A found Treasure

Author's Note: My goal is to score high for word choice in this creative piece.
 
I stared out the window of my usually bright, sunny mansion. But today it was raining cats and dogs, like it had been all week, so that my mansion almost looked like it was floating on a muddy lake. I grabbed an umbrella and walked out the back door, past my backyard with my boots squelching in the mud. 
  
I reached the Rose River, where the normally clear, peaceful water gave way to a small, misty waterfall. But days of rain had caused the river to swell, and floods threatened to break loose. Something caught my eye as I gazed into the raging rapids.

I reached down, being careful not to slip. The cold shock of the water ran through me, but I managed to pull out a small piece of metal, partly hidden by a chunk of rock. Even in the rain, the piece of metal shone like I had never seen before. Almost slipping a couple of times, I ran back to my mansion and found a hammer.

After pounding away at the hard rock, I finally broke the piece of metal loose. But after washing and polishing it, I found that it was not a piece of metal after all, but a key made of gold. I sat there, wondering what the key could unlock. A loud knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.

My friend Kim stood at the door, shivering in the cold. I invited her in, then asked her what she needed.

"I just wanted to show you something. Look!" Kim showed me what was in her pocket. I gasped in amazement as she pulled out a silver key, which shone just like my gold one. Moments later, there was another knock at the door.

This time, my friend Gina stood on my porch. I invited her inside, wondering what she needed. I was about to ask, but she showed me. I was even more amazed to see a shining, bronze key. Kim and I held up our keys, too. Then suddenly, a beam of light shone from each key. They floated up and created a large triangle on the ceiling.

The keys floated there for a minute, then dropped down. We looked at the ceiling, and were amazed to see a hole right where the chandelier was! I picked up my key in confusion, which was no longer shining.

"What could this mean?" I wondered. "Should we go through that portal thing?" Gina just shrugged, while Kim answered.

"I don't see why not. What could possibly happen?" She said. Now Gina spoke up.

"We could get eaten by a monster. Or we could encounter a fire-breathing dragon. Or we could--" She started, but I interrupted.

"Gina, you know those things don't exist. Why shouldn't we go? It would put some adventure into our lives."

We all agreed, so we filled some backpacks with everything we might need, and of course the keys. I got a ladder so we could climb up.

"Well, here we go," Kim said. We stepped through the portal and immediately found ourselves in what looked like an enchanted forest. All at once the keys slipped out of our backpacks and started floating away, so we followed them. They led us to a large tree, with a lock on a door that had been carved out of the tree. The bronze key opened it.

We found ourselves in a room filled with rubies. Gina broke a large piece off the wall and put it in her backpack. Then the silver key opened another door, which opened up to another room, but this one was filled with emeralds. Now Kim put a piece in her backpack.

Finally, my gold key opened one last door, to a room filled with diamonds. I took one off the ground, but before I could put it in my backpack, it connected with the gold key. The same thing happened with the others. There was a huge door, with three keyholes.

We stuck our keys into them, and the door opened to reveal a huge city, made entirely of gems and jewels. I put my key and diamond into my backpack, and started exploring. Kim and Gina followed, picking at the walls to try and find any loose gems. We came up to a gold door, which opened immediately. There was a palace, and we were invited inside by a king.

"Welcome to Gemina. I've been expecting you. I have some very important news. Melissa, you and your friends have been just found out to be the great-great grand children of long lost queens. So, I can count you as royalty. Please, help yourself to this chest of riches and stay as long as you want."

Two guards brought in a huge chest of everything valuable. Kim and Gina immediately began picking through it to see if there was anything they liked. But all I took was a diamond necklace and a gold tiara.

Plastic Fork

 Author's Note: I was inspired to write this poem because my friend Cassidy actually brought a plastic fork to Language Arts and cracked it 3 minutes later.

My friend
had a
plastic fork
Which she
cracked in
her mouth
while chewing
on it
today in
Language Arts
I was
watching her
and talking
to her
When suddenly
I heard
a crack.

Poem

Finally, the snow starts to fall
Just hours ago, there was none
Now a thin blanket covers the ground
Sprinkling trees with tiny white crystals
I catch snowflakes on my tongue
Enjoying the shock of frozen water
Melting on my hand in just seconds
Resting in my hair until I shake them out
When I think of snow
I think "let's have some fun."

Hypo-Allergenic Dogs

            If you have dog allergies, you probably want to get rid of them, right? Well, imagine something that will limit your allergy problems. You’ll never believe this, but the solution is a dog! A hypo-allergenic dog, to be precise. Yes, they possibly exist, and now you can finally get that dog you wanted.

            Most people who are allergic to dogs are actually allergic to either the dog’s dander or saliva, or both. This happens because usually a dog’s dander will become loose when it sheds and start floating around in the air that you breathe. Dogs that shed less are considered hypo-allergenic, because the dander and saliva sticks to the fur and doesn’t float around. Also, hairless dogs are less likely to cause problems because they are easy to bathe and any dander comes right off.

