Here are your instructions for the contest! First of all, the stories will be separated into 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, with a winner for each grade. Please don’t collaborate; there will only be one winner per grade. Winners will receive a Target gift card of $10. Participants will also receive a reward. Second, the rules for the contest are:

1) Your story can be any genre you want as long as it is school appropriate (we don’t want horror, for instance)

2) Your story should be winter themed- whether it takes place in the winter, is centered around a winter holiday, or has some other relation to the season is up to you!

3) We will accept digital or paper submissions- either turn into the library or send via email to Ms. Andrews, our librarian

4) When you are finished with your story, you will take a picture/upload it onto Padlet with your name and Foundations class, or give to Ms. Andrews

5) The minimum amount of paragraphs is 3, and the maximum is 15. (Excluding short dialogues) If you have way too many paragraphs, or way too little, your submission won’t count, but don’t stress about it, you won’t get excluded for being a little over.

6) YOUR WORK MUST BE ORIGINAL!!!!!! Copying will NOT be tolerated.

Have fun!!

Now he was sure he was hallucinating but he decided to play along. “Yeah, I am.” He said

“Perfect” she answered

He would have started laughing if still had the strength in him. Instead he just stared. But it was different for Bob she started laughing evilly then turned and asked. “Ya got candy?”

Now he surely would be on the floor crying with laughter if he could. He realized he actually did have candy so he handed it to her. She snapped her fingers and he woke up confused. He looked around and saw his mom. “Glad you up bruuuuuuuuu” she said.

He realized he was home and he was glad as he looked out his window. Snow started to fall and he thought he could make his 4 year old neighbor named Bob wearing a big fur coat, eating a piece of candy, and waving to him. He waved back.

This is a story by Caroline. I made it about this 4 year old girl named Bob oki byeeeeeeee!

Oh yea also it’s winter in story BTW :))))))))))))))

Name: Caroline

Foundations: Mr. Gollon

Foundations Ms Sell

I have to put it in pieces thru different pages its john the mean

Name: hanna foundations: Ms. Highland.

A little boy who had the dream to be the one who could control every single holiday but the one he liked the most was Valentine’s Day and so he dreamt that one snowy pinkish day there was a parade with birds and bees who shout hooray! because it is time to yell and scream that Valentine's Day is almost redeemed. People storm into a long line of sweets to see the new flavours that they could eat. All of the stores games and shops all decorate as the day has gone. And houses gather up to give out candy like one by one in a 5th grade class. And they pass it out with people shouting “spring has sprung!” And the whole world could celebrate Valentine’s Day but maybe one day we could say that that one little boy was just a memory of your friends and family… But the next day the snow were puddles that boy had another dream that was the same but had a different parade each night until those dreams came to life when it was the day of Valentine’s Day! The day after that and after and after he was sad Valentine’s Day has gone and the snow has melted but he was proud that his imagination showed how wonderful valentine is and how it is not just candy and joy but an importance of love The end.

Once upon a time, in a small, snowy village named Frostyvale, winter arrived with a thick blanket of snow. The trees sparkled like diamonds, and the air was crisp and cold. All the children in the village were excited because winter meant snowball fights, building snowmen, and sledding down hills.

Among the children, there was a boy named Leo. Leo loved winter more than anything else. He was known for making the best snow forts. One chilly morning, Leo and his friends decided to create the largest snow fort Frostyvale had ever seen. They gathered at the park, where the snow was deep and soft.

As they started building, Leo noticed something strange in the trees nearby. There was a shimmering light flickering among the branches. "What is that? " he wondered. Curiosity piqued, he left his friends momentarily and walked toward the light.

When Leo got closer, he saw a tiny, glowing snow fairy. Her wings sparkled, and her hair looked like spun sugar. She was stuck in a tangle of icy branches. "Help me, please! " she said, her voice like tinkling bells.

Without thinking twice, Leo reached out his hands. "Don't worry, I'll help you! " He gently untangled her from the branches, and in return, the fairy smiled brightly. "Thank you! I am Crystal, the snow fairy, and I need your help. Can you assist me in spreading winter magic? "

Surprised but excited, Leo agreed. Crystal waved her tiny wand, and together they created beautiful snowflakes that danced through the air. The snowflakes sparkled and shimmered, transforming the village into a winter wonderland. The children gasped in awe as they saw the magical scene unfold.

While Leo and Crystal worked together, the sky began to darken, and the wind started to blow. "We need to finish before the magic fades away," Crystal said urgently. Leo's heart raced as he tried to create more snowflakes. They worked as fast as they could. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through, scattering the snowflakes away.

Just when Leo thought they would lose their magic, Crystal shimmered and said, "Believe in the magic of winter! " With all his heart, Leo believed. A bright light surrounded them, and a shower of glittery snowflakes filled the air once more.

Finally, they completed the transformation, and Frostyvale sparkled like never before. The villagers cheered, amazed by the beauty around them. Leo smiled, knowing he had helped create something truly special. Crystal waved goodbye, promising to return next winter.

From that day on, Leo became a hero in Frostyvale, known for his kindness and the magic of winter he helped create. 

