Dandelion the Dolphin

So I'm a dolphin. My name is Dandelion. I live in the big blue ocean. Yep, it's big and blue, alright. So big that I get lost a lot. Let me tell you why.. Ever since I was born, on November 7th 2010, I've always been the smallest dolphin. I'm almost a year old and I am no bigger than the size both your palms put together. I have one brother and one sister. My sister always sticks up for me when my brother makes fun of me. Anyway, it isn't easy being the runt. I have trouble swimming and I can never keep up with my family. I've never been lost before, but I always feel like I'm going to be. In fact, I think I'm about to fall behind, now. I'm too tired, and no one notices I can't move. Well, there they go. I can see them far ahead of me now, and I can see my brother knows I fell behind. I can see him laughing and looking at me! I wish my brother was nicer. I also wish my mother was more alert of my whereabouts, especially because of my condition. But, she isn't. Now, they're completely out of sight.. I have no idea where I am. I'm actually kind of scared now. I can't tell which direction is which, as the sea is endless and every place looks the same. It's too bad they'll never return. I'm not in the story Nemo..

The Theme of "The Lottery"

     When you think about your town lottery, what is the first thing that comes to  mind? Money? Riches? Fortune? Well, not in the village of the story The Lottery. The lottery for them meant death. So now a days, where everybody would just love to win the lottery, it was very different from back then, winning meant that you were stoned to death by everyone. Children, your friends, your family, everybody. Even though this town's ways seem very depressing, the people in it are very different because they have lots of courage.

     First of all, the main reason there is courage is because of the villagers. Every year, they seem excited to see who dies. That is disturbing and wrong to our current culture, but it was as normal to them as it is normal for us to wear clothes. It was just a way of life for them. The courage coming from the villagers is like water pouring out of a squeezed sponge. Every year, they have all stayed. None of them have fled or ran away. They all stayed, even if they knew they had just a chance to be killed as much as anyone else in the town. If they were cowards, they would have already left. They also show courage right before they die. The ones that are picked, they don't run, they just accept the fact that they are going to die, and let it happen.

     Also, Tessie, one of the main characters, had showed up late to the lottery. Her husband and family were already there, but were wondering where she was. She finally showed up, and they were free to start. They already weren't as happy as they could've been, because they had to wait to start, and Tessie was the cause. Tessie only made it worse when she argued that her husband didn't get enough time to pick. It all just ended up with her dying, so her actions didn't help her.

The Harmful Effect of Viruses

Author's Note: This is my science essay. The purpose is to explain the common cold and the black death.

 

     Have you ever felt sick? Maybe your white blood cells are too great and on-task to ever let you get sick.  On the other hand, if you have been sick or felt ill before, you know how miserable it can get. It can range from just a runny nose to hacking and throwing up. There are many types of viruses than can invade the human body and do terrible things.

     To start off, the common cold is what people usually catch when they say they have a cold. Symptoms usually include runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, sore throat, headache, etc (Common Cold). Honestly, this disease deserves its name! Each year, the United States contains over one billion citizens who catch the common cold. It is much more common to catch this than any other virus (Common Cold).

     Unfortunately, the common cold is fairly simple to catch. You might not even know you have it for a day or two. All it takes is contact between your bare skin and a contaminated object. About half the time, the cold is caused by rhinoviruses, but there are also other viruses that can cause it (Common Cold). The key to staying healthy and fighting the viruses off is staying clean and to always wash your hands. The more you wash your hands, the fewer germs you will have, and the fewer germs you have, the smaller chance it is that you will catch the common cold.

     On the other end, the Black Death was much worse. In fact, it was so much worse, that there were 3 parts to it. The first of the types was the bubonic variant. This usually causes buboes on the neck, armpit, and groin areas. The sizes range from about the size of an egg to about the size of a whole apple. The way that one would catch this disease is when a fly lands on a diseased rat, then later lands on a human. When someone caught the bubonic variant, the life expectancy was about a week after noticed infection (History).

     Following the first, the second, a slight bit worse, was called the pneumonic plague. The pneumonic plague is usually focused mainly on the respiratory system when infected. One would catch this awful disease by breathing the same air as a true victim. This disease was no joke. This illness being a bit more dangerous than the first can kill you in about one or two days (History).

     Last but not least, the third was very deadly. It killed fast, and it affected your blood system, which would lead to heart problems, as well as movement problems. The blood wouldn’t flow and you would be in lots and lots of pain before you were gone if the third was what you caught.

