me hunting.Stephen was gone for almost a year. Stephen, and Isaac made plans to go hunting that morning. Stephen got the 270 out, and laid it in the corner of the kitchen. Stephen got a call that night. He had a mission he had to go. Stephen went that morning, he told his son that,” he’ll be back to take him hunting.” Isaac was so upset that he could even eat. Later that day the phone rang. Isaac’s mother Amanda answered the phone, and it was John Stephen’s friend that was in the military. John said, “Stephen got transferred to Iran.” Amanda told Isaac that, “Stephen wasn’t going to make it to take him hunting.” Stephen was the captain of his part of the military.

Stephen has a big thirteen pointer that is 19inches wide and 17inches tall. Isaac went into the living room that night, and sat on the couch, and stared at the buck. Stephen knew he wasn’t going to be home for a long time. Stephen has been in the military for one, and half years now. He knows better to think if he gets called in he might stay in there for five months or he might stay in there for nine months.

Isaac was turning seven now, and his dad was still off fighting. Stephen got a letter one night it was from Isaac, Isaac’s letter said, “I shot a deer daddy it’s bigger than your buck.’’ It’s a thirteen pointer, but it’s 22inches wide, and 19inches tall, but grandpa doesn’t have enough money to do what you did to your buck.” Stephen started crying not crying because hurt or scared cry of joy. Stephen was so happy for Isaac.

Isaac had a plan to mount his buck. When Isaac went to tell his mom she handed money to him. Isaac didn’t know what it was for, but when you counted it was exactly enough to mount his deer. Isaac had to write to his dad, so he did. The letter said, “ mommy gave me money for me to mount my buck, I can’t wait to show you when you get home.”

When Isaac went to mount it. He gave the money to the guy, and the guy told him to come pick his deer up in two hours. Isaac came back to the shop and saw a car like his dad’s, but never thought it could have been him. When Isaac walked into the shop he saw his dad, and his deer was in his hands. His dad had a smile that went to eyeball to eyeball. Isaac ran up to him, and gave him a huge hug. Isaac didn’t want to let go of his neck. When Amanda came to see why Isaac was taking so long she saw Stephen and almost fainted. She was so surprised to see him so soon. She asked him why he was back so early, and he said that this whole thing was a set up. John told them that so he could surprise Isaac so he could take him hunting, but it took him so long to come back so it wouldn’t be so clear that it was a joke. The thing was it took him two years so when you came back Isaac was already seven years old.

( two years later)

Stephen got to the point where he could stay home and work from his computer. Isaac and his mother moved to Montana while Stephen was on a mission. Sometimes he might get a call, but he doesn’t have to leave home. Isaac is so glad to have his dad home for his ninth birthday. The day Isaac turned nine Stephen cried, he couldn’t believe his son was that old, and he now just got to spend time with him. Stephen’s father past away on Isaac’s birthday. Isaac thought it was a curse because Isaac was mad at Bob on his birthday. Bob died of cancer. The doctor’s never found out what kind of cancer he had, all they that he had cancer. His funeral was two weeks later. Almost everyone came out to the funeral that was from the same neighborhood, and in the same neighborhood. Bob had a lot of friends plus he was a likable person.

Isaac was upset, even though his grandpa didn’t take him hunting or spend time with him as much Isaac loved him. Bob was a big part of Stephen’s life. Being Stephen’s dad plus his best friend. He lost a person that he will never forget. Amanda as really close to him too. When Stephen and Amanda first started dating at the age of nineteen, Bob was there for them if they had money trouble or anything. Bob was good to everyone.

Isaac thought that Bob didn’t like him. Isaac went to Bob’s house to clean it out and found some notes that Bob wrote to himself that he only had four day to take Isaac hunting so he made plans to take Isaac hunting, but then he kept moving it to the next day. Isaac was looking. He found where Bob’s work called him and called him in those days.

For the next two hunting seasons Isaac didn’t want to go hunting. Isaac lay in his bed and thought about his grandpa. Stephen was sad but not as sad as Isaac was. Amanda tired to talk to Isaac but Isaac didn’t want to anyone really. Isaac sat in his room, and was just thinking to himself. Why he was mad at Bob on his birthday and then died on Isaac’s birthday.

Isaac finally came out of his room came in the living room and sat down.He did not talk, just sat on the chair, and looked at his buck. He looked at Stephen and jumped up and said with excitement, “Can we go hunting tonight please?”

Stephen said, “Yes, Isaac, go get dressed.” Isaac went to get dressed and so did Stephen. Isaac went first out the door and had the 270 on his shoulder. Isaac and Stephen were walking through the woods and Stephen saw something jump up it was a deer. Stephen said, “Isaac, shoot that buck!” The gun cracked and the buck went down. Isaac was so happy so was Stephen couldn’t stop stop smiling. Isaac took the buck home and Amanda was excited. All Amanda was saying was, “Jerky, jerky.” Isaac and Stephen finally got to go hunting together and Isaac killed a ten pointer. The body on the deer was way bigger than Isaac’s thirteen pointer.

The Girl by Krysten S.

One day I was walking down the sidewalk and felt a tap on my shoulder when I turned around is was my ghost sister. She always walks me to school. My parents have forgotten about her till I told them I can see her. At first they were scared but now our family is whole again but I guess I should start from the beginning.

One day when I was on the way to school with my sister. We had stopped for the stoplight and a truck was stopped to but when we started to move so did he and he hit us right on her side that was all I remember. The next day when she got up something was different Then she tried to talk to them, but no one could hear her but me. So that is how my sister died.

I know it was sad, but now you're up to speed. So where was I oh yes I turned around and there was my sister. “I was wondering where you were,” I said to her. That is when she said something I never heard her say before and that was that she wanted me to go to her grave and put flowers on her grave. When I asked her why she said so she could add some color. So I said ok and I did just that. When I got home I grabbed my purse changed into a black dress and went out the door.I went to the nearest flower shop. When I got there the lady asked me, ”Are you going to a funeral?” I told her yes, but that was a lie. Wants I got the flowers I went on to my sister's grave. When got there my sister was crying.When I asked her what was wrong she didn't answer me. Then I remembered that a year ago on this very day she had died.

I looked at her and said why did you just ask me to come and not mom and dad. She looked at me and then said because they can't see or hear me like you can. Then I asked her if I could tell her something and she said yes so I told her our mom was having a baby. She looked at me and said, “Is that true? “and I said, “Yes”, because it was true. Then she looked at me and asked, “Will the baby know me?” I looked at her and said, “If you want her to she will.”

The next day she did not come to walk with me to school. When I got home I changed my close as usual then went to see my sister. When I got there she was not there then the phone rang it was my dad he told me to go to the hospital because my mom was having the baby.

So I ran home got my dad's keys and went to the hospital. When I got there my mom was holding the baby I looked in the corner and saw my sister. I looked at my mom and said, “Your other daughter is in here.” My mom looked at me and said, ”Tell her it’s a girl.“ When I turned around she was gone. I looked at mom and said, “She left. Sorry.”