By: Safiya Abdulle Foundations: Ms.Freeman

BEEP

BEEP

BEEP

« Uggghhhhhh . Morning already!!!? »

BRUSH

BRUSH

BRUSH

« Amilah! Breakfast is ready!”

“Ok! Coming Mom!”

I came out of the bathroom after my morning duties and went down the stairs to see my beautiful mo- “MEEPO!!!!”

“What happened Amilah!”

“Meepo took a dump on the stairs!”

“It’s okay, I'll clean it up after breakfast.”

“Thank you mom!”

Meepo is our new pet kitten, she’s only 6 months old, so we have to train her to take her business elsewhere. I’m Amilah, pronounced as ( Uh-my-luh). I live with my mom, dad, and our new kitten Meepo. My dad is a doctor, and he works five to nine, so I rarely see him. I ate breakfast and remembered that there was no school today because of winter break! What a relief!

 I went outside to shovel and thought I was hallucinating, but the snow was pink. Legitimately pink. My imagination is sometimes weird, but today it felt quite… real. I didn’t want my mom to give me an entire lecture about going to see a therapist or something, so I didn’t tell my mom. This was the prettiest thing to ever imagine, or at least I think I’m imagining. I can make snow fairies, snow men, snow women, snow animals, I could do ANYTHING!!! But it was early morning and my feet were colder than Antarctica, so I decided to go back inside. 

Later around two pm, I went back outside to make something out of the fresh snow. After about thirty minutes, I made some slaying snowmen and women. Even a car passing said they loved it! I went inside and treated myself to some hot cocoa with marshmallows. And mmm mmm mmm, boy did it taste AMAZING! Mom and I had dinner and I greeted my dad when he came from work. As a family, we played board games. It was late so we went to bed. I woke up the next morning to see that I’ve gone crazy. The snow was literally blue. Crystal clear. I wiped my eyes about 400 times. It was still sparkling blue. 

“Wow. I might listen to my moms lecture after all.”

I did my morning duties and headed downstairs, it was early so I decided to make breakfast. 

BEEP

BEEP

BEEP

And the smoke alarm went off. 

Mom made breakfast and I went outside. Again. The snow was now perfect for snowballs. I now know that I’m hallucinating, because my slaying snow men and women from yesterday are now blue too! I shrugged and I played in the snow with my extra cozy socks and came back inside. I let the kitten sleep with me, because tonight I knew that I was going to find out why the colors were changing. We stayed up late and thought something was coming until . . .

yeah we fell asleep. 

Woke up the next morning and the snow was green. Not icky green, but pastel green. I liked the color, not that bad. I did my usual morning routines and this time I played with Meepo. I think she’s kind of mastered her potty training now. I gave her a treat because she definitely deserved it. I opened the shades and oh my god. The blizzard was magical. Pink, blue, and green snowflakes dancing down the sky. I now know that maybe I wasn’t hallucinating, maybe it was just magical. 

It has been 13 years, 4 hours, 48 minutes, and 47 seconds since it followed me on that dark winter night.

It has been 13 years, 4 hours, 48 minutes, and 55 seconds since no one believed me.

It started like any normal day as an eighth grader 7 hours, 4 periods, and 90 minutes each, of pure melancholy suffering.

Fourth period, the last of my pain. Or so I thought. I clicked my pen vigorously on the table, angrily watching the clock. I looked at my sheet of paper: The life of Sitting Bull.

Then, I did what I did every day: crumple my paper, rip the corners off, and cram it into my paper-filled bag.

Eyes glared at me all over the dimly lit room, including Ms. Chavez, who wasn’t looking too patient today.

“RINGGGGGGG!” The bell blared. All the students stampeded out of the room. As I was about to leave, Ms. Chavez called out in her unsettling voice, “Don’t forget your homework…” She reached out her wrinkled hand and handed me the remains of a smelly, coffee-stained packet. “You never do it, my love…” she continued. I wrinkled my nose. Me? Do a paper packet? Not a chance, I thought to myself. I gave her a rotten look, shoved it into my bag, and dashed out into the open hall.

Once out the door, the halls were empty, no motion anywhere. I saw the winter closing in on the windows. The light, dusty snow quickly turned into fast darts that pecked at the window.

“Hello…?” I squeaked into the distance. Suddenly, I heard a voice: “Walk forth.” Giving in to the shrill, I started walking… further and further. The more I walked, the more I heard the sound. More and more, I felt something in my bag moving around.

As I paced toward the office, I heard a great KERTHUNK! My bag fell off my shoulder, scaring the life out of me. As I bent over to grab it, the bag once again moved around. Little by little, the Velcro started to unhook and open. My eyes widened with anxiety.

Suddenly, the bag flew open. Startled by the show, I stepped back. Nothing… I said to myself.

“FOOOOOSH!” Packets of homework and papers flew out, then combined into a big swirling mass. The papers spun and twisted like an eerie tornado, the edges curling and folding into each other until they formed a pulsating, dark cloud right before me.

I stood frozen, my heart hammering in my chest. The room was colder now, colder than it had any right to be. The wind from the storm outside howled through the empty halls, but it felt different. It felt alive. I didn’t know if it was the wind that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, or something else.

