Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
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Stop the Talk – Help Stop Bullying
Have you ever said or done something mean for no good reason? Has someone ever said or done something mean to you? If you said yes to either question, this event is for you. The Teen Interest Council and the Mesa Middle School Agents of Change are putting on an event at the Philip S. Miller. They will be sharing information on how to recognize bullying, cyber bullying, how to stop your own bad behavior, and many other topics. Two sessions will be presented.
July 20th at 6:00pm kids grades 3-6 and their families are invited to participate.
July 20th at 7:30 teens grades 6-12 and their families are invited.
Join us to learn what you can do to Stop the Talk and help put an end to bullying.
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2011 Teen short Film Contest Red Carpet Event
The 2011 Philip S. Miller Teen Short Film Contest Red Carpet Event was a big success thanks to all of our filmmakers, their families, our amazing sponsors, and everyone who attended. We had 113 people in the audience eating fantastic sandwiches donated by Sprouts. The short films were funny, scary, exciting, and entertaining. It was difficult to choose the winners, because there where so many excellent entries. The crowd voted and while volunteers and staff tallied the ballots, the audience got to see a preview of the new Transformers movie, “Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon”. They also watched a trailer by a local film maker and got some information about the upcoming Castle Rock Film Festival. Finally the ballots were totaled and the winners were announced. Congratulations to all of our filmmakers; you are all talented and your work was excellent!
2011 Teen Short Film Contest Winners
1st Place – Love
2nd Place – It’s Time to Go
3rd Place – Ditch Day
Best Editing – Brickelle Bro
Best Screenplay – Isabelle Deibel, Bailey Zager, Alana Smart, Paige VonBank
Best Cinematography – John Hayek
Winner Best Director – Will Mustin
***Thanks to our outstanding sponsors winners received some or all of the following prizes: Passes to an early premier of “Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon,” Transformers backpacks, posters and shirts, Castle Rock Film Festival t-shirts, free passes to attend the film festival, Best Buy in Parker donated gift cards and a Flip camera, and books. ***
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Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon – Teen Short Film Sponsors
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Teen Short Film Contest – 2011 Sponsors
Time is running out to turn in your entry for the Teen Short Film Contest.
You need to turn in your film by 6/14/11. We can’t wait to see all of you at the Red Carpet Event on 6/24/11 where we will be screening the films and voting on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
This year we have a lot of sponsors:
Best Buy donated a Flip Camera for the 1st place winner and Best Buy gift cards for our other winners.
Castle Rock Film Festival is providing us with VIP passes for the winners to attend the 2011 Festival.
Sprouts is providing food for everyone who attends the Red Carpet Event.
Paramount Pictures & Transformers 3: Dark Side of the Moon are providing prizes.
Get those films in and we will see you on the Red Carpet on June 30th at 7:00.
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Teen Fashion Design Contest – The Challenge
Do you have what it takes to go from:
to 
Thanks to staff donations and our partners at the Douglas/Elbert Task Force we are able to bring you the ultimate challenge: Choose one of the dresses below and design an amazing new garment. Stop by the Aloha Teen Tower at the Philip S. Miller Library to get a copy of the rules, sign up, and choose the dress you want to makeover. Registration starts June 1st and the Runway Show is July 30th. You and your model will get to show off your design at our runway show for the chance to be Castle Rock’s Top Teen Designer. See you on the runway.
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2011 Teen Fashion Contest
Last year the Teen Fashion Contest was fierce! 18 girls put together unique looks and battled it out in a runway walk off to see who the best designer was. This year will be even better! This year teens must come to the Aloha Teen Tower to register. When you register you will pick up a copy of the rules, and an old prom dress that you will need to turn into a fun new garment for the Runway Show. Do you have what it takes to be a top teen designer? Enter the Teen Fashion Contest and find out. Stay tuned for the rules and pictures of the dresses that will be made over.
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Teen Reads For Grown Ups Book Club
The Teen Reads book club is reading Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender. Stop by the Aloha Teen Tower at the Philip S. Miller library to sign up for the book club and get a member’s only copy of the book. We will be discussing the book on June 1st at Pegasus in Castle Rock.
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Teen Short Film Contest 2011
Now is the time to start getting your Teen Short Film ready. You can register on May 3, 2011. The rules are listed below. You can register and turn in your film starting 5/3/11. All films must be turned in by 6/14/11. The top 8 films will be screened for the public during our Red Carpet event on 6/24/11. Everyone in the crowd will get to vote for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Prizes, sponsors, and other awards will be announced soon. Start getting you film ready now because I can’t wait to see you on the Red Carpet.
Teen Short Film Contest
Official Rules
1. Registration Required. (Ages 12-18). Bring entry to the Aloha Teen Tower at the Philip S. Miller Library to register.
2. Deadline for turning in a short film is 6/14/11 at 9:00pm. (The library closes at 9:00pm that day. All work must be submitted at that time.) **Space is limited to 30 short films; registration will be taken when a film is turned in.**
3. All short films must be in digital format on CDRom or DVD. (Films must be playable on QuickTime Player.)
4. All films must be no longer than 10 minutes.
5. Short films will be voted on by staff and the Teen Interest Council. The top 8 films will be screened for the public on 6/24/11 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. The public will vote for the top 3 films.
6. Awards will be given to the top 3 films on 6/24/11.
7. You may choose any topic for your short film. It may be a documentary, or a work of fiction. Short Films may not depict any of the following:
a. Lewd language (cursing or disparaging remarks about any group or person)
b. Nudity
c. Drugs or Alcohol
Questions can be emailed to mdellapenna@dclibraries.org
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Imagine It Teen Writing Contest – Vote Now – Voting closed 4/17/11.
Below are all of the entries in the Imagine It Teen Writing Contest. Please vote for 1st 2nd and 3rd place in the comments section. The winner of the popular vote will get a vote on the panel of judges. You can read more about the panel of published authors that will be judging the contest on this blog. Everyone who turned in a piece of writing did a great job and I can’t wait to see who will win. Good Luck! (Comments will not be posted for others to read. To make a comment click on the words “Vote Now” and you will see a comment box at the end of all of the entries.)
