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| Our Harris Burdick Stories |
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| The Harp |
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Ms. Shiers' 5th Grade Class 2006
So it’s true I thought, it’s really true. It was a bright and sunny day when I was walking with my dog, Shadow. It took an extensive amount of time to climb this very elevated hill. But it was worth it. Shadow and I were at the top of the hill when suddenly it turned gloomy, misty, and freezing.
People had told me about a distant world and if you enter it everything changes. The first person that told me that was my hefty brother Ricky. Just because he was older than me he expected me, the great and powerful Michael, to believe him. But this time I believed him. I was finally down the hill when I saw a lake with a gorgeous waterfall. But at the side of the clearing, I saw an opening with no trees.
As I walked toward the opening I started to hear sweet sweet music. I hit myself and said,” Knock yourself out of it.” I suddenly heard a plop in the water that was right next to me! I looked and saw ripples by a beautiful harp that looked very familiar. Like it was from some kind of storybook. I hit myself again.
I jumped from rock to rock until I got to the harp. I started playing it like I was some kind of magical entertainer. Ricky always said that music was for girls unless it was rock or rap. But suddenly out of the water popped out a head, and then another there must have been at least 20 of em. They were dinky midget people. I just stared while Shadow was growling at them.
They all said, “Welcome to our beautiful country of Shortieville.” Afterward 50 more came and lifted Shadow and I off our feet and brought us to the graceful lake. I probably shouldn’t say graceful because it might be too girly. I took a relaxing bath in the lake with soap and all. I was sitting on the side of the lake when out of the blue a wee midget with a British uniform on came and said, “Hello I’m the first chief to Mr. Oliver Smallbucks.”
He just stared. “Aren’t you surprised that I help Mr. Smallbucks?” he asked. “No. I don’t even know who he is.” I said. The wee man pulled me by the hand to the tiniest, coolest castle in the woods I’ve ever seen. When we got there, we ate tea and crumpets. Just to warn you, don’t eat tea and crumpets at a wee little castle because you aren’t going to get a lot of it because their cooks are way to tiny.
When I met with Mr. Smallbucks I was surprised that he didn’t compliment me because every midget I saw said, “Like your hair. Or nice Shoes.”
All he said was this, “Ah you must be the son of Aaron!”
I wasn’t sure who Aaron was so I just followed along. He talked about his house and how he found Shortieville. To my surprise he is rather ancient for my time, 107 to be exact.
When he took us out to his backyard he became even more bizarre. He started to dance for us. I could say it was rather dreadful. It was some kind of mix with the Macarena and The Robot. After that we went swimming in “The Largest Pool In Shortieville,” it felt like it was a hot tub. But all good things have to come to an end. Poor Mr. Smallbucks got sick with some kind of midget disease. I think it was a growth spurt. He had to go to the best doctor in Shortieville, Dr. Rannigan. She is known to own an orphanage. But I can say that was the most glorious day in my life because I was like a second king to them. Well except for Mr. Smallbucks. I probably shouldn’t say glorious either. WAY TO GIRLY!
By Jessica
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| Uninvited Guests |
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His heart was pounding. Todd was sure he saw the doorknob turn. Then a huge flash of light came and BOOM! The man fainted and woke up in the middle of the road. He got up and felt different. He noticed he could run faster, jump higher and teleport items by lifting them in the air. By then he noticed he was turning into a nasty looking creature, he looked like an elf /alien. Now the police were after him, so he picked up a man and twisted and turned him. Then Todd threw him with all his might and the man landed in a lake. After that Todd ran in his house and remembered the door. He went in and saw a snowy world with tons of humans in it. They just walked past him and not even screaming monster. (Todd was still in his monster form) Then a man said, “I see you’re new here. To be able to change to a human again, you must beat another monster Each monster has a level. The higher the level the more powerful they are. You are probably still level one. Try to find another level one ok. Oh. Here’s one.” Chris said. I will fight him. Ready begin the battle! Ahhh! Noo! I won’t lose to a weakling. I will defeat you. I Todd Ferry will never lose. I love the power and strength going through my veins. I didn’t see that gas tank there. No, gasoline and fire will cause an explosion. Oh no! I hate the feel now it feels dreadful and horrible. I might be able to use this as an advantage. I must think fast, I got it I must find a lake. I’ll take the gas with me to the lake. I must also master fire power and set the cans down shoot it with fire while my enemy Bird for Brains stands by the cans and I shoot the gas then really fast jump in the lake. I hope it works! Now I must fight and master fire ability. It will be hard. Concentrate on fire, come on CONCENTRATE. I know I can do it. FIRE! It worked, but I can’t take any chances so I must be able to control it! Almost, soon I’ll be able to control it.