       To conclude, both viruses are quite harmful to the body, although many would come to the agreement that the Black Death was much more effective, as it had wiped out the whole continent of Europe while the common cold is still around today and is not physically capable of killing someone. Out of the many, many viruses that could come into and harm the human body, these are just a couple.

Bibliography

Common Cold. 8 January 2012. 24 April 2012 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001698/>.

History, Eye Witness to. The Black Death, 1348. 00 00 2001. 25 April 2012.

Fear and Calmness

 Author's Note: The purpose for this piece is to explain a quote.

     What do you think when you see a werewolf, two sorcerers, a witch, and a necromancer strutting about the streets? Actually, most people wouldn't even know that that is what they really are. They would just look and see a normal group of kids. But if they knew who they were, they would know that they are anything but normal. Even though they don't like her, when the witch gets captured, they decide that they need to save her because nobody deserves to be with the Edison group, not even her.

     To start, in the book Awakening by Kelley Armstrong, it is the physically advanced against the crazy scientists. They called themselves the Edison group. They keep trying to capture the four kids to keep the, from the world. When they finally catch one of them, Tori, the witch, they all decide that she needs to be saved. None of them are very fond of her, considering the fact that she isn't nice to anyone but Simon, the younger sorcerer. Obviously, it's because she has a crush on him. When Derek the werewolf and Andrew the adult sorcerer decide to go looking for Tori, Simon and Chloe the necromancer are told to retreat to the truck. Andrew hadn't planned to have Derek come along, until he said he was going to. This quote from the book kind of explains why: "Andrew seemed ready to argue, but one look at Derek told him it was useless, so he took the radio from me and sent us to safety."

     To explain, this quote clearly give you an idea of Derek's appearance. When it says "one look at Derek told him it was useless", it sounds like Derek is some really tall and buff guy who could win any fight or argument without hesitation. Well, that description is absolutely accurate. Nobody would even bother arguing with Derek because since he's a werewolf, one direct hit and you could be only holding on to an inch of your life.

     Also, it shows that Andrew is a calm guy. Even though a lot of men would feel intimidated and scared by Derek, there is still that dumb handful that would pick a fight with him. Andrew, on the other hand, knows where this could go and decides to just stay out of it. Andrew is defeated but okay with it because clearly, he would rather have Derek tag along then have his throat ripped out.

     In conclusion, this quote can show many things. Fear as well as calmness. It well demonstrates the fact that one single line can have more than one mood, and they can very well be exact opposites. It all just depends on how you look at it.

Spring District Assessment

 Author's Note: I wrote this because my friend inspired me to write it(but she doesn't know she did).

     "Stop!" I yelled. She turned around and looked at me. "What??" she said. I fell off the swing trying to stop myself. She laughed at me but I walked over to her and told her to move. I was trying to see how far off the swing I could jump, but she was just sitting there. I didn't want to kick her in the head, but if she won't move, I will. She threw a temper tantrum, so I said "Calm yourself!" She ran inside, so I was free to swing on my own.

     After a little while, it started to rain, harder and harder, so I decided to go in. I jumped off the swing, satisfied with the length, and went back inside. I walked upstairs and waited. My dad had promised me we could go to Fun World tonight. He had said many times we could go, but this time, he PROMISED. I sat and stared out my window, watching for his car to pull into the driveway. Soon, I heard a *Click!* I yelled, "Mia?" but my sister didn't respond. I got up and opened my door. "Mia?" I called again. I checked her room, where she normally was, but she was nowhere to be found. My inner aura was telling me that she was just playing with me, just trying to freak me out.

     Soon, many minutes had passed, and I still couldn't find her. Where could that little 7 year old be hiding? Then it happened. All the power had clicked off, and then "SOPHIE!" I heard her yell. I could tell she was crying, she always had a shake in her yell when she was crying. I sprinted downstairs into the basement. It was dark, and I dropped my flashlight. When I picked it up and shined it right in front of me, I saw her face, her mouth covered with a black glove.

     "Who are you?" I scream. No answer. "WHO ARE YOU!!" I raise my voice. I can see Mia crying, her cheeks are shiny with tears. I slowly angle the flashlight up and see the face. It's my father.

