Once, there was a forest right next to a village. It’s the home of the elves. It is said to be magical, and once you take a step in, you feel a gush of power run through your body. Many humans who have gone into that forest, have not come out. But some people, just like my grandmother, have past the elves test to enter the forest

whenever they please. When my grandmother came back, she told me all the 

adventures she had and all the elves she had met. Maybe I could do that someday. 

Chapter one: The Journey Begins

Hi, I’m Camari. I’m a fifteen year old girl living in a village with about 1000 people. I was walking in the fresh morning air, smelling the fresh floral scent. “Nothing like a morning walk to start my day.” I said. I think I’ll head over to grandmother's house. She’s probably up to healing the sick. I thought. My grandmother is a healer in the village. There are many others but people always recommend her to help you heal. I knock on the door and she steps out of the door looking at me with a smile. “Good morning Camari! Do come in, and help yourself to anything you’d like.” She said greeting me. We talked for a couple minutes and a thought came into my mind. “Grandma? Is magic real?” I asked her. She looked up from sipping her mint tea. “Well…” she started. “I thought you’d never ask!” She told me to come outside. She showed me how she controlled the water in her mini pond in the backyard. “Whao! How did you learn to do that?” I asked. I had so many more questions. “The elves taught me.” She said. “But I knew some people weren’t worthy to learn.” She said disturbed. “How do you know?” I asked. “Because there were many skeletons in a pile. I don’t want to think about that.” She said. “Where can I find the elves? You told me they are in some kind of forest?” I asked again. “Yes, in the forest of elves. There you will find the guardian of the gate. You must do what he says, and be patient with him, or else you become just like those skeletons.” I looked at her confidently. “I will do my best.” I said. I went home and told my parents where I was going and what I needed. I put on my cloak, and got my leather handbag with everything I needed in it. I went out the door but then my mother ran after me. “Wait!” She called. I stopped and turned around. She handed out my leather cover diary with my pencil. “Be careful.” She whispered calmly. She hugged me and I was off on my journey.

Chapter two: The Test

I walk about fifteen to twenty minutes when I see a forest. The forest of elves  I thought. I started running until I reached the forest border. I took one step in, and I felt a gush of power go through me. Just like grandmother told me. I thought. I walked into the forest deeper and deeper until I felt like I should stop. I stopped, carefully standing still. I sensed two elves' presence coming toward me. They came closer and closer with one dagger in each hand. They came close enough so I could carefully reach for a vine and tie them up back to back. They were just hanging on the vine. Then one of the elves eyebrows raised. “I’m impressed.” One of them said. It sounded like a female. The other one looked like a male. I brought them back down gently and cut open the vines in one slice with a dagger the town blacksmith gave to me as a gift of bravery. Suddenly, an arrow was coming to the side of the girl elve I was talking to. I took one step forward on the side and caught the arrow without looking. I looked to the side and saw a shadow like figure in a dark, charcoal colored cloke. It started running, and so did I. I went after it, and threw my dagger onto the shadows cloke, pinning it to the nearest oak tree. “Who are you?” I asked. I took off the hood, and saw it was another elve. “Oh, oops.” I said with relief. “This must be another test isn’t it? Well, sorry. Here let me help.” I took the dagger I had off of the cloak. “There,” I started. “I’ll stitch it up later. Maybe in the village, I don’t know.” She looked at me with a smile. At least I think it’s a she. “Thank you!” She smiled brightly. “And yes, that was another part of the test, you have a great catch.” She said nicely. “Hi! I’m sunny.” She said brightly. “I’m Camari.” I said back. “Oooooooo cool!” She said. “Now, I need to find the gate of the guardian. Do you think you can show me?” I asked. The two other elves came up the hill. “This way,” the girl elve started. “We’ll lead you.” And then, we started walking to the guardian.

Chapter three: The Guardians Gate

We were walking for a while and it was a little boring to be honest. So, I decided to start a conversation. “So, what are your guys' names?” I asked the two other elves. The girl looked at me and responded, “My name is Luna, and his name is Dusk.” I looked at mhm and he looked at me back. “Those are cool names.” I grinned. “Thank you,” started Dusk. “The guardian gave us our names. Our mother and father thought of so many but they didn’t think it was right. So, we went to the guardian, and of course, we were still baby’s, and he chose our names.” He finished. “Well, he chose right.” I smiled. He smiled back. After we were done talking, we looked up ahead and we saw the guardians gate. We only had a couple more steps to go, and we were right in front. “Hello. You must be here to learn magic.” Said an unknown voice. Then, an elve came out of the shadows. “I remember your grandmother. What was her name again?” He asked. “Oh,” I started. “Katherine.” He smiled brightly. “Ah! Katherine. Her and I were two great friends.” He grinned. “And please, call me Evergreen.” He finished. “I would like to learn magic, is there anything I need to do?” I asked. “Actually, since you are related to Katherine, you don’t need to.” He started. “Whenever someone who’s related to someone who has past the test, then, they get to go in and learn like they did.” He grinned. “OPEN THE GATE!” He yelled so other elves would hear him. And the gate was opening until it stopped wide open. And you won’t believe what I saw.

Chapter four: The Training Begins

I saw this beautiful village with willow trees, water falls, mini waterfalls, crystal caves, and so much more. My favorite part is the huts that they live in. They make it by hand, and the furniture and decor. When I first stepped in, I was AMAZED by how big and comforting it was. “WHOA.” I smiled. “You did this all for me?!” I asked. “Yeah!” Said sunny. “Do you like it?” She blushed a bit. “Do I? I love it!” I hugged her, and the others. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go check it out!” Said dusk. “Well, let’s do it!” I ran into the bedrooms. It looks like they are going to live with me, but I’ll have to ask. I went into the biggest bedroom. It was literally HUGE, like, what the heck. It had a window, a big bed. I bet they made that too. A little sofa at the end and so much more. “Wow. You guys really are decorative.” I smiled. “Yeah,” Luna started. “We thought that you’d like it decorated like this. I guess we made a good choice.” She grinned. “Training starts in a couple of minutes. We should start early. And, we do it in the fields.” Dusk walked over and grabbed arrows and swords. “We’ll need these.” He started. “We will practice using bow and arrows and the swords first. Then, we will teach you how to control the elements.” He finished. We walked to the fields and began the training. “First, bow an arrows.” Luna prompted. “Hold this and aim it to the target. That red dot in the middle is where you want to hit. But if you don’t, that’s ok. We will keep trying.” She said. I held out my bow. I stretched it until it was at a point that it was in a perfect position to shoot. I let go, and the arrow went speeding across the field. I got it in the middle of the red dot. Their eyebrows raised and their eyes wide. “How…” Luna whispered. “Are...are you ok Luna?” I asked. “Did I do something wrong?” She looked up at me. “Oh! No not at all! That was perfect. I just didn’t expect it! I guess we will have to do sword training tomorrow. The sun is already setting.” We walked back to the hut and made dinner. And when it was time to go to sleep, I didn’t even have to ask if they were living in the hut with me! They already are! I guess I won’t have to live alone after all.

Chapter Five: Something… Dark

At noon, the next day, I went outside for tree jumping. It’s something fun and sunny taught me. I was outside waiting for it to be sunny, so we could do it together. Then, I saw a shadow in the forest. I went only one step ahead, and then it started to speed away. I have to chase it. I thought. I ran as fast as I could. Then sunny came outside with everything we needed. We were gonna have lunch in the forest after tree jumping. Oops. “I’m ready!” She beamed. She saw me running after the shadow and bolted. “WAIT! Where are you going?” She yelled after me. “Just come on! We need to catch it before it gets away!” I yelled back. I aimed with my bow an’ arrow. And yes, I did bring a bow and arrow along. Don’t ask. Anyways, I was aiming at the cloak the shadow-like creature was wearing. “Perfect.” I said to myself. I shot the arrow, and another one after that to pin the cloak to the oak tree. I got there first before sunny did. I looked the shadow-like figure in the eyes. “Who are you? And what are you doing here?” My voice bellowed. “So your the new learner of magic I see? I thought you were older. I guess not. Easier to handle you then, isn’t it?” She grinned under her shadow like a cloak. She ran forward, ripping it, bringing out two, sharp, daggers. I took a step back standing there with no expression on my face. She came close enough when I stepped aside. The girl with the daggers kept running about two steps and I grabbed her arm closest to me, twisted it, and it made her fall to the ground. Sunny’s face was as if she had just fallen out of a tree into poison ivy. “Well let’s take her back, and see what we’ll do with her. For now, we will discover where these elves are coming from. I saw another one on the other side of the forest this morning. We’ll need to see what’s going on.” We walked back to the hut, with the elve tied up in vines. When we got back, Luna’s cheeks were blazing red. “WHAT!?” She screamed. “WHERE WAS THIS ELVE? WHERE DID YOU FIND HER!?” She said in a demanding voice. “In the forest, I pinned her to the oak tree and knocked her out.” I said calmly, looking her straight in the eyes. She took a deep breath. “She is part of the Shadow Elves. She is the king's loyal assassin. Our Elves have tried to defeat her, but they never survived. You on the other hand did. I am very grateful for that.” She said calmer than before. “I spotted another one in the forest.” I started. “It probably saw me knock her out. The king probably sent a backup.”  I Prompted. “Well, I have no choice, but to declare war on our lands.” Her voice felt as if it shook  the room.

Chapter Six: War Begins

I went outside in the fields. I got fresh air, and practiced with my sword. War, I thought. I haven’t been in a war in a while but, I’ll try my hardest. Two years ago, there was a war in my village. I saw how many lives were lost, and how many of the injured there were. I didn’t like any second of seeing them pass away, but it’s how my life was. I worked on my stance, and practiced sword fighting on one of the training dummies. “I wonder if my grandmother did this when I was younger.” I said to myself. Thinking of her made me feel a little bit better. I grinned. Just then, I saw Luna coming towards me. “Hey….” she started. “Hi.” I replied. The expression on her face made me curious. “Uh… are you ok?” I asked. She looked up at me. “Oh, uhm, not really.” She took her eyes off of me, back to the ground. “Do you want to talk about it?” I sat down. “Yes…” she sighed. She sat down and she explained how war made her feel, and that she nearly lost her father in the last one. She nearly lost her brother too. “...And that’s why I am upset about all this. Because I don’t want to lose anyone, but, it always happens in war.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I see…” I started. “Do you have any mystical animals?” I asked. She wiped her tears and stood up. I think this will make her feel better. I thought.“Follow me.” She said calmer. I stood up and she showed me the way to the mystical animals from the forest. “Oh! There are so many!” I smiled. I went over to what looked like a wolf with a tail, but not a wolf tail, and antlers. It also had hooves! “Look at her!” I called Luna. “She is so majestic!” The deer/wolf looked up at me and nudged me. “Oh, hi.” I smiled. She put her forehead to mine, to greet each other. I handed her some grass and she ate it, then settled down and took a nap. She did look tired. Then I saw this big, scaly, black and red dragon. “GASP. IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS!?” I screamed. Luna yelled back. “If your talking about a dragon, then yes!” I beamed. “YESSSS!” I squealed. I ran in front of it, and it lowered his head down. We greeted each other like how the deer/wolf greeted me, and I pet him. He actually really liked it. I think he likes me too! Luna caught up to me. “We rescued him from the shadow elves.” She caught up. They greeted each other. He just got here before you entered the forest. We haven’t had the time to name him, but, you could name him if you wanted too. Nobody really owns him yet.” I looked up. “You can own a spirit animal?” I asked. “Yes, dragons are very hard to tame, they are actually very legendary nowadays. Other elves go for non-flyable pets. But, you could ride them.” She replied. I looked up at the dragon. “Well, you’ve found the right person to own him.” I smiled. Luna smiled back. And, it also looked like the dragon was smiling. “He’s happy. I can tell.” I said. “I also think I know a name for him!” I smiled. “What is it?” Luna asked. I think I'm gonna call him…Death~Star. Sweet, but deadly. He looked like he liked that name. “Do you think you could fly us home buddy?” I asked. He let us climb on, then he sniffed the air, and flew us to the hut. I think he likes being up here, with a person who will take good care of him, and not being controlled with a saddle. I thought. “Tomorrow, would you like to train with us?” I asked him. He went into a glide, and looked back at me. His eyes closed and he looked like was smiling again. I knew that had to be a yes. 

Chapter Seven: Playing With Fire

When we got home, Dusk and sunny were shocked and very excited. “EEEEEEEEE! A new friend!” Sunny squealed. She ran up to Death Star and she hugged him. He looked like he was smiling again. “Oh wow...uh...uhm...how...who...what is going on?” Dusk couldn’t speak. I could tell. “Oh the dragon? You guys rescued him from the shadow elves, and we have a special bond. So, here we are.” I explained. Dusk finally took a deep breath and could finally talk again. “Ok, well, can you tell me his name?” He asked. “His name is Death Star.” I told him. “Well, maybe we can see what his element is. Dragons have different types of elements so they can defend themselves in their own way. So, let’s see what he can do.” I nodded. “Death Star, come here buddy!” I called. He looked at me with his ears perked up, then started to trot over. I pet his side. “Good boy.” I said softly. “Here, have a treat.” I smiled. And then I pulled out a dragon fruit. I held out my hand and he bit into it and ate it. He made a little noise that sounded like he loved it. “Now, let’s see how well trained he is.” Dusk said. We went to training grounds. “Ok, tell him the basic training first, and then we’ll see what element he has, and train him a bit more.” I went in front of Death Star and looked at him, he looked at me. I grinned at him. It looked like he grinned back. “Sit.” I started. He sat down. “Good! Now lay down.” I kept going. He laid down. “Now, do these following three. Up, down, duck and cover. Got it?” He nodded. “Up! Down! Duck and cover!” I told him. He flew, then came back down and then laid down with his paws over his head. “Go back to sit.” I said. He came back up to sit, looking very proud of himself. “Good boy!” I said happily. “Come here!” I said softly. He came running up. Then him and I touched foreheads. “Good boy.” I whispered. Then dusk finally said, “Good Job! Now, we can see what element he has.” We sat him in front of the targets. “Fly.” I told him. He flew in front of the target then he knew exactly what to do. He breathed blue fire on the target and it burst into blue flames. “Blue fire, the hottest fire in the world.” I said. “Indeed. It is very powerful. He is a tough one, he is.” Luna replied. “We will train more tomorrow, but for now, let’s have some fun.” I smiled. “Hey sunny? Want to fly Death Star with me?” Sunny beamed. “YESSSSS!!!” She Beamed even more. We walked up to Death Star and we started climbing on. Then, we flew, gliding through the air above the clouds. We flew for about thirty minutes, and then we went back to the hut. We all stayed up to about 9:00 to get some rest. But then the next morning, you won’t believe what I witnessed.

Chapter Eight: Start Of The Attack

 Went outside like I usually do in the mornings to get some fresh air. But today, was not pleasant. I smelled fire. REAL FIRE! Death Star was half awake at the time. “Death Star! Come!” I yelled for him. He lifted his head in a flash with his ears perked up. He ran toward me. I was quick enough to jump and land on him, ready to fly. We flew above the village, seeing all the huts destroyed or on fire. We went down for a closer look, and I saw two elves, I think a girl and a boy, and the they were screaming. I went down next to them, and they started to talk so much they were in tears. “Ok ok! One at a time!” I told them. “Alright…” Said the mother crying. “Our son is still in there, and we can’t hear him when we yell for him!” She cried. I ran into the fire. I think this is why my parents always called me ruthless. I thought. I ran until I reached the main room. In the main room surrounded by fire. A little boy elve, holding a stuffed animal bunny, and tears dripping down his cheeks. He looked up at me, with fear. “Hey it’s ok.” I whispered. I went up to him avoiding the fire, and kneeled down to his height. He came up to me crying with such fear. I’ve felt his pain before, and I know who did this. He held out his arms, and I lifted him, and held him as if I was a mother myself. I looked around and the front door was not burned down yet. I quickly ran, and I jumped out the door, busting it open with my shoulder. I quickly turned, so then my back was facing the ground, leaving the child in no harm at all. I sat up, looking at the kid. “Are you all right?” I asked him in a whisper. “Y-yeah.” He stuttered. “Oh my goodness!” The mother cried. “My baby! Oh my goodness!” She whispered things in his ear, telling him everything was going to be all right. Then she looked up at me. “Thank you, for your good deed.” She wiped her tears. I nodded and flew back to the hut. But on the way back, I saw two more shadow elves in dark cloaks. We flew down silently, and I hung from the side of Death Star, and grabbed both of them by the hood. Then, when they were struggling to get free, I knocked them both out with their heads. I took them back and we discussed what to do. Then, the final decision came, we decided to sneak in tonight.

Chapter 9: Break In

“We will sneak in tonight. We will need two other Elves for this mission, I know just who to find.” Luna explained. “We will need to use Death Star. Their hut is a bit further than the village.” We all got onto Death Star and flew off. Just in a couple of fast minutes, I saw their hut. I didn’t know what it looked like until now, but I’m sure it’s theirs. It was near a nice, clear stream, and it was shaded by a willow tree. We went down to the ground, and Death Star lay down so we could get off easily. “Good job. Thank you buddy.” I smiled. I patted Death Star’s shoulder, then I went in front of him and gave him some dragon fruit. It’s his favorite now. We went to the door and knocked on it. “Who’s there?” It sounded like a boy elve. “Hello...Corrin.” I said. He opened the door, with his eyes wide. “H-how did you know my name?” He stuttered. “You don’t remember me? My grandma introduced our families. And, I recognized your voice. Even though I was only seven, and you were eight…” my smile started to fade. Did he forget me after all these years?... I thought. His face brightened up. 

“Camari!? Is it really you!?” He screamed. “Yes! Yes it is!” My face brightened up as well. He ran into me, hugging me so tight, I think I might have suffocated. Wow, did he really grew muscles. I thought. Still, he was literally suffocating me. But I didn’t care. I squeezed him back. I even lifted him. “Set me down!” He laughed. I set him down. “Wait wait wait…” Luna started. “YOU know my cousin?” She finished. “Well, uh, yeah.” I replied. “Huh. That’s a first.” She said. “Well, come on in! Come in!” Corrin smiled. We talked and discussed our past, and how we were doing. And he introduced his sister. “This is my sister, Amy.” He said. We all introduced ourselves, and then we discussed what we learned about the shadow elves, and how we need them to help us with our mission. He had a serious look on his face. “Well…” he started. “We will help you, but on one condition…” he looked up at me, like his one condition was about me. “I get to go with Camari. I don’t want anything happening to her. Not like what happened last time.” He looked up at me. “Please, I don’t want it happening to you again.” I blushed just a bit. “Ok.” I respond. “What happened last time?” Sunny asked. “Well, we were playing in the forest together, and then a shadow elve tried shooting an arrow at me. It missed me, but it slit my cheek and it bled. And I know it was a shadow elve because of its cloak. They wear the same cloaks every time I see them.” I replied. “Anyways, then I felt light headed, so then he carried me back to my cabin. Then we never saw each other for years, until now.” Sunny looked at me with fright. “I’m sorry-” she started. “No! Don’t be sorry. You asked something, and I had to respond. Because if I didn’t that would be rude.” I told her. “Now, I need to check on Death Star.” Corrin looked up at me with confusion. “Who Death Star?” He took a sip of his water. “My dragon.” I replied. Corrin spit out his water. “Excuse me, WHAT?” He sounded surprised. “Yes, you heard me. A dragon. Want to meet him?” I asked. “Uh yeah! Sure do!” We went out the door and he got to meet him. He was definitely in love with him. Death Star loved him too. We went back inside and waited until it was dark out, and we started to dress up in black, to blend in. I had bigger daggers, more like swords on my back. We couldn’t fly on Death Star, so we had to walk on foot. We walked a couple of miles until we were about half way. I was looking up at the stars. They were really pretty. But then, Corrin hung from a branch Right in front of me. I was looking down at the time, and then my face bonked into his. His whole face went pink. “S-sorry.” He stuttered. “It’s fine.” I said. And I helped him down. We finally reached the entrance of the gate, and you won’t believe what happened. 

Chapter 10: Memories? More Like Nightmares

We were there. There were guards posted in the front, there were four of them. I snuck up on them and attacked one out of the four, with my shining blades. Then, I handled two of them at a time. I let Corrin finish them off. Then I gave him a thumbs up. He did it back. Then Luna gave us a signal to jump over the gate, and get in. We jumped over, and saw more guards. While I was jumping, I took out my bow and arrow, grabbed two arrows, and shot them at the guards while going down. Since Corrin jumped before I did, he was already down there. So he caught me and placed me down. “Let’s go. We’ll be able to get cover more ground if we hurry. Someone may spot us soon.” Luna explained in a whisper. As we covered more ground, we found more and more guards until there were none left. I still feel like there is  someone out there. I thought. Suddenly, an arrow came from behind me and hit my shoulder. My eyes widened with fear. I looked back, and I saw a shadow like figure on top of a hut. I fell to the ground on my shoulder. I tried to blink, but I could only see things very blurry if I tried. Then I heard Luna's voice, and dusk’s at the same time over me. But what I could only see was Corrin’s eyes turning red with anger. But my eyes were forcing me to shut them. Then I just saw darkness, from the back of my eyelids. I felt the cold, stone ground underneath me. I could hear my ears were ringing. Then, I was unconscious.  

In the morning

My head hurt so bad, it woke me up. I opened my eyes, and saw that I was at Corrins hut. I got up from the bed slowly, and I saw Corrin laying on the floor, next to the bed. He’s strong, but he has a heart like no other. I thought. I smiled. Just then, Corrin woke up. He was wearing a black tank top, and fuzzy black pants. And then, my shoulder really started to ache. “Agh!” I said. Then, Corrin's head turned with eyes wide. “Oh my god!” He shrieked. He got up super fast and literally belly flopped on top of the bed. “Are you okay?” He asked. “Yeah, I’m fine. It just hurts.” I replied. “Ok. It’s just, it really scared me when you were shot with an arrow. I just don’t know what would happen if….I lost you.” He looked down. “Hey, I’m fine. It won’t happen again.” I assured him. “Now, I’m going into the kitchen. I need something to eat.” My stomach growled. We walked into the kitchen and we saw Luna, Amy, Dusk and Sunny, eating breakfast. Sunny looked up and started running up to me with tears in her eyes. After that, Luna and dusk got up from their chairs and walked over and hugged me. After the little emotional party, Luna told me about everything about that night. Literally, EVERYTHING. Afterwards, I got dressed, put my hair in a high ponytail and went outside for some fresh air. I inhaled the cold, crisp wind hitting my face. I was just standing there for a couple seconds, thinking about what happened at the surprise attack. Then, Death Star came up to me with his puppy eyes. “Aw buddy, come here.” I told him. I sat down and Death Star came up to me laying his head on my legs, and he went to sleep. I don’t know how long this is going to last, but we’ll be ready. I thought.

Chapter 11: Survivors

I was sitting in the fields, with my cloak on in the summer breeze. During the summer, Death Star got bigger than ever. His wings were like a personal blanket in the winter. And It’s nearly been a year since I left home. *sigh*. Sunny came up behind me. “Watcha doin’?” She asked me. I looked behind my shoulder. “Just taking in the sun.” I replied. “Well, Luna said she’s ready if you are. We’re going to war today.” She reminded me. “I don’t need any reminders. It’ll make me have butterflies.” I looked at her. She looked back. And she made the expression on her face as if she was saying oooooooooh, but silently. “Well then, come on! We have to get the swords.” We hustled to the hut and we grabbed the swords and we caught up with the others. We ran to the field, Death Star came too, and we got ready for battle. We saw a whole entire army of shadow elves. And in the front, their leader. “I thought there was going to be a whole army.” He smirked. “Well then, prepare to battle.” He smiled under his shadowing eyes. “...FIRE.” He commanded. And Elves came charging down. “Death Star, up!” I told him. He flew up and spit blue fire on the elves who were coming towards us. The he came to the ground and roared so loud, those guards didn’t move a muscle. They were just like targets for training. We easily knocked them over and we defeated almost half the army already. But the other half, well,was even harder. They were the ones with magic. I rose one up in the air and threw him all the way to the border of the forest. I struck my sword as fast as I could on the other elves, until there were none left. It just felt like an empty, windy field of elve bodies laying in it. Gross. I thought. Then, their leader got off of his steed, with a smirk on his face. “Well, it’s not over yet. You still have to defeat me.” He smirked. He looked as if he just got away a murder. “But, the girl has too. Not the rest of you four.” I took a deep breath, then headed out in front of him. I took out the swords and held one in each hand. He came running at me at the speed of lightning. I ran faster, and he brought out his sword. Our swords clanked together. SCRAAAAAPE. Our swords made sparks as they scraped against each other. We both slid back, making dents in the field. He came back running at me, and jumped high in the air with his sword in both hands. When he came close, I kicked him hard in the cheek and he went flying and hit the ground on his shoulder. He was no longer able to fight. Holding my right hand up in the air with one sword, and the other down. I was breathing hard, panting like a dog running for miles on his walk. I had done it. I saved the town and the harm that would come our way. Sunny ran up to me and started talking about how cool that was and so much more. Then, we started walking back to the hut to celebrate our victory. 

We will keep going, keep fighting, and we will never give up. We are WARRIORS. And that will always be true.

                                The Odd Christmas

                                    By:Jocelyn Pyse

  By: Kylie Kutscheid 

Summary 

I'm going horseback riding and five little elves are popping out at me. I got trapped into a place normal people cannot get to. I have to do all of these challenges to save Christmas.These are not your normal elves either no way. They are good and bad. Bad elves that are trying to prevent Christmas from going on. Yikes, waking up and seeing no presents under the tree. Sad right I need to save Christmas and stop the bad elves NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is my birthday, and my parents surprised me by taking me horseback riding ya! When we got there, all of the horses were so cute, they were like a baby cat.And I got a black horse named Ram-Rod. We set out on our adventure, and started getting deeper into the woods. I started hearing the rustling in the trees, and it was not the horse we all heard. The noise kept following us. Just then, five little elves the size of my water battle popped out on the trail. There was a big flash and somehow we reappeared someplace cold. 

“Are we at the North Pole?” I asked my mom. The little elves showed up again and told us their names.  Some looked friendly, but a few didn’t. I whispered to my dad, 

“I think Doodle, Alex, and Eddy are the bad elves trying to steal Christmas.”

The good elves are named Joy and Snowball. They smiled at us and. We looked around and someone wearing a big red suit and hat appeared before our eyes. 

“Santa is that really you?”, I asked.

 “Ho, Ho, Ho, yes it is me! “The games need to begin,” 

yelled Santa.

 “Huh,” I said to Joy and Snowball.  They told me “This is where the good and bad elves battle.” 

Santa explained the games. “Ho, ho, ho, we are going to have a snowball fight, then a sledding contest, and end with an igloo building contest to see the fastest person or elf that can build an igloo.” 

He continued, “First up is a snowball fight. Eddie and Snowball you guys are up first.

   “Ok, they both said. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh went the snowballs as they flew through the air. Snowball landed one on Eddy’s head. 

“Snowball wins for the team good elves one bad elves zero. Next up is the sled race.”

“Doodle  joy, go pick your sled. joy with the roadster racer and doodle with The turbo sled.”

 “1,2,3, GO!” 5 seconds later they were down the hill.

Room “Doodle wins for the Bad.”

Team the next is first to build in the igloo Kylie and Alex ready steady go.”

“Kylie wins yaaaaaaaa.”

“Wait, said Snowball? What are?”