The swirling mass of homework papers continued to grow, thickening into an unnatural shape, something that resembled the outline of a figure. A shadow within the whirlwind. It felt like the world around me was warping, reality bending, the walls around me pulling inward as if to suffocate me.

Then, a voice. Soft. Familiar.

“*Walk forth.*”

I recognized it immediately—*the voice from before*—the same voice that had guided me, or commanded me, down this path.

The figure in the swirling mess began to take form, like a silhouette clawing its way out of a fog. I could almost make out a face, dark and twisted, eyes gleaming with malice. But more than that, there was something deeply wrong about it. It wasn’t human, not entirely.

I wanted to scream, to run, but my legs felt like they were trapped in quicksand. My breath quickened, and I stepped back involuntarily. But the voice, that same voice, repeated: “*Walk forth.*”

The words buzzed in my skull like a curse. The figure lurched forward, its movements jagged, unnatural. The papers that had formed its shape began to dissolve into a fine mist, swirling around me, thickening until I couldn’t breathe.

My vision blurred, and then—

Darkness.

When I awoke, I was standing outside. The snow was now a complete white-out, the sky overcast and dark, as if the sun had been erased from existence. My feet sank into the icy snow, but I couldn’t move. A strange numbness was creeping up my body, as though the cold itself was part of the force dragging me deeper into whatever had just happened.

My heart pounded. There was a sound—a low, unnatural growl from behind me. I slowly turned, but nothing was there. Only a shadow moving at the periphery of my vision.

The ground beneath me cracked open.

I fell, tumbling down into a deep, endless pit of cold, jagged ice. The world around me was silent, but that feeling—the presence—still lingered, just behind my thoughts. The voice again.

“*You should have walked forth.*”

Then, I fell.

When I woke up again, I was back at the school. Same hallways. Same empty silence. But there was something different about the air. It was heavier, thick with tension. The walls seemed to stare at me, and the flickering lights above hummed ominously.

I stumbled forward, drawn to the office again. But when I reached it, the door stood ajar, and I could see only darkness beyond. It wasn’t like the darkness outside; this was a consuming blackness, like the very void of space.

I stepped forward, my feet moving against my will, and heard the voice again, clearer now:

“*It has been 13 years, 4 hours, 48 minutes, and 32 seconds. You never did it. You never walked forth.*”

I couldn’t fight it anymore. My body moved through the door and into the darkness beyond. There, I saw it. The figure from before, no longer made of paper, but standing fully in front of me, its features twisted into a grotesque mockery of a face.

And in that moment, I realized: it wasn’t just the voice I had ignored. I had ignored everything. The warning signs, the unease in my chest, the endless pressure pressing in on me. I had walked into something far darker than a simple hallway, far darker than a teacher’s reprimand or a winter storm.

It was the thing that had followed me all these years. The thing I couldn’t outrun. The price for my apathy.

And now, I was finally going to pay it.

In an instant, the world around me shifted. The darkness enveloped me. I couldn’t scream; I couldn’t even breathe. Only the cold remained, creeping in from every side.

The thing in the shadows whispered one last time:

“*It has been 13 years, 4 hours, 48 minutes, and 55 seconds…*”

Then, there was nothing.

Nothing but the endless void.

By Nicole Matthews 💅✨😎

I slay all day at Ms. Lin Celeste foundations 🩵🩵🎶

Well, that’s exactly what Aaron wants to find out as soon as he wakes up. His eyes flutter open, and as he remembers the forecast of possible snow, he immediately rushes to the window eager to see if it’s true.

“Yes! Finally, the first snow of the winter has arrived!” He exclaims, his breath fogging up the window and voice rising high pitched with his excitement. His eyes light up as he gazes out at the snowflakes with joy, watching the glistening snow land on the ground. 

As a young 17 year old sophomore, even at that age he absolutely loved winter for the snowfall, watching the snow sway down with the wind, like the vibrant autumn leaves red, yellow, or orange. But also for celebrating his birthday during his favorite season.

In a rush he called his best friend Alex, who wrapped up in his own blankets. “What is so important to wake me up, Aaron?!” Alex grumbled still half asleep and in his pjs, shivering as the cold air seeped through his window.

Without hesitation, Aaron bolts into Alex’s room, barging in without knocking “Look outside!” he exclaims, practically bouncing with excitement. He pulls open the blinds “It’s finally snowing! The first snow this winter”

Alex groaned internally. “Yeah, yeah, yeah just great, Aaron,” Alex grumbled before retreading back under his blankets. Alex is known as one of the cold ‘nonchalant’ sophomore boys who in reality just wants sleep and his own space… except when Aaron was around, for whom he had a slight soft spot. “You have a coat, boots, hats, gloves, all of the necessities, go outside if you want. I'm staying in and sleeping.”

“No” Aaron whined softly “I want to see a snowflake up close with my own eyes! With a microscope and an actual snowflake,” he expressed, his hands fisting in front of his chest as he jumps slightly, his excitement clear to anyone who can see

Alex groaned before shaking his head. “You’re lucky that I actually like you as a person,” he stated, sighing heavily before getting back up and heading towards his closet to get his boots and coat on. “Aren’t you gonna go get ready?” He asked, noticing Aaron staring at him changing.

