The Creative Righters Journal
Kids Fiction
The Tortoise vs The Hare (The Untold Story)
By: Beth T., 13
Everyone knows that the Tortoise beat the cocky Hare in a famous race.
But that was all a lie. Let me tell you the real story.
Hare was the fastest animal in the forest. While Tortoise was very slow, he had one thing that he knew would help him win – friends with loud voices.
The signal to start was given and both animals ran with all their might. Hare, with a burst of speed, vanished from sight, leaving Tortoise to trudge along at his own pace. The crowd cheered for the underdog Tortoise, but Hare was far ahead.
This is where the Hare gets overconfident and loses to the Tortoise right?
Wrong. The Hare wins just like you would expect, crossing the finish line, tired but happy. What did you expect?
The Tortoise though refused to accept his defeat. He and his friends argued that the Hare cheated by cutting through the racecourse illegally, and by eating superpowered carrots that gave him an unfair advantage. Of course, these were all lies, but that didn’t matter to the Tortoise. If he didn’t win, it was because the Hare cheated and that was that.
At first, the animals in the forest thought the silly Tortoise was just a sore loser. But over the years, the loud voices of the Tortoise and his friends overshadowed the truth. After many years of lies, today, everyone believes the story of the Tortoise beating the Hare. The next time you hear this story, please make sure you tell everyone the truth. Being silent is what allowed the Tortoise’s lies to turn into the fake truth kids all hear today.
Tom vs. The Storm
By: Lolly N.,11
In a small planet, very much like our own, there existed a crystallized, perfect city called Tomland. It was a peaceful winter morning there and the sun was shining like a burning candle. The river shimmered as if gems were floating along the banks. But, it was the rainbows in the sky that was the centerpiece of Tomland. Every building in Tomland was constructed from a strong stone called Smaragdus Jadeite, a unique type of jade. The people of Tomland always had a lovely smile on their faces, maybe because of the beauty of the city. All was tranquil and quiet. But soon, the sky started to turn black as if darkness was engulfing the land. A silhouette emerged from the sky. Thunder roared and lightning set all of Tomland a flame.
“Save me!” screamed Vee, as fire surrounded her.
A sinister cackle came from the sky and broke the screams and cries of Tomland’s citizens. Everyone fell to the ground in fear. The only two citizens who were still standing were two ten year old children - Tom and Grayson. Although he was still on his feet, Tom trembled in fear, cowering behind Grayson and holding onto him tight. If Tom were to let go of Grayson’s hand, he would probably have fainted, but definitely would have fallen to the floor like everyone else. The people of Tomland were unconscious on the floor, most likely passed out in fear. By some miracle Tom was still standing, along with Grayson, who all the boys admired for his strength.
Tom cried, “ What happened?”
“They're probably just sleeping,” replied Grayson in a relaxed way, as if he was describing his little sister’s naptime.
“Who did this?” questioned Tom with a shake in his voice. Tom’s trembling began to grow to the point where his words could barely come out of his mouth.
“It is me, Viggs!” answered the dark silhouette in the sky. Thunder rumbled as he spoke and Viggs’ cackle broke the silence as Tom’s knees began to bend and weaken.
“Tomland shall cower in fear for I will turn it into my own land, with thunder, lightning, and darkness! Mwahahahaha!”
After a bit of additional, unnecessary cackling, Viggs began to get bored and left. But, he left Grayson and Tom a reminder of his power - a note to them both to come to fight him at Electro Mountain.
“I’m impressed you weren’t unconscious on the floor like the rest of your cowardly neighbors. I will enjoy destroying you and your town much more now that I have two worthy challengers. See you at Electro Mountain in three days. If not, I will come back and find you.”
Tom covered his eyes, as Grayson read the note aloud.
“We must go to Electro Mountain! Then, we should imprison Viggs there forever!” Grayson shouted hotly. His screams awakened the citizens of Tomland.
“I don’t think that we should imprison Viggs though.” whispered Tom.
Three days later, Tom and Grayson hike to Electro Mountain. Once they got there, Grayson saw Viggs and shouted, “Our battle starts now!” Tom would have preferred that the battle never started at all.
Soon, lightning struck the mountain and shook it. Tom shivered in fear, feeling as if he was being engulfed in the lightning. “ I can’t move, I'm scared!” That was all Tom could say.
“Be strong, you can do this!” said Grayson while fighting off Viggs’ electro minions, who had suddenly appeared when the lighting struck.
Many voices went through Tom’s head. They were the voices of his mom, dad, brother, and all the citizens of Tomland. “Be strong.” You can do this.” “Save us.”
Tom slowed down his breathing and thought, “Everyone is counting on me. I can’t give up now.” He thought about a Tomland that didn’t have his mother and father. The thought almost destroyed him. Hot fiery tears began to rush into his eyes.What was more scary to Tom, Viggs, or living alone with no family and friends. As if he suddenly became possessed by the power of All Might, his favorite fictional hero, Tom suddenly stood tall, got into a fiery passion, and screamed, “ WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS?! WHY DON”T YOU GO STAY IN YOUR OWN MISERABLE WORLD, VIGGS!!!”
Viggs was shocked. This weak little boy looked like a different person. The shock made Viggs step back, calm down, and answer in an honest way. “Tomland is all Sunshine and Rainbows but there is no balance. How annoying it is that this world has all happiness, but never any darkness? Who can live like that. This is what I do. I bring the darkness, and that makes the world real. How can there be peace with no balance?”
“Well can you help us then … Bring peace to Tomland. Instead of destroying it and everyone there, why not just talk to us and work with us to fix the problem?” Tom spoke these words in a calm tone.
“Hm. What an interesting idea.” said Viggs. “No one has ever said that to me before. People usually just faint and beg.”
With that, Tom and Viggs left Electro Mountain in peace together as new friends or at least co-workers. Grayson was having too much fun with the Electro minions and stayed on Electro Mountain. When the two new friends returned to Tomland, Sussy Clause questioned, “Tom, why are you with this scary creature! Where were you? Tomland was on fire and we had to get Mr. Fireman to stop it!”
“Sorry…” apologized Tom. “I’ll explain all the details later. All you need to know right now is that this Viggs, and although he yells alot, and can be a bit careless with his lightning, he is a new friend of ours. He wants to help us make this city even better. But we must all work together to bring balance to this world and for everyone in the universe. Our first step to fixing this world is to give this town a new name - let’s call it TOMorrowLand.”
Mission Impawsible
By Claire Y. T., 12
A poster tacked onto a wall flutters back and forth in the wind. Big, bold words are printed onto the crisp paper.
“JEWELRY THIEF “CATMAN” STRIKES AGAIN!”
Hmm. How interesting. I walk closer, until I’m standing underneath it, and I have to strain to tilt my head up to read the smaller text.
“In light of this new crime, authorities have confirmed that the perpetrator of this crime is the notorious Catman, a new criminal that has started stealing from the people of Paris. A crime that has been committed by Catman always has cat hair around the crime scene. If you are a victim of Catman, call this number or take one paper strip.” The poster has detachable paper strips with numbers printed on them underneath, though most of them are gone. I chuckle, watching as a passerby stops beside me and rips off a paper strip, quickly pocketing it and walking away.