      I just stood there in shock before I realized that I need to do something. Now. "LET HER GO!" I elbowed him in the stomach and grabbed Mia while he was recovering, but I was too late. He back stabbed her with a knife, but she was still breathing. "What have you done? You monster!" Mia was trying not to cry, as shaking was hurting her wound. I jumped on him and tried taking him out. Only the next thing I knew, I was shot in the shoulder.  I fell to the ground with a thud, instantly bringing my hand to cover the wound. In pain, I dragged Mia and myself under a table. When I dropped the flashlight, it was facing the other way, unable to reveal our hiding spot. I found the nearest cloth and wrapped it around her torso. "It's going to be okay," I managed to get out, but it hurt to talk. I propped her against the wall and crawled out to get the flashlight.

     I don't really know what happened after that, because I suddenly became unconscious and later woke up in a hospital bed next to my sister. Mia told me that she could see the dim figure of him hitting me in the head with a brick, then she grabbed my cell phone and called the police. Our father was sent to jail and we were okay. When our mom came home from Miami, we told her everything.

The Lonely Flower

     It's been really harsh. All my friends are gone. That bunny shows no mercy. All it does is come and stomp on us, wreck us, ruin us. Most of the flowers around me died from injuries, ranging from broken, leaking stems to torn, rotting petals. Some just died of fear. It all started back when we were first planted.

     We were all seeds, obviously, bought from your local Stein's. We were all crammed in a bag, though I didn't mind because I spent most of my time sleeping, so I didn't notice anyway. One day, we felt the bag shake. We were tossed and turned, rumbling inside. Then it all stopped. I couldn't tell, but I'm sure that two days had past before the violent shaking started again. Then the bag opened. Oh, how happy I was to have finally gotten to breathe! Unfortunately, within the next few seconds, that become once again a fantasy as we were separated into three's. We could hear each other calling and crying through the soil. Thank goodness I was put with my two best friends. Jem and Raphael. Yes, I know, it's weird for a girl like me to have both her two friends be guys, but I honestly couldn't care less. They're great friends, and at this point, I don't think it matters the gender. Anyway, back to the story. All three of us made the plan to escape, when suddenly, we felt water being poured on us. We panicked a little, when suddenly, something strange and brown popped out of Raphael. He screamed, and fainted. We both started laughing until the same thing happened to us. Well, let me just say, THAT shut us up. When we finally woke up, there were many more brown things sticking out of us. And they were much longer, too. It also felt like we were getting closer to the surface somehow, but I couldn't really tell. A few days passed, and we were up above the ground, so we couldn't even see those ugly brown things anymore. We could finally see out friends and family! Just as it seemed great, and all of us were tall and colorful, something happened. The bunny happened. It started out with Grandma Gladys. She just all of a sudden passed out. When she woke up, she said she saw something. Something white. It had red eyes, she said. Long ears and soft skin. She told us not to let its cuteness fool us. Then, she had a heart attacked. Every moment from then, even though we were pretty sure she was just crazy, we looked out for whatever she had been talking about. Then, it showed itself. The bunny came out of nowhere, it looking so adorable. Then, we forgot all about grandmas advice until he stepped on Grandpa Jack. And then Aunt Kathy. And then Grandpa George. Then some of my friends. More and more were being killed every day until it was just me.

      Just me in that lonely patch of flowers. The bunny never came back after I was the only one left. No, there would be no pride in killing us all. It's too bad that I'm too old to do anything now. It really is a shame that we all had to die a cruel and painful death. But not me. I was strong. But not strong enough to save them all.. and seeing that bunny hopping towards me, I can now say, I am not strong enough to save myself now, and this is the end of my story.

Three Best Friends

     "My turn! My turn!" Cried Burgundy Bunny. She climbed up the slide and slid down with a smile on her face, laughing as she went down. "Fine, I'll go on the merry-go-round then." shouted Khaki Kangaroo. He walked over and started pushing himself, listening to the metal squeak and watching the rust slowly fall off, bit by bit. After all, it WAS an old playground they were at. Swinging all alone sat Platinum Panda. She was never really good at making friends because she had a hard time opening up and expressing her emotions. The park was always the place she went to clear her head.

