PROJECT ONE
Students were encouraged to create their own designs that showed symmetry and pattern, using color, geometric and organic shapes. Students used the story of Scheherazade for inspiration. The idea of a mysterious doorway that led to other places, much like Scheherazade's stories that led to 1001 cliff hangers.
PROJECT TWO
PERSPECTIVE
Students created the place where their doors opened to while learning about perspective. They also wrote stories about their places.
Here are some of the stories that go with these amazing perspectives...
The Sand’s Secret
Maria had been going through that door for years. She recently repainted it with vibrant colors and detailed patterns, and she loved it. That had taken her mind off of things, at least, for a little while. It had always opened to her small backyard. She and her sister Celia used to play back there when they were young children, but those days were gone. Celia died 5 months ago in a car accident. Maria had been lonely ever since. She and Celia were sisters, but they were more than that. They loved each other dearly. Now Celia was gone, and Maria was alone, left with only childhood memories. Walking through the hallway leading up to the door, Maria was getting a funny feeling. She got a tingle in her spine, and tried to turn back, but it was as if a magnet was drawing her toward the door. Maria’s heart was pounding. She tried to run away from the bright light drawing her in. She screamed, but her voice was swallowed up in the wind. Exhausted and tired of struggling, Maria fell into the door.
The next time she opened her eyes, her head was pounding. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that what had just happened was a dream. Wake me up, please, she thought. When she finally got the courage to stand up, her legs felt like jelly. She took a deep breath and thought, you have to wake up soon. Just let it be. That was when Maria realized where she was. As she studied the beach she was standing on, she got a feeling of deja vu. Had she been here before? She slowly walked around on the warm sand, still pondering the idea of time travel. As she was walking, she wasn’t looking where she was stepping, and therefore, she stepped on a hard, wooden box. “Ouch!!!” she yelped in surprise. She grabbed her foot and fell onto the sand. She played with the sand for a while, digging a hole, then found the box she had stepped on. She looked at it, turning it over, and wondering why she recognized it. She closed her eyes, focusing on memories with boxes.
There was the one where she and Celia hid candy wrappers in a box…..
The one time that she made a worm house in a box……
And her last one, the most vivid, was when Celia made a time capsule for school in 4th grade. They spent three hours burying that in the front yard, back when they were 10 and 8. She remembered it perfectly.
When Maria opened her eyes, she squeezed the box with her hands, and the feeling of recognition was even stronger. Before opening it, I seeked somewhere more enclosed and private. As I slowly walked around, I became more aware of my surroundings. Celia, you would like it here, she thought. You were so excited to go to the beach with your friends that night… Maria shook her head, trying not to think of that day. When she finally came across a nice cave, it was getting late. She climbed inside the small opening and sat down. She took a deep breath and opened the box.
The first thing she saw was a drawing that Celia made at age 8. Maria laughed. Her eyes then landed in a note. Confused, she picked it up and opened it. She was met by Celia’s scrawling cursive. It read,
Maria-
I hope you find the door someday. I don’t know how I found it, I think it found me. I’m 13 right now, and you’re 11. The first time I went through the door, I was scared and confused. Now, it’s a place I escape to. I come here often.
I’m sorry I emptied our capsule, but we got an assignment to dig them up. I didn’t tell you, I wanted you to find the new one yourself. I know you might be confused about how the time capsule ended up here. Well, when mom redid the yard, I had to bury it somewhere else, and know one else knows about this place, so here it is. Remember this: the door only works when you don’t expect it, so if I were you, I would take the time to explore. The door finds you when you need to make your way back home, so don’t hold back!
You might wonder why I never took you through the door. Well, sorry, but at first I thought you were too young to understand. Maybe in a few months see if I can push you into finding it. It’s that feeling of having a secret, how at first you want nobody to know, then it gets old, and you need to share it. I know you would understand.
If you find this when I’m off at college or something, I might have forgotten, or maybe I’ll be too old to remember the magical fun of this place. Promise me to never let that happen.
Whenever you’re stressed out, mad, sad, or just plain annoyed, or if something bad happens, the door will know. Look out onto the open beach. It looks peaceful. I hope you came at the right time, because if you did, the sun will be setting. Just let the sun warm your face, and don’t think, just look. Love you, bye!
-Celia
Maria looked up from the letter. Tears were streaming down her face. She took a deep breath and realized that they were happy tears. She looked outside to see the beginning of a sunset. Doing exactly what Celia said, Maria climbed up some warm rocks and looked over the peaceful beach, focusing her gaze on the sunset. After a few minutes, Maria let her mind wander, taking in the details of the beach. She stared at the glassy water, streaked with yellow and red from the sunset. The sand was soft and squishy. Maria let herself relax, laying back on the rock, staring up at the sunset. She realized how tired she was. She drifted into a deep sleep.
Maria dreamed she was on that very beach. She was holding someone’s hand, but she couldn’t tell exactly who it was. She sat up, trying to look at the person, but they were a mere shadow. She couldn’t see them.
“Who are you?” Maria asked cautiously. She was hesitant about this.
She got no response, but the shadow came closer. Maria slid off the rock onto her feet.
“Hello? M-my name is Maria,” she began. “Who are you?”
Again, no response, but the shadow was clearing up. She could almost make out it’s face. The shadow hopped off the rock and beckoned Maria forward. The shadow went into the water. Reluctantly, Maria followed. She stepped into the cold water. Wincing with every step, she ran after the figure.
The water was clear, but Maria didn’t see any fish. The shadow jumped in, and Maria did too. Once she got used to the water, she opened her eyes. What she saw there almost made her swallow a mouthful of water. She saw Celia.
When Maria woke up from her dream, she realized that she was squeezing her hand tight, as if she was holding something, and her hair and clothes were wet. She realized 2 things-- 1.) She was in a world purley built by Celia’s imagination. 2.) Her mother always used to say, “Your spirit lies in your calming place.” You will rest in the place you love the most. This is Celia’s place. Her mother’s quote was right.
Just then, Maria heard Celia’s voice as if it was in her head. “It’s time to return to reality. No time has passed. You can come back through different doors.”
Maria let herself be sucked back into reality. When she landed back in her house, she realized that she still had Celia’s note with her. She held it close to her chest. I’ll never forget you, Celia. No matter where you are, you are my sister. Deep down inside her, Maria could feel that Celia knew.
Epilogue
3 years later
“Today’s the day,” Maria mumbled to herself as she awoke. 3 years ago, on this very day, Celia had been packing to go on a trip to the beach with her friends. Maria smiled sadly at the memories of her sister.
Maria had been going through that door for years. She recently repainted it with vibrant colors and detailed patterns, and she loved it. That had taken her mind off of things, at least, for a little while. It had always opened to her small backyard. She and her sister Celia used to play back there when they were young children, but those days were gone. Celia died 5 months ago in a car accident. Maria had been lonely ever since. She and Celia were sisters, but they were more than that. They loved each other dearly. Now Celia was gone, and Maria was alone, left with only childhood memories. Walking through the hallway leading up to the door, Maria was getting a funny feeling. She got a tingle in her spine, and tried to turn back, but it was as if a magnet was drawing her toward the door. Maria’s heart was pounding. She tried to run away from the bright light drawing her in. She screamed, but her voice was swallowed up in the wind. Exhausted and tired of struggling, Maria fell into the door.
The next time she opened her eyes, her head was pounding. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that what had just happened was a dream. Wake me up, please, she thought. When she finally got the courage to stand up, her legs felt like jelly. She took a deep breath and thought, you have to wake up soon. Just let it be. That was when Maria realized where she was. As she studied the beach she was standing on, she got a feeling of deja vu. Had she been here before? She slowly walked around on the warm sand, still pondering the idea of time travel. As she was walking, she wasn’t looking where she was stepping, and therefore, she stepped on a hard, wooden box. “Ouch!!!” she yelped in surprise. She grabbed her foot and fell onto the sand. She played with the sand for a while, digging a hole, then found the box she had stepped on. She looked at it, turning it over, and wondering why she recognized it. She closed her eyes, focusing on memories with boxes.