 Santa said “Mrs. Claus is going to bake cookies first, eat the cookies and it’s going to be the cookie eat off.”20 minutes later she came back with 18 trays of cookies.

“Both teams are going to get 100 cookies for each team.”

  “The first team to eat all of the cookies wins.”

 Hollered Santa 

“The good team vs The bad team.”

 “1,2,3 goooooooooo Munch,Munch,Munch”.

“The bad team wins .”

 “Noooooooooooooo”

 “But Joy says to Santa that I actually have a meaning behind their names.”

“O said Santa and what he asked”?

 “They are trying to steal Christmas.”

“Christmas and all your presents.”

“hu yeah you better believe it”.

“OK then bad are going to Candy Cane jall.” Santa said sterling.

“Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

screamed the go elvis!!!

“Christmas is back a live”!!!!

Two Years later, 

“get us out now.” Hold the elvis.

& Christmaswas saved.

By Ella Blaha

♥︎♣︎♦︎♠︎= months/years has passed 

Long ago there were 6 tribes of foxes that ruled the world. Each tribe had their own power. The first was the water tribe. The foxes were all blue with bright teal eyes to see underwater. The next was the fire tribe. The foxes were red with a fire flaming tail. Dark black and red eyes like lava. The most common tribe was the earth tribe. They had dark brown fur like dirt. And brown eyes like mud. The fourth one is the nature tribe. The fur is grass green and has vines tangled around them. Also, Emerald green eyes with a beautiful flower crown. Second to last, is the shadow tribe.  The foxes are black with dark shadow eyes. They are mainly boys. The last and most rare tribe to get into ever is the ghost tribe. They are all white with ghost eyes. And mainly all girls. The 6 tribes lived in harmony and peace for 4 hundred years. Until the kings and queens pup of the ghost tribe was captured and taken away. All 6 tribes were blaming each other and the king and queen of the ghost tribe would not stop the war until their long lost daughter was home at last. This is where our young ghost fox begins her journey back home.

Chapter 1. THE SHADOW IN THE FOREST.

I was out with my mother today. It was warm and bright in the forest and she was teaching my sister, Lily, a red fox as beautiful as a lily, how to hunt.  She is 5.  My brother, Dunkin, a buff and strong red fox, he is 6 and me, Ghost, I’m a rare kind of fox. I’m a ghost fox with all white eyes but not blind. For me, just to be unlucky, I’m the youngest of my family, just 4 years old. Mother is a red fox too. She always said I look just like my father. I wish I could have met my father. Mother always said he was also a ghost fox. 

“Mother, look, a bunny!” my annoying sister barked. 

“That is way too small for me,” said Dunkin in a rude manner. 

 But then mother saw a buck.

“I’m going to get it!” said my sis.

 “No, I am!” said my bro. 

But they are so slow that I got the buck with my ghost hunting skills.

 “That’s my girl!” Mother said. 

“Thanks mom!” I said just to make her happy but inside it felt like something was wrong.

When we got home from hunting there was a red fox at the front door. Mother said to stay right behind the cave so the fox could not see us.

 “What is she doing!” said Lily.

 “I’m going to go to my mother,” said Dunkin. 

“No, she said to stay here!” Lily yelled.

 Well they were fighting. I looked behind me to see snow! 

“Guys, look at the snow!” I said  in a very happy voice.

They were not listening. In a curious mind of mine, I went to go check it out. It was so cold and wet. But then there was a shadow that ran right in front of me. Then the world went black.

Chapter. 2 SHADOW

When I woke up, I saw a beautiful waterfall and a tree house. I look around and see a shadow in the tree house, so I start to climb up. 

“Hello, Is anyone there?” I said in a soft voice. 

“I see you woke up Ghost,” said the shadow man. 

“Who are you and how do you know my name!?!” I yelled.

 But when I got in the tree house I saw the cutest fox I’ve ever seen. But he was a shadow fox and I was a ghost fox. 

“Hi Ghost. Sorry for the surprise. My name is shadow.” He said in a calm voice. 

“Hi shadow. But how do you know my name?” I said. 

“Oh, Ok, I will tell you how I know your name.”I was only a pup when my parents abandoned me but then I saw your family. You were the tiniest pup ever. I have been living in this treehouse ever since.” “That’s why I know your name.” He said looking out the window.

 “Wow Well...” I started.

 “Ghost the fox is gone.” Mother was looking for me.

 “Well shadow, I gotta go, bye.” I said leaping out of the tree house.

                                         ♥︎♣︎♦︎♠︎

As day’s turned into months into years. Every day I would visit shadow in the tree house. I’m 16 now. Dunkin is 18. And Lily is 17. Mother is getting older and is growing weaker and weaker every day. I was always the one who had to get food. Dunkin was the one who protects us and Lily is taking care of mother. 

“Hey Dunkin.” I said.

 “What is it Ghost?” He said in a very rude way.

“I have to go somewhere, can you keep mother safe.” I asked him.

 “Of course I can Ghost.” He said.

“Thanks!” I said well running the way that I always do to the tree house. 

Shadow was right at the waterfall with sunflowers, my favorite flower. 

“Shadow what is going on?” I asked. 

“Ghost I have to tell you something.” He said while blushing

 “Ok go for it.” I said while looking at him as we walked into the cave in the waterfall.

“The first time I saw you I thought you were the cutest fox I’ve ever seen. Will you be my fox friend?” He said.

 “Well , umm… Yes!” I said pouncing on him.

 We nuzzled nose to nose and I felt like I was in heaven. Then we heard a loud scream from the den. MOTHER!

Chapter 3. THE REAL STORY

As we ran to the cave, Lily was crying. 

Mother is dead! The red fox did it! Said Lily still crying 

“Mother! What have they done!” I said crying 

I walked over to her. Dunkin was holding back tears. She was ice cold. But when I laid  by her she got warmer and warmer. Lily stopped crying and looked like she was going  to explode. Dunkin was staring at me like this was normal. Shadow was walking over by me and laid down. She got warm then her eyes opened.

“Ghost! Lily! Dunkin! Who are you?” Said mother.

“Mom!” We all Shouted hugging her.

“But who is this black fox guy?” Mother said 

“Yeah who is he Ghost?” Said Dunkin 

“Sorry guys. This is Shadow. I have been visiting him every day in his tree house. And we have secrets. But mom and Lily can help me. And lastly Dunkin no attacking him.” I said with no breath left.

“Ok.” Whispered mother. “But there is something you need to know ghost so sit down and come in close.”

“Ok mother.” I said cuddling up to shadow.

“When you were a pup you lived with your mom and dad, but one night there was a fox that went in and stole you from your den. I attached the fox and kept you safe from the dangers out there. The red fox was the one who tried to get you and the one who got me. Today we will back up and leave to your home town with you so you can go to magic school and see you mom and dad.” Crying mother with tears rolling down her face. “Shadow can come with and you can tell me all about him.”

“Ok moth.. I meant. umm what is your real name?” I asked

“You can call me Cary.” She said.

“Ok well me and shadow will start packing up his tree house and we can leave in the morning. I said. And before I go and help pack, Shadow is my foxfriend. Lastly, I will try to build a wagon for us with magic.”

“Ok.” They all said.

Chapter 4. INTO THE FOREST

We set off into the forest with a magic wagon that I made. Also, a lot  of food, water, leaf blankets, and books of magic for me. We got deeper and deeper into the forest. We came upon a river with water so blue you could see your face in it. We stopped to get some water and get fish for lunch.

“I’ll get some fish with Shadow.” Said Dunkin. “And can you guys get some flowers to make the wagon smell good.” 

As Shadow leaped into the water, Cary, Lily, and I went off to find some lilies, daisies, and sunflowers in the woods. BANG! 

“What was that! And where is mother?” Said Lily 

We ran and ran into the patch of sunflowers when we found Cary dead.

“Stay here Lily, I'm going to get Shadow and Dunkin.” I cried. 

“Ok.” Said Lily 

I raced back to the wagon when I saw a man with a hunting gun pointing it at Shadow. I pounded on him and bit him so hard a little blood came out. BANG! The bolt went right through me and hit him right in the head. 

“What the heck!” said Shadow. “Ghost are you ok, are you hurt!”

“No, no I’m fine.” I said. “Are you fine?”

“Yep.” they both said

“Come quick I totally forgot Cary’s hurt!” I said.

We ran fast as we could go but when we got there it was too late the hunter took Cary away. All that was left was a patch of blood.

“No, Lily, where are you?” Dunkin cried 

“I’m here Dunkin,” Lily cried 

“There was a female hunter that shot her an.. and took her away,” Lily cried, bursting into tears. “So I.. I hid in the forest.”

“I’m going to ki..” Dunkin was Interrupted

“Hold on there buddy we still have the main key person to this mission Ghost. We need to keep on moving. This is sad but people live, love, and die. It is part of life,” Shadow said, shedding a few tears.

“Ok then let’s move on then.” I said.

Chapter 5. THE WAR ZONE.

As we set off again the smell of hot meat circled around us. 

“You are doing great, Ghost! Now keep your eye  on it and don’t let it burn.” Shadow complemented. “It smells so good.”

 “When can I eat it!” “I’m starving.” Dunkin growled  from the front of the wagon. Lily was up in the front with him too.

“It will be done in a minute. Be patient.” I yelled back to him. 

“I think it is done because it sure smells like it.” I yelled back to them. “Come and get some.” 

“Ow.” Lily said in pain.

“Are you ok?” I asked

“Yep I’m fine, really I’m fine.” Said Lily looking at the fish.

“Dig in!” Shadow shouted. 

As we all dug in, the wagon stopped and we all fell forward.

“What the heck!” Dunkin yelled. “Why did it stop?”

“I.. I don’t know.” I yelled back.

As we jumped out there were foxes red as can be. Like fire. And foxes blue like the ocean. We were in the water tribe zone. But how? How were we in the water zone. Then it clicked we followed the river to get here. I turn around to see Dunkin and Lily’s tails turn red,orange, and yellow like fire. They were fire foxes.

“Hey, what are you doing there!” A water tribe guard  asked us.

“Hi, I’m Ghost, the long lost daughter of the ghost tribe king and queen.” I told them all about what happened and that Shadow,Dunkin, and Lily were my friends. And that we need directions to the shadow and ghost tribe.

“Of course your highness” the guard said. “My name is Andy.” “I will take you guys to the Queen tomorrow, you can stay with me tonight.” Andy said with a smile on his face.

Ok thanks! I said.

The night was so much fun. We had a party and the food was sooooooo good. As the sun set and the black ink night came we were all about to pass out after the party that we just layed down on the rug and couch and fell asleep. In the morning Andy took us to the water Queen. 

“Your highest.” Andy said. “You have some guests.”

“Come in, come in. Who do we have today?” The Queen said in a curious voice.

“Hello your highest, I’m Ghost  the daughter of the king and queen of the ghost tribe. And I was seeing if you could give me directions to the ghost tribe please?” I asked 

“Of course dear Andy can take you I will give him the directions but the bad thing is that you fire friends can’t go your mom and dad only allow shadow and ghost foxes into their zone. But when the war is over you can come see them.” The Queen said.

As I turn around to see Lily and Dunkin crying I felt like we were going to be separated from each other.

“Well I guess this is goodbye guys.” I said.

We.. well not for long we'll always have each other in our hearts.” Dunkin said.

“I love you all but I have to go now we will see each other aging, some day, some were.” I said.

As we walk out I hear the train come to get us. I just hope nothing happens on the way to the ghost tribe.

Chapter 6. FINALLY HOME.

As the train comes to a stop I see two Ghost foxes running to me.

“Ghost! My baby girl!” The female fox said.

“Mom! Dad!” I yelled.

“Honey we missed you so much. But how is this?” Mother said.

“Oh, this is Shadow, he, is, well, my foxfriend.” I said.

“Well I give him permission to come to the palace. And he can stay as long as he wants.” Dad said.

“Thanks dad. And lastly can you stop the war now that I’m home.” I asked 

“Of course dear. But now come and see the palace. And your new room.” Mother said. 

“Ok.” I said running off to the beautiful palace.

The palace was so beautiful with ghost roses, and my room has the softest bed and blanket ever! And the food was amazing all night we partied because I was finally home with my mom,dad, and to be husband. Life was great after that no more wondering if I was where I was supposed to be, no more cold nights in the cave and no more loneliness.  But this is not the end of the story. No it is just the beginning of  it.                                                

               ♥︎♣︎♦︎♠︎                         

“Mommy when can we go see auntie Lily and uncle Dunkin.” Angle one of the shadow/ghost pups said.

“When daddy gets home from work sweetie.” I said.

“But when is daddy going to be home!” Logan said.

“Soon, bother.” Demon said.

“I’m home. And I brought some candy.” Shadow yelled over all 4 pups.

“Daddy!” They all said.

“Daddy can we please go see auntie Lily and uncle Dunkin.” Cary said.

“Of course.” Shadow said.

To be continued...

Book 2. The Ghost fox. The new pups.

                                              By: Kayla Mikaelson

                                             

                                                         Est: 2020

                                                       (Future)

I saw little bubbles of color. I could still hear screams, all made the situation worse. But yet it couldn’t get any worse. It felt like I was stuck in a box, whereas I wouldn’t get out. I could hear and see which was almost worse than having no senses at all. But what I didn’t know was that everyone would be okay.

                                                   (Present)

 I was reading Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire. ( GOF) I had a concentrated look plastered on my face as my dad called, “Dinners ready!” 

 “Ok coming down!” I cried, running down the stairs. I didn’t realize I still had my book in my hand until my sister pointed it out. “Ugh can’t you put down that book for one second?” 

“If you must it’s a good book!” I said trying to sustain my calmness. 

“How was your guy's day?” My mother said as she picked up asparagus with her fork. “Good, I practically spent all of today reading!” I said smiling looking down at my full plate. She sighed quietly, but not quiet enough whereas I wouldn’t hear. I ate a bit kept my distance from the asparagus, ew. That’s like asking if dogs like cats. The answer, no. “May I be dismissed?” I said calmly. 

“Yes you may, goodnight!” My dad said sharply. 

“Goodnight.” I said as well, but quiet. I snatched my book and ran up the stairs quickly. I went up to the bathroom to get a shower, brush my teeth and hair. I got changed and finally, went to my room. I laid down thinking of random thoughts like, why are buildings called buildings if they have already been built kinda stuff. My eyes fluttered closed peacefully and I drifted off to sleep, or so I thought. 

I woke up but not in my bed, at Hogwarts? What? I rummaged through my dorm room trying to find any sign this was just a dream.  Maybe not? I tried pinching myself, splashing water on myself. I EVEN TRIED RUNNING INTO A WALL. By the way, that hurt. It was no use. So I stood there, at Hogwarts, where I always dreamed was a mystical place, maybe not. Then Hermione came in. “ Are you ok? It  looks like you just saw a ghost!” She said as she grabbed my uniform and threw it at me. 

I responded saying, “Yeah i’m fine just uh- had a bad dream.” I lied. 

“Well get ready. We still have to get down to the Great Hall and go to Classes.” She said rushing out of my dorm. I didn’t even know what house I am in? I looked in my uniform, great, a Hufflepuff. I quickly got ready and rushed down the halls. I knew from the books that we were obligated to sit with our house. So I sat next to Diggory, Cedric Diggory. I hoped in my mind that he knew who I was because I lacked the knowledge of who I knew. “ Hey!” He said making room for me at the table. 

“ Hey Cedric!” I said still in utter shock that I’m at Hogwarts. 

Cedric added to his words by saying  “So what’s the problem you seem off?”  

“Nothing, I was just surprised by Hermione when she bursted into my dorm.” I said taking a bite of bacon. 

“Oh well at least it wasn’t all of the Golden Trio.” He said. 

“Hey what about me. Am I not invited to the ‘trio’?” I said offended. 

“Sorry sister..” He said. I spit out my pumpkin juice. 

“SiStEr!?” I said in even more shock and confusion. 

“Uh yeah? Do you have a fever, are you sick?” He said worried. 

“Nope- I- uh… I gotta go see you later!” I said shouting across the room. I didn’t really care if everyone was looking at me. I just needed to escape the room. And my so-called “brother”.   At one point after running into my brother I wondered why Everyone looked so dull. Then I looked outside…… Death eaters covered the outside of the school. I could see spells being casted. I think something happened because when I turned away from the window CROWDS of students scurried along the stairs, I think they forgot they were moving stairs….. My brother came out of one of the crowds, took my arm and rushed us to the Hufflepuff Common Room. “What’s going on Cedric?” I said worryingly.

 “Just wait. I’ll tell you when we’re safe.” He said, still attached to my arm. I saw Pansy Parkingston and Blaise Zabini rushing down the stairs but going the route to the death eaters? I was quite confused but had to keep following Cedric’s  way. Eventually there was another crowd of kids stampeding in, that is when I lost Cedric’s grip. This was finally my chance to see where they’re going. I ran downstairs yet again, occasionally tripping over some first-year’s. I finally got my eye on them! I ran down the stairs becoming more and more cautious of how much sound I made. I was hiding behind a brick when I heard their conversation. “You know Voldemort plans to ki** that Cedric dude tomorrow, right?” Blaise said. I stood complete shock. And yet I still wanted to hear more. I rather people not sugar-coat how they’re ‘sorry for me’ because I would already be sorry enough for myself. 

“ You know what Voldemort said. If we ki** Cedric then we don’t have to work for him or get the Dark Mark.” Pansy said quietly.

 “Come on guys, we have to go.” Said Blaise whisper-shouting.

 I ran up the stairs. Not only I knew what happened in the book, I knew what happened in real life.

      I found Cedric in the Hufflepuff Common Room after what felt like years. 

“You have to go somewhere safe, you can’t go to the Triwizard Tournament tomorrow!” I said shouting at him. 

“Woah I don’t know what happened to you but I have no choice, this could be big for me.” Cedric said calmly looking surprised as well. I couldn’t tell him he couldn’t at this point. So I went to my room, maybe hit a wall or two but that’s besides the point. I went to sleep dreading this moment. 

    

  I woke up, the sun shining bright yet. I was scared. But I tried to push that out of my head. The Triwizard Tournament was at 11:00 AM, it was 9:30AM now. I  Headed out of the Common Room. I hadn’t ran into Cedric yet luckily. I rushed down the corridors, finally making it to the Great Hall. I found the Hufflepuff table and sat down. I saw Cedric at the other end of the table. I couldn’t even look at him. I finished breakfast, and ran up to the Common Room. Once I made it I checked the time. Cra*. 

                (sorry I know some kids' parents don’t let them say that!)

It was almost 11! 10:47 to be exact. Not that anyone would care. I headed over to where they were holding the Triwizard Tournament. I saw Harry, Cedric, Viktor and Fleur. It was about 5 minutes before they went into the Maze. Harry Potter was first up, followed by Viktor, Cedric then Fleur. Harry Potter and Viktor had already gone into the maze. I snapped a glimpse of Cedric and Harry wishing each other good luck. Pretty sure they’ll need that. Then they called Cedric….. my heart was racing. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. 

“He’ll be okay!” Cho said hesitantly. 

 “I sure hope so.” I said as well. 

     I heard chanting, names such as Harry were being shouted. The noise only made the fear a lot worse. I saw Harry emerge from the maze. Only to see him holding my dead ‘brother’. 

      (Okay off topic but ❌👅❌)  That’s when it happened…. I wondered if he was dead. I guess we’ll never know!

-Kayla Mikaelson🌚

 

                                                                                                                                            By:Brady Stadler    

Did you know that people eat deer backstrap cause I do too?  I  am excited and happy to go hunting. I woke up at 5:00 in the morning which is early,dark and cold. I get ready as fast as I can. My cousin and grandpa are also getting ready. I am anxious, nervous, excited all the time  while thinking of getting out to our hunting spot.  

“Grandpa, are you ready to go yet?” 

“Hold on, my old bones don’t move so fast,” said Grandpa “OK, let me know when you are ready.I am so excited!!” said Brady.

 Grandpapa and I drive the ATV down the trail wearing bright blazing orange clothing. I park the ATV ready to jump off and make our way to the tent.  I was walking fast, getting ahead of him but I was ready to go hunting!! And we made it to the tent!! 

 We sat in the tent for 4 hours straight. And we saw the woods the whole time. We saw nothing, no deer, no squirrels, no rabbits, no snow, and it was freezing 🥶 outside. So the day was boring and I froze my fingers and toes off. 

 

We saw nothing because my grandpa blows his nose like a donkey, uses a heater, drinks Coffee, talks too much and uses an ATV to get places and yea. Sometimes I think in my head, “AAAHHHH, help me!” 

Just as I am thinking about how much he talks he says, “Siri, what is the weather in Waupaca?”

“Ugh, I want to get away!!  I wonder what my cousin is looking at, in his tree stand.” I think to myself.  “We always see deer when we hunt together.”

  So then I came back with my grandpapa to the house and we made lunch. “And I was like when is the food going to be done cause I was starving”.Well they were making the food I was shooting my bow. Then we got done eating lunch and me and my Cousin went out hunting. And I was really tired so I was like “Jake I am going to go to sleep in the tent  if you see a deer can you wake me up please”. So then I sleep for about 45 minutes. 

 

When my cousin woke me up there was a huge buck in the field. I could not see the deer because it was right against the woods and the woods are brown and the deer are brown. I could not see the deer, it was like camouflage.  My cousin showed me over and over.  “Brady, the deer is right there!”  It took me a bit but then I saw it. 

So my cousin was looking all over for his gun but could not find it. Could a groundhog eat it? we saw a hole in the ground in are tent. Then I got my gun out and I was like ”groundhog groundhog where are you at?'' Said brady.

 I saw this Random hole in the field and I pointed my gun at it and then the groundhog Peeked his head out of the hole then I shot it and it fell back in it’s hole. Then the deer was still there and the deer was like “what was that I am just going to keep eating”. Said the deer. 

And I reloaded my gun and lined up my sight with the heart and I pulled the trigger. BOOOOOOOM! “My ears started to tingel said Brady.”

 He ran 50 yards then we lost sight of him. Later that day we waited till hunting was over to track the deer and we went to where we thought we shot him and we found blood there. Then we followed the blood trail and he ran all the way in the neighbors yard. And he was laying in the neighbors yard 15 feet in their woods. We took pictures and stuff then we threw the deer in the back of the ATV and went back to the house. We hung up the deer and we cleaned it. After an hour my grandpa was like “are you guys ready to go out to eat”. And we were like give us 15 min then we will be ready. So then we went out to eat and it was really fun. Did you know that you can mount a deer. It is when you put it up on the wall?. But it is really expensive. 

About My 39 Animals

By Liam D

One day I went to let my animals outside.  When I got to my really big pen where the animals live, I heard loud chanting. For some reason, the goats were ramming the door trying to get out of the stall. As I opened the door, all of the animals came running out in a big stampede saying “We want food!” so I got them some food. They were trying to fend off the goats so then I gave the goats food so that they can’t steal the birds food then I decided to lock the goats inside the barn.

Meanwhile, in the house, my sister's cats were stepping all over her piano.  They were trying to get her to wake her up because they also  wanted food, toys, and more room to run around in. They were scratching at the walls-SCRATCH!  They constantly scratched the walls over and over. Then they finally got her to wake up. She went downstairs so she did not have to listen to their torture.

 My dogs, Opal, Remington, and Danger were all fighting over food. They were talking too! “I’m so hungry,” said Opal. A little bit later they went outside and would not come in acting like they were like they are deaf so they could stay outside longer. 

All of my pets were talking! I couldn’t understand it! How did this happen? How long would it last? Why were they all so hungry? I needed to figure it out! 

Just then,  i woke up in the middle of the night

Thinking it was still happening then I go back to sleep and I wake up in the morning and I went out side to see if it actually happened to see that it was just a dream. But the next night I had the same exact dream and that happened the whole entire week then stopped on Sunday for no apparent reason it just went away…

THE END

About the author:  animals that I own.

I have 2 goats 21 ducks 1 goose 2 cats 3 dogs and 10 chickens. 

Three More Steps

By Oliver

I said goodbye to my dad and stepped out of the car into the cold winter morning. I stepped through the slush and snow instantly regretting wearing flip-flops. I reached for the cold metal door handle and pulled the door open. The warm humid air of the pool beat against me, I walked in and got my temp taken and sat down with Brandon, Isaac, Charlie, and the other boys. I pulled my cap on and pulled my goggles on. Then we sat and talked until we got called for warm up. I hopped in the water thinking I’d go first until Isaac said,

“I’m going first, scoot over.” 

“Yeah… no I’m faster I should go fir…” 

Isaac laughed.

“I’m WAY faster than you.” Isaac said.

“Look at the Heat sheets, look at the times, mine are better. Sorry I’m going first.” I said.

“Fine.” Isaac said stubbornly.

We hopped in the pool Brandon was in a different lane than me and Isaac. We did warm ups and got out, I dried off and waited for the meet to start. 

“Event one heat one.” Called the announcer.

“What event are you guys?” I asked.

“ Event two heat four with a two hundred freestyle.” Said Brandon.

“Same, I'm excited.” I said.

“HA stinks to be you!” Isaac yelled.

“You can’t swim a two hundred without saying you’re gonna pass out.” I told him.

Isaac went quiet. Brandon just slouched back against the wall. 

“EVENT TWO HEAT ONE.”  The announcer said.

“TAKE YOUR MARK…” Said the official through the radio.

BEEP swimmers dove in.

“EVENT TWO HEAT TWO” the announcer said.

“TAKE YOUR MARK…” the official said.            

 BEEP. SPLASH!

SPLASH! I dive in, instantly I start choking and sinking, the clear water rushing past me. I look around and everyone else is sinking too. Then the water turned green for some odd reason.

Then I hear a loud booming voice “THREE MORE STEPS.” 

Then I shoot up from the water like a firework and I just start swimming. I dunno why though I almost drowned and heard a WEIRD voice but it was like I was on complete autopilot.

I got out of the pool and walked back to the bleachers and dried off. I was walking around the pool to get to the doors, when I fell in the pool. I don’t know how that happened but it did.

I heard the weird voice again “THREE MORE STEPS.”

“HOW?!” I screamed back at it “WE ARE IN THE WATER!”

“WHERE LAND MEETS WATER.” It replied.

Suddenly I understood, the bullpen- a piece of metal over water so coaches can coach easier.

“The bullpen?” I asked it.

“I HAVE SPOKEN.” it said. 

I hoped out of the water thankfully I was the last one in the pool so nobody saw me fall in the pool. I was curious so I walked three steps on the bullpen, well bad idea. I started spinning and spinning until my vision went completely black. 

I woke up on top of a mountain. I looked around, there were grassy mountains as far as I could see… except for a fancy sign that read “wisdom falls”. Curiosity took over me so I naturally wandered over to the sign, when I eventually got to the sign I reached out to touch it soon as I did a squirrel appeared out of thin air. I stared at it for a couple of minutes then rubbed my eyes.

Then it said “howdy there neighbor! My name is chuckles! I will be your guide today at Wisdom Falls and Resort! Would you like a tour sir?!” 

“No no I’m okay I’m gonna leave now.” I said as I started stepping away from the squirrel .

The squirrel’s eyes turned blood red and in a growling voice it said “SAY, YES THAT WOULD BE NICE.” 

“Yes that would be nice.” I replied to it under force.

“Alrighty then!” It squeaked. 

We walked on a trail for a bit and this is what I saw:

“That is what we call Wisdom Falls!” Said the energetic squirrel. 

“Wow.” I said in awe.

“Follow me I’ll show you the hotel!” It squeaked.

“Fine.” I answered.