     After a while, Burgundy looked over at the swing set and decided that she wanted a turn. But there were only two swings. Khaki wanted to swing, too, only one was currently occupied. So they chatted for a bit, discussing what the plan would be. "We could just push her off," thought Khaki. "Absolutely not! Shame on you!" said Burgundy, almost a yell-whisper. "That would be SO mean. Plus, she already looks kind of depressed. Let's try something else." "You're right.. I'm sorry." apologized Khaki. "Alright, alright. We could just ask her for a turn." suggested Burgundy. "That's a good thought! You always have better ideas than me." said Khaki. "Now come on, let's just get over there and get on with it!" Burgundy said as she hopped over to Platinum.

     Suddenly, Platinum looked up after being touched on the arm by someone. She gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." said Burgundy. Platinum just shrugged and said "It's okay.." Burgundy asked if they could have a turn and Platinum agreed, got up, and sat on a nearby bench. "You see? That wasn't so difficult." said Burgundy. Khaki looked surprised and said "What? Difficult? Pfft. Nothing is difficult for me." "Yeah, okay. Whatever. I'm going to go and talk to her, she looks kind of lonely.." said Burgundy. "Well, okay." said Khaki. Burgundy approached Platinum and started a conversation. Platinum actually started to open up! They were instantly friends, and Platinum was so happy that she now had a friend. Well, little did she know that she was getting a bonus today. Two for the price of one. They walked over and Platinum met Khaki, who soon became friends also. They became the very best friends that friends could ever be. An extremely unusual bunch, really.

     After a few months, they had become closer and closer. They would go shopping together even thought Khaki wasn't a big fan of it, but hey, that's what friends are for, correct? One night, Khaki decided they should throw a party. "What?!" screamed Burgundy. "A party? We've never done that before.." "Well, no, but we could invite the school. You know, get to know other people and make new friends." Khaki suggested. "New friends? Aren't we good enough?" Burgundy sadly asked. "Well yes, of course, but I mean, my mom always told me that it's good to make new friends." answered Khaki. During this whole conversation, Platinum stayed quiet. She was nervous about the idea but was to shy to share her opinion. After some arguing and agreeing and a little bit of overreacting here and there, they had finally decided.

   The next thing you know, Khaki is right and Burgundy is still nervous and shaky about the idea. Platinum is still silent, remaining in the shy state that she is in. In a few weeks, the party takes place. Behind his parent's backs, of course. What teenager doesn't disobey the rules sometimes? They soon find out that it was the worst idea possible. Like every bet made, one person (or animal in this case) gets to say "I TOLD YOU SO!" while the other sits there in shame and regret.

     Platinum and Burgundy had lost their friendship with Khaki that night, him finding new friends and joining the 'popular' group, and them isolating themselves from everyone else. Khaki just didn't realize they weren't ready. But hey, friends come and go. Only some will be there forever. Like they always say, you don't know what you have until it's gone.

The Way Lyrics Tie to the Music

Author's Note: The purpose is to explain how the two poems "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Field Below" tie to their music to create songs.

In the song "Big Yellow Taxi", the music and the notes and the way it's sung makes it sound happy, but if you actually listen to the lyrics, you'd think about how sad the meaning actually is. I think that the singer should've made the music sound more like the meaning, because now it just sounds misleading. Plus, is doesn't make much sense to make a song about something sad sound happy. On the other hand, the song "Field Below", the music and sound actually matches the meaning. The music sounds sad and like it's missing something, and actually, you might not think that if you heard the music without words, but the music by itself would give you the impression that it was sad. That makes a lot more sense to me.

Might I See You Again?

Author's Note: The purpose of this is to explain Sophie's life and analyze the quote "Whatever happens with the lessons -- might I see you again?" from the Clockwork Prince

     One day, as you stroll down the streets of London, you notice a woman sitting in a corner, with a bloody rag clutched to her face. What do you do? Do you stare? Maybe help her? Walk by and ignore her? This is the way that Sophie from the Clockwork Prince started out. After many years of recovery and servant work at the London Institute, avoiding the training she is almost required to have, she cannot avoid any longer. Charlotte, her employer, has hired two not-so-family-friends to help and train herself as well as her friend Tessa, who has never had any sort of training either.

     When Charlotte first found Sophie, she was crouched in a corner in the city, bloody and filthy. Having the kind heart that Charlotte does, she decided to give Sophie a hand even though she was a mundane, and not part of the Nephilim along with herself and the rest living in the Institute at the time. Sophie told Charlotte what happened to her face, and why she could never trust a man again.