I can’t believe they didn’t consider the possibility of this “Catman” being a cat. Those clueless humans. Oh well, humans always refuse to admit any other animals are capable of being smarter than them. I stifle another laugh, and slink away into the shadows of a nearby alley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After two long hours of lying in wait, I watch with narrowed eyes as the detective opens the door to the lobby of a famous hotel. The famous hotel that I need to get into. Smart human, he probably suspects that I will try to strike again here. Heh, not wrong. Whether he can catch me red handed, or well, you know, red pawed, is a different story. Just before the door closes after him, I dash in and quickly hide behind a large vase. Wouldn’t want to have my scheme foiled at the very start, would I? My target, a woman in her 40’s wearing a red dress and bedecked with jewelry, greets the detective, and starts chatting away with him. How convenient. It’s the perfect distraction.
I sneak past the lobby, stopping to quickly hide behind some painted vases a couple times. I trail silently after a bellhop pushing a luggage cart stacked with huge bright pink suitcases, clearly owned by my target, and stay in the shadows of the luggage cart. The bellhop and I go into the elevator, and once we reach the floor that the luggage is supposed to be dropped off at, we walk out. I watch the bellhop dig into his pockets for the keycard for the room, and observe him pressing the keycard to the sensor above the door handle. The sensor confirms the keycard’s validity, and makes a small beeping noise while flashing green.
The bellhop twists the handle, and pushes the door open with a grunt. He then attempts to slide the luggage cart into the room while keeping the door open with the weight of his body. While he starts taking the suitcases off the luggage cart, I slip into the room and dive under the bed.
I crawl to the center of the bed, so as to not be seen. I can hear the sound of feet shuffling on the soft carpet, and see bright pink suitcases being put on the ground. Soon, the door slides shut and muffled footsteps fade away.
After listening for a couple of seconds if anyone was coming back, I slip out from under the bed to get a real look at the room. I have to familiarize myself with this place if I want to strike quick and leave fast, after all.
The room is big, and has all sorts of weird human things. Dark mahogany cabinets tower over me, and beautiful paintings decorate the walls. A screen door leading to the balcony almost takes up an entire wall. A giant TV stuck to the wall looms over me, directly across from the bed. The bed itself is decorated, I realize, as I step back further. It has massive pink plush pillows with ruffles on the edges, and the quilt is a work of art, with lace, embroidery, and ribbons. To top it off, there’s a stuffed bear laid out in the middle of the pillows.
While I’m taking in the sights in front of me, I hear footsteps approaching in the distance. Quickly, I dart under the bed just in time to hear the sensor from the room’s outside door beep.
“And this is your room, madame,” A voice announces as the door opens. “Room 204.”
“Oh my, how lovely! You sure do know how to decorate your hotel, honey.” The voice of my target says.
“Merci, madame. If you need any more help settling in, just dial 0 on the phone over there.”
“Will do! Thank you for your time, dear.”
“It’s my pleasure, madame.” The voice replies for the last time, as the door slides shut.
Moments later, I hear my target humming and the sound of zippers. Then I hear things being put on the cabinets. Soon after, I hear things being put on the bed. Then I hear feet shuffling to the bathroom, and more things being put in various places. All the noises make me kinda sleepy, and I have to wait till night time to strike anyways, so I curl up on the soft carpet and let myself drift off to sleep.
I jolt awake to the sound of the toilet flushing. Huh?! How long was I asleep for? Was it the next day already? I wanted to rush out and check the screen door, but my train of thought was interrupted by the sound of water running. I would just have to wait, whether I liked it or not.
Moments later, I hear footsteps approaching, and then the ruffling of blankets as someone- my target, climbs into bed. Is it nighttime? I squirm under the bed anxiously.
Several long, agonizing minutes later, I hear snores coming from above me. I carefully step out from under the bed and turn towards the screen door, holding my breath. The screen door is closed, blocked by frilly curtains. I quietly stalk over to the curtains and wiggle my head under them. Black nothingness greets my eyes. I let out a sigh of relief. It is nighttime. It’s also time for me to strike. I pull my head out from under the curtains, and narrow my eyes.
I stride over to one of the cabinets, and easily leap up to see if it has what I want and to get a bird's eye view. Ahah. The things I’m looking for are right here, in front of me. The jewelry. Stunning earrings, dazzling necklaces, and breathtaking rings. And in the middle of it all, a magnificent sparkly diamond necklace. That’s the one I’m going to take. The star of the collection. I take a step forward, about to snatch it in my jaws. That’s when I hear a loud melody coming from one of the bedside tables, and freeze.
My target mumbles something and fumbles for her phone, as I hurriedly leap down the cabinet and scramble under the bed.
After some time she starts snoring again, and I sneak back out and grab the diamond necklace with my teeth. Before I take my leave, I rub some cat fur on the side of the bed, as a signature mark of the “Catman”. I then paw the screen door to the balcony open, and dart out into the night.
After a long walk home, I'm back in my cozy den, curling up for a good night's rest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My eyes squint open from the sunlight bleeding through the curtains. For a couple seconds, I think I'm still a cat in a den with jewelry by its side. Then I remember that I’m lying down in my bed in a hotel, not curled up in a den hidden in the Catacombs of Paris. But my, was that a strange dream. I dreamt I was stealing from... myself? As a cat? How absurd. It sounds funny though, I have to admit. But really, I should get the day started. I squint my eyes open. What time is it? I got a phone call in the middle of the night and probably overslept. I sit up in my comfortable bed and push back the decorated quilt and linen blankets. I should probably go to the bathroom and get dressed for breakfast. I slide my hotel provided slippers on, and shuffle over to the bathroom.
After using the restroom, combing my hair, and getting the sleep gunk out of my eyes, I walk back out feeling fresh and awake. I freeze when I spot the case where all my jewelry should be. The diamond necklace, handed down to me by my grandmother, is gone. I search underneath the cabinet, in all the drawers, all the places where I could’ve misplaced that necklace. I swear I took it off and put it in the case, though.
As I’m looking under the bed, a thought hits me. That dream about a cat burglar, what if it really happened? I rush over to the curtains, pulling them back, and the screen door is slightly open. Just like in my dream. But the “Catman” that’s been running rampant in these parts can’t actually be a cat. And what if this isn’t the “Catman”? This could just be some regular thief. I rush over to the hotel door. It’s locked. No sign of entry. I turn around. There’s cat hair caught on the side of the bed. Just where “I” left it last night, as a signature mark of the “Catman”.
The Gateways
By: Anonymous, 12, and Anonymous, 12.
Chapter 1: The Book
I stare intently at the glowing book, wondering what it is. The book binding is made of hardy leather, it almost looked like a long-lost journal. The glowing is coming from inside the book, like a broken street light flickering on and off. I run my hands on the cover and dust gathers on my hands. The cover has intricate leaf designs, or I think it is. I shine a flashlight on the book where the title should be, and the title reads: The Gateways. But there was no author name.
“Jeremiah! Jeremiah, where are you? I need you to sort the children's books!” says Lady Agatha.
“Coming, Lady Agatha! I found this book, do you know...” I say.
“Oh Jeremiah, I am not here to answer questions. I am here to take care of the library!”