There was the one where she and Celia hid candy wrappers in a box…..
The one time that she made a worm house in a box……
And her last one, the most vivid, was when Celia made a time capsule for school in 4th grade. They spent three hours burying that in the front yard, back when they were 10 and 8. She remembered it perfectly.
When Maria opened her eyes, she squeezed the box with her hands, and the feeling of recognition was even stronger. Before opening it, I seeked somewhere more enclosed and private. As I slowly walked around, I became more aware of my surroundings. Celia, you would like it here, she thought. You were so excited to go to the beach with your friends that night… Maria shook her head, trying not to think of that day. When she finally came across a nice cave, it was getting late. She climbed inside the small opening and sat down. She took a deep breath and opened the box.
The first thing she saw was a drawing that Celia made at age 8. Maria laughed. Her eyes then landed in a note. Confused, she picked it up and opened it. She was met by Celia’s scrawling cursive. It read,
Maria-
I hope you find the door someday. I don’t know how I found it, I think it found me. I’m 13 right now, and you’re 11. The first time I went through the door, I was scared and confused. Now, it’s a place I escape to. I come here often.
I’m sorry I emptied our capsule, but we got an assignment to dig them up. I didn’t tell you, I wanted you to find the new one yourself. I know you might be confused about how the time capsule ended up here. Well, when mom redid the yard, I had to bury it somewhere else, and know one else knows about this place, so here it is. Remember this: the door only works when you don’t expect it, so if I were you, I would take the time to explore. The door finds you when you need to make your way back home, so don’t hold back!
You might wonder why I never took you through the door. Well, sorry, but at first I thought you were too young to understand. Maybe in a few months see if I can push you into finding it. It’s that feeling of having a secret, how at first you want nobody to know, then it gets old, and you need to share it. I know you would understand.
If you find this when I’m off at college or something, I might have forgotten, or maybe I’ll be too old to remember the magical fun of this place. Promise me to never let that happen.
Whenever you’re stressed out, mad, sad, or just plain annoyed, or if something bad happens, the door will know. Look out onto the open beach. It looks peaceful. I hope you came at the right time, because if you did, the sun will be setting. Just let the sun warm your face, and don’t think, just look. Love you, bye!
-Celia
Maria looked up from the letter. Tears were streaming down her face. She took a deep breath and realized that they were happy tears. She looked outside to see the beginning of a sunset. Doing exactly what Celia said, Maria climbed up some warm rocks and looked over the peaceful beach, focusing her gaze on the sunset. After a few minutes, Maria let her mind wander, taking in the details of the beach. She stared at the glassy water, streaked with yellow and red from the sunset. The sand was soft and squishy. Maria let herself relax, laying back on the rock, staring up at the sunset. She realized how tired she was. She drifted into a deep sleep.
Maria dreamed she was on that very beach. She was holding someone’s hand, but she couldn’t tell exactly who it was. She sat up, trying to look at the person, but they were a mere shadow. She couldn’t see them.
“Who are you?” Maria asked cautiously. She was hesitant about this.
She got no response, but the shadow came closer. Maria slid off the rock onto her feet.
“Hello? M-my name is Maria,” she began. “Who are you?”
Again, no response, but the shadow was clearing up. She could almost make out it’s face. The shadow hopped off the rock and beckoned Maria forward. The shadow went into the water. Reluctantly, Maria followed. She stepped into the cold water. Wincing with every step, she ran after the figure.
The water was clear, but Maria didn’t see any fish. The shadow jumped in, and Maria did too. Once she got used to the water, she opened her eyes. What she saw there almost made her swallow a mouthful of water. She saw Celia.
When Maria woke up from her dream, she realized that she was squeezing her hand tight, as if she was holding something, and her hair and clothes were wet. She realized 2 things-- 1.) She was in a world purley built by Celia’s imagination. 2.) Her mother always used to say, “Your spirit lies in your calming place.” You will rest in the place you love the most. This is Celia’s place. Her mother’s quote was right.
Just then, Maria heard Celia’s voice as if it was in her head. “It’s time to return to reality. No time has passed. You can come back through different doors.”
Maria let herself be sucked back into reality. When she landed back in her house, she realized that she still had Celia’s note with her. She held it close to her chest. I’ll never forget you, Celia. No matter where you are, you are my sister. Deep down inside her, Maria could feel that Celia knew.
Epilogue
3 years later
“Today’s the day,” Maria mumbled to herself as she awoke. 3 years ago, on this very day, Celia had been packing to go on a trip to the beach with her friends. Maria smiled sadly at the memories of her sister.
Sophia P
Alex had always had had a tragedy in her home, her mom had just died. At the funeral all she could say in her mother's behalf was that she was a big inspiration to her, and will always “I have always loved to dance, mom helped me bring my emotions out and that is how I became who I am today. Because of her love and grace in my life” dad could not let my mother's death destroy my dream so he told me to pack my bag and that I was going to auditions for the royal ballet in three days “it is a week long so that they can see where you are in dance and how they can improve you in the little ways or big ways determining if you get in or not” he started tearing “and I know that you will get in because you are so much like your mother” now he was crying and I was crying mom was determined to get into a dancing college, but she never gave up so she was murdered by the admissions director. He is currently in jail and will never come out, It was her determination that got her murdered. “Dad you should go to bed I will pack my things”
***
“Alex Cortez”
“Here”
“Betty Andrews”
“Here” I rush over to her and give her a big hug “Alex i’m in a conversation run along”
“ it’s nice to see you to mr.change ” betty was my best friend and favorite dance partner when the boys were training for padedu and I had be gone for three days. She not only was older than me but glory got to her head. Then hands cover my eyes “guess who”
“Rodger !!!” “I haven’t seen you in a month”
“ So how are you padedu partner”
“Did they pare us up for auditions?”
***
All my life has been devoted to dance and hard work finally it has payed off I got the solo instead of Betty who faked it till she got kicked out of the company the one that did not take people that eat chips all day so I got the modern solo and the glory if I do good on this there going to make me a soloist. I walk on stage and start: sashe piqe-turn roll on to the floor and lounge the music swallowed me up until the end but as I danced I realized that dance was great when you didn’t compete every second you are in the company to the second that you are not. But even that is hard I won't go through that any more so on my last ten seconds I put all of that emotion in every breath and move until I can see stop and say goodbye to dance for the rest of my life. Life has a path take it.
Alex had always had had a tragedy in her home, her mom had just died. At the funeral all she could say in her mother's behalf was that she was a big inspiration to her, and will always “I have always loved to dance, mom helped me bring my emotions out and that is how I became who I am today. Because of her love and grace in my life” dad could not let my mother's death destroy my dream so he told me to pack my bag and that I was going to auditions for the royal ballet in three days “it is a week long so that they can see where you are in dance and how they can improve you in the little ways or big ways determining if you get in or not” he started tearing “and I know that you will get in because you are so much like your mother” now he was crying and I was crying mom was determined to get into a dancing college, but she never gave up so she was murdered by the admissions director. He is currently in jail and will never come out, It was her determination that got her murdered. “Dad you should go to bed I will pack my things”
***
“Alex Cortez”
“Here”
“Betty Andrews”
“Here” I rush over to her and give her a big hug “Alex i’m in a conversation run along”
“ it’s nice to see you to mr.change ” betty was my best friend and favorite dance partner when the boys were training for padedu and I had be gone for three days. She not only was older than me but glory got to her head. Then hands cover my eyes “guess who”
“Rodger !!!” “I haven’t seen you in a month”
“ So how are you padedu partner”
“Did they pare us up for auditions?”
***
All my life has been devoted to dance and hard work finally it has payed off I got the solo instead of Betty who faked it till she got kicked out of the company the one that did not take people that eat chips all day so I got the modern solo and the glory if I do good on this there going to make me a soloist. I walk on stage and start: sashe piqe-turn roll on to the floor and lounge the music swallowed me up until the end but as I danced I realized that dance was great when you didn’t compete every second you are in the company to the second that you are not. But even that is hard I won't go through that any more so on my last ten seconds I put all of that emotion in every breath and move until I can see stop and say goodbye to dance for the rest of my life. Life has a path take it.