There I can control it and gained to level two! I just forgot to get the cans to the lake I must also control the power of levitating levitating, so I’ll try hard. I’ll practice levitating objects at bird for brains then I’ll master levitating in no time. My control is getting much better. But bird for brains over there will crush me soon if I don’t hurry. I can make a castle made of metal walls and floors to stall. I will practice inside when I finish tearing walls and floors off of other buildings. That’s weird all the snow just disappeared in the blink of an eye. Now it will be easier to spot metal. Metal, metal, metal, there’s metal everywhere. I will melt metal together, in form or a castle and get it stable in the ground. Fire to melt it and levitating to get it stable in the ground. Finally I’m done and I even made a key for the door. I will go inside to practice.
BOOM! BOOM! The door. Here I come, I’m ready for battle I know I am. Fine I’m not but, I have to fight. Todd opened the door and an army of some sort was waiting outside the door.
“We come in peace.” said a man. “We want in.” said the army. “For what?” said Todd. We will make the castle bigger and protect it from any other army. “The other armies will take control of the castle, but we will protect your castle and you. We must also hunt for food and cook it. Do you want us to help you.” said the army. “Yes, I do want your help.” said Todd. “Our army will start now, ok. said the leader. Ok. said Todd. Sign up for jobs.
As days went on the castle grew stronger and bigger as the army got tougher and tougher. Subsequently armies were coming at night and Todd’s crew was not ready. One man woke up from the sound of gun fire. That was the last sound that guy heard. Another guy woke up and yelled for help and not because he saw the man laying on the floor.
Everyone else woke up grabbed their guns and were set for battle. People were flying from being levitated and the once great looking city was being destroyed and demolished all because of a castle.(both armies fought for the castle) As Todd was running from battle he remembered I must beat another human or monster. I’ll check the door between the two worlds, I must fly around the war to get there. Boom! Bang! I wonder what that was. It sounded like an explosion. All well! Luckily I got there with no trouble. Todd was afraid to try turn the knob. He was mostly afraid it would be locked, but it was unlocked! Todd jumped with joy. I must tell my army. I can see the castle from here. Todd got there and it was deserted. The only thing moving was the fierce- red hot fire. The explosion must have been a bomb that killed everyone, even the other army too. I will make my way back to the door.
Todd opened the door and made his way back to his basement. He thought he I must forget the world of monsters and erase my past. Todd never spoke of that world again and he lived happily ever after.
by Jeff
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| Mr. Linden's Library |
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He had warned her about the book, it was too late. The Secret Garden the 3rd was cursed with a spell. It was several years ago and that was when it happened. The book had been left in a cellar and one day a librarian, not the one now, took it and put in on one of his bookshelves. Now the librarian always cautioned everyone who was checking out the book. He told the visitors that when you reach the 13th chapter on page 113 the curse would begin to work. He said that you feel like you are beginning to feel you are in the book, going through all these parts. You are so focused about the book that you don’t feel quite right.
You are really in the vein of the book but you start to feel foggy. Then when you reach the last page on chapter 13 you begin to doze off. This sleep isn’t any sleep it is a very paralyzing and deadly sleep. You start dreaming about unusual things and then you wake up. Some people say that when you wake up you don’t know where you are and you feel lightheaded. This has happened to many people.
After you have been up for a while, you begin to remember what happened. You can’t remember everything but you know that the book did something really dreadful. You realized that you made a very terrible mistake. The next day when you return the book, the librarian already knew what happened. It was a lesson learned. I learned my lesson when I was in my teens, and it was not a good experience. I checked out that book after reading the back cover. It has a great description and sounds very interesting but don’t check it out, no matter what!!!
I have told you as much as I can tell you. So just remember what I said and you won’t have to experience what I did. Mark my word that it will end up better for you in life. So remember, remember!
!!! The End!!!
By Kirstin
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| Uninvited Guests |
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His heart was pounding, he was sure he saw the doorknob turn. As John was going in the living room everything shrunk. So John ran up the stairs as fast as he could into the closet before the closet door shrunk also. Then John heard the small door open very slowly downstairs and he was really frightened. John realized it was his birthday because he smelt the warm, chocolate cookies in the oven he was baking downstairs.