I stare at the book again and catch a faint glow. I quickly tuck it under my shirt, to make it stop. I'll investigate later, but for now, I must earn money, so I may buy some bread to feed my younger sister that I found on the streets, Aster.
Chapter 2: Death Awaits for Everyone
I am curled up in a tight ball on the cold bed, with no blanket and no pillows. It feels like I am sleeping on a stone slab. I remember the times as a younger boy, a handsome prince who will one day rule the country. But a few days before Yule, an attack was launched on our kingdom. My father told my mother and me to flee. I did not want to and argued with my father. Father slapped me across my face. My face stung, and blotchy red marks appeared. I could not believe him. He had never once in my life hit me. Yes, he had gotten mad before, but not to the point of slapping me. I wanted to yell at my father and tell him that I was capable of fighting by his side, but no sound came out of my mouth. I fled to my mother, tears streaming down my face. She embraced me, the smell of honey and flowers swirled around me from her white dress with embroidered pink flowers.
Mother tells the driver to start driving. The driver, who I recognized, was a man with curly dirty blond hair. He was tall and had a mustache. I think his name was Albert or maybe Alexander, something with an A. He snaps the reins and the horse speeds through the forest, the bushes hitting the chariot. Suddenly, a man in black appears in the middle of the path and the horses veer off the road into a crystal clear river. The current pushes the chariot and the horses downstream. Then the chariot jolts and Mother flies up front. Her head hits the glass that separates the driver and us. I lift my head and look at the driver and see that he is well beyond curable. I feel a pang of guilt, all the times that he has opened the doors, or helped me up while I was crying. I didn’t even say thank you.
I look over to my mother and my mouth hangs open, her leg is bent unnaturally, blood dripping from her mouth. My eyes welled with tears, then they started to pour out.
“Why did you have to take my mother from me!!” I yelled, “Why could you not have taken me instead!!”
Tears poured out my eyes adding to the river, snot slithering down my face. I curled up in the corner of the chariot, face in between my knees, I sat there for hours, listening to the river carrying pieces of the chariot away. Finally, I get up, wipe my hands on my jeans, and step outside. I walk to a patch of flowers and pick 2 dozen flowers of Tiffany blue, lavender, and tangerine.
These flowers bring back memories of running through the field of flowers with my mother, the gentle hum of bees and insects dancing around us. I escape that memory before I start sobbing again. I drop the flowers on my mother, knowing that it is not a proper funeral, but it is better than nothing.
I leave the bloodshed behind me and start walking - walking to where exactly? I don’t know. I promise to myself that I will never forgive my father or myself for what has happened.
Chapter 3: Gateways
I stay lying on the stone slab, wondering when I will ever have my beautiful life again. I think to myself - I will never have my life again if I don’t get to work. I get up and shake Aster awake. I found her on the streets while walking to the library one day. She was skinny and frail. She didn’t speak English though. She spoke a weird language of mixed clicks and squeals as if she spoke like a bird. When I met her, I decided to name her Aster because she was sitting near a patch of Asters. Now, I look down at her and see the difference in her skin, the color of olive brown, her eyes the color of honey that bent up slightly, her dark hair braided into a neat braid that falls down her back. She looked like a beautiful star. I shake her more viciously. Finally, she peels her eyes open and gets up.
"I need to go to the library, okay, you can look at this book that I found in the meantime, okay?"
I am not sure if she understands me, but every time I tell her to do something, she gets it done eventually. I hand her the mysterious "Gateway" book and leave.
Halfway there, I began to wonder about the book. I realized that that book may be dangerous. Yesterday, when I took the book, the book GLOWED. How is that possible, I asked myself, when magic was not real?
I realize that Aster is the only person left in my life that is special to me. I sprint back to the house, wheezing, and huffing. Slowly, I open the door. What happens if some monster comes out of the book or the book has inappropriate pictures? I grab a stick so I can beat the monster back into the book, (if there is a monster). I fling the door open and look inside. I look around, and on the mattress, there lay the book open on a page with beautiful blue strokes.
"The ocean" I gasp. I remember the first time I was at the ocean. Royal guards lined up in case of an attack. I wasn't allowed in the ocean even though I have always dreamed of being in the water with the colorful fish and the sand shifting beneath my feet. I jump out of that memory as I remember that I need to find Aster. I reach down and grab the book. I slump down on the dirty mattress and start reading. As I start reading the second paragraph, there's a breeze that smells like the sea - salty and crispy. Then, I start falling, down, down, I go, screaming my lungs out, as the salty, crispy smell gets stronger.
Chapter 4: Gone So Very Soon
The fall is like I'm slamming straight into a floor, but at the same time, like I’m falling into a void. I'm floating toward a blue world as I pass through the planetary atmosphere. I see crashing waves and turbulent skies ruled by lightning and storms. I stare in awe, marveling at the ocean planet. The Earth is not like this, I think. The Earth is big, green, and some blue. Then, I start panicking, realizing that I am going to fall into the ocean. Gripping the book, I brace for impact when I hear a humming sound. Then, BOOM, out of the water comes a massive lava plume as bright and hot as if it were noon on a scorching summer day.
I am woken by the symphony of crashing waves. The tang of ocean burns my senses, as if breathing in bubbles of ocean air. Suddenly, I realize I am submerged in a shallow ocean. A scream escapes my lips, the sound muffled by the aquatic sounds. Before me, a vast meadow of swaying seagrass sways in the current, while above, tempestuous waves and crackling lightning paint the sea.
"Surely this is a dream," I ponder, even as the surreal scene envelops me. This must be a dream. Just to be sure, I pinch myself on the arm.
"Oww!" Yup, I am awake, but how am I breathing underwater? THAT BOOK WHERE IS IT? Why is there a slight tugging sensation on my neck - it's on my neck. The book, now smaller, became a necklace. It's made of emerald, the same stone that laced Aster's shoes and dress. Maybe I can go back home if I open the mini book in the middle. I open the book and start reading and then the sound click echoes throughout the ocean plains. Just like before, I fall into the void, but just before I completely vanish, I hear a voice whispering:
“Jeremiah, help me…”
"Jeremiah help me…" that sentence repeated like it was a broker record.
I thought about Aster for a long time and realized that something was wrong. Aster couldn't speak English - she had never spoken it before. I brought her to a public school and that didn't work well. This time the journey between the void was much longer.
A beautiful blue centerpiece is in the middle of the star system. Suddenly, the necklace pulls on my neck so hard it almost chokes me. The necklace almost seems like it's rushing to the edge of the system, in a hurry to get out of the star system. Then, BOOM! Near the center, a star collapses in a supernova. Massive amounts of plasma from the star rush outwards swallowing everything in its wake. I shield myself from the hot ashes as I open the book to a different page and start reading the paragraph. This time the book also seemed to want to go to a different place. Instead of making me read the second paragraph, it whisked me away as I started reading the third sentence.
Chapter 5: Hunger
When I opened my eyes I was in the middle of a woodland. Tower trees stretched to the sky as glowing fireflies buzzed up and down the trees like Christmas tree ornaments. It was dark out. I looked up and saw the silver dots that glistened in the sky - millions of them dotted the sky as the night stretched on.