We walked along a different trail until I saw a building made out of logs. 

“That is the log cabin hotel!” It said energetically. “This is where you’ll be staying!” 

“Umm okay.” I replied.

I started walking toward the door then I stopped and asked chukeles “what are those carvings on the door?” They looked like this: ဣြူဋာဖဘ့၂၄၌+;ခလဘးရာ့င ဪ.

“That is Wisdom Falls motto translated into the noble language of animals!” Chuckles said with glee. 

“Noble huh?” 

“It means, be smart, courageous, and kind then wisdom will come to you!” It said.

“Do the falls actually give you wisdom?” I asked.

“Some say they do but I don’t because that’s just a fairytale!” 

“The thing standing next to me is also a fairytale.” I said. 

“Why would a stick be a fairytale?!?” It said.

“I mean you.” I said.

“Hey you’re the one in our land!” It shot back.

“And who exactly is our?” I asked.

“THE ANIMALS!!!” It screamed.

“WELL IT’S NOT MY FAULT A VOICE RANDOMLY APPEARED IN MY LIFE AND TOLD ME TO WALK THREE STEPS WHERE LAND MEETS WATER!!!!” 

“How dare you speak of him.” It said in a very quiet whisper.

“Who?” I said.

“The boss.”

“Is that what you call him.” I asked.

“Yes.” said the annoying squirrel. “Here’s the story. 

One night (while I was a person) I was making dinner for my family, when a man wearing a mask banged on our front door. At the time I didn’t know a man wearing a mask was banging on my door. I thought it was the usual kids that liked to play tricks and cause trouble in the apartment building. But no I was wrong the man busted in. I can’t remember what happened after that but all I know is he turned me into a squirrel.”

“Well that’s a shame, Now show me my room.” I told the squirrel with absolutely no interest in her story.

But actually 

I hopped in my bed and fell asleep.

 The next morning I woke up and the first thing I said was: “SQUIRREL GIVE ME FOOD NOW!” 

I got used to that squirrel (mainly because it mostly acted as a servant.) But after breakfast that changed.

The squirrel opened my room door with a plate of acorns “here you go kind sir!” It said “It’s my mom’s secret recipe!” 

I didn’t want to break the poor squirrel’s heart so I just thanked her and ate one of the acorns. I have to admit they were pretty good. They weren’t just regular acorns, they had seasoning on them and they were cooked. Well the squirrel is nice and she just wants to help me and get me used to this place so I’m not going to abuse the poor animal. I opened my door and walked out to the hallway when I saw a giant bear meditating in the middle of the hallway. I walked past it, then I heard it wake up.

I spun around to get a glance at, however what I saw was not the big black bear I saw ten seconds ago. What I saw now was a gargantuas purple cheetah, ten seconds later it mooed like a cow, after that a pink moped appeared out of thin air and it started for me. So I ran FAST, I mean I was scared of a giant purple cheetah riding on a pink moped. I think everyone reading this would be scared. I ran down the stairs and found myself in the lobby. I grabbed a stick from outside and whipped around to get ready to fight the cheetah but a purple cheetah is not what I saw, instead I saw RICK ASTLEY.

I thought that was the craziest it would get but I was wrong it started singing “WE KNOW EACH OTHER FOR SO LONG! MY HEART’S BEEN ACHING, BUT YOU’RE TOO SHY TO SAY IT! I THINK WE BOTH KNOW WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON!” 

Umm... I’m still confused after that one. 

“NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP! NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWNNNN! NEVER GONNA RUN AROUND AND DESERT YOU! NEVER GONNA MAKE YOU CRY NEVER GONNA SAY GOODBYE!” 

Still very confused. I held my stick in fist, and smacked Rick Astley with my stick square in the face. It disintegrated.

Little that I know, I’m soon going to meet Rick Astley again. 

“HOLY MOLEY!” The squirrel yelled. “What happened here?!?”

“Let’s just say I got rickrolled by a...a… a very interesting creature.” I responded.

“Ooh I’m going to tell EVERYONE!” It squealed. “HUMAN GOT RICKROLLED! HUMAN GOT RICKROLLED! HUMAN GOT RICKROLLED!” It said while skipping around the lodge.

I decided to go for a swim in the falls. I was enjoying my swim, when a giant fish came up to me singing: “BUBBLE BUBBLE GUPPIES GUPPIES GUPPIES! B- B BUBLE GUPPIES!” 

Great just great that’s perfect. I HATE ANIMALS!

I got out of the water, and ran to squirrel.

“How do I get out of here.” I demanded.

“You must ask boss!” It squealed.

“Where.” 

“In his special chair.” It told me.

“WHERE IS THE STINKING CHAIR!?” 

“In the falls.” It said.

“Got it, thanks.” 

“You’re welcome sir!” The squirrel said.

I rushed to the falls and dove in. I searched around the water, I had to take some breaths. I eventually found this “boss” sitting on his “special chair”. he was located in the middle of the falls and he was Rick Astley…. great.

“HELLO HUMAN.” Boss boomed.

“I want to get out of here right now.” I tried saying but due to the water it came out muffled.

Boss somehow understood me because he responded “YOU MUST GET ME OUT OF THE WATER. THEN YOU SHALL GO HOME.” 

I was up for that, so I grabbed a rock and cut the ropes tied to boss.

“NO YOU HAVE TO BRING MY CHAIR AND ROPES.” 

So I tried lifting the chair but that didn’t work.

“Stand up.” I said bluntly.

Boss stood up then started doing the Rickroll dance. If this was a trick from my dad…

“YOU KNOW THE RULES AND SO DO I!” 

I rolled my eyes.

I carried the chair upwards toward the surface, boss right on my side. By the time we were almost to the surface I was very short on breath. GASP we finally were out of the depths of the water.

“CONGRATS, YOU SHALL GO HOME NOW.” Boss said.

With that, he ripped a stick from a nearby tree and with lots of force he hit me with it. I started spinning slow at first, then faster and faster. I somehow got teleported to a closed target at three A.M. (there was a clock). I think I tripped an alarm or something because a fleet of police showed up and I got arrested right there. I don’t know why though, the target was closed but to get arrested over that?! I was riding in a squad car when suddenly it stopped and the officer told me to get out, I obeyed. We were apparently on a cliff, I didn’t have a good feeling about that. The officer told me to hang on the cliff  

I obeyed again only because I saw the taser in his hand. He handcuffed me to the cliff so I’m pretty much hanging on the cliff two hundred feet over the ocean.

All about the author 

Hi, I’m Oliver. I’m 11 years old and a swimmer. My favorite food is probably tacos. I live in Waukesha, Wisconsin but I was born in Minnesota near St. Paul. I have 2 little sisters, Hannah (age 6) and Nora (age 8). I wanted to write a fantasy story with swimming involved and a bit of nonsense which I think I definitely accomplished. I also wanted to incorporate stuff I enjoy doing for example I enjoy seeing awesome views and being in the wilderness. 

In the story, boss said “I HAVE SPOKEN.”   Which is from the show Mandalorian, I enjoy watching it with my dad (at the time of me writing this I’m almost done with season one.) My favorite football team is the Minnesota Vikings (Charles is going to be happy I said that.) 

Just because I created Rick Astley in the story DOESN'T MEAN I LISTEN TO HIM. Instead I listen to a lot of country. Some artists I listen to are, Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton, Blake Shelton, and Trace Adkins. 

Note: I think I’m going to make a second book in the series.

“Mom can we go to the store to get some cheese?” I asked

It was the most simple question ever. Yet her answer was very annoying.

“No,” She said.

I wasn’t about to argue with her because I already knew she would have won the argument so I just left the room and went downstairs and back outside. Halfway to the stairs I felt really angry, like, almost punching her. Yet as soon as I felt that feeling of anger my skin started turning green… My muscles started getting huge, as big as my head. I grew taller and taller until the point where I had to lean down so I wouldn’t wreck the house. I didn’t want to make my mom angry so I slowly walked down the stairs and went outside. That couldn’t have gone worse. 

It was a struggle getting out the door so I broke it.. My mom is gonna kill me… And on that thought I forgot what I came outside for. Oh yea, I’m the “hulk.” But that’s physically impossible, not even science can shift a man's body to be this strong.

It’s all a dream… I have to wake up! Knowing that I tried every possible way that I know of to wake up. I tried splashing water on my face, holding my breath, or looking for things out of the ordinary, like a robot pineapple. Nothing happened. I just stayed in the “dream.” Then an idea came. What if I’m in a coma? It would make more sense because the “hulk” isn’t real and if it was a dream I’d be woken up. Then I remembered the real problem.. I HAVE NO CHEESE! Remembering that I rush to the store as fast as I can.. I don’t even care that people see me as a huge green monster that cheese is the most important thing ever. I got to the store and I saw so many types of cheese! I wanted them all but I can’t afford it. I just got American cheese and went to the checkout. 

 “You can have that free s-sir.” Said the employee. 

I didn’t even bother responding because I knew I would get myself in a long and awkward conversation.

I tried to eat the cheese but it kept turning into a rock every time I tried.

The cheese was a rock. Or the cheese turned into one anyway.

So I just left and ran home as fast as I could. By the time I was home it was 7:00 PM which means it’s almost my bedtime. I just tossed my cheese on top of the bench so I could have it later. Knowing that I’m too big to go inside I figured I would sleep outside.. little did I know that wasn’t a good idea.. The next day I woke up in a cell.. I was being held in a castle with an evil wizard.. 

“Hello? Is anybody here?” I called out… No response.

I call again, “Anyone around to tell me what’s going on?” No answer…

Then I finally yelled with all my voice, “HELLO!” 

Then out of nowhere, a tall, big bearded, black clothed, middle aged man appeared out of nowhere.

“My my, what do we have here?” He proclaimed..

“Looks like you’ve gotten yourself into a pickle..” He mocked.

“What are you going to do with me?” I asked

“Hmm lets see.. Oh! Torcher you.” He smirked 

“Wow. So cool.” I exaggerated

He responded with the worst thing possible…

“I will… I will.. I WILL… I WILL FORCE YOU TO EAT BROCCOLI!” He yelled.

“NOOOOOOOO! NOT BROCCOLI!”

My skin turned green, my muscles bulged out, and I once again became.. I BECAME.. I BECAME BILL GATES!

“Stay back! I have a money gun!l I yelled.

Pew! Pow!

I hit him with dimes and quarters.. 

“AHHH!” He screamed

“NOW GIVE ME MCDONALDS!” I shouted

“Wait, what?” He asked

“YOU HEARD ME! MCDONALDS, NOWW!” I screamed 

“Seriously? Out of all the places you want McDonalds?” He mocked

“BUD UMP BUMP 🤬 🤬!” I yelled

“No.” He answered

He said no… You know what I do when people say no.. I yeeted him to space. 

And then tragically, I died of death.. 

BUT I'M IN MY BED!?

“Ohhh so it was a dream!” I mutter

I go downstairs to eat lunch but I find a rock.. Not just any rock but a rock in the form of cheese.. Just like the one in the dream or coma or whatever. 

Will Jarecki 

One fine fall evening my dad and I were about to chop down trees in our woods. The air was crisp and it smelled like warm pie. My dad had just started his ATV. It was warm outside, probably around sixty-eight degrees fahrenheit, just enough for jeans and a T-shirt. I jumped on my dad's ATV, and we rode into the woods, it was bumpy and it smelled like gas, the best smell in the world. We were just about to cut down our first tree when we heard a bird call, “Must be a turkey,” my dad said. 

   Boom! As our first tree fell to the ground, dust rushed out from underneath the tree. It was an oak, I could tell because the bark on the tree, bumpy and dark grey, with a hint of red. The oak tree took up half our trailer so we went to go find another tree. Then there it was the     perfect tree, it would fill up the other half of our trailer, so my dad chopped it down, he was half way through the tree when all the sudden I didn’t know where we were! It was like my body knew where I was but my mind didn’t. Where did my dad go!? Oh wait he’s right behind me. I asked him if he knew where we were, he looked around and said “no”. He said it with a smile like he was happy. 

   Then I got a vision in my head it was a tree, but no time to think about that, it felt like the world was collapsing. My mind was spinning everything was blurry, then all of a sudden everything went black. I think I got sucked into the tree or something. “Hey, hey wake up” a small voice said. It was my dad. I asked where we were, he said that we were in the future or something. I looked around and sure enough, it looked like we were in the future. Flying cars and things that didn’t even make sense. Me and my dad were on a platform, as the platform slowly floated us down to the ground. The road didn’t feel normal, or I think it was a road. It was sorta bouncy and it felt like jello, but just really big. Everyone looked at me in a strange way as if they knew I didn’t fit in, well I mean duh I didn’t fit in. I came from 70 years in the past. 

 Then I saw an office building with my name on it. I didn’t really think I would have lived until 81, Well it looks like I did though, because I was a multi millionaire. I would have thought that everyone was a millionaire because of the amount of money that was being made, but I guess not. Or would that make me a billionaire? I don’t really know, but I guess I would have to find out. So I walk over to the building with my dad. “Hey look, that building has your name on it.”

 “Yeah dad do you think I didn’t notice that it is literally a big building with my name on it.” So we walked over to the building and took a step inside. And there right in the middle of the room was me but 81 don’t ask how I knew if I knew it was me I just did. I was just staring at me, that sounds weird to say but it was the only thing I could say. It was like I just met myself. It was soooo weird. I said, “hi”

I said “hi” again, just older. He said, “Come take a look around”. So I looked around there wasn’t much, but I knew there were different floors “come here dad” I yelled. We went up the elevator and things began to get blurry and I woke up in the hospital.

   I asked “what was going on”, my mom and my dad were there but they didn’t answer. I asked again . They answered “you had an accident” 

 Once upon a time there was a blob named Bob who lived in a colorful coral reef. But he only was there because he was adopted. He got adopted at birth and went to school at fish care, but he got bullied by a lot of geek fish. They laugh and take his potatoes for lunch. But Bob could not really do anything because he was not strong so they would keep being super mean and brutal to him because he was big,fat and round also,because he was a blob and pink they would say to him,

“Hi Barbra and hey girl,” 

so he said to the geeks.  “I know I'm fat,pink and round, but you don’t need to make fun of me,”  but obviously they didn’t stop.  So he decided to do something about it and run away.

Chapter 2 Running Away

 So one day he started his journey by running far, far, far away so that he would not be by the geek fish.  Later on, he came across a fish whose name was Wasabi. He was a catfish but the catfish didn’t look like any normal catfish. The catfish was a rainbow catfish. He looked awesome so Bob said, ''What's your name?” 

Wasabi said''Wasabi!” 

Bob said, “Oh, that reminds me of a song, Wasabi. Do you want to hear it?''

 Wasabi said, “Sure!” 

“ok” said Bob. “Bobby Bobby wasabi banana fana fo wabi fee fi fo wabi Wasabi” CRASH!! ”Hey I hope you liked that song but do you know a cool place to stay for the night?” Said bob. 

“Yes I do,” said Wasabi, ”You take a left at Coral Cafe then keep going straight on Snail Way then you will see a shipwreck you can stay the night there,”said Wasabi.

Chapter 3, The Shipwreck

 Later that night, Bob got to the shipwreck,but then he heard a “whooo” “whooo” “crack”, He panicked and ran to the closest hotel, He did not have any clams (money) so he could not purchase a room but the employees were generous enough to bring out a spare bed and let him stay there the night. Early the next morning, Bob woke up and heard that there will be an evacuation later that day and that everyone should move out early or they will be stuck in traffic. He rented a taxi fish out of the city but Bob told the taxi fish about being bullied at his home town along the ride so the

  taxi fish said, “You know, I know a lady that might be able to help you. Her name is BaBOOshca. She will help you”.

  “What do you mean kinda like therapy?” said Bob

  “Kinda” said the taxi fish.

Chapter 4, The Witch Lady

 Bob got dropped off along this old and spooky house. A lady came out and said “HEY BOY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING” “M MMr Mr.taxi driver sent me here”, said Bob “Oh,my good old friend Babbyface. Oh didn’t we have fun! Come In! come in!” they sat down. BaBOOshca said“OK What did he send you here for?” 

  “Well I get bullied”,said Bob

“That’s all you need to say”, Said the lady then she pulled some things out

  “What is all  of that for?”,said bob

  “to help your problem” said the lady. 

 “What problem” said Bob 

 “your bullying problem” said the lady. So she did her magic then Bob was a whole new man. He had marvelous colors so marvelous that he is like a fashion model but since he is cured Bob said “I guess I can go back home now” 

5,Home

 The next day Bob made it back to the reef and no one knew who he was under all those marvelous colors. Then the geek fish said to him, “please join us you look so dope”

 but Bob said “no you were mean to me” 

 but the geek fish said “ but we don’t even know you”

 “yes you do” said Bob “do you know that blob that ran off because you were bullying him? That pink ugly girly BLOB”. “yah but he was just a big hunk of trash” said the geek fish 

 “But that means something to me because that was me” said Bob . I will go and play with some of the sea cucumbers. They would be nicer than you guys to me.

The end

By:

         I dive into the pool and instantly I get teleported to a whole new world.

   “Emily, time to get up or you’ll be late to school.” my mom said

    “Nooo” I said with exhaustion. I stand out of bed and I’m so tired. I can't even move. I just remembered today is a half day! 

    “Yesssss!” I jumped into my clothes and ran down the hallway.  “ Today is a half day, today is a half day!” I chant. I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen ,and swallowed my breakfast whole. 

     “Hey slow down.” My mom said “You don't want a stomach ache in the last week of 5th grade.”

    “Okay but i'm so excited.” 

    “Have a good day and remember your lunch.” 

    “Bye!” I ran down the sidewalk and across the street to see my good friend Angela ,and off to school I went. I'm finally there. School ends at 1:00 so I should have more time at the pool today after school.  I got to school right as the bell rang for class and headed in. I'm in school and the first thing I hear is...

    “Good Morning everyone today we will have our math test!” My teacher said

    “Ugh” The class said glumly. Why is there a test on a half day like cmon. 

   The morning inched by one minute at a time until finally the bell rang. 

   “Okay everyone time for our test.” My teacher said

   I hope I do well in math. The teacher hands out the tests and everyone looks nervous ,but I'm ready.

    Ten minutes later I'm done. 

   “Class you are dismissed, have a nice day!” 

Finally we are done and I can finally go to the pool, The Pool full of wonders. I head out the door and see someone blocking my way.

  “Why are you in such a hurry?”Snapped Georgia I walked past her and she stepped in front of me.”You're not going anywhere.” 

  “Why can't you just leave me alone for one day.”

  “Why?”

   “Leave her alone!” Said someone behind me. 

   “Ok Fine!” 

   I turn around and say”Thank you.” to the boy that  has jet black hair with bright green eyes.

   “You're welcome” He said “Oh and by the way my name is Aaron.”

   “Emily” I said back

   “Nice to meet you Emily.” 

   “Nice to meet you,to  Aaron.” I turned around and Georgia whispered

   “I will get you next time.”

   I walk out the door ,and bolt out running finally I can go!

“Hey where are you goi..”But I turn around the corner too fast to answer.

I cross the street and go into the abandoned house. Right as I walk in I see the glistening pool ,and I'm ready to hop in.  I change as quickly as I can into my swimsuit and dive in instantly I get teleported to a whole new world. Colors start swarming around me and it brightens up. It's so beautiful I can't resist. I let it take me in. A few seconds later it starts to dim and I'm in a whole new place.I come out of the portal and there I step out onto a green brick path to see Dragons everywhere. I smell the sweetness of the world. I look up and I see gugleberry trees as high as the eye can see. I look down to see that my swimsuit turned into a cloud white dress with butterflies printed on. I take a piece off of the gugleberry tree and eat it.It  squishies in my mouth. It tastes like sweet berries of all kinds.

   “ Sunshine where are you?” I call out

    Here 

  Sunshine my dragon swoops down and swishes the hair out of my face.

   Ohh I forgot to tell you but when you tame your own dragon in this world you and someone you trust are the only ones who can communicate with it. 

   “Ready to go explore!” 

  I'm so ready. hop on!

   “Ok take me to a new place I've never been to.”

   Ok coming right up

  Me and Sunshine flew up to my friend Anglea

  “Hi Anglea”

  “Hi Emily how was school today?”Said Anglea

  “It was good but we had a math test!” 

   “Today we had a normal half day.”

   “Ok I got to go see you later!”

    Tell her I said have a great day. 

   “Oh and Sunshine said have a nice day!”

    “Thank you Sunshine!” 

     Lets go!

 Anglea is a good friend of mine. She is about 13 years old like me , and we go to the same school. You might be wondering how we are here. Me and Anglea are one of the last of our kind. We are called the imaginnes (imagine-nees). We are the only people in the world that can go here.

   Me and Sunshine flew for a while above the clouds and the sun was setting.I take in the air and it smells like fresh flowers. Me and Sunshine drift through the clouds ,and I feel the softness of them. I wish I could stay here forever. Whenever you are here in the land of the dragons time does not move so when I come out it is still 1:15.

Well practically I could stay here as long as I want but I also like my world too.

 Like the view?

“I love it!” 

   Sunshine flys me down onto a mountain with a low mist around the top with Fire Frost dragons on it. They are the dragons with the fire and ice ability (They can spit Fire and ice out of their mouth).Sunshine is a rare dragon. She is a Sky Ray dragon. With the ability to fly up to the highest heights and turn invisible.Sunshine flys me up to the highest of the land , and the clouds are nowhere in sight and we fly higher. It's very still up here and no dragons. I'm touching my dragon so I can still breathe. I look up and I see Space Gliders. They are the only dragons that can go up there. Even if a human is touching the dragon they will not survive.

  “Ok Sunshine, I'm ready to go down.” 

  Fast or slow?

 “Slow if you can.”

 Ok get ready 3.. 2.. 1..

 And we fly down at top speeds. The wind feels nice and we start plumbing lower and lower until we halt to a stop. 

  “Ok that was fun!” 

  Want to head back? 

  “Ok but I want to stay a little longer.”

  Ok 

We fly back to the portal slowly. There are so many dragons around I can't  even count them. Finally we make it back and I see someone there looking horrified

 “Sunshine do you know who he/she is?” 

  No but it's a he and he looks like you.

 The boy is standing there horrified by the dragons. 

  “Can we go see who he is?”

  Sure

 Sunshine flys me closer to see the boy. He has jet black hair and bright green eyes. Aaron! How did he get here? Sunshine flys us down to Aaron and he recognises me right away. 

  “H-h-ow d-did y-ou get here.” Aaron shivered “ And were you just riding that thing!”

  “Ummm Hi Aaron sorry to scare you a bit I was jus…”

   “You thought you scared me a bit! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

  “You should calm down a bit and let me explain.”

  “ Okay but you have to tell me everything.”

  “If you are ready to take it in.”

  “Ok.”

  “ This is the land of the dragons where only the imaganees can go into. Here you can have your own dragon and you can be friends with it. Once you tame one but only you and one other person can talk to it.” I look at Aaron to see if he understands, but all he does is just nod. “Ok now you tell you're part how did you get here?”

  “Long story short I followed you here and jumped in here at the same time as you.”Aaron Explained “ How did we change our clothes this quick?” I looked up at Aaron and realized he was wearing a nice black shirt with blue flowers on it ,and he had black sandals. 

  “Everytime you come in here you change your clothes.”

  I looked at Aaron and he nodded. 

  “How did you find this dragon.”

  She didn't I found her

  “Where did that voice come from!” 

 “I trusted you enough to let you hear her.” 

  “ Am I in a dream right now? Can you pinch me?”

 I pinched him and he screamed. 

 “I said pinch not punch.”

“Okey I'm sorry.”

  “When can I tame a dragon.”

  “Once he/she finds you.”I said “Just hop on.” 

  Aaron hops on and instantly Sunshine took off. We flew on and I told him all about dragons on the way. 

  “Wait won't my mom or dad miss me.”  

  “Here in the world between worlds where dragons hide to stay safe, time does not change.” 

“Ok”

 “Would you like to explore the land.” I said “Maybe I could show you some of the dragon type.”

“That would be great.”

“What did you do when you were little?”

 “Ummmmm me?”

 “Yeah who else.”

“I stayed inside and played video games most of my life, like everyone else.”

“That's not good.” 

“What?”

 “That you played video games.”

 “Why?”

 “Because if you were an Imaginee you would have never played video games.”

“So then how did I get here?”

“I think you hacked your way in here by hopping in at the same time as I did and made the pool think you were one.” I took one large breath, and said“I have never played video games before.”

“WAIT WHAT!”

“If I have played video games I wouldn't be here.” 

“Sooo I could have been here a long time ago.”

I look at Aaron and he looks like a 5 year old who just dropped their mint chocolate ice cream.

“Yep”

“Wait what is the Misty MooLog” Aaron says

“It is a place where almost all the dragons come to have a snack,and it is pronounced the Misty Mow lodge.” We fly higher and higher up the side of the Coferu. Coferu is a mountain with gugleberry trees all up one side of the mountain with a curl at the top. Right on the side of the mountain was the Misty Molodge.

We fly right up to the entrance that has a huge wooden hole that Sunshine can just go through. Right as we walk in it looks like a bar scene in a movie, but with dragons of all sort. There are the SwatBuclers, they can go underwater. There are SmockeScreens, they shoot fire from their snout. There are even the legendary, Wockowos, that can imitate the sound of any animal , and even become them.

  “Woah this place is awesome!” Cried Aaron

  “I know”

  Would any of you like a Slahlberry smoothie?

 “Yes please!” I said

 “What are Slahlberry smoothies?” 

 “Only the best smoothies in all the history in the dragon land!” 

 It tastes sooooo good with gugleberry, you should try!

“What is gugleberry?”

 “Guggleberry is a tree that tastes like berries, of all kind.”

“You guys eat trees,and are those the purple and pink trees with the red tops?”

 “Yes and yes, come on let's go.” We walk up to the counter and Sunshine orders for us. (She is the only one who can talk to the dragons) 

“Coming right up.” Said the dragon at the counter. He looks like he's blind in one eye.

He puts the milkshakes down and they look like blobs of puke. 

We sit down at a table and we start slurping down the smoothie , except for Aaron.

“You expect me to drink this?!”

“Come on you have to try it.”

“Ok…” Aaron takes a small sip…..”OMG this is the best thing I have ever tasted in my life!”

 “Told you so.” After two minutes we are done.”Hey Sunshine can you take us back to the portal?”

“Aaron lets go, I want to test something.”

“Ok.”

We fly back really fast ,and I look back to see Aaron enjoying it alot.

“Wohoooo!” Screams Aaron “This is the best day of my life!”

Finally we make it back and Sunshine drops us off to the portal. It looks like a door with vines twisting around it.

“Ok Aaron I want you to go in it.”

“Ok” 

“I will go with you ,and if I see you on the other side of it we can do this again tomorrow.”

“Ok ready?”

“Yep 3 2 1.” And we walk through. I start to feel water and I open my eyes and then I'm at the bottom of the pool. I swim up , and gasp for air. I see no sign of Aaron. Oh no! He's trapped in there! I dive in again and see him on the other side of it.

“Oh no I'm still here!”He says frightened” Why am I still here!”

“umm I actually have no idea?” I say honestly”Wait… what does the door look like to you.”

“It looks locked.” Aaron said “And the weird thing is you walked through it.Does that mean i'm stuck here?”

“Yes.” I said “ but there is one person who could help. His name is Sir hansel. He is the only person who has been here long enough to know what the problem is.”

“Where can we find him?”

“Well what are we waiting for let's go!”