My mom asked me why and I said I don't know. When I left and turned the corner to leave there she was outside the door. She looked at me and said they are replacing me. I said, “No, they are not.” Then she looked at me and said, “They don’t love me like they do you and the baby.” I looked at her and asked, “You don’t really think that, do you? “

She looked at me and said, ”Yes .“ I was devastated. When I got to my dad's car I felt like crying then had an idea. My idea is to help mom and dad to see her and get to have a life with her again.Then I realized that that was an idea that would never happen. I realized that because I am a girl that can see her dead sister face it that is just not ordinary. No one can have a family with a dead girl it's just not possible.

When I got home dad was there and I told him that my sister wants to be part of the family again.He looked at me and surprised me by saying tell me what to do. I said try very hard to hear her and imagine her there. The next day at dinner I sat down and watched as my sister pulled out her chair and then I heard my dad say ,“I see it moving.” He was so happy that he could hear her he started to cry.

When mom got home she had a big surprise when she walked through the door .She gave me the baby and said,“Emma, where are you?” Then she felt little arms around her and she was so happy. She took the baby from me and said, ”Everyone to the couch.”Then she looked at us all together as a family then she looked at Emma. ”You get to name her. “

“I want to name her Ciera,” I said.

“ I love the name,” Mom and dad agreed.

The next day when we woke up the baby was quiet which was unusual. When we went downstairs we saw the baby playing with Emma. When I went over and asked,“ Can I play too?”

Emma looked at me said, “Yes, you can .” The mom and dad went to work so we took the baby to the park. When we got there-there were not a lot of people there for it being Sunday.

We were, therefore, an hour or two then we went home and ate lunch. When we were done eating we watched a movie, then we went outside and put Ciera on the swings. Then Emma and I started talking and when people would walk by I would act like I wasn’t talking so people would not stare. When mom and dad got home we all ate dinner and then watched a movie that mom got on her way home from work.

The next week Emma was there the whole time and it was pleasant.All week she and I watched the baby and played just like old times. It was fun to have my little sister back was like she was still alive. I know she is not, but it feels that way and Ciera loves Emma so much and mom and dad are happy she is with us too. Like I said in the beginning, our family is whole.

THE END

"Killer Clowns" by Christopher Fox

One sunny day a man named John Harold stopped at a car show on his way to California. He was coming from his home town in New Orleans.It was a hot day with a cool breeze and there were very few clouds.He was thinking about stopping back by when he came back from California to buy an old 1977 Ford truck.He can't buy it right now because he has to wait until he delivers the the guns to the army store.

At the car show he came across a little polka dotted volkswagen and a creepy clown jumped out of the sun roof and he has a 12 gauge and a machete and then says, “Hi ya, kids.”John Harold dropped his hamburger and starts running away.The clown is close behind. John’s screaming like a little girl and he drops his sweet tea.He goes to reach for it but he falls down and can’t get back up.He thinks to himself I'm done running so he tries to get up one more time but still fails so he starts rolling after the psycho killer clown. Then the clown screams like a little girl and drops the machete but not the 12 gauge and tries to shoot John Harold.It hits him in the leg and lodges in his fat.

The fat guy is stunned and he gets very angry so he rolls to his truck and gets in it and he goes through the car show and hits the volkswagon so the clown couldn't get in it but, when he hits the wagon 5 other killer clowns jump out and try to take over his truck.He reaches under the seat for his 22 mag. and he picks it up and shoots one of the clowns in the face but he is still alive.He then realized that he needed to go so he left the car show but what he doesn't know yet is that while he was fighting the clowns that 3 others jumped in the back of his truck. When he was on the way to California he was calming down and he pulled in to the rest stop to sleep.He noticed a noise in the back of the truck and he grabs his 22 and goes back.He opens up the doors and sees that there is 3 other clowns and he starts shooting but he misses and they all jump on him and put a bag over his head and stick him in the back and then they take his truck and takes him to their home.

They take him to this place called Clown Town.The place has ribbons and balloons and a big water fountain in the middle.they take him to his holding cell at the butcher shop where they murder their victims but they take their time and repeatedly says, “Kill kill kill kill.”He is begging them to let him go but they will not.They tie him up in a old wooden chair and turn up the music really loud and he starts putting on his leather and bloody apron.He then takes a knife and attempts to chop off his meaty fingers but then he realized he needed a saw to cut him so he begun with the saw he is yelling in misery so they put a sock in his mouth then wrapped polkadotted duck tape around his mouth so he couldn't spit the sock out.The clown walks out of the room and John Harold looks for a way out so he slides the chair over to the knives and he cut himself out of the chair.He then looks up and sees a hole in the roof and tries to fit his fat lard in the hole but doesn't succeed and the clown walks in and cut his toes and feet off.He then chokes on the blood and falls to the floor john falls out of the ceiling onto the clown and smashes his head like a tomato. John gets up and tries to walk but his feet hurt so bad he falls he tries to get out of the door and he barely makes it through.

To Be Continued...

October 3, 2015

Busy, busy, busy! I have finished the first round of conferences with students in preparation for their interim reports. Second core will finish on Monday (the largest class).

I hope by now you have visited your student's progress sheet, which is a Google Doc. As I conferenced with the students, I individually explained what their data means. For example, I went over the three categories from last year's reading SOL: nonfiction, fiction, and word meaning and usage. A passing score was 30 and the top was 50. I showed which area was the weakest so the student could focus on improvement in that area for this year's SOL. Some students could see there was one category that had kept them from passing last year, so, if they really work on improving that skill, it could make a big difference in passing this year.

All students have finished independently reading The Outsiders, and we broke it into three parts with a discussion day each week. Some students didn't finish their reading on time, and sadly they had go to the library and finish reading while we had discussions. I repeatedly tell them that not getting something completed snowballs consequences. I also remind them it's what holds them back from success. If you see late work in your student's progress sheet, please also remind them to change that habit! I copied and pasted the summary of our conference into their progress report comments, so you will see it there. Every progress report grade was mutually agreed on by the student and me. Every student should be able to explain to you why s/he has that grade.

I wasn't planning on showing The Outsiders in class, but they had worked so hard and the progress report time made us all feel a sense of closure, so I started showing it this past week. Their performance assessment to tie it up is to write the first five pages of the sequel. We will set a due date this week for that project.

I am pleased with what I see in writing. I've been providing nonfiction articles for them to read that are connected to topics in The Outsiders. They've been due on Fridays with annotations and a one page response. The goal is that they will learn how to find their own articles and write responses without my providing the prompts to get them started. Not only do the articles provide background knowledge for the novel, but these assignments strengthen their nonfiction reading ability, which is usually the weakest area for all students.

This week I revealed that the word collections they are doing will become word banks for their writing. When they revise, they will go to their word banks and choose words to work into their writing. This will not only increase their vocabulary skills, but improve their writing. It's also training them as they read to notice vocabulary more.