Entry 1:
“Imagine It”
In life is pain,
pain is weakness,
weakness is love,
and love is the harsh realities we all fight to find.
I’ve search high,
I’ve searched low,
I’ve searched near and also far looking for love,
my heart’s recognition of its counter point.
I look at you and I feel faint,
I try to talk and I begin to stutter,
my knees get weak, soft like butter,
but I still try to make you mine, my one and only.
You’re not ready and I understand,
I’m gonna wait right here,
I’m going nowhere quick or fast,
gonna try to get you to forget your past,
with your beautiful eyes you make me melt,
feeling happy and so blissful and all I want is your simple kiss.
I got one now,
but I need more.
I need you to see,
what I want us to be.
Just you and me for all eternity,
my heart is pounding and I feel weak,
but let me ask before you speak.
It just goes to show,
It’s a couple of questions you already know.
Will you be my baby girl and stand by me so?
Against the whole world and to let it be known.
Entry 2:
The Imagination of a Four year old Girl
My name is Isabelle and if you had a chance to look inside my own little world,
it will blow your mind. Now you will know what the imagination of a four year
old girl is, starting with dreams. My dreams seem to always consist of something
I would never imagine of. My dreams seem to always mesh with my imagination
causing them to stick with me forever. The most important dream I had was
mysterious and uncalled for. It seemed to have a mixture or collage of things.
It had bright lights and family members that when my parents had received a call
from a friend saying that they had left, I think they said earth, my parents
started crying. I was unable to interpret it but, when I grow up, I’m sure I’ll know what it
means. Now, getting into the details, I have two parts of my imagination, the good, happy
side and the other side is the dark haven that holds all my fears and where my nightmares
end up going to. On the good, happy side we have my two favorite mythical creatures, the
gruffalo and the unicorn, the Ice Cream Hills, Lily Lavender Meadow, and Muppet Palace.
These places are legit in my mind and they are what the name is! The Ice Cream Hills are hills
of ice cream, Lily Lavender Meadow is a meadow full of lilies and lavender, and Muppet
Palace if full of the the Muppet characters. The dark haven is a whole different story. It is
where all my phobias, fears and nightmares are. That side eats me alive lots. My biggest fear
that seems to control my life is the dark. If my parents put me in a dark room for more than
ten seconds I will scream my lungs out until I either pass out or my parents come and fetch
me out of the horrid place. The nightmare that seems to continuously haunt me is when I
drifted off to sleep and I was dreaming of my happy place and all of a sudden my happy place
turned evil with creepy crawlies every where and monsters in every dark place. I screamed
and cried but no one seemed to hear me. I was then woken up by my mother’s soothing voice
and my dad downstairs pouring himself a cup of coffee. I learned that I should try not to wake
my parents up at three o’clock in the morning. My imagination is a never ending story no
matter how far it seems to go it will never end. I would have to say, you are very lucky to
catch a brief glimpse of the imagination of a four year old girl.
Entry 3:
Imagine It
My name is Tyler Burke and I have a dad a mom a sister and a brother and we are home missionaries to start a church in castle rock Colorado. We started off in Albany Georgia. My dad was a minister and he was in charge of the choir. Then he felt the call (by god) to preach. At the time, I was seven years old. So we moved to a city called savannah and there he had found a church that needed a preacher. So we moved into the churches parsonage. So my dad preached there for three years but then he and my mom both felt the call to start our own church. So we had to sign up with the home missions department and once we had been qualified as home missionaries we went to my moms moms house in Missouri and moved in (with her permission of course). So we started traveling around the country visiting churches that might want to support us for seven months. We had finaly raised enough money to move to castle rock Colorado to start our church. After a while of making friends and renting a place to start our church we are getting along great and we have around fifty church comers to the church we now call “TRUTH free will Baptist church”.
Entry 4:
Imagine living on a boat or a plane
Imagine being able to float all day
Imagine being a bird so free
Imagine if you could live like them
Imagine your wildest dream came true
Imagine your life like this
If I can imagine this all
You can too
Entry 5:
My Horse Levi
My horse Levi was just an imagination at first,
Young, beautiful, and fast.
He was my dream horse!
Of course we were broke and couldn’t afford him…
Really wishing that we would come up with the money.
So taxes came along and my hopes are high again!
Either my mom would use the money for bills or to buy the horse.
Luckily my mom chose the horse!(:
Every day after we got Levi, I thanked my mom
Very happy and thankful that I got my imagination/dream horse.
I love Levi, and my mom very much for buying him for me.
Entry 6:
At the Beach
At the beach, I love the way the sun beats off my skin. I can feel my skin burning, like a bunch of fire ants stinging my back, but it feels so good that I could care less.
At the beach, I love the way the water shines from the glare of the sun and it stings your eyes so that you are blind for a split second. But it’s so beautiful that it’s worth it to be blind for that split second.
At the beach, I love the way it feels when you walk up to the ocean and you feel so small, then you touch the tips of your toes into the water and you get chills all over your body because it’s cold and because it’s a little bit scary to be going into one of the largest things on earth.
At the beach, I love the way you get into the freezing water, your body adjusts and it feels amazing. You start diving under the waves, you get sucked under and can’t get up until it settles down. When you finally come up you take a huge breath like you are coming back to life. You are in shock that you didn’t drowned, So it feels like you cheated death.
At the beach, I love the way it sounds when the ocean waves roar and crash against the shore. I love the sound of the seagulls screams when they are hovering above you, waiting for you to drop some of your food. I love the sound of all the children’s shrieks of laughter as they splash each other with the freezing cold water.
At the beach, I love the way it feels when your packing up to leave. Your skin is sticky and sun burned and your hair is salty and greasy, but that’s beach hair. You’re kind of disappointed that the day is over, but you leave happy, tired, and content because your looking forward to the next time you can come back. You finally step into the parking lot and everything changes, back to reality.
Entry 7:
The Impossibility
On a journey to success,
Making the impossible an interesting quest.
You never know what is on your way, You never know how to save the day,
The impossible has got to us confused,
To make this the best news,
So think again, the ones who said no,
And think about the way to go,
Continue the journey and change the impossible.