The Closet
I lived in London during the “Blitz”. This was when the Germans would just start bombing us out of nowhere. In this time parents would send their kids away to the country where other families would take care of them and in the end of the war might just get to see your family again. I was walking home from school when I heard this crazy loud siren and a ma yelled,”Bombers!” Everyone ran to the nearest Subway train station to take cover. The ceiling was rumbling as dust and tiny pieces of rock fell off the the ceiling as the bombs hit the surface and made a loud shattering boom. I worried for my parents and where they were and if they were safe. Then the loud booms of the bombs stopped and people started to go back up and see the damage that was done to the city. I went back to my house because that was the place where my parents and I established to go back to after the bombings were over. After about ten minutes I saw my parents walking back covered in dust. I ran off the porch and jumped into their arms. At night I overheard my parent talking about sending me to the country and about having it not being safe enough. In the morning my parents clarified it that i was getting sent to the country. I saw my mom walk into the kitchen and saw her eyes dark red from crying. They told me that i would leave tomorrow. I spent the whole day wondering what the family I was staying with would be like. Tomorrow came so fast to today and before I knew it I was on the train going to a family I had no connection to. It was a very long drive to the country my heart was racing. I was nervous to meet my new family but also sad that I to leave my old parents and the people I loved. I saw my train stop and a family that must have been mine. My heart dropped into my stomach
I lived in London during the “Blitz”. This was when the Germans would just start bombing us out of nowhere. In this time parents would send their kids away to the country where other families would take care of them and in the end of the war might just get to see your family again. I was walking home from school when I heard this crazy loud siren and a ma yelled,”Bombers!” Everyone ran to the nearest Subway train station to take cover. The ceiling was rumbling as dust and tiny pieces of rock fell off the the ceiling as the bombs hit the surface and made a loud shattering boom. I worried for my parents and where they were and if they were safe. Then the loud booms of the bombs stopped and people started to go back up and see the damage that was done to the city. I went back to my house because that was the place where my parents and I established to go back to after the bombings were over. After about ten minutes I saw my parents walking back covered in dust. I ran off the porch and jumped into their arms. At night I overheard my parent talking about sending me to the country and about having it not being safe enough. In the morning my parents clarified it that i was getting sent to the country. I saw my mom walk into the kitchen and saw her eyes dark red from crying. They told me that i would leave tomorrow. I spent the whole day wondering what the family I was staying with would be like. Tomorrow came so fast to today and before I knew it I was on the train going to a family I had no connection to. It was a very long drive to the country my heart was racing. I was nervous to meet my new family but also sad that I to leave my old parents and the people I loved. I saw my train stop and a family that must have been mine. My heart dropped into my stomach
Through the door…
I plugged my ears as I blasted off. I was heading out into space. Into a world never explored by man before. My heart thumped in my chest and beads of sweat poured out of my face like raindrops beating down on a glass window. The rocket shook violently but I gritted my teeth and held on. I didn’t know what to expect. I had made it past our atmosphere and I was heading into deep space. Even though I had years of training my stomach still stirred as if I was on the largest roller coaster on the county fair. I had only been on the rocket a few days but it felt like years. After a few months the extent of what I was doing hit me. I knew the trip would take years but I was ready. I had plenty of food, and entertainment, and things to do. The only thing I didn’t have was a friend. Loneliness shook me and awoke me from my bed each night. I longed for a companion to talk to and share this great adventure with. But I was indeed alone. With nothing but myself to explore this new world with. I finally arrived on the new planet. As the rocket ship descended I prepared for a loud crash but when we touched the planet the ship didn’t make a peep. I closed my eyes as the door opened. I wanted to grasp the moment as long as possible. Then ever so slowly I opened my eyes. There was swirls and twists and turns and divots and craters as far as the eye could see. I looked down as my feet touched the ground. I saw my large black boots, then my matching suit, with all my badges and my name tag that said, “Arthur McCready, Astronaut.” I couldn’t believe it. I had discovered a new planet! Me! I looked behind me and saw the large rocket and then my big foot prints. I twirled and spun like I was 5 but I didn’t care! I had done it! I made it to this beautiful planet. I could almost hear the people at NASA cheering from their large gray desks. There was a curious plant like things sticking out of the ground. They were big and green! I corresed the plant feeling the fuzzy tip all the way down to the base of the plant. It was soft and felt good even with my gloves on. I looked around. This planet was nothing like earth. It had almost a glow to it. And it smelled of sweet nectar and honey. There were so many colors on the ground and in the plants and even in the air. There was no atmosphere on this planet so I could see the whole galaxy just by looking up. It was incredible. There was not one main heat source for this planet. I came from different stars close by. And they were beautiful. I still sat in awe when I remembered I had a mission. I took samples of the ground and the plants. I put them in the empty containers loaded on my ship. I felt lighter than air. (Of course I was but I ignored that.) I ran as fast as I could across the planet. It was beautiful and breathtaking. I decided to camp out under a nice tree-like-thing since I had been in that crowded rocket for years. As I set up I glanced at the beautiful galaxy. It was nothing like earth’s. I could see everything. The way the stars danced in the sky and the way the colors meshed and molded together like a beautiful symphony. And the planet was incredible as well! It was a small planet, yes, but it was still the most amazing thing I had seen my whole life. And I knew there was hope for earth. There was clearly life on this new planet. I don’t know how but there was. And if these weirds plants could live here so could we. Our amazing earth, and the atmosphere, and all the crazy systems that worked together like a machine, it seemed worthless compared to this planet. It was more beautiful than I can put into words. Before I fell asleep that night I looked at myself in the rocket window and I said, “You’ve done it Arthur. You’ve finally done it.” And I had. I had made it to a new wonderful planet away from our galaxy and I would go down in history for it. For the first time in my life I felt at home.
And that was the day that every human’s life on earth changed for good.
I plugged my ears as I blasted off. I was heading out into space. Into a world never explored by man before. My heart thumped in my chest and beads of sweat poured out of my face like raindrops beating down on a glass window. The rocket shook violently but I gritted my teeth and held on. I didn’t know what to expect. I had made it past our atmosphere and I was heading into deep space. Even though I had years of training my stomach still stirred as if I was on the largest roller coaster on the county fair. I had only been on the rocket a few days but it felt like years. After a few months the extent of what I was doing hit me. I knew the trip would take years but I was ready. I had plenty of food, and entertainment, and things to do. The only thing I didn’t have was a friend. Loneliness shook me and awoke me from my bed each night. I longed for a companion to talk to and share this great adventure with. But I was indeed alone. With nothing but myself to explore this new world with. I finally arrived on the new planet. As the rocket ship descended I prepared for a loud crash but when we touched the planet the ship didn’t make a peep. I closed my eyes as the door opened. I wanted to grasp the moment as long as possible. Then ever so slowly I opened my eyes. There was swirls and twists and turns and divots and craters as far as the eye could see. I looked down as my feet touched the ground. I saw my large black boots, then my matching suit, with all my badges and my name tag that said, “Arthur McCready, Astronaut.” I couldn’t believe it. I had discovered a new planet! Me! I looked behind me and saw the large rocket and then my big foot prints. I twirled and spun like I was 5 but I didn’t care! I had done it! I made it to this beautiful planet. I could almost hear the people at NASA cheering from their large gray desks. There was a curious plant like things sticking out of the ground. They were big and green! I corresed the plant feeling the fuzzy tip all the way down to the base of the plant. It was soft and felt good even with my gloves on. I looked around. This planet was nothing like earth. It had almost a glow to it. And it smelled of sweet nectar and honey. There were so many colors on the ground and in the plants and even in the air. There was no atmosphere on this planet so I could see the whole galaxy just by looking up. It was incredible. There was not one main heat source for this planet. I came from different stars close by. And they were beautiful. I still sat in awe when I remembered I had a mission. I took samples of the ground and the plants. I put them in the empty containers loaded on my ship. I felt lighter than air. (Of course I was but I ignored that.) I ran as fast as I could across the planet. It was beautiful and breathtaking. I decided to camp out under a nice tree-like-thing since I had been in that crowded rocket for years. As I set up I glanced at the beautiful galaxy. It was nothing like earth’s. I could see everything. The way the stars danced in the sky and the way the colors meshed and molded together like a beautiful symphony. And the planet was incredible as well! It was a small planet, yes, but it was still the most amazing thing I had seen my whole life. And I knew there was hope for earth. There was clearly life on this new planet. I don’t know how but there was. And if these weirds plants could live here so could we. Our amazing earth, and the atmosphere, and all the crazy systems that worked together like a machine, it seemed worthless compared to this planet. It was more beautiful than I can put into words. Before I fell asleep that night I looked at myself in the rocket window and I said, “You’ve done it Arthur. You’ve finally done it.” And I had. I had made it to a new wonderful planet away from our galaxy and I would go down in history for it. For the first time in my life I felt at home.