     At this time in Shadowhunter history, people only hired their maids for their beauty. Not for their service. While Sophie was working for her previous employer, the son of the household had wanted her. Yes, in 'that way'. He had attempted several times asking her to be his, but every time, she refused. One day, he could not take the rejection any longer. He took a knife and threw it at her face, saying, "If I can't have you, then I will make you ugly, so that nobody will ever love you again!" Then, trying to tell the employer about this event, the son stepped in and had lied, telling them that Sophie had come onto him, and cut her face for self defense. Sophie was instantly fired, and put on the streets.

     When Tessa and Sophie started their training, they were assigned their teachers. Tessa with Gabriel Lightwood, and Sophie with Gideon Lightwood. After a few weeks, Tessa had noticed the way Gideon had been looking at Sophie.. Could this be something? During the same practice, though, Tessa's friend Will had gotten into a rather large argument with Gabriel, therefore putting the training offer in jeopardy. They had all left the room, except for Sophie and Gideon, who had stayed. Sophie sat down in exhaustion, Gideon right after her. As they talked about the recent events, Gideon had spilled his feelings for her, then asking, "Whatever happens with the lessons -- might I see you again?"

     This quote displays a fair amount of interest in Sophie; and it is obvious why something like this would surprise her. After what she's been through, she doesn't know what to say. She doesn't know whether to trust him or to just leave him hanging. If that were me, I'm not so sure I would trust him either. It's a pretty hard thing to recover from, even after several years. Trust, you see, is like a mirror. Once it's cracked, you can put it back together, but you can still see the cracks that were made.

     From Gideon's point of view, though, he probably would've have worked harder for Sophie's trust before asking this if he had known what really happened to her. Yet, I still admire the fact that he had the guts to ask such a thing to a girl he barely even knows. I would never do such a thing. This puts a large place in the book because he always acted like he hated coming to lessons, only that day, he confessed that because of Sophie, he actually looked forward to coming. He had called her talented. Sophie liked to hear these things, but was still hesitant.

     After all the events in Sophie's life, and all the events leading up to this day, the sweet talk that Gideon had said that sounded like music to her heart, Sophie didn't know what to do. Could she trust him? Should she fall into the either deadly trap or comforting embrace that Gideon has offered her? Is it even possible for a girl to ever love a man again if that had happened to her?

"By the Way" by Ali and Kasia

Authors Note: This poem is a parody of the poem This is Just to Say, and the narrator is Holly speaking to Lauren from the book Dark Secrets.This relates to when Holly killed Lauren's mother. The mood is happy. Well, in Holly's point of view it is. In Lauren's point of view, the mood is sad. The tone is murderous or maybe vicious.

I have killed

Your mother

When she was

By the lake

And while

You were probably

Sleeping

In bed

Hate me

I don’t care

For I did it

And I’m glad

Mother to Son

 Author's Note: This is a piece about the poem Mother to Son. The purpose is to explain the figurative languages it contains.

     Other figurative languages used in the story other than metaphors are hyperbole's, because some things in her life may have been painful, but it couldn’t have been as painful as stepping in tacks or getting splinters in your feet from climbing the stairs of life. The meaning of this poem is to show her son what she has been through, and that no matter what happens, he should still keep going on with his life, because it’s worth it in the end. The mood is rather sad or possibly upset, because the mother is warning the son about the rough points of life, and while telling him this, she's probably remembering the harsh times that she has had, and it might be heartbreaking for it to continue to linger in her mind.. The tone is encouraging.

Sondra's Death

Author's Note: This is a piece about Sondra's death, but in Nora's point of view. The purpose is to retell what happened, but in a different perspective.

     I suddenly sat up, realizing there's no use in trying to sleep anymore. I got up, my thin black hair sticking to the back of my neck with sweat, and walked into Lauren's room. I asked her if she knew where Bunny was, my stuffed animal. She told me that she was on the dock, then offered to go get it, knowing I was terrified of the water. I told her no, as I could go as far as the dock.

     When I got down there, the dark uneven planks of wood troubled me, but I went on anyways. Then, I looked up, and saw Holly, my sister. She was running. I asked her where Bunny was, and she had said he was further on the dock. I asked to grab it and she said no. She had done something, and she had told me not to tell; it's a secret. I carefully made my way across, and then saw Bunny. I went and grabbed her, then saw splashing.