Entry 8:
Imagination
Imagination is here and there
Imagination is everywhere
It doesn’t take log to realize
That you and you only make your enterprise
If not to create, start the demise
For you and you only
See out of your eyes
Entry 9:
True Facts that Seem Unimaginable
Zebras are white with black stripes.
Cat urine glows in black light.
Wearing headphones for an hour increases the bacteria in your ears by 700 times.
Barbie’s full name is Barbra Millicent Roberts.
A toothpick the idem most choked on by Americans.
Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear in case they slit their pants.
The electric chair was invented by a dentist
American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive in their salads that where
served in first class
Every year together kinds in North America spend close to half a billion dollars on chewing gum.
Fortune Cookies were actually made in the U.S.
The average American drinks about 600 sodas a year.
More people are killed in by donkeys than in plane crashes.
Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.
On average, there are 333 squares on a toilet paper roll.
More than 10 people a year are killed by vending machines.
Each year, there are more than 40,000 toilet related injuries in the U.S.
Pogo-phobia is the fear of beards.
In Hartford, Connecticut is not allowed under any circumstances can you walk across the street
on your hands.
January is national soup month.
The average American will eat 35,000 cookies in their lifetime.
Flamingos pee on themselves to keep warm.
The world’s largest burrito weighed 4,217 pounds.
The largest cheesecake ever made weighed 57,508 pounds.
Giraffes can lick their own eyes.
There are more plastic flamingos in the U.S then there are real ones.
Entry 10:
Horse: a haiku
bulging, big, muscles
black, glistening, beautiful
majestic, grand, horse
Entry 11:
Why I Write
I put pen to paper,
To uncover the words I think,
but cannot speak, or the one’s I fear to speak.
I write to communicate the bold words.
I write to take a chance, go out on a limb.
I love these words
The way they wrap around ideas tight
Or jump the page into the cosmic thread
Or order lunch or mourn the dead
Or break my heart, or blow my mind
On this paper,
I have the ability to speak, to dream, and to imagine…
These words…
They flow through me, penetrating-deeper and deeper.
They are a cold splash of water,
from the strong and magnificent waves of the Atlantic
They sparkle and shine, blinding and yet with extreme beauty and clarity.
These words…
They allow freedom;
freedom to feel with clarity and freedom to dull my senses to my pain
Even a freedom to completely escape,
Escape my viscous surroundings, and live among fantasies.
These words…
They provide to me,
A personality, and individuality, and a voice
When I write I am.
I am myself.
I create myself.
I express myself.
Some part of me reaches to the world to touch the world, and maybe a small ripple spreads.
They give me the courage to be myself, and to think as myself.
On this paper,
My voice is unlike any other.
It is beautiful, magnificent, and creative.
It is a song. Sensitive. Touching. Powerful.
It flows as peaceful as a quiet stream.
It licks the air as gracefully as slippery flames,
Leaving its mark on everything surrounding.
On the paper,
My voice lives on, forever.
It is carved into the paper.
It is a piece of my soul saved.
These words…
They give me a sight, a truth, and a faith.
With a power beyond measure…
and with a beauty beyond comparison…
I write to paint a picture,
to bring color to my darkened world,
to imagine my world the way I desire, the way I dream, and the way I feel.
to paint my mind to my audience,
and to feel the pastel splendor beneath my fingertips…
To feel is my mission…to dream, and to escape
I write so I can hear, with bright clarity.
I write to remember, my love.
I write to forget, my heartbreak.
I write to move on.
I write for those who have loved, and lost.
I write for those who have lived, and been hurt.
I write to heal the pain.
I write to find myself,
In the haze of fog, my work is a flashlight
In the dark of night, my work is a star.
In the middle of the ocean, my work is a lifejacket.
I write to achieve prosperity.
I write because I can.
I write because I have to write.
I write because I cannot stop,
And I would go crazy if I didn’t…
I write because I am crazy.
I write to make sense of the hideous intricacy of this world.
I write because I am happy.
I write because I am in pain.
I write for the sheer joy of it.
I write because sometimes it is the only thing that keeps me here.
Sometimes it is the only thing that keeps me breathing
I’m addicted to this pen, to this paper.
I write to find my faith, my love, and my light.
I write to express my love.
And I write to find truth in a sea of lies.
Entry 12:
“Dream”
I am your dream,
Floating in your imagination,
I run through your mind,
Over and over again,
I am in your thoughts,
Throughout the day,
I am your midnight movie,
The show ends in the morning,
I wake you up,
With a surprising memory,
You sit there,
Thinking about the dream,
Sorry but I am not your reality,
I am just a dream,
Didn’t mean to wake you,
Go back to sleep.
