Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Strange Thing in My Pocket by Lainey Lou-Lou

One morning I decided to walk along the vast, white water creek that ran through my backyard. I bent down to pick up a bright orange daisy with a dab of yellow and purple in the center of the flower, to put in my long wet hair. I thought it would match my white flowing shirt with a swim-suit top and purple shorts. As I stood up, something fell out of my back pocket. I noticed it falling, turning and flowing as the wind carried it away and dropped it next to a weeping willow tree. Flipping it over to read the fine print, I saw that it was a plane ticket that would take me anywhere I wanted. I rushed back to my house. I was filled with anticipation with the ticket in my presence. I did not know how I had gotten it, but there was no time to sit and ponder how it was put it my pocket—I had to figure out where it was that I wanted to go. So I sat and dreamt about all the places I could see. Finally, I picked a place. I would go to Tahiti. Tahiti is a remote island in the Pacific Ocean between North America and Japan. It is known as “The Queen of the Pacific.” When I arrived at my destination, I walked along the shore collecting sea shells, star fish, sand dollars and other fascinating creatures. I walked on a very rocky platform that had been carved from the explosion of the waves as they collided with the rock. The water burst to the sky and gently fell back to earth. I felt the mist and drops of salty ocean falling on my skin. I loved lying there on the beach and feeling the water reach and engulf me where the sand surrounded me and then roll away as the ocean rose up and sucked the sand back with it. After watching the brilliant orange sunset over the never-ending ocean cast a reflection of light that lit up my eyes, I rushed back to my hotel excited to spend more time in the water with the sea life the next day. The following day, as I sat on the beach and watched the calm rolling sea, I noticed the color of the depth. In shallow water it was a light blue, but almost clear. In the deeper parts, it was a royal blue color. While I was walking along the shore, I found a conch with a check for a million dollars. “Now, I can spend the rest of my life here,” I thought to myself. As I started walking back to my hotel, I noticed a familiar looking face. Then all of the sudden it hit me. The man who was the life guard at the beach was a strange man who lived down the street from me. “I saw him at the creek after I had discovered the plane ticket and now I see him here!” I said to myself. “I need to get out of here.” Then I put the conch back on the beach and walked away watching the conch with the money inside being swept away with the waves.