Studies have shown that teaching grammar in isolation doesn't lead to improvement. I'm indicating on the progress sheet individual weaknesses in grammar and mechanics and asking each student to look at review materials in that area. We discuss revision in whole class settings, and I then work with students individually. Even better, they are learning to provide meaningful feedback to each other to improve writing.

A pop quiz on The Outsiders using SOL-style questions showed a weakness in understanding and identifying theme, so on Friday we had a fun review of that with my reading the children's book Tough Boris by Mem Fox to them.

Students in my Intervention/Enrichment and Encore classes are also writing, writing, writing at the moment. The students share their Google Docs with me, and I can see their writing on my computer and insert comments for improvement while they work.

September 8-18, 2015

Hello, wonderful human beings/parents!

How do I know you're wonderful? Because I've just spent two weeks with your children, and they didn't become wonderful without having wonderful parents. I can't wait to get up every morning and go to work and spend the day with them.

I'm sure you know that we are in the flurry of gathering assessment data right now--necessary, but yuck!--and in English we have to gather data on reading AND writing, so it doesn't seem to end. I've been fitting in instruction around all the pre-teaching assessments, so I've been asking students to bear with me. I teach using a great deal of technology, but all of this testing means the computers are tied up so that I can't use them, so I start something and can't finish it. Oh, well! We'll get there!

You should have received a link to your student's progress sheet. This is what I use in place of the gradebook. I will put a grade into Powerschool for progress reports and the quarter, but those grades will be based on their progress sheets and conferencing with the student. Grades by themselves are meaningless. We are focusing on progress. A student can make A's all year, but did the student make any progress? This is my first year breaking away from traditional grades, and I'm very excited because I've despised them and seen their shortcomings since I began teaching. Check the progress sheets as you would Powerschool, and please ask if anything isn't clear. At the top I have all the data I've collected in my spreadsheet. Below, I put feedback on assignments, and, if the students have to redo or fix anything, they are told in this spot. The student is then required to respond to ALL feedback I write. In the past, I would pour feedback onto an assignment, the student would look at the grade, toss it, and nothing was done with all I wrote. Also, assignments were "finished" when they were handed back with a grade. Now, it's all about the learning and the progress.

Students are also adjusting to being in cooperative learning groups and having freedom. One example is that they don't ask to go to the bathroom or water fountain. If one of the two passes is available, the student signs out and takes it. I said if they abuse it, they lose it, but they've done wonderfully with it, and they say they love the freedom. I love not having to sign a planner or answer, "Can I go to the bathroom?" while I'm teaching or working with a student. A harder adjustment is that they are in the groups to support and help one another, not to have an opportunity to social talk. Why should I "give" someone else what I know--that's not fair because it's my "grade," I continue to hear, and I keep asking, What grade are you talking about?

The students began reading The Outsiders on the first day of school. Last Friday, they had their first discussion in groups, and it was amazing to listen to. Some students hadn't completed the reading, and they had to sit in the hall and read until they were done. They missed all of the fun. Students should be finished with the whole book by this Friday, September 25. I've also told students I don't assign homework. They have to assign it to themselves. I give reading time in class every day. I give work in class every day. If they aren't finished, they do it at home. If you never see your student doing work at home for English, especially reading, something is wrong. No one can complete all of their work on time if they don't do something at home.

Students also had to collect five words they didn't know from their reading. That was due Friday, and quite a few didn't have their word collection sheets finished. Also due on Friday was an article about alcohol and the adolescent brain. We annotated and highlighted in groups, and they then had to write a one-page response to the article. I gave time in class to work on it. Many didn't have it on Friday. They aren't using their class time efficiently, and/or they aren't working at home. I am in the early stages of teaching them they must use time efficiently, plan their assignments, take responsibility for deadlines, and advocate for themselves if they don't understand something. As you can imagine, this is a process of major upheaval. Once we make it through, they will have accomplished something very useful as a life skill.

If a student chronically doesn't complete work and/or continues to waste class time, I will first meet with the student. Next, I will meet with the student with Mr. Rice or Mr. Lynn. Next, I will meet with you, the student, and one of the administrators. Some of the worst "offenders" are advanced students because they've been able to make it through school on their high grades and never had to develop any success skills. I can already see them hitting a wall when they get out of high school and into a job or college--which is what happened to me when I got to college. I was completely unable to function at the start of college because I'd never learned any coping or planning skills. Let's just say I fortunately picked them up!

Students have been doing a lot of writing, and we spent a whole class period looking at writing samples so they could create a rubric for quality writing. It's very important that they internalize the qualities of good writing from the start so they know what the target is. It also gives us the language for discussing writing.

I ran across this interesting post this morning on a blog I regularly read, and I thought it was a nice one for the start of the school year. I want to stress #10: please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. I will be contacting you more once the storm of data gathering is over.

If you see me on the caller ID, please don't think it's something bad. I want to communicate with you regularly about what I see in class. Have a great week!

SCHOOLING THE TERRIBLE TEACHER: 10 THINGS PARENTS SHOULD NEVER DO

The End of Eighth Grade

Tonight most of the eighth grade will gather in the cafeteria for one last get-together as middle schoolers. Next week, we'll hand out certificates and pass the students on to Stonewall. We've tried to teach them not only whatever subject we're assigned to teach, but also to be hard-working, kind to one another, persevering and starting over when they fail, and to leave every place they visit better than what they found it. Many of them seem to try to do all of that. They must have some pretty great people at home trying to teach them the same thing.

Thank you for the loan of your sons and daughters. I'd like to say goodbye with Rod Stewart's 1980's version of "Forever Young." He said it pretty well.

Good luck next year in high school. Work hard!

"Forever Young"

Video

May the good Lord be with you Down every road you roam, And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home And may you grow to be proud, Dignified and true, And do unto others As you'd have done to you. Be courageous and be brave, And in my heart you'll always stay Forever Young, Forever Young Forever Young, Forever Young.

May good fortune be with you. May your guiding light be strong. Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond,

And may you never love in vain and in my heart you will remain Forever Young, Forever Young, Forever Young, Forever Young, Forever Young, Forever Young.

And when you finally fly away I'll be hoping that I served you well. For all the wisdom of a lifetime No one can ever tell.

But whatever road you choose, I'm right behind you, win or los,e Forever Young, Forever Young, Forever Young ,Forever Young, Forever Young, Forever Young, For, Forever Young, Forever Young.

May 17, 2015

Hello!

I haven't blogged in some time, and I apologize. I've either been squeezing late work out of students, scoring the late work, or writing lesson plans. The positive is that, although it's the end of the year, the majority of my students are still working very hard to complete the final projects. I think they see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The reading SOL is on March 26. Math SOLs are this week. Students took the required reading post-test last week, and I've spoken to individual students about what they need to understand about the questions they missed, and I've talked to whole classes about how to understand particular questions. I don't see a need to grind through any last minute reviews in preparation for the test, because they've been working steadily all year.