Entry 13:
The Unknown
My office was dark except for the small lamp that illuminated my desk. I gazed around at the masses of books that had now become shadows in the dark. They were gathered in stacks around the room mixing in with the numerous maps, journals, and articles that had managed to collect in my small prison. I leaned forward and swallowed the last of my now cold cup of coffee. I grimaced. The dark liquid was sharp and bitter as it traveled down my throat. Wearily I glanced up at the clock. I was working late, and the Mickey Mouse hands confirmed it. The museum had closed over an hour ago, and yet here I was. I leaned back in my chair and began to gently massage my temples, silently wishing for an excuse to stop my work. A soft knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts. I smiled; pleasantly surprised that someone besides me was burning the midnight oil as well. “Come in,” I called. The door did not open. “Come in,” I called louder. Still the door did not open. I shook my head. I must have imagined it. Greatly disappointed, I commenced to glaring at my computer screen. I was not even ten seconds into the article when the knock came again, only this time louder and more forceful. Irritated, I got up from my chair and walked to the door. It opened with a creak; only to reveal an empty hallway. Truly puzzled I stepped out into the soft light. The silence was deafening. An eerie feeling came over me as I felt the hairs on my neck stand on end. Suddenly a soft squeaky noise came from further down the hall. Almost like the sound of sneakers on a tile floor. I froze. The noise seemed to fade for a moment but then grew louder. I slowly made my way down the hall carefully placing each step to make the littlest amount of noise possible. As I drew closer I stopped. The squeaking was speeding up as if the person were now running. I quickened my pace until I was racing down the hall. I was heading towards the storage rooms. All of the artifacts that were not on display were kept here. If I did not catch whatever was making the sound before then, it would be nearly impossible to find them in the labyrinth of storage units. As I approached the corner I skidded to a halt. The squeaking had stopped. Carefully I placed my back up against the wall and inched forward the last few feet. The door to the storage room stood wide open, revealing nothing but darkness. A portal to the unknown. I crept towards the door. I stepped inside the room and breathed deeply trying to slow my heart rate. I gasped as my eyes started to burn and my mouth filled with an acidic taste. I felt along the wall until I found the light switch. For a brief moment the room was flooded with light, allowing me to see the cause of my discomfort. A gooey black substance was smeared across the floor. Leading away from this messy puddle was a set of enormous footprints. As I leaned forward to study them I noticed that there was something strange about them. Suddenly the lights flickered and I was once again immersed into total darkness. For what seemed like hours I did not move. Only the sound of my breathing interrupted the otherwise silent room. The sound of smashing pottery sent my heart racing. I felt my way back to the wall and followed it in the direction of the sound. Another crash came, this time just to the right of me. Close to panic now, I whirled around. The squeaking had started again and was faster than it had ever been before. Something bumped up against my back and I let out a piercing scream. I could hear it breathing now, a harsh sound something between a snarl and a fiendish chuckle. My eyes had started to burn again and the air smelled like acid. With a cry of terror I raced for the door, the sole thing that would lead me back to the safety of the outside world. I thundered through the hallways and down into the parking lot outside. My hands trembled as I shoved the key into the ignition. As I pulled out I cast one last look at that building. The window to my office was still glowing with the light of my lamp. And as I sat there watching, the dark bulky form of some unknown being came and stood in front of the window. Watching me. The drive home that night took longer than I ever remember it taking. I sat there. Left alone…to imagine.
Entry 14:
Imagine It: Going From Awkward Moments to High School Sweethearts.
Tammy just got out of line in the cafeteria with her lunch and was looking for a table. She had been going to her new high school for two whole weeks with no one to talk to. Tammy was far too shy to make any friends, so she looked for a table of her own. As she was walking between the rows of tables she had to step around the janitor who was cleaning up some fruit punch that Jimmy Thomson had “accidentally” knocked off his table. “What was with that kid anyway, always wanting to cause some trouble.” Tammy thought. Finally after a few more minutes of looking Tammy found a table, she sat down and just as she took a bite of her chicken sandwich Ryan McGranger sat right in front of her! Tammy was flabbergasted! She had a flashback right then and there.He was the cute boy that winked at her on her first day, the boy she’s been trying to get the nerve to talk to for two weeks! Ryan looked at her and gave her a simple flirty “Hi.” Tammy was terrified. She knew she wouldn’t be able to say anything back. His adorable face discombobulated her to the point where she couldn’t even speak! So she forced the sandwich down her dry throat and managed a squeaky hello back to him. “What’s your name?” He asked looking rather flattered by her embarrassment. “Tammy” she said with a shaky voice. “Well nice to meet you Tammy I’m Ryan.” He said with his hand out to shake hers. Tammy slowly reached out and shook his hand. “Clearly he’s had practice getting a date.” Tammy thought. And what practice has she had, this is the longest time she’s ever talked to a guy! but she knew this was an amazing opportunity, and that she would have to actually talk if she was going to take advantage of it. So she nervously asked: “So do you come here often?” She quickly realized how stupid the question was because they were at school. Tammy could feel her face burning with embarrassment. Not wanting to embarrass her further, Ryan played it off like she was talking about the table. Relieved that he would do that,Tammy started to relax. And her nervousness quickly turned to eagerness to talk to him longer. Then suddenly the school bell rang. It alarmed both of them. Ryan realizing he wouldn’t see her again until Monday quickly asked for her phone number. Tammy just sat there with the look of astonishment on her face. Then when she came back to her senses, she gave him her number and that’s where their wonderful adventure began!
Entry 15:
A Blaze of Betrayal
Somewhere tucked away between a forest of Autumn bound trees,and lush fields, sat a tall limestone castle. Surrounding it was a round wall of white stone, shunning away the rest of the world. Protecting each shard of colorful glass, that made up the complex designs of the windows behind it. It was behind one of those window that it started, though lost forever is the true identity of the window that concealed the beginning of the end for that glorious palace.
It was horrific. Just a blaze of ash filled, blood red and deadly orange flames, set magnificently under a gray sky, frozen in time. The blaze brought a chill to the villagers skin. Yet it was amazing. The wall, the white wall, that day it stood even taller and prouder than ever. The wall had been built to guard the palace. Yet that wall withheld a murderous secret, that was not it’s own.
Still. Why? Why had it kept a secret so harmful from the ones whom it was constructed to protect?
That day it had seemed so strong, so firm, but only to a passer by, who merely glanced at it. They were oblivious to the ever continuing plea for help it created. For if anyone of the marketers or children had looked closely enough, they would have seen each brick beginning to crumble, with the weight of the secret.
Imagine that! The kingdoms greatest protector, becoming the downfall of them all. It died in a long column of a pitiful blaze. Imagine it, standing there posing as a great hero, but knowing inside, that it was the reason so many people were about to die. Shameful.
Now the window behind which it began. The only thing that is known about that window is that it was the color of…fire
It was a warning. Of course it would give them a warning. And of course it was only a mere warning. The window was desperate to help its people, but too afraid to divulge the whole truth. But it didn’t help. No. It hurt the kingdom even more.
Its delicate patterns and stainless steel that bound it together, was melted. It was burned into the dry grass underneath. The only thing that remained of it was a single shard, that flew away from the rest of its window. When the master mind behind the fire, crashed out of the window, unseen. Unheard.
To this day no one knows who the mastermind was, who later destroyed the last remain of the window.
Imagine, both of the palaces greatest features, quickly becoming its traitors. Why did they do it? Well, because each one died with an awful shriek that night, no one will ever know. No one, but him.
I heard about this contest when my dad e-mailed me about it. I love to write, so naturally, I jumped on the opportunity. I came up with this story when my teacher put up some story starters on the board in the classroom. One of them was a picture of a castle in a forest of orange trees, thus “A Blaze of Betrayal,” was created.