     When I looked down into the water, I saw Sondra, Lauren's mother, flailing and struggling to stay afloat.  I looked on one of the pilings next to me and saw blood. I suddenly realized; Holly had hit Sondra's head on it and pushed her into the water. I just stood there, paralyzed, staring. I was so afraid, and it didn't help that I was scared of the water. I looked down into the black water swallowing Sondra. I've never been more terrified in my life. I wanted so badly to help her, but instead, I did nothing but run to ring the Emergency bell. Lauren and mother came running down. I went and sat next to Lauren, shaking, worried, waiting. I saw mom with the body, but it was too late. Sondra was dead.

All About Lauren

 Author's Note: This is a piece about Lauren. The purpose is to explain what she's like and how she feels about things.

     The main character of the story Dark Secrets by Elizabeth Chandler is Lauren. Lauren in the beginning of the book was 10, visiting her Aunt Jule. This is when her mother had died. Lauren, heartbroken, left and didn't revisit for 7 years. Upon her return, she had realized how little yet how much things have changed, like winter is different to spring, yet they are both seasons.. Everything was basically the same except for Nora. She was still paranoid about her mother's death. She started to act stranger than a beetle in a farm of ants, and it was worrying Lauren. She would tell her that her mother was watching her like a hawk, or that her mother was sleeping in the boathouse, or that her mother planned to drown her so that they would be reunited and never separated again.

     Lauren was starting to worry about what was happening, because Aunt Jule didn't want to give Nora the professional help that everyone but her thought she needed, even though Lauren had offered to pay for it. Before her mother had died, she had told her about how her necklaces and scarves would be tied into knots with nothing touching them, like Paranormal Activity. Once Lauren had started noticing knots her things, she was concerned about her health and was wondering if maybe, just maybe, Nora was telling the truth. But part of her was still convinced that Nora was just out to get her.

Some Things are Unforgettable.

Author’s Note: This is a piece explaining the main turning point and what had led up to it. The purpose is to explain the main cause/effect of Where the Red Fern Grows.

     Have you ever had something really tragic happen to you? Maybe your parents are having problems, or something bad happened at school, or some kid threatened to beat you up. Billy, in Where the Red Fern Grows, lost both of his dogs. This is something that changed his life. The main turning point of the story is when Billy's dogs get attacked by the mountain lion, because they are so injured that it's unfixable.

     When Billy was just a young 11 year old boy, he desperately wanted two dogs. He asked his parents over and over again, but every time, they told him that they could not afford it. He understood, but somehow felt the need to continue asking. Until one day, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He worked very, very hard over the next two years, and finally earned himself enough money to buy two dogs.

     He was so overjoyed to finally have the two dogs he had dreamed about, and so he put a lot of time and effort into training them for the upcoming hunting season. After training and feeling like he had taught them everything the needed to know, it was finally the time to show off what they had learned.

     Billy was so excited that without thinking, made a bargain with his dogs that was going to be a lot harder to accomplish than he thought. After that, every single time they went hunting, they always had some sort of problem. They just couldn't win. This pattern showed how obvious it was that sooner or later, something absolutely devastating would happen that they wouldn't recover from.

     The last time they got to go hunting was the worst thing that could've ever happened to Billy. While stalking their prey, they ran into a mountain lion. The mountain lion was not satisfied with their appearance, so he attacked them. This resulted in one of the dogs stomach cut open, guts spilling everywhere, and the other one badly bruised and sore. When they got home, Billy's parents did everything they could to revive the animals; but it was no use. One had died; and the other could not live without him, so out of loneliness, she ended up dying too.

     These dogs had meant everything to Billy; how hard he had worked, how long he had trained, and most importantly, how long he had waited.. It all just seemed to unreal for him. He felt as though it was a punishment from God, although he could not figure out what he had done wrong. This event is something that can't be recovered from, therefore shows why that is the turning point.

Letter to Billy

 Author's Note: This is a creative piece.

Dear Billy,

     Hi. You don't know me, but I know all about you. A little stalkerish, huh? Well, I know. Anyway, remember when you were 11? And you wanted two dogs SO badly? No offense, but you went a little crazy, there. I was thinking, "Woah, what is he doing? He's going to kill himself, his health is so low!" Well after I was worried about you, I was really proud of you.

     I thought that is was really stunning what you did over the next two years. I mean, I've never seen a boy work that hard for something! Or even a girl. That was really impressive. Well, on the other hand, I've never seen anyone want something so badly.. But still. You inspire me to work harder to get what I want.