I Found the Strangest Thing in My Pocket By Jane Doe

My name is Ella. There was never really anything unusual that happened in our town. It was more of a village really, with only about 1,000 inhabitants in its heyday and only about 200 now. Needless to say about half the town was now boarded up and dilapidated. It was kinda quaint but very boring and routine until a little over a year ago when I found the strangest thing in my pocket and things haven’t quieted down since. I was a tall, awkward eighteen-year-old when I found it. I had straight, mouse-brown hair and very green eyes.
It all started one regular, not too hot, summer day when I was walking down the sidewalk with my best friend George, who was also 18, when he stopped, bent down, and picked something up. He examined it for a moment before he handed it to me. “Here,” he said, “you can have it.”
I looked at what he had handed me. Upon examination it appeared to be a red rock. Upon further examination I concluded that it was indeed a shiny red rock, which fit quite nicely into my palm and was a little heavy for its size. It was kind of fun to fiddle with, so I kept it in my pocket. I thanked him and we kept walking.
A year and day later, I was at George’s house playing with his dog, Ferddy. The rock was lying on the porch when suddenly, Ferddy ran over and, before we could stop him, crunched down on my rock. Ouch! He spat it out and went to a corner whimpering. I ran over to my rock and George ran over to his dog.
“Oh no! He cracked it!” I wailed, examining my once smooth rock that now had a gaping crack zipping across it.
“I sorry,” said George. “He really likes red jelly beans. Must have thought that was a giant one or something.”
“Well, I guess it’s only a rock and it’s still in one peace.” I said halfheartedly and stuck it back in my pocket.
Later that same day, George called me, frantic. “Ella, you gotta come down to the warehouse this evening! This magician, who is on his way to some other place, stopped by our little town and decided to show a few tricks to a few people. I happen to be one of those people. I want you to come and see them to. He said he can do any sort of magic trick you can think of and more.”
“Like what?” I said. One time when I was younger, somebody had told me it was all smoke and mirrors and that took all the fun out of it.
“He said he can bring things back from the dead with his Darke Magyk. Ooooooooooo…………,” he said dramatically.
“Fine. Meet you there,” I said.
So I slipped on my Converse shoes and went to meet George at the magic show.
It was simply a small handful of people crowded around the magician, who didn’t look the part, in the abandoned warehouse.
The magician was a tall, gangly man probably nineteen or twenty, with shaggy blond hair. He had on slightly worn jeans with a faded black T-shirt and cheap canvas shoes. When I glanced up at him, he caught my eye and smiled and winked at me. I quickly looked straight down. I was sure he could see my blushing. Sometimes I thought boys did that just to make girls uncomfortable.
When he had everybody’s attention, the magician said, “I will now raise this rat from the dead.” Out of nowhere a crate with a rat on it had appeared in front of him. At the sight of the crate appearing in front of him, the crowd gasped as one. The rat was clearly dead. It was already rotting a little bit and was very smelly. The magician closed his eyes and spread his hands over the rat and mumbled a few words. Suddenly the rat flinched, and then it stretched, and then it stood up and walked about. Everybody stood back except me, I was rooted to the spot. I had a horrible fear of anything dead, or undead for that matter. Well then of course, the rat started towards me. Still frozen, I stood there until the rat got very close. When it came extremely close, it stopped and leaned against my pocket as if resting. That’s I screamed and bolted for the door and didn’t stop running until I got home.
By the time I got there, it was very dark. I went to my room and flopped down on my bed, thoroughly embarrassed and shaken up. Then the phone rang. It was George.
“You didn’t miss much and nobody laughed when you screamed,” he assured me. “He just flew around the room a little bite and did a few other small tricks. You killed the rat again when it fell off.”
“Hmm…” I said. Then I hung up and almost instantly fell into a fitful sleep filled with zombie rats scratching around in my pocket.
When I woke up, sure enough, there was something scratching and scrabbling around in my pocket. I reached in quick without a second thought and, OW! It bit me! I reached in a second time. This time with more caution, and pulled out…. a red baby dragon?
I could not believe my eyes. For a second, I thought I must still be dreaming but then I thought, “No, that bit really hurt.”
“Hmm…” I said aloud. “I guess there’s nothing to do with you but name you. Let’s see, oh, I know, I’ll name you…” but I didn’t finish.
“BURP!” went the dragon.
“PU! Well, forget that name, I’ll call you, Stinky Face.”
I called George. “Hello?”
“Hey, George,” I said, “I just found the strangest thing in my pocket.”
“Oh yeah. What?”
“A baby dragon.”
Silence. I heard him audibly open and close his mouth a few times before he said, “A baby dragon? This I gotta see. I’ll be over in a minute” he said.
“Hey, wait, George!”
“Yeah?”
“What do you feed a baby dragon?”
“Dragon kibble?”
We both laughed.
By the time George arrived, Stinky Face had finally stopped doing laps around my room and fallen asleep curled up on my bed.
“Man,” said George, “you really did find the strangest thing in your pocket.”

Monday, May 9, 2011

Sir William Wallace III by Blithe

Sir William Wallace III was, to put it briefly, in a lot of pain. Having just been whisked

out of the jousting tournment, he realized just how much his head ached.

“I can’t believe he’s still conscious!” whispered one of the knights who was carrying him.

“He did take a pretty nasty blow to the head.” said the other. “I hope the doctors can stop

the bleeding.”

“WHAT?” exclaimed Sir Wallace. “BLEEDING?”

“Sir! Sir, please sit down! We don’t want you to....”

But it was too late. Sir Wallace was suddenly enveloped in darkness.



w



He awoke to large shouts and loud laughs. Slowly he opened his eyes and took in his

strange surroundings. All around him, people were wearing purple were eating and cheering. On

the other side of this vast landscape, people donned in red were doing the same. As his throbbing

head struggled to comprehend his rather unique situation, a massive roar emitted from the men in

red. The people in purple began to boo.

“I must investigate!” declared Sir William Wallace III.

So, after many failed attempts to get back on his feet, he finally was able to lumber down

the concrete steps which he had previously been sprawled out on.

Again there was a deafening cheer, but this time from the purple side.

“Something is definitely going on,” thought Sir Wallace.