Entry 16:
My story
I was sitting quietly in my room when it all happened. I was working on the story I was writing for the library contest. It was late, everyone else was asleep. I snuggled deeper ender the covers. Suddenly I got this strange feeling, almost like someone was watching me. I glanced over at my bedroom window and gasped. Through the glass I could see the vague outline of a man’s face. I let out a small scream. A few seconds later my parents burst into my room. “What’s wrong,” they asked.”I saw a face in my window,” I cried. My dad leaped to the window and looked out. The face was no where to be seen. “I’m sure you imagined it honey.” I pulled my covers up to my chin with a pout. My parents went back to bed. I was not so sure. There was only a few moments of peace before a creak on the roof made me jump. Someone was in the attic I thought. I got out of bed and put on my robe and slippers. On my way to the attic stairs I grabbed a flash light. I am going to investigate I know I didn’t imagine that. I crept up the stairs. They creaked. I gripped my flashlight tightly as I opened the attic door. I stepped inside and swept the light around the room. Suddenly the door slammed closed. I pulled on the door knob but it was locked from the outside. I could hear footsteps in the room. My flashlight went out. I moved to the center of the room where a single patch of moonlight illuminated the floor. As I peered into the darkness surroundin me I was shocked to se a bony hand stretching towards me. Long fingernails grew from the knobby fingersgiving it an evil appearance. I screamed and ran to the doorthrowing my weight against it. It snapped open and I tumbled down the stairs. I raced into my room and dove into bed. I looked over at at my story that was laying next to me. The story that was exactly the same as what had just happened.
Entry 17
Entry 17
Entry 18:
Imagine It
As time goes by and we grow old- weird…
Imagine it!
A mermaid diving into the deep big blue …
Imagine it!
A ride on a white stallion along the sandy shore …
Imagine it!
A thunderstorm rumbling while sailing in the Pacific Ocean…
Imagine it!
A world where everyone is loved, no one is judged…
Imagine it!
A big bright star brighter than the sun just for you…
Imagine it!
And greatest of all, a place in Heaven where He will always have His arms wide open and always understand, I know I’ll completely understand how someday but for now, I can only…
Imagine it!
Entry 19:
Hi, my name is Paris. I’m 13 years old. Some people might think it’s a little crazy that I have a job at this age. I work for the FBI. I’m a secret agent. I travel around the world and I see new places a lot. You might think I get lonely without my family but there in the FBI too so I see them a lot. We don’t all work on the same team but my sister always travels with me.
In a few hours we are leaving for a place I have always wanted to go. We are going to Paris. Kind of funny how my name is Paris and I’ve always wanted to go there. That’s what everyone tells me. We have no idea how long we will be there but I hope I can go sigh seeing. The 3 guys we are trying to catch have been running for over a year and they other guys say if we don’t catch them now we might never catch them. They have finally decided to bring me in to try and help. I’m one of the best people to hire at my age because who would suspect a 13 year old to be working for the FBI.
When we finally arrived in Paris after a 12 hour drive. Went we got there we went straight to the head quarts. On the way we pasted the Eiffel Tower, a place I’ve always dreamed about going. We have no time for sigh seeing though. We have no idea when these guys will leave.
After the brief meeting we headed out to were we suspect they are living. We would be extremely lucky if they are here but we have to be prepared for anything. Right now we have no plan on what we are going to do we are just going. One of the may things we learned to do was to be aware at all times and to never let your guard down. You never know what might happen.
We got to the house and we found some of the money they had stolen from banks in the past but they weren’t there. We decided we would come back later. Hopefully we can catch them before next week because the guys said that we could stay an extra day and sigh see.
When we got back to head quarts we pretty much got there and headed right back to were we were. We had just gotten a call saying that they 4 guys had just left a bank near the Eiffel Tower. They were supposedly going back to the house. When we got there no one was there. We stayed for 20 minutes but I no one came so we went to the crime scene. It was pretty packed there. People were all over the place looking for there loved ones. There was a medical team there but only one person was hurt and it was life threatening. We went up to the police leader and asked if they had caught anyone. He said there were close on there trail in the beginning but then they lost them. The guys had gone past the Eiffel Tower and had kept going. They do not know if one of the guys has a car hidden some where. They do know that there were 4 guys that came running out a back window. So either they have always had another guy with them or they got a new addition to their group.
We had got information that they had another house and they were going to collect all the money and leave the city. In about 30 minutes we had a lot of security at the airport and to get on the high way you had to get out of the car and if anything was suspicious you had to let us search it. If they left we were going to get these guys. We also had a bunch of phone calls tell us that guys in masks came running into a house on a street called Woodside. A team went there to check but I went to the house we had gone to earlier and there was nothing going on yet but we are hiding. We had a plan if they came here. I was still scared but I was always scared with this job. When we saw a car coming we all made sure we couldn’t be seen. I was telling all the neighbors what was happening and telling them not to come out of there houses just incase. The car pulled up to the house and they went in I went to there house and rang the door bell.
The most wanted guy came and said “What do you want?“
I said “I was just wondering if u had Comcast for T.V., internet, and or phone.”
He said “That they didn’t because they were only staying for a few weeks and they didn’t want to go through all that trouble for such a small amount of time.”
Then the guys rushed in it was a fight to get all of them. Two of the almost got away but after about 30 minutes we finally had the all in different cars on the way to the jail. Finally after only 4 hours of trying to track them down we had all the money and them. I got to sigh see in Paris which was a big thumbs up for me. All in all it was a pretty good trip and I wouldn’t change my job for anything.
Entry 20:
I Imagine
I look ahead with aged eyes as I see my future. My face grows lines, as though a pencil were tracing them on my face, my body converting into a frailer, smaller self. I see an alluring flower beginning to lose its petals. I am transported into a later time.
My heart leaps as I see the progress I have made. My dreams and ambitions once whispered in my little-girl prayers come to life before me. There is my family, a husband and children, vessels of joy and pride. There is my diploma hanging on the wall, an emblem of my hard work and dedication. There is my music, the works of a wistful soul. There is my life, shining in the sunshine of my accomplishments and happiness.