“Oh! Right,” Aaron quickly remarked, running out of Alex’s room and over to his own, practically giggling with joy that Alex had hopefully agreed to go with him “How will we get it without melting, though…?” He mumbled to himself as he reached his closet getting his boots, jacket, and gloves on quickly right as he heard Alex stepping out of his own room. 

As Alex stepped into the crisp winter air, the cold bit at his cheeks, making him pull his scarf tighter. The world outside was a pristine white, with snow blanketing every surface and icicles hanging from the edges of the roof like delicate glass. Aaron rushed out moments later, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Isn’t it beautiful?” He exclaimed, spinning around in the soft glistening snow feeling the texture underneath his feet.

 They walked slowly through the fresh snow, their boots leaving deep imprints behind them. Aaron yapped non stop about the different types of snowflakes and how each one was unique. Alex listened, a smile tugging at his lips, finding Aarons enthusiasm both adorable and contagious.

 Reaching a clearing, Aaron set up his portable microscope on a flat sidewalk. He carefully caught a snowflake on the chilled slide, his breath visible in the cold air as he worked. “Look at this one, Alex,” he said softly, motioning him over. Alex peeked through the lens, seeing the intricate crystalline structure of the snowflake, marveling its delicate beauty.  

 As the afternoon wore on, the sky began to blend in taking the hues of pink and orange. Aaron suggested they build a snowman, and despite his initial reluctance, Alex found himself rolling large snowballs and laughing alongside Aaron. They decorated their creation with flat stones for eyes and a carrot for a nose, standing back to admire their handiwork.

As dusk settled, they made their way back inside, shedding their wet clothes and warming up with mugs of hot chocolate. Aaron’s cheeks were flushed from the cold and excitement, and Alex couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his chest and that had nothing to do with the hot drink.  

“Thanks for coming along with me,” Aaron said softly. Alex nodded, but just as he was about to respond, a loud crash echoed from the basement, followed by an eerie silence that hushed them both completely. They exchanged worried glances, before Alex stood up, his heart pounding, and he took a cautious step toward the basement door when the lights flickered before going out completely. Plunging them into darkness…

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Estefany H.

Mr. Shepard’s foundations

Every time I would go to sleep in winters I could feel a sinister look in me. But everything changed... They offered me a place for ice skating, which I accepted only for the opportunity to shine on the ring. But the catch was, it was in a city in Russia, known for its coldness and war. Honestly, I didn’t like it, but it was what it was.

The night I boarded the plane to Russia, I noticed something strange: the moon. Its light was unusual, glowing with an enigma. The night was just beginning, and the air was chilling, bitterly cold. When I finally arrived, the team was waiting for me—beautiful Russian girls. I walked on, heading to the place where we would practice, and oh my, they were wonderful. The only problem was, I was a beginner, and there was only a delay before the performance, so I decided not to participate. That’s when everything began.

I bumped into a guy named Vladimir. He greeted me and apologized, and I returned his greeting. It turned out he was participating in the performance, and I believe I fell in love with him. I could already imagine the roses flying around us, the dramatic air. After that, I decided to ask about him, and they told me he was a professional ice skater who had just started, but quickly caught everyone’s attention.

After months of observing and stalking him, I finally gathered the courage to ask him out. He said, “Well, you’re a walking, divine and gorgeous girl, so maybe I’ll give ya a chance.” And with that, we walked under the sunset, where everything slowly began to make sense. The day the moon’s light fell on me, everything became more enigmatic than ever, and that night held it all.

The rivers reflected the moon’s shining light, and for once, I felt relieved. It was cold, I won’t deny it, suddenly it started to snow, and it got even colder. There’s a rumor that if the moon’s light touches you, your luck may change. And to everyone’s surprise, the luck tended to decrease drastically. Something caught my attention: a rose. But the unusual part was the light surrounding it, creating an even more mystical air.

Then, I heard a melody, one that surprisingly made me shiver. I knew this wasn’t going to end well. Whenever I hear that melody, I know something bad is about to happen. Vladimir asked me what was wrong, and I told him the stories and rumors about the moon, how we should leave because something inside me was telling me to; Like a some type of gut. He didn’t listen, insisting that we stay. But the tipping point came when I saw those eyes, creeping around the people.

Finally, I let go of Vladimir and ran. To my surprise, I fell, and that thing approached me. I could hear a little of the things murmuring, “you won’t escape..” I started sobbing immediately, then, in a moment, I ran so far that I got lost. I started to think critically on how to survive the cold, and soon enough, I fainted.

I woke up to the rays of the sun. Even though it was sunny, it still snowed. The tears I had dropped were frozen. I knew I couldn’t keep going, but I kept walking. The day turned to night, and then back to day. I couldn’t go any further, and finally gave up. I threw myself into the snow, soaking wet and frozen. At that point, I think I had gotten frostbite. I couldn’t move my fingers... I closed my eyes and let the snow cover me. I said one last thing. “I hope for it to not be painful”.All the noise of the air disappeared, and it was just pitch black, silent. I took my last breath, and an ocean of calmness flooded through me. I felt like I was drowning, All the cold was going through me, And finally it stopped.