And that was the day that every human’s life on earth changed for good.
Underworld Story
There it was, that door. I had been seeing the door in my dreams for weeks. I had to learn to ignore it, nothing had come from it and obviously nothing ever will. I walked to school alone, apprehensive for the orchestra concert I was participating in later. Realizing the time, I started to sprint. A few minutes after I had started running my asthma started to act up, I started to wheeze, the tightness in my chest clouding my vision. I struggled, trying to regulate my breaths, abruptly I slammed onto the ground having tripped over something. I looked up and predicted what was to come. “Girl, you okay?!” someone yelled. The bright headlights of the approaching minivan blinded me, and in that moment I saw the door, and what was behind it. The minivan slammed into me and the pain was unbearable. “Good day, welcome to the Underworld.” a man in an old fashioned suit said monotonously. “Excuse me?”, “You have been selected as an individual who is almost certainly going to die in the next few hours.” Suddenly I noticed a large screen on the opposite wall, it was me, half naked with numerous tubes sticking out of my vulnerable flesh. Blood was leaking out of my mouth and seeping through the bandages hugging my torso. In short, it was unambiguous that I was going to die. “Is this real?” I asked the strange man. “You shall soon be transferred to the underworld, where you shall live, for the rest of eternity.” I realized he couldn’t hear me, this was probably standard protocol. I started to block out the rest of what he was saying, all I could think was, I’m dead. My friends and family moved in and out of the blank hospital room, some crying, some expressionless. I saw a doctor talking to my family and snapped out of my trance. “Your daughter is dead.” he reported in a hollow voice. “NO!” my mother screamed, tears rushing from her eyes. “Mom I’m fine,” I whimpered, “I’ll see you at some point.” I knew she couldn’t see or hear me, but talking to her seemed reassuring. After an amount of time I couldn’t identify, it could have been seconds, hours, or possibly weeks, a girl came in. “Hi I’m Lillian, I will show you to your deceased family and friends, they are waiting for you.” I mindlessly nodded and followed her. When we arrived I saw them all, and was enveloped in warmth and love, I knew that I would be happy here.
There it was, that door. I had been seeing the door in my dreams for weeks. I had to learn to ignore it, nothing had come from it and obviously nothing ever will. I walked to school alone, apprehensive for the orchestra concert I was participating in later. Realizing the time, I started to sprint. A few minutes after I had started running my asthma started to act up, I started to wheeze, the tightness in my chest clouding my vision. I struggled, trying to regulate my breaths, abruptly I slammed onto the ground having tripped over something. I looked up and predicted what was to come. “Girl, you okay?!” someone yelled. The bright headlights of the approaching minivan blinded me, and in that moment I saw the door, and what was behind it. The minivan slammed into me and the pain was unbearable. “Good day, welcome to the Underworld.” a man in an old fashioned suit said monotonously. “Excuse me?”, “You have been selected as an individual who is almost certainly going to die in the next few hours.” Suddenly I noticed a large screen on the opposite wall, it was me, half naked with numerous tubes sticking out of my vulnerable flesh. Blood was leaking out of my mouth and seeping through the bandages hugging my torso. In short, it was unambiguous that I was going to die. “Is this real?” I asked the strange man. “You shall soon be transferred to the underworld, where you shall live, for the rest of eternity.” I realized he couldn’t hear me, this was probably standard protocol. I started to block out the rest of what he was saying, all I could think was, I’m dead. My friends and family moved in and out of the blank hospital room, some crying, some expressionless. I saw a doctor talking to my family and snapped out of my trance. “Your daughter is dead.” he reported in a hollow voice. “NO!” my mother screamed, tears rushing from her eyes. “Mom I’m fine,” I whimpered, “I’ll see you at some point.” I knew she couldn’t see or hear me, but talking to her seemed reassuring. After an amount of time I couldn’t identify, it could have been seconds, hours, or possibly weeks, a girl came in. “Hi I’m Lillian, I will show you to your deceased family and friends, they are waiting for you.” I mindlessly nodded and followed her. When we arrived I saw them all, and was enveloped in warmth and love, I knew that I would be happy here.
My door opens up to Disneyland. Disneyland has been around for 62 years. It opened on July 17, 1955. Disneyland is the only disney park that Walt Disney ever stepped in. There are 6 Disney parks, Disneyland, Disney world, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Shanghai, Disneyland Hong Kong, and Disneyland Tokyo. In about the Center of each Disneyland, which is what my painting is all about. My painting is about Disneyland in Anaheim, California. In 1953 Disney bought a 100 acre space and built Disneyland which opened in 1955. Construction started on July 21, 1954, 12 months/a year before it was scheduled to open. Disney spent $17,000,000 to make Walt's dreams come to life. Disneyland had 65,700 employees that ever worked there. At Disneyland today there are 20,000 direct employees and 3,800 third-party employees. Disneyland opened with Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland, and has since added New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country (later Critter Country) in 1972, and Mickey's Toontown in 1993. There are 3 types of transportation at Disneyland, and they are the Monorail, The Disneyland Railroad, and the Horseless carriages. Back when Disneyland First opened, there were these things called ticket books, there are parts in the ticket book which are A-E and in each section is a section of the park that you would choose to go to. By 1965, ten years after opening day, 50 Million visitors had come through the gates. During Walt's opening speech he said a few things about the park: “For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of grandfather’s youth.” “What you need is a weenie, which says to people ‘come this way.’ People won’t go down a long corridor unless there’s something promising at the end. You have to have something the beckons them to ‘walk this way.'” “All of us have a cause to be proud of our country’s history, shaped by the pioneering spirit of our forefathers. . .Our adventures are designed to give you the feeling of having lived, even for a short while, during our country’s pioneer days.” "A vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying man's achievements..." "To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past. And here, youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world." That is some of the things in his opening speech that he said about Disneyland.
If you want to watch Walt's opening speech click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kot2ly5GwXw
Cites Used:
http://www.justdisney.com/disneyland/history.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233524/quotes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kot2ly5GwXw
If you want to watch Walt's opening speech click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kot2ly5GwXw
Cites Used:
http://www.justdisney.com/disneyland/history.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233524/quotes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kot2ly5GwXw
Carolina P.
I see a rainbow, it is beautiful, I like it.
I see colors, pretty colors.
All colors are special.
The rainbow is behind the mountains, it has almost disappeared, but I still have time to paint it.
I imagine how did the rainbow get here…
“One day in the middle of a sunny day, it started to rain, but the strange thing was that there were no clouds. Mike likes to hear the sound of the rain, it relaxes him, but at the same time, Mike doesn’t like rain. It makes the ground muddy, and it usually covers the sun, so it doesn’t look like a nice day.
Now that the rain stopped, Mike wants to go for a walk. He asks his mom if she can take him to the prairie, and Mike’s mom says yes. When they arrive, his mom sits in the grass and Mike goes somewhere else. While he is walking, he looks for a place so he can sit and draw the rainbow. When he finds it, he sits and he starts to assemble the material. Mike likes to paint, he is good at it. Suddenly, the rainbow starts to move, the colors change places, little sparks are getting out of everywhere, and then, the rainbow starts getting closer to him. He leaps from fear, he yells, he starts to run. Once he stops, Mike can’t believe what just happened, he is so impressed, and he thinks he is in a dream, so he tweaks himself, to prove that he is awake. He absolutely is, so then what could have happened? Mike tries to think, but he always get the same idea that it is impossible!
