Elinor Dana

1st Marking Period

The Mysterious Flippers It was an average Monday. I slept through a few classes here and there, failed my math test, left my literacy book at home, and waited for the school day to end. The bell had finally rung! I walked toward the back of school waiting for my friend to arrive. "Oh, hey Brooke. Sorry I'm a little late." Ally said. "It's okay. Where were you?" I asked. "Okay, so you're never gonna believe what happened!" "What?" "Okay, so I was walking past the pool when I saw IT!" she exclaimed. "IT? As in you - know - what?" "NO, not THAT!! The OTHER IT." She said as if I was really dumb. "OOOH! That IT!" I replied. "You don't actually know what I'm talking about do you?" She answered, obviously annoyed. "No I don't." I said. "I saw the magic diving flippers!" "No! Get out! Do you know what you you could do with them? Where did you see them?" I asked. "Well, it's only a myth."

It was said that if you put on the flippers and swim, you would be able to swim as fast a a dolphin. I had always believed it. "I think it's true." I responded. "I mean, it could be true. You never know!" A car horn honked. It was my grandma. "Ally, I gotta go. Text me tonight?" I asked. "Okay."

I walked to the car. "Hello sweetie! How was your day?" Gran asked cheerfully. "Hello Gran! Good." She asked me all sorts of questions about my day, like all adults who don't know any better. We arrived home, and I got a text from Ally. It said, "u there?" I replied, "yess" "okay so i saw them at the pool, after swim team." "rly?" 'yea, they were on the bleachers." "oh weird." "let's look at them tomorrow.' "okay." "BROOKE!!!! Come down, dinner's ready!" My mom called. "Okay, coming!" I replied.

BBRRRRRING! My alarm woke me up at 6:20. Ugh. I didn't want to go to school. But then I remembered the magic flippers and got out of bed. I met Ally at the front of the school. "Hey!" Ally greeted. "Hello. Let's go, before the bell rings!" "Alright!" she replied excitedly.

We walked, or semi-jogged really, like two lunatics to the pool, only to discover that the flippers weren't there! There were some items strewn across the bleachers, though. Among them were some broken goggles, a swim cap, and a diving board. "OMG they aren't there!" Ally yelled. "Uh-oh. Someone must've took them! This is bad..." "Alright, I gotta get to class. The bell should ring any minute now." Ally said. "Later! We'll figure out where the flippers went."

I walked out of the aquatics center, towards the side entrance of the building. I had P.E. first period. Since I was a little late, I was still changing as the rest of the class went ahead into the gym. After I finished, I turned to stuff my things into my locker and something caught my eye. There, sitting on a locker room bench, were the magic flippers.

I grabbed the flippers and shoved them into my already-full locker. After P.E., I sat through all of my seemingly never-ending classes, waiting to show Ally the flippers. After everyone was dismissed, I met Ally at the back of the school. Ally and I greeted each other and we walked to the locker room. "What did you want to show me?" Ally asked. I replied, "You'll see." I opened my locker and pulled out the flippers. "Wow! How'd you get them?" Ally exclaimed. "Simple. They were sitting on that bench over there." I said while pointing to the bench. "I wonder how they got there!" Ally remarked. "Me too. We should test them out!" "Yes! That's a great idea!" Ally agreed. Without another word we ran to the pool. When we got there I waited for Ally to change into her swim suit. She came out and shoved the flippers on to her feet. She jumped into the pool and nothing happened. She swam two laps. Still, nothing happened. She swam three more laps hurriedly, and looked the way teachers do when someone asks them a question they had just said the answer to. I called to her from the bleachers, "Nothing's happening!" "I know! Maybe it's a myth after all!" Ally swam up to where I was standing and got out of the pool. "Well, I guess it was just a myth. That's disappointing" I said, " I really thought it would work." "Oh well. Other mysteries will come up, right?" Ally said. "Yeah, I guess." "Wanna get some ice cream? It'll cheer you up!" Ally requested. "I guess."