We hop on Sunshine and she flys us up higher and higher until we are above the clouds, and I see a floating island.

When we arrive, it looks like a palace. Jewels of every kind are on the walls.

“Woah this place is awesome.” Said Aaron

“Yeah.”

“You like it?” Said someone in the shadows.

“Yes.” I say startled

“I'm sorry I startled you there. Welcome to my humble home, I am Sir Hansel, how can I assist you.”

“I'm Emily, my friend here Aaron is stuck in this world and he needs your help to get out.”

 “Hmmm” He says “There is one place you can go to open the door. It is called the Ray land ,where only Sky Ray dragons can go to, I bet you have no problem with that since you have one, but once you get there you will find a house, go inside ,and go into a room that has all pearls.”

“Thank you so much.”

“No problem,but you have to find the key that has a purple stripe.”

“Ok. Ready to go!”

 “Once again thank you so much for helping me.”

“It was nothing” 

“Lets go!” We walk out and right as we get out we hop on Sunshine and start flying down to the ground.When we get down to the ground we start heading off to the secret land.  An hour later 

We fly into a cave and it is full of jewels on the other side of it is a beautiful house. We walk inside and it is very majestic. We walk into a room and inside is an emerald room. 

We leave the room, and go into the next. It is more stunning than the last and is full of diamonds. 

“Still not what we are looking for.” We walk into the next and it is full of pearls. 

“Wow this is so pretty. “ I say

“Yeah” 

“So where is this key?”

“Voice code unaccepted.” A robotic voice said

“Woah ,where did that come from?” I said

“Voice code unaccepted.” All of a sudden the doors shut and in replace of the wooden doors there were steel doors.

“Ummmm is this like a room where you have to solve a puzzle?”

We look around for a bit and find the numbers 8503

“What does 8503 have to do with anything?” Aaron said

“Voice code accepted.”

“Well that worked.” I chuckled

“Heh yeah.”

We walk through the door and I see symbols like some writing. All of a sudden the floor split in half and me and Aaron got seperated. I looked across the room and there was half of a door. 

“Aaron! Aaron! Are you over there?” I called threw the walls 

“Yeah Sunshine is with me.”

“ My room has weird symbols on the floor and there is a half a door on my side, what about yours?”

“ I got symbols on the walls and the bottom half of the door without a handle.”

“Hmmm, this must be like some sort of puzzle.”

“Yeah wait what does your first symbol look like?”

“It has a arm on its back and 2 arms on his legs.”

“Mine to!”

“Ok I guess I'll step on it. Here goes nothing.” I step on it and nothing happens”Phew ok what does the next one look like?”

“It looks like a dragon.”

“There are millions of them on here. What type is it?”

“ I have no idea.”

“Ok thank you!” I take a step…. safe.)^o^(༄”Anything else cause I need three more steps.”

“Ummm, It's a purple tree.”

“Guggleberry, got it.” Safe

“Next is a…. hmm I don't know.”

“Ok”

“The next one is a flag.”

“Okay.”I step on it and suddenly the floor starts shaking and the door opens up.

“Lets go!”

I take another step and I see a sign that says tfel eht ot

“ tfel eht ot mean?” Aaron says

“I dont know.”

In front of us there are three tunnels, one on the left , one on right , and one in front.

“Wait tfel eht ot means to the right!”

“Ummm you sure? How do you know?”

“Im positive and if you flip it upside down it points to the right.”

“Wait, flip it upside down? To the left it says.”

“Omg Emily your right to the left!”

“Lets go!” We walk through the damp tunnel and water is dripping down the ceiling drip drop

“This is kind of freaking me out.”

“Yeah I'm sure getting the creeps.”

“Meow” Said a figure

“What was that?”

“I dont know.”

All of a sudden a cat walks out infront of me.

“Hello and welcome to the caves, you have made it through most of the puzzles and will be rewarded a key.” Said the cat

“Wait you can talk!” I said “You are so adorable.”

“Don't let the looks fool you.” said the cat

“ Can you show us where to find the key?”

Lick lick lick “Yes I can, follow me.” We walk down a passageway that gets smaller and smaller that I'm crawling on all fours. 

“Promise you will not leave until we are back, ok?”

We head down the cave in silence until it opens up to a room. In the middle of the room there is a glass box with a key with a purple strip.

“That's the key we need!”

“Ahh yes it is indeed ,but before you go and get it you will need to go through me! Mwahahaha. I told you don't let the looks fool you.” The cat said. All of a sudden the ground starts shaking. The cats back now has giant spikes all over. He starts getting bigger and bigger until he is taller than me. He starts growing giant wings on his back ,and his tail now has spikes. His claws are now the size of the key and looks gnarly.He looked horrendous . “ Fight me and if you win you get the key to save your friend.”

“Why would you do this, why would you want to fight me?”

“Why not!” The cat said with a snarl.

“ Fine Ill do it.”

“Prepare to lose pipsqueak.”

“In your dreams.” I started charging at the cat with a broom in hand I found .

“Stop!” Aaron said but  I closed  my eyes and started rising up. I open them and I'm flying, but I can't see my hands. Then I realise whats going on. 

“Sunshine I missed you!”

“Wait Sunshine?” Aaron said

“But how?” I said

“Oh Sunshine you are the best!”

“Let's take this beast down!” We charge up to the cat and I smack him with the broom. Sunshine swoops down and hits his stomach.

Oof  the cat snarled”Is that all you got?”

“No, that was just a distraction.” Aaron comes in with a black Manteee dragon that shoots plasma out of its mouth, and then hits the cat really hard.

“Ahhhhhhhh” The cat's final words were, and he fell to the ground, and turned to dust.

“We did it!” I shouted “Thank you so much Manti.” I said to Aarons dragon

“Come here you smart dragon.” I said to Sunshine”You did great!”

Thank you very much Sunshine said, and I squeezed her as hard as I can. Oww okay thats enough Sunshine laughs

“Okay let's grab that key and get home.” Me and Aaron go over and try to pry open the glass.

Don't worry me and Sunshine got this Manti said Ok ready 3… 2… 1… , and they smash open the glass with a loud boom! Aaron grabs the key and a door behind us opens and we walk through and end up back where we started. The room of Pearls. We walk out of the room and out of the house. I hop onto Sunshine and Aaron on Manti, and we fly back to the portal in silence. I take in the view and the quiet. There is mist surrounding the portal by the time we get there. 

“Thank you so much for showing me around and helping me get a dragon.” Aaron said with exhaustion. 

“No problem just tell me when we can go in here and I will take you in. Oh and leave the key with Manti. We don't want that getting lost.” I say with a chuckle

“Yeah.” Aaron heads over to Manti and hands over the key. “I hope I will see you tomorrow.”

Yeah me to Manti says Aaron walks over and gives Manti a giant hug. 

“Thank you so much for saving me back there Sunshine.”

“It was something you saved me and for that I will give you this.” I hand her my phone

“It's a phone , whenever you want to talk to me, touch that button.” I point to a button

“Yeah”

“Thank you dragons!”Aaron says He puts the key into the lock, twists it and unlocks the door.

“Ready?” I say 

“Yep.” We walk in together and we end up at the bottom of the pool. Oh and yes I said We. I dive into the pool and instantly I get teleported to a whole new world. 

“Well that's the end the end  of all this craziness. I made some friends along the way. But that's the end of this awesome day. All of the fun Done. But I hope tomorrow will be an awesome day.” I look at my bright green eyes and go to bed.

“Well that was a crazy day I met someone I could trust and I hope he trusts me and I just want to thank all of the people who have helped me get through this. (Even dragons).” I close my eyes and go to bed.

By Addison

I am Olivia.  Most of the time I go and hang out by the old creek.  I go there usually when I'm done with school.  My mom died in a tragic plane crash when I was little so I only live with my dad. I also have no siblings. I do have friends there whose names are Coco and Brian. Brian is kinda shy and Coco is sometimes really annoying . I went to the creek today and saw this woman I have never seen before. She was dressed in a white dress. She was crying and I could see that she had a large book in her hands. She said that she had to throw it in the water. I asked her why but she said “because he is making me”.

 She was about to throw it into the river but I took it out of her hands before she could drop it. I ran away back to my house and started reading it. It was about this boy named Jonathan, who had disappeared at Misty Valley farm. But then my dad called me for dinner so I could not read anymore of it. The next day I went to school and we were going on a field trip. I was confused because normally we don’t go on field trips but then I found out that we were going to Smoky Valley farm. When we got there, everywhere I looked there was a scarecrow, I took my book out of my backpack. I started to read it, stay in small spaces at night. I felt uneasy when I read that, I wondered what that meant then put it back into my backpack. When we got off the bus, the owner was the girl at the creek that was crying. I tried to cover my face when she was near me. So then I covered my face with my backpack and stood behind people.  At lunch she was serving the food that meant she had to see me when she got to me, her eyes got wide you can have your book back if you want I said,

 she said nothing she was just shocked, uh I don’t remember you sorry

 and walked away, I thought well that is odd, I got bored and crept out of the barn we’re we were eating I explored i saw a graveyard and went to go see it when I got into the gate I read the grave stones, Jonathan Webster that was the boy that disappeared I was completely shocked I wondered why he was gone but then i heard a voice behind me i got goosebumps it was the bus driver he said that Jonathan had died because he went out one night and went into the woods to get some wood for a fire but then after he never was seen again but now we all assume he died because you can’t run away from him and if he catches you you will-

 why are scaring that child with those fake stories? Said Seth. You should get back to the bus. Hi I’m Seth, he said. 

Why did he say- 

oh he is just making up stories no need to be scared,

 he walked me back to the bus where everyone was waiting. Bye Seth! I said,

 i went to the bus because we were going back to school i had to sit next to brian as i pulled out the book he asked me a lot of stupid questions about why i was reading this book. quarterway we stopped, all the class got worried and started getting crazy. Did the bus break down, asked someone

 why did we stop, said someone else

 the teacher went to go get help. I took out the book and started reading again. I read more about Jonathan. A few hours later It was starting to get dark. I went up to the bus driver but he did not say anything but when he looked at me his eyes were blank white! I wanted to scream and I knew I had to get off this bus but I stayed and asked him a couple questions, what is going to happen to us? He told me that he could not tell me

 so i went to my seat and got some food i went back up to the front said i'll give you this food if you tell me

 he agreed to it and said that the smiling man will come and get us if we don't hurry

 he will be coming soon I went up to him and asked what he meant he said he could not tell any thing only that the smiling man will come and get them all then he said that she should run I looked out the window and there was a trail I went and sat down, my watch that had not worked for years binged I looked down at it I had in words, RUN I went up and told the bus driver I was leaving I ran out into the mist and went on the trail my friends coco and Brian followed me coco said “Your crazy but I’m not leaving you”

 I rolled my eyes and we went on. A few hours later I looked down  at my watch and it said HIDE we got to a cave and went and hid in it. It was very uncomfortable but We fell asleep in the cave, and the next morning my watch said RIVER I hadn’t told my friends about my watch yet. But I was going to,I hoped that they would believe me. Hey guys I- “LOOK!” 

Coco said “a house!” There was a lady standing outside hanging her clothes. I thought, how is she hanging her clothes? they will never get dry we’re in the forest, the old lady motioned her hands to come inside the house, I was not to sure that this was safe, I looked my watch FOOD food was crossed out in words I still walked inside the lady’s house she was cooking gingerbread, “ I’m baking gingerbread for when o

when she was done she handed it to us I did not eat mine because I new my watch was right but coco and Brian still ate it, I looked out the window and saw to scarecrows pacing towards us the old lady slowly turned scary looking, like a ghost. The gingerbread turned moldy, Coco screamed, “RUN!”

 We all ran out the door that was the only way out, we ran back into the woods the scarecrows kept chasing us, as we kept running I tripped, the scarecrows we’re not chasing us anymore, we could not see them at all but then we looked at one of the trees the tree had paint on it that read WERE WATCHING YOU we were shocked, we the water running my countdown on my watch was 3:20:32 till night time. We heard running water so we followed the sound and found the river we sat down and I told them about my watch. When we were done we all went and walked upon the river, the countdown was 1:34:54. We had only an hour and a half to seek shelter. I looked at my watch again and it said HOUSE we looked up ahead there was a house with a barn. It looked old. Coco’s socks were soaked I could tell they were but she never complained about them. I had started to feel connected to coco and Brian, coco did not seem that annoying anymore she  ned into scarecrows, I said. 

I asked how I can get back home, 

 YOU CAN'T. I grabbed my bag and ran. There was smoke everywhere coco and Brian were sitting at the table, this is why you don’t make fires in old houses. We went and hid in a closet. 0:00:09 we heard the scarecrows clawing at the door. We saw a ladder that led to an old farmhouse. We climbed it and made it into the barn safely. We all fell asleep in the hayloft. And the next morning my watch had said MAZE. I assumed that meant I had to go to the maze I had seen when I was on the bus. I woke brian and coco up and told them that we had to go into the maze and that that was the way back to our homes. We went right away and realized that it was so big and we had to stay together, or we could get lost. We were very nervous. When we headed in we saw that it looked like the corn rows were getting bigger and bigger. My watch started beeping. I looked at it and the compass on it had changed one way said home and the other way said danger. When I looked up coco ad Brian were gone I started yelling COCO! BRIAN? I knew I was alone… was I? I started to follow my watch. I was scared but I kept going. I really hoped that Coco and Brian we’re ok and not turned into scarecrows. A few hours later I heard something and saw something moving. I ran and hid into the corn stocks. I see you little girl he said.

 The voice sounded familiar, he sounded like the bus driver, I opened my lunch box and got some leftover food. But he was in a form that looked like a wolf or a dog. I gave him some food if you tell me where coco and brian are and give you some more food. He said that they were in the middle of the field,

 so I gave him more food now for the final question. I said how can I get home? He said trick him,

 the smiling man. And ran off. I kept following the way my watch was going. I knew I could trust it so I kept following an hour later I found the middle of the maze and saw a lot of scarecrows. But I kept going. I knew I was going to get my friends and go home. But I had to work. I walked up to the beacon looking thing and I saw there was a ladder to get up to get it looked like a portal at the top but I still needed to get coco and brian.  I saw the wolf dog come out from the corner with coco and brian. And then the smiling man came out from the corner, smiling. So, he said well what are you going to do? Sacrifice yourself? Or sacrifice your friends here. I can give you one wish if you stay here forever, like give you back your mother… i thought we could spend the day together and not be apart anymore. I heard a familiar voice coming out of the nearest corner. “Honey”? I climbed down from the beacon and stood they’re. I saw her, my mom, I ran to give her a hug but then I stopped. You don't sound like my mother i said, i started to walk back and then a button on the beacon and i ran up and pressed the button everyone thing went away and my classmates and coco and brian were back the cornfield was also gone and we were just in a plain field we saw ou parents and ran to them Dad i wanna go home i said “ok sweetie” and we drove home thinking of what had just happened i just decided to keep it to myself. When I got home it was late so I went to sleep right away. I went up to my room and got in my bed. I felt happy this was all over and I was at home and safe again. And I’m happy we got all my classmates and friends back instead of then becoming scarecrows forever. So know were pretty much all friends now 

By Aliyah

I wake up to my dad playing music on my Alexa.

     “Wake up, wake up Luna!” He shouts.

I sit up and see my dad jumping around.

     “Oh my gosh dad what are you doing?” I ask. 

     “Oh just about to get ready for work. Lucky you don’t have to go anywhere.” He says with a grin on his face. Just then my little brother Noah walks in my room carrying Rose.

     “NOAH!!” I yell, “Put Rose down! she’s gonna bite you!”

He sets Rose down. Rose hisses at Noah and my dad and Noah walk out my room.

     “sorry Rose. I know he upset you.” I say to Rose.

I walk out my room with Rose trailing behind me. I pick Rose up as I look in the pantry for cereal. I grab a box of cereal and start pouring the cereal.

     “Hey Luna, what time is it?” Noah asks.

     “Uhh,” I say as I walk towards the clock,”8:14.”

     “Oh ok I’ll tell mom I got to go soon.” He says. “Mommmmmmmmm!” 

     “Hey Rose, wanna go outside? Come on let’s go outside!” I say to my cat as I open the door. Rose sat there and just stared out the door.

    “No? Ok then.” I say as I shut the door. I carry Rose into mom’s room and see Noah trying to pull mom to the front door.

     “Noah! Noah stop it!” Mom says.

     “Then come on!!” Noah yells.

     “Luna, I’m gonna take Noah to Brody’s house, Dad’s at work as you know, and after I drop Noah off at Brody’s house I’m gonna run some errands,” Mom says. “Are you fine with being home alone with Rose for a while?” she asks.

     “Yeah I’m fine with that.” I say.

“Ok well we gotta go, make sure to stay out of trouble! Bye!” she calls as she walks out the door.

I lay in bed watching YouTube. I look up at the clock on my wall and saw it was time for my zoom call.

     “Oh 🤬! I gotta get on!” I yell. I jump out of my bed and run into the living room, grab my Chromebook, and run back into my room. I get set up and look at the clock.

     “Yes! Right on time.” I say to myself. I pick up Rose and set her on my bed. When I join the meeting Rose jumps on my bed.

     “Aww look at Luna’s cat!”

     “Her cat is so cute!” Everyone in my class says.

-a little while later-  

“Ugh finally. My call is done.” Just then I yawn.

     “Oh wow. Guess I’m tired.” I say as Rose sits on my lap. “I mean it won’t hurt to just close my eyes…” I start to close my eyes and I swear it was just a second I was sleeping but when I woke up I heard a voice. But I was the only one home?

“Luna… LUna… LUNa… LUNA MAE!” the voice calls. When I open my eyes I see no one other than Rose looking at me. I stare at her and she opens her mouth like she’s about to say something. suddenly sound came out her mouth.

     “Luna, can you feed me? I'M HUNGRY!!!”

     “Ummm Rose?” I say.

     “Yeah.” My kitty replies.

     “You can t-talk?” I ask.

     “I mean I guess.”

     “Omg Rose come on we need to go to the vet NOW!!!” I yell as I pick up Rose.

     “Why? I feel fine. And you don’t have a car so how would…”

     “Uber now come ON!” I say interrupting her.

We ran out the door and waited for the Uber to come.

     “Where to young lady?” she asked

     “The vet please.” I say trying to keep my cool.

     “Ma’am there are lots of vets in Wisconsin, which vet?”

     “The only vet in the area?” I say waiting for this girl to go.

     “Ok less talking more driving let’s go!” she says as we begin to move.

We arrive at the vet and we check in. A few minutes later a doctor comes out

     “Mrs Mae? Hi I’m Mrs Jolly so you can call me that or Anthem. What seems to be the problem?” Anthem asks.

     “Well I know you’ll think I’m crazy but my cat can talk…” 

     “Umm hunny, I’ll look at your cat. Can I just have her name and your name?” Anthem says.

     “I’m Luna Mae Johnson and my cat is Rose Johnson.” I really hoped she would believe me but I doubt she does.

     “Ok so I’ll take Rose up and check her out. This will be a few minutes so you may wait in the waiting room.” Anthem says as she carries Rose away. I wait in the waiting room for Anthem to come out with Rose and 5 minutes later she does.

     “Ok so we couldn’t find anything wrong with Rose so I would just watch her…” Anthem says.

     “Rawr RAWR!” Rose hisses.

     “soo should I just take Rose home?” I ask.

     “Yeah and if you find anything else suspicious about Rose take her back here.”

     “Ok thank you!” I say as I walk out of the vet.

     “Well that was no help and that will surely be lots of money for that visit. I’ll be in so much trouble!” I say to Rose.

     “Oh well I’ll just sneak into your room if you're grounded. As long as you can still feed me your leftovers!” Rose says.

     “ROsE WHY DIDN'T YOU TALK WHEN WE WERE IN THE VET?!” I yell.

When we got home I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich so I could think while I ate. Right in the middle of a thought I heard Rose.

     “Uh I’m kinda hungry? Can you feed me please?” 

     “Rose wait I’m thinking of what to do with you because mom will be so mad if she finds out you can talk.” 

     “But I’m hungry now!” Rose says in a hiss. 

     “Here!” I say as I push Rose outside but quickly bring her back in.

     “Rose we need to go back but to a different vet.” I say quickly putting on my shoes again.

     “Luna mom and dad are going to kill you for spending all this money for no reason.” Rose says.

     “It’s not for no reason it’s for YOU because cats aren’t supposed to talk.”

We rush out the door again and this time get a taxi. I give the taxi driver his money and we go to a different vet. I say the same thing and the vet (this time a boy) said he could do an X-ray. He lets me come back with him to see there is again nothing wrong with Rose. We go home again with nothing. 

When we get home Rose finds a toy in the grass.

     “Look at this Luna! It looks like a mouse but doesn’t move! AWsOME!” Rose says excitedly.

     “Wow now come on Rose, I’m tired!” I say picking her up and carrying her into the house.

We walk into the house and I kick my shoes off exhaustedly. I give Rose food and water and walk into the living room. I clumsily trip over my feet and land on the couch. I start to close my eyes but right as I do Rose starts jumping in me with her toy in her mouth.

     “Rose go away I’m too tired to look at your stupid toy.” I say not even opening my eyes.

A little while later I wake up and Rose is sitting on the couch next to me. staring at me.

     “Rose, would you like to go to a third and last vet?” I ask.

I get no reply.

     “Rose? Are you mad at me from earlier?”

Again no reply.

     “Rose! Answer me!” I shout.

Rose doesn’t say anything but she does meow.

     “Wait… you can’t talk anymore!” I pick Rose up and start spinning around the room with her.

Her only reply is a hiss before I put her down.

     “Maybe this was all a dream… I’ll look at mom and dad’s credit card!”

I look at their credit card on my phone and see that there was no trace of me ever leaving the house. Everything was just gone! 

     “Rose I won’t get in trouble!” I say as I pick her up again.

     “Wait a minute.” I say as I set Rose down. “Where? How do you still have your mouse?”

 Hello I am Annie. I am 12 years old and I would like to tell you about my camping trip last summer .I was at my aunt's house and she said we were going camping. I packed my bag to where it should have been flowing out. But for some reason it was not. So I thought that was pretty weird. The next day we left and on our way there I thought I saw people flying! When we got there my cousin asked me and my aunt if we had set up the tents. Of course we just got there so we said no. She asked “who did then?”. 

    We looked around for clues but all we found was a note that said “Hello welcome to my game if you would like to play go in the blue tent or the green tent-The gamer trickster.”

    Me and my cousin went into the blue tent and we found another note that said...

    “walk over to the window to your left there will be an opening.” And surely enough there was a portal but it was pulling me and my cousin through and we yelled “HELP.” And no one came and we yelled again. And nothing even happened. It finally got us through and we came into Minecraft and I heard someone say “Welcome to Minecraft your goal is to find the bunker in the hot sands. Once there, there will be another portal taking you to another game and then the last game is the third game if you make it there. Hahahahahaha.”

    “Ahhhhhhhhh!” Said me and my cousin. so we looked around for the lair but nothing but sand for miles and miles and miles. Finally we found some food so we ate, built a little shelter and went to sleep. The next day we found something weird in the sand and it looked like iron and there was a lever right next to it. me and my cousin flipped the lever and found  the bunker. We heard that voice again. it said 

   “good job you completed level 1. Now on to level 2. Head through the nether portal it should take you to the next game.” So we did and we found out that we were in the game Bugsnax. but we were a bug snack and we heard the voice again and it said 

   “ welcome to level two try and find my house without getting caught by anybody.” So we made are way into the village but instead of everyone not noticing us they did notice us and tried to trap us but we escaped and found the house and we entered it and we heard the voice for a fourth time and it said

    “Congratulations you have beaten level 2. Now onto level 3. head over there to that door and you will be on your way after you complete that level.”. So we did just that and we were brought into the game amazing frog and we heard the voice again and they said 

   “come to the spray paint factory. I will meet you there.” So we got in a car and drove all the way there. Once there we found a portal so we hopped in and we were finally in the real world but we saw someone. He said  “Hello. I am The Gamer boi and you have almost completed the level. First you have to find a few things of mine. There in that back room.” 

   So we went in there and there was nothing and behind us the gamer guy closed the door and locked it from the outside. We were TRAPPED! We looked everywhere but could not find a way out. We tried to find a vent but there was only one on the ceiling. We tried to get up there and open it but we couldn’t. Then we found a ladder and put it up. We climbed up the ladder and tried to open the vent but it wouldn’t budge. Just then I remembered that I had my phone and I tried to call my aunt but I had no signal. Then something weird happened. The room started to shake. And then out of the vent popped an among us character. He was trying to help us escape. He gave his hand and of course me and my cousin took it. We love the game. He took us to a secret room and I realized we were in among us. But 2 years back when the game didn’t have any sound. I couldn't hear anything but he made a note that said he was imposter but he was nice and he was willing to lose just to save us. We put on the note thanks. He helped us vent and taught us some tricks but eventually we did have to go home so I put on our note 

    “we had a lot of fun. But could you show us the way home now please?” 

   And then he put the date to where the game had sound somehow. And he said “ I will show you the way home and give you everything in among us for free if you help me get everyone. OK.”

    “Ok” we said. So we helped him and we found everyone but before I could help he had to give us some among us costumes. I got a cute little puppy outfit and my cousin got a cat outfit and I was blue and she was black. We were really cute. And we were on the new airship map. We got everyone and then he gave our accounts the free things and the costumes we were wearing. He took us to a nearby vent and he told us “it will take you to your home. But would it be okay if I came with you?” 

 “Yes” we both said. And we all hopped in the vent but instead it took us to Animal Crossing but it was glitched and instead of the animals being peace full they were attacking us we managed to hide in a machine in a shop. And I accidentally hit a button that shrunk us. We tried to reach the button that shrunk us. We were still being shrunk and not only that but my cousin turned into a baby! And instead of wearing her clothes she had a diaper! And then we found a jar filled with baby dinosaurs. And then we found a jar that was marked 

    “Babies” so I ran and I was starting to turn into a baby as well. Then we were both babies and when the animal crossing people came in they put us in there. And we were like two inches tall! We looked for exits on our cute stubby little legs and we saw a little bottle. We went over and looked at it and it said GROWING/ADULT. And I saw a giant jar that said WOLF PUPS. The among us guy was heading over to us and he was HUGE! He finally found us and got us out of the jar and brought us over to a machine that would make us big again. me and my cousin said “thank you for saving us. We really appreciate it so thanks” 

    he said “no problem and can you take me with you when you get to the real world” and we said yes. 

      Just then we heard the voice again and it said “if you can make it to my house I will let you go but if you don't get there without being caught you will be stuck in the game world forever!” 

     Me and my cousin said nothing because we knew we would make it there without being caught. Just then something popped up right in front of us and it was a wolf pup and he could talk! He told us “beware for the gamer trickster will trick you into his trap and will be stuck here forever unless you get these things.  1. Glue 2. Rocks 3. Paper 

4. Scissors 5. Rope 6. The game potion 7. Each other. Then you will be able to defeat him and earn me and doggo over there as a prize and I will bring you to someone who can make the game potion and show you what to do with everything.” 

“ok but will we get out. We want to be back with our families.” We said nervously 

“Yes  you will be with your family once you stop him. Now follow me” he said. 