I must have dozed off while looking at the stars because now the bright light hurt my eyes. I sat up and looked into the woods, the tower trees so tall that it still looked like night out. I gulped. I started walking into the woods, looking around for something to eat.
“There!” I said excitedly. It was a cluster of brown mushrooms huddled around a skinny tree. I began picking the mushrooms and putting them in my denim jeans.
“Those are poisonous, you know.”
I whipped around and 9 furry wolves were standing behind me.
“Ummm,” I stuttered.
“I didn’t know that they were poisonous.”
“Well, don’t eat them, they won’t be very tasty.” said the biggest wolf. That had to be the alpha. “But you’ll be tasty no matter what - grilled, salted, dead, alive. It doesn't matter to us, we eat it all.” He continued.
I whimpered, backed away, and sprinted deep into the forest. I could hear the crouching of leaves behind me as the wolves ran after me. I glanced behind me and the wolves were gaining, I fumbled for the magic book, (almost dropping it) and opened a page as I fell into a steep canyon.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH, focus Jerimiah, you are about to die. All you have to do is read a couple sentences.”
I read line after line but the book would not pull me through a void. I flipped to a different page and read. Click, SWISH, and I was gone.
Chapter 6: Back again.
When I opened my eyes, I was again in the ocean universe. I sprang to my feet and looked around for Aster. I think back to when I got to the house to get the book away from Aster. The magical book was opened to the picture of the ocean universe, so I concluded that Aster must be here in this place. I wondered how big this planet was - thousands or maybe billions of kilometers. I decided to look in the long tall reeds and other dense places because Aster was a shy girl. She didn't like talking to people, but she liked to explore new places where no one could bother her. But looking for Aster in a mysterious ocean world will be tedious and difficult.
My stomach growled, and it went, rumble rumble. I was hungry. I needed food but I didn’t know what was poisonous or not. But Aster surprisingly knew every plant near the village. The rumble rumble was getting stronger and louder; this was not my stomach.
Rumble BOOM!
Lava and gas rushed out of the ground, incinerating all the reeds in its wake. A hand appeared from the crown of the vent. I opened the magic book, trying to escape from the heated situation. No No No, the magic book doesn't want me to leave. Then, the book glowed a deathly green.
The book writes: ‘Magamar the pyroclastic fiend.’
I look up at the monster. “UHH, how am I supposed to defeat this probably deadly monster?”
The book did not answer.
“Aghhhhhh,” heading back into the ground, Magamar heads towards me, melting the rock above it. The book seems to understand and gives me an answer, “Run to the bottom of a majestic salix tree, open the unseen door, climb down the spiraling vines, and do what you know."
"Umm, Mr. Book, how am I supposed to find this tree??” The book did not answer.
“Ahhhhh.”
I could now see the head of the Magamar. It turned towards me. Magamar erupted again and I got a clear view of Magamar’s face. It’s dripping with molten rock, but then, Magamar starts to cool down and harden. It screams in pain as it dives back into the lava bed. Running away as fast as I can, I head toward the taller reeds.
"No!" Magamar shrieks in anguish.
"Jeramiah give me the book!"
Magamar, unaware of its long time out of the lava duct, begins to harden. Magamar rushes forward while his back hardens into a glistening stone. The lava around his face slowly vanishes, revealing Aster's face on the monster.
“You did this to me. This is all your fault. Stop and give me the BOOK!!" The clone of Aster roared as it hardened into a lifeless basalt statue.
Just as my eyes began to flutter open, I looked at my hands and realized that I am coated in this green liquid that reeked of eggs and acid. Clawing at the sides of the pit, I manage to escape.
"Hey stop running," said a man-alien whose skin was purple, "STOP!"
Running for the exit, two more of the worshipers swing at me with their glistening axes. I managed to escape. Soon after I exit the building, I get a glimpse of an unusually familiar color palette. Wait, the building is the same color as Aster's skin and the temple is made from emeralds - the same stone that adorned Aster's clothing.
"Is Aster the popularity queen of the multiverse or something because why does everyone know her?"
The ground crunches as I step on delicate frozen flowers completely crystalized in ice. According to the book, this is the part of the ocean world where water freezes. As I read more about this frozen city in the middle of an ocean universe, I smell a sweet nectar coming from the ice on the ground. After reading the book, I find out that the flowers are edible to all except birds. It’s an odd fact, so I stuff my face full of the sweet flowers. The taste is sweet - just like the cinnamon rolls that my mom used to make. I look up from the book and see the big city with crispy crunchy jewels. I see a big castle shaped like a willow with dark green emeralds for the leaves.
“That must be the ‘Majestic Salix Tree”.
I remember that Aster would sit at the bottom of the salix tree and just stare at it. A nice neighbor told me that that was a salix tree.
Chapter 7: The Castle
I wait in the center floor room of the castle. The inside of the tree is hollowed out with a grand staircase made of oak, spiraling up the inside of the trunk with openings at different points of the staircase. At the top of the tree is a glass sky light that reveals the emerald branches. Staring at a clock and hoping that I will be called in soon, I am finally called by a man leading me up the stairs up to the sky light. Aster sits on an gleaming emerald green chair adorned with wooden carvings.
“Click swupp unt und.” says Aster
“She said that the book is hers, and that she wants me to tell her story to you.”
The young translator continues, “Aster’s name is actually Cye meaning willow tree. We, the people of the worlds, found her sleeping alone under a weeping willow tree. Apparently, Willow tree made her. We learned her language and made her queen.”
“Why is the book hers? I found it in the library?” I asked.
“Being a daughter of Willow tree, she can use magic. She is also very lonely. She longed to have a friend other than us. So, she studied magic and learned to cast a traveling spell on the books.”
“Umm, thank you for the amazing life story, but I really need to get back to the human world,” I said.
“Well, you have two options. You can either stay here, or go back to the human world where you are not content and you make minimum wage. If you stay here you can live with Cye or your ‘Aster’, and have a good life, and you have indeed created a bond with her.”
“Let me think about this.”
Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home
I walk on a dirt trail and think about what the translator told me, “If you stay here, you can live with Cye or your Aster.” The name Aster rings in my head. Aster, Aster, Aster, I imagine dancing with her in the big ballroom in my burnt castle back home - the chandeliers swaying to the music as we sway in circles. The longer I stay here and think about Aster the more I want to stay. I have to make a decision before tomorrow. I think about it for a while and start walking back to the room I am staying in.
The next day I walk into the grand room again and look at Aster.
“I have made a decision Aster, sorry, I meant Cye,” I blush as she smiles at me, “I would like to stay here, under one condition. That is that I get to travel the multiverse.” Aster smiles at me and gets down from her chair. She runs down to me and kisses me on the cheek. My face turns beet red, and I grin for the first time in a very long time.
The End
Alonso Quixania, also known as Don Quixote de la Mancha, suffered from chronic insomnia, but can now finally sleep and rest in peace.
He died from chronic insomnia at the age of 70 in his hometown, La Mancha. Although he had trouble sleeping in his life, Don Quixote was quite a dreamer and lived out his fantasies each day. Early in life Don Quixote showed the qualities of bravery and heroism. At one point, Quixote found a boy tied to a tree, imprisoned by a man with a whip. Don Quixote couldn't bear to see a child being hurt for no reason. To end the boy’s pain, Don Quixote untied him and scolded the man for trying to injure a child. Even if Don Quixote is being pulled down by the weight of his armor, you can’t stop him from trying to push others up.
