100 Word Exercise- Lights

I rested my chin on my elbows and stared at the world outside of our cozy little house. The whole nebiorhood had their christmas decorations up, chains of lights covering the bare branches of trees, and half inflated snowmen staggering in yards. You could see, just barely into the windows of other houses, and see a beautiful display of ornaments and th whirling of people dancing and singing in the joy of the holidays. 

My cracked phone screen lit up on my leg, and I looked down at it. My best friend Mira had just texted. 

100 Word Exercise- Kat

My mother has always regretted naming me Kat. She usually tells me this when I get in trouble for investigating something interesting, something that grown-ups call off-limits. I tell her it’s not the name that made me curious. It’s my personality. But anyway, who names their kid Kat in the first place?
Regular families like my friends Alex and Paula go ice-skating or to the zoo for their traditions. My family’s tradition is to name their kids so they sound like a flower. Splendor means flower in latin. I looked it up on Google, so it’s true.

100 Word Exercise- Fan

I walked across the slim space from the beam and wall. My younger sister Brittany was still crouching up near the wall, near the door of our house. 
“Selma!” she hissed, afraid of a human hearing her. “Come back right now! That human could see you!”
I tossed my long blond braid over my shoulder. 
“Nonsense, they don’t pay attention to anything,” I told her. “Watch.”

I went to the very edge of the beam, where a eleven foot drop was before me. A spinning fan blade hissed passed, and I smiled. Waving to Brittany, I jumped on the blade.

100 Word Exercise- Tower

It was customary that all princesses in must be locked in a tower on their twelfth birthday, to wait for a prince to come and save them. Many princesses, my best friend included sometime marked their calendars with a giant circle around the day, and some had giant parades thrown for them as they traveled to their tower. I marked that day with a scull-and-crossbones flag, the one my teacher had shown us when taking my princess class on a field trip to Neverland. I was not excited for my birthday. I was a little afraid of it. 

100 Word Exercise- My Kind

I bounded up to my Alpha.
“You wanted to see me?” I said, bowing my head into the dirt as the ancient code of Cypress Wolves commands. 
My leader lifted his snout to the sky, where clouds loom in the distance. 
“You know why I have called you here,” he said, his voice deep and troubled. 
I nodded, my face still in dirt. Of course he could tell. All of the wolves could read minds and tell the future. 
“It is about my kind,” I said. “All of the killings.”

Humans, my kind was attacking the wolves. Killing my family.

100 Word Exercise- Hunt

When I came home from advising the Prince about the war against the elves, my family was dead. I walked into our house, surprised that the door was already open. The life and energy usually there was gone, sucked out of the house. I knew there was something wrong. 
“Hello,” I said, in the dusty hallway. “Is anyone there?”
Fear raced though me and I whistled loudly. My beautiful black unicorn hurtled into the room, looking nerve-racked, probably because he thought my Mom would go and hit him. 
“Find them,” I said. 

But I already knew they were dead.

100 Word Exercise- Flames

Soaring high above the beautiful, green, lush rainforest, my keen eyes detect movement. Not prey, but humans. Humans on the warpath. A faint grey trail of smoke drifted from where they were. 
My eyes narrowed and a dive-bombed into that part of the forest, as my brain pulsed with the words, I loathe humans, no, not again!

They were burning down the trees. Screams of dying animals came to my ears, and the smell of burning flesh. I screeched and landed on a human’s head. They should be terrified, punished, and killed for this. For making these animals suffer.

100 Word Exercise- Jump

I have no help, I'm on my own. I nervously look at the flashlight beams waving behind me. Tonight is the last night of my life. I close my eyes and stare down at the river rumbling below the cliff. Goodbye, I say to the world, as a bush rustles. Goodbye…I prepare to die. 
My sister jumps out, her eyes wild.
“Go!” she says franticly. “Jump! It’s deep enough!”

Before I can answer, she pushes me and I fall down to the river below, safe from my pursuers, but not from my sister’s sacrifice, not from her last scream…

Ruby Redfort

Today I just read the book Ruby Redfort: Look into My eyes by Lauren Child. It is a fantastic book full of puzzle, codes, mysteries, and spies.
Ruby Redfort is a thirteen year-old girl who happens to be a genius. She is recruited by an undercover intelligence agency called Spectrum. Spectrum hires Ruby as a code breaker to break a code involving a plot to steal billions of tons of gold.
What makes this book so good, I feel, is that Lauren Child really makes Ruby come alive. Ruby is such a funny character, and her personality is scripted to become very, very detailed and funny. She has a sarcastic humor, and a passion of T-shirts that often say things like:  A bozo says what, or In deep trouble. 
I highly recommend this book for any readers out there, from ages 8-20.

Rule #1: You can never be completely sure what might happen next.