By Johanna Zhao

Rabbit! I see the rabbit! I chase the rabbit! The rabbit gets away! I slowly walk back to the front of the yard.

“Well, well well. What do we have here?” Teases Ruffles. “It looks to me like an indoor cat out of place.”

How dare he call me a cat! Being the fine corgi that I am, I find this highly offensive! Of course, I don’t say anything; Ruffles is far too intimidating. Instead, I walk away. I have got a long day ahead of me, I think to myself. 

I find a small pile of leaves under the maple tree in the backyard, far away from Ruffles. The leaves must have escaped the recent snowfall, for there is hardly any snow on them. I plop down on the pile and look to the east. I can barely see the sunrise through all the trees, but it’s there. I can see small shards of golden light glinting on the snow capped roofs above me. I hear birds sing to each other. I wonder what they are saying. As the sun rises, so does the neighborhood. Lights and televisions turn on, parents rush their children off to school, while they get ready for work. Cory must be going to school, too. I hope he has a better day today. 

Yesterday, I heard Cory tell his mom about how the bullies stole his lunch. If I were him, I’d give the bullies a piece of my mind. Actually, I wouldn't. I’d probably tell someone who could give them a piece of their mind.

The warm sun feels good on my back. Ruffles must have accidentally picked a good day for my being outside. It must be around 30 degrees outside! I feel a chilly wind. Okay, maybe not a great day, but it’s better than yesterday. 

Cory was walking me around the neighborhood when we ran into Cory’s friend Macy. And Macy was walking a certain grey husky that I resent named Ruffles. I would rather have run into any other dog on the block than him. Even that annoying spoiled shih tzu across the street. While Cory and Macy talked, me and Ruffles stared daggers at each other. Finally, he broke the silence and barked. Without thinking, I barked back. Cory and Macy quickly said goodbye and then we went our separate ways. Though it may have just sounded like barking, he actually said that he didn’t think I stood a chance being an outside dog. I barked back that I thought I could. And that was our agreement for me to stay outside for the whole of today. And as a world—er—neighborhood renowned outside dog, I’m sure Ruffles will be watching me.

For a dog with a name like Ruffles, he sure is mean. 

Enough thinking, it’s making my brain hurt. I need a nap.

I wake up to a cold wind, and the sun is high in the sky. Except, you can’t really see the sun any more, it’s just a blob of light. There are gloomy, gray clouds covering it.

I get up from my leaf pile and stretch. Time for some more exercise.

I chase my tale until I catch it. I run laps around the house. A bark at a squirrel who has decided to make our maple tree his home. I run laps around the house while chasing a rabbit. I bark at the mailman. I run laps around the garage. I go back to sleep. 

This time, I wake up to snow. I wag my tail. This is going to be so much fun! As soon as I jump into a pile of snow, an icy shiver runs down my back. One thing I forgot about, snow is cold! I run back to the door. Just as I’m about to bark to be let in, I remember that I’m supposed to be an outside dog today. I look next door. Ruffles doesn’t seem to be the least bit cold. If Ruffles can do it, so can I! 

My ears perk up to the sound of the gate opening. I run to the gate as fast as my little corgi legs will take me, which isn’t very fast right now, for it’s very cold out. Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! He’s home! He’s home!

“Hi Gemma!” Cory says to me. “How was your day? Did you have fun in the snow? Guess what happened to me? I told my teacher about the bullies and she called their parents! It was great! Do you wanna come inside?”

So I’m not an outside dog, but I decided that’s okay. Lying on the couch next to the warm fireplace is way better than sleeping on snowy leaves. I also decided to do something about Ruffles, just like what Cory did with his bullies. Even if it means asking Cory’s mom’s cat to chase at him.

The end.

This story was written by meeeeeee😁! I’m from lin Celeste foundations. I love dogs, so of course that’s what i chose to write my story about. ❤️🐶📖👍🌈✨✌️❄️🤩

Hello. I am Sage. I have looked over Domus Lucis for what feels like centuries. My branches have been inhabited by many creatures. I can feel their presence, almost as though I am a part of them, as if they are a part of me. I live for the land and her children. 

Domus Lucis is a manor, one of the only ones here in Dreichville. It is somber and dreary, just like the rest of Dreichville, its corridors and empty ballrooms coated in dust and cobwebs, waiting for company, for the feel of mops and their comforting soapy water to come sweeping down their floors. Its stormy gray paint had been peeling for years, and years, and years, just making the mostly empty manor look more melancholy. The only living things beside mold in Domus Lucis was a family of three, containing a father, a mother, and a young girl, with a name of Krystal. That is the girl that I was told to look after. 

Krystal. She was a pretty girl, with a pretty name, but her ugly, harsh personality was really who she was. I always felt that there was some hope for her, that maybe someday, she would change, that she would become a kinder person. I hoped for a miracle for that girl. It was eight years since Krystal and her family had moved into Domus Lucis, and eight years since Mother Nature had placed me with the burden of saving this child’s life with a miracle. It had also been eight years until that miracle finally happened. And that is why I am here. To tell you that story. 