     When you turned 13, you finally got your dogs. You instantly matured, and became more responsible and brave. You were just so happy. I admired that. I think that it's normally difficult for someone so young to be able to mature so quickly, and so perfectly. But, you did. You see, Billy, these are the types of qualities that stand out and make you who you are.

     Oh, and who could forget the time you chopped down that tree all by yourself just to get one raccoon for your dogs? That takes some courage and definitely some manliness. Well, I guess that it's time for me to go to bed. But just don't ever lose you're qualities, okay? Those are what makes you gold.

Your friend (that you have never met),

Kasia

Prediction of Clockwork Angel

Author's Note: This is a prediction for what I think will happen next in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Claire.

     So one day, somebody tells you that you can change into anybody you want by holding a possession of theirs. What do you do? Scream? Just stand there? Stare in amazement? Or maybe you just don't believe them. Maybe you think that this is the silliest thing you've ever heard until it's been proven to you. Well, this is what happens to Tessa in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Claire, and she chooses to follow that someone into the life she never would've even known she had.

    After all of the events Tessa had gone through, the miserable hours and hours of torturous training, the lies and the bitter truths, the new people she had met and the ones that had died, she ended up in the Institute with her brother; the one everyone was looking for. So, really, I suppose you could say that she got what she wanted. But her brother had been heavily drugged by vampires for feeding purposes and might not recover. After that, she talks with Jem, who seems to flirt with her all the time, and then goes up in the attic to talk to Will. After they talk for a bit, Will leans in and kisses her. After a minute or two, he pushes her away, hard, and she hits the ground hard. He screams at her to leave, and she is the most confused person who ever lived.

     After all of these events, I think that she will walk downstairs crying because of being so rejected, and Jem will comfort her because he has a crush on her and is trying his best to look good in front of her. I then think that when Will cools down, he will walk downstairs to find Jem and Tessa talking together. Being the selfish one that he is, he will probably split them up so that Will can have Tessa all to himself, only Tessa will have felt so rejected, that she will reject him right back.

Where The Red Fern Grows Quote

Author's Note: This is about the quote I liked most in the book Where the Red Fern Grows

     What would you do if you had made a bargain with your dogs? When they finished their half, would you do yours? Or would you just walk away because they made your half as hard as hard could be? I admire this 13 year old boy Billy, because this is the scenario that he was in, and he chose to stay and finish his part, no matter how hard it was.

     When Billy took his dogs out to go hunting, he made a deal with them, saying that he would chop down any tree that his dogs chased a coon up. When they chased a coon up the largest tree in the forest, he almost backed out. Then he thought it wouldn't be fair. So, of course, he started chopping away. When his dad came by, he asked him why. When he told him, his father offered to help, and this is what Billy said. "No, Papa. I don't want any help. I want to cut it down all by myself. You see, if someone helps me, I wouldn't feel like I kept my part of the agreement."

     I admire this because I think that he was brave to stay out there night and day and all alone just to please his dogs. I thought that he was being a good master to them, for most people would have just walk away. And keep in mind, this boy is only 13 years old. It was important because most people would've just walked away and disappointed their dogs but Billy didn't. He was brave enough and had the courage to stick with it. That is such a good quality to possess.

Where the Red Fern Grows Prediction

Author's Note: This is what I think what will happen once he starts cutting down the tree. I think this is what's going to happen because he said he was going to finish his part of the bargain, and he seems loyal enough. So this is a scene i made that may or may not have happened. I mean, I wouldn't know because I haven't read that far yet.

     He worked for days, maybe even weeks, he didn't know. He didn't count the days. All that mattered was satisfying his dogs. Once he had finally made that tree fall to the ground, the dogs sprinted to it. The ran up and down the tree, scanning it over and over. The started whimpering, and he didn't know why. He then check the tree, finding nothing. He was not a happy camper. He was upset that he had spent that much time on a coon that got away, but he was still happy that he made his dogs keep their faith in him. They all walked home in disappointment. He ran into his sister on the way home. She had a lunch box, so it had to have been around noon. He told her what had happened, and she just started ranting about how he should've thought it through and how he should've just come home. But no matter what she said, he was still happy he made his dogs happy.