Finally he reached the bottom. He looked around and simply couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I’m in heaven!” he decided. “Yes, that’s it, I’m in heaven! I’ve been sent to the eternal

team jousting copetition!”

For what he saw before him was two teams rushing at each other. Some got knocked

down, but those who were victorious ran on and scored a point! And the prize, the prize was this

beautiful egg--shaped trophy! This was what he had always dreamed of; he simply had to be in

heaven.

“I can’t believe my luck! My good fellows, may I join?”

No one seemed to object. So off he went. He burst out onto the bright green grass.

“Excuse me, my fine sirs, but may I butt in?”

No response.

“I guess I shall just jump right in! For the Queen!” he shouted, and charged right into the

hubbub.

“HEY! WHAT IS HE DOING?” shouted the crowd.

Unfortunately for our poor Sir Wallace, the jousters took no notice. Before he could lift a

finger, a purple helmet slammed into his chest.

“OOF!” cried Sir Wallace, as his world turned black.

Lost by Psych Osis

I dodged the stone blade. I swung my blade up against my foe, my sword nearly an exact duplicate of his. He blocked on the flat of his weapon. I lunged forward, glancing a blow off his silver helm. Stunned and knocked off balance, the warrior still managed to land a long scratch on my forearm.
Pain lanced up my left arm and I threw myself back, landing near a ledge. Gritting my teeth, I pulled off my cloak as blood welled in a six-inch wound along my arm. I flexed my hand. No tendons severed.
I glared back at my enemy. His helmet had fallen far below, down to where hundreds of knights fought, kith against kin, friend against comrade. His grimy gold hair hung at his shoulders. Even with his tunic in tatters and blood on his hands and face, he struck a kingly, noble figure.
I hated every inch of him.
“This is not the way.” He said pleadingly. He dared speak? “You were raised better than this! Or are you ashamed that—”
“Silence, old man!” I raged. “I care not for your feeble excuses! I will water the grass with your blood and feed your flesh to the ravens! You die tonight!”
We hefted our swords and charged, but before we could take but a few steps, a reverberating boom shook out, knocking us from our feet.
Over the ridge two figures came into view, a bizarre couple. One, a wizened old man, with a strong, but gentle face set in intense focus and shoulder-length alabaster hair. The other struck a figure of a beautiful woman, young, but with a dark aspect far beyond her years to match her flowing tunic. They glared at each other, not moving but for their hands, which jittered and twisted into elaborate patterns.
Lightning flickered in sinister clouds high above them, the billows beginning to move, twist.
WHAM! I silently cursed myself for letting my concentration lapse. My assailant had slammed into me, pushing me down the drop. I struggled to my feet. My rib was broken, maybe two. The golden-haired man stood twenty feet above, looking down sadly.
A howling assaulted me, inciting me to look back. The clouds had wrapped themselves into a funnel, tearing around the man and woman, but not harming them. The same could not be said for me.
A pull ripped me off my feet, yanking me into the vortex. Lightning pulsed down on top of me, and I knew no more.