About three months ago, in the middle of December, I stood tall and sturdy just to the side of Domus Lucis’s walkway. I happened to be listening to two squirrels chattering about what nuts are the tastiest, and a murder of crows squawking conversations on how their nests were going, when Krystal stomped out of the grand double doors of Domus Lucis and down the walkway, making noises to scare the animals away. I watched helplessly as the animals skittered and flew up to the tree tops, and I knew that in their little minds, they were thinking back to that day when Krystal threw rocks at them, ripped up their nests and stole their food stashes. They knew that she was no good. She stomped up to me and kicked my trunk, smirking. It hurt, but I was used to it. I had been through more painful situations. Krystal, in her designer fur coat, rolled up a large ball of snow and placed it down gently. She kept rolling balls, getting smaller, until she had a five decker snowman. She put the coal and carrot on its nose. She then flicked the coal away, and snatched up the carrot, stabbing the snowman all over its tall body. Krystal, apparently still not satisfied, kicked the snowman until it fell to the ground, just a pile of half packed snow, sitting there, wanting to be built into something, something imaginative, something amazing, only to have its dreams shattered. 

“Krystal! It’s time to come inside for lunch! Chef prepared your favorite!“ Krystal looked up at the sound of her mothers voice, and kicked the snowman one more time, as if to say, “There! take that. Now you know never to mess with me,” before heading inside, eager to gobble down whatever fancy thing that was prepared by the skilled chef, their only servant. I sighed inside, calmed my soul, and drifted off into the land of dreams. 

There I stood, in a gorgeous forest, filled with the hum of insects chatter, the excited squeals of the young trees and mushrooms, and the silence of the other old, wise trees like me. I could almost hear their quiet, as if they were talking to me without speaking. They understood me. Suddenly, the ground shook, and the noise ceased. The ground calmed down as an old woman, almost transparent, skin as brown as the earth's soil, and hair flowing like a rushing river appeared in front of Sage. Her bare feet reached the earth almost as though they were roots. Her grass and pine needle clothing wrapped around her wrinkled body, ending in a skirt that sank into the dirt, became the greens of the woods. 

“Hello, Sage. I am glad that we finally met. I have been waiting for this moment for a long while.” At that moment, I suddenly knew who she was. She was Mother Nature, The Mother of The Land, Mother Earth. She had come to see me in my dreams. “I have heard that this… Krystal… hasn’t changed. I understand your struggles. Her mother was the same way, as with her father when I tried to help them.” She winked at me, her smooth lips moved into a smile. 

“Mother, I apologize for my lack of progress. I have been hoping and praying for a miracle for that girl since she moved here, but nothing has happened.” I sighed a deep sigh. 

“No need to apologize, Sage. I will see out your request. Thank you.” And with that, she disappeared, bursting into droplets of dew that sparkled like crystals in the sun, and settled onto leaves, grass and petals. And with that, I awoke. After I heard the sentence, “I will see out your request” I felt as though a huge weight had lifted off of my nonexistent shoulders. I sat there for a while, staring into space, waiting for this miracle to happen. With all of the time I had stood there, I hadn’t noticed that the snowman that Krystal had destroyed earlier had grown into a new one. I looked into its sorrowful eyes, and saw the heartless glimmer of Krystals soul. Her cold, malicious self was now quite literally frozen. Suddenly I knew that my prayers had been answered.

Name: Emma Guglielmo

Foundations: Ms. Nelson

Late February 

 For months, I had watched Krystal melt, getting smaller and smaller, her hope going with it. I had visited that same forest from my dream, but each time, Mother Nature wasn’t there. I was alone now. I stare as Krystal’s mushy, brown and moldy carrot nose becomes a skinny, hollowly dead looking squirrel’s snack. I didn’t know who to feel bad for. Krystal, because she was losing her nose, or the squirrel, because it looked like it wouldn’t have much more time to live. I decided to feel bad for both of them. They both were having tough situations. I dig my roots deep, trying to find some way to connect with Krystal. I know that if I am able to, then she would be cured of her mean streak. I dig my roots as deep as I can, but I can’t speak with her. She isn’t ready yet, I think to myself, stopping my straining to get my roots to talk with her. I look in Krystal’s eyes, searching for an answer to what she is feeling, and if she might be sorting up a little. As I look closer, I can see her boiling hot anger, her annoyance at everything, but even with all of these bad feelings, I could still sense her sadness, just barely there, almost as though it was feeding her anger and annoyance at everyone and everything. For a second, I thought that Krystal would never become a better person, that she would always be a jerk to everyone, but then I remembered Mother Nature’s promise, that she would see out my wish. 

Krystal was bored. And she was lonely. She wanted to see her friends again, to do something besides sit here, as a snowman (woman, whatever!)for goodness sake! She missed being a human. She looked up at the old oak tree, wondering if somehow, it could help her. I mean, if people can turn into snowmen, she was almost positive that trees could do at least something to get her to turn back. It just stood there. Stupid tree. Krystal felt like crying. She watched that same skinny squirrel that stole her nose dash by, and skitter up the oak tree. She hated to think about it, but she actually felt a little bad for that tiny animal. It seemed like it would die soon. She had the sudden urge to help the poor thing. What am I thinking?! I hate helping people! Krystal was very, very, confused. Ah!!! What the heck! Ow! Hey! Aaaaaauuuuuggggghhhh!!!!!!!! 