As Quixote grew into an older man, he enjoyed being a knight and remained a hero to everyone, even to criminals and prisoners. During his career as a knight, Quixote helped save convicts who were unfairly put in jail. Not only was Don Quixote a hero, he was a man who loved powerfully. When he fell in love with Lady Dulcinea, he showed his devotion by hurting himself with rocks and tree branches. He felt emotions strongly and did not do anything half-hearted. Quixania was a gentle and kind person who felt compassion for everyone. Don Quixote helped his friend Sancho Panza when Sancha was in pain. When Panza was whipping himself to end Lady Dulcinea's curse, Don Quixote convinced Panza not to whip himself so hard, out of concern for his friend.
Towards the end of his life, Alonso was willing to learn new things. He is the complete opposite of the saying, “ You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” At the end, Don Quixote dueled the White Moon Knight and lost. The loss to the White Moon Knight forced Don Quixote to grow up and end his make believe fantasies. While he lived most of his life as a dreamer, in the end, he finally learned that he needed to accept the real world, where sorcerers do not exist and castles are really just inns for tourists.
Although he is now gone, Don Quixote will be remembered warmly by those he rescued, those he fought, and those he loved. They will think of him with a smile and see a silly old man who actually lived out his dreams. He was a man who would fight to the death to protect what he believed to be true. As he lost to the White Moon Knight, he declared: “ You can take my life, but you cannot kill the truth.”
Sweet dreams Don Quixote.
Don Quixote Obituary
Written By: Sandy P., 10
Squishy Squirrel was furious.
Fiona Fox had stolen his favorite acorn, the one that looked like a tiny golden nugget. Sparky chased Fiona all through the park, his bushy tail twitching with revenge in mind. He'd get that acorn back no matter what
Fiona, acorn clutched in her teeth, finally stopped by the riverbed.
"Squishy, chill!" she begged "It was an accident! My babies are starving!"
Squishy stopped, cheeks puffing like a hot air balloon. Fiona's 4 babies peeked from behind her leg, all whimpeing with hunger. Squishy
yelled. then sighed. Maybe Fiona didn’t mean to be a jerk.
Squisky walked up to Fiona and held out his paw. "Fine," he sighed.
"But you owe me a huge, shiny acorn next fall. Deal?"
Fiona was so relieved. "Deal! Thank you, Squishy! You're the best." Fiona’s babies crawled to Squishy and hugged his squirrely feet. He couldn’t stay angry. A smile grew from his whiskers.
Maybe forgiving Fiona wasn't so bad. In fact, his cheeks didn't feel like exploding anymore.
Sharing is Daring
Written By: Alex B., 13
The Great Kingdoms
By: Emma Y., 12
Far away, in a distant land, was a small village filled with cattle and other farm animals. There were rows of crops between houses and patches of flowers all around. It seemed like the perfect life. At the far end of the village was a forest where a small cottage overgrown with flowers and vines lived. Though everything thrived, one small orange tree failed to bear any fruit.
A young woman walked out of the cabin. She had light red hair with hints of brown and was wearing a faded light blue dress with an apron.
“Ellie it’s time for dinner,” said the young woman. Ellie slowly walks out of the trees with a bundle of flowers in her arms and her pets Berry, Rosie, and Spots behind her. Her bright red hair swayed behind her and her emerald dress blew in the wind. The scarf gifted to her by her mother kept her warm when it got windy and could act as a hood as well.
"Coming Mom," she replied. As Ellie entered the cottage, the smell of warm cooked porridge filled the air. Her mother had prepared a healthy meal of roasted vegetables and sweet bread.
“Here take this,” she said and took a vase out of the cabinet and gave it to Ellie to put her flowers in. She placed it on the table and helped her mom set the table.
“I’ll be right back, I’m just going to put this in my room,” she emptied her bag and carefully placed all her collectibles from her exploration on her desk. After, both she and her mom sat at the worn wooden table where they enjoyed their meal in the cozy interior of their cabin. Later they both cleaned up and got ready for bed.
“Goodnight Mom,” said Ellie holding her stuffed animal, Bunny. She then got in bed, turned off the lights, and went to sleep. Late at night, Ellie dreamt about all kinds of things. She dreamt about sea animals with wings and fairies living in tree trunks. It appeared so realistic and alive that she felt it was real. But all of a sudden everything began to crumble and turned to ash wherever she looked.
“Ahh!,” she said as she woke up and realized it was all just a dream. The day after Ellie got ready to go on another adventure into the forest. She quickly ate her breakfast and slipped on her shoes.
“Bye sweetie,” said her mother as Ellie walked out the door. She unlocked the gate for her pets and gave them a small treat too.
“Bye Mom, I’ll be back in time for dinner!” she said, already walking into the fields. As she neared the end of the grass she met the forest and ran straight through the trees. She kept wandering around finding little mushrooms along the way.
“What do you think we’ll find this time,” she said to Rosie, Spots, and Berry. Having wandered around for a while, Ellie ends up finding a beaver building her dam along the side of a river. She finds that the water is very clear there and soothing. So the next day she comes back for a swim. Berry, Spots, and Rosie also joined her. SPLASH! Ellie jumps in and they follow.
“Weeee!” says Ellie. They all play with rocks and splash around but suddenly the currents pick up. The wind starts to howl loudly and the water starts swirling around in circles creating a whirlpool. In a flash, they all get sucked in. They swirled in circles going deeper and deeper underwater. They couldn’t see a sliver of light. Everything went quiet and the river returned to its original form, as if nothing had happened.
Ellie woke up dizzy and a bit nauseous. She looked around confused, she couldn’t figure out what had just happened. She spotted Rosie and picked her up to check if she was okay.
“Hoink, Oww! That hurts!” Rosie said. Immediately, Ellie’s eyes widened in shock. “You can TALK! You're talking!” she said.
“I could always talk, you just couldn’t understand us.” Rosie replied.
Suddenly something rustled in the bushes. Both she and Rosie quickly hung on to each other.
“Stop it! You're making my head itch!” said a small voice. Then, Berry and Spots rolled out of the trees fighting.
“Stop it you’re annoying me!” shouted Spots. “Cut it out boys,” said Ellie already pushing them apart. They looked up at the sky to find flying fish in the air. But not the normal size, they were much much bigger than you could imagine.
“ Doo do do do do do” comes a deep singing voice. Out of the blue, a penguin with pink fur appears and is startled at the sight of a human.
“Where did you come from and how are you here!?” said the penguin. “My name is Ellie, what's yours?” she replied. “I call myself Larry,” said the penguin looking out at the distance with a serious face.
“You still didn’t answer my question.”
He then said. “Well, my friends and I were swimming in a small river when all of a sudden we got sucked into a whirlpool and ended up here,” Ellie said.
“You should leave and never come back!” Larry said.
“Why” replied Ellie.
“The core of our world or The Great Five Kingdoms is dying and soon we won’t even exist if the core dies,” Lerry explained.