So we followed him and he brought us to a game called vacation simulator and boy was it cool. There was a snow mountain and a beach and a forest. It was so cool I just wanted to stay there and have some fun but there was one problem we were Tiny! And I saw my friend Gracie playing the actual game and then I had an idea. We went over to her and she picked us up. By the way she is playing VR (virtual reality). We asked her”Please take us two your room. We need to discuss something with you” she said “why do we need to discuss it in my room and why are you miniature and in the game?”  “Because we were trapped so just stick us up two your headset and we will be free” we said. So she lifted us up to her headset and we were finally transferred into the real world!  I said “where is your mom? We need to speak with her” she said “upstairs and also how did you get in my game. I was having the best vacation ever!”. Me and my cousin  ran upstairs and found Gracie’s mom. We told her to tell my mom that I was at Gracie’s house. Then there was a knock on the door. 

                            knock knock 

Gracie’s mom opened the door and the gaming boi was standing right there in front of us. And he said “congratulations you have successfully beaten the game” “what?” We said. “You finished the game now I will take you back to your family”.then slowly everything started to fade and then I realized I was in a dream.

                               The end

  “Today is the day I’ll become a SkyKnight,”I said to myself over and over.I was flying through the streets of Hancock the ground covered in snow glistening in the light of the sun.I walked up to the registration stand.   I said to the man there,“I’d Like to be an apprentice, Sir.”

And he said “Sure kid, what's your name and hustle they don’t got all day ya know”

“Gilen frostbite, sir” 

There are only five apprentices for each master and there are four master’s,Blacksmith Halt,Musician Will,Chef Liam, and SkyKnight Ravioli and I want to be a SkyKnight.

  As I walked up to the stand I noticed someone or something in the shadows then suddenly I was pulled back. It was Jack and John.

“What are you doing here?”said John smugly.

Jack,Punched me in the gut,I punched back him in the beak,they both started throwing punches left and right at me I would dodge one then be hit by another there was blood coming out of my nose.Jack started to scream in pain I noticed a arrow in his thigh which brought all the attention to us

“What’s going on!” Asked someone in the crowd 

  I was thrown out.Turns out I’m never going to be a SkyKnight. I was an orphan on the streets again.someone grabbed me. I thought it was Jack or John so I turned around and punched them in the face.

“Hey kid,I saved your feathers back there and you give me a feather sandwich,your welcome.”

“Sorry,I said,I thought you were them”

“Ya it’s all right,what’s your name kid?”

“Gillen,Gillen Frostbite sir”

“Well Gilen don’t call me sir,I’m Wolfwind Crowley”

My jaw dropped with surprise,Crowley is one of the most famous Wolfwind the kingdom’s most elite fighting forces.

“do you want to be a Wolfwind?”

I thought he was joking but I said yes

 “Your first test is to survive the night in Hangman’s Forest,”said Crowley.

“That place is haunted”  I said as chill went down my spine 

Then Crowley asked “Do you want to be a wolfwind then.”

“Yes”I said with a gulp

Later that night when we got to Hangman’s Forest there were ropes hanging from the tree's branches,knots tied ready to hang someone on.Crowley sent me in with only a bow thirty six arrows and a camp knife and a goal to survive a night in Hangman’s Forest.

  The moon was full as I set foot into Hangman’s Forest,animal bones crunching under my feet  the forest seemingly closing behind me.I flew up to a tree and started to break branches off and put them on another tree,that’s when I heard a rustle in the bushes below.

“Who’s there? I have a knife,”I said trying to sound as confident as possible.

“Show yourself,”I said.

An arrow whizzed past my wing.I flew out of the trees and into the sky,arrows flying past me,a arrow hit my wing I let out a scream in pain 

“Looks like this is it”I said to myself with a heavy heart 

I was Then Caught out of the sky I passed out when I woke up Crowley was stringing a bow.

Crowley said “So you're finally awake.Two days is a bit much for a wound like that”

“What happened?” I asked him

“I accidentally shot you”

“What You Could’ve killed me!”

“You’re fine aren't you.”

  A few days later Crowley gave me a recurve bow and told me to hunt

“I’ve never hunted before I don’t even know how to shoot this thing,”I said to Crowley 

“Well,go do it.”

I walked outside grumbling and hunched over. I flew far away from the house. I then hid in a bush.There were sticks in my back.It had cut my back.Finally after an hour of waiting a large jackrabbit came out of the bushes.I thought we’ll be eating good tonight,I shot my bow and the rabbit was dead.

“I hit it!”I shouted as loud as I could 

  I then flew back to the house with the rabbit carcass and noticed Hancock Castle in the distance and felt some sadness in my heart knowing I would never be a SkyKnight.When I was back at the cabin,Crowley had over five times the amount of meat I had.

“You only killed that?!”said Crowley his meat was already skinned.

“Well I didn’t even know how to shoot a bow.”

“Well you do now” said Crowley with a hint of happiness in his voice

“And now you get your cloak”

  The cloak was dappled in gray and white perfect for blending into the snow covered landscape of Hancock.For dinner it was all the meat Crowley hunted for us we had rabbit, deer, and even boar. We were only able to finish my rabbit.

“Go get some sleep,said Crowley,tomorrow your getting your knives”

“So where’s my room”I asked Crowley 

“Upstairs go to the right and it’ll be on your left”lolI walked to my room, small but comfortable. I had a bed and a closet. There was a rug on the floor. It had a Hawk rito shooting an arrow and slaying a darkbeast deep under the ground.I seems like the legend of frostbite.About a young rito who has to defeat the darkness time and time again who is rebirthed when he die’s born with the same last name every time,Frostbite.

  I woke up to the morning sunlight shining through the window into my eyes,and headed downstairs there were seeded pancakes on the table.

 “Eat well today your fighting me”

“What” I was barely able to talk as if someone had shoved me to the floor and knocked all the air out of my lungs 

“You're going to be fighting me not with arrows but with wings. Do whatever you want to do right now but at ten meet me here”

After I ate I went to my room to think of a way to beat him 

  At ten I slowly walked downstairs. He wasn't there so I walked outside and there was a small circle of logs.Crowley was standing in the middle of the circle 

“Your late” said Crowley 

“Didn’t know where you were”

Then I socked him in the beak I tried to dodge but to no avail as soon as he threw one punch another one came but I kept fighting like I could still win and then a final punch to the beak ended it.

 Crowley woke me up with alarm in his voice 

“Grab your knives and bow we need to get going”

“Why” 

“There here”

“Who”

“The dark one’s,listen to me you are frostbite, the one who will defeat the darkness,now let’s go!”

Then Crowley shattered the window and flew out with me right behind him 

“Who are the dark ones?”I shouted to Crowley through the wind 

“They are trying to kill you so you can’t defeat the darkness,Armorgat”Crowley told me 

“Where are we going?”

“I…don’t know”Crowley said almost as if he was scared 

  

When we touched the ground above the cliff an arrow went through my wing and I was tossed to the edge of the cliff wailing with pain I fell to my knees and then another one to my shoulder and I was tossed of the cliff hanging with my left wing unable to fly with a hundred foot drop below and at that moment I knew I was a goner.

 

                                                                                                                                            By:Brady Stadler    

Did you know that people eat deer backstrap cause I do too?  I  am excited and happy to go hunting. I woke up at 5:00 in the morning which is early,dark and cold. I get ready as fast as I can. My cousin and grandpa are also getting ready. I am anxious, nervous, excited all the time  while thinking of getting out to our hunting spot.  

“Grandpa, are you ready to go yet?” 

“Hold on, my old bones don’t move so fast,” said Grandpa “OK, let me know when you are ready.I am so excited!!” said Brady.

 Grandpapa and I drive the ATV down the trail wearing bright blazing orange clothing. I park the ATV ready to jump off and make our way to the tent.  I was walking fast, getting ahead of him but I was ready to go hunting!! And we made it to the tent!! 

 We sat in the tent for 4 hours straight. And we saw the woods the whole time. We saw nothing, no deer, no squirrels, no rabbits, no snow, and it was freezing 🥶 outside. So the day was boring and I froze my fingers and toes off. 

 

We saw nothing because my grandpa blows his nose like a donkey, uses a heater, drinks Coffee, talks too much and uses an ATV to get places and yea. Sometimes I think in my head, “AAAHHHH, help me!” 

Just as I am thinking about how much he talks he says, “Siri, what is the weather in Waupaca?”

“Ugh, I want to get away!!  I wonder what my cousin is looking at, in his tree stand.” I think to myself.  “We always see deer when we hunt together.”

  So then I came back with my grandpapa to the house and we made lunch. “And I was like when is the food going to be done cause I was starving”.Well they were making the food I was shooting my bow. Then we got done eating lunch and me and my Cousin went out hunting. And I was really tired so I was like “Jake I am going to go to sleep in the tent  if you see a deer can you wake me up please”. So then I sleep for about 45 minutes. 

 

When my cousin woke me up there was a huge buck in the field. I could not see the deer because it was right against the woods and the woods are brown and the deer are brown. I could not see the deer, it was like camouflage.  My cousin showed me over and over.  “Brady, the deer is right there!”  It took me a bit but then I saw it. 

So my cousin was looking all over for his gun but could not find it. Could a groundhog eat it? we saw a hole in the ground in are tent. Then I got my gun out and I was like ”groundhog groundhog where are you at?'' Said brady.

 I saw this Random hole in the field and I pointed my gun at it and then the groundhog Peeked his head out of the hole then I shot it and it fell back in it’s hole. Then the deer was still there and the deer was like “what was that I am just going to keep eating”. Said the deer. 

And I reloaded my gun and lined up my sight with the heart and I pulled the trigger. BOOOOOOOM! “My ears started to tingel said Brady.”

 He ran 50 yards then we lost sight of him. Later that day we waited till hunting was over to track the deer and we went to where we thought we shot him and we found blood there. Then we followed the blood trail and he ran all the way in the neighbors yard. And he was laying in the neighbors yard 15 feet in their woods. We took pictures and stuff then we threw the deer in the back of the ATV and went back to the house. We hung up the deer and we cleaned it. After an hour my grandpa was like “are you guys ready to go out to eat”. And we were like give us 15 min then we will be ready. So then we went out to eat and it was really fun. Did you know that you can mount a deer. It is when you put it up on the wall?. But it is really expensive. 

Three More Steps

By Oliver

*very confusing and random at parts*

I said goodbye to my dad and stepped out of the car into the cold winter morning. I stepped through the slush and snow instantly regretting wearing flip-flops. I reached for the cold metal door handle and pulled the door open. The warm humid air of the pool beat against me, I walked in and got my temp taken and sat down with Brandon, Isaac, Charlie, and the other boys. I pulled my cap on and pulled my goggles on. Then we sat and talked until we got called for warm up. I hopped in the water thinking I’d go first until Isaac said,

“I’m going first, scoot over.” 

“Yeah… no I’m faster I should go fir…” 

Isaac laughed.

“I’m WAY faster than you.” Isaac said.

“Look at the Heat sheets, look at the times, mine are better. Sorry I’m going first.” I said.

“Fine.” Isaac said stubbornly.

We hopped in the pool Brandon was in a different lane than me and Isaac. We did warm ups and got out, I dried off and waited for the meet to start. 

“Event one heat one.” Called the announcer.

“What event are you guys?” I asked.

“ Event two heat four with a two hundred freestyle.” Said Brandon.

“Same, I'm excited.” I said.

“HA stinks to be you!” Isaac yelled.

“You can’t swim a two hundred without saying you’re gonna pass out.” I told him.

Isaac went quiet. Brandon just slouched back against the wall. 

“EVENT TWO HEAT ONE.”  The announcer said.

“TAKE YOUR MARK…” Said the official through the radio.

BEEP swimmers dove in.

“EVENT TWO HEAT TWO” the announcer said.

“TAKE YOUR MARK…” the official said.            

 BEEP. SPLASH!

SPLASH! I dive in, instantly I start choking and sinking, the clear water rushing past me. I look around and everyone else is sinking too. Then the water turned green for some odd reason.

Then I hear a loud booming voice “THREE MORE STEPS.” 

Then I shoot up from the water like a firework and I just start swimming. I dunno why though I almost drowned and heard a WEIRD voice but it was like I was on complete autopilot.

I got out of the pool and walked back to the bleachers and dried off. I was walking around the pool to get to the doors, when I fell in the pool. I don’t know how that happened but it did.

I heard the weird voice again “THREE MORE STEPS.”

“HOW?!” I screamed back at it “WE ARE IN THE WATER!”

“WHERE LAND MEETS WATER.” It replied.

Suddenly I understood, the bullpen- a piece of metal over water so coaches can coach easier.

“The bullpen?” I asked it.

“I HAVE SPOKEN.” it said. 

I hoped out of the water thankfully I was the last one in the pool so nobody saw me fall in the pool. I was curious so I walked three steps on the bullpen, well bad idea. I started spinning and spinning until my vision went completely black. 

I woke up on top of a mountain. I looked around, there were grassy mountains as far as I could see… except for a fancy sign that read “wisdom falls”. Curiosity took over me so I naturally wandered over to the sign, when I eventually got to the sign I reached out to touch it soon as I did a squirrel appeared out of thin air. I stared at it for a couple of minutes then rubbed my eyes.

Then it said “howdy there neighbor! My name is chuckles! I will be your guide today at Wisdom Falls and Resort! Would you like a tour sir?!” 

“No no I’m okay I’m gonna leave now.” I said as I started stepping away from the squirrel .

The squirrel’s eyes turned blood red and in a growling voice it said “SAY, YES THAT WOULD BE NICE.” 

“Yes that would be nice.” I replied to it under force.

“Alrighty then!” It squeaked. 

We walked on a trail for a bit and this is what I saw:

“That is what we call Wisdom Falls!” Said the energetic squirrel. 

“Wow.” I said in awe.

“Follow me I’ll show you the hotel!” It squeaked.

“Fine.” I answered.

We walked along a different trail until I saw a building made out of logs. 

“That is the log cabin hotel!” It said energetically. “This is where you’ll be staying!” 

“Umm okay.” I replied.

I started walking toward the door then I stopped and asked chukeles “what are those carvings on the door?” They looked like this: ဣြူဋာဖဘ့၂၄၌+;ခလဘးရာ့င ဪ.

“That is Wisdom Falls motto translated into the noble language of animals!” Chuckles said with glee. 

“Noble huh?” 

“It means, be smart, courageous, and kind then wisdom will come to you!” It said.

“Do the falls actually give you wisdom?” I asked.

“Some say they do but I don’t because that’s just a fairytale!” 

“The thing standing next to me is also a fairytale.” I said. 

“Why would a stick be a fairytale?!?” It said.

“I mean you.” I said.

“Hey you’re the one in our land!” It shot back.

“And who exactly is our?” I asked.

“THE ANIMALS!!!” It screamed.

“WELL IT’S NOT MY FAULT A VOICE RANDOMLY APPEARED IN MY LIFE AND TOLD ME TO WALK THREE STEPS WHERE LAND MEETS WATER!!!!” 

“How dare you speak of him.” It said in a very quiet whisper.

“Who?” I said.

“The boss.”

“Is that what you call him.” I asked.

“Yes.” said the annoying squirrel. “Here’s the story. 

One night (while I was a person) I was making dinner for my family, when a man wearing a mask banged on our front door. At the time I didn’t know a man wearing a mask was banging on my door. I thought it was the usual kids that liked to play tricks and cause trouble in the apartment building. But no I was wrong the man busted in. I can’t remember what happened after that but all I know is he turned me into a squirrel.”

“Well that’s a shame, Now show me my room.” I told the squirrel with absolutely no interest in her story.

But actually 

I hopped in my bed and fell asleep.

 The next morning I woke up and the first thing I said was: “SQUIRREL GIVE ME FOOD NOW!” 

I got used to that squirrel (mainly because it mostly acted as a servant.) But after breakfast that changed.

The squirrel opened my room door with a plate of acorns “here you go kind sir!” It said “It’s my mom’s secret recipe!” 

I didn’t want to break the poor squirrel’s heart so I just thanked her and ate one of the acorns. I have to admit they were pretty good. They weren’t just regular acorns, they had seasoning on them and they were cooked. Well the squirrel is nice and she just wants to help me and get me used to this place so I’m not going to abuse the poor animal. I opened my door and walked out to the hallway when I saw a giant bear meditating in the middle of the hallway. I walked past it, then I heard it wake up.

I spun around to get a glance at, however what I saw was not the big black bear I saw ten seconds ago. What I saw now was a gargantuas purple cheetah, ten seconds later it mooed like a cow, after that a pink moped appeared out of thin air and it started for me. So I ran FAST, I mean I was scared of a giant purple cheetah riding on a pink moped. I think everyone reading this would be scared. I ran down the stairs and found myself in the lobby. I grabbed a stick from outside and whipped around to get ready to fight the cheetah but a purple cheetah is not what I saw, instead I saw RICK ASTLEY.

I thought that was the craziest it would get but I was wrong it started singing “WE KNOW EACH OTHER FOR SO LONG! MY HEART’S BEEN ACHING, BUT YOU’RE TOO SHY TO SAY IT! I THINK WE BOTH KNOW WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON!” 

Umm... I’m still confused after that one. 

“NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP! NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWNNNN! NEVER GONNA RUN AROUND AND DESERT YOU! NEVER GONNA MAKE YOU CRY NEVER GONNA SAY GOODBYE!” 

Still very confused. I held my stick in fist, and smacked Rick Astley with my stick square in the face. It disintegrated.

Little that I know, I’m soon going to meet Rick Astley again. 

“HOLY MOLEY!” The squirrel yelled. “What happened here?!?”

“Let’s just say I got rickrolled by a...a… a very interesting creature.” I responded.

“Ooh I’m going to tell EVERYONE!” It squealed. “HUMAN GOT RICKROLLED! HUMAN GOT RICKROLLED! HUMAN GOT RICKROLLED!” It said while skipping around the lodge.

I decided to go for a swim in the falls. I was enjoying my swim, when a giant fish came up to me singing: “BUBBLE BUBBLE GUPPIES GUPPIES GUPPIES! B- B BUBLE GUPPIES!” 

Great just great that’s perfect. I HATE ANIMALS!

I got out of the water, and ran to squirrel.

“How do I get out of here.” I demanded.

“You must ask boss!” It squealed.

“Where.” 

“In his special chair.” It told me.

“WHERE IS THE STINKING CHAIR!?” 

“In the falls.” It said.

“Got it, thanks.” 

“You’re welcome sir!” The squirrel said.

I rushed to the falls and dove in. I searched around the water, I had to take some breaths. I eventually found this “boss” sitting on his “special chair”. he was located in the middle of the falls and he was Rick Astley…. great.

“HELLO HUMAN.” Boss boomed.

“I want to get out of here right now.” I tried saying but due to the water it came out muffled.

Boss somehow understood me because he responded “YOU MUST GET ME OUT OF THE WATER. THEN YOU SHALL GO HOME.” 

I was up for that, so I grabbed a rock and cut the ropes tied to boss.

“NO YOU HAVE TO BRING MY CHAIR AND ROPES.” 

So I tried lifting the chair but that didn’t work.

“Stand up.” I said bluntly.

Boss stood up then started doing the Rickroll dance. If this was a trick from my dad…

“YOU KNOW THE RULES AND SO DO I!” 

I rolled my eyes.

I carried the chair upwards toward the surface, boss right on my side. By the time we were almost to the surface I was very short on breath. GASP we finally were out of the depths of the water.

“CONGRATS, YOU SHALL GO HOME NOW.” Boss said.

With that, he ripped a stick from a nearby tree and with lots of force he hit me with it. I started spinning slow at first, then faster and faster. I somehow got teleported to a closed target at three A.M. (there was a clock). I think I tripped an alarm or something because a fleet of police showed up and I got arrested right there. I don’t know why though, the target was closed but to get arrested over that?! I was riding in a squad car when suddenly it stopped and the officer told me to get out, I obeyed. We were apparently on a cliff, I didn’t have a good feeling about that. The officer told me to hang on the cliff  

I obeyed again only because I saw the taser in his hand. He handcuffed me to the cliff so I’m pretty much hanging on the cliff two hundred feet over the ocean.

All about the author 

Hi, I’m Oliver. I’m 11 years old and a swimmer. My favorite food is probably tacos. I live in Waukesha, Wisconsin but I was born in Minnesota near St. Paul. I have 2 little sisters, Hannah (age 6) and Nora (age 8). I wanted to write a fantasy story with swimming involved and a bit of nonsense which I think I definitely accomplished. I also wanted to incorporate stuff I enjoy doing for example I enjoy seeing awesome views and being in the wilderness. 

In the story, boss said “I HAVE SPOKEN.”   Which is from the show Mandalorian, I enjoy watching it with my dad (at the time of me writing this I’m almost done with season one.) My favorite football team is the Minnesota Vikings (Charles is going to be happy I said that.) 

Just because I created Rick Astley in the story DOESN'T MEAN I LISTEN TO HIM. Instead I listen to a lot of country. Some artists I listen to are, Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton, Blake Shelton, and Trace Adkins. 

One day, she was walking in the garden.  Queen  Ava was watering her flowers. She sat down to eat and saw that her ring was gone. She felt very frustrated and sad. The ring was from her mom and dad.

     She searched all over the castle.  When she got tired, she sat down on her throne. She felt something bumpy. It was her ring! She was so happy! Queen Ava showed her Mom and dad. They hugged her.  Queen Ava put her ring on and smiled.

                 By: Ava Matancsi 

   

One day I performed at the Milwaukee Wave game with my dance studio. We shook the room with excitement, literally, that’s what the song is called. We performed our best and I felt exhausted after my performance. After we got home 

I checked on my sea monkeys and than I jumped into bed and somehow fell asleep. 

And when l woke up I was in a cave in the ocean! Where am I?

            Chapter 1

                The misters voice 

“I am going to check this place out. Wait a second,” I said to myself.  I was all alone, it was dark and cold.  I was curious. As I walked by a rock, I heard something.  I ran behind a big rock and saw two octopuses talking and walking closer to me. I rubbed my eyes again but I still saw two octopuss comeing closer and closer.

 I was weirded out.  The octopuses came closer, so I froze.  Just then, one of them sprayed ink and burned my eyes and fell to the floor I was all black and slimy.I felt like I was dying inside…

 Somehow I woke up and I was in a different part of the cave but I was in a cage.I said to myself, hoping someone would save me.

“ I had to find a way to pick the lock”. I thought to myself. But how?

“Wait I have a body pin in my hair from dance so maybe I can pick the lock with the Body pin”.

YES! It worked ok I’m going to investigate.I said out loud.Who could have done this? Could it have been Mr. Flipper? I’m going to try to get out of this cave first!!!

            Chapter 

              The path to get out!

“Wait,I see a light I am going to get out of here.”

“ (COME ON I SEE THE OCTOPUSS'')!!!!!l felt like I could scream.

“They are coming again and they are only a couple inches away.  I can hide behind the rock”.

“ I CAN'T FIND ONE!” 

“MY ONLY CHANCE IS TO STAY WHERE I AM”.

 “These walls are hot -BANG. Where am I again COME ON in the same place again.”

“ Ok I am going to pick the lock again and it worked not surprisingly but well.”

“I am going to find a way out.”

“ Wait, why am I on land when the cave is in the water?”

“That means that the OCTOPUSS won't be real because octopuss can't breathe on land?”

“That’s weird?”

            Chapter 3

                   The mystery 

Now I have to figure out who the octopus is. First I am going to go down the block and find some clues. Wait. I just found a clue : the rock I hid behind it had 4 numbers on it. THAT COULD MEAN THAT WAS THE ADDRESS!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to check out these apartments and their addresses. The numbers are 4695. Maybe I can find the address with that number. The number I am by is 3110. I only have 1,000 more to go. That is still a lot. I feel like there is a million more apartments to go. I exaggerated. But then I thought. Wait I can get my hover board and ride it to the apartment.

Finally, I found it! Now I have to go all the way back to where I was. 

Ok I am at  4001 so I only have 694 apartments to go. COME ON THAT IS STILL A LOT! I never released how many apartments were here but now I do.

YES,I am at apartment 4695 I went through so many apartments you wouldn't even believe it. I am going to ring the doorbell.

            Chapter 4

         The abandoned apartment

Ding,dong! Hi, can I come in?

 “No I’m... good bye!”  SLAM !He just closed the door on me. Wait, is there a window I can go through? YES there is but it is not open. sadly what should I do? I know! I can break the window hmmmmmmmmmm that didn't work. Is there a rock I can throw through the window? Would that work? I don’t see anybody in the window I will try it BANG,well  

At least it worked?

RUN  

That was not the best decision.Turns out that you should not try to break windows without permission not a good idea.

At least I know who the octopuss were. I saw their license plate. I can call the police and they can find out who these people are. Their license plate is 599876.

           Chapter 5

                 Almost solved 

Hello I would like to talk with investigator Mr. hisman.” Please wait 10-15 minutes” “ ok, is there any other person I can talk with” “omm you can talk with Mis. Jillibean” “yes that would be good.

Hi, Mis. Jillibean I am going to take you to this appointment building and I will let you investigate it.”  What did you need an investigator for” said Mis. Jillibean”. It’s a long story. I will tell you the story on the way to the apartment.

             Chapter 6

                 The investigation

We are at the apartment, what should we do? I asked.” You hide and I will ring the doorbell on the door and see if he will let me in”. ”Ok”. 

DING,DONG! “ Hi Can I come in”. “First who are you”? “I am a investigator/police“. What are you investigating. ”There was some complaints here so I am just going to check this place out. So now can I come in”! “Fine but be careful there is some stuff I don’t want you touching. “ why is there a cage here”. ”Ommmm that’s just for my pet dog”. He said weirdly? ”Where is your pet dog”?” man, I knew you were going to say that”! “You didn't answer my question”. “My pet cat is at the vet”. “CAT, you said you had it for your pet dog and why does a cat need a cage”!” Come on you caught me”! You can take me to jail. “First what is your name”? Mis jillibean asked. “None of your business ”! “Let me say it one more time! What is your name“?” Mr. None of your business”. “You know that I can call the police right now”.” Fine my name is Sam fantasy”. Ok.

He went on trial and they decided that he was going to go to jail and that is were he is today. Then I heird ring,ring wait that was my alarm clock and it was all a dream

               Lost

                 By: Ava Matancsi 

   

One day I performed at the Milwaukee Wave game with my dance studio. We shook the room with excitement, literally, that’s what the song is called. We performed our best and I felt exhausted after my performance. After we got home 

I checked on my sea monkeys and than I jumped into bed and somehow fell asleep. 

And when l woke up I was in a cave in the ocean! Where am I?

            Chapter 1

                The misters voice 

“I am going to check this place out. Wait a second,” I said to myself.  I was all alone, it was dark and cold.  I was curious. As I walked by a rock, I heard something.  I ran behind a big rock and saw two octopuses talking and walking closer to me. I rubbed my eyes again but I still saw two octopuss comeing closer and closer.

 I was weirded out.  The octopuses came closer, so I froze.  Just then, one of them sprayed ink and burned my eyes and fell to the floor I was all black and slimy.I felt like I was dying inside…

 Somehow I woke up and I was in a different part of the cave but I was in a cage.I said to myself, hoping someone would save me.

“ I had to find a way to pick the lock”. I thought to myself. But how?

“Wait I have a body pin in my hair from dance so maybe I can pick the lock with the Body pin”.

YES! It worked ok I’m going to investigate.I said out loud.Who could have done this? Could it have been Mr. Flipper? I’m going to try to get out of this cave first!!!

            Chapter 

              The path to get out!

“Wait,I see a light I am going to get out of here.”

“ (COME ON I SEE THE OCTOPUSS'')!!!!!l felt like I could scream.

“They are coming again and they are only a couple inches away.  I can hide behind the rock”.