I watched helplessly (yet again) as the neighborhood kids used Krystal as a punching bag. Being a tree is amazing, but it is impossible to help in any situation, being rooted to the ground and all. I knew that Krystal would think back to when she injured the snowman, and that she would learn her lesson. That after all of these injuries and tough times, she would be kinder and more understanding. 

Early March

Late one night, as the stars sparkled across the blanket of sky above, I watched Krystal’s snowman body melt into nothingness. The last snowflakes vanished into the glittering night sky. I looked up to the stars, and in the constellations, I saw the same face from my dream a few months ago. Mother Nature. She winked at me, her own way of telling me that my wish had been fulfilled. I looked back to the spot where Krystal’s snowman self had been not long before. The bits of snow scattered all around the lawn were whisked up in a tornado of light and beauty, spinning faster, and faster, and faster. Until… the snow dropped to the ground, revealing Krystal, still in her designer fur coat. She was covered in bruises and scrapes, and salty tears filled her silver eyes. She knelt to the ground, weeping. 

Out of the Domus Lucis’s double doors came Krystals mother, her long, dirty blonde hair that flew behind her as she ran was streaked with silver. Her eyes, too, were filled with tears. “Krystal! There you are!” She choked a sob as she embraced Krystal. “I love you so, so, so much!” Rivers of tears ran down her wrinkled face. 

“I love you too Mom,” Krystal sobbed. “I love you too.” The two stood there, embracing each other as tight as they could. Krystal’s Dad, reading the newspaper inside, saw the two, and dashed outside, joining the embrace. I sat back, satisfied. They may not be the most perfect family, but they are fixed. And they are beautiful. 

Name: Emma Guglielmo

Foundations: Ms. Nelson

We’ve all probably hoped at least one time that the winter would never end. We knew it wasn’t possible, winter always has to end one way or another, but what if it didn’t, what if winter really could last forever? Well that’s what this story is about, a winter that really does seem like it will never end.

Mila loved winter and there were so many reasons why. It had so many fun holidays, she could play in the snow all day long, and best of all she had her birthday.

Every year on her birthday she made the exact same wish, that winter would last forever, but it never did. This year she was going to turn ten. She had waited her entire life for this day, literally. Ten seemed like a very special birthday, after all ten was a double digit number. So this year Mila thought that maybe just maybe if she wished really really hard and put all her wishing power into that one wish maybe just maybe that winter would really last forever.

Soon enough winter came along and brought lots of snow and lots of joy. And soon enough came Mila’s birthday, she was finally ten. Ten years old and ten years wise, as her mother always said.

And then it was time for the wish. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you” the voices of her family were ringing in her ears. “Make a wish dear” she heard her grandmother say. Finally, she thought and so mila cleared away every thought but her wish, harnessed all the wishing power she could muster and blew out the candles. “what did you wish for?” One of her cousins asked. “I can't tell you my wish, then it won't come true!” she snapped back in response. She waited, and waited, and waited some more but nothing felt any different.

Now you see Mila’s town was no ordinary town when it came to weather and the seasons. On the first day of winter there would be a blizzard leaving behind no traces of fall. On the first day of spring everything would suddenly be green and start growing and there would be no snow at all even if there had been a snowstorm just the day before. On the first day of summer there would be an immediate heat wave and on the first day of fall all the leaves would suddenly fall off the trees and turn yellow and orange.

You see Mila’s birthday was on the last day of winter so when she woke up the next morning she always expected to see a beautiful spring day but instead she saw snow and winter she thought maybe she was dreaming so she tried to get herself to wake up. But she was already awake. This was no dream, could she be seeing things? No, this was real life. Her wish had really worked.

She got up and went to her parents room so she could tell them what had happened. Her parents were already awake sitting on their bed looking worried. When they saw Mila come in they immediately tried to look calm. But Mila could tell that they were definitely not calm. so she told them the exciting news that winter was going to last forever. She told them that it was ok and that this was what she had wished for yesterday when she blew out the candles. Her parents thought that it was strange that the weather had just changed like that all because one girl had wished for it but they learned to accept it and even to like it.

And so mila and her family spent the rest of their days living in their own winter wonderland.

The end

"Mark my words, Grandma," Benny declared, sipping hot cocoa. "I'm taking home the trophy this year!"

Grandma Thompson, who had seen Benny’s past attempts, simply patted his head. "Just try to stay on the sled this time, dear."

Benny had a secret weapon this year: his homemade Turbo Sled 3000, which he built using an old toboggan, roller skate wheels, and a small leaf blower he found in the garage. His best friend, Jerry, looked at it skeptically.

"Benny, that thing looks like it might explode," Jerry said. "That just means it's high-performance," Benny replied confidently.

Race day arrived, and the town gathered at Mount Misery, a terrifyingly steep hill with enough ice to make penguins nervous. The other contestants had sleek, professional sleds. Benny had... well, his sled.

As the race began, Benny yanked the cord of his leaf blower, and to everyone’s horror, it actually worked—a little too well. His sled shot forward like a rocket, knocking over Old Man Jenkins, who had been napping near the starting line.