     When they got home, his mother had hugged him so tight that he felt as though he was getting the life squeezed out of him. He told her that he was okay, but they didn't catch the coon. He went to his room, and he just sat there, staring at his dogs. He praised them for being so patient and caring, and they went out again the very next day. With that big tree out of the way, hunting was much easier cutting down small trees instead of the one. From then on, hunting went well for them, and he was a very successful boy.

Thank You, Ma'am.

 

Author's Note: Something else that could've happened instead of what really did happen.

     "Now, ain't you ashamed of yourself?" she said.

     "Not at all," the boy replied. "I do what I want to and I'm proud of what I do."

     She snarled. She whacked him with her pocketbook and kept walking. He caught up to her, though, and tried to steal it again. This time, she whacked him so hard that he lost his balance and fell backwards. The wind got knocked out of him so he just lay there. The woman went home, and started to cook dinner. The boy followed her home and took a dollar. The next day, he came back, and took another dollar. After 10 days, he had just what he needed to buy those shoes that he wanted. Blue suede shoes.. That's all he could think about while walking happily to the store. Little did he know, that the woman had known. He got sent to jail, and he never stole again.

Dead Man's Path

     There I was, in my kitchen, making dinner when my husband rushed through the front doors. I was so startled, because he was panting hard as a dog as if he ran all the way home. I was right. When I got him a glass of water, and he calmed down, he informed me why he was so overjoyed. "We shall make a good job of it, shan't we?"

     “We shall do our best,” I replied. “We shall have such beautiful gardens and everything will be just modern and delightful…” then I stopped. I started thinking a little selfishly, and I started to think about how important I would now be. The principal's wife.. All of the other spouses would be jealous of me and my husband. Then I stopped again; Were there any other spouses? Am I just being too self-centered to stop and think? I asked him.

     "All of our colleagues are young and unmarried," he explained. He seems so happy with it, and she wasn't sure why. He continued. "which is a good thing." This was difficult for her to hear.

     "Why?" I asked with pure curiosity.

     "Why? They will give all their time and energy to the school."

     I hated to hear this. Oh, well.

Clyde the Failing Man

Author's Note: One night, while eating a bowl of cereal, I thought of the idea to make a story about a man named Clyde who fails quite often without even realizing such a thing. Also, I wrote this because I needed a piece to improve my goals.

     Hi, my name is Clyde. I decided to start writing this diary. I'm not sure why, I mean, I am a grown man. I suppose I could call it a journal. That would sound more manly. So, there you go.. It's a journal. Anyways, I decided not to write the date on the top of each journal entry because I often don't remember the date. That's okay, though. I guess my journal shall just be original. Well, I'm counting this as an introduction to my new journal. I'm going to stop writing for today. Goodbye.

     Today was the most embarrassing day, EVER. I started my day by driving to Monkey Joe's, only to be informed that it was for children 12 and under, and unless I had a child myself, I could not enter. I stormed off, and found a spot of bird poop on my car. I decided it was time to wash the car. To save money, I wanted to wash it on my own. Only after did I realize that it was raining the whole entire time I was washing my car. Not only did I waste money, but I made myself look like a fool in front of my new neighbors. It was mortifying.. Anyway, I think I'm done for today. I don't want to rip my little pink notebook in anger.

     Well, I did it again. My wife currently hates me.. I guess I had it coming. Today, I took my child to the zoo. Me, being an overgrown infant, spazzed out over the pandas. While in my freakish state of mind, I had completely forgotten about my child. She had wondered off into the.. Who knows where. I couldn't find her, and my wife had gotten furious. Anyway, when we got home, my daughter wouldn't so much as look at me and my wife told me I had to spend the night on the couch. This stinks.

     I woke up and groggily hoisted myself up. I decided I need to make it up to my daughter. I decided to walk to the store and purchase an iPod touch for her. She instantly forgave me. Well, that's good. My wife forgave me, too. I think I frightened her a little, though, because today, without thinking straight, asked her what channel TMJ4 was on. I felt so stupid. She laughed at me. Oh well.. I have my moments. My friends call me a blonde. I have brown hair. I don't understand.. That's alright, I suppose.

     I AM DONE WITH THIS DUMB DIARY, journal, thing.. I am sick of failing. And I am not going to continue sharing my fails so that one day my grandchildren can read about what a loser their grandpa was. I refuse to be recognized as that strange crazy failing man that no one would like to be. I am throwing away my little pink journal. GOODBYE, DIARY!! You will not be missed.