“Is there anything I can do to help, I don’t want to leave your world dying. I mean there are flying sea creatures in the air,” said Ellie.
“The core requires an amount of energy to heal fully,” explained Larry.
“I think I can help find a source, I saw some light coming from the trees over there,” she said pointing behind her. “That most likely won’t be a light source!” Larry replied.
“We can try.” Ellie then started running towards the trees.
“WAIT UP!” said all three of her pets already halfway into the trees. Larry rolled his eyes and followed them too. Along the way, Ellie felt a weird feeling inside of her as if someone was watching her. She turned around and felt an unknown presence beside her. No one was near her except for her companions and Larry. Ignoring that feeling, Ellie reached a field growing with thousands of flowers. Above them were small sparkly balls of light floating in the air. Then, passing by were small fairies. They had heart-shaped wings with sparkles on them, eyes as big as their hands, and ears with a sharp point. Suddenly, one of the fairies came up to them.
“Hello, my name is Katha, what is your name?” said the fairy. “My name is Ellie, I’m here to find an energy source. Do you know any place where I can find one, or maybe where I can harness energy?” Ellie said.
“No I don’t, but I know someone who might” replied the fairy. “Go to the Fluff Cloud Kingdom and look for an elephant named Galfow,” said Katha.
She then said her goodbye and flew away disappearing into the trees. Ellie, after gathering information, set off to the Fluff Cloud Kingdom. Larry pulled out a map of his and explained that the entrance to the Fluff Kingdom was located past the Star realm.
“It looks like it will take four hours on foot to get from the Mystic Woods to the Fluff Kingdom. However, there is a shortcut through the Enchanted Rainforest that only the locals know about. By taking this route, you can cut the travel time in half and reach the Fluff Kingdom in just two hours.” said Larry.
“Let’s get moving before it gets dark,” Ellie said. As they began their journey they left the Mystic Woods and ventured through the Enchanted Rainforest. As they went deeper into the jungle they saw many exotic animals.
“Look up at the branches, the mushroom homes,” shouted Ellie in amazement.
“That’s normal. Do you not live in the interior of trees?” questioned Larry.
“No, we live on the ground in cabins,” Ellie replied. They continued past the Flower Forest and soon reached the end of the Rainforest. They went through Aqua Kingdom. While on the way, they explored the Deep City and made friends on the way. Soon after they came across the entrance to the Fluff Cloud Kingdom.
“Here we are, the entrance to the Cloud Kingdom,” said Larry. “This is funner than I thought,” said Rosie. “Yeah this is fun. I thought we would do something dangerous or deadly,” said Spots. “Why would you think that?” said Ellie.
“Well, he has a point, restoring the energy of the core is risky, but with guidance, we can succeed,” said Larry, showing them to the entrance. They entered a portal with a white center that seemed like it led to nowhere. Walking through onto the other side they were welcomed by the wide-opened gates of Fluff Cloud Kingdom. They walked on clouds as if walking on cotton candy. They then explored the capital Sky City but had no luck finding Galflow. While looking around they encountered a young girl with purple skin and white hair who knew the directions to Galflow.
“Are you looking for Galflow, the wise elephant?” asked the girl.
“Yes, do you know where we can find him?” replied Ellie.
“Yes, go beyond the city and you’ll find a small town. You will see elephants there and will surely find him.”
Ellie thanked the girl and continued her journey. Larry leads them to a human-sized bubble which transports them to the end of the capital. There, Ellie saw the small village the girl talked about and arrived at its entrance. Berry, Spots, and Rosie immediately spotted food and ran towards it munching on everything they could find. The store owner wasn’t too happy about it, but Larry then stepped in and paid for all food. Ellie brought snacks in her bag and munched on them while walking.
“Where should we look first?’ she asked.
“We can first explore the Elef Temple. That is where we most likely will find Galflow,” said Larry. They passed through the village and located the Temple. Ellie suddenly got the same strange feeling that someone was watching her. She started to think that someone was and became more aware of her surroundings. They continued the search for Galfow and finally found him. He had white hair and was wearing a green scarf that matched Ellie’s dress.
“Hello young lady, how may I help you?” said Galflow in a soft voice.
“Hello, my name is Ellie Flowerton. We have searched for an energy source big enough to heal the core of your world. We wonder if you know a source of energy we can use,” said Ellie.
“Yes, but I am surprised that a human such as yourself is brave enough to help save a world that is not your own,” said the elephant.
“Well, I think that a beautiful world like yours should be saved and I am willing to do just that,” Ellie replied.
“The source required can be found in this necklace.” Galflow then pointed at his neck.
“But isn’t that too small?” Ellie said looking confused.
“This necklace may be small but holds a strong magnificent power that when in the wrong hands can destroy and murder. I trust that you won’t let that happen and will save our world. To use the necklace all you must do is hold it in your hands, close your eyes, and focus on what you want it to do. But you must do it before the sun sets or the magic will not work. I wish you luck on your journey and am counting on you.”
“Thank you Galflow, I will not let you down,” said Ellie. With that, Larry pulled out his map and led Ellie to the core. They traveled through the Space realm walking through different planets and cities. They saw more unusual species and new technology. Soon after making it to the center of the Five Kingdoms. The sun started to set and they were running out of time. They ran as fast as they could go, entering into the caves and making their way through tunnels, eventually reaching the core. It had small gleams of light coming out of it and a huge crack went down the middle.
“It usually shines much brighter than this,” explained Larry. “Then let’s make it shine bright again,” Ellie said with a fierce voice. She then closed her eyes and held the necklace in her hands. Suddenly the necklace started to glow brighter and brighter. Then it shot out a beam of light, hitting the core. The crack then started to heal and the core started glowing brighter and brighter. Shortly after, the core was restored.
“Yay!” shouted Larry. Berry, Spots, and Rosie all hugged and shouted in joy. But as they turned to Ellie. her eyes began to close and falling to the ground, she fainted. Everything went completely silent. As she awoke her eyes met Berry’s, Rosie’s, and Spot’s. She looked down at her hands to see it had been burned by the necklace. She ignored the pain, quickly gained consciousness and looked around to find Larry.
“Did we do it, did I save your world?” asked Ellie. Larry then turned around holding the necklace that Galflow had given Ellie.
“Heheheh!” said Larry, “YOU FELL RIGHT INTO MY TRAP!!” he shouted.
“WHAT!” screamed Ellie “You never saw it coming. Remember the beaver’s dam next to the river? That was no dam it was the portal to the Great Five Kingdoms.”
Ellie said, “But why did you bring me here? Was it for the necklace?”
“Well yes and no. See, if I brought a sweet girl here, one crazy enough to save this world, she’d have to get the necklace of Galflow. He knew you would take good care of it, but little did you know I was the one who made the crack in the core and forced you to pass out!” said Larry with an evil-looking grin.
“But how could you? Why did you put your world in danger?” asked Ellie
“I was always treated unfairly. My family resented me for no absolute reason and I never got what I deserved. All the other penguins like me thought I was different and excluded me from everyone. But with this necklace, everyone will bow down to me, and if not, they shall DIE!”
“NO! You can’t do that to them. There are wonderful creatures here and I am not going to let you hurt them!” shouted Ellie.