2nd Marking Period

The Dream

I open my eyes. Where am I? I wonder peacefully. I am in a room, no windows, no doors. The floor and walls and ceiling are all white as a dove. I walk over to the wall and run my fingers along the wall. I feel a bump. Huh, that's weird. I peel at the bump on the wall and the white comes off. I peel all the white off and find a layer as blue as a sapphire. After that, a layer of emerald green. Then, the walls start shaking violently, like the earthquake of Pompeii. The walls start closing in on me. I hear a blood-curdling scream that I think came from my own mouth. Everything goes pitch black.

I wake up to my mom saying my name. " Are you ok?", she says. "Yeah I'm fine, it was just a dream."

The Bird

I wake up on a warm summer day, with the honey sun shining through the white curtains. Good morning, Sun. I inhale the wonderful aroma of freshly baked biscuits. Ahhh. I walk downstairs, flannel pants in all, to get some breakfast. " Good morning Elizabeth!", my aunt says from behind the sink. I reply, "Good morning, Auntie Rachel! What's for breakfast?" "Biscuits with little sausages and bacon." "Yum! Is there raspberry jam with the biscuits?', I ask hopefully. "Of course! I made some just for you!" "Thank you", I say as happy as a kid in a candy store. "You're welcome!", she says with a smile. I grab a plate from the cabinet and pile sausages, bacon, and biscuits on it.  Yum.  I finish my breakfast and bring my sketch book outside.  What a beautiful day. What should I draw?, I think. Then, a see a red pile of feathers the color of`cranberries that lie in the grass . I walk over to it. I gasp. The pile of feathers is really a little red bird.  Well, I think it's still alive. Yup, it is. Its eyes are open.  I run back to the house to grab a small box and two towels. I run back out to the bird. I put a towel in the box (as cushioning) and lay the bird inside.  Awww, you poor little thing,  I think. I place the towel over top the box and carry the bird inside. "What is in the box?", I hear my mom say, suspiciously. "It's an injured bird. I found it in the yard." "Oh poor little thing. Let's put it on the deck. We'll see how it's doing in a couple of hours." My mom says. " Alright.", I agree. I carry the bird to the deck and put the box on a chair in the shade.

"Hello there little guy. What is your name?" I say to the bird. The bird just blinks at me. Well, it is a bird. It can't really talk to me. "Since you can't tell me your name, I'll just call you- Macho." I say. I go back into the house anxious about Macho. I hope he'll be alright.

"Elizabeth, you should probably check on the bird.", I hear my mom say from behind her furniture magazine. "Alright." I say. I put down my book and walk to the garage. I open the garage and walk over to the box. I lift up the towel covering the box. Macho flies out of the garage, joyful as can be, and disappears among the pillowy white clouds.

3rd Marking Period

The Switch-up

There was once a boy, whose name was Tom. He was an apprentice in a potion shop. One day, he found his master Graden's potion recipe book. Graden was staying at the capital, Morden, for a magic convention. Tom thought Graden wouldn't mind. After all, he wouldn't be coming back until Friday, two days from now. He opened up the book, but the letters were strange and flipped. He knew it was in English, but it was reversed. Tom now knew what he had to do. He went in to the hall, where there was a crystal mirror. He held the book open towards the mirror. He could now read the potion book. The page read:

Looker-Gooder Potion Want to look your best? Do you want to impress the ladies? (or gentlemen) All you need are some magic ingredients! Follow the recipe below to enhance you looks!

Ingredients: 1 ground conch shell 2 vulcimus leaves 2 cups banberry juice 3 lenocius sprigs

Directions: 1. Put cauldron on medium heat 2. Simmer banberry juice for 20 minutes 3. Add in vulcimnus leaves, ground conch shell, and lenocius sprigs. 4. Bring the mixture to a boil for 10 minutes 5. Let cool for 5 hours 6. Drink and enjoy the new you!

It seemed simple enough. Tom got to work. After 5 and a half hours, the potion was ready. Tom drank the whole thing. He sat looking in the mirror, but nothing was happening. He wondered if he had done something wrong. It was getting late, and Tom decided to go to bed.