All classes are reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Second core is reading it independently with a short journal response due every three chapters. The first 15 chapters and five responses were due this past week. The rest are due on May 29. The personal narrative project is also due on May 29. I provided computers every day this past week to finish late work and work on the personal narrative project, because I told them I couldn't guarantee any class-wide computer access to computers starting this week because the SOLs are beginning, and computers will be used for testing. Students continue reading books of their own choice, as they have all year, which is a great way to deal with the boredom and stress of all the testing.

It's been a productive year, and I congratulate them on all of the hard work and achievement. We'll be working hard until the last project is in, and the testing is complete.

February 9-March 13, 2014

Hello!

Most of you saw in a previous e-mail that I've been very ill for the last month, which is why I haven't posted anything in some time. It's taken everything to keep up with what's happening in the present. Because we are accredited with warning in English, we have meetings and requirements to show we are adequately preparing for the upcoming SOL. Because the date for the writing SOL was moved to March 25 and 26, we are still working on preparation for that and keeping our data up to date. I've been preparing our remediation materials, scoring them, recording the scores, creating checks, putting them into Interactive Achievement, recording that data, then analyzing it to see who still needs to work on that skill. On top of that, there are lesson plans for each day, assignments to score that have been turned in on time, then many students who aren't turning in work on time have to be pushed and pulled to complete it, then I have to score that when I finally get it.

I didn't want to start off by boring you, but I did want to explain because I have been getting some e-mails from parents asking why I haven't immediately scored late work as soon as I receive it.

Students have been completing assignments that are on SOL standards that will be covered on the writing and the reading SOLs. They haven't been easy assignments. I've had some students and parents who said they were discouraged at the scores because they were lower than what they were used to. I explained that 70% and above is good on an SOL standard.

With all that's gone on recently, I hadn't had the time to consider what I might do about balancing keeping an accurate record of how the student performs on a standard and reporting it to you and possibly equating it to our current grading scale. As I began working on this blog entry, I stopped and created a scale to equate their performance on the standard to our current grading scale. I then opened my gradebook and chose for those scores not to be part of the final grade so I could keep a record of the original score. I copied the assignment and put in the converted score. Now, if you see 69 and below, the student hasn't mastered the standard. If the student has an 85 or above, the student has mastered the standard. Those with 70-84 are getting there, but haven't yet mastered the standard.

Students took the recently released writing SOL multiple choice test. I have reposted it on Interactive Achievement if any students would like to take it for practice. It is on the school website at http://shenandoahnfms.sharpschool.net/. Scroll down under "Staff" and find the link for Interactive Achievement. The correct test after logging in is the 2015 released test. If the student doesn't finish the test in one sitting, I will need to refresh the test before the student can log in again, but, if they e-mail me, I'll refresh it as soon as I see it.

Other than preparing for tests, students have read two wonderful stories, "Hard Times" by Ron Rash and the classic "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. They've also been writing essays and learning to use Powtoon, a cartoon-making program, to create cartoons reviewing figurative language. They will be giving those to the sixth and seventh graders as test review materials. They should also have turned in a plan for their own project. Students are researching and learning about a wide variety of topics and presenting them as documentaries, papers, puppet shows, etc. I look forward to seeing the final products.

I hope we're past the snow and spring stays in the air. With the arrival of spring, however, some students are back to old habits of not completing assignments on time. The majority of students have figured out that there's no special privilege for not getting an assignment in on time and still having it accepted because then the assignments begin piling up, and they fall behind on others. I had originally said I wouldn't put any students in working lunch, because it was their responsibility to get the work completed, but I finally started putting those who were terribly behind in working lunch because they showed no motivation to complete work otherwise. Low grades, snowballing piles of work, potential failure of the class, and nagging don't seem to bother those students, but taking their socialization time at lunch away does!

There are a lot of things that drive me batty in teaching, but spending time with your children in class isn't one of them. I'm proud to see the progress they're making and hear the ideas and thoughts they share. If we could depose the testing experts and the government gurus who never worked in education and put the students in charge, the future of education would be just fine. Important Dates

March 25-6: Writing SOL (Day 1: Multiple Choice; Day 2: Writing the essay)
March 17: Spring picture day
March 31: End of Q3

English 8 Due Dates--all assignments turned in on Google Classroom

March 10: Choice essay #2 due
March 20: Choice essay #3 Topics
April 3: Powtoons Project Due
April 17: Create Your Own Project: Project due

February 2-6, 2015

Vocabulary words covered this week: scintillate, iota. Upcoming words: exasperate, enamor, ardent. Students have a packet for each word. They not only need to know the definition, but must write a grammatically correct sentence on the test. Students are allowed to memorize their own sentence from the packet completed in class, if they choose. If your student has been getting low scores on the vocab quizzes, please encourage him/her to study the definitions and sentences a few minutes every day as they learn the words.

Other than vocabulary, cores 1 and 3 continue to read Night. All classes completed two freewrites, one about who they really are and one where I provided four strange, real headlines and they wrote the news story they thought could go with it. I'm seeing the use of "vivid vocabulary" and figurative language increase in much of their writing.

Students also worked on creating their plans for a project of their own choosing. I've told them this isn't just a traditional research paper, but an opportunity to do something that captures their own interest. Two students are writing a puppet show and creating puppets to perform for younger students. One is researching and cooking "odd" chili recipes and preparing a dish for the class. Two are researching the history of the town of Mt. Jackson. One is writing a science fiction novella. Some are producing slideshows, videos, pamphlets--this is a rare opportunity to explore a topic of their own choosing and deliver it in their own way. As with any research project, one of the biggest challenges is to lead them to narrow topics so their coverage is narrow and deep rather than wide and shallow. Another is that they aren't used to having this much choice, so they have trouble thinking outside the box. Many are also rolling their eyes at having to complete a plan before beginning, but I think most who have started that process are seeing why it helps them thoroughly think through what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. Each student also has to create his own rubric to score successful completion since each student's project is different.

Each student has to write and revise two choice essays this quarter. The topics are all persuasive in nature, but I've shown them how any topic can be made persuasive, if they don't see one they like among the hundreds I offered in a shared document.

ECO continues as an assisted study hall at the moment, and Mrs. Zimmon and I are seeing those students complete more work and have more academic success. In Encore, students began writing essays after we finished the last novel, and they are experiencing how I communicate with students using the comment feature in Google Docs to help them revise their essays.

Important Dates

February 27: Interim Reports
March 10-13: Writing SOL (Day 1: Multiple Choice; Day 2: Writing the essay; Day 3: make-ups for absentees)
March 17: Spring picture day
March 31: End of Q3

English 8 Due Dates--all assignments turned in on Google Classroom

February 13: Create Your Own Project: Plan due (found on pages 3 and 4 of the project hand-out
February 20: Choice essay #1 due
March 5: Choice essay #2 due
March 20: Powtoons Project Due
March 31: Create Your Own Project: Project due

January 28-30, 2015

*If words are orange, that indicates a link to a document or website.

