SACO MIDDLE SCHOOL’S LITERARY MAGAZINE

WANT TO BE INCLUDED? We would love to include your work in our next issue. We accept poetry, essays, letters, or whatever other writing your wonderful brains can come up with! For a piece to be considered, it must be 100% original writing which has been revised and edited. Please submit your writing electronically to our staff editor, Ms. Nicholson, at gnicholson@rsu23.org or you may submit to our 8th grade student editor, Amber Coxen, at bercoxen82@gmail.com or our 7th grade student editor, Catherine Henaire, at swimmer4infinity@gmail.com

Our Group8th Grade: Amber Coxen, editor Erin Farrell, Hannah Faucher, Lucy Freeman, Zoe Horton, Salma Khalifa, Sara McInnis-Misenor !7th Grade: Catherine Henaire, editor Ivy Beals, Virginia Bradford, Jenna Danley, Julia Hildebrand, Mary Nicholson

Bobcat TalesISSUE 4

Included in each issue will be an inspirational quote column. There will be a submission box located in room C5. (Ms. Nicholson’s room)

If you have a favorite quote, feel free to submit it for our next issue. !This issue’s quote is: !

“There’s a monster at the end of this book. It’s the blank page where the story ends and you’re left alone with yourself and your thoughts.” ― Joseph Fink

October, 2013

Table of Contents !

STORIES The Virus by Salma Khalifa………………………………….……..………………………………………...3 The Zombie Apocolypse: How it Really Happened by Lucy Freeman….……………….……5

James: The Undead by Jenna Danley……………….….…………..…………………………………….6

The Graveyard by Zoe Horton………………………………………………………………..……………….7

The Dark Sky by Virginia Bradford….……………………………………………….…………………...8

The Old Abbot House by Catherine Henaire………………………..………………………………...12 Sebastian and Theo by Erin Farrell…………..…………………………………..……………………...14 Eyes by Julia Hildebrand.…………………………….………………………………………………..…….16

The Universe of Abigail Harte by Ivy Beals…………..………………………………………………..17 !POEMS Nerd by Sara McInnis-Misenor….……………….…………………….…….….…………………………11

Halloween by Catherine Henaire………………………..…………………………………………….…..15 Candles by Erin Farrell………………………………………………………………………………………..16 !BOOK REVIEWS The House of Hades reviewed by Mary Nicholson….……………………………………………...12

Sara McInnis-Misenor, 8

"2

The Virus !Salma Khalifa, 8

! The minuscule silhouette of a ragged, nervous and deranged animal limped across the pavement, her gait seeming to get more labored with time. The animal faltered as she entered a lit area, the light radiating off her tawny fur. The street lamp caught her pupils, causing them to shrivel into small orbs of black and blue. It had been a week since Vita Mortuorum destroyed organisms, contaminated water and ended society.The tawny cat remembered when life was normal. Where you could roam without fear of assault, gorge yourself with a plentiful amount of food and water. But all that was gone. No more human to give you attention, to protect, to love and feed you. Vita Mortuorum had taken his life, leaving the raw image of his mangled and twitching body on the bedroom floor. Why did he have to drink from the faucet, the small feline had only had time to comfort him in his dying moments. Shivers raced down her spine, her back arching in reflex. She shouldn't have thought about him, that is not the way you should die. A grimace spread across her already joyless features. She continued her ragged gait towards the end of the street.!!Chapter One!! ! Ivy sat proudly at the end of the driveway, the sweltering heat beat down upon the small community. She rotated her head, a large grin passing across her lips, the sun spread through her fur like a wildfire, giving her a calm sensation. Her human stepped onto the welcome mat, cupping his hand over his mouth.! ! "Ivy! Come on in.” Ivy turned her sleek body towards her master, sauntering towards him and rubbing her body against his leg, a deep purring vibrating in her chest. He lowered himself towards the ground, extending his hand to stroke her fur. Ivy turned to go inside, but halted as her sensitive ears picked up a foreign gurgling sound. Caution and fear bubbled up inside her, she had never before heard this blood curdling sound. She sampled the air with her nose, and the most vile and awful smell hit her like a brick. The human looked up and sniffed.! ! "Ew, smells like a sewer, what is that?"! ! The human looked at the house across the street, his nose wrinkling in distaste. He tossed his hands in the air carelessly, turning to go in the house.! ! "Whatever they are up to, I really could care less. They're always pulling those stupid experiments."! ! Ivy followed discontentedly, her tail swishing irritably behind her. Whatever it was that she had smelled, it was something vile and terrible, it made her stomach roll and nausea wash over her just thinking about it. Something unusual was happening in that house, not that it was rare. The neighbors were always pulling an extensive array of dangerous experiments, mostly concluding with injury. She entered the house and prowled through the corridors of her home, the ivory painted walls shone all around her, the floor made of polished wood felt smooth under her paws. She trotted into her masters bedroom, which contained a plush, dusty blue carpet. She crouched, gauging her distance to leap from the floor to the crimson colored bed. Ivy pushed off the ground, launching herself at the mattress. Suddenly, the same rancid odor hit her, she choked and crashed into the side of the bed. She scrambled to regain her footing, licking her lips with embarrassment. Her master strolled in, a glass of foggy looking water grasped firmly in his hand. Ivy let out a strangled meow as the horrible scent blasted her, seeming to be wafting from her master. She glared at the water, leaping to swat it from his hands. The human shouted angrily, pushing her away with his free hand.! ! "Ivy! What has gotten into you?"! ! He proceeded to his bed, landing with a sigh. He lifted the glass to his lips and consumed the liquid inside, then recoiled in distaste. Ivy looked up, concern sweeping over her. The human coughed, falling from the bed into a kneeling position. He landed in his side, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Convulsions racked his body, foam spilling from his mouth. Blood seeped from the openings of his body, leaving a crimson pool to form around him. Ivy recoiled in horror, looking at the vivid and horrible scene in front of her. She stepped back as he quaked with spasms, grasping at his throat. His body finally stilled, and Ivy curiously creeped forward, the eerily calm form mangled and twisted on the ground. She continued onward, until she