John knew this was going to be the worst day of his life because he was hearing strange noises. So John tentatively opened the small closet door and then he shut the door as fast as he could and that he locked the door because, he heard footsteps everywhere in the kitchen, in the living room, and even in the back yard. John had heard scary stories that ghosts who would come to a house and take everything you own. He was so scared that he shook with fear. Downstairs John could hear vases, bowls, glass cups, getting crushed and broken and he heard whispers saying his name constantly, and John was sweating like an angry bull that was about to charge at someone.
Then, all of a sudden, John felt a frost bite on his neck. He was so horrified as he heard a lot of footsteps coming up stairs and near the closet door. The hairs on his back of his head stood up because somebody got the key in John’s room by his sink. The lock turned and the tiny door swung open! John screamed like a little girl. But the man that was standing in front of the closet door was John’s brother Max.
John was still screaming when Max said “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN! I didn’t mean to scare you, I meant to surprise you.”
John said, “Why did everything shrink?”
Max said, “ That is just your imagination, I know it is.”
So John and his relatives celebrated John’s birthday till they were purple, and John said to Max, “ Never do that again.”
Suddenly John woke up the next morning. John said, “ Thank goodness it was only a dream.” Then John heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
by Emily
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| A Strange Day in July |
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He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back. The first stone John threw was blue, the second was green and the third was red. All of the sudden he saw a sharp fin sticking out of the sparkling blue water. Red! The third stone was red, like dripping blood. It was a shark! He told his sister Stephanie to go some place safe.
John recently cut his foot on some kind of razor sharp rock. If the shark thought it saw blood, it must have smelled the blood too. He looked down and saw a shark four feet away from him, ready to have a late lunch! John pulled his feet away as fast as possible. He heard its long knife like teeth go down into a snap. He could tell it was angry with him! Right then a huge pack of sharks came into sight. These were unfamiliar sharks that John had once read about in a book. He forgot how bad the damage would be if they bit you. A really nice time to forget that!
He knew that sharks couldn’t get out of water, so John thought was safe. But right out of the blue sparkling water came a purple shark. He knew that any shack made of wood it could chew to pieces. John ran to his house where he found his sister screaming so loud he could barely hear anything else. He slammed the door so hard and it made such a thundering noise John thought he would need hearing aids.
Then John looked out the window to find a glowing beam. The shark disappeared. He didn’t dare go outside! Later. He could look for it later. Not now! A land running shark just chased him. As John put himself to sleep, he thought about the day that he had just been through. Before he knew it he was asleep ready for the day ahead of him.
The End!
by Sarah
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| The Harp |
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So it’s true he thought, it’s really true. Today is December 2, 2005 and Peter is on his first saunter in the woods by himself and not with his dad. Peter could hear very pleasant music as he was strolling along and the music kind of sounded like a women singing opera but quit inferior and supple. Anyhow, Peter was walking along the river and the music was coming closer but Peter didn’t really heed because he was still jubilant of being unaccompanied.
Then he and his dog saw a harp, but it was not just any kind of harp because it was playing music, but the thing is, not one person was playing the harp. The harp was just playing music by itself. Peter was so flabbergasted but timorous at the same time. That didn’t stop him from going closer to the harp. As a matter of fact Peter walked right by the harp. As the harp was playing music, the river was drying out and very quickly.
Then when he walked closer to the harp and the harp ceased playing. Now that the harp wasn’t playing, the water was coming back like a movie rewinding. Peter was sure that was not probable to happen, so he put his feet in the water and Peter and his dog fell in something like a TV screen. Peter shut his eyes as tight as he could so the water wouldn’t damage his eyes as he fell in.
Peter didn’t hear a splash so he looked down and he saw that he was gliding over the water. This time he was really freaked out so he tried to glide back to land, but it seemed such a elongated time until he got there. Peter was very lucky to be able to get out of that TV thing and back on land. When Peter landed he noticed that not one second had gone by when it seemed like weeks had passed in that TV thing that he fell in. Now Peter didn’t have time to notice things because eh was trying to get as far away as he could from that harp so he ran as far and as fast as he could so he could get home and be with his family.
As Peter ran, the harps music got farther and farther away and he got closer and closer to his home. Subsequently Peter was ready to open the door of his house. As Peter opened the door he started to think if he should tell anyone. Peter knew he shouldn’t tell anyone because nobody would believe him. So Peter never told anyone about that mysterious day. Peter has been trying to figure out what the TV thing might be and who was playing the harp, but until he solves the mystery, he won’t tell anyone. Just wait until Peter finds out what everything was because he might become famous someday, but maybe not. I am sure the world will really want to know.