“ I CAN'T FIND ONE!” 

“MY ONLY CHANCE IS TO STAY WHERE I AM”.

 “These walls are hot -BANG. Where am I again COME ON in the same place again.”

“ Ok I am going to pick the lock again and it worked not surprisingly but well.”

“I am going to find a way out.”

“ Wait, why am I on land when the cave is in the water?”

“That means that the OCTOPUSS won't be real because octopuss can't breathe on land?”

“That’s weird?”

            Chapter 3

                   The mystery 

Now I have to figure out who the octopus is. First I am going to go down the block and find some clues. Wait. I just found a clue : the rock I hid behind it had 4 numbers on it. THAT COULD MEAN THAT WAS THE ADDRESS!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to check out these apartments and their addresses. The numbers are 4695. Maybe I can find the address with that number. The number I am by is 3110. I only have 1,000 more to go. That is still a lot. I feel like there is a million more apartments to go. I exaggerated. But then I thought. Wait I can get my hover board and ride it to the apartment.

Finally, I found it! Now I have to go all the way back to where I was. 

Ok I am at  4001 so I only have 694 apartments to go. COME ON THAT IS STILL A LOT! I never released how many apartments were here but now I do.

YES,I am at apartment 4695 I went through so many apartments you wouldn't even believe it. I am going to ring the doorbell.

            Chapter 4

         The abandoned apartment

Ding,dong! Hi, can I come in?

 “No I’m... good bye!”  SLAM !He just closed the door on me. Wait, is there a window I can go through? YES there is but it is not open. sadly what should I do? I know! I can break the window hmmmmmmmmmm that didn't work. Is there a rock I can throw through the window? Would that work? I don’t see anybody in the window I will try it BANG,well  

At least it worked?

RUN  

That was not the best decision.Turns out that you should not try to break windows without permission not a good idea.

At least I know who the octopuss were. I saw their license plate. I can call the police and they can find out who these people are. Their license plate is 599876.

           Chapter 5

                 Almost solved 

Hello I would like to talk with investigator Mr. hisman.” Please wait 10-15 minutes” “ ok, is there any other person I can talk with” “omm you can talk with Mis. Jillibean” “yes that would be good.

Hi, Mis. Jillibean I am going to take you to this appointment building and I will let you investigate it.”  What did you need an investigator for” said Mis. Jillibean”. It’s a long story. I will tell you the story on the way to the apartment.

             Chapter 6

                 The investigation

We are at the apartment, what should we do? I asked.” You hide and I will ring the doorbell on the door and see if he will let me in”. ”Ok”. 

DING,DONG! “ Hi Can I come in”. “First who are you”? “I am a investigator/police“. What are you investigating. ”There was some complaints here so I am just going to check this place out. So now can I come in”! “Fine but be careful there is some stuff I don’t want you touching. “ why is there a cage here”. ”Ommmm that’s just for my pet dog”. He said weirdly? ”Where is your pet dog”?” man, I knew you were going to say that”! “You didn't answer my question”. “My pet cat is at the vet”. “CAT, you said you had it for your pet dog and why does a cat need a cage”!” Come on you caught me”! You can take me to jail. “First what is your name”? Mis jillibean asked. “None of your business ”! “Let me say it one more time! What is your name“?” Mr. None of your business”. “You know that I can call the police right now”.” Fine my name is Sam fantasy”. Ok.

He went on trial and they decided that he was going to go to jail and that is were he is today. Then I heird ring,ring wait that was my alarm clock and it was all a dream

    Her mom said , “I want you to close your eyes and then open them in 30 seconds”. 

  When I opened my eyes I felt something tug at my shirt. It looked like an elf. I wasn't completely sure what it was. 

   Then it said “ Hi, my name is Poppy. I am an elf that works for Santa”.

 I did not believe her at first. But then, she told me to follow her and I did, I followed her and I saw…..SANTA!!!! I was so amazed! His red suit, white beard, his plump belly, and red and white fuzzy hat was something very unique.  🎅🏻

“ Miah have you been nice this year?” He asked.

“ Yep! I even did all my chores!” I exclaimed. 

    Santa was proud of me and took me to see everything in the North Pole!!! I saw the elves, and reindeer and Mrs. Claus. She is very nice.

     ( P.S the reindeer are also really cute, especially Rudolph with the very red nose.)   When it was time for dinner, I washed my hands and sat there with Santa and Mrs.Claus. 

   Mrs. Claus was very fun to hang out with.

 In the morning, I went to see the reindeer. When I looked closer, one of the reindeer looked very sick. 

      I went to Santa and told him the news. The elves went to take good care of the reindeer. It was so sad to see the reindeer sick.  

I wanted to help but I couldn’t because the elves knew what was wrong and I didn't.    

     2 hours later I helped some of the elves make toys. There were 2 more days until Chrstmas so they have to get the presents done soon. I helped make a lot around the factory. I made toys, fed the reindeer, and cleaned Santa’s workshop. After 5 hours of helping them, I went to bed, I was so tired. 

       And when I was sleeping I had a dream it was about me going to meet Santa and going to the North Pole. It was so weird!!

The next morning, we were loading all the presents in Santa's sleigh . I helped attach the reindeer in front of the sleigh. It was so fun to see Santa in action!! An hour later, he had to go.                                                         

“ Goodbye Santa” I yelled to him.

     “ HO HO HO ” he exclaimed. 

After that, me and Mrs. Claus made Christmas cookies for Santa right when he got home . 

      Then I decided to go home because I want to see what I got for Christmas. I also wanted to see my family.

 

   So then I tried to get out but it did not let me. So I asked Mrs.Claus what was wrong and why it was not letting me go home. She said “ you need to go to the magic cave to go home. The map is right here. Let me show you”.

 

  I did what she told me. I went to the cave. It was dark and scary. It had bats and scary things in it . I did what my Mom told me to do to get in. I did the same thing to get out. It worked!! I was home in my kitchen and there were presents under the Christmas Tree and a note for me on my table from Santa.     

     He said “Dear Miah, I’m so happy you came to see me. It was so fun when you were here. I’m so grateful you helped me with all the presents and the reindeer. Without you I could not have made it . I had so much to do and you helped me. So thanks. ( P.S the reindeer miss you and love you ). And my workshop needs cleaning again.

     Thank you for the cookies. They are so good. I hope you come back next year.”

 After I was done reading it, I replied by saying “I want to come back next year and thank you for letting me stay with you. It was the best time. It was so fun“. 

      It was finally Christmas of 2020. One year has passed after my adventure to the North Pole to see Santa. I was so excited to see him again and to see the reindeer. The best part was all the reindeer were healthy. 

      (P.S Rudolph is still my favorite.) 

   After getting greeted by Santa. He took me on a sleigh ride down a big hill. It had so much snow on the hill. It was the best time ever! I saw the entire town and saw all elves scattered around the North Pole. I’m so grateful I got to go and see all of the North Pole and Santa’s workshop. Not many kids would be able to say they went to the North Pole and got to see Santa.  

                 

     But I’m so glad I can say that !!!

By Gavin Gibson

Once upon a time, I was getting ready to play baseball. I grabbed the baseballs and my bat. I had to grab my batting gloves too.  I needed to get my baseball helmet and my sports glasses. I went outside with my dad.  We were having fun practicing hitting.

My dad heard a buzzing sound. All of a sudden a bee stung me on my arm. I started feeling weird. I said, “What is happening?”  Then I turned into a bee. I was still my normal size, but I had an antenna and I felt wings. It feels normal and it started itching a little bit. Then I said,  “I think I can fly.” l wanted to test it out so I flew around the yard a little bit. I looked at my dad and he froze in shock. 

I landed next to my dad, and picked up a baseball bat. I wanted to hit some baseballs so I did and it went up to the sky and my dad was surprised. And when we tried I threw it and I threw it so fast that he couldn't catch it he said “oh my gosh how can you pitch so fast?”

I turned into a baseball superhero. I have baseball powers. I have a power that I can hit a home run every time I hit. I love my baseball powers. And I helped my team out by hitting home runs and by throwing very fast and caught in balls in the out field.

 

My mom said that there is a medicine to turn me into a human again. She said that it is hard to find. She said that it could be in a Walmart. So my mom went to go grab it and she found it. She said that it is a lot of money. So she said she will buy it the medicine to turn me back into a human again.

I drank it and instantly I was a human again. I was happy and my family was happy too. I said that I don’t like how I was turned into a bee. It feels so good that I am a human again and I was so excited to see my mom, dad and my sister.

Written by: Mackenzie Rentmeester 

One snowy cold winter day in Green Bay, kids were making snowmen and snow forts outside. There layed a homeless little cursed black kitten in the snow. He was all wet and cold. The cat didn’t want to come out of his hole it made in the snow because every time the black cat was seen, unlucky things would happen to the poor little guy.  He didn’t have much food other than some old crumbs that tasted like a dirty boot. Everybody thinks that black cats are witches' pets. All the kitten wanted was to be sitting on a little girl's lap next to a warm, cozy fireplace, although the little kitten knew that would never happen. Just by thinking about being right by the snug, warm fireplace made the kitten feel like taking a nap, so he curled up,and fell asleep.

The voice

The nap was pretty peaceful until the kitten woke up hearing voices around him. And that voice was saying,“come if you want your curse to go away” the kitten thought that he was just hearing things. So he went back to taking a nap, but again he was awakened by the voices and this time they were louder. “Come if you want your curse to go away’’. The kitten wanted to know who was doing this and where these voices were coming from so he began to track them down.

Foolish wolves 

The kitten knew that he would have to stay out of sight,so he snuck out of his home making sure that he was not seen. Quietly, he hid behind trees, logs, benches, branches and rocks. On the way, the kitten met a giant wolf with his pack surrounding the kitten. The kitten needed to think of a plan and quick. Soon the kitten came up with an idea. He first climbed a tree and hopped on the leader wolf.  When all the other wolves were ready to pounce, the kitten quickly hopped off  the leader wolf, all the other wolves pounced on top of the leader while the kitten continued his journey. 

Giving up?

After all that the kitten started to get tired, he felt like giving up, so he laid down. Just before the kitten closed his eyes, he heard the voice again saying,  “are you sure you want to give up? I know you are supposed to get 16 to 20 hours of sleep a day, but would you rather sleep on a warm girls lap next to the cozy fireplace or the cold wet ground?’’ The kitten then thought what is more important, sleeping, or a fur-ever home?. The kitten chose to  sleep tonight and then continue his journey the next day. Plus, it was getting dark out.

 The cave 

 The next day he began his journey again, the voices led to a smelly, dirty cave with many pathways, since there were so many pathways, the kitten didn’t know which one to go down. Fortunately the voice said, ‘’ follow the brown path in till you reach the magical wizard”. The kitten looked for the brown path the voice had told him to look for. He looked around, he spotted many pathways, a red one,a green one then the brown one. Then he was on his way. The path was really rocky, dirty, and covered in other pollution, but the kitten didn’t mind. He would do anything to make his curse go away, the kitten began to walk down the filthy path till he reached the magical wizard.

The magical Wizard

When the kitten reached the wizard,he asked for his curse to go away but then the kitten realized that the wizard could never be able to understand what the kitten is saying, just as he thought that,the wizard then said,‘’ if you say so’’. The kitten felt relieved. Finally, the wizard pointed his magic wand at the sky, out of the wand came a bolt of magic, that went right to the sky! Just then a hurricane appeared on land! Before the kitten could even look up, a bolt of lightning struck down onto the kitten!!! Before he even knew it he was back at his home in the cold wet snow.

Did it work?

The kitten wanted to see if the curse was really gone so he looked around to see if anyone was around. There was no one but a little girl sitting on the bench, the kitten started heading towards her. The kitten meowed,the girl looked down and saw a black cat sitting by her and purring. The girl picked the cat up and hugged him and said ‘’ I’m going to name you Buddy!’’ The kind little girl brought Buddy into a warm house and kept him furr-ever.

One snowy cold day in Green Bay , kids were making snowmen and snow forts outside, there layed a kitten named Buddy on his fur-ever owner's lap next to the fireplace all warm and snugThe little black cat

Written by: Mackenzie Rentmeester 

Edited by: Lorelei widup

One snowy cold winter day in Green Bay, kids were making snowmen and snow forts outside. There layed a homeless little cursed black kitten in the snow. He was all wet and cold. The cat didn’t want to come out of his hole it made in the snow because every time the black cat was seen, unlucky things would happen to the poor little guy.  He didn’t have much food other than some old crumbs that tasted like a dirty boot. Everybody thinks that black cats are witches' pets. All the kitten wanted was to be sitting on a little girl's lap next to a warm, cozy fireplace, although the little kitten knew that would never happen. Just by thinking about being right by the snug, warm fireplace made the kitten feel like taking a nap, so he curled up,and fell asleep.

The voice

The nap was pretty peaceful until the kitten woke up hearing voices around him. And that voice was saying,“come if you want your curse to go away” the kitten thought that he was just hearing things. So he went back to taking a nap, but again he was awakened by the voices and this time they were louder. “Come if you want your curse to go away’’. The kitten wanted to know who was doing this and where these voices were coming from so he began to track them down.

Foolish wolves 

The kitten knew that he would have to stay out of sight,so he snuck out of his home making sure that he was not seen. Quietly, he hid behind trees, logs, benches, branches and rocks. On the way, the kitten met a giant wolf with his pack surrounding the kitten. The kitten needed to think of a plan and quick. Soon the kitten came up with an idea. He first climbed a tree and hopped on the leader wolf.  When all the other wolves were ready to pounce, the kitten quickly hopped off  the leader wolf, all the other wolves pounced on top of the leader while the kitten continued his journey. 

Giving up?

After all that the kitten started to get tired, he felt like giving up, so he laid down. Just before the kitten closed his eyes, he heard the voice again saying,  “are you sure you want to give up? I know you are supposed to get 16 to 20 hours of sleep a day, but would you rather sleep on a warm girls lap next to the cozy fireplace or the cold wet ground?’’ The kitten then thought what is more important, sleeping, or a fur-ever home?. The kitten chose to  sleep tonight and then continue his journey the next day. Plus, it was getting dark out.

 The cave 

 The next day he began his journey again, the voices led to a smelly, dirty cave with many pathways, since there were so many pathways, the kitten didn’t know which one to go down. Fortunately the voice said, ‘’ follow the brown path in till you reach the magical wizard”. The kitten looked for the brown path the voice had told him to look for. He looked around, he spotted many pathways, a red one,a green one then the brown one. Then he was on his way. The path was really rocky, dirty, and covered in other pollution, but the kitten didn’t mind. He would do anything to make his curse go away, the kitten began to walk down the filthy path till he reached the magical wizard.

The magical Wizard

When the kitten reached the wizard,he asked for his curse to go away but then the kitten realized that the wizard could never be able to understand what the kitten is saying, just as he thought that,the wizard then said,‘’ if you say so’’. The kitten felt relieved. Finally, the wizard pointed his magic wand at the sky, out of the wand came a bolt of magic, that went right to the sky! Just then a hurricane appeared on land! Before the kitten could even look up, a bolt of lightning struck down onto the kitten!!! Before he even knew it he was back at his home in the cold wet snow.

Did it work?

The kitten wanted to see if the curse was really gone so he looked around to see if anyone was around. There was no one but a little girl sitting on the bench, the kitten started heading towards her. The kitten meowed,the girl looked down and saw a black cat sitting by her and purring. The girl picked the cat up and hugged him and said ‘’ I’m going to name you Buddy!’’ The kind little girl brought Buddy into a warm house and kept him furr-ever.

One snowy cold day in Green Bay , kids were making snowmen and snow forts outside, there layed a kitten named Buddy on his fur-ever owner's lap next to the fireplace all warm and snug

        Once, there was a boy about eleven years old, much like you and me, his name was Kevin, he had dark brown spiky hair and brown eyes. And he is currently in a park searching for something more than his everyday life, and then something came across him. It was an old book from what he could tell he did not know who it belonged to, Kevin was afraid the book looked strange. He was brave enough to pick it up and then it sucked him in! But it was no ordinary book; it was a gateway to many more stories.  And for a second he saw someone else! It was one other boy with blond hair and blue eyes. Then he got pushed out and back to that dark creepy park. He picked up the book and ran back to his house but, when he got there he was in shock! 

        He had looked in his bag and the book had changed instead of looking super old it looked relatively new. It had a castle and a dragon and everything. Kevin decided to sit down and open the book again. When he did  it sucked him in again and he thought to himself “where am i? How is this possible?” Kevin said out loud to himself as He realized he was in front of a castle, the same one on the cover! He knew something was up, he stepped forward and then he froze there in front of him was the exact same boy he saw before! He could not believe his eyes “hello I’m Kevin” Kevin said. “I’m Jake,” said the boy, “he looked lost,” Kevin thought to himself. How did you get here? `` asked Jake, “i got here through this book” Kevin exclaimed, “it's confusing” “not at all” said Jake, “that’s how I got here, through this book” Jake showed Kevin his book. It looked exactly like Kevin’s book!

       Kevin and Jake were scared they didn’t know what to do. “It’s getting dark out” said Jake “we don't want to be out here at this time. Here I have a tent” Kevin thanked Jake for offering shelter as they fell asleep for the night. The next morning they woke up and Kevin asked, “hey Jake do you think we can see if anyone in that castle will help us?” “we can give it a shot.” Jake answered. As they walked to the castle gates they came across two guards “these are the guards of this castle” Jake whispered. “COOL!” Kevin whispered back. The guards said “hey what are you kids doing?” “Um… we are just looking for help to get out of here.” Explained Kevin, “well you can get out by walking out!” Said the guard. “You know what never mind let's get out of here.” Said Jake. As they walked away Kevin whispered “we're getting in another way right?” Jake winked back at Kevin. They looked at each other and laughed as they walked away. “We should probably get something to eat” said Jake 

“Yeah” Kevin agreed.

        Kevin was starving, he had not eaten in hours! Jake finally explained that you have to eat fish and catch the fish yourself. Kevin was okay with that as long as he gotta eat. Jake was the first person to catch a fish of course because he had been here for a while longer than Kevin, Kevin asked “why is my line not bobbing?” “Because it only does that when a fish is on the line”, Jake explained “hey! Looks like you got one!” Kevin pulled up the line and sure enough there was a fish on there. “I guess you're right,” Kevin said.  They set up a campfire near the tent and cooked the fish as they talked about how they were going to get in the castle, they were thinking things like tricking the guards or making a hole in the castle walls, but the best one was simply make a ladder out of the wood and tie the parts together with vines they were by a swamp after all. 

        So as they got to the building part, they were trying to figure out what to do once they actually got inside the castle like, where should they go to start asking around and stuff like that. So they were ready to enter the castle but they saw something  flying across the blue sky when Jake said, “we have to get out of here!” Kevin did not hesitate not for one second, they knew they were in danger. As they ran further into the woods they Heard something like people talking. They jumped in a bush and waited until they saw two figures walking down a dirt path, “hey!” Whispered Kevin, “They kind of look like the guards we saw earlier “Yeah i think you're right Kevin they do.” “Maybe there on break or something Jake wondered out loud to himself.” As they realized that if the guards weren’t at the castle they could get in!  So they ran out of the forest and the thing they saw earlier was nowhere to be seen so as they walked up to the castle they knew this would be their way home. 

       They walked into the castle and when they got in, they saw a man sitting on a wall. “You think he would know anyone who could help us?”  Kevin whispered, “it's worth a shot”  Jake replied. As they approached the man he jumped down from the wall and said, “  I  overheard you talking and, I know someone who may be able to help; follow me.”  So without saying a word the boys followed the strange man to a dark room and he said “he awaits…”  in side sat an old man long white beard and was wearing a cloak he did not look like someone that could help them but they just wanted to go home so they decided to trust he could help. “  You need to get back home? That's why you're here?”  Asked the man.  Yes”  Kevin said. The man said, “ you had the key all along.” 

Kevin and Jake looked at each other in confusion until they realized the key was in their hands the whole time. The very thing that brought them here could in fact take them home, “ take a look said the man” and they opened their books and inside was unexplainable. The book had taken the time here and put it into the book. Everything that had happened was in this book, the fishing, how they first met, and the thing they saw. When they flipped the page, it was being put in, to this very moment. “ how is this possible?” Kevin asked. 

     The man spoke up and said, “the only way to go back is by finishing the story”. “How do we do that?” Jake asked. “By slaying the dragon of course”. The man finished and walked out of the room.then it hit them the thing they saw in the sky was in fact the dragon! they ran through the castle and back out through the gates, after they got a breath Jake said, “the dragon flew north behind the castle” Jake remembered, “great thinking Jake!  The dragon must be there!”  They ran round the castle and waited and waited and waited there was no dragon to be seen!  It was getting late, so they decided to set up their camp for the night. They awoke to a heavy breathing outside the tent they knew they were not prepared for;  they looked around the tent for something to defend themselves with. Then Jake looked in one of their bags to see a sword “Kevin!  Said Jake, ``Do you think this would work?”  Where did you get that?!” asked Kevin in confusion. “It doesn't matter,”  Kevin said quickly. Kevin grabbed the sword and reached for the zipper to open the tent, and the dragon ripped through the tent!  

        They ran out the back of the tent and  now that Kevin has the sword he stands a chance of defeating the dragon so he swung the sword and it clashed with the dragon's head but, it didn’t seem to do much except make the dragon angry. So there Kevin was fighting the dragon, not really the thing most people do at age eleven. “Maybe it has a weak spot,”  Jake suggested. “I would not be in this situation if I hadn’t picked up the book” Kevin thought. “I'll find its weak spot,'' Kevin said. As he ran around the beast he realized a cut on its head where he had hit it before. He swung the sword again and it hit with a clash! And this time knowing where to swing it, and the second he hit the dragon he realized he was no longer by a castle but, he was at his house! In the exact same spot he left. He was home! Kevin was filled with excitement. He turned to tell Jake but he was not there! It seemed that Jake was back where he went into the book the same as himself. He would forever Cary on the story of how he traveled inside a book.

   

By Kayden Pugh 

PLAYING IN THE SNOW

By: Jordan Guilette

Once upon a time I was walking my dog and the winds were harsh, my blue and gray shirt was blowing and my blonde hair was too, birds were chirping, the sun was going down, and wolves were howling, the deer leaping through the fields. In the year 2000 I lived in Mexico, it is so tropical and there’s so much wildlife. Then I picked up a really cool crystal/gem and threw it and all of a sudden a portal opened up so I got closer and it sucked me and my dog in. We fell out into this really hot world, I tried to drink my water but all of it evaporated. Then two big chipmunks picked us up, one had a blue sweatshirt with glasses  and the other one had a green sweatshirt and they had tasers with sharp sticks. We didn’t have these taser things back in my country. After they cornered us they took us to jail.

     “Don’t bother us again,” they said. We were stuck so I sat down and the ground was wet and sticky. It also had markings on the wall with broken pieces of iron bar. I sat down again and felt a stick and paper? It was a wand and paper with spells on it! So I asked Riley, my dog, if he could get us out of here?

He said “yes.”

  I said “Ok what can you do? Wait, did you just respond?”

“Ya I did.” 

     “Oh my god I can talk  to animals!”

    “Alright, show off, let’s get out of here” Riley says. 

“Ok, wait, how?” I say. 

     “I lasered the wall with my eyes.” Riley says. 

“Oh, nice. Alright so, that’s another oversized chipmunk, he’s like half the size of me.”And he’s wearing a red sweatshirt with a big “A” on it and a big golden crown.” I say. “Ok I’m gonna practice some spells.” 

     “Ok I’ll keep a lookout, hey that’s the rock that sucked us in here we’re gonna have to get it somehow.” Says Riley. 

     “I’ll try one of my spells. Acrfrezzel! 

     Haha look there slipping we have to get it, dog fetch.” I say. “I got it!” Riley says in a muffled voice.

“Here let me throw it.” I say. “No!”

     “Let it go, I’m gonna bite you.” Riley says. Haaammmpmm

“Owe! Bad dog, get off! Rick,Johnny,Larry get them!” The king blurts out in an accent.

     “Yes boss.” The guards say in a low pitched voice.    

“Hey let go, amethriumslip!” I say quietly  so the other guards don’t hear.

     “Ya alright let’s go get the rock from the chipmunk king, gosh I hate chipmunks.” Riley whispers. “Ok he took it into his safe. I’ll use my super speed then you strike it with lightning and I’ll get the rock.” 

     “Ok ready arclight! Boom!” 

“Oh and I’m back, here I’ll throw it down this time.” Riley says excitedly. 

     “Oue mate, this might be a fake, look he’s throwing it down right now. Look. AhcreCome!” I say. “Alright it’s coming. It’s too high, use your jumping powers.” I Lell. “Wooof,” Riley says. “Ha, yes you did it.” I shout. “I’m gonna do a spell on them, ahcreeddogeforeverr!” Ever ever ever ever ever ever.

     “Ya, alright let's get back home.” “Alright here we go, I will throw the rock down and we walk into the portal and fall out.”

“Fhhh... ahhh” I sniff “good to be back home eh.”

“Yeah.” Riley says. 

 “Oue mate, there you guys are, where were you anyway?”my friend says in a confused voice. 

  “Oh nothing it's a long story,” I say laughing. “Hey do you see that it's a whole pile of rocks. Well I really hope that it's not portal rocks! Eh.” I say nervous “And hey Chicken nuggets,” I say hungry. 

“Ok, crazy news this might sound weird but Jordan and Riley are step brothers.” My dad says kinda happy. “Me and Riley stare at each other with a smile on our faces. After dinner Riley and I start to think of more adventures to stop animals from doing bad stuff. So we both agreed to check out the ocean next. After eating, we went to the ocean. We hopped in and looked for trouble.

 It was December 5th me and my family were putting up our Christmas tree like a normal family would do. After my dad was done putting the Christmas tree up, My mom told me, “Kylah, go grab the rest of the Christmas decorations for the tree. they are in the basement”

  I told my mom “ ok mom.”    

   I  went downstairs to go get them. When I was in the basement looking around for the decorations, I saw this box that I have never seen before. I said to myself “ This is strange. I have never seen this box before and I always come to this part of the basement.”

The box

I walked up to the cardboard box to see what was in it. as I bent down to see what was in it. I fell into the box!! And I really don’t know what happened. All I remember is waking up to a big thing of toys and presents. I was so confused as I was itching my head. I said to myself, “Where am I and why does my head hurt so bad.” 

                                             

 I lifted myself up and you will not believe what I saw. It was THE NORTH POLE!! I saw elves running around. I also saw elves making toys and wrapping gifts and the thing I was most shocked about is that I saw the one and only  SANTA!! I almost screamed but I didn't. I kept my cool,  and I slowly climbed down the thing of toys and presents.               

The North Pole           

When I got down for the thing of toys I looked up and you will never believe who was standing above me when I got down ….!! It was… SANTA THE ONE AND ONLY SANTA!! I almost fainted when I saw him. I said very nervously, “Hi Santa.”    

Santa said very madly, “ WHAT ARE YOU

DOING HERE?”

 “I’m sorry!” I yelled.

“But you can’t just show up like that,” he added, “and how did you get here?” 

I nervously replied, “ I’m sorry I don’t know how I got here but I will tell you everything .” 

I told him trying to hold back my tears

I went in the basement to get some more Christmas decorations and I saw this box that I had never seen in my life, so I went over to  see what was in it,when I bent down to see what was in it and I don’t remember what happened. And when I woke up I was up there in a big box of gifts.  Santa told me, “It's going to be ok, I'm sorry for getting upset. I thought you were trying to....” “never mind.”