100 Word Excercise- Demise

Pausing on the wooden steps, I listen. Everything is quiet, even the washer and dryer has paused in motion. I slowly, slowly step backwards, onto the squeaky step. Eeekk… The sound drifts through the basement, disturbing the peace made. I listen further. 
“Help, me. I’m so very cold.”

I dash down the steps and hand on the railing, spin. I see her. A tiny, white girl floats in the air in front of me. Spectral light flares from her, and my energy is sapped. The girl flings her arms toward me, and I disappear in an endless world of light.

100 Word Exercise- Above the Clouds

Like a coiled up snake, the river coils and twists along the landscape. Dents, ridges, and  bumps appear on the ground, and giant cliffs line the riverbeds. It seems the landscape is entirely made up of the colors grey, brown, blue, and a sandy yellow color. But the shades and different tones of the earth varies by the thousands. Looking up, the sky’s base is almost pure white, but as my sight pans upwards, it turns light blue, then a dark, mystic-like aqua. Tiny puffs of clouds, like torn-apart cotton balls float beneath me. The plane flies on. 

100 Word Exercise- Wolves

I trotted down the path to camp, along with the hunting party. A deer carcass was between my jaws, and I lifted my head with pride. As we came into the camp, the Old Ones were basking on the rocks near the entrance. Pups played in the clearing, and a light of energy fizzed through me as they stopped their game and looked at me with awe. Omega rushed towards me and did the proper submission expected of my rank. I carried the deer to the base of the Rock and settled it there, prey of the Pack’s future leader. 

WRITER'S BLOCK

Last night, I rose the pen to the notebook, I pressed the tip to the paper. And what happened? NOTHING! I had the dreaded writer's block last night, which is very painful to have, indeed. I know that everyone gets writer's block sometimes, but some people have a harder time to shake it off then others (which used to be me). I had a three-year long writers block streching from 3rd grade to 6th grade. I just want to share some tips about how I get rid of mine.

Exercise. Anything to take your mind off of your story or poem or whatever. But no video games, those aren't very good for the creative process.

Draw a picture. If you simply have no ideas to write a new story, just start making a weird and wacky scene, while coming up with a story in the picture.

Write. If you can't write a story, write abiuot your day, or something new you noticed while walking home from school. Even if you aren't writing a story, you can still use these details another time.

Describe something. Even if the right words don't flow to you, describe the colors of an apple, the shape of a pear, the smell of a pencil. After doing this, you may right a poem about one or the other.

Characters

In order to write, writers need to use every detail, every single thing they have ever noticed in the world and use it in there stories. Almost everything comes from memory, except of course, if you are writing fantasy. Characters in stories need to be well rounded and recognizable to be good, interesting  characters that readers might relate to.
Have you ever noticed, when reading books, you start to recognize characters just by hearing their type of speech, or something the character always does. A few days ago I noticed that whenever my aunt talked to her cat, she would turn the last word in a plural. Those are the types of things that make good characters. Those are the details that make reader know your character anywhere.

100 Word Exercise- Magic

  I was having that dream again. I didn’t know where I was, only that I was somewhere dank and dreary. I couldn’t speak or move. The only thing I could see was a glass jar resting on the floor. Everything else was obscured. The jar was a gold-plated thing, with silver veins running upon it, up and down. A yellow dust, as yellow as the jar itself was floating in it. As my gaze focused more, I was able to see images swirling in the dust. Not people, creatures so horrifying it was impossible to imagine they were real.

100 Word Exercise- Choices

I walk closer to the polished ebony door. With my hand raised, ready to knock, I think, do I really want to do this? If I do, my whole life will be changed. I may never see my family again. But I know there’s a duty to preform. I preform three sharp raps, and wait for it to open. 
“Yes?” The door partially opens, and a hag looks out.
I take a deep breath. “I am ready to serve your king. I am at his disposal.”

The door swings open wide, emitting a greenish glow. There’s no turning back now. 

100 Word Exercise- Mermaids

Mermaids have always been considered a thing of legend. In the early days, when no rules were established throughout the sea, and there were foolish mermaids swimming around, they allowed themselves to be seen. Humans wrote accounts, and not all of them were good. These merpeople killed innocents by luring sailors into the rocks, leading them to their death. Although many have forgotten that fact, the world is very aware of us now. Movies and books have been made about us. No one knows that some of it is the truth. Except for a few. A few who want revenge. 

Movie Review!

Last night, my brother made me watch Disney Channel's premier of Descendants. I guess it was okay, but I just feel like telling you all about it. (This might contain spoilers).

Rating: Three stars. The ending was very predictable (It's Disney, of course) and the songs and dances were all really cheesy (except for their remake of 'Be Our Guest').