"WATCH OUT!" Benny screamed as he accidentally took out three snowmen, a hot dog stand, and Mrs. Applebee’s pet Pomeranian, Sprinkles.

Meanwhile, Jerry was still at the top of the hill, shaking his head. "He's either going to win or become a local legend for disaster stories."

Halfway down the hill, the Turbo Sled 3000 hit a patch of black ice, sending Benny spinning like an out-of-control figure skater. He pinballed off a tree, then skidded right through the judges' table, earning a perfect 10 from Judge Henderson, who thought it was intentional.

With the finish line in sight, Benny had a brief moment of victory—right before his sled veered straight into the town’s Christmas tree, knocking it over and setting off an explosion of holiday lights.

When the snow settled, Benny was still alive, buried in tinsel and blinking lights. A hush fell over the crowd. Then, Mayor Higgins cleared his throat.

"Well... that was unexpected."

Grandma Thompson arrived, patting Benny on the head again. "Didn’t I tell you to just stay on the sled, dear?"

Benny may not have won the race, but he did win something just as valuable: a permanent ban from future competitions and a free hot dog from the stand he destroyed. And really, in his book, that was a win.

Name Madelaine foundations miss zhang

I was making a snowman with my brother Elliott, when I heard a cry coming from the house. Elliott and I looked at each other and darted immediately into the house. We both recognised that cry, it was our mother. We didn’t know what she was crying about until we got inside. Elliott and I looked at each other in relief when we saw tears of joy rolling down moms face.

“Oh Elliott! Elijah! We’re getting dragons!” She gasped through her tears.

——————————

Hi, my name is Elijah, and I live in a small house with a family of five. It’s just me, my parents, my little brother James, and my identical twin brother Elliott. Elliott and I always play pranks and mess around while James is always the perfect child. He never gets caught when he rarely does naughty things, yeah, but that doesn’t make him perfect! Me and Elliott go to Lionsblade School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and James is going this year as a first year student. Elliott and I are in 2nd year and are going to school later today. We never had dragons because we’re too poor to afford them, so we asked the school if they would supply them for us. 

“Oh Elliott! I wonder when we’ll get them, and what their names are, and if mine will like me!” I exclaim. 

“Yeah, and how we will be able to take care of them…” Elliott’s voice quivers slightly as he speaks.

“Get packed you three!” Mom hollers through the house. She put our trunks in our rooms and told us to get changed into our robes for school.

Elliott and I changed and got our trunks packed in only a few minutes, while James neatly packed his trunk and got changed in several minutes. We had our trunks stuffed full of unfolded clothes and pranks and ‘books’ made out of pranks, while ‘dearest brother’ had real books and folded clothes in his trunk.

“Dang… that means three dragons to take care of.” I say as I remember that I have a second brother.

Mom, dad, James, Elliott, and I walked to Kings Cross Station and walked into the wall in between station 9 and 10 and we found ourselves in station 9 ¾. We hopped onto the train basically as soon as it left and sat in the compartment with our friends, Katherine, who we call Kate, Charlie, who some kid thinks is hot but Charlie thinks is awkward and she doesn’t like him back, and Alex, who is prone to causing drama (he’s also in the middle of a LOT of drama). James sat with his mate from elementary school, Emma, and everyone knew that Jalila was coming by dragon, because Tsunami, her dragon, didn’t like tight spaces, and has retractable spikes.

“I wonder which day this year Jalila will get sent to Headmaster Hawthorne!” Said Kate, as she opened a can of soda.

“I don’t know, but remember elementary school when Jalila was sent every single day because of Tsunami? I wonder if he will be known throughout the school already.” Alex whispered as a couple of first year students passed by their compartment.

“Yeah, that was so sad.” Whimpered Charlie as she put her trunk in the overhead storage.

The train arrived at Lionsblade at 5:53 PM and all luggage was transported into the common rooms with the swing of Headmaster Hawthorne’s wand. We had a celebratory feast for the arrival of the students. At 7:00 PM Headmaster Hawthorne said that all first year students will stay in the Great Hall to review the rules and everyone else should leave. At 8:30 PM I got tired and set a fire in the fireplace, and I had to put it out at 9:00 PM because I couldn’t be supervised anymore and they didn’t want the common room to burn down, and at 10:00 PM I went to bed.

I woke up at 7:00, ate breakfast and went straight outside to build another snowman. Elliot and I made it six feet tall and enchanted it to scare off other students. Elliott then started a snowball fight with kids way bigger than him and, of course, cheated his way into winning, while I made snow devils, which are my own personal creation. They were snow angels, but then you drew a tail, horns, and a pitch fork, then set it on fire. The fire didn’t last long because Professor Violatté put it out, then gave us both detentions. Me and Elliott were used to detentions by now, so it didn’t bother us, and we went back to breaking the rules.

Detention was cleaning up all the messes we made the last few hours, which was a lot. Hours of cleaning later and we just finished cleaning the first floor. Four floors to go. YAY…

The End

I hope the link works

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10oHqG5sW3yMVnXqWUmK9SZYObRWm15CcvUoFrBNl1Wo/edit