"3

accidentally brushed against his finger. His arm shot out and grabbed her forearm. Ivy screeched with surprise, pulling away. His grasp was painfully tight as he stumbled to his knees. She looked in horror at her human's cold, lifeless and dead eyes. The human roared with displeasure as Ivy kicked and squirmed from his grasp, raking her claws across his face. His breath reeked of the nauseating scent as he tried to latch his jaws around her neck. She retreated from the bedroom, racing down the stairs. How could this happen, she had done nothing wrong. What was wrong with her master? He pursued her relentlessly, clumsily crashing through the living room, she leaped at the screen door, raking her claws against the metallic wiring that kept her from freedom. The human (or whatever it now was,) came stumbling behind her. Ivy ducked as his hands felt for her, catching nothing but the air. He tripped over her body, slamming into the screen. The wiring gave way, letting the monster fall through. Panic bubbled up inside Ivy, she'd have to leave her territory to be safe, she had to leave home. She couldn't bear the thought of her human being gone, it was un fathomable to her. Her world was so small, having been confined in her fenced yard since birth. Yet, she knew she must abandon these feelings and stray from her home. She launched herself over the human, who was attempting to regain his footing. She hooked her ebony colored claws onto the soft pine fence post, hauling her light physique over the wall.!!Chapter Two!! Ivy prowled across the cracked pavement, her paws uncomfortably hot on the surface of the road. She panted as the hot Southern sun beat upon her dark pelt, praying for nighttime to hurry and cool her down. It had been two days since the attack, and she had covered at least six miles. She had not seen a speck of water or a crumb for hours, and was beginning to deteriorate under the summer sun. She trudged on, continuously sniffing the air for the slightest hint of food or water, but only the nauseating scent presented itself. The hours crawled on, weariness pounding down against Ivy's fatigued muscles. Night had finally showed itself to the small town Ivy had entered, giving perfect opportunity to eat and drink. A small depression in the pavement housed a plentiful amount of water, at which Ivy raced at. Her throat had been gritty with dust, and her tongue was puffy with lack of hydration. She raced towards the water, too excited to notice a large animal slam into her left side and roll her over. She writhed with fury, kicking her assailant with her long legs. She opened her eyes to see the long snout of a German Shepard staring at her. She was puzzled to see that the face was glimmering with concern. ! "Did you drink the water?" Came his deep, accented voice.! Ivy, struck with fear, merely nodded, afraid that if she said yes he would kill her.! "Ah, very good. The water is infected with a virus."! He backed up, letting Ivy to her feet. He apologized for tackling her, and she nodded with appreciation.! "What is your name? Mine is Ivy."! "My name is Zeke, pleasure to meet you, Ivy," he replied.! "So this, 'virus', what is it?" Ivy inquired.! "Well," began Zeke, "My human worked in a laboratory, and he found a chemical that was deadly to everyone. One day, I was sitting with my human, and a worker walked in and told my master that the container was fractured. The workers tried to fix it, but one of them accidentally let the test animals who were mutated with the disease out. They infected the water, and whoever wasn't bitten, were infected by the water when the diseased animals drank from it."! Ivy was startled by this information, "What happens if you get bitten?"! Zeke processed this thought carefully before answering, "When they bite you, they pass on their germs into your bloodstream. Then you become one of them. That is, if you aren't eaten."! Ivy laughed, not a laugh of humor, but of hysteria. She looked at Zeke pleadingly, hoping to say this was just a prank and her master will soon come and take her home. Mutants? How is that possible. Mutants were a thing of fantasy, there is no way that could happen in real life. He thoughts were cut short by Zeke.! "It is getting dark. I suggest you come to the Refugee Camp with me."! Zeke turned around and strolled away from the deserted streets. Fear swept over Ivy, this was her only chance of survival. If they didn't welcome her, perhaps they would kill her. But that seemed to be a better end than being torn apart by drooling mutant freaks. She let a small sigh escape her mouth, and followed in Zeke's wake towards the Refugee Camp.!

"4

The Zombie Apocalypse: How it Really Happened!Lucy Freeman, 8!!

