Breaking and Entering

Henry Ortiz, age 11 
Maltby Intermediate

“Hey Mom, can I go up to Cullen’s house?”

“Sure,” said Mom. 

“Thanks, Mom!” I dashed out of the house quick as lightening and ran up the hill as fast as a bullet. I felt like I was in a race. 

When I got to Cullen’s house, I immediately rang the doorbell. I couldn’t wait to see Cullen’s smiling face. Then when nobody answered I rang the doorbell again. I finally got something, except it wasn’t Cullen, it was a barking Molly. That’s when I realized Cullen and his family weren’t there. So, I walked around the house and I went in through the side door. I was going through the garage and went to the door and pushed with all my might. I grunted and Molly trotted up to me. I could smell Molly’s toxic breath and I went past her.

 I looked around and then I had an idea. I went to the den to get a piece of paper with Molly following. I wrote:  

“Dear Cullen, hi. How are you? Where are you? Maybe you can stop by my house later. From, Henry.”

I put the note on the kitchen counter and ran back down the hill to my house. I opened the door and Mom said, “Oh, hi Henry. Where were you? I thought you and Cullen were playing.”

“Uh . . . ” I stammered. “They weren’t home.”

“So what were you doing this whole time?” my Mom asked.

“Uh . . . I went in their house.”

“YOU WHAT!?!?!?!?!?” Mom yelled.

“I went into their house and left a note for Cullen.”

Mom sighed and started to explain why I shouldn’t enter people’s houses when they’re not home. Mom went to get her phone to apologize. Cullen’s family found my note when they got home and they all thought it was funny. My note now hangs up on their fridge.

Now I know not to break into people’s houses. I won’t be breaking and entering into anyone’s house again.

The Saga Continues

Calvin Sears, age 14

Washtenaw International High School

Okay, so I like this girl. Her name is [redacted]. So I’m all like, “Dang [redacted] so fine, but she probably won’t notice me” every day of my life, just being an awkward pimply teenager as usual. I swear, if I wasn’t thinking about [redacted] twenty-four seven, I was probably thinking about food, but still.

So anyway, I’m at this hair salon, which is called *Censored* Cuts. So, I’m at *Censored* Cuts texting my good pally <<404>> about [redacted] situation, and who “ships” us or whatever. I’m sitting in a leather chair gushing sweat like Niagra Falls, heart beating so fast it might get a speeding ticket and a $500 fine, and I’m just debating with myself about whether or not I should confess my feels to [redacted]. Luckily <<404>> and [redacted] were at school still with a few of my other friends, so it wouldn’t be so awkward. Probably. I was clammier than a seafood place, white-knuckles clenching my phone and finally pouring my feelings out at my keyboard like a glass of water hoping the texting [redacted] would make me feel better.

BOY WAS I WRONG! Not like I got rejected or anything, more like everybody, myself included was flipping OUT. Suddenly, I was being swamped with texts and calls from <<404>> and his brother—error—even WHILE I WAS ON THE TOILET. So, I’m sitting on the toilet and <<404>> is all like being mysterious and not responding and every now and then she’ll be all “her phone died broseph” or send a word of encouragement while—error—is just textin’ and callin’ like crazy about everything and WOW OH MY GOD WAS I TERRIFIED. And when I did finally get an answer back from [redacted], she was just as awkward as me, all vague and all. But, finally I did run into her and her two friends jumped on me like guard dogs and scoped me out like a freakin’ telescope fan club. It was terrifying to be sure. Anyway, I’m out of time but this was all about a week ago so THE SAGA CONTINUES.

The Sweet Smell of Slushies

Livia Johnson, age 11

Slauson Middle School

“Oh my gosh,” I said out loud. I was standing in front of the biggest roller coaster I had ever seen. It was a huge rickety wooden roller coaster, not like the baby ones I had been on before . . . because, well I’m a scaredy cat.

As we are walking through the line, all I could hear was the fear in my uncle’s voice saying, “Do we have to go?” to my mom as she was standing there jumping up and down with excitement. And my grandpa . . . well he’s a tough guy, but when it comes to roller coasters he will not do it!

In my mouth I could taste the sour feeling you get when there isn’t enough sugar in lemonade and you really want to just spit it out, but you can’t because you have to be polite about it and just drink it.

I could smell the repulsive sweaty people around me and had to cover my nose with my hand because it was that gross. But on the bright side, I could smell the sweet smell of slushies.

A Bigger Word for Nervous That I Didn’t Even Know

Winnie Jalet, age 11

Tappan Middle School

I was nervous as I got up to the block. Thoughts raced through my head like tiny race cars on a track called “my brain.”

I was at the pool in Carmel, Indianapolis. This pool was special. It was the pool where they held olympic trials. I had almost a year to practice for this meet and a week’s worth of tapering. I had worked for this. I had earned this.