Mike returns with his mom and he tells her that they have to go home.
Two days after that, when Mike wakes up, he finds a rainbow with the mountains in his wall, and a sentence that says, “draw me”. He thinks that that must have been his brother, some kind of joke to get him scared, so Mike goes ask him if he had something to do with the drawing. When they get to his room, Mike stills sees the drawing, but his brother tells him that he doesn’t see anything, and then he leaves.
Mike starts to think about the weird situation, but after all, a lot of people say that magic exists, so would this be a case that proves it?
Finally, Mike realizes that maybe he has to draw that Rainbow, if not, why would that sentence keep appearing? Mike didn't know so he started to draw what he was seeing in the wall.
After that day, no rainbow annoyed him anymore, but Mike knew that he would remember that forever…
THE END
I see a rainbow, it is beautiful, I like it.
I see colors, pretty colors.
All colors are special.
The rainbow is behind the mountains, it has almost disappeared, but I still have time to paint it.
I imagine how did the rainbow get here…
“One day in the middle of a sunny day, it started to rain, but the strange thing was that there were no clouds. Mike likes to hear the sound of the rain, it relaxes him, but at the same time, Mike doesn’t like rain. It makes the ground muddy, and it usually covers the sun, so it doesn’t look like a nice day.
Now that the rain stopped, Mike wants to go for a walk. He asks his mom if she can take him to the prairie, and Mike’s mom says yes. When they arrive, his mom sits in the grass and Mike goes somewhere else. While he is walking, he looks for a place so he can sit and draw the rainbow. When he finds it, he sits and he starts to assemble the material. Mike likes to paint, he is good at it. Suddenly, the rainbow starts to move, the colors change places, little sparks are getting out of everywhere, and then, the rainbow starts getting closer to him. He leaps from fear, he yells, he starts to run. Once he stops, Mike can’t believe what just happened, he is so impressed, and he thinks he is in a dream, so he tweaks himself, to prove that he is awake. He absolutely is, so then what could have happened? Mike tries to think, but he always get the same idea that it is impossible!
Mike returns with his mom and he tells her that they have to go home.
Two days after that, when Mike wakes up, he finds a rainbow with the mountains in his wall, and a sentence that says, “draw me”. He thinks that that must have been his brother, some kind of joke to get him scared, so Mike goes ask him if he had something to do with the drawing. When they get to his room, Mike stills sees the drawing, but his brother tells him that he doesn’t see anything, and then he leaves.
Mike starts to think about the weird situation, but after all, a lot of people say that magic exists, so would this be a case that proves it?
Finally, Mike realizes that maybe he has to draw that Rainbow, if not, why would that sentence keep appearing? Mike didn't know so he started to draw what he was seeing in the wall.
After that day, no rainbow annoyed him anymore, but Mike knew that he would remember that forever…
THE END
Brigid stumbled through the wood door, shutting it quickly behind her. She stood leaning against the door panting. She turned to look at where she was. “Underwater,” she breathed. How had she ended up here and how would it help her uncover her mother's secret? For the past week Brigid had been moving through dimensions looking for something, but she didn’t know what it was, only that it had something to do with her mother’s disappearance. Moving her hands to her face to tie back her hair she felt a bubble around her head, “That’s how I am breathing.” Still in shock, she started swimming. After a few minutes, Brigid saw a large chest sitting at the bottom of the water. She propelled herself to it. When she hit the sand she walked over to the chest. It had carvings all over. “Names,” she whispered. She moved her fingers along the chest looking and feeling all the names. She stopped suddenly on one name. Emma Thomas. Her mother. And carved under was Brigid Thomas. Her heart was going a mile a minute as she stared at the note underneath. “Brigid, if you are reading this it means something has gone wrong. I want you to know that I left to get away from someone who I would assume you have found if you are this far. You are close to me and you must not give up on finding me. I need you Brigid. Open the chest and take what you need. Swim toward the beach and go to the cave. There is a gateway. That’s where I will hopefully be. Stay strong my love. Your mother - Emma T.” The person she was talking about must be the one who has been chasing her. Why she always feels like she is being watched, Brigid thought. She moved her hands to find the opening in the chest, trying to push it open. But it was sealed. She looked around to find the key that matched the keyhole, but it was nowhere in sight. As Brigid continued to look, she saw a chunk of seaweed floating by. But as she swam closer she saw that it had an unusual shape in it. “A key!” She said excitedly. Brigid snatched up the key swam back to the chest. She unlocked the chest and looked at the inside. It was full of books. This was the thing that her mom said was important. She couldn’t believe it. But Brigid trusted her mother and opened a book. In reading the first page she realized that this would help her a lot. The book had been written in by other people who had gone through this dimension. One line did stand out to her thought it said, “If one is being chased through this dimension, one must get out before the chaser enters.” Brigid knew what this meant, she had to go to the caves on the beach - the next portal - as fast as she could. She closed the chest after putting back the book and swam as fast as she could to shore. She ran to the cave and entered quickly. Brigid soon saw the slightly lit up door that she knew would take her to the next dimension. She stepped toward it and then turned around. “I’m coming, Mom,” she whispered.
The Volcano
“Kilauea the Volcano is very sly,” Grandmother Luana whispered into the baby’s basket. The old woman’s hands flew across the page in which she was painting, the words she’d spoken reforming into a picture. “It is hundreds of thousands of years old, yet it is still just as alive and fiery as ever.” The grandmother had only met the newborn a fortnight earlier. Magically, little Auli’i had worked her way into the normally-grouchy lady’s heart. So everyday since their first encounter, Grandmother Luana had set the child’s basket next to her on the park bench, and told the girl stories while she painted. The little baby gurgled and cooed as the old woman closed her eyes and returned to a day in her memory. A day when she was only forty-five, a day when she’d been at the beach with her husband, a day when there had been a great rumbling from the earth. In the distance, she’d spotted a large burst of grayish-smoke spewing from the great volcano Kilauea. Large, red globs of hot lava had been ejected into the air, and the young Luana had gasped at the magnificent and scary sight. Shakily, Grandma Luana returned to the present. Little baby Auli’i, had fallen fast asleep, snuggled deep in the warm blankets. Luana smiled and touched the baby’s cheek. Slowly, she scooped up the little basket in her arms and slid the half finished painting of the volcano into her side bag. Her long, colorful skirts swirled around her feet as she stood up. The baby made a little grunt in her sleep and then twitched her hand. Slowly and quietly, Luana made her way back towards the home of Auli’i’s parents, a small cottage down the road. She closed her eyes, and remembered one last time the hot, red lava flying out of the volcano. It’s fierce power had scared her and put her in awe at the same time. “I hope that one day,” she whispered, as she clambered up the concrete steps towards her daughter’s house, “You, little Auli’i, will see something like I did. I hope that it makes you feel truly alive.”
“Kilauea the Volcano is very sly,” Grandmother Luana whispered into the baby’s basket. The old woman’s hands flew across the page in which she was painting, the words she’d spoken reforming into a picture. “It is hundreds of thousands of years old, yet it is still just as alive and fiery as ever.” The grandmother had only met the newborn a fortnight earlier. Magically, little Auli’i had worked her way into the normally-grouchy lady’s heart. So everyday since their first encounter, Grandmother Luana had set the child’s basket next to her on the park bench, and told the girl stories while she painted. The little baby gurgled and cooed as the old woman closed her eyes and returned to a day in her memory. A day when she was only forty-five, a day when she’d been at the beach with her husband, a day when there had been a great rumbling from the earth. In the distance, she’d spotted a large burst of grayish-smoke spewing from the great volcano Kilauea. Large, red globs of hot lava had been ejected into the air, and the young Luana had gasped at the magnificent and scary sight. Shakily, Grandma Luana returned to the present. Little baby Auli’i, had fallen fast asleep, snuggled deep in the warm blankets. Luana smiled and touched the baby’s cheek. Slowly, she scooped up the little basket in her arms and slid the half finished painting of the volcano into her side bag. Her long, colorful skirts swirled around her feet as she stood up. The baby made a little grunt in her sleep and then twitched her hand. Slowly and quietly, Luana made her way back towards the home of Auli’i’s parents, a small cottage down the road. She closed her eyes, and remembered one last time the hot, red lava flying out of the volcano. It’s fierce power had scared her and put her in awe at the same time. “I hope that one day,” she whispered, as she clambered up the concrete steps towards her daughter’s house, “You, little Auli’i, will see something like I did. I hope that it makes you feel truly alive.”