! It was midnight at the graveyard. The stars were out and twinkling in the moonlight, and branches were creaking against each other, like bones snapping. Graves are arranged neatly into rows, and they seem to glow from the light of the moon.!! A lone gardener is trimming grass with a lawnmower. His name is Phillip , and he is very tired. However, Phillip the gardener will soon be done, as there is only a couple more rows to go. !! Underneath the ground, a body stirs. His name is Joel Fisher, and he feels as if he has just woken up from a very long sleep. He is hungry. His body calls to him, craving a certain delicacy that will satisfy his hunger. He wants, he NEEDS…!BRAINS!!! But what’s this? He’s surrounded by dirt. Joel wants to give up, to surrender to the dirt, but his thirst for brains will not be quenched. What to do?!After pondering for a moment, Joel starts to dig... !Meanwhile, Philip has finished up every row but one. He stops to squint at the graves, gazing at the individual carvings. He is somehow drawn to a certain carving. It reads:!!

Joel Larry Fisher!Born 1821, Died 1853!

With great knowledge comes with great sacrifice. !!! Shrugging his shoulders, Phillip starts up the lawn mower again and turns to the last row. He yawns, happy to be almost finished. He cannot wait to get home and eat dinner...!! Joel scrapes at the dirt, clawing up to the surface. Dirt showers down upon him, but nothing will stop his desire for brains…!! He digs for a couple more minutes, and all of a sudden, a small hole about the size of his fist opens up, allowing moonlight to shine down into the deep hole that has been Joel’s home for so long…!! He stares for a few moments, entranced, until his hunger takes ahold of him once again. He struggles to fit his rotting hand into the hole, and as he does, he hears the hum of machinery. !! What is that? He thinks, uncertain for a moment. Joel scoffs, and his small mind pieces together a reassuring thought. Bah! It’s just a human. What harm can it do? It isn’t any use to me, unless… !! Joel realizes what use a human can really be and he scrabbles his hand up into the opening until his skin touches fresh air…!! Phillip chugs over the graves with his lawnmower. Everything is going normal until hears a large THUNK! from under him, and a moan that is suddenly cut off. He stops the mower and turns around. Nothing. Just the cool, night air, and the slightly damp grass clippings strewn around the graveyard. !! An idea suddenly comes to Phillip . He collects the clippings up with his old, wrinkled hands and puts them into a bag. This will make good fertilizer, he thinks to himself.!!The zombie apocalypse is ended...or has it? !! !

"5

I scowled at her, and turned my attention back to the gravestone I was kneeling at. The inscription read, 'James Carl Bedfordshire, 1971-2021. We will remember.' Scattered on the ground were some fresh daisies, and a lost, half buried ring right under the word, 'will.' My sister kneeled down beside me, the scaredy cat incident long in the past. She put her hand on my shoulder, as if trying to say, "I miss him, too." James is- was my dad. He was only 49 when the accident happened. That was a month ago, September 30. Now it's Halloween eve, and I bet he's stirring underneath our feet, getting ready to scare the crap out of the peeps that will come to the graveyard tomorrow night. Suddenly there was a muffled *THUMP*, and my sister and I both jumped, startled. The ground shook, making the dead silence as we held our breath deflate, and the world was in motion as the leafless trees shook and the wind moaned. Air escaped through my lips, and I realized that I was turning pale, as well as my sister. We ducked down and pressed our bodies tight against the cold stone, and waited for something to happen. The ground stopped shaking, and the only sound was our shivering against each other. Finally, there was another moan, and it was the loudest yet. Something beneath me moved, and I shifted, thinking that it was just me. It happened again, and my sister felt it this time. We shared a panicked look and scrambled away, breathing hard. "Shh! Stop breathing so hard," Kara whispered, cupping her hand over her mouth. I gulped and tried to be quiet. Then we both saw it. The ground cracked right in front of our dad's gravestone. Dirt spilled, and grass turned over. Suddenly, a dirt-caked hand shot up from under the ground, and my sister screamed a bloodcurdling shriek. I was breathing harder than I've ever breathed before. I was hyperventilating, and I needed to get out of here. Here was my dad, undead, and edging to the surface. It all seemed so real. The wind whispering in my ear, my shoelace tickling my ankle, it was clear as daylight. I couldn't have imaged that scream from Kara. It was still ringing in my ears. His head was visible now, too. His shaggy blond hair had mostly been tugged out. Parts of his ear had been nibbled off by hungry worms. And- oh his eyes! They were empty, and white. I turned away quickly, not baring to see my father looking so dead. Not baring to see anyone that dead, for that matter. Kara tugged on my wrist, to run, but I was frozen. Paralyzed. Now he was hoisting himself up onto the ground. !And he was looking straight at me.

James: The Undead Jenna Danley, 7 !

It was very quiet. It was so eerie, I jumped out of my skin when I heard footsteps behind me, and I was quite shaken when I turned around, gasping heavily between relief and annoyance as my sister came up to me, a seriously-you-are-so-jumpy look in her eye. She snickered, a raspy, nasal sound. "You're such a scaredy cat," she informed me, still chuckling. "It's only me!"

"6

The Graveyard!Zoe Horton, 8!!!