The End!
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| A Strange Day in July |
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On a summer vacation Andrew’s family wanted to go somewhere. They finally decided that they wanted to go to a beach. Andrew loved skipping stones so he wanted to go to a beach where there were flat stones to skip in the water. The family agreed to go to a beach off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
A week later they set off. It was a bright sunny day. It seemed perfect for going to the beach. Andrew was only a kid, eight years old. He played basketball and was the number three, he loved the number three. Andrew was now wearing this shirt because it was a little hot and basketball shirts made him feel cooler somehow. Andrew didn’t like swimming in the sea only because he thought that there were sea monsters in the sea. Andrew’s parents always had told him that sea monsters are not real. But Andrew still refused to go into the sea.
Andrew was really excited when they arrived at the beach. He immediately ran to the water. He looked as far as he could into the horizon. At a distance he thought he could see some kind of a splash. Andrew started to throw some stones to skip across the water. He threw one stone kind of hard. Then he threw another a little bit harder than the last time. Then he threw his third.
He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back. Andrew was very astonished. But then he saw it, a scaly face peeped out of the water. Andrew and his sister Samantha were both frighten. Then again the monster peered out of the water, a tiny bit closer than last time.
When Andrew threw another stone, nothing happened. Then he threw the fifth, and nothing happened. But on the sixth stone he threw, a tail wacked the stone back towards him in silence. Andrew threw three more and on the third he threw, the monster hit it backs again in silence.
Samantha was hungry so Andrew led her to the hotdog stand. Andrew
bought two hotdogs, one for him, and one for Samantha. Andrew was about to take a large bite at the hotdog when, in lightning speed, the monster jumped out of the water and took his hotdog. When the monster jumped, Andrew had noticed like a scar shaped as the number three. Then everything clicked into his mind.
The monster must really appreciate the number three. This is why the monster only hit the third stone, the sixth stone, and the ninth stone. It was getting very hot so Andrew and Samantha lie down on the sand, about 25 feet away from the sea, and lay on it for a while. They both accidentally went to sleep. When Andrew woke up he saw a three carved so deep into the sand that he could see a lot of water in it. It looked wide enough so that the sea monster could fit through. The top tip of the three was right at Andrew’s feet. Then Andrew saw splashes inside and then it leaped high into the air.
It was green. It had like two scars with the number three on them. The monster must have been about five yards long. Then it swam into the ocean. About an hour later Andrew saw it again but this time there were more. Two others! Then all at once, all three jumped up at the same time. Everybody at the beach saw threes on every one. It was time to go home. Then I suddenly noticed, my shirt had a big three printed on the back. Then I realized why they were following me.
The End
by Richard
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| A Strange Day in July |
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I threw with all my might but the third stone came skipping back. I was with my little sister Kayla skipping rocks at the lake. The lake was not very far from our house so we were by our selves. That day was a day I would never forget.
The first stone I threw was very successful along with the second they both skipped along the whole lake, but when I threw the third stone it came skipping back. I wanted to know what it was that threw the stone back. I wanted to know so badly that I jumped into the lake to see what it was. As I got in the lake I was terrified to see what it was.
The water was as cold as ice. Then before I knew it the thing that sent my stone back was grabbing my foot, I tried to fight it but it was too strong. Then I opened my eyes and I was in a different world. The new world was weird everything was orange; nothing was a different color but me. All of the trees were orange even the sky was orange every thing was orange. Then a kid came across me he looked about my size.
The kid asked me my name so I said Ian. He said his name was Josh. I asked him how he got here and he said he jumped into a river and something pulled him in. I asked him how you get back home he said that you have to stay here and work for the Orange King for a year and then he will let you go. I asked him how long he worked here, he said only a month. Then the king called us to start our work, I was very nervous to see what I had to do.
When he got there the Orange King gave us our jobs. I had to clean his whole palace. His palace was not small at all it was huge. It must have took me days but it only took me six hours. After we did our chores, he gave us our lunch. Our lunch was two crackers and one piece of ham and cheese. This world is a crazy world I told Josh and it was even weirder being the only kids there.
After a couple of months he finally let us go home. He let us go home because we did not clean his palace well at all. I was very delighted. I am never ever going to go to that lake again!
When I got home my family was concerned about me. I told them what happened but they did not believe me. After I told them what happened, they grounded me for a week because they thought I was lying. If I could only prove to them what happened.
By Katie
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