Stella I.
She’s watching me, they all are. I pull my black velvet cloak higher over my head, eyes fixated on the hard, cold dirt below me. Bonfires ignite all around me, pitchforks stabbing at the ashen earth. I glance sideways at a peasant wife who glares at me. She can’t know, can she? A man holds her hand as they start to burn something. I cast a glance at the piece of paper, it’s a photo. A photo of me. My heartbeat starts to quicken, each breath I take shallow and hoarse. A scream cuts across the frigid air, and I bite my tongue. Bullets start to whiz past my head, tears blanketing my face as I run for my life. Oh God, it’s Ivan. Good, he won’t shoot at me. He would never shoot at the Tsar’s daughter. And then I remember, he thinks that I am dead. They all do, and that’s why people are dying. I drop to the ground behind a fallen carriage and cradle my knees to my chest. I can’t get that night out of my mind. The taste of blood in my mouth as I ran into the forest, the overturned train car ablaze. I remember the look on Ekaterina's face our car was ambushed, men and women waving flags and firing bullets at us- the hammer and sickle glinting like pure silver, marked on everything. I remember Nikolai’s eyes as he shoved us out of the window, a gash running down his face. I remember Papa, clinging onto a limp Alexei, Mama’s head buried in his cloak. My ‘death’ had started a revolution, and I was to blame. When my heart stops pounding, I crouch on my hands and knees, and start to crawl through the thick, white, snow. Trying desperately to ignore the red spots that dot all of the town square. The air so heavy and thick with gun smoke that I can’t see my own body. When the fog clears, I run towards the now abandoned winter palace. I slip through the broken gate, and rush to the entrance. Snow falls so heavy that all of St. Petersburg looks like a faberge egg, the Communist propaganda like the intricate drawings-painted on to make it all okay. I duck under the boards on the door, the once beautifully checkered facade faded and chipped. I place my gloved hand gingerly on the silver door knob, and push. The door creaks open, revealing the ballroom. I slowly walk in, half paralyzed. Each step that I take digging the knife in my heart a little bit deeper. I hike the hem of my skirt up slightly, and start to walk up the marble staircase. My hand gently brushes over my father’s throne, eyes gazing intently at the portrait above. My family, noble and regal looking. Completely unaware that on the same evening the painting was finished, a group of people would meet in secret, plotting and planning our demise. I slowly sit down in my father’s chair and pull my cloak over my chest. I close my eyes, and try to envision what it used to look like. Everything beautifully opulent, set aglow by eight crystal chandeliers. Papa would sit here, mama next to him. Their hands delicately and discreetly intertwined so that no one would notice. Nikolai would be dancing with the next young princess who hoped to win the throne of Russia. Ekaterina would take Alexei’s hand and smile, he would giggle and dance on her feet. The noblewoman in their fancy dresses, corsets a bit too tight. The noblemen, arguing over who’s trophy wife was better-laughing and drinking the finest wine that money could buy. I would walk through the crowd and greet guests, fussing with my jewels. I would dance and laugh and smile. Another round of tears starts to leave my tightly shut eyes, and I know. One Day, when all of this has ceased- I will be back. Slowly, I walk over to the window. It opens with a deafening creak. I take one last look at my former home, my former life. And then, I am gone.
She’s watching me, they all are. I pull my black velvet cloak higher over my head, eyes fixated on the hard, cold dirt below me. Bonfires ignite all around me, pitchforks stabbing at the ashen earth. I glance sideways at a peasant wife who glares at me. She can’t know, can she? A man holds her hand as they start to burn something. I cast a glance at the piece of paper, it’s a photo. A photo of me. My heartbeat starts to quicken, each breath I take shallow and hoarse. A scream cuts across the frigid air, and I bite my tongue. Bullets start to whiz past my head, tears blanketing my face as I run for my life. Oh God, it’s Ivan. Good, he won’t shoot at me. He would never shoot at the Tsar’s daughter. And then I remember, he thinks that I am dead. They all do, and that’s why people are dying. I drop to the ground behind a fallen carriage and cradle my knees to my chest. I can’t get that night out of my mind. The taste of blood in my mouth as I ran into the forest, the overturned train car ablaze. I remember the look on Ekaterina's face our car was ambushed, men and women waving flags and firing bullets at us- the hammer and sickle glinting like pure silver, marked on everything. I remember Nikolai’s eyes as he shoved us out of the window, a gash running down his face. I remember Papa, clinging onto a limp Alexei, Mama’s head buried in his cloak. My ‘death’ had started a revolution, and I was to blame. When my heart stops pounding, I crouch on my hands and knees, and start to crawl through the thick, white, snow. Trying desperately to ignore the red spots that dot all of the town square. The air so heavy and thick with gun smoke that I can’t see my own body. When the fog clears, I run towards the now abandoned winter palace. I slip through the broken gate, and rush to the entrance. Snow falls so heavy that all of St. Petersburg looks like a faberge egg, the Communist propaganda like the intricate drawings-painted on to make it all okay. I duck under the boards on the door, the once beautifully checkered facade faded and chipped. I place my gloved hand gingerly on the silver door knob, and push. The door creaks open, revealing the ballroom. I slowly walk in, half paralyzed. Each step that I take digging the knife in my heart a little bit deeper. I hike the hem of my skirt up slightly, and start to walk up the marble staircase. My hand gently brushes over my father’s throne, eyes gazing intently at the portrait above. My family, noble and regal looking. Completely unaware that on the same evening the painting was finished, a group of people would meet in secret, plotting and planning our demise. I slowly sit down in my father’s chair and pull my cloak over my chest. I close my eyes, and try to envision what it used to look like. Everything beautifully opulent, set aglow by eight crystal chandeliers. Papa would sit here, mama next to him. Their hands delicately and discreetly intertwined so that no one would notice. Nikolai would be dancing with the next young princess who hoped to win the throne of Russia. Ekaterina would take Alexei’s hand and smile, he would giggle and dance on her feet. The noblewoman in their fancy dresses, corsets a bit too tight. The noblemen, arguing over who’s trophy wife was better-laughing and drinking the finest wine that money could buy. I would walk through the crowd and greet guests, fussing with my jewels. I would dance and laugh and smile. Another round of tears starts to leave my tightly shut eyes, and I know. One Day, when all of this has ceased- I will be back. Slowly, I walk over to the window. It opens with a deafening creak. I take one last look at my former home, my former life. And then, I am gone.
Dear! I know right, me the person who has skipped 3 grades of math, is on the varsity soccer team, and might as well be the most popular in the whole high school. Is lost, from following a deer. I know, I know people always say it’s good to look at nature but I don’t know about that. I for one am all about the greater riches in life. Nike, Adidas, Gucci, Pink, and Urban outfitters are all my ways to enjoy the luxurious world we live in. A trip to the movies, or even a simple Starbucks is my go to, but now stuck in the middle of nowhere with all of a cell with no reception and a new Chanel bag and am officially stumped. I have been wandering around for hours, or so it feels, why do we have to do nature hikes if we forget our gym uniforms, why is the school right next to the woods and, WHY did I follow a stupid deer! For heaven's sake, a deer! Now that I have been wandering out here for so long I think that I lost my Adidas headband and my bracelet. Than out of the blue I stumble on a cottage, it’s cute, authentic some might say but I have other worries. I knock on the door and wonder if anyone is home, In doubt it probably a summer house. But to my surprise a voice cries out “ Come in, come in”. Now I know you're not supposed to go into a stranger’s house, but I was desperate at this point. As I stepped in I started to feel a bit sick and lightheaded.