This week, most of our time was spent reading and discussing Night. C2 finished the book, so we took a look at Elizabeth Loftus's TED Talk on false memory and how that could affect the writer of a memoir. I had determined before we began the book not just to read it, but use it to discuss how to evaluate primary resources for research. I've shown them Oprah's tour of Auschwitz with Elie Wiesel, which I believe was a valuable activity that left them very moved, but it has scraped my soul raw to spend days teaching the Holocaust. I will be very glad to leave the topic behind. Another activity was a creative writing prompt. They watched a clip from War and Remembrance in which the Jews arrived at Auschwitz on the train and were then sorted into those sent to the camps and those who would go to the gas chambers. Their writing was some of the most descriptive I've read this year.

In all classes, I had time to begin carpe diem poetry, which we will return to in the upcoming week. We will have two days with computers next week to begin the new projects--or for students who still haven't completed second quarter work to finish it. Any work that was turned in at the end of this week will be graded this weekend with grade changes submitted this week.

In an effort to help students remember due dates, I've begun asking them to get out their cellphones OR their planners when I give them a due date. I also told them about a gmail app, Boomerang, that allows them to send themselves e-mails on a certain date or to "boomerang" an e-mail with due dates or instructions back to themselves. I have to thank C2 who said what should have been obvious to me: "I never take the planner home or look at it. My whole life is on my phone. Can I just put the dates into my phone instead of my planner?" Well, of course! Why didn't I think of that long ago??

ECO is still working as a study hall, and they reported that their grades have gone up as a result of our time spent organizing assignments and study time. We hope to soon have some classes dedicated to career discussions again. Encore finished That Was Then, This Is Now. I was impressed that students often stopped as we were reading and initiated discussions. When we finished the book, we had an intense discussion that lasted most of that meeting time about love, hate, and betrayal (the main character turned in the boy who had lived with them and been as close as a brother for drug dealing). They asked what we'd read next, and I said I planned to focus on writing for the upcoming SOL. I anticipated possible groans, but they were excited. In fact, they wanted to start right that moment. Wow! Looking forward to it!

Important Dates

February 27: Interim Reports
March 10-13: Writing SOL (Day 1: Multiple Choice; Day 2: Writing the essay; Day 3: make-ups for absentees)
March 17: Spring picture day
March 31: End of Q3

English 8 Due Dates

February 13: Create Your Own Project: Plan due (found on pages 3 and 4 of the project hand-out
February 20: Choice essay #1 due
March 5: Choice essay #2 due
March 20: Powtoons Project Due
March 31: Create Your Own Project: Project due

January 19-23, 2015

The week began with a holiday and ended with a 1:00 p.m. release for weather. Thus ended the second quarter and the first semester.

Most of the time was given to students to use the computers to finish projects. On the board, I also posted late/missing work (all completed in class) that I still didn't have from students, and I gave the student another copy of the assignment (for some this was the third or fourth time I'd given a copy). If there is a zero for daily work still in the gradebook, it isn't because I didn't make students aware of it.

I reminded students that all summative assignments (the big ones) must be completed, so, if they have a zero for it this quarter, it still must be done the next quarter. I plan major assignments for a purpose, and it's part of the learning experience. The major assignments for this quarter were the important things in my life essay, a one-page summary of a current event from the news, including a Works Cited page showing the sources, and, in Cores 1 and 2, The Outsiders five-page sequel. All of these assignments were originally given to the students in October or November, so they've had adequate time to complete the work. I have computers for 2 or 3 classes a week.

At the bottom of the blog, I've posted the summative projects for the upcoming quarter. Check it every week, because I will add quizzes and other assignments as I set those dates throughout the quarter. I e-mailed and gave hard copies of these assignments, except the essays, long ago. I included a link to the Google Doc for each assignment.

This week, we continued working on fragments and run-ons, two of the major writing mistakes made in writing. They took a vocabulary quiz on the last five words they learned (qualm, clarity, explicit, stellar, cohesion).

ECO continued study hall work. Encore is finishing That Was Then, This Is Now.

Important Dates

February 27: Interim Reports
March 10-13: Writing SOL (Day 1: Multiple Choice; Day 2: Writing the essay; Day 3: make-ups for absentees)
March 17: Spring picture day
March 31: End of Q3

English 8 Due Dates

February 13: Create Your Own Project: Plan due (found on pages 3 and 4 of the project hand-out
February 20: Choice essay #1 due
March 5: Choice essay #2 due
March 20: Powtoons Project Due
March 31: Create Your Own Project: Project due

January 5-9; January 12-16, 2015

Happy New Year!

I hope by next week to be on my regular weekly blogging schedule again. I'm sure your students told you that I went out of town on Friday for my fiftieth birthday, and I forced myself to abandon all schoolwork while gone. I've also been extremely busy grading all the late work that should have been turned in a long time ago. You've probably noticed grades getting filled in slowly in PowerSchool. Some of that resulted from student illnesses or going out of town before Christmas or extra activities, like Strolling Strings, so I've put them to work tying up all those lose ends. We were finishing a group of exercises in which they had to write about why and how authors use figurative language, and it was very difficult for them. I could see some lightbulbs coming on, and we'll be doing some upcoming activities where they put what they learned into use, so I hope to see the bulbs go from 25 watt to 100 watt. (That was a metaphor!)

I would have finished more grading, but we are now required to write detailed lesson plans for everything done in the classroom. When our administrators visit our classrooms, as they frequently do, we are required to have our plans out for everything that we teach. In one class period, I may start or cover three different lessons. Writing a plan from scratch can take hours. For example, I want the students to read two poems this week. My lesson plan for it is five single-spaced pages and took two hours to write. Thank you for being understanding about my not having all of the grading complete at this point.

They grumbled in pain about returning to work on the first day back, then we had a snow day, so the next day I asked them act out Katy Perry's "Firework" as literal language before writing about why authors use figurative language. They saw how difficult it is to write without figurative language because it permeates our writing and speaking. They took notes on sentence fragments and how to correct them, and we practiced. They are doing better than they think on fragments, so this week we'll add run-ons (fused sentences and comma splices) to skills for writing.

We began reading Night by Elie Wiesel. I've already asked them to do several anticipatory writings about memoir and memory, because we are looking at the book as a primary source and how to validate primary sources rather than just as a class book that we are reading. I showed a few minutes of Wiesel's tour of Auschwitz with Oprah, and they were overwhelmed that something like this happened in our century. Core 2 is reading it independently, and it needs to be finished by January 28, the day we return from the semester break.

Students will have a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, January 21, on qualm, cohesive, explicit, clarity, and stellar. They asked to have a major grade before the end of the quarter that they felt confident they could do well on, so I announced it before we left for winter break so they could study each day. They need to fill in the blank in a sentence, identify a picture that fits the word, and (the most points) write a sentence with strong context clues using the word correctly, and they are allowed to memorize the sentence they wrote in class on the exercise because it's been checked for correctness.