Right now there is nothing that can completely get rid of dog allergies, although allergy shots may be of some help. Another thing: bathing. Keeping a dog clean is important, because it reduces the amount of allergens in the air. Even so, allergists suggest that people with dog allergies not introduce a dog into their home. But, recent studies show that early introduction of dogs reduces the chance of developing sensitization. 

Even with all this talk of hypo-allergenic dogs, research shows that there isn’t a specific breed that is considered hypo-allergenic. But, there are a couple of breeds that would be better. They include basenjis, giant schnauzers, and Irish water spaniels. Even so, just giving your dog a good wash at least once a week will help immensely. Vacuuming your carpet often will also do you a lot of good.
No matter which dog you get, you will be affected by allergies. But following these instructions will let you enjoy a fun life with your dog.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoallergenic_dog_breed. (n.d.).

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/allergy.htm. (n.d.).

hypoallergenic_dog_breed. (n.d.).

Poem

Oh the dread I feel
to get out of bed
when I was sleeping so soundly
you'd think I was dead

My blanket is cozy
my socks are furry
that I would give it up
in no big hurry

Beep! Beep! Goes my alarm
rousing me from peaceful dreams
If I could just lay down some more...
I can never get enough sleep, it seems!

Short Story

Birds chirped overhead as I strolled through the park. I gazed at the trees and their beautiful colored leaves. Yup, Central Park is the perfect place to be on a warm, late-summer day. In the distance, the ring of an ice cream truck jingle bounced off the walls of buildings.

I waited for the children to clear away from the side of the road, then made my way across the street. A taxi stopped for me when I signaled. After paying the fare, I pressed the elevator button to take me to the 36th floor. I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. About 10 minutes later, I heard the zoom of airplanes above my apartment.

I heard a noise like a bomb being fired, then a horrible crash. Thinking about what could possibly be wrong, I turned up the volume to drown out the noise. But a few minutes after that, a news headline came across the screen:

" Chaos is running through New York City right now. The Empire State Building is being burned down as we speak. Please get to an area at a safe distance. Officials blame this on--" I  killed the power and sat there speechless for a minute, then came to my senses.

I raced to the fire department, which was just around the corner, and got on my suit. If you were wondering what I was doing there, I am a volunteer firefighter, as well as my regular job of being a doctor. Anyway, even though I had a day off, I got in the truck with my coworker, Sydney.

We rushed to the scene, where huge flames were spilling out of the building, as well as billowing clouds of smoke. They looked like a dark gray blanket being blown with air, and they scared me. But I had to do my job, so I told Sydney to raise the ladder to help put out the fire with a hose. I raced as fast as I could in my heavy gear across the parking lot as more firetrucks and ambulances pulled up with their wailing sirens.

I started to help people out of the flaming building, when I saw a flash of yellow on one of the floors. It was a person! As it was my job to do this kind of thing, I stepped into the flames to go rescue him. I tried to avoid falling pieces of building, but it was pretty hard.

I finally got to the floor, and after almost a half hour of searching, I found the man. He was terrified, and had a couple of burns. All of a sudden I heard a creak, and I realized that the building's structure was weakening. I signaled to Sydney from one of the broken windows to raise the ladder to our floor so we could climb out.

We all got down safely, but even though I knew there had to be more people in there, there was nothing I could do because the Empire State Building was reaching its final moments. No matter what anyone did, the building wouldn't make it. I silently wailed inside my head because I felt useless.

One hour and one million gallons of water later, the ashen remains of the Empire State Building lay at our feet. The ambulances and fire trucks were starting to pull away, and unharmed people and shocked passerby stood in silence. People started sifting through the charred rubble to see if they could find anything or anyone that survived the fire.

I still wonder, who would do such a terrible thing, and why?

Snow Tubing

Author's Note: My purpose is to describe a fun event during winter break, with an unfortunate but funny moment.


I was at Sunburst Ski Hill, waiting for my turn to plunge down a 10-story drop slope on my tube
Two of my friends with me, both just as anxious to get to the bottom after an exhilarating ride

I lean over the railing of the escalator, staring at families and friends whooshing down the slope
Screaming and laughing,  shutting their eyes tightly and waiting for the sudden drop

Finally it is our turn. We set our tubes down at the edge of the slope, attach them to each other
I remove my hat, wanting to feel the frigid wind when I fly down the slope

I take a deep breath, then slide to get to the very edge. With my hat in my lap, I propel us forward
We start going down, ever so slowly, while the other tubers stare at us

Now we are zooming down, screaming at the top of our lungs, me with my eyes shut
Without me noticing, my hat flies off my lap and falls in the opposite direction

We suddenly plunge down the slope screaming even harder, and laughing just as loudly.
It was not until we stopped at the bottom that I noticed my hat was gone

I wanted to go get it, but without having to walk all the way up the slope
But the escalator line was too long, so up the slope we trudged

I prompted a yellow-vested guy if he had seen my hat, and he pointed to a pile of misplaced clothing
My hat lay on the top of the pile, covered in snow, with a footprint as if it had been stepped on

But no matter. I vowed from that moment on that I would never be so careless.

We zoomed down the slope again, with my hat on my head.