So, basically the plot is that the daughters and sons of four evil Disney villains go to school with the children of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, ext. The daughters of the Evil Queen, Maleficent, and the sons of Jafar, and Cruella De'ville. I like the characters a lot, they were very funny and really embraced their roles. The parents were great too. The songs were really horrible, I think.
The costumes they wore were very interesting, and embraced the villain's life style.
That's all I can really think of now. Bye!

How to be Sent to the Principle's Office

My friend and I were sent to the principle's office about a year ago, and wrote a story about the injustice.

How to be Sent to the Principle's Office

I had just finished my history test, turning in the exam that would surely get me an A+ when the old intercom crackled to life. 
   “Will Mina Aldacott and Hazel Carpenter come to the office? Mina Aldacott and Hazel Carpenter?”
  All of the kids still in their seats jerked their heads toward where I stood by the turn-in bin or where Mina was frozen in her desk, as kids usually do when someone else besides themselves are in trouble. I steadied my shaky breathing and walked to the door with Mina. I couldn’t cry. I had a problem you see, I always cry in front of a school authority member, whether I was in trouble or not. 
  We left the third floor and slowly traveled down the stairs, not speaking. The long climb was perfect to calm myself. We went into a bright yellow room on the second floor with ridiculous smiley elephants playing together. 
  Mina and I expressed twin faces of horror when we saw that James was in the office with us. He wasn’t the only one there. My brother was there too, looking sick. I felt sorry for him, but didn’t go over to comfort him yet. I was too busy speculating why James was even here. 
   “Hopefully he is going to get into trouble!” I sang-song underneath my breath. 
  Mina smiled and we sat down on a tattered, vile smelling couch, with my brother, as far away from James as we could get. Then an old woman, the vice principal stepped through the office’s entrance and adjusted the rims of her spectacles.
   “Carpenter… Hazel?” She asked, like she hadn’t seen my for my entire life at this school. I looked at Mina. “I’m pretty sure that she is Mina,” I said,” So I guess that would be me.”
  The women sniffed. “You too, Mina Aldacott and James Jancola.”
  Mina and I exchanged a quick look between us. Why was he going too? We went into a room with a white table and six chairs with another smiley elephant smack dab on the wall. The old woman sat down, so Mina and I did too.
   “This is serious, girls. We need to talk about this because this is not the type of behavior we expect from Metelhorse School. Poor James is deeply affected about what you said. What do you have to say for yourself?”
  I could feel my temperature rising and my heart pounding faster and faster. I needed to talk now, or else the dreaded tears would come. “I have a question,” I blurted out,” What are you talking about?”
   “Don’t try to pretend like you don’t know, Ms. Carpenter. James, sweetie,” She said, laying a hand on his arm,” Would you like to tell us how you feel?”
  James lifted his bald head up and his small, black eyes shimmered faintly. Like he was crying. But James didn’t cry, everyone knew that. 
  “I felt hurt and so very when you said that. I can’t believe you two would do anything like this. I’ve asked you many times to stop, but you wouldn’t stop.”
   “What in the world are you talking about?” Said Mina. 
  The old woman (I had come to now think of her as the old crone, because of how she was treating us compared to James.) 
   “You told James to kill himself because no one liked him at this school.”
  My eyes widened.  Mina burst out angrily. “We didn’t!”
  The old crone looked at us and said,” You are in so much trouble right now, you should start confessing and stop lying.” Mina opened her mouth to speak, but my sobs drowned her voice out. No! I had to force them back.
  The old crone looked a bit shaken. She probably wasn’t used to 6th graders breaking down inside her office. 
   “What is wrong? Pull yourself together.”
  My stomach tightened and a lone tear trickled into my mouth. “I-I’ve been framed.” Then I blew it right there. 
   “James is a liar. We would never say that. And why would we? You can’t punish us without concrete evidence. Do you have any besides James’s word? I demand solid evidence.”
  The old crone stiffened. “I also have only your side of the story.”
  James cried,” But if you don’t punish anyone, the side that is lying will get away scot-free”
  The old crone looked at him suspiciously. “Mr. Jancola, I thought the last thing you wanted was to let these girls get into trouble?”
  He froze. 

  For a half an hour, I listened to James spew out a cock-and-bull story about how he misunderstood what we said. Like we ever said anything. Thanks to him I had missed math class, and wasted about two hours of my time.

100 Word Exercise- Theater

Every theater I have ever worked in has been haunted. There’s no denying it is surprising, of course. Theater leaves marks and scars on people that you can’t explain. Most of the ghosts I’ve seen keep wanting to take another bow, but some want revenge. The theater can be a dark, mysterious place, and the Santa Rose Community Theater was no exception. Before coming here, my mother and I did some research on it. Built in 1850, one hundred people have died there from ‘mysterious events’. Even a little boy has been killed. I hope I’m not the next one.