Encore is almost finished with That Was Then, This Is Now and ECO has been a very efficient study hall with a time for students to get extra help from teachers or each other to complete assignments.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns. It's crazy enough when the quarter ends, but our semester is ending, and it's the time of the year for weather issues. It's easy to get confused. Except for far too much talking in class, which interferes with learning, I'm very proud of what the students are accomplishing.

December 8-12, 15-19, 21-23, 2014

Happy 2015!

Things were a bit confusing in the last weeks of 2014 with many students missing from illness or other activities. I also began an ongoing activity which was very challenging and which I asked student to re-do until they could do it correctly. On the old SOL test, students needed to identify the type of figurative language being used, which is fairly simple. The new test asks them to tell how and why the author uses the figurative language, which requires much higher reasoning skills. We read Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" and reviewed characterization, as well as how he used figurative language. We'll be picking this back up after the break. We also briefly touched on voice in David Sedaris's writing.

We've been working on summarizing news articles, and they began writing their own Christmas memories. All classes took required midterm exams for reading and writing that I spread across three days so each testing sessions wouldn't be too long. All classes have been writing about memory and memoir prior to reading Night by Elie Wiesel and the play The Diary of Anne Frank after break. We also studied two new words (qualm, cohesive); when we've covered five, there will be a quiz.

Core 2 was assigned a group presentation on the poem "A Nocturnal Upon St. Lucy's Day" by John Donne. Let's just say that public speaking and collaborating successfully with peers are definitely skills that need polishing.

Encore is reading That Was Then, This Is Now by S. E. Hinton. We've had some very intense discussions about the story, so we're only about one-third through. ECO is still mixing in time to catch up on late work and build some skills for core classes.

December 1-5, 2014

Students who attended Hamlet are still talking about the experience and the fun we had.

One of the weakest areas identified on all grade levels' SOLs is summarizing, so we hit that skill hard this week. We worked together to identify the who, what, where, when, why/how of two news articles about the woman who brought an emotional support pig on board a plane the day before Thanksgiving. If the first attempt was incomplete, I returned it for a re-do. I next gave them a brief article in the Northern Virginia Daily about the repainting of the Mt. Jackson water tower, and they did a fabulous job summarizing it. For both assignments, I added an element of analysis by asking them to explain why the article was newsworthy at the end of the summary.Another weak area on the SOLs is identifying the main idea, so we had a lesson on identifying the topic, then figuring out the main idea from the topic.

I only had the computers one day this week--thank goodness! Because our Internet came under attack again, and it may not be resolved until the middle of next week. I was supposed to have the computers this upcoming Monday, but I'm not making another attempt until Wednesday. Cross your fingers!

We learned one new vocabulary word this week, qualm, and we took notes on direct and indirect characterization and began reading Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory."

Encore did the main idea lesson, then began S. E. Hinton's That Was Then, This Is Now. ECO looked at exploring your passions, and we began with Jacob's wrestling and how to get into it as a career. On Friday, we began a self-appreciation list, which led to a lot of interesting discussion.

I am always looking for ways to better report student learning, which is why I volunteered to be on the superintendent's focus group on grading this year. In order to try to better report behaviors and grades, I created a weekly grade sheet to replace what I've been using; student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I found the categories and descriptions from Ontario, Canada's, Ministry of Education; these categories are part of Ontario's report card. Of all the report cards I saw, I liked this one the best. Below, I've copied the categories and the rest of the sheet students had to complete on Thursday. You'll get a hard copy on Thursday when interims are sent out. I'm trying to get students to see how their behaviors impact their learning and therefore their grades.

Responsibility *Fulfills responsibilities and commitments within the learning environment *Completes and submits classwork homework, and assignments according to agreed upon deadlines *Takes responsibility for and manages own behavior

Collaboration *Accepts various roles and an equitable share of work and tasks *Responds positively to the ideas, opinions, values, and traditions of others *Builds healthy peer-to-peer relationships through personal and media-assisted interactions *Works with others to resolve conflicts and build consensus to achieve group goals *Shares information, resources, and expertise, and promotes critical thinking to solve problems and make decisions

Independent Work *Independently monitors, assesses, and revises plans to complete tasks and meet deadlines *Uses class time appropriately to complete tasks *Follows instructions with minimal supervision

Initiative *Looks for and acts on new ideas and opportunities for learning *Demonstrates the capacity for innovation and a willingness to take risks *Demonstrates curiosity and interest in learning *Approaches new attitudes with a positive attitude *Recognizes and advocates appropriately for the rights of self and others

Organization *Devises and follows a plan for completing work and tasks *Establishes priorities and manages time to complete tasks and achieve goals *Identifies, gathers, evaluates, and uses information, technology, and resources to complete tasks.

Self-Regulation *Sets own individual goals and monitors progress towards achieving them *Seeks clarification or assistance when needed *Assesses and reflects critically on own strengths, needs, and interests *Identifies learning opportunities, choices, and strategies to meet personal needs and achieve goals *Perseveres and makes an effort when responding to challenges

*If you aren’t reading at home at night, that would affect your score under Responsibility, Independent Work, Organization, and Self-Regulation. *If you talk excessively in class, that would affect your score under Responsibility, Independent Work, Collaboration and Self-Regulation. In which of these areas do you need to work the most next week? Why?

November 24 & 25, 2014

Encore asked if they could have a Thanksgiving Read-In during the last meeting before break. They had all checked out books from my room and wanted to dig in. I brought cookies, and they spent the meeting silently reading the whole time. ECO visited Triplett Tech on Monday, so we spent our meeting discussing the careers they'd seen and what they would do for a career if they could choose anything and how to make it happen in their lives, even if it didn't become a career.

All classes finished their work with the sixth graders on their turkey letters. My students received the letters and used our writing rubric to score them. Ms. Phillips said she planned to return the letters and let the students have one more opportunity to revise after my students' input. Late, missing, or sloppy work was a revelation to my students from the perspective of the teacher. We hope to do another cross-grade level assignment later, and other English teachers have expressed an interest in trying such cross-grade level tutoring.

Core 1 and 3 did a freewrite in preparation for reading Polonius's advice to his son Laertes in Hamlet, which they will do after we return this week. The topic was, "Do your parents ever give you advice? What is it? Do you take it?" The responses and discussion were so interesting that we may continue it later in an additional assignment. A writing assignment all three cores enjoyed was one I picked up about 15 years ago at an AP conference and that has become a regular Thanksgiving tradition. I ask students to write skit dialogue for 15-20 minutes of Mother, Father, Sister, and Brother at the Thanksgiving table. I then explain that Theater of the Absurd is a twentieth century theater form in which individuals feel there's no higher power or any other human who cares or listens. Knowing Theater of the Absurd is just an interesting aside and explains the outcome of their writing: I collect the papers, mix them up, call up four students for characters, and Mother reads the first line on her paper, then each character does the same, until the first page is read, then the next page, until we stop. It's very funny and surprisingly fits together. Since second core just finished Hamlet, I told them to use Hamlet, Ophelia, Gertrude, and Polonius. It's a wonderful exercise to give more practice in writing dialogue and also to see how dialogue fits together, even when it isn't intentional.