Tom woke up the next morning, feeling strange. He got up and went downstairs to eat breakfast. There sat Graden at the dining table. Upon Tom's arrival, he started laughing hysterically. "Oh hello Graden. I thought you wouldn't be back until tomorrow." Tom said in his squeaky voice. Graden continued laughing. "Yes. I came back early. There weren't as many people at the magic convention this year, so it ended a day early. I recommend you go look in the mirror." Tom went to look in the mirror, only to be met by himself- or at least a boy was very ugly. His previously auburn hair was now stringy, and the color of burnt pie crust. His small freckle on his nose was ten times the size, looking like someone took some mud and rubbed it in a circle around his nose. His narrow nose was now of a pinocchio length. Tom shrieked with horror. That potion was supposed to make him look better, not worse. He went back to the room Graden was in. "Did you use that potion book? I won't be mad." Graden said. "Y-yes. I did. I'm sorry!" "No need to be sorry now, I think you've learned your lesson." Graden replied, stifling a laugh. "Can you make me back to normal? Please? I swear I'll never use that book again without your permission!" "Alright. I suppose so. Luckily I have a counter-active potion already brewed." Tom followed Graden into the musty cellar. The was a bottle with a wrinkled label on it and a bright blue liquid inside. Graden grabbed the bottle and headed toward the kitchen. He poured a little into a glass and Tom drank it. "This might take a little while." Graden explained. Tom's face started moving. He ran to look in the mirror, but this time he saw his normal reflection. Tom was relived to have his normal face back, but most importantly, he had learned his lesson- never ever use a backwards magic book. Ever.

4th Marking Period

The Tragic Opera

Trista was going to the opera on her birthday. Her favorite play, Romeo and Juliet, was going to be on that night. She was wearing a long, dazzling, blue dress. She was almost there when they heard a crack. They stopped to see Trista's dress stuck in the wheel of the carriage. She had fallen over the side, her head inches from the wheel, and minutes from death. There was another carriage coming, about to run over Trista. We heard horses' hooves get louder and louder as the carriage came nearer. Then, we heard the crack. The sound that haunted us forever. The sound that meant Trista's death.`

I am from I am from cold bubble tea smoothies,and rice and my Lola's burnt lumpia.From giant bowls of pan sit,and huge family gatherings.I am from the giant dishes of flan after services at my Lolo's church.

I am from uncles yelling "Go Bears!"during the game parties my grandparents would throw,and "Hi Ate Ellie" when I would reunite with my cousins,and "kamusta".From "Lola and Lolo",and "Shh" during the long sermons at my Lolo's church.

I am from warm summers that soon end, and frigid wintersthat seem to last forever.From the Windy City,and the big lake at the Glenn.I am from the vent in the side of Lola's house,where we used to order McDonald's with my cousins.

I am from watching Leo, Annie, June, and Quincy,every day at 5:30.From long walks around downtown,and swimming at the beach in Hawaii.I am from driving 12 hours to see our cousins every year.

I am from the warm summer nights catching fireflies with my siblings.

A Day in the Life of a CatI am Aisling. I normally wake up at 6:30 am every morning. It's always very easy for me to wake up, because I sleep for at least three hours during the day. I turned 2 (about 25 cat years old), two and a half months ago. My human companions totally forgot, and remembered about five days later (thanks to my favorite human, Elinor.) Ever since we haven't celebrated my birthday. I can't exactly remind them, because after all I am a cat and therefore can only communicate in a combination of meows and body language. Anyways, after I wake up, I meow at each door belonging to a human until one of them wakes up and slumps down stairs. Normally, I sit at the window to watch the birds for a little while. Whoever came down stairs with me will give me half a can of cat food after I am done looking outside. After that, the midgets leave for school and I get some "me time". At 1:30 I go to sit on the stairs to wait for Emery and Elinor. Around 2:40 they come back from school and pet me. Then, I go off to go sit in some very comfy place (some preferred places are the old American girl doll bed at the top of the stairs, the linen chair in the dining room, and the mantle in the family room). I sleep there for a while, and then go ask (or rather meow) for the second half of the cat food can. I go back to another comfy place to sleep again. Later, at about 7:00, I get another whole can of cat food. After that, I'm really hyper. I like to trot around the house. This cycle repeats again. And again. And again.