I awoke to the blaring of trumpets and whooping of an ungodly noise. I staggered to my feet. A metal monstrosity rushed at me! Bereft of my armor and clad only in my tunic, I hefted my sword.
Glowing eyes flashed at me, and the noise of ten trumpets deafened me. At the last second, it swerved and a human leaned out? He yelled at me, “Out of the way, freak!”
His accent was strange, foreign. And I looked around for the first time. The air was heavy, the landscape a forest of stone and metal. Thousands of faces peered down at me from stands. I was in some kind of arena. The grass beneath my feet was unusually plush. Fake? And stripes crossed it at regular intervals.
A voice like thunder blared at me: “And…uh, apparently, the new mascot for the Minnesota Vikings!” Applause and cheering rang out from everywhere. Why would anyone applaud Vikings? They were ruthless, cruel men who raided England’s villages constantly. I made a mental note: when I become king, my first action will be to wipe out those savages.
Who was my opponent? I was obviously in a gladiator’s arena. A giant, grotesque bird emerged from one entrance. It was yellow and blue with a red head. I charged.
Surprisingly, he ran. Perhaps he was only a chicken. I managed to get in a slash to the back and neck, but it cut easily. A costume?
Men in light tan uniforms came and escorted me to a cold cell room. As I entered, my temper snapped. I spun, slicing all of them in the chest with my sword. They collapsed, bleeding. Pansies. They should at least avenge their honor and make a final stand. Wait… a metal weapon of some kind was attached to their sides. I knelt and scooped one up.
It was heavy and cool to the touch. My hand fit comfortably on one of the longer pieces, with my first finger sliding into a notch. Was this a sort of wand?
I ran outside, to where many metal beasts milled about, a vast majority of them yellow and spotted. Storm clouds gathered up above, throwing lightning about. For a moment I watched as people waved at them until one stopped, lifted a sort of latch on the side, and pulled it apart to enter. They seemed to be using the monsters as transport.
I attempted to follow suit. I waved frantically at one. He stopped for me, and I lifted the latch and entered. A rough, thick man with a hint of a beard turned to me.
“Would help if ya shut the door.” He grunted. Door? Ah, the opening apparatus. I pulled it towards me and slammed it against the metal. He grunted again. “Now, where ya want be goin’?”
“Take me to the highest point of the land.” I ordered.
“The sears tower? Sure.” We set off at an incredible pace, faster than a man could run. But dread filled my heart when I looked skyward. Instinctively, I knew being struck by lightning was my way home, but the storm was abating.
“Faster!” I cried, waving the metal weapon about. The driver looked back in fear.
“Please…sirrah! Ah don’t wan’ no tuble! Please, ya sirrah, don’t hurt meh!” His accent became indecipherable in his terror. The tube? Perhaps it was a magic wand after all.
We increased our fantastic speed, the metal and rock blurring around us with our velocity. Finally we reached the largest building, and I ran in, cape fluttering about my back. A few people stepped into a cubicle. I ran to order them,
“Get me to the roof!” A unnerved woman punched a small button on the wall, and it lit! Suddenly doors shut around us. I was trapped! A falling sensation built in my chest.
A few seconds later the doors opened…but the world had changed! I was on the peak of a mountain, looking down at all the other buildings and people in metal creatures.
Two men in tan yelled at me: “Hey! You can’t be up here!” Their mouths were on fire! Smoke curled from wood trapped in their lips. Disgusting!
I balled my fists in anticipation of a fight. BLAM! A sound like thunder from the magic wand that I stole. My hand was jerked back. What was this witchcraft? The small hook my finger sat in had been moved, and a small hole now sat where I pointed the tube.
I tried again. I pointed at one of the men and pulled the hook. BLAM!
The noise and jerk again! But look, the man was bleeding, blood dripping from his sholder. I aimed more carefully and put a hole in his head, killing him instantly.
Wham! Again, I had forgotten my opponent in my mystification over the wand. He threw himself on me. His breath smelled like smoke. I frantically pointed and pulled the stud twice. BLAMBLAM! The abomination dropped dead.
Thunder rolled and I looked up. Lightning coursed down on top of me, and the world went black.

Once again, I was in Camelot, among all the knights and…the king. I looked over.
“My son, do not do this. It is not the way. I know you, Marty, and you do not want to do this evil deed.”
“Oh, but I do.” I grinned cruelly.
I pointed the wand at him.
“My name is Mordred.”

3,000 BC by ManOfSteele

It was a small white box with some strange moss growing on the ground, and

pools of still water on one side of the room. The same still water was on the ceiling

letting in sun light. At least that’s what it appeared to be, and that’s what I thought it was.

The place smelled like nothing I’d ever smelled, it almost smelled like a pine tree in

spring, but not really. A small rumbling sound came from someplace I did not see. An

animal ir, even worse, a monster? I turned around and saw a black box with a small

flashing yellow eye right in the center if it… so it was an animal, or a monster. It

appeared to have a name too, because on the side of the beast were the letters “DELL”

Not wanting to wake the sleeping creature, I stepped back, hoping I would find a way out

of this place of magic. And I did, but it just led into another cursed, small, white room.

This one was not as light as the other room though. The one thing in this room that I was

familiar with were the table and chairs. The same still water that I saw in the other room

was here to. I slowly walked towards it and touched the surface, and surprisingly it was

hard. Probably magic I thought. At least the squishy moss was not growing in this room.

Instead there were lots of little square wooden planks on the floor, and the place squeaked

under my feet as I walked toward a huge white rectangular humming device in the corner.