Happily--and sadly--Core 2 finished Hamlet. I told them the homework responses would stop as we neared the end so they could experience all of the story lines coming together as a surprise. The homework responses had given them a deep understanding of all the themes and characters. It was wonderful to see some tears as "flights of angels" sung Hamlet to his rest. I put them into Socratic Seminar groups with some starter questions at the conclusion, and the discussions were passionate. I have very, very much enjoyed seeing them take complete ownership of this play. I am looking forward to seeing them experience it this Wednesday at Blackfriars, and I'm sorry my other classes didn't have time to get through the play as well, but only start it.

In that spirit I end with a picture the American Shakespeare Center (Blackfriars) sent this week. I hope that all of your sons and daughters had a blessings-filled holiday and enjoyed the extra snow day on Wednesday.

November 10-14, 17-21

No post last week because I simply couldn't find a minute. Sorry about that!

Core 1 and 3 are almost finished with The Outsiders sequels, and I can't wait to read them. When all classes are finished, I plan to print the ones for which students give me permission so I can put together binders of them in hard copy for Mrs. Voigt's classes and other students to easily read them during SSR time.

Core 2 almost reached the end of Hamlet on Friday. I told them they would preread less at the end because I wanted them to experience the thrill of Shakespeare's plot twists as all the story lines came together. We got all the way to Hamlet's pouring the poisoned wine down Claudius's throat and the king's eyes closing in death before it was time to leave for lunch. We were watching Branagh's film version; they all burst into applause as I stopped the video. All the pieces will be tied up on Monday. While I had time to start the play with my other classes, I'm afraid they won't be have time to experience it as thoroughly as this class before our December 3 field trip to Blackfriars.

All core classes are also working on an essay and a current events research topic for which they had to gather articles on scoop.it. The objective is to continue honing research, note-taking, and MLA skills. We began working on those skills with the WeVideo project. When I scored those, I leaned more heavily on the side of learning the video-making skills than the writing, research, and MLA. I knew they were just learning those. Now, I'm going to push them a little harder with this project to learn good note-taking and synthesizing information. They already grasp that an MLA Works Cited page is merely following a formula, and I walked them through it the first time. This time they will work on it more independently. I provided a PowerPoint with all of the steps that I took them through for guidance--and told them not to delete it from their Drive!

I'd like to say something about due dates since students worry quite a bit about them (and they should--that's being responsible). I don't set a deadline at the start of projects and papers, especially when it's a new skill for this grade. (The exception is the advanced class; I do set deadlines for them because the expectation is more independent work at the advanced level.) Some students don't have access to technology at home, so I assume all work will be completed in class. What I'm looking for as they work is how long they will need to acquire the skills and complete the project. Some students take longer. That's why I have several projects, like an essay and a research project, going at the same time. When a student finishes, he moves to the next thing. If a student isn't staying on task, he needs to take that into account when giving himself the weekly grade. I also am as diligent as possible at monitoring them while working to make sure they stay on task. Several times, I've asked a student to repeat the process to master the skill before allowing her to be "finished." There's no purpose in assigning a failing grade and letting the student move on without skill mastery.

Our county is moving from bubble assessments that mimic the SOL to real-world performance assessments, like writing a sequel to a novel rather than taking a bubble test. The learning is more authentic and more enjoyable. I've been reading a book titled Deeper Learning that discusses eight schools following this model. The author discusses the benefit of thinking of the learning process as a learning loop. We traditionally assign a project, the student completes it, we move on. Maybe the student mastered the material, maybe they didn't, or maybe it was just in the short-term memory long enough to pass the test. Because authentic learning is ongoing, a student should enter the process of learning new material, then be moved back into the learning in a variety of ways that show the learning, reinforce it, and strengthen it. I'm "looping" them back into the research process with the current events project. I'll look for ways to loop them back into learning throughout the year.< A mini-lesson in writing was practice in eliminating the word "thing" from papers; another was adding appropriate transition words. We had another vocabulary quiz, which is not just knowing the word, but being able to use it in writing with context clues. A huge project we've completed in the last two weeks was inspired by the Deeper Learning book, and it's probably been one of the best experiences I've seen in school in years. The book said that schools with deeper learning have older students teaching younger students. Those schools have fewer behavior problems like bullying because students get to know each other better. I also knew it helps to have all the help we can get because budget cuts have meant less staff in the building to help out. Additionally, I've read research that students are more likely to listen to a peer tutor than an adult teacher.

Ms. Phillips in sixth grade agreed to be our guinea pig for this grand experiment. I wrote a lesson plan for writing a persuasive letter to President Obama to pardon the presidential turkey's life. I taught my students what they would be working on and how to teach the students. I gave them a hand-out on the assignment and three persuasive techniques they could use drawn from our eighth grade SOL (appealing to justice, love of family, or pity). I gave them a persuasion map graphic organizer and explained what they would do with their students to complete it.

On the second day, my students met their students. I debriefed when we returned through discussion and filling out an exit ticket. Many said, "I wished I'd paid more attention to what I was supposed to do!" Ms. Phillips's students rewrote the letter the next day, and we returned on the following to work on peer conferencing. I had adapted our school's scoring rubric so my students could circle yes or no for each writing domain, then give the student pointers on how to improve the "no." My students were much more focused and prepared this time. When we returned to class, we had a very rich discussion about their teaching experiences. I was gratified at how much learning took place for them while they were teaching a younger student. On Friday, my students prepared for scoring the finished letters by scoring three DEAW's from last week chosen from Mrs. Scotallero's students. They were very invested as they worked in their groups because they know they have to accurately score their student's paper on Monday. Their discussions about how to decide what was adequate and what was not was very detailed--and will hopefully show them in the future what they need to do in their own papers.

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I mentioned the DEAW: Drop Everything and Write. We use a two-hour delay schedule so can use those first two hours to go into testing mode that mimics the real writing SOL that eighth graders will take in March. The following day, all English teachers worked at scoring the papers. Our conversations help us English instructors to know where our school is in writing ability and teaches newer teachers to understand the SOL writing expectations. Most teachers choose to put the DEAW in as a grade. I put mine in as a formative grade since I chose to look at it as a learning experience, not a final summative evidence of learning. I will put their last DEAW before the real SOL in as a summative score. One thing I discovered from our scoring is that our eighth grade is the weakest in writing ability, so they have a lot of work before March.

On the day of the DEAW, I left an exercise choosing the correct word in context, synonyms, and antonyms. This exercise showed that many students need a LOT of practice in this area. They also wrote a persuasive letter which they will be revising later.

On student birthdays, I put the birthday hat on them, we sing "Happy Birthday," and I give them a choice of "birthday candy." On Matt's recent birthday, the students wanted to preserve the moment for posterity, so the picture below is one of our less academic moments:

ECO has been a time to learn about study skills, as well as talking briefly about interviewing. Mrs. Zimmon and I were concerned after we saw the quarter grades report come out, so we spent time talking about success at their current job as students. Encore finished Babe and Me and a vocabulary worksheet. We're going to have a Thanksgiving Read-In this Tuesday at their request, then start a new class novel after the holiday break.