A smile crawls slowly across my face and unleashes its light into my now aged eyes. I understand I can be who I want to be. I understand I can be great. I understand that I can fulfill my dreams.
The lines recede into my skin again, and my decrepit old body reverts back to its former self. The petals return to the flower and arrange in its proper formation. I am me in the present time. I look around at the state I am in. Stress and anxiety threaten to crush me. I see only my bleak surroundings: sleepless nights staying up late surrounded by textbooks and crumpled pieces of paper, the forsaking of movie nights and popcorn in order to attend piano lessons and practice, and the persecution of those movie-goers and popcorn-eaters telling me that I’m not living, that life is passing me by.
My heart feels like those wrinkled pieces of paper that have consumed my life. I crumple into a little ball in an unknown corner. The recurring interaction I have with others is being kicked closer to the wastebasket where they think I belong. I am not what they want me to be. I am different. I see the red flower they wish me to be, but they can’t see the value in the white that I am.
And that is when I get those aged eyes again. I once more see beyond my surroundings and imagine my future. And now, true understanding rushes into my mind, and I see for the first time the reality behind my imaginings. I am who I want to be. I am great. I am fulfilling my dreams.
I no longer see an alluring flower losing its petals. The flower grows greater as time goes on and blooms into something far more beautiful than even the flower imagined. It opens its petals one by one until all of its majestic beauty is manifest to the world. The flower is surrounded by its accomplishments, the petals of its life hanging from the core, now contributing to its greatness. But the core remains unchanged. It is still the bulb of power and greatness it always was. The flower stands tall amidst those still blooming.
I imagine it is standing tall even now.
Entry 21:
The Battle
Imagine what the sun and moon battle everyday.
Though each victorious for a time,
The victory fades away.
At dawn sun crawls across the sky,
Until the bright blue dulls.
As moon challenges once again;
A battle for control.
Orange streaks the infinite sky,
As suns final warning.
The moon pressing ever closer,
Sun succumbs till morning.
The bold champion of the skirmish spreads his silvery glow,
Silently casting eerie shadows
On everything below.
Entry 22
Not Alone
Darkness. I can’t bring myself to open my eyes and my head feels like it’s about to burst. I try moving but I appear to be completely numb. Panic runs up my body into my brain and the shock makes my eyes unstitch, and my pupils absorb everything around me.
No one seems to be near me; no one to make sure I’m okay. The only light allowing me to see are flickering, dim, fluorescents on the ceiling.
Despite the numbness I try standing up. My legs shake and wobble, so I stumble to a nearby wall for support. The texture of the wall is grimy and the dirt rubs off onto my hands but I ignore it. A better look at my surroundings reveal lockers, numbers above room doors, and I’m in a long hallway which leads me to believe I’m in a school; a broken down school. Wires hang from the ceiling, trash cans knocked over, doors slightly off the hinges, and trophy cases smashed with trophies that have been destroyed and scattered.
Do I attend this school? I can’t remember. Come to think of it who am I? I don’t remember anything. I can’t even remember how I got here or why I’m here. I’m not going to get any answers here, though, but I don’t want to roam this seemingly deserted, dark place.
I push myself off the wall slightly and I take baby steps so I don’t fall over again. My balance returns and I’m able to walk normally. The hallway gets darker and darker as I go deeper into it. I try to avoid making any turns due to fear of the unknown. I see double doors and green letters that spell out “EXIT” except the ‘I’ and the ‘T’ aren’t lit up.
My feet start moving faster and faster, and my heart beats harder and harder. I tackle the doors with as much force as I can withdraw but they remain still. Not believing what’s happening I throw kicks and shake the handles of the doors while screaming.
“Let me out!” I shriek. A noise comes from behind me and I’m cut off. I listen more closely. It sounds like whispering. Am I not alone?
I stare down the hallway and the lights go out one by one as if the darkness is coming after me itself. Anxiety returns with a mixture of fear. There’s nothing to grab hold of or something to use as a weapon. I shrink into a corner, and my breathing becomes shallow and short.
Silence takes over. Nothing happens for a few moments. My eyes are stitched shut, voluntarily this time, but I can tell the lights are still out. Warm air surrounds me and I choke. Gasping for air I clench fists, my anxiety is about to explode like a well shaken bottle of pop, and I just can’t take it anymore!
My arms and legs lash out but I don’t seem to be hitting anything. The feeling of choking disappears and light returns to my eyes. I look around wildly searching for the thing responsible. I turn my gaze further down the hall and I see something turn a corner.
Anger takes place of fear as I pull myself up from the corner. I chase after the entity but as I turn the corner there is nobody. Classrooms are all that surround me.
Time to get to the bottom of this.
Slamming one door open after the other I find nothing. Everything I touched crumbled and smelled of charcoal which just brought up more questions. Why am I in a burned down school?
I stand in the center of the hallway looking for a way out. I start walking but stop short because of the sounds of footsteps that are not my own. I turn around and notice a tall man. He wears a black suit but it’s torn and tattered, his skin pale but he has patches of skin that are burned particularly on the left side of his face, his hair is short and dirty. He stops and stares at me with a half grin on his face.
“Sara!” he shouts. I turn and run not believing that a dead man is talking to me. He called me Sara. At least I know who I am now but that’s not as important as getting out of here.
I look back but he isn’t chasing me.
“You can’t run from what you did!” he yells.
I stop at a three way intersection. I look left and right but before I can choose the lights explode one by one. I shriek and keep moving straight. One room is all I can find at the end of this hallway. The doors is not damaged and the words on the door spell ‘PRINCIPAL.”
I open the door, dash in, and swing it shut. Even though the door is undamaged the room is a complete mess. Papers everywhere, the chair broken, the desk burned, and the words on plaques aren’t even legible.
Pounding on the door startles me and it’s more than one person. I back into the file cabinets as tears roll down my cheeks.
I throw my back against them and a file flies from the top. It belongs to Sara Lynne. As I open it the tall man breaks in. More pour in after him, students. All have burn marks on their skin. Some look angry, some happy, and then some have no expressions.
The tall man speaks, “You can’t hide from what you did. You’re still a part of this school. You’re still one of us.”