BAM. I was back the most desperate time of my life, middle school. This was the day, the day where everything changed. I like most of my other fellow trekkies was sitting on the stairs to the school during recess reading. I LOVED Star Trek more than the next but I was lonely, I had skipped 3 grades in math and was on a bus every morning to go to high school math, I ate lunch in the library and knew a lick about sports or makeup. I was the only girl I knew who didn't know what highlights or contour was. But then everything changed, as Jessica or as I called her Klingon Queen. She walked over to me “ Hey geek”, “ where's your lunch money, In need new Jimmy Choos.” “Why would I give you my lunch money.” I replied, than it happened the moment that changed everything.
“Ow” I reached for my head as felt a jerk of pain and woke up. There was the deer, I silently stretched and got up, what was that all about. My memories are not that pleasant to dive back into seeing that that was on my list the thing that had ever happened to me. But it turned me into this, a perfect all American high school girl with some change in her pocket. I turn on my phone, I had only been out for fifteen minutes, gym was still going on for another five minutes, there was a bar of reception, I turn on google maps and am back at the school in no time. But on the walk home everything is coming back to me in bursts of memories and and tears. As I stepped through the door of my room, I went straight to my box. I pulled out my old Star Trek shirt, it probably still fit. I knew what I was going to wear tomorrow.
BAM. I was back the most desperate time of my life, middle school. This was the day, the day where everything changed. I like most of my other fellow trekkies was sitting on the stairs to the school during recess reading. I LOVED Star Trek more than the next but I was lonely, I had skipped 3 grades in math and was on a bus every morning to go to high school math, I ate lunch in the library and knew a lick about sports or makeup. I was the only girl I knew who didn't know what highlights or contour was. But then everything changed, as Jessica or as I called her Klingon Queen. She walked over to me “ Hey geek”, “ where's your lunch money, In need new Jimmy Choos.” “Why would I give you my lunch money.” I replied, than it happened the moment that changed everything.
“Ow” I reached for my head as felt a jerk of pain and woke up. There was the deer, I silently stretched and got up, what was that all about. My memories are not that pleasant to dive back into seeing that that was on my list the thing that had ever happened to me. But it turned me into this, a perfect all American high school girl with some change in her pocket. I turn on my phone, I had only been out for fifteen minutes, gym was still going on for another five minutes, there was a bar of reception, I turn on google maps and am back at the school in no time. But on the walk home everything is coming back to me in bursts of memories and and tears. As I stepped through the door of my room, I went straight to my box. I pulled out my old Star Trek shirt, it probably still fit. I knew what I was going to wear tomorrow.
Steve was a monster fighter. He worked with a 8-year-old wizard named George. They lived in a giant hollow tree in the middle of an island. Together they fought all kinds of beasts that terrorized the people in a nearby town called Blue Village. George would create potions and spells that would help Steve wherever he needed to go, if the monster was in the sky, underwater, underground, and many other locations, George always had something to get Steve there.
One day Steve heard of a giant dragon that was in the Lake where the people of Blue Village got their water. With a dragon in the Lake, the villagers would have to travel hundreds of miles to reach the river. Steve needed something to get him underwater to fight the dragon. He told George and they immediately started making a plan. George would start a potion while Steve would gather up necessary supplies for the battle. After a week of preparation, they were ready.
“How are we going to go to Blue Village?” asked George.
“We will walk!” exclaimed Steve.
“Walk? Won’t that take a really long time?”
“Well, yes, but there is no other way to get there.”
“Couldn’t we ride Milo?”
Milo was Steve’s pet giant Chicken. Milo was very old and hadn’t moved from his nest for the past 5 years.
“Are you kidding me? Milo is very old and hasn’t moved from his nest for the past 5 years!”
“Ok, I guess.”
They left the tree and started on the long journey to Blue Village.
After a week of walking, Steve and George finally arrived at Blue Village. They got a room at the Blue inn and got their things out. They decided that they were going to go to the lake before bed and see what the dragon looked like. It was starting to get dark, and they wanted to see the dragon in the light, so they ran as fast as they could to the lake. When they looked down into the water, they saw a giant dragon surrounded by gold which it had brought with it when it started living in the lake. They walked over to a small shack that belonged to a fisherman who would fish in the lake. They knocked on the door of the fisherman. An old man came to the door and let them in.
“Hello, you must be the people who have come to rid this town of Sarah.” the old man said.
“Sarah?” asked Steve. “Who is Sarah?”
“The water dragon.” answered the man. “She says her name is Sarah. There is an old woman nearby who knows magic. No one knows her name, but yesterday she spoke to the dragon and found out a lot.”
“What else did she find out?”
“Not so much, the dragon was about to take a nap and did not want to be too disturbed, but the old woman found out that all it wanted was a rock. Not just any rock, but a special rock that was hidden under the sand in the lake. She is too lazy to look for more than just 5 minutes a day. She says that if someone finds the rock for her, she will leave Blue Village forever.”
“I see.” said Steve. “I will find the rock.”
The next day, Steve went to the lake with a shovel, a sword, and a water-breathing potion to help him underwater. He dug around the edge for 2 hours without finding anything.
Slowly, he started to go deeper. The dragon was sleeping and he saw a chance to search closer to the bottom. He tried to look, but the dragon woke up.
“Who are you?” the dragon asked
“My name is Steve. I am going to find your rock.” Steve was trying his best to stay cool and not get freaked out.
“Okay.” Said the dragon as it drifted back to sleep.
Steve was very confused. How had the dragon let him go like that? He decided that it would be a waste of time to find the rock, so he made a plan to slay the dragon. He crept closer and drew his sword.
The dragon opened its eyes and saw him. Terrified, Steve threw his sword at the dragon, completely forgetting that he was underwater. Suddenly, a purple beam struck the dragon in the face and it disappeared, revealing a rock beneath the dragon.
As Steve waded out of the water, he saw George with a table with a book on it.
“Hi Steve! I killed the dragon!”
“You? How?”
“I figured that the dragon was not actually missing a rock, so I made a spell that sent it to outer space!”
Steve was very confused by everything that had happened that day, so he and George walked to the inn and went to bed.
The next day Steve and George received many thank-yous from the village and they started on the long walk home.
One day Steve heard of a giant dragon that was in the Lake where the people of Blue Village got their water. With a dragon in the Lake, the villagers would have to travel hundreds of miles to reach the river. Steve needed something to get him underwater to fight the dragon. He told George and they immediately started making a plan. George would start a potion while Steve would gather up necessary supplies for the battle. After a week of preparation, they were ready.
“How are we going to go to Blue Village?” asked George.
“We will walk!” exclaimed Steve.
“Walk? Won’t that take a really long time?”
“Well, yes, but there is no other way to get there.”
“Couldn’t we ride Milo?”
Milo was Steve’s pet giant Chicken. Milo was very old and hadn’t moved from his nest for the past 5 years.
“Are you kidding me? Milo is very old and hasn’t moved from his nest for the past 5 years!”
“Ok, I guess.”
They left the tree and started on the long journey to Blue Village.
After a week of walking, Steve and George finally arrived at Blue Village. They got a room at the Blue inn and got their things out. They decided that they were going to go to the lake before bed and see what the dragon looked like. It was starting to get dark, and they wanted to see the dragon in the light, so they ran as fast as they could to the lake. When they looked down into the water, they saw a giant dragon surrounded by gold which it had brought with it when it started living in the lake. They walked over to a small shack that belonged to a fisherman who would fish in the lake. They knocked on the door of the fisherman. An old man came to the door and let them in.
“Hello, you must be the people who have come to rid this town of Sarah.” the old man said.
“Sarah?” asked Steve. “Who is Sarah?”
“The water dragon.” answered the man. “She says her name is Sarah. There is an old woman nearby who knows magic. No one knows her name, but yesterday she spoke to the dragon and found out a lot.”