I stepped up to the block, my body shaking like a massage chair that you see at the mall. I was nervous, wait, more than nervous. A bigger word for nervous that I didn’t even know.

I reassured myself, it was only a fifty breaststroke. “I’ve swam a million of these,” I said to myself. 

The pool was where I worked my magic. I was a magician in a knee skin. “Take your marks,” said the meet official.

I stood on the block as still as a tree branch. I positioned myself on the block “GO!” I launched myself off the block and was ready for whatever would come.

Three . . . Two . . . One!

Mikayla Rucinski, age 11

Maltby Intermediate

My stomach was fluttering. I nervously sat down on the blue swing. I got a hint of the smell from the metal chain. Mitch sat on his yellow swing next to mine.

“Three . . . Two . . . One!” We counted down together. I started to gain momentum. The swing started to sway. My whole body began to shake. I took a grip on the metal chain. It was warm from the summer sun.

I leaned back. My hands were sweating. My grip was loosening. It felt as though I had just dunked them into a lake.

My body moved backward until the swing was no longer holding my body. I started to let go. In that split second when my hands were in the air, I realized I had let go too early.

CRUNK! I landed onto the rough, crunchy sand. A ripple of pain shot through my body. I closed my mouth and I tasted the sand mixed with blood.

I lifted my head slowly.

“Are you okay?” Mitch asked as he rushed off his swing. I then stood up.

My chain was ripped. My whole head hurt and my lip was burning. I carefully touched my chin. It started to sting. It hurt, but I knew I was going to be okay.

Zero to Zero

Yu Sato, age 12

Slauson Middle School

“Ahhh,” I screamed. It’s coming! We had fallen down into water. I heard somebody screaming.

“Wow!” I said.

“Hey! Hey!” my brother said. Everyone got wet but I got the wettest because I was sitting in the front seat of the cart. But, I felt comfortable because it was summer. So, I was happy.

My dad and mom bought me a treat after that. It was very tasty. It was a little salty though. I thought, “I want to eat more” because I was hungry and it was almost time for lunch. I smelled french fries and ice cream. The ride was really fun, but my parents didn’t want to get wet.

So, me and my brother stood in the single rider line. I didn’t care to have a ride with my friends or brother, I just wanted to ride many times. It was the first time in my life that I could achieve a dream. I rode like ten times, it was crazy! I already knew what would happen.

Big, Big Victory

Shun Sato, age 13

Slauson Middle School

The game had started by seven. I could not wait for this! I knew I should have slept earlier before the game, but I couldn’t!

I was in my position when it started. The first pitch from my pitcher was so great. The game continued on zero to zero until the very last inning.

In the last inning, up first to bat was our captain. I thought he was going to hit it. I was right. He hit and got to second base. The next batter hit, too. The captain came back to home plate and we won! It was unbelievable.

I got a gold medal. Everything seemed so great. I think this is the big result of hard work and practicing. I cried when it finished because I was so happy. This will be the best day of my life. I’ll never forget it.

When I Lost My Parents

Rhianna Souza, age 10

King Elementary

One day in the city, New York, my parents walked up to me and they said, “We are doing whatever you would like to do.”

And I said, “Okay, to the ice cream shop!”

When we were out I could hear yelling, car engines, dogs barking, and cats hissing. My parents and I were walking to the ice cream shop when I saw a postcard. I saw people, buildings, dogs, and cars. I love to see them. While my parents were walking, they realized I had gone missing. 

My parents ran and soon I saw that they were no longer there. I was so scared that someone took my parents. I started to cry, but then my parents found me where I was by the ice cream shop. I vowed that day that I would never lose my parents in the city again. The end!

Don’t Worry, It’ll Be Fun!

Helena Ortiz, age 11

Maltby Intermediate

I could feel the lump forming in my throat as I climbed into the roller coaster cart. Now, going to Cedar Point is one of my family’s traditions. That is the reason I was riding the Rougarou: the newest roller coaster.

As I buckled myself in for the ride, I thought about my decision to ride the roller coaster. Was it a good or bad idea, I asked myself. I heard my mom’s voice interrupt my thoughts.

“Don’t worry it will be fun!” She said, in a reassuring tone. I just had to trust her.

The roller coaster started up toward the huge hill and I thought about my brothers watching me from below. When we reached the halfway point, my heart was pounding and my knuckles were turning white from gripping the handlebar so hard. I could hear the ticking of the gear that held the cart in place. With every tick my heart pounded harder or so it seemed to me. My mouth was dry and I took a big gulp of fresh air. This relaxed me until I realized the cart was nearing the top. I started to panic and I could sense fear rising in my throat. As soon as I knew it we were plummeting down, down, down. I smiled to myself because it felt so good to conquer something.