“ I thought to myself…I wonder what he was going to say?.....”                                                                                                                        

                     

The way home… 

I followed Santa to his room so we could get me some warm clothes for the trip back to my house. he told me to sit here and wait while he went to ask Mrs clause to get me some warm clothes that fit . I waited in Santa’s room its the room where he writes the naughty and nice list there was a little warm chair next to a fire place the chair next to the fire place was the chair I was sitting in, when Santa came back he had some nice winter clothes in his hand he told 

“Go put these on and after i will let you meet some of the elves and eat before we leave to make up for yelling earlier “ 

I said back to Santa “ thanks so much !” 

After I put on the winter clothes went to the elves break room and I got to meet some of the elves one was very mean her was tired so I understand his name was John I got to meet a very nice elf she was my FAVORITE her name was kristy and she had shared her candy with me and told me if I ever came back here that she would show me around the hole North Pole! After I was done meeting the elves  Santa had to me to tree dinner room were mrs clause was setting the table she ran over to me and said 

“Hey kylah !I  am so happy to meet you please take a seat and eat whatever you like “  I said very excited 

“ Thanks so much ! Mrs claus!” 

When dinner was all done and by the way it was the best CHRISTMAS DINNER EVER !!, but good things come to an end. Was time to go home santa told me “ I’m going to miss you my friend” 

I replied “ I’m going to miss you to Santa! “ 

We got up and Santa sleigh and …… I just remembered waking up in my bed and my mom calling me down for breakfast. I said to myself “ was it all a dream ??” When I turned over I saw a note it was from santa it said ,

 Dear kylah I had a great time with you again. I am sorry I yelled I thought youwere one of the bad elves pretending to be a human it's a long story. I just wanted to say that you are loved and have a great Christmas !

Santa. 

I jumped out of my bed and said “ it was not a dream !” I “Heard my mom say come down for breakfast!!!!!!!”

I told my mom” I’m coming!” And went down stairs and at the table my mom asked “ how was your sleep” I said back to her “AMAZING! 

                               By: Jackson spellman

Chapter 1: The Snake

Once upon a time, in a land 3 miles away from my house, my cousin found a snake from the garage. He touched it, but when I tried to, SNAP!!! It bit my finger really hard. It wouldn’t let go so I had to rip my finger out. It hurt really bad. My mom got a bandage and said to 

hang in there. After 2 hours, we went home. I went to bed 30 minutes early, but when I woke up, I started to twist and shuffle. I told my mom that something was wrong, but she just said I was “hungry.” But when she started making pancakes, I couldn’t even smell. The pancakes were ready and I licked my lips and I smelled pancakes!!! My mom put the plate in front of me, but she said, “You look a little black. What happened to you?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“We should get you to a doctor and see what's going on.” 

“OK.” I said.

Chapter 2: Shocking News

When we got to the doctor, I was as black as a thousand midnights. As we got to the doctor’s room he took a look at my finger.  “Can you please stop bending your arm. It is getting hard for me to look at it.”

“I’m not moving one bit. I swear.” 

“Hmmm, that’s strange. Your arm is not moving, it’s shrinking!!!” The doctor said. He hurries up before my arm is gone, but he makes it. 

“There seems to be some weird venom in his finger.” But 13 seconds later, I fall to the ground as a snake. A giant black snake. My mom shrieked and the doctor screamed. I can’t move. Suddenly I remembered something from that morning,

“twist and shuffle.”

 I tried to shuffle, but that didn’t work. So I twisted around. I was gliding across the room out the door. (Only because I was a snake and people hate snakes.) I got in the car with my mom right behind me and we were off. 

Chapter 3:The Chase

I think the doctor told a scientist about me because when we were on the highway, a scientist popped his head out the window and said “Pull over! We need that snake!!!” 

“No way!”

My mom said. She sped up, A LOT. We were probably going too fast because a cop started chasing us. Now my mom was really stressed, so when we got home, she locked all doors and closed all blinds and hid in the basement. We heard pounding on the doors then I got an idea. I went up the stairs and stared at them, they freaked out and left. But suddenly I got another idea, I told it to my mom and we headed back to my cousins house.

Chapter 4:The Resolution

                                                         

We looked in the garage and saw the same snake that bit me. I went by it and sure enough it bit me again. Then my arms were growing back and I could speak again. 3 minutes later I was back to normal. I looked at the snake, and he was slithering away.

“Bye weirdo!!!” I said. We went home and everything was back to normal. I went to bed at 9:00 PM but at 12:28 PM I heard something 

“sssssssssss” SNAP!!! 10:42 AM my mom comes to check on me. I get out of bed looking a little   black. “Are you ok?” Said my mom. “I don’t know,” I answered her, But little did I know something was terribly wrong.

  The magical snake 2 coming soon!!!

Read it if you like…

Danger!!!☠️💀☠️

Suspense!!!🤔😯😧

and lots of laughs!!!😅😂🤣

                     By:Jackson Spellman

“Oh my gosh Jackson! I thought that snake bit you and turned you back!!!” Said my mom. I thought hard and considered, and then was able to talk. 

“I thought I heard a hissing last night and I felt a little pain in my shoulder after that.” 

“Well I thought we locked it in the garage, did we?” Said my mom

“That’s what I remember.” I said. 

“So should we go back to the doctor and see the venom he got?” 

“Yes, let’s go!” 

Chapter 2: the laboratory

25 minutes later we got to the doctor. “How may I…” 

“Wait, you're the person with the snake!!!”

“Security, come quick, it’s what you’ve been looking for.” They lock me up in a van and take me away. 3 hours later We are in this weird area that I do not recognise, 

“ Why aren’t we by a F.B.I station or something?” I ask 

“ no no no, we are heading to the science lab.”   “Why are you taking me there?!?” I ask. “ we are going to do research on the venom of the snake that bit you.” “So get ready, because we are here!” 

Chapter 3: the escape

We were in the lab, and I saw a ton of other animals in there. They put me next to a dog with laser eyes. He could speak too.

“The only reason I’m here is because I shot a squirrel with my laser eyes.” Said the dog. 

“I just want to get out of here!!!!” He said. 

“I could get you out,” I said. I looked at the scientist and sprayed venom at his eyes. 

“OUCH!!!!!!!!!” He was bouncing off the walls and hit the button that unchains the animals, they ran out the door and went to the woods. Except the dog, he started chasing a squirrel. I start to head home, but on the way I see my moms car, she sees me so I get in. 

“Where have you been?”

“At the lab.” I say back. 

“We should get you home, I caught that snake.” “Ok lets go!!!”

Chapter 4: the resolution

We headed home and the snake was in a jar in my room. 

“You know the only reason that I bite you was because I am lonely.” 

“You know there’s millions of snakes in their garage, right?” 

“Yes I know. They just don’t like me.” “Follow me I’ve got an idea.” I said. 

1 hour later...

“It's perfect!!!” “Now I will fit in!” He said excitedly. We go back to my cousin's garage and he shows everybody his new look. “Hi guys, like my new look?” 

“It suits you.” Said a snake looking at his bright new colour. 

“Its my favourite colour!” Said another snake. 

“yup, mine too!” Said another. “I knew you guys liked green!” “Thank you for the new look, here I’ll undo the bite. Come here.” Said the snake. SNAP!!! I turn back into a human. 

“Well, guess we should go home.” My mom said. As we went home, I started to think about what happened today. Was the snake going to make friends? Is he going to bite me again? Was that dog going to catch the squirrel? I guess I might not know but I do know that the odds of it happening again...

Is tomorrow.

    The end.

        

By Spencer.Doepke

Once upon a time there was a man named John. He wanted to do magic because magic was powerful. To do magic you need a magic staff. The only way he can get a magic staff is if he found the magic land of Recia. 

John lived in a small cabin in the forest. One day John found a lake and he saw the portal to the magical land named Recia. He swam to the bottom of the lake. John goes into the portal to the magic  land of Recia. 

He was surprised to see the new land.  This land looked like the grass was green and the mountains were tall.  The forests made no sounds.  That was strange, John said.  He sees a bunch of magic creatures. Some of the creatures John sees are a hydra eagle, a snake that has a front and back as a head, a griffon and more. John runs into the forest because the animals look very dangerous. 

In the forest he sees a village that is full of wizards. In the village he sees little huts where the wizards live. He sees a fire and tiki torches surrounding the huts. He is shocked and the wizards are trying to get rid of him. The wizards are sending animals after John to get rid of him because they do not want John in the magic land of Recia. The animals try to get John and take him back to the portal to get him out of their land. 

While John is running he trips over a magical staff. John can use this staff to do magic. Now John wants to get out of the magical land because he has a magic staff. The animals are still trying to catch him and get rid of John but John wants to get out but it will be more difficult because needs to go towards the animals. Since he has the magic staff it can make it a bit easier to get home but he does not know how to use it. He is a beginner wizard. This is the lowest level you could be. 

John tries to do an easy spell that is lifting objects and he succeeds. John does not know many spells, he does not know which ones are for him because he is not a very powerful wizard. John needs an invisibility spell but that is an advanced wizard spell. John needs to become an advanced wizard. John needs a staff advancement which is a scroll that turns a beginners magic staff into an advanced wizards magic staff. 

As John is running he finds a map on the ground. John looks at the top of the map and he sees that it reads where to find a staff advancement and it shows that he needs to go to the volcano. John does not know where he is on the map. John also sees on the map that there is another wizards village and he needs to go there because that is where the beginning is. In order to get to the beginning John needs to remember something he saw and that is on the map so he can get to the village and then get to the end of the map. John remembers that he tripped over an axe and a axe is on the map. Now John needs to go back to the axe so he can find his way to the village. 

John finds his way back to the axe, then he looks at the map and figures out which way the wizards village is and starts going to it. He gets to the village and he is careful because he does not know if the wizards are going to attack him. Looking at the map he figures out which ways to go quickly and starts heading towards the volcano. 

On the way to the volcano John runs into a very dangerous animal, it was a lightning dragon. The lightning dragon is the one kind of dragon that is hunting John to get him out of Recia. The wizards that John saw before are storm wizards and they have lightning dragons. John gets past the lightning Dragon and continues heading towards the volcano. John fines a land Marker so he knows he is going the right way. 

John arrives at the volcano and he quickly gets to the top. At the top John sees the staff advancement. John quickly gets it because he is afraid of a trap being triggered. He uses the staff advancement to make his beginners staff into an advanced staff. Now John tries to do the invisibility spell, he succeeds. He now needs to head back to the portal. Now that he has the invisibility spell when he sees an animal he can make himself invisible and get past them quickly. 

John passes the final animals and gets into the portal and goes back to the normal world. 

By Dallas Chojnacki

One winter morning, I woke up and got ready for school. I was still thinking about the trip to Florida my family was planning that day. We were going to see my grandma and my great grandma. I was so excited!

Later that afternoon, my mom picked me up from school and went back home to grab all of our luggage. We put all of our luggage in the back of the car and then we drove to the airport. We waited for the plane forever. I was so happy when we finally boarded the plane. It was a pretty long flight. 

As the plane was landing, something crazy started to  happen. We heard a loud banging noise that shook the plane. Then I looked out the window and saw a huge volcano erupting! When we got off the plane, there were dragons flying and knights wearing armor, and more volcanoes in the distance. I knew at that moment we were definitely not in Florida. It looked like it was 1 million years ago!  The knights and dragons were in a battle, and our plane landed right in the middle of it! We ran back to the plane to try and escape, but a big ball of fire hit our plane on the side and discenegrated right in front of us!!!!. Some of us survived but some didn’t.  We were far away from the volcano so there was one of the pilots still alive so he told us what to do. He told us that we have to get far away from the dangerous dragons and volcanoes and knights.

We ran as fast as we could towards the forest. A young looking knight with a silver shield came towards us on a horse. He told us to follow him. “The forest is safe, he said.” As we followed him, I looked at the orange sky. The sun was going down. That made me nervous about what would happen when it was pitch black. 

The knight took us to a castle on the other side of the woods. He told us that his name was John, and that he’d been a dragon slayer for his whole life. We reached the castle, and it was huge. It had big windows and there was a drawbridge for us to cross. 

We entered the castle and met the King and Queen. They greeted us and said “Please join us for dinner.” After dinner we all went into our rooms. I was getting ready for bed and someone knocked on the door. It was the king. He wanted to talk to me. So I followed him into this library where I saw the Queen.  He asked me to sit down and said that he had a plan on how to stop the dragons. He said that the dragons love fish, and he knew of a magical fish from the river that would put them to sleep.

We started on our journey the next morning.  The king, John, and myself went to the forest where the magical fish is. We had to take a map so we wouldn’t get lost. Then we FINALLY found the river and searched for the magical fish. John found a school of the fish, and trapped them in his large net. We went back to the castle to find the dragon king. The Queen was happy. She said “We're putting the dragons back we’re they came from.” And I said ’’I hope this works. I want to go home!” When we put down the magical fish on this beach and suddenly the dragons came and they started to eat it. One second later, they fell asleep. And the king told every knight in the town to help put them in these large cages and take them to a different island where they could live. 

The king thanked me for helping, and made me an honorary knight! I reappeared back at the airport and my family said what happened.Then we grabbed our luggage and waited for my grandma to pick us up after the first week everything was back to normal. And we have to leave my grandma and my great grandma to go back when we got on plan and waited for the plan to take off. Five minutes later we took off and heden back home. It took six hours to get back home. When we got home we were all tired and all of us went to sleep. 


THE END

                                           

          By:Evan

   

I was heading outside to go fishing. I fished for a long time. I was just about to head inside my cabin.  But then I got a bite!

“Wow that is a big fish I Said.”but when I unhooked the fish it started levitating above my head.  I got so scared I ran away as fast as a cheetah but then it started to call my name 

”Evan,Evan,Evan come here it Said.” so I went over there and  the fish pushed me right into the water and I started to breathe underwater. then  I  was transformed into a fish. After that the  fish jumped in right after me. 

“You pushed me underwater,'' Said Evan.” 

“yeah so. you’re a fish you can breathe Said the fish I  should probably introduce myself. My name is the great walleye or you could just call me walleye,” The fish Said.

“So you're telling me that you pushed me underwater, and you turned me into a fish and you can talk,” Said Evan.”

“you’re missing something,” Said Walleye .

“What?” Said Evan.

“Oh look in front of you!”  Said walleye.

“I don’t see anything but coral  and seaweed,'' Said Evan.

“Look ahead of that.” Said walleye.

“What is that?'' Said Evan.” 

“That is our undersea palace.” Said walleye.

“ You have an undersea palace,'' Said Evan.

“Yeah and I run it.” Said walleye.

“Well that’s cool, But why did you push me underwater?'' Said Evan.

“because I needed your help.” Said walleye.

 “Running the  palace I’m up for it.” Said Evan.

“What? Who told you that? “Said walleye.

 “I thought you were going to,'' Said Evan.

 “Well I wasn’t,” Said walleye.

 “Then what do you need my help with,'' Said Evan.

“What I need from you is for you to help me defeat the evil fish empire,” Said walleye.

“There isn’t an evil fish empire,'' Said Evan.

“Yes there is,” Said walleye.

 “No, there isn't,'' Said Evan.

“Yes there is!” Said walleye.

 “No, there isn't,'' Said Evan.

 “Yes there is,” Said walleye.

 “Well then prove it ,”Said Evan.

 “Then I will if you want to get close to the palace,” Said walleye.

 “Well then  go on show me,'' Said Evan.

“First we need to get you some powers.” Said walleye.

“Fish don’t have powers,” Said Evan.

“Yes, and the person that gives them out is gulper,” Said walleye.

“Who’s that?”  Said Evan.

“Why don’t you ask him?” Said walleye.

 “It’s not like he’s right behind me.” Said Evan.

“What if he is?” Said walleye.

“ He's right behind me isn't he?” Said Evan.

“Yeah what are you waiting for? ask him for your powers,” Said walleye.

“Okay, can I have some powers?” Said Evan.

 “First you will have to beat my trial ,” Said gulper.

“What do I have to do? “Said Evan .

“ You have to beat a squirrel  in combat!”  Said gulper.

“That’s easy,” Said Evan.

“I wasn’t done with my sentence! “Said gulper!

“I'm surprised that fish know what sentences are.” Evan muttered.

“I heard that,” Said gulper.

“Well that’s good you don’t need hearing aids,” Said Evan.

“Back to my sentence,the squirrel also has magical  powers,” Said Gulper.

Well that’s unfair how am I supposed to beat a magical squirrel in combat ?” Said Evan.

 “You’ll figure it out, Here's a peanut ,” Said Gulper.

“For what ?” Said Evan.

“The squirrel of course,” Said Gulper.

“Wait! what squirrel ?” Said Evan.

“that one,” Said gulper.

“Oh no!” Said Evan.

“Oh hi squirrel, can we be friends? “ Said Evan.

“Yeah, sure if you give me that peanut. “Said the squirrel.

“Ok here you go” Said Evan.

“What are they? “ said Evan.

“One of them is  you have to get one billion points in a pinball game and I can’t tell you the other one.'' Said gulper.

“How do you know what pinball is?” Said Evan.

“But how do you know about it?” Said Evan.

“Okay chill dude,” Said Evan.

“Okay let’s go, where is it?” Said Evan.

“I’m going to beat your score,” Said Evan.

“No you didn’t,” Said Evan.

“Okay, here we go into pinball ,” Said Gulper.

“Let’s do it,” Said Evan.

“Come on in,” Said Gulper.

But what he didn’t know was that I knew how to get 100,000,000,000,000,000 in 5 seconds.

“3 2 1 go!”  Said Gulper.

Evan ran all the way to the back to the control center and he found a keypad he typed in a bunch of numbers and a bunch of numbers and in 5 seconds he scored 100,000,000,000,000,000

And he was out of there.

“Did you cheat ?”Said Gulper.

“Huh no” Said Evan.

“Well then on to the third challenge,”  Said gulper.

“What is it? “Said Evan.

“Follow me and I will show you,” Said Gulper.

“Okay,” Said Evan.

I followed him up into a dim cavern with blood dripping down from the walls with carvings scattered along the cave saying help and then he kicked me right into a cage and he changed into the evil fish emperor. 

“Huh, how did you do that? “ Said Evan.

“You really thought you could get away with getting your powers. I saw that coming from 3 miles away,” Said the Emperor.

“Then where's the gulper ?” Said Evan.

“Oh he’s right where he’s supposed to be  locked up in a cage,” Said the emperor.

“Where’s walleye?” Said Evan.

“Where do you think he is? “ Said the emperor.

“Locked up in a cage where he’s supposed to be,” Said Evan.

“Yes, he’s right here with you too and guess what will happen to you in 1 minute?”  Said the emperor.

“What?” Said Evan.

“You will be tortured by my new torture master 3000” Said the Emperor. 

“Hey gulper what powers did I get?” Said Evan.

“You can teleport, unlock anything, move things with your mind and you can summon a lightsaber out of the sky,” Said Gulper.

“Awesome Watch this,” Said Evan.

Click click click! The doors to the cages unlatched. 

“Whoa that’s amazing” Said walleye.

“Let’s get out of here.” Said Evan.

So they ran and they ran until they were at the deepest part of the lake.

“This is the deep end” Said Gulper and walleye.

“This is where some of the most dangerous creatures lurk” Said walleye.

“Like what” Said Evan.

“Snappy the snapping turtle mr.piranha the piranha 

And spike the northern pike” Said walleye.

“Don’t forget about the emperor” Said Gulper.

“Yep he’s the one who broke out” Finished walleye.

“I have one question: how did he break out?” Said Evan?

“It was a Monday I was in my room sleeping when I heard a  big BOOM

And there he was, the emperor had risen from the deep end he took tons upon tons of dynamite and he had a whole army of fish with him he had every single bad guy with him me and the royal guards were able to catch a few of the bad guys but the emperor escaped from our grasp but when he was escaping he dropped something it was a note it said: if left was right and right was left where is my hideout and that was the end” Said walleye. 

“Can I see that note please” Said Evan.

“Sure here.” Said walleye.

“Thank you he left a compass on the note so if right and left were opposite it would mean that west is east and east is west and there is an arrow pointing west so we should go east to find his hideout” Said Evan.

“Okay let’s go already!” Said Gulper and walleye together.

“This way” Said Evan.

Three hours later they finally found the entrance to the emperor's secret base. It was right next to them the whole time and they were also running in circles for three hours straight.

“They finally found my secret base but what they don’t know is that it’s a trap and I’ll be watching the whole thing” Said the emperor.

“Hey walleye, do you think this is just a trap” Said Evan.

“Yeah it probably is.”Said walleye.

“But let’s go anyway Said Evan.

The next thing they knew they were prisoners in the emperor's prison. 

“Hey walleye gulper, guess we were right on the trap and My escape plan will come in good use,.”Said Evan.

“Wait what escape plan.” Said Gulper?

“Yeah.”  Said walleye.

“Wait a second, I can unlock any door or anything.” Said Evan.

“Ok let’s open the door Said Evan.”

Evan opened the door and he was left in a room with blood dripping down from the walls just like in gulpers cave and there was the emperor standing there waiting for me and then he leaped towards me with his mighty sword 

“You're going down!”  Said the emperor.

With his sword slashing I pulled out my lightsaber and  one second later the emperor was gone and right then and there was a rumbling sound the whole thing was going to collapse!

“Run.”screamed Evan

They ran until they reached the exit but then a whole pillar collapsed on gulper and walleye.”

“No come on please.”Said Evan

“Leave us.”Said walleye

“No.” Said Evan

“No I won’t let you die.” Said Evan 

“Go Now. Said walleye 

“Ok but I will never forget you.” Said Evan

So I ran and I ran until my feet were bloody with blisters.

I ran until I reached my cabin and I turned human again but I saw a shiny red scale like one that the emperor had and it started to change me back to a fish but it was different it felt different.

 

                                               

By: Chelsea Ricciardelli

Chapter 1

9:00am

An unexpected meet

The day of Christmas Eve had just started and a young girl was excited with beautiful snowflakes falling all over . Little did she know her grandma was coming for a visit and for some reason she had never met her grandma. The girl's name was Ella and she was kind, curious, and had a big imagination. So how about we start the story now. Ding dong! “I’ll get it mom,” said Ella.

When Ella opened the door there was an old lady with a cane. She had never seen this woman before and Ella felt uneasy. “Dad, mom can you come down here?”said Ella.

Ella’s dad came down. “ Ella what have I told you if you are going…” Ella’s dad stopped talking to see the woman. 

“Oh there’s my Billy boy come give me a hug!”  the woman cried. 

“Dad what is going on, have you and mom been hiding something from me?” Ella said.

“Ella say hi to your grandma Belle.” whispered Bill or Ella’s dad. 

“So this is my granddaughter Ella, well she is as cute as a chipmunk!”  Grandma Belle Squealed. 

“So what is going… Oh.” said Ella’s mom.

“Oh and here comes Izzy it is so nice to see you again!”  said Grandma Belle.

“Wait your name is Izzy mom, why did you never tell me?” Ella laughed.

“Because of what you are doing right now so stop it.” Scowled Izzy or Ella’s mom.

“How about you come in grandma it is cold outside since we live in Wisconsin.” said Ella. Ella looked at her parents and they still looked shocked. She didn’t know why it was weird and she had never seen her grandma Belle. Ella just thought that her other grandma was dead or lived very far away and was mad at her dad. She had asked her parents many times what happened to Bill’s mom but all they would say was “That's a story for another time.” 

Now Ella was determined to find out what happened to her grandma Belle.

Chapter 2

10:00am

Recipes

When Ella let her grandma Belle into the house Ella could see her dad whispering to grandma Belle. Ella was still wondering why she had never met her grandma Belle. So Ella listened to her dad talk to her grandma. “Mom please don’t use any magic, how about you make some I don’t know cookies maybe.” whispered Bill. 

“Oh that sounds like a great idea but where is Ella? Ella, where are you because you and I are going to make cookies!” declared Grandma Belle. This was the perfect chance for Ella to find out something about grandma Belle. But also Ella could not believe that her grandma had magic. Ella remembered that there is magic like magic tricks the things magicians do. Bill knew that Ella hated magicians since they don’t do magic in fantasy books. Ella loves fantasy books. Meanwhile Ella thought of a plan. “I’m coming and I think making cookies is a great idea but could it just be me and Grandma Belle dad?” said Ella.

“Sure Ella you should get to know your grandma a little more.”said Bill.

“A little I don’t know anything about grandma Belle but thanks dad.” Ella said.

“Ok can you get me out the flower,sugar,and measuring cups Ella darling?” said Grandma Belle

“Sure thing grandma I will also get out the cookie pan.”said Ella.

“Thank you Ella.” said Grandma Belle.

 Once Ella and grandma Belle made the cookies Ella noticed that on the recipe there was a secret ingredient. 

“Hey grandma there is one last ingredient and I couldn’t help but notice that it's a secret ingredient.” Ella claimed. 

“What about it sweety do you not want it in there?” Grandma Belle said.

“No I want it in there but what is the secret ingredient grandma?” said Ella.

“ Darling when I have a secret ingredient I like to keep it a secret and don’t worry it is not gross.” said Grandma Belle.

“Sorry grandma and I’m happy that it is not something gross.”said Ella.

“Good now could you go in the living room so I can put in the secret ingredient please.” said Grandma Belle.

“Sure thing grandma and I’ll keep mom and dad away too.” said Ella.

“Thank you Ella.” said Grandma Belle.

Chapter 3

11:00am

What if cookies

Ding! “Yay the cookies are ready!” Ella said in a joyful mood. Ella was so excited her grandma was here with her and she felt normal. When Ella didn’t know that she had grandma Belle as a grandma too she always wanted to know what happened. Every kid she knew had two grandmas so Ella didn’t feel normal. Knowing that grandma Belle was in Ella’s home Ella wanted to never lose touch with her. 

“Ella darling do you want to do the taste testing?” Grandma Belle said.

“YES! thanks grandma Belle.” Ella said. The cookie grandma Belle gave to Ella was a little different from the other cookies. Ella didn’t know why but it just felt like that to her. Ella took a big bite of the cookie to get a good taste.

“Wow these cookies are amazing mom and dad need to try them!” Ella said.

“How about you go and get them to try the cookies.”  Grandma Belle said.

Ella ran up the stairs as fast as she could with two cookies in her hand. 

“Mom,dad you NEED to try these cookies that grandma and I made!” Ella said.

“Ok dad and I will try one.” Izzy said. Ella’s mom and dad took a bite and their whole face brightened up.

“Wow I can’t believe that I forgot how good mom’s cookies are.” Bill said.

Ella and Ella’s mom and dad all went back downstairs into the kitchen. Ella wanted to know what the cookies were called since she helped make them.

“Hey grandma what are these cookies called I’m just wondering.” Ella said.

“These delicious cookies are called what if cookies.” Grandma Belle said. Bill and Izzy had a shocked face on them and Ella saw it. Ella didn’t want grandma Belle to go so before her parents spoke to her Ella did.

“Hey grandma why are these cookies called what if cookies?” Ella said. Ella was hoping this would make her parents think differently.

“Well Ella when I was your age I would make these cookies with my mom and whenever we would make them something would happen,”  Grandma Belle said,”It could be we forgot to put it in the oven or we forgot to put in an ingredient.”  Ella could see relief in her parents so her plan worked. But she still didn’t know why her mom and dad were jumpy around grandma Belle. 

“Bill, Izzy could I talk in private with Ella?” Grandma Belle said. 

Ella’s parents looked at each other not knowing what to say. 