“What else did she find out?”
“Not so much, the dragon was about to take a nap and did not want to be too disturbed, but the old woman found out that all it wanted was a rock. Not just any rock, but a special rock that was hidden under the sand in the lake. She is too lazy to look for more than just 5 minutes a day. She says that if someone finds the rock for her, she will leave Blue Village forever.”
“I see.” said Steve. “I will find the rock.”
The next day, Steve went to the lake with a shovel, a sword, and a water-breathing potion to help him underwater. He dug around the edge for 2 hours without finding anything.
Slowly, he started to go deeper. The dragon was sleeping and he saw a chance to search closer to the bottom. He tried to look, but the dragon woke up.
“Who are you?” the dragon asked
“My name is Steve. I am going to find your rock.” Steve was trying his best to stay cool and not get freaked out.
“Okay.” Said the dragon as it drifted back to sleep.
Steve was very confused. How had the dragon let him go like that? He decided that it would be a waste of time to find the rock, so he made a plan to slay the dragon. He crept closer and drew his sword.
The dragon opened its eyes and saw him. Terrified, Steve threw his sword at the dragon, completely forgetting that he was underwater. Suddenly, a purple beam struck the dragon in the face and it disappeared, revealing a rock beneath the dragon.
As Steve waded out of the water, he saw George with a table with a book on it.
“Hi Steve! I killed the dragon!”
“You? How?”
“I figured that the dragon was not actually missing a rock, so I made a spell that sent it to outer space!”
Steve was very confused by everything that had happened that day, so he and George walked to the inn and went to bed.
The next day Steve and George received many thank-yous from the village and they started on the long walk home.
Today is the day, I am moving away from my home, away from my friends, and away from my life before know. I am definitely not happy with this decision and won’t think I will like it, wherever we are going to go and live. My mom and dad are making me do this and it is destroying me and everything that I created and used in what my life has become. Right now the thing that my parents want me to do right at this moment is to pack, pack everything that I want to bring to my new home. The thing that is troubling me is that I only have so much room and time to do that, and is worrying me a little bit. Finally all packed and ready to go I go outside to put my stuff in the car, all of my good friends are waiting outside as well to say goodbye. In my my head I think “ I don’t want to go I just want to stay here,” but I know that I need to go away from everything. After saying bye to all of my friends I have to go into the car and look through the window of what I am leaving behind of me. The car trip is five hours long until we are in the middle of nowhere. Throughout the road trip I was so bored and felt kinda sad of what was behind my parents and I. Finally when I thought I was going to die of boredom we were here, the place I was now going to grow up and start a new life. I run out of the car to explore the new place, but when I stepped out there was just grass and grass. The thing was this grass was so green and full of smells and nature, then there was a barn, a old one that look like I could study and explore that forever and still not see all of it. It was so beautiful that was all I could say “it’s so beautiful” I said when my mouth dropped to the floor. “I knew you would love it!” my father whispered in my ear. After a little talk I ran out on the amazing field and twirled around until I fell over on that fuzzy, full grass. When I got up I noticed a small lonely tree standing all by itself awaiting a buddy to be around with and I was that perfect person. First telling my mom I was going to that tree she said “be back for dinner,” and I yelled in a playful way “I know mom!” Running through the field felt amazing, the smells and noises were different from where I lived before and I loved it, it made me happy. After a long run I get to the tree, standing there a alone finally finding some shade I slide down on the trunk until I am sitting down on the soft grass. Closing my eyes I feel like this is where I am supposed to be, where I am supposed to live and breath. Later I look at the barn that I saw earlier in the day from a far away distance, up close it seems so much older, but cooler in a weird way. To me it looks like it needs to be explored, lik there is something inside that I will use or make it into something. I finally get up from under the tree and walk away to the barn door, standing there it seems to be bigger up close, like I am two feet tall and the door is ten feet taller than me. I go inside and I see a regular barn but I feel that it is speaking to me, “build me into something!” And that is what I did. I run back to the house to grab materials such as tape, fabric, and lots more. For the rest of that evening I am working on that barn until it is complete, I have a resting area, a studying spot, and my own little fridge and TV area. After a long time of working my mom calls me for dinner, and all I can think about is that beautiful barn, and that lonely tree right next to it. Bedtime has come and I am extremely excited and happy that I came, sure I missed my friends but I don’t need friends I got everything that I need.
“Please welcome Sarah Fin, representing Honolulu Figure Skating Club, Sarah you may take the ice.” She stepped on her heart beat got faster instantly, one of her coaches Lana immediately noticed. She breathed deeply to remind Sarah, gave her a fist bump and Sarah skated to her starting pose. She was finally calm she took a second to realize it was the most beautiful rink she’d ever been on. It was encased in glass, no bleachers, people gathered against the railing, they were a little above the glass, she looked up and noticed snow falling on top of the glass. Sarah had never seen snow. First snow, first absolutely perfect program. She was from Hawaii, rarely left, once a year and when they did it surely wasn’t to New York City in January, but it was incredible. Sarah, Lana, and Alex (her other coach) had arrived 5 days ago. Alex met with bold friends while Lana and Sarah went sightseeing. She was remembering walking in the Empire State Building, going to the 9/11 museum, she even had to get a new down coat for- “We’re sorry for the delay Sarah, your music will be starting shortly.” Now she was scared she hadn’t even realized there had been a delay. Okay, she began to think just- her music started, and she was off. She could barely think during her program. All the nerves, she had worked so hard to get there, it was nationals, she had won regionals with a score of 53.67, advanced to sectionals, she skated the best program of her life with a score of 54.03 but that only placed her in second. Which she was definitely not upset with, but luckily for her the girl in first broke her leg after sectionals, that made doing good at nationals a possibility. She was the first girl ever from her club, from her state she was representing Hawaii. There are so few rinks in Hawaii, one doesn’t have ice time, you can’t skate today, unless of course you fly to another state. And before she knew it her program was over had she made any mistakes? She knew she hadn’t fallen, but her program is so well programed into her she has no idea, did she stumble, not finish her rotations on a jump. She remembered focusing right before her double axel combo, she was pretty sure she landed it, but she was just so nervous. So she sat on the kiss and cry (where figure skaters sit and wait for their score) she wanted to know how she did, but asking her coach no way, she did that once in a lower level, Lana and Alex said “If you are so nervous you can’t remember you should see a sport psychiatrist” she was not going to do that again. She just assumed she would need to wait for critiques with the judges. And the announcer caught her by surprise yet again when he said, “And the score for Sarah Fin, was, a 57.87 currently putting her in first place.” She couldn’t believe her ears she jumped up her coach held her hands she was one second away from screaming “Oh my God!!” but then she remembered in figure skating, the judges are always watching, she doesn’t want a bad reputation for nationals next year… She couldn’t watch the other skaters she went back to the “lobby” it was hardly a lobby, it was under ground with a second rink and a set of bleachers next to it. But even the lobby here was incredible, it was marble, with built in benches with the softest cushion on top. All she wanted to do was call her parents, and her friends, and her club, and her friends at school. She had a lot of talking to do. Sarah was 4 to last out of the 12 girls, the worst she could do was 5, which is way above where she ever hoped to be. She had a lot to do but after realizing the worst case scenario she needed to watch and see if anyone was ahead of her. Time passed so quickly one girl beat her by 0.03, but they weren’t final her coach reminded her of, she just wanted to burst into tears, bye bye gold medal, but she reminded herself how greedy that was, she came here hoping for 11th, now complaining about 2nd, she just was so close she wanted it so bad. After everyone finished Lana and Alex came down to the lobby, they heard the announcer call final scores, there was an error, she had won, the judges changed the GOE on the girl they thought had won. She really had won! She hadn’t needed much in New York, and her parents sent her with money and when she told them she really had won, they said that she could go on a hot air balloon ride, like they had when they were in New York. So Lana, Alex, and Sarah went on a hot air balloon ride. It was incredible the skyline was beautiful, she couldn’t believe her eyes, she could see everything that they did, th