" I'll see you tomorrow Hazel!" I yelled while opening the large bronze door out of the tiny bookstore.!!" Bye Piper! Oh, and Happy Halloween!!! The cold, brisk breeze enveloped my body as I stepped out into the dank abandoned alley. The door slammed shut with a large CLONK and I was left in silence. I zipped up my small jacket and proceeded to the opening at the end of the alley. As I reached the end of the small ally in front of me snowflakes started to float its way down, and coat New Orleans, enveloping everything in white. I crossed the small park set in the center of the hustle and bustle of the city, and proceeded to my house. After a short 5 minute walk I was now at the quiet part of New Orleans. A large graveyard rose in front of me, it's long rusty fence stretching as far as the eye could see, and looming 9 feet up in the air. I opened the corroded fence as it creaked slowly open, disturbing the silence around the area. !! The only way to get to my warm home was through the large and spooky graveyard. I stepped inside the silent cemetery, the only sound was my feet crunching on the newly fallen leaves. A large abandoned house at least 100 years old stood a few feet away, its huge windows demolished, and the tattered curtains flying in the wind. Interrupting my thoughts, a loud howl echoed through the graveyard. My head snapped to my left to where the the source of the noise was coming from. Standing in an ark of old oak trees, a large grey wolf stood, his eyes felt like they were piercing my skin. His lips peeled back, revealing 2 rows of sharp pointy teeth, and a low growl ripped from his throat. I slowly turned my head to the right. Twenty yards away was the large house.The rumors around the Bayou was that back in 1913 a family was murdered there, and nobody's lived there since. ! I burst from my still position, and ran for the door. I could hear the faint footsteps of the wolf. My feet slapped the ground one after the other till I was 5 feet away from the entrance to the house. I lunged for the doorknob, and to my luck it opened. I slammed the old wooden door behind me. I pushed against the door in case the wolf raced behind me. Silence fell on the old wooden mansion; I sank to the cold ground and pulled my knees up to my chest, and took a deep breath. I slowly rose from my position once my breathing became back to normal. In front of me was a grand master staircase, leading to the upstairs of the mansion, dust coating every object in sight. I carefully walked across the old mahogany floor, and approached the stairwell. I reached my hand across the staircase to the banister, and slowly began the decent up the stairs. The wolf still could be lurking outside, and I won't take any chances. !! The door snapped open, revealing the wolf. But,instead of just a wolf, he was also part man.!! I turned around and ran.

"7

The Dark SkyVirginia Bradford, 7

! The sky was black. Had it ever been black before, Amy wouldn't have worried. But this was not the kind of black that you saw at night, not even at midnight. It was not the black of coal dust, or a dark cave, or an evening cocktail dress that Amy loved. This was the black of a black hole, the black of outer space, the black that had sliced through a blue sky for the past few days, making the sky a painful black and blue polka dot painting. It had scared her sometimes, that such a strange thing could happen, but somehow it never occurred to her that the sky would, someday, be no more. And that's when everything went awry. The first time was when Amy woke in the middle of the night. It hadn't been any kind of a particularly interesting day-- a dark, cold day turning into a dark, cold night. Amy heard a tapping sound coming from the hallway. A quick rapping at the walls of the hallway. Leave me alone, she whispered, hoping for it to stop. Let me get to sleep again. But it did not stop. Instead, it grew louder and louder, until Amy was sure it would wake up the whole house. She jumped out of bed, and her feet screamed as they hit the icy cold floor. She pulled a blanket around her pajama-clad body and hid behind her door. In the dark room, everything was strangely silent. No sound outside at all, just the tapping inside. Amy stepped out into the hallway. She looked down towards the floor, to see what the sound had been. There was a small doll, holding a pen, writing something on the wall in minuscule writing. The doll turned sharply to look at Amy. She was sure she had seen it before. Yes-- it was the doll she had inherited from her dead grandmother, just yesterday, the one that had belonged to her Great Aunt Emma. The doll had pale white skin, scraggly red hair, and a tattered black dress. It was a disgusting doll, missing its left hand and a chunk of its face. It was writing with one of those old fashioned pens, dipped in ink. It stared at Amy for a while, and then got back to writing. Dolls don't write, dolls don't move, dolls don't do anything. Amy was unable to move. She stared at the doll and its missing chunk of head. She ran after it and grabbed it by the neck, with a mad look in her eyes. She grabbed the doll and wrung its neck, pulling out all the red hair until it was bald, and tearing the arm off of its body. Dolls don't move. Dolls should not do anything at all. Amy threw the doll in the wastebasket, and though you still could not tell if it would ever be morning again, Amy checked the walls to see what damage had been done.

I have been watching you you are a bad girl you are a bad person you have

a bad world the other one was bad too so I killed her and I will kill you until

you let me free and your world is going to end and set me free set me free.