A boy speaks, “You’re not the only one with problems you know.” He wore a letterman’s jacket. He was a football player.
They crowd me as they fill the room more. I back down to the floor as their hands reach for me and they chant my name.
“It will all be over soon,” the tall man says as he smiles, towering above the students.
The chanting gets louder and louder as they draw closer but I can’t bring myself to scream.
Another shock is sent through my body and my eyes shoot wide open as everything disappears.
My eyes are shut and I open them a little, and they close and repeat as my name is still being called.
“Sara? Can you hear me? Come on back sweetie.” It’s a man’s voice. His voice is deep but gentle.
My eyes are fully open and my head bobs slightly. I feel my hair is a mess mostly because a lot is in my face. I look at the man in front of me.
“Hey Sara welcome back. We almost lost you for a second. I need to ask you a couple questions. Can you do that for me?”
A police man sits before me and then I realize I’m in a white room with one window, and my hands are bound behind me while I sit in a chair across the table from the officer.
I don’t answer him. Instead I send my attention to the door which is opening and a woman steps in. The male officer sitting across from me stands and approaches her at the door.
They whisper but not to the point where I can’t hear them.
“What do we have here?” the woman asks.
“Sara Lynne. A senior at Mount Vista High School. She’s one of few whom made it out of a fire at the school. She wasn’t involved in any extra-curricular activities or clubs. The other students I got to question claimed they didn’t recognize her but we managed to pull up her school record on a computer. I have no other leads.”
The woman takes a deep breath. “Can you imagine that? A girl her age doing something like this. What could possibly drive a kid to do something this extreme? Has she said anything?”
“No. Since she got here she’s been…gone.”
“She’s not alone.”
They both stare at me and I turn my head away towards the window. I see my reflection. I smile.
Entry 23
Do you risk, to imagine it?
My name is Brett Anderson, the story I’m about to tell you though short can be extremely important to your life. Listen well and whatever you do watch your back at ALL times. It all started on a hot august day, I was walking down the street wondering what I should do, fifteen last days before school and like all the other teenagers, I had absolutely nothing to do. I was focusing on a bird in a tree. I’m not much of animal person but the bird was intriguing and I liked drawing. Suddenly I crashed into a man staring intently on at his smart phone, he was short and round like a basket-ball with little round glasses and well everything about him had a circular shape. “Oh dear, I’m so sorry. I can be quite a klutz sometimes.” he motioned with his hand as he spoke in a peculiar British accent. He stopped and eyed me from head to toe. “Well, I say I do believe you would make the perfect candidate for an experiment my company is trying. I am Robert Willington” he said. I immediately became suspicious. “What kind of experiment?” Robert Willington looked down at his feet. “Oh, I really shouldn’t be telling you this, but my company is finding a cure for cancer in the form of a shot. We’ve tried it on other patients but we were looking for a younger person to try it on to see if it has any side affects on the youth.” he said shuffling his foot. Call me stupid but my mom died from cancer a couple months ago and I really wanted to help find a cure. “I’d love to help. I’ll do whatever!” I whispered all suspicions vanishing. Robert looked at me and smiled. “So giving, thank you, is it all right with your parents?” I nod vigorously. The man continues. “Oh, we must go right away, the sooner this gets completed, less lives will be lost.” he wipes a tear from under his glasses. I can’t help but wonder if he lost someone too. He shakes his head. “Come, come, follow me.” he opens the door of a car for me to get in. I do without hesitation. And now, as I look back on it, I wish I’d ran away as soon as I laid eyes on him. He takes me to this warehouse on the outskirts of town. I look around. He leads me to this chair. A simple metal chair. A man come over in a surgical mask. “Has there been any side affects?” I ask. The masked man looks me in the eye. “No serious ones, ready?” I nod. Suddenly there’s a prick in my arm, then my head goes fuzzy and I pass out. When I wake up I’m in a glass cell type thing and I knew there was something seriously wrong. I see Robert Willington staring at me from the other side of the glass. “What did you do to me!” I scream at him. He has such a scary smile on his face a take a step back. I could tell already this glass was unbreakable. Robert stood glowering at me. He pressed a button and over some speakers I hear his voice. “Gee I sure do like unicorns, don’t you?” I star at him perplexed. unicorns? The fictional animal? What is that a codeword or something? I picture the creature and I hear snort behind me. I turn to find a snow white unicorn standing before me. I’m hallucinating, I must be! I close my eyes count to three and whish it to be gone. When I open my eyes again it was. I sighed relived. But as soon as I saw Robert’s face, I knew he saw it too. He pressed the button again and began to speak. “Oh dear child, did you really believe that this shot was a cure for cancer. Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to talk to strangers? The shot gave you powers you will never understand the full potential of. Anything you imagine will come true. With a few limitations of course.” I didn’t want to believe him, but the unicorn thing was frightening. I imagined a huge spider crawling on Robert’s face. He shrieked, he tore it off and threw it to the ground, I imagined it chasing him, it did. The spider was my puppet. I smiled. Then imagined myself home in my bedroom. And I was there. But a fear shook me from head to toe. What if they used the shot for their own wicked purposes. Then what would happen? All they would have to do is imagine it! I paused. My mother! Just maybe. I pictured her sitting on my bed next to me. But when I open my eyes, nothing, I try again and again but nothing comes. I collapse on my bed and I’m exhausted and I realize, it drains me. The limitations the monster Robert mentioned, bringing back the dead. That I can put on the list. I get a text, I open it. My dad’s yelling at me for not being home, that dinner’s ready. I text back. In my room exhausted. “Brett!” I hear my dad yelling from down stairs. I imagine a little energy drink. It pops in my hand I drink it and head down stairs. The energy feels artificial and I decide to stop Robert tomorrow. Seems selfish, I know but I’ll need all the power I can get. I wake up in the morning, feeling more revived, but not much, I’m still exhausted. I focus on the serum. Gone. I think smiling. Hopefully before Robert was able to take it. I prayed that would be the case. I then turn my attention to Robert. Being transported to a prison so high tech that he wouldn’t be able to get out. But instead I feel incredibly