“Ok but don’t say something you shouldn’t say.”Bill said.

“Don’t worry my Billy boy don’t worry.” Grandma Belle said.

Chapter 4

12:00pm

Magic

“Why do you want to talk with me in private grandma?” Ella said. Ella found it interesting that her grandma wanted to talk with her in private right after they had cookies.

“Well Ella have you ever wanted magic? The magic you will find in fantasy books.” Grandma Belle said.

“YES! I have always wanted magic ever…” Ella paused. She was having so many emotions at the same time. Ella thought this had to do with something about not knowing who grandma Belle was until today.

“You see here Ella when I put in the secret ingredient I put in magic. The magic people think is fake. I only put that on the cookie you ate.”  Grandma Belle said. Ella was speechless. She “almost thought it was fake, imagination, or herself dreaming.

“Grandma am I dreaming?” Ella said.

“How about you try pinching yourself, you can’t feel pain in a dream.” Grandma Belle said.

Ella wanted to do it but what if it was a dream she wanted to have magic so badly. Also if it was a dream she wouldn’t get to see grandma Belle again. But since Ella loved grandma Belle she listened.

“OW! That hurt but this means this is not a dream! YES!!!” Ella said.

“So do you want to know how to use your new magic abilities Ella .” Grandma Belle said.

“ Of course I do grandma! So what magic do I have? Is it me flying or can I turn invisible?! TELL ME GRANDMA PLEASE!!!” Ella said.

“Well Ella darling it is anything you want it to be.” Grandma Belle said.

“Huh? I don’t get it grandma.” Ella said.

Ella was very confused; she didn’t know what she ment while they were talking on the couch.

“You see here Ella the real reason I call them what if cookies is because if you say what if and then what ever power you want you will get by saying it. I’m very sorry I had to lie to you but your parents can not find out.” Grandma Belle said.

But little did they know that Bill and Izzy were listening to Ella and grandma Belle’s conversation.                            

“MOM HOW COULD YOU!!!!!!!!!” Bill yelled.

“Well I don’t know why but you should not talk back to me like this.” Grandma Belle said.

“MOM I specifically told you not to give Ella MAGIC but you did it anyway!” Bill claimed.

Ella couldn’t stand seeing grandma Belle and her dad fighting. So Ella snecked away and was going to go to her room. But all of a sudden THUD ,BANG a big purple cloud of smoke came and circled around the house and you could hear a faint… evil… laugh.

Chapter 5

1:00pm

Old spirit

Ella heard the banging noise and went back downstairs to take a peek but she did it behind a wall so her parents couldn’t see her. Ella watched carefully and quietly and Ella saw the purple smoke wrapping around her parents and grandma Belle. Ella couldn’t believe her eyes. She wanted to help them but her parents would maybe want her to stay back.

“Ha! Belle Hayes did you really think you could get away with making magic again. You can not do magic on planet Earth.” an old, mysterious voice said. 

Ella got more scared by the second and it made her want to cry.

“What do you want Ikol because the last time I saw you I never heard anything about say no magic on Earth.” Grandma Belle said.

“What! I said to you that you could not do that and you ignored me. That is why I did the big entrance so you would know I was there.” Ikol the old spirit said.

“Did you forget that I can’t see you when you're invisible?” Grandma Belle asked.

“Oh right I totally did not forget about that.” Ikol said.

But grandma Belle knew that he was lying to her.

“Well know it's time for the punishment Belle and I’m going to take these two people as well.” Ikol claimed.

Chapter 6

1:30pm

Other places

Ikol still had the smoke around grandma Belle and Ella‘s parents. But all of a sudden Ella saw a portal appear by Ikol and he went in it. Ella ran as fast as a cheetah so she could get to the portal before it closed to go where grandma Belle was. Ella was lucky she got to the portal and went in it. When Ella went through the portal it was like walking through a door. She saw a whole new world but Ella went behind something that kinda looked like a bush but it had purple leaves. Ella did that because Ikol was starting to head to the portal to close it. When he was doing that Ella watched him and that is when she saw it. Where Ikol lived. Strangely Ella felt like she had seen the place before yet she hadn’t. Like she was having déjà vu but in real life. Ikol went inside his home which looks like a wooden cottage crossed with a jail. Ella wanted to follow but she couldn’t risk being seen. Ella wasn’t supposed to be there. As quick as lightning it came to her. She could use her new powers to make herself invisible!

“What if I could be invisible.” Ella whispered.

Ella tried to look at her hands and she couldn’t see them. Ella knew her powers worked. So now she started to follow Ikol.

Chapter 7

2:00pm

Lost and found  

But Ella got distracted because of her powers. So she stopped to see if all of her was invisible. Ella remembered that she had to keep following Ikol. When Ella looked up she saw that Ikol was so far away that she could barely see him. Little did she know that Ikol was starting to pick up the pass. Ella tried to keep up with him but soon Ikol was out of sight. Ella ran in the direction the Ikol went and then she found that the path split up into two. Ella saw two signs and it had something on it. She had never seen anything like it. Ella thought it might be a kind of language or how they write in the world she was in. She saw that both paths could lead to Ikol’s house. Ella thought that might be where he was going. BOOM! It came to her like lightning. Ella could use her powers.

“What if I could fly.” Ella said.

Ella jumped and she started to sore through the air. But Ella realized that she wasn’t invisible anymore. Ella knew now that she could only have one power at a time. She started to fly to Ikol’s home.

“What the heck is that!?”

That’s when Ella knew she was found...

Chapter 8

2:30pm

Better and then worse

Ella saw purple smoke heading right for her. So she flew down to the ground so she could turn invisible.

“What if I was invisible.” Ella said.

Ella found Ikol and followed him. Then they were at his house. Ella had a feeling that Ikol was going to lock the door. Ella hoped that Ikol would keep the door open for a little while so she could sneak into his house. 

“Oh I can’t forget to close the door.” Ikol said.

That gave Ella enough time to sneak in but she also thought how lucky she got sense Ikol kept the door open for a bit. Once Ella was in Ikol’s house she saw a lever and a hatch door that opens when you pull the lever on one of the walls of the house.

“Well it's time for you people to go to the dungeon. Oh and don’t try using magic in the dungeon, it's magic proof.” Ikol said

Ikol pulled the lever and there was a tube behind the hatch door. Ikol through grandma Belle and Ella’s mom and dad down the tube. It was the worst thing Ella had ever seen in her life.

Chapter 9

3:00pm

Battle or no battle

Ella was raging mad. She wished none of this had ever happened even though she would not have her powers. 

“What if I could fly.” Ella said.

Ella rises into the sky in anger and Ikol sees her.

“Who are you and why are you here?” Ikol said.

“I’m Ella Jonsenn and YOU took my family away from me!” Ella said.

“So that means your my…” Ikol paused

“It doesn’t matter what it means because right now you need to make a decision. Are you going to battle me or not?” Ella said 

“You really want to battle me? Ha you are too funny.” Ikol said. 

Ikol made the purple smoke head straight for Ella. But Ella went for the floor so she could use a power that she had not used yet. 

“What if I could have the bottle keeper’s power.” Ella said

The bottle keeper was a girl that would be able to banish spirits. The bottle keeper legend book was Ella's favorite. So she had to choose it.

“You really think you can beat me with bottle keeper power.” Ikol said.

“Yes I do.” Ella said

Ella had a bottle in her pocket from her favorite book as a good luck charm. She took it out and opened it. Ikol started to go into the bottle.

“WAIT WHAT? What is happening? How is this possible!?!?” Ikol said.

“This is happening because I just defeated you. Oh and have fun being in a bottle for the rest of your life.” Ella said.

As soon as Ikol was completely in the bottle Ella closed it. Then she went outside and chucked the bottle into a river nearby. Ikol was never seen or heard of again. He was long gone.

Chapter 10

4:00pm

The truth about Ikol

Ella ran back inside and found some rope. Once Ella got the rope she went over to the hatch door and opened it with the lever. Ella threw down the rope so her parents and grandma Belle could get up. 

“Where is Ikol Ella?”  Grandma Belle said.

“Oh well we had this battle and I won so he is lone gone. You won’t have to see him anymore grandma!” Ella said.

Grandma Belle burst into tears.

“What’s wrong grandma I thought you would be happy about this.” Ella said.

“You see hear Ella Ikol was your grandpa. I married him when he was alive. Ikol was doing that to keep me safe. Also the dungeon was a place where you can see what happens if you keep on doing the thing that was wrong.” Grandma Belle said.

Ella, her parents and grandma Belle started to head home for Christmas. But Ella had this strange feeling that something was following her. For some reason Ella thought she was going to see Ikol again.                        

      

                           By: Kaeleigh M.

A Fight with the Dragon

Prelude

     Bella lives with her owner in a small, abandoned hotel. They live in the middle of nowhere by the mountains. They live by a huge tree (which is Bella’s favorite spot)! Bella’s owner, named Rachel, works a lot. She is rarely home. Rachel has dirty blonde hair and very tan skin. She has light blue eyes and a perfect smile. She is a nurse practitioner, a veterinarian, a teacher, and a clothes designer. If you would like to know more about Bella’s wondrous adventure read on. 

     

    Oh, Hi I am Bella and my story starts out pretty usual but then tragic things happen. I get trapped in a dragon's castle. If you want to know how I got there and how I got out, read on.

Chapter 1

When I was much younger, my family disappeared when I was a baby and I was left alone. I had to take care of myself. I think they are dead. I was getting very old but I was not changing on the outside. I realized that I had some very powerful magic so I would live until I lost the powerful magic. I was in the middle of a highway over a bridge when my owner named Susan took me back to her place and fed and cared for me. I guess I was a pain because here I am now getting handed over to this young woman named Rachel. She looks nice and I think we will have fun. I just hope that she doesn’t find out about my magical powers. She is cooing at me and I feel at home. Susan drove off and Rachel put this odd looking sign up on the door that said We Are Closed. Then we drove off back to her home and she gave me some super pricey, amazing food. She gave me a very comfy bed with cheetah prints on it and a super fuzzy inside. Rachel and I fall asleep and the next thing I know is I am getting woken up by the birds calling and the bristling wind. When I jump up on her bed I see that she is not there and I start to panic. I meow as loud as I can and Rachel comes running up the stairs with a worried look on her face, but when she sees me her face calms. 

“Oh my god, Bella you scared me half to death don’t do that again!” Rachel scolds and then adds “Wait did I just call you Bella? I am so sorry that was my friend's cat's name. Now that I think about it, you guys look like twins.” 

After a few seconds she says “How about you picking your name. Bell or Bella?” I think she forgot I couldn’t talk, well at least not in front of her. 

Then she says “Oh silly me, you can't talk.” 

Then she dashes downstairs. I followed her and she had already gotten two pieces of paper out and wrote Bell on one and Bella on the other.

 She says “You get to pick what name you want, so put your paw on one and then that will be your new name. Ok?”

 I thought about it for a second and I liked the name Bella but Bell is what my previous owner named me. I put my paw on Bella, and Rachel said 

“Good choice. I think you will love it.” 

She dashes upstairs to take a shower and I follow her. I don’t want to be alone in this house. But she's a fast one and I get locked out of the bathroom. I whine at the door but she doesn’t open it. 

          When she gets out she says that she was supposed to have the day off but she had a very important meeting that had to go to. That means that I had to stay home alone.

Chapter 2

    When she left I had the whole house to myself. But there was a slight problem. I knew that a dragon lived in the mountains. The dragon had very powerful magic, even more powerful than mine. Rachel also didn't leave me much food, only enough for 3 days and she said she might be gone for a week. Since I had the whole week to myself I decided to text one of my friends. Yes I know I have a phone. Only animals can see it though. I texted Lulu and she responded right away. She said she would meet me once her owner left, for the same reason mine did. She said it was something called voting. I asked her why they would be gone for a week and she said they went on a vacation across the world and there were no pets allowed on the plane. 

    Lulu and I have been friends our whole life. She has magical powers too, as well as all of my other friends, and some other cats in the world.  

     When we met, Lulu said that she had invited Sarah too. Sarah wasn’t my favorite cat in the world but maybe her parents were on that weird trip too. Sarah’s dad is a wizard and Sarah’s mom is a witch. She is pretty good with magic herself, so maybe she can tell me about the dragon that lives near my house.

    When Sarah came I asked her where Lulu was and she said she didn't know. I grimaced when she said that. I was expecting more from that little brat. Her family is full of magic. She should have had at least some information. I don't even know why Lulu liked her. She isn’t even a good friend. She sits back and relaxes while everyone else is doing all the 🤬-saving. I told her about this dragon on the mountain and maybe it was nice. Maybe the dragon has some magic that could help us. I tried to ignore the fact that she was an annoying “little princess”. She said she could invite me to her house and look if her mom or dad had any diaries. I agreed “by force”.

...

We went to her house because she had a lot of food. I also probably would need it. After a while we started to get to know each other while doing research about dragons.

After a while of sitting in silence I said “we should get some sleep if we are going to fight the dragon tomorrow,” and she agreed (for once). 

…

I woke up bright and early and I wondered where Sarah was. I went to her kitchen to find out if she had any food and Sarah was making a potion and she had a face mask on. I decided to watch a bit and then there was a loud Ka-BOOM and everything went foggy. I could barely see 3 centimeters ahead of me. I was too shocked to see Sarah sneak out of the kitchen. Then everything went black. I awoke about 3 hours later. Sarah was nowhere to be found. I went searching around the kitchen for maybe possible clues. There was this note. The note said

 I am sorry for what happened. I just had to go find my parents. You know I have been looking for them every single day since they have been captured? I know you probably won’t understand but when you said maybe we could save my parents from a dragon I knew right away where they were. I mean who thinks a dragon could be nice? Only you, Right. Also I didn't need a powerless, useless cat tagging along.

My heart sank when I read it. Did she really think I was useless? I could fly. No other cat could fly. My colors were my magic. I was not powerless. My sadness turned to angryness. Why had I ever let her into any information? After a little bit of sulking and wondering what I should do. I decided to search the kitchen for food. I opened a cupboard and found a whole bin of potions. They all had labels. One said 

I read it over and over again while contemplating if I should use it or not. I decided to use a little. When I put it on my forehead my brain rattled and then words popped up in my head saying “think of one thing and only one thing. If you think of more than one thing consequences will happen. 3,2,1. Think!” I closed my eyes and I thought about Sarah and where she might be. It was working. I could feel the magic rush through my body. It was an amazing feeling, like I had power over the world and nothing could stop me. But then it stopped. The magic was gone. I opened my eyes and it was dark. Well I shouldn’t say dark it was light but dark and scary. Like a dungeon. I was trapped. “Where?”, I don't know but I started to panic. Had I thought of 2 things? I quickly checked to see if anything was missing. Nope everything was fine. I asked to go to see Sarah. But where was I? Where was Sarah? 

Then all of a sudden something moved in the corner of my eye. I jumped and got all tense. Then I calmed. It was probably just Sarah playing a little joke on me. So I called out, “Sarah stop tricking me.” Then all a sudden it attacked me. I fell to the ground with a loud bang. I could get out a fuzzy image of a small animal around my size. Well maybe a little larger. But it looked kinda like Sarah. Except it had a coat, shoes and hat. When Sarah was making the potion she didn’t have anything on except for an old tee shirt and some old jeans. They looked handmade, well like a perfect fit for her. 

Flashback

Before we went into her house I remembered that she said I could search her house for some clean clothes. While I was searching I didn’t see  anything like that, and trust me I looked everywhere. 

What is happening right now

She looked like a witch kinda. 

After a little thinking everything went black. I guess I fainted. But when I awoke there was a witch standing over me. I screamed and almost fainted again. But good thing I didn't. I stood up and I asked what she was doing. 

She said “Sarah had texted me. You were my way to save me. But of course I got the text after I put you to sleep.” 

 I shot her a confused look and asked “who are you?” 

She gasped and said “Sarah didn't tell you about me. I am going to have to punish her.” Then she smiled and said “I am Sarah’s mom.”

…

“So you must be Bella? Right?”

“Yes. I am Bella. Why?”

“Oh if you weren’t Bella I would be in deep trouble.”

“Why?”

“Oh because I wouldn’t be able to get out of here.”

“Why?”

“Why do you keep asking “why?”

“What!? Oh I don't know. I guess I am just surprised that you are her mom and you are a witch.” 

“Yeah so what’s wrong with that?”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. If you are a witch can't you just “grant yourself a wish” and get outta here?”

“Oh I can't. There is a barrier and only the dragon can open it. Also one special kind of magic. It is called “finding anything” and you can hop to places when you think of them. It’s too bad I left that at home.”

I stared at her in disbelief. That is the exact same thing that I used to come here.

I said “OMG, that is what I used to come here.”

She stared at me and said “Well did you bring it?!”

My focus went from her to the ground.

“Let me guess you didn't?”

I told her I was really sorry. I spotted a window in the right corner of the room. But wow was it high. It was the only thing giving off light. 

Then I asked “You said the castle was surrounded, not just the room right? 

She replied “Yeah. But how will that help us?”

“Oh I don't know. Maybe we could get into some mischief!”

“Ugh. I hate when kids do all the bad, stupid things. We just have to go save their butts.”

I was like hmmmph, how rude. 

After that I said “If you don't want my help fine. But I am the only cat in the world that can fly,” and continued “but you don't want my help so I will just go out this window. Bye.”

She looked at me in awe and said “You are the one and only cat that can fly? Can you fly us out of here?”

“Well, yes. Just outta the dungeon. Right?” 

“Yes if that’s all you can do.”

“I only know of my flying magic. I probably have some other magic but I don’t know how to use it or what it's for.”

“Oh well maybe you could just fly us out of here. I have been stuck here for almost a thousand years now.”

I looked at her in astonishment. Since she ended the conversation I decided to fly us out. Suddenly I realized something. I wouldn’t be able to open the window. It was locked.

“Sarah's mom, do you have something to break this window open? Wait what's your name?” I asked.

“Huh. Oh, you can call me Opal, and no I don't have anything to break open the window. Do you?”

“No.” I replied.

“Just great we aren't even in the air yet and we have a dilemma.” Opal joked sarcastically.

“How do you survive? Like where do you get your food?” I asked randomly.

“Oh well every day I get 2 meals from the dragon. Normally one of the meals is coal. But most of the time I get coal every day.”

Then a deep voice startles me. It says “Food is served.” Then black chunks of who-knows-what comes falling down. One smacks me in the head. I yowl “Ouch! That hurt.” Just then I got a brilliant idea. 

“Why don’t we just throw some of these at the window. Then it might break.” I whisper sympathetically.

“Well aren't you a brilliant little one.” she said.

But then another chunk of coal hits my head.

I yowl again “how do you handle this torture?”

Then opal hollers some words that seem to be in a foreign language. When she finishes the raining coal stops. 

“How did you do that?” I ask.

“Oh you know I am a witch. It’s what we do.” She answers.

She talks about how she got here and it seems like a whole day passed by. I pick up some chunks of coal and chuck them at the window. Luckily  the glass shatters. I throw another piece and I make a hole big enough for both of us to fit through. Then I fly through the open window with Opal in my arms. The fresh air feels good. I can't wait to get home.

 She seemed to be reading my mind because the next thing she says is “We still need to find Albert.” 

“Who is Albert?” I ask.

“My husband. Who else would it be?”

“Oh my dad's name was Albert too.” 

“STOP!” Opal yells.

But it's too late. I slam into an invisible wall. I fell to the ground with a THUMP! I think I got a concussion. My head hurts so much right now. The cool air feels nice though and Opal helps me up. She gets out a potion. It says

Opal puts some on my forehead and I feel much better. We look around and I notice a flower bed with roses. Then I looked at the thing that we just left from. It was a beautiful castle. 

...

“We should go back in there.” I say.

“Yeah, maybe there are some clues on how to save all the other cats or things in there!” She replied.

I saved some of the coal. And then I heard a noise. It sounded like GRRRRR. It sounded weak and old. 

“Opal did you hear that?”

“Yeah. I did. I think we should go save them.”

So I threw some coal at a window and it shattered. The growling was replaced by silence. Since I recovered by the time I flew up to the window to make sure it wasn’t a wild beast or something. When I got up there I was in so much shock I could barely keep my excitement.

“Dad!” I screamed.

“Albert!” Opal screamed.

“Wait you know my dad?” I asked.

“How do you know my husband?”

“But he is my dad. Wait does that mean you are my mom?”

Opal looked at my dad and said “We actually found her!!!” And then she turns to me and says “We got kidnapped a year after you were born. We didn't think that you would make it.” Then she added “You actually found us, you saved us.” 

I was so confused. This really made no sense. Wait does that mean Sarah is my sister? OMG. She can’t be. I have hated her for so long. What if she is my twin?

Chapter 3

I turn to my parents and say “So is Sarah my sister?” 

“Yes sweetie she is.” They reply at the same time.

“Is Sarah locked in one of these cells too?”

“We think so.” Dad says.

“Shouldn’t we go find her?” I asked.

“How are we going to get out of here?” He asked.

Opal answered for me “Bella can fly.”

Albert stared at me. So I untucked my wings. I just realized that both my parents looked a bit like me and a bit like Sarah. But also what was weird is that they kinda looked like someone else I knew too. But it was probably just my imagination. Since everything seemed to be like a dream my mind was probably just playing tricks on me. Anyways I flew them out the window. My dad thought the flying was amazing. 

Just then my mom yelled “STOP!” 

But it’s too late (again). I slam into the barrier. I really got to start remembering that. My head hurts so bad it feels like I got hit with a hammer and then a brick. I have such a big headache. I decided to stay and rest a bit by the castle's edge while my parents looked around for something to break in. I close my eyes and fall asleep. When I wake up I find out that I am not by the castle's edge. I am not where my parents left me. I was in a library type thing. It was nice and warm, and I was sitting in a very comfy chair. It had lots of books but it also had a big, tall, fat figure lurking in the corner. It moved. I stayed as still as I could. I didn’t want it to see me. It came out of its hiding place. When I looked at it I nearly fainted. It was the dragon that owned the place. I slunk in the chair further and further. Then a horrible question came to mind, where were my parents? 

...

The dragon came closer. I could smell its hot breath on me, and it smelled like coal. It examined me closely. 

“Who-wh-o are y-y-ou?” I stammered.

“Well of course I am the dragon. Owner of the castle. What have you come here for? I did not bring you here myself. You are not welcome here!” He replied. His voice was deep and powerful.

“I will not leave until you release everyone who is in here.” I said trying to sound confident.

“Well don’t you think you are a tough little one.” And then added “These animals are very powerful. I have had them for a loooong time. Anyways they are getting in the way so take them, take them all.” 

I was surprised to hear that. So I raced to the door but when I opened it and raced through it, I found out it was a trick. I was locked up in a cell like my  parents. I am panicking right now. Guess what, there was no window. 

“Ugh. HELP! I am locked up! HELP! HELP HELP HELP! MOM? DAD? Someone HELP.” I screamed and I yelled but nothing worked. I stopped yelling. My throat was dry and scratchy. Why did these things happen to me? Bad luck? I sat in the corner of the room and sulked. Why should I be sulking? It’s not my fault that I am locked up in here. So now I’m very mad. I did the most stupid thing that came to my mind. I started punching the cold stone walls. It seemed to calm me then I realized that I never heard the door click. I got up and went back to the door that I came into. I tried the knob. Luckily it was unlocked and I opened it with a creak. I peaked out and the dragon was gone. Why did I never think of that? I creeped out of the dark and scary room and the library was filled with books. I decided to see if anything was helpful to escape. I found this book called Hints to Magical Things. It said something about barriers and how “magical things could not go outside of it, and non magical things couldn’t come in. Only the one who built the barrier could open it. At the top of the barrier is a hole but there is a password to it. Why did everything have to go wrong? Then I heard this deep voice.

“So I see you got out. Huh?” The dragon said.

I could see his true color since he wasn’t in the shadows. He was a bright blue dragon with orange stripes. He also had purple feet and a yellow stomach. I tried to explain.

“Um... uhhhhh. W-well uh. I um I was k-kinda hu-hungry. Sorry.” I lied.

“Oh well. I guess I can’t starve you. Do you want something?” The dragon asked suspiciously.

“Um sure. I will take a pizza with olives, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage. Oh yeah make the pizza with beef too. I also like fresh flowers on it too. Then for dessert I will take a pie with orange frosting and strawberry filling. Oh yeah and for a drink I will have lemonade with raspberries. Thanks.”

“What do you think this is all you can eat buffet.”

“Hey i will never ask for anything again.”

“No.”

“I will never bother you again.”

“Ummmm a fig fat no.”

“How about I will get back in my cell after I eat it.”

“Ugh, fine.” Then he added “ It will take a while though.”

“I don’t care. Can I read any of these books?”

“Fine but no more questions.”

“Thanks!”

Then he walked out of the room and I told myself I knew that this would work. I waited 1 minute and then I followed him out of the room. He was in the kitchen taking the ingredients. I was hiding behind a cabinet. The kitchen was old fashioned and had a lot of food. He was talking to himself. I couldn't make out what he was saying but it was something about getting flowers that were out of the barrier. Anyways, I found this very interesting. So I followed him out of the kitchen and we passed the living room, 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a dining room. They were all luxurious. Finally we reached the outdoors. It was nice to get the fresh air. The dragon was about to look around but I dashed behind a trash can just in time. Then he mumbled some words again. He flew into the air. All the way to the top. He had his hands in front of him. I remembered that there was a barrier. Just then he hit something and started feeling his way to the top. I jumped in the air and I flew too. I was right behind the dragon. I saw a pad with numbers. He typed in the number 11. I’m like that’s simple. After the very top of the barrier opens up he flys out. Since you can't hear what is happening on this side of the barrier when you are on the other side I decided to yell.

“Mom, dad. Where are you? I will come get you!!! Just tell me where you are.” I yelled and screamed and shouted as loud as I could and all I could hear was far away voices. They sounded like very far but they were yells. I decided to look for them later. I knew dragons could be tricky sometimes so I tried the code. It didn't work so I tried it again. And again. And again. But still it didn't work. So i tried doubling it thinking that might work but no such luck. I tried to add one to it and subtract one but still it wouldn’t work. So I tried to search for my parents instead. I found them right away. They were in the library. I asked how they got out of their trap and they said they were nev in a trap. Which now I was very confused because the dragon said that they were locked up. Anyways I said to them that I knew how to get out. They started cheering and jumping up and down. So I told them to chill and then I added we still need to find Sarah and Lulu.

Chapter 4

The whole afternoon we searched in every nook and cranny but still couldn't find them. We decided to take a break. I went outside while my parents searched for information inside the library. When I went outside I felt the fresh air on my face and it was nice. Just then I fell into a trap. Inside were Sarah and Lulu. They both had scared looks on their faces. I ran to them and hugged them. I asked them if they were ok and they answered with a yes. I looked up and found there was an opening. I told them that I could fly them out of here and they pleaded that I did. They had been trapped down here since 5 days ago and they were shivering. When we got to the top I set them on the ground and my parents came running. They looked so happy. 

Then my mom said “Should we tell them?”

“Yes we should.” Replied dad.

We all cried “Tell us what?”

“Well you are all triplets.” She said breaking the news.

“WHAT?” We all screamed happily.

But just at that happy moment we heard a tear. I sounded like fabric ripping. We saw white all around us. 

Then the dragon came stomping in and yelled “You broke my barrier. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

…

We got home and we told Rachel our secret. She invited my whole family to stay. Hooray!

 Then we all lived happily ever after in the tiny hotel.