"8

����������� ������������������   Amy grabbed a pen and crossed out the words. She took out the trash so the living doll could not escape. Amy looked up at the stars in the black sky. Perhaps the doll was gone, perhaps it would be back. She would never know. But the cold was coming, and there was nothing to hold it back, without a sky. We'll try to fix this sky problem. Scientists have no idea what happened, but they'll try their best to fix it! Make sure you have heat, blankets, and a good supply of water, because the pipes will most definitely freeze up. Amy snorted at her mother the next morning, sitting at the table drinking hot tea by the wood stove to keep her warm. Her sister Anna was next to her. Anna was a cute two year old girl, with a sweet smile and a yellow dress, with a matching bow in her brown hair. She smiled at Amy, but the radio was right. The sky was still wrong, and it was already below zero, in October. "Play with me, " said Anna. "I can't. I'm going to the Cocktail Party." "Amy." "What?" "Amy, we'll have to stay home all winter, or at least until the scientists can figure out how to fix this. We won't be able to go to the Cocktail Convention this year." Amy froze, and her cup dropped. She knew this sky business would get to her somehow, and of course she could not go anywhere in this weather, but the CC? That was Amy's favorite party of the whole year! She had been planning her outfit since last year, but with a black sky, how could she? It was too much at the same time, a black sky, a living doll, and soon the untimely death of her baby sister.! A scream rose from Amy's house. She was outside, staring at the black sky, dotted with stars. Sure, it was cold, but there was still something between her and the sky. The scream made Amy jump. She turned around. Her house. It was coming from her house? Frantically, Amy ran to her house. She opened the front door and slammed it shut. "MOTHER. What is going on?" Her mother ran down the stairs and hugged her daughter tightly. "Anna died today." Amy breathed in and out. "She's not dead. She was just fine yesterday. She's just sleeping. See."

"9

"No, no, sweetie. I wish it was like that... But... "Amy's mother broke down and buried her face in her apron. Amy ran upstairs to get to the nursery. "Anna! Anna! Wake UP." She looked at the small girl in the bed. Her eyes were closed. She touched her hand and jumped back. It was cold and dry, like a doll hand. It was not Anna's hand. Amy lifted her sister's body out of her bed and hugged her tight. It was like hugging a doll, but it had no comfort. Amy cried into the dead girl's dress, and lifted her little sister, and put her back in her bed. At least she died in her sleep, Amy thought, looking into Anna's eyes, and her lip trembled as she saw her sweet smile that would never smile again, and her blue eyes that would never see again. And then Amy looked at the floor. A doll was partially hidden by a blanket on the floor. A bald doll with dead black eyes and a black dress. The eyes opened. The doll stared at Amy and its eyes turned from black to orange, with fire lingering in those eyes. The doll screeched loudly and screamed and it was so loud it pierced in Amy's ears. She locked eyes with the doll, who was having a screaming fit like Anna had used to. When the doll spoke, it sounded queer, like several voices speaking at the same time. I will kill. I will. You will too.Amy screamed and threw the doll across the room. It broke the window and for a second Amy thought it was all over, but the doll was hovering in the air, her evil eyes shooting fire at Amy. Amy ran maniacally out the door, screaming, breaking furniture, setting fires all around. Then Amy dropped to the floor, shivering all over, shaking. In her unconscious mind, she saw the ghost of her sister.When you next see her, put her to sleep in my bed. She is me. She is your grandmother. She was your grandmother. She is all of us. Amy woke up as if from a dream. She had to trust Anna this time. Although the sky was black and menacing outside, she ran outside and grabbed the doll as it fell from midair. The doll tried to bite her, and it scratched her with its one hand, but Amy clenched her teeth and ran into the house. She forced herself not to look at the doll as she ran up the stairs to Anna's nursery. Amy pulled the raggedy black dress off the doll and put on one of Anna's dresses. Then she tucked the doll into Anna's bed with the dead girl, as if the doll was her sister.Amy looked back at the bed. Was that a yawn? Amy squinted in the fire-lit room at the bed. Anna was yawning. Anna was alive, the doll was just a doll.!And the sky-- it turned blue that very evening.

"10

The House of Hades was not what I was expecting. I was glad that Rick Riordan managed to make this book just as funny as all his other books, even though the setting of this book was majorly depressing. It includes chapters from the point of view of all of the seven main characters, which I thought was cool, since before it was only three of four of them. There were some...awkward moments, but besides that I really liked it. This book was fast paced and full of sword fights, friendly giants, and major growth spurts, and overall it was a pretty good book. I would very much recommend this book, after you read the ones before it in Riordan’s two Olympian series, of course, including The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Demigod Files, The Last Olympian, The Demigod Diaries, The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, and The Mark of Athena. In case you don't know, Rick Riordan's books are about the mythical Ancient Greek and Roman gods and their demigod children. In his books the gods are real, and they have children in the modern world. If you enjoy the fantasy genre, be sure to check out Riordan’s latest.

Book Review Mary Nicholson, 7 !

The House of Hades, by Rick Riordan; Disney-Hyperion: New York, 2013

Nerd !Sara McInnis-Misenor, 8!!

I'm a nerd, you don't have to tell me. !Call me a geek, a smarticle whatever, honestly, I don't really care. !I know the top ten world’s longest words, all beaten by pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a lung disease developed by volcanic ash, and I can recite more digits of Pi than I care to think about. !I can even say hello and good-bye in over 20 languages. !Still, just because I can do all those things, doesn't mean that you have to tease me. !If someone poked fun at you for any discrepancy, would you just brush it off? !Girls, if you asked a boy you liked out on a date or to a dance, but he said no, and kids made fun of you, how would you feel? !Just remember this the next time you think about doing something bizarre and frankly, stupid. !Keep being spectacularly you. !Slan! Good-bye!