weak and I could tell it didn’t work. I collapse on my bed and do the much easier thing. I pick up my phone and dial 911. “Hello, 911 state your emergency.” says a woman’s voice, surprisingly dull, nothing must shock her anymore. I’d hate to try to pull a prank on her on April fools day. I shake my head. “Hi, um, there was this man who tested a serum on me and I’m a minor, and I didn’t have permission and he kinda knocked me out and I’m trying to figure out how to stop him before he uses it to take over the world or something.” the woman was silent for a while and I was scared she hung up. “Is this some kind of joke young man? This is illegal you do realize this don’t you?” My eyes open wide. “Oh, ma’am, no it’s not a joke, I know it sounds a little far fetched but it happened please understand.” I say. “No sir, I really don’t have time to play games here, goodbye.” she says and hangs up. Would I have to kill the guy? The thought shakes me to the bone. “No. This isn’t my problem.” I say to myself. “Or is it?” a voice from behind me says. I look over my shoulder and see Robert sitting on my bed, his eyes seem darker than before, he was skinnier and didn’t have his glasses. More powerful looking too. But I could still recognize the dark beady eyes, that seemed so jolly when I met him yesterday. It was amazing how little time could make such a difference on a life. Suddenly a great force shoved me down the stairs. I yelped as I tumbled down. I looked franticly around for my dad to realize he was at work. Roger, followed me. “Gee, I really wish I didn’t have to kill you, but you know too much.” he said darkly studying a blade that now shimmered blue in his hands. I tried to think of something quick, but my mind went blank. Suddenly I thought of a ninja, I don’t know how it popped in my head. But there was a ninja leaping around my kitchen. He leapt toward Roger, who impaled him with the sword. The ninja disintegrated into a spray of water with a rainbow in it. My energy seemed to comeback a little with the ninja gone. I pictured both Robert and I in a desert. Immediately we were standing in some middle eastern desert. He ran towards me. “You have to do better than that child.” he screeched. I stood my ground. “Is that so?” and I imagined the quickest quicksand imaginable right in front of Robert. He quickly got stuck in it, but I soon realized it wouldn’t be quick enough. I thought of a large boulder dropping out of the sky. Before I thought about if it would work the giant rock fell from the sky and crushed Robert. I collapsed on my knees exhausted and wondering on how I’m going to get home.
“Wake up. Brett, you missed breakfast!”
Breakfast??? My eyes shot open, I looked around, I was in my room with my dad standing over me. I looked at my dad hungrily. “Oh really, were there waffles?” I imagined the hot steaming waffles on my bed but nothing appeared. My dad shook his head. Then I realized. It was all just a dream. I imagined it all!! I sighed, relieved. I didn’t actually kill someone, and 911 didn’t actually believe I’m a juvenile delinquent. My whole life is back to normal. “Why do you have a black eye?” my dad asked. I freeze, then shrug carelessly. I was scared worse than I ever was.
Entry 24:
It’s Okay To Cry
I miss my Daddy.
Things haven’t been the same since he died. I still remember the night he died. The night of the accident. It was a beautiful night. It was warm and had just finished raining. The pavement was wet with rain and the lights cast illuminating orbs on the sidewalks.
Daddy needed a taxi to get home. When he saw one approaching, he stepped down from the sidewalk and put his hand out.
The road was slick with rain and the driver couldn’t stop fast enough. By the time both the driver and Daddy realized what was happening, it was too late. The front of the yellow taxi now had bright red ribbons running off the hood. Crimson was spattered across the street and running into the gutter. The ambulance came and rushed Daddy to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
After that, I was in shock. I remember getting the dreadful news. My mother collapsed into a heap and was weeping mournfully. I held my one-year old sister, Krystal, in my lap. She began to cry at the sound of Mama’s strained sobs. My six-year old brother, Keagan, looked up at me. “I’m going to protect you, Kylee,” he said. “I’m gonna protect you, Mama and Krystal. I’m the man of the house now.” He looked so sure of himself, so confident. I pulled him into a hug and cried into his chest.
It rained every day for the next week. The gray, overcast skies described my mood perfectly. I never imagined something like this would happen to my family.
The day of Daddy’s funeral I was weary, but had to drag myself out of bed. I didn’t want to say goodbye to him forever, but I knew I had no choice. I reluctantly took a shower, got ready, and dressed in the satiny black dress I was to wear to the funeral. I went to dress Krystal as Mama got ready. As I fiddled with the bows on Krystal’s dress, I happened to glance out the rain streaked window. It wasn’t raining as heavily anymore and a few hopeful rays of sunshine peeked out from the silver clouds.
By the time we arrived at the funeral, it had stopped raining. People took turns at the lectern telling tearful and amazing testimonies about Daddy. It helped show me how many footprints he had left on everyone’s hearts and in their lives.
When it was time to take Daddy to the graveyard, everyone got in their cars for the ominous caravan to follow the cheerless, black hearse. The priest concluded with a few comforting words and then the cherry wood coffin was gently lowered into the grave. Everyone cleared out to let my family have a few moments alone. We all stood around the grave in silence. Krystal was perched on Mama’s hip and we all stood around the grave, remembering.
When I glanced over at Keagan, I noticed that his eyes were wet and quickly filling up with tears. Every time the moisture was about to spillover his lids, he blinked hard, jamming them back down. This was the first time I realized I hadn’t seen him shed a tear since Daddy died. I knelt so I was eye level with him. “What’s holding you back, Keagan?’ I asked.
He replied, “Boys aren’t supposed to cry. It’s a sign of weakness.”
I looked straight into Keagan’s glassy eyes. It was quiet for a minute. Then I spoke. “Keagan,” I began, “crying is not a sign of weakness. Only a true man can show his emotions. Cry when you are sad and smile when you are happy. You have to be adaptable to show who you really are.”
Keagan silently looked down, “Are you saying it’s okay to cry?”
I nodded and warmly hugged him. “There’s nothing wrong with showing your emotions. Cry if you need to.”
And he did. I held my little brother closely, and felt his tears congeal into a warm puddle on my dress. Slowly the clouds parted and the revealed the sunshine which warmed us and made the drops of dew on the grass glisten like diamonds. Everything was so peaceful and content. And at that moment, I knew Daddy was at peace, loved us so much and would be forever in our hearts.
-
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