Have a blessed holiday break with your families!

November 3-7, 2014

On Monday, teachers met across the county to look at our SOLS in detail. We then returned to our school, and our English department met all afternoon, discussing an alignment plan for writing across the three grade levels. I always enjoy talking about teaching writing.

On Tuesday, I had an opportunity to see many of you and share what your student is doing in class.

Back to a new quarter on Wednesday. So far, the technology seems to be cooperating better than last quarter, and students are rapidly finishing the MLA and video projects. I am completing grade change forms as they do, so those report cards with "assignment missing" will be issued the correct grade for the quarter.

Those who weren't working on those assignments in Core 1 and 3 worked on The Outsiders performance assessment of writing a sequel. The target due date for that is November 14, but we will see what we get accomplished in the upcoming week. They are also working on essay, but I wanted to do a few revision lessons before I asked them to turn those in. This week, I reviewed nouns and adjectives and how adding adjectives to their writing can make their writing more descriptive. We also returned to vocabulary study, and we should have a quiz sometime next week. We even managed to squeeze in some silent reading time this week. Next week, daily reading time starts for the whole school.

C2 has been continuing Hamlet. The other cores began it last week, but we haven't gotten far. The picture below is third core's "Polonius family" as we discussed the characters and opening action of the play. A student snapped some pictures at my request, but he's only sent me this one. Sorry if your student doesn't appear!

ECO only met once this week, and we continued our discussion about how to ace interview questions.

Encore is still reading Babe and Me, and they took an SOL reading check that showed many students are (not surprisingly) still having trouble remembering the difference between foreshadowing and flashback.

October 27-31, 2014

I expected our first quarter to end with a bang as all students finished their projects, but, thanks to technology issues, we ended, as T. S. Eliot would say, with a whimper. Not only were we dealing with our building's overloaded server, but Shentel experienced an attack. I kept alternate plans all week when the computers were unavailable.

I spoke to Mrs. Kline, who suggested that I post on this blog that all students who haven't finished the MLA and/or 1965 WeVideo will be issued a grade change in the next quarter as those are completed. If your student brings home a report card that says "assignment missing," that means one isn't complete and a grade change will be issued. IT DOESN'T MEAN THE STUDENT HAS NOT DONE REQUIRED WORK!!

I'd like to recap the skills students acquired in completing these two summative assignments. They learned to:

1. formulate keyword searches on the Internet to find the exact information they need
2. take notes from the Internet, saving the URL and date they viewed the website for an MLA Works Cited later
3. review research notes and choosE the appropriate information to create a presentation on a topic
4. create a video using a Google app, WeVideo
5. follow the formatting rules to create an MLA Works Cited page

Their skills aren't as honed as they will be in June, but every student has now been introduced to them and has put them into action. They can now put those skills into use for the rest of the year.

We also began or continued Hamlet, depending on which class you are looking at. C2 had a "killer" assignment this week in which they read a passage of Hamlet, a commentary on the term "quintessence," and an excerpt from Jeremy Taylor's "Holy Dying" (1651). There was much weeping and gnashing to teeth, and they were positive it couldn't be done. Then they came to class after the assignment was over, feeling very pleased with themselves for taking on the challenge and doing well with it. I explained to one student while working one on one that I try to push them into their ZPD on a regular basis to help them grow: the zone of proximal development is where the work is more challenging than usual and can be completed with appropriate assistance, but isn't so hard that it's too frustrating to complete. A short discussion of ZPD is here.

We dipped into vocabulary this week. Each class is at a different place, but everyone will finish with five new words when we return, then they will have their second vocabulary quiz.

C1 and C3 worked on their Outsiders sequel performance assessment, and all classes worked on the first essay on things that are important. Those two assignments will soon be finished. I taught everyone a mini-lesson on the Buch Revision Method, which is a very quick, easy way to add content to writing. It's a useful technique for taking an essay test or generating more content on an essay when the writer feels stuck. Quite a few said it was one of the most helpful tips they'd ever received for writing, so our time was well-spent.

In ECO, Mr. Shenk visited and talked about his 30+ years working for Shentel and the types of jobs they offer. We read about interviews and conducted some mock interviews. Students are eager to go back to planning their career games, but Mrs. Zimmon and I need to meet to discuss how we'll find the materials for them to make the games.

In Encore, we are reading Babe and Me, and I haven't wanted to stop our reading to do anything extra because we only meet on alternating days, and many of them have said they are very into the "zone" with the book and are eager to find out what happens next. They were surprised this week when reading how uncouth Babe Ruth's manners were. He is very different from Honus Wagner! They are volunteering predictions and comparisons after practicing them in the first book, so I don't need to teach those skills again; they have become habit.

October 20-24, 2014

Network overload issues impacted this week greatly. The plan was that everyone would be finished with the 1965 videos by Friday, as well as MLA citations, but we struggled to get online and access the Google Drive. After speaking to our technology people, I found that our network had reached capacity. We were scheduled for a network update this summer, but, because of budget cuts, the other two campuses got their updates, and we didn't. I chide the students when they are frustrated and want to throw their computers through the wall, but, by the end of the week, I actually felt the same way.

Incredibly, they were still able to get something done. The majority have finished the projects and are focusing on the first major essay on what's important in their lives. We spent one class talking about revising vs. editing, and then we looked at a model opening and closing from a National Geographic article and wrote an opening based on the model. I shared Betty Flowers's model of the writer as madman, architect, carpenter, and judge, and I was surprised and pleased when they began talking about themselves that way as they worked on their writing: "Mrs. Shrum, I think I need to be the madman for awhile because I have to create some more writing in this paragraph."

Everyone is officially finished reading and watching The Outsiders, and Core 1 and 3 are working on their sequel assignment. Not only are they showing their comprehension of the novel and the author's style, but they are wanting to know how to punctuate quotes and how to create a first-person narrative. They are touching on many of our eighth grade English SOLs without knowing it. I am asking students to allow me to print a hard copy of their sequel when they're finished so we can share them with Mrs. Voigt's students and between classes. All three classes also learned the word "plaintive" Friday as we began our next round of vocabulary study.

Core 2 is almost at the end of act II of Hamlet. Their comprehension of the play and Shakespeare's language has grown, and many said they no longer need to rely as much on reading online commentaries to understand their assignments. I've been assigning short passages with questions to reflect on, then we watch the various interpretations on film. On Friday, I showed them Ethan Hawke's for the first time, and they really disliked it. They didn't feel it translated well to the modern age.

Encore is still reading Babe and Me, and ECO read and discussed the job of fiber technician that's currently open at Shentel and watched some videos on becoming one. They are also working on creating career board games, but that's been difficult because of a number of absent students this week. We read a skit about a job interview, discussed what a resume is, and then read some terrible answers given during actual job interviews.