"11

I creeped along the side of the grey house. The moon shone down, illuminating the fallen leaves.

It was autumn and I shivered under my North Face fleece. The wind howled and rustled the trees. I

peeked inside the demolished house and gasped; It looked so different then I had imagined, teapots

and dishes sat perfectly in their place. Chairs stood still and an old television was resting in the

middle of the room. I shuddered, Everything looked just as it had 60 years ago. The back door hung

open. I cringed and slipped into the house. A spark from the television cord sprang to life leaving a

sizzle of smoke in the air, making me jump.Two bright yellow eyes stared back at me in the

darkness. I shrieked and the mysterious creature ran out the door. I sighed, just a raccoon. The door

slammed shut behind me, locking me in. I screamed at the top of my lungs and kept trying to assure

myself that it was just the wind. If I was going to stay an hour in here I needed to be calm.

I took a minute to collect myself, then took cautious steps over to the kitchen. The kitchen,

unlike the living room, was scattered with pots and pans and looked as if its been recently used. The

house was small, with just 2 floors and a basement which was surprising because the Abbot's, the

deceased former owners, were said to be very wealthy. The stairs creaked as I hopped quickly up

them, like they were hot potatoes. Upstairs a master bedroom sat at the end of the long hallway, a

red rug was placed down the hallway like a red carpet leading to the awards. Inside a bedside table

was placed next to a king bed . A picture frame was tacked onto the wall. The photograph was of a

man who sat beaming at a woman, who was holding a black cat. The Abbot's I thought. I walked

back downstairs as calm as I could be, assure that this house was definitely not haunted and that I

would totally win that 50 bucks. I'll show them I thought, I could obviously stay in here for an hour.

I checked my watch 24 minutes and 14 seconds left. I plopped down on a chair in the living room

and rested me head on my hands, bored. My eyes fluttered, then closed, drifting me into a heavy

sleep.

The Old Abbot House Catherine Henaire, 7

"12

“Bang, bang, bang"

I tumbled over each stair.

My eyes shot open.

I was in the basement.

I yelled and yelled and yelled, until I couldn't yell anymore. I was covered in silky cobwebs

and mounds of dust. Something brushed my leg. A black cat, or maybe it was a black cat, now its

more of a faded gray color considering the cat was a ghost.

"You're dreaming, you're still in the chair upstairs" I persuaded. I pinched my arm, making

sure this wasn't a nightmare where I'd wake up sitting in the extremely uncomfortable wooden

chair.

But I wasn't, I was in the basement. The cat floated, or whatever a dead cat would normally

do up the stairs and waited at the top step, beckoning me to follow. I hesitated and huddled in the

dark corner. The basement was spacious, with cabinets lining the wall, that no longer held

anything but dust.

I hoisted myself up, still shaking and cautiously stumbled up the stairs. The cat

disappeared through the door. I blinked, still not processing this whole ghost cat situation and

opened the rotted wooden door. Once I reached the top of the stairs the first thing I did was check

my watch. The second was bolting out of that house. The third was racing down the grassy hill,

dodging bushes and trees and trampling whatever else was in my way. I met my worried friends at

the bottom of the hill and explained everything.

Questions like " Oh my gosh Isabelle! Did you see a ghost?" And " You look so shaken up!

Are you ok?" Floated in the air like dandelion seeds in fall.

After I cleared everything up my friends handed over my well earned prize, my fifty dollars.

"I survived a hour in the old Abbot house" I whispered to myself.

Thinking back on this 2 years later, this may not have been my best decision, but hey what's

life without any fun?

"13

Sebastian and Theo Erin Farrell, 8 !

Sebastian closed his eyes inhaling the familiar sent of the water. The small boat rowed quietly across the almost black water the only noise breaking the silence was the occasional wave lapping up against the stern of the small sail boat slowly making its way to the Black Dove. Gnarled pirates sat crammed together, Sebastian sitting at its front holding his lantern up in front so as to show the way, if only a bit more clearly. The small boat slowly came up to port with the old black ship. Not a soul could be heard amongst the dead of the night. Not even a wind roused the ships sails. Sebastian threw a rope up to the deck and looked at his crew. At the determined look of his crewmen, he jumped up the ropes length and swung aboard the deck of the Black Dove. His men followed suit, bringing up the rear. The moon shone brightly on the dark wood of the old ship. Together the crew slipped out to their duties. ! Seven years before, a young Sebastian lay on the ground, still warm from the days sun. Next to him, laid his friend Theo. Theo had been there for Sebastian ever since they were little. The two of them had grown up together, the two of them being more brothers then friends. The two had spent their day out and about the town, watching men drink and gamble away most of their earnings. As the two boys sprawled out on the ground, happy and content, the last thing they expected to hear was loud boom that ricocheted through the air. The town had been pillaged by the marauding pirates of the Black Dove Sebastian and Theo had run into town where Theo had been taken prisoner upon the dark ship. No one had heard of the Black Dove since the attack on town. But that night Sebastian swore that he would avenge Theo's death and would continue to do so until every last pirate on that blasted ship was sliced to ribbons. Sebastian crept quietly across the deck, heading towards the captains quarters. Slipping his hand over the slightly rusted handle. Sebastian swiftly unsheathed his sword flicking the tip towards the back of an elegant chair, a dim candle lighting the room, the light being recently undetected by the outside darkness.

