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.