I opened it and was flooded by a sudden flash of light and cool air. I quickly closed that

device. Once my eyes got used to the darkness again I saw a passage going down behind

the table, it had some steps and a railing. I was desperate for a way out so I descended

down into yet another much larger white room. In this room there was a lot more chairs

then in the last two rooms combined and they all surrounded this… this thing. I walk a bit

and jumped when a loud high pitched sound entered my ear. I look behind and saw lights

and heard voices. Am I saved? Was I free from this haunted place? As the voices came

closer I distinguished anger in there voices. Not wanting a visit from DELL I ran, not

knowing what I was running from I looked back, saw nothing, and turned back around

and ran straight into a wall. I fell motionless to the floor and awoke, another one thousand

years later.

Cage in the Car by Cloudsie

I sit quietly in my cage as the car drives away. I have lived in the store cage for my whole life, which is only 8 months. So I am very confused as I sit in the back of the car in a brand new cage with 3 little children staring down at me. They are all quite young. Not more than 5 years I would think so I am very cautious. The other bunnies told me about children when I was in pet Co. They said that the young ones can never be trusted and that all they do is pick you up and squeeze you. That comment frightened me a little bit as I imagined being tossed into the air and never being caught. I shudder as I hop around my new cage. Finally I settle down in the corner and fall asleep.
When I wake up, I am in a new place. I can’t tell exactly what the place is but it smells odd and it looks different than the pet shop. I don’t see any other animals. I look to the left and see no one. I look to the right and see one of the children. It is the girl. She is sitting criss crossed on the bed and staring at me. I watch her face light up in joy as she realizes that I am awake. She slowly kneels down and opens the cage. I jump around and then sit still. She puts her hand in the cage and on my head. I flinch back at first but when she gently sets her fingers on my neck I sit still. She strokes me and scratches my ears. I am confused. The other rabbits said that children cant be trusted but that is obviously not true. She girls is so quiet and gentle that I cant help but close my eyes and let the feeling of love wash over me. I know that I am going to have a very happy life here.

Those Annoying Mystic Beings by Mershey

I sit in a large tub.

All my brothers and sisters are there with me.

Nothing ever happens, except occasionally one of my siblings is picked up by one of the Mystic Beings.

I think that they must be space aliens.

After all, why else would they want to disturb a perfectly normal ball, and take it home?

If they even have a home. Those annoying Mystic Beings… the nerve of them.

They took my parents, for Pete’s sake!


As I sleep soundly, on the very top of my pile of siblings, I feel something grab me.

I look at it, and find that it’s a mystic being!

It’s quite strange… it’s pink, with some strange yellow fuzzy stuff on top of it’s head.

‘Put me down!’ I wanted to cry out, but no sound came out.

Suddenly the Mystic Being threw me at the ground, and smiled when I came back up to it’s hands.

How rude.

Suddenly it started doing all sorts of tricks with me, like bouncing me around it’s back and between it’s legs.

When it tried to throw me between it’s legs, I bounced extra high and wacked him right between the legs (thankfully I have taken many ‘Mystic Being defense classes)

He looked pained, and took me with him into a big long line of Mystic Beings.

I looked back at my siblings.

They were still asleep.

Even if they weren’t there was nothing they could do to save me now.

Soon I was confronted with a giant monster.

The Mystic Being must somehow be related to it, I thought, because it jumped right through one of the Monster’s four mouths.

It stuck a shiny stick into a hole and suddenly the monster woke up!

It started moving.

Soon we were on a black surface, going so fast

I felt like I was going to pop!

After about 2 minutes the monster stopped.

Thank God.

The Mystic Being took me out of the monster and I felt I was ready for anything, when five mystic beings ran up and tried to grab me.

Soon they were all throwing on the ground, or throwing me at eachother, or worst of all, throwing at a giant pole with a basket on it.

It was very undignified.

I soon realized that they were playing some sort of game- and that I was what they used to play the game.

Soon another Mystic Being (this one with longer scruff on it’s head) called them into some sort of cage.

They left me under the giant pole.

I started trying to roll, thinking I could make it back home if I could just get out from under the pole.

I pushed against the pole, and soon I was rolling.


Now I was out on the black thing that they monster had been on.

Suddenly from up behind me another monster came.

I braced myself for the pain and then POP!