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The chair slowly turned around revealing a strong jawed chiseled face. The man smiled, "Hello Sebastian, it's been quite a long while hasn't it?" Sebastian gaped at the man sitting before him. For he had seen that face before. Sven years ago. "Theo?" Sebastian asked incredibly. "Theo!" He shouted again, excitement swelling in his chest. "I can't believe it's you! I thought," he paused, " I thought you had died." "Oh I'm quite sure you did but as you can see," Theo stood up walking towards Sebastian, "I am very alive." Sebastian stepped forward, Theo abruptly whipped his sword thrusting it across Sebastian's chest. Sebastian gasped as blood seeped through his shirt. Sebastian looked up upon hearing Theo's smug laugh. "What? Are you surprised friend? You leave a friend on an evil ship for seven years, your friend is bound to become evil himself." Sebastian backed out on to the ships deck, clutching his chest. Both crews had gathered on deck, both sides staring at the spectacle before them. Theo lunged again, Sebastian parrying clumsily. Theo let out a short bark of laughter, pushing Sebastian to the ground with a hard kick to the chest. Theo let out a chuckle as he pressed the sword against Sebastian's "Goodbye old friend." Sebastian let out a final gasp as blood pools over his wound and onto the deck. "THEO! SEBASTIAN! Bring your friends inside!" A woman's voice echoes through the night. "All right mom!" Theo yelled back. "Yo Jerry! Row the boat in!" The boys ran up to the house leaving behind the boat. The blood still pouring over the corpse of Sebastian pooling onto the bottom of the leaky boat.

Halloween!Catherine Henaire, 7!!Ghouls and ghosts.!Creatures that scare us the most.!Twix bars and Milky Ways.!Oh, how we count down the days!!Screams fill the air,!Oh what a scare.!But what's October without Halloween?!

"15

Eyes!Julia Hildebrand, 7!!

I rubbed my hands together as I tried to steady myself. My knees shook violently and my breath came in short gasps. I can't do this. Words flew through my brain as I tried to collect the right ones. Eyes smothered my confidence as they sat, waiting, for me. I can't do this. My throat tightened and I gasped for air. I turned and ran. I had to get away from those eyes, those judgmental eyes. ! But then I stopped, judgmental eyes that would deem me a coward. I need to do this. Slowly I turned back around and went back to the place of eyes, but now they seemed friendlier. !I can do this. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My mouth opened and I stopped; I had forgotten the words. My mind panicked as I searched my brain for what to say.! "Come on Julia, you can do it!" ! My eyes flew open and a smile spread across my lips. I can do this. I opened my mouth again and this time the lyrics came out clear and bright. But the eyes still frightened me so I looked up at the clock behind them. I watched the hands tick as I sang, the notes dancing through the air, twisting and turning in sweet melody. As I neared the end of my song I messed up, but that was okay. ! Those eyes, and the people behind them, believed in me. When the sound of joyful clapping reached my ears, I grinned so hard it hurt. I was glad I had done it because now, if I wanted to, I could do it again.!!

Candles!Erin Farrell, 8!!

I like to think that people!Are like candles!

They start out smooth!And they come from all around the world!

They come in all shapes and sizes!And then, some one lights it!

It starts to glow!It spreads through the whole room!

Each candle filling it with a soft warmth of it's very own!But some people!

Mistreat the candle!And it develops scratches and chips!

And all while this is happening!Hot wax pools up inside!

And then one person!Just one!

Goes to far!And all the wax falls out and it burns and melts!

Then it cools!As it cools!

It fixes itself!It's not as pretty as before!

But it can still light up!And then someone comes around!

And helps to share their warm glow!Again!