“THEN YOUR PETS WILL DIE.” Larry then picked up Berry and pointed the necklace at him.
“NO! I’ll do anything, just don’t hurt my pets!” said Ellie.
“Then stay and sacrifice yourself!” shouted Larry.
“But I have family and friends back home!” Ellie said.
“It’s either me killing your little pests or you stay here and DIE!” shouted Larry. Berry, Spots, and Rosie were all scared and couldn’t bear to see their best friend die.
“Go Ellie, your mom will need you, we’ll be fine I promise,” said Rosie.
“But I can’t just leave you here, you know that,” Ellie said, starting to tear up.
“AHH! Since you can’t make up your mind I will for you!”
Then, Larry held the necklace and trapped them in a bubble. They then returned to the Mystic Wood and were thrown on the ground. Larry then opened the portal back to Earth.
“You pests will stay and die. Say goodbye, and have fun in your lonely trash life!” Larry shouted, pushing Ellie toward the portal. Suddenly, Ellie grabbed Berry, Spots, and Rosie and shouted,
“Take care of my mom for me and tell her I love her!” With that, she pushed them all into the portal and they watched as their dear friend died. Larry held Ellie back with his necklace and zapped her to ashes. She flew away in the wind and the portal closed. They never saw each other again.
THE END?
Girl in Hiding
By: Autumn H., 12
Chapter 1:
My boots slosh in the puddles as I walk home through the wet, rainy night. I think about the night eight years ago when I asked my dad if I could fly home in the rain.
My argument: ( the same one because I only asked on rainy days) No one looks up when it rains, dad. They're all trying to get where they need to be on time. That never involves looking up with a cloud penetrating phone lens!
Besides, by now I have had enough tech classes to where I could tweak google map enough so that it gives me directions as the crow flies and doesn't care how high up I am.
But every little improvement in my strategy gets me another problem to fix. The second I think I have it, dad finds another chink in my armor, another thing I need to improve on. I’ve been trying for six years to get it perfected and still no luck.
But the Winged 5 ( Me the sharp shooter, Emily the mastermind, Amaria the creator, Ellie the scout, and Willow the inventor) have been trying to convince our parents for years: “ Let us fly outside dad please. We never get caught indoors.” We beg, but the answer is always the same: “No, you can’t fly outside. It's clear as day out there!”
It's nearly our nineteenth birthday, our ceremonial day of freedom. The weather on our birthdays is always rainy, but never windy. This would put out a lot of kids. Not us, we loved the rain and our birthdays were the only day we could fly outside because no one is ever outside that day.
My brother David, and his friends (The Wolf Pack) get up to a lot of mischief but they look up to our whole group and each have their own mentors in their specialties. They drive us crazy with their wild ideas and ridiculous stunts, but we still stick by them when they need it. And they always need it.
“Cissy! Dad’s making choco pancakes for the movie, come join us!” David yells from the other room. I sigh, then text my friends, “movie night & choco pancakes @ my place. Wolf Pack is choosing movie, prep 4 minions.”
My responses:
Elli: “OMW sister”
Willow: “wouldn’t miss ur dad’s choco pancakes 4 the world”
Amaria: “homework overload, sry i can’t come, c u 2morow”
Emily: “Wait up Elli, we’re in the same car!” then “OMW”
I smile. It’s just like Amaria to do homework instead of having fun, but no one can hold it against her. She’s such a genius, that she gets extra credit work and can’t come over.
Oh well, I'll have my other friends to support me through the movie. The minions are kind of funny but also kinda dumb. I shake myself out of my thoughts and prepare the couch to host both teams as the choco pancakes are coming out of the pan by the dozen. I fall asleep with 2 hours until the party as the scent of chocolatey dough wafts out of the pan.
Chapter 2:
An hour later, my father wakes me to begin preparation for the movie party. He invites all the winged families over to eat, drink, play, and if we're lucky, fly. The dads stand around and talk over Guinness beer. The moms sit and discuss travel, sleep schedules for us, and the latest way to get the Wolf Pack to behave. The Winged 5 and the Wolf Pack sit with our cat Bacon, their chinchilla Fluffy, and watch a movie over dad’s legendary pancakes.
It’s good fun. I am jolted out of my thoughts by a knock at the door, followed by a voice that gets us panicked. Our cloaks go on and both the Winged 5 and the Wolf Pack go out the back door and up through the clouds to safety, hiding our wings from the police who never liked us in the first place. We watch in alarm as the gray clothed government inspectors enter the house.
Chapter 3:
I hear shouts: “FBI open up!” followed by my dad shouting, “Party Crashers. Go home!”
We stay in the clouds for what feels like hours, waiting for the verdict. Are we safe? Were they caught? We don’t know. But we do know to wait until the dark gray car is on the highway (by Amaria’s estimation) before descending back to the party.
“Well?” I ask, prepared for the worst. “We had enough warning from our neighbors, we were hidden in time.” I hear his hesitation. “What’s wrong?” “It’s Bacon and Fluffy. They attacked the officers and Bacon almost shredded them. She must know who they are and what they want to be that savage.”
“Oh sweetie, are you hurt?”
“We had to tranquilize her before she pulled a Goose.”
My father is referring to the incident in Captain Marvel, the movie, where a flirkin (a cat-like animal with octopus tentacles instead of a tongue) in said incident [she/he/it (we don’t know)] clawed out Nick Fury's eye.
I shudder and then I realize, all too late: “Officers at the door, I can hear them. Trust me we have to take the pets and fly.”
My father nods and I grab Bacon’s pet carrier. She jumps in without argument and Fluffy gets in on the fly enclosure. We fly. Dad, being the fastest, unlocked the door and runs out the back, jumping to safety. I sigh with relief, we all made it.
THE END
For now
!!!DOLPHINS FLY!!!
By: Tyler W., 11
In a secluded lab at the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef is a scientist tirelessly working on a secretive project that only the scientists that are closest to her know about. As she works meticulously on a new invention she has come up with, she presses and flips switches to set her plan into motion. But what is it???
Meanwhile, a lively scene unfolds in the azure depths of the Great Barrier Reef, where the sunlight dances in the water. Their coral guardians are faithfully watching a pod of young and orphaned dolphins. Among them is Bob, a playful dolphin known for being friendly and adventurous. As Bob’s sleek body cuts through the water, something feels wrong. He feels the sun’s rays beating down on him; the sun feeling increasingly hot. Bob darts to the surface and dives back into the ocean's depths.
Back in the lab, the scientist was overly confident. She knew that her actions could have consequences, but her determination for scientific glory drove her even further. As she tries to make her project even more successful, she accidentally lets loose a wave of toxic polluted air into the ocean.
Bob knows that it will be cooler down there like it always is; he expects there to be a kaleidoscope of colors and a metropolitan city of fish and other sea life. But, he realizes that his beloved reef has been getting paler, and the coral looks sad. The once beautiful, luscious seagrass bed was now dark and somehow looked dry. The fish that he used to play with were now gone, and in its place was dark murky water. But, it keeps getting worse. The water isn’t even colder anymore. It’s just as hot as it was before at the surface. There are also lots of clear white plastic bags all over. Bob knows something is fishy, so with his all-powerful fins, he thrusts himself up to the sea plants to consult with them.