"16

The Universe of Abigail Harte Ivy Beals, 7

Prologue I've been here before. My mind floats around and seems to be projected in front of me. This place is colorful, crowded. But not with people. With thoughts. All the thoughts and ideas of Abigail Harte. That's me. I'm stuck inside my own head. But it's a universe created for me. I walked slowly, dawdling, as you might say. I watched as words, memories, and even sounds floated around the endless world around me. It's beautiful, and upsetting, and frustrating, all at the same time. I watched as the worst part goes by. The day I came here. I stopped short. I didn't really want to watch this part, but my feet felt rooted to the ground. I watched as the lights flash toward me, and I let out a painful gasp. I gulped down the lump in my throat and tears leaked out of my eyes as I sobbed silently. The next thing I saw when I opened my eyes was my body lying on the ground, crippled. I winced and wiped the tears out of my eyes. I kept walking, but this time not as slowly. I'm trying to run away from that memory. I can't, I know that. It's already happened. It's a day in time that I can't erase, no matter how much I may want too. I passed a memory in the shape of a tv, and I saw a video of the day my younger sister Suzy came home from the hospital. Farther then that, the day I danced for the first time. I swallowed the hurt as I passed a scene of me reacting to when my dog died last summer. Longer down the road, there are pictures, like screenshots on an IPod. I sighed as I passed a picture of Christmas, and later Easter. The happier days start coming, and I can't help but smile. Then I passed a thought that made me halt abruptly. It's a picture of me and my best friend on Halloween, dressed up as two characters from our favorite series. I laughed at the memory, then stopped for a moment. I might never see her again. Goodbye, Amy Lewis, I thought, as I passed the frozen picture as hesitantly as I could. I looked back over my shoulder at it once, then walked on quietly. Even more memories. My sister and her cat Alexandra, her first day of school. Even the day she started middle school. I stopped to sit for a while, my feet aching. I hugged my knees to my chest. There was not much to do here. I couldn't enter memories, or delete pictures. There was no food to eat, no place to run, or bike. There wasn't even much that I could touch with my hands. I let out a shaky breath and lied down on the white floor. I stared up at the ceiling. I couldn't change everything, but I could change the desktop, the way things looked. I could even change my outfit. Or so I thought. !Chapter 1 Maybe I should explain a little further. I'm in a coma. I look like I'm dead, or sleeping, but my mind is still wandering, thinking. My body is still growing and aging. But not in my mind. In my mind, I'm still sixteen years old. I sighed. I never realized how much I appreciated sleep until I couldn't any more. It just feels so normal, so routine, that you don't even think about it. Like planes overhead. But once they're gone, everything seems......odd, and out of balance. Like if all house pets in the world just disappeared with no trace. I took a deep breath and lied back, glaring at the ceiling. I still remember the day I came like it was only a few hours ago............ "Suzy!" I yelled up the stairs. "You're going to be late for school!" No response. I let out an exasperated huff. "You'll miss breakfast if you stay up there any longer!" I heard rushing footsteps hurtling towards the staircase and smiled. "That's better," I said, watching as my sister flew by, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her

"17

curly black hair swishing around as she scrambled to get her lunch together. Into her blue lunch bag went a tuna fish sandwich, potato chips, a small salad, and a packet of juice. "You need to start getting out of the bathroom earlier!" I snapped, helping her pack her bag. "I would be if you woke me up earlier!" Suzy retorted, glaring at me with her ice blue eyes. "Sorry that I was giving mom her medicine!" I yelled. Then I sighed and closed my eyes. "Look," I said softly. "We should be quieter. Erin and Mom are sleeping, and I don't want to wake them up with all this yelling. Suzy nodded stiffly. "Now go!" I ordered. "You'll be late for the bus!" Suzy nodded again, her shoulders slumping slightly. I gave her a short hug. "Bye!" I called, as she flew out the door. And, as I suspected, the bus showed up as soon as she reached the end of the driveway. I shook my head and went to check on everyone. Liam and Mother were in with the flu, and Erin was only four, so she wouldn't be going to school. As for me? Well, I've been home-schooled my whole life by my mother. She taught both me and my twin brother, Liam. But, since we got to high school two years ago, we've more been teaching each other than mother teaching us. As for my father......he hasn't been around. Not that I can remember at least. Liam and I are, of course, full siblings. But Suzy and Erin are only half-siblings to us. Liam and I got mother's green eyes and father's brown hair. But Suzy has her father's blue eyes and black hair, and Erin has red hair and brown eyes. So, I suppose you could say were a mix and match family. I sighed as I peered into Erin's pink bedroom. She was sound asleep, her short, soft red hair falling onto the pillow below her. She snored softly as I came up to the crib, placing the pacifier that had fallen onto the sheets back in her mouth. Then I stroked her hair softly and walked out, closing the door quietly behind me. I tiptoed down the hallway until I reached Liam's door. I opened it a crack. "Liam?" I whispered, sticking my face partially through the entrance. "What?" He rasped hoarsely, turning over to face me. His brown hair was plastered to his head in sweat, sticking out in every angle. "Do you want anything?" I asked. He fixed his blanket, thinking. "Can I have some ginger ale?" I nodded. "Is that it?" "Some oatmeal would be nice," he murmured. I smiled gently."Okay." I walked out and quickly checked on mother (she didn't want anything) and then padded down the soft, carpeted steps. I poured a glass of ginger ale for Liam, and then made some nice, hot cinnamon oatmeal with raisins. I walked back upstairs, careful not to spill, and handed Liam his breakfast. "Careful, it's kind of hot," I warned wrinkling my nose slightly. "Thanks," he said, taking a spoonful of oatmeal. "You're welcome." I glanced at his clock. The red, neon numbers read 10:03. "I better get the mail," I apologized, heading out. I ran down the stairs and swung open the door, shivering at the crisp October weather. We didn't live on too busy a road, so I just ran out across the street to the mailbox, not bothering to look. I opened the small mailbox door and pulled out a few letters, then went to cross back over. That's when it happened. Next thing I knew, a car had run into me, and everything felt sore and broken. I heard a car door slam, as well as our screen door, and then I felt two people beside me.

"Abigail?" That was my mother. And then, I didn't remember anything else.

To be continued…

"18