As Bob approaches the sea plants, they know something is up. Bob’s face looks sorrowful; anybody could tell. The plants ask what is wrong, and Bob responds that he has realized that his sea turtles, his sharks, and much more are in danger. The plants had been here for years, so they would know what was up, and they did. The plants explain that this is the effect of climate change and it was the humans’ fault. Bob doesn’t like those nasty humans but he doesn’t know why they are to blame. Bob asks the plants why the humans are to blame, and the plants tell Bob - it is the pollution.
Bob’s heart blossoms with determination. He knows he must stop this, he has to. This is his home, and if he wants to keep his home lively, he must find answers. But, Bob is only a small dolphin, how can he change the world like those big and powerful humans?
Bob’s thoughts are broken up by a loud and commanding rumble coming from an unknown source, and Bob curiously glides towards the noise. As Bob peeks his head out of the cool water into the blistering sun, he is mesmerized by the sleek triangle-shaped object coming down to land on a dark gray figure. The sea plants warn Bob not to go near these mysterious creatures, but Bob’s curiosity gets the better of him and he quickly coasts towards the creatures with a blistering pace. As he gets closer, it gets more suspicious, and there is lots of rumbling. Could it be those nasty humans again? Increasingly worried, he sends a click stream to his friends, calling them for help.
Bob’s once playful but now worried friends, Jayden and Mike, shoot like a dart toward Bob, their hearts pounding. Bob explains to them the situation as they slowly and carefully drift toward the mysterious figure's outlines. They break the water’s surface with their wet slippery gray noses and eyes and scan the surrounding area. There are a lot of figures, and the large one appears to be a ship. The rest are still too far away to be described.
The friends slowly get closer, and closer, until…. They realize that they had been so scared of their good friend Joe, the large and booming friendly aircraft carrier. How silly of the young pod of dolphins! Once Bob realizes they have encountered a friend, he asks Joe about the triangle things all over his deck. Bob knows he is an aircraft carrier, but he has never seen Joe with these other creatures before. Joe explains that planes land on him so they don’t have to go to an airport so far away. Bob is instantly hooked as questions fill his head, “How does a plane fly?” “How doesn’t it fall?” His head overwhelms him.
Joe is happy to answer all the questions and tells Bob about the fascinating world of aviation. He explains how the planes fly and what they are made of. Bob thinks for a bit and realizes that flying would be the perfect solution to the tragedies of the Great Barrier Reef. If every dolphin and every other sea creature could fly, then they could go to the humans and stop them! If only dolphins could fly. If only…
In the lab, the scientist noted that there had been a massive success. She rushes to her control panel and hastily presses a button. But in her hurried actions, she presses the wrong button. As she adds code to her program, she doesn’t realize how big her consequences will be.
In the meantime, Bob asks if Joe and his plane friends could teach him to fly! Joe tells Bob that he could help Bob learn how to fly! Joe and the planes will go to the “Dolphins Fly Academy!” Joe tells Bob, “Dolphins Fly Academy!” It is a place where dolphins just like you can learn how to fly. Bob asks Joe why there are so many dolphins with the same interesting intention. Isn’t it kind of suspicious? Joe thinks otherwise, but Bob feels like something is up. Suddenly, Bob’s body freezes, and his body rapidly changes colors. All his friends are confused. What could this be, is this one of Mackenzie’s tricks?
Bob is fascinated by what has happened. He had never thought anything like this could ever happen to him, but it did, and Bob needs answers. That was the first time Bob ever felt special, and Bob wanted to feel that feeling again. Joe tells Bob he will probably be fine, but Bob wants to unravel the mysteries behind the transformation. Joe is certain that Bob should forget about it and immediately takes Bob to the “Dolphins Fly Academy!” Joe tells Bob that “Dolphins Fly Academy!” is a place at the bottom of the ocean, a place where Bob had never ventured before. He remembers that the coral told Bob many times that he should never go to the ocean floor, but again, Bob’s curiosity overpowered his common sense, and told Joe that he was going to the Academy!
Before Bob could leave for the Academy, he needed to remember his vows to save the reef. Bob and Joe head towards the bottom of the ocean, Bob realizes that there is no way for Joe and all of his plane friends to dive into the bed of the ocean. But, this story has been full of strange occurrences, and Joe is not an exception as he casually gets engulfed in a giant bubble and dives into the ocean. Bob was impressed. He knew that he and his friends were strange, after all, they could talk, but this was uncanny! Unlike his strange behavior, he could tell that Joe had done this many times. Joe told Bob to stop overthinking it and go on toward the Academy.
But, Bob couldn’t stop thinking that there was a strange connection between Joe telling him that nothing was out of the ordinary when he asked if it was suspicious when there was a school just for flying dolphins, or when he had that computer-like glitch, or even when Joe transformed into a bubble. Bob thought that there was an abnormal connection. So, like the curious dolphin that Bob knew he was, he needed to ask Joe what was up. But, again Joe refused to answer Bob’s questions and told him just to keep following him. Bob needed to get to the school to get answers.
Fifty minutes later, Joe and Bob arrive at the underwater school, and Joe introduces Bob to the headmaster. As Bob looks around the underwater capital-like district, there is an abundance of eager dolphin students looking to learn. But, Bob still thinks that Joe is hiding something. How could there be this many students with the peculiar idea of flying? As Bob looks around the underwater school, he seeks answers and goes around the school trying to find the person who could help him. Bob searches around and finds an interesting room. There is a jet-black sign with the words “DO NOT ENTER, ONLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE. Instead of leaving the mysterious room alone like so many had done in the past, Bob went into the room and what he discovered would change his life forever.
As Bob opens the creaking door he finds a bustling scene of rainbow-colored test tubes and a plethora of fancy computers. Bob looks around the area and he finally finds a face, a familiar face, Mackenzie! The mad scientist who was his friend for so, so long, Bob wondered what Mackenzie could be doing in this strange place. Bob swims up to Mackenzie to greet her, but Mackenzie shoos Bob away without even looking up. Bob wants to know what is up.
Bob goes over towards Mackenzie again, and even though Mackenzie shoos him again, Bob is persistent. He finally interrupts and asks Mackenzie what she is doing. She doesn’t tell Bob what she is doing, but Bob sees the intricate motions and knows it’s something really important. BOB IS MACKENZIE’S EXPERIMENT! Bob just realized! Bob starts lurching menacingly toward Mackenzie. His eyes twitch and he tenses his muscles preparing for an attack. Bob knows that if Mackenzie gets away with this, everything will be ruined. Not only will Mackenzie be in control of Bob forever, but Bob’s entire ecosystem will collapse! Mackenzie starts twirling around and suddenly she starts cowardly flying away, knowing that she also must keep Bob in her control or her plan will fail. But, Bob starts getting angry and shoots through the roof, darts up into the air, and starts flying!
Bob chases towards the flying Mackenzie and hits her until she falls out of the air! Bob knows that Mackenzie’s scheme is finally over. No one can control Bob now. Bob realizes that no matter what you are, you can do anything! Bob knows how to fly, so Bob leaps joyfully into the beautiful sunset and shouts, “DOLPHINS FLY!”
