• As I was walking to school on a frosty winter morning, I look up at the sky as if trying to find a puzzle that wasn't even there. I stare at the sky while walking as I bump into my friend Zach.
    "Hey Zach, where are you going?" I ask
    "I was going to get you that way we could walk," he replied
    I've had a crush on him since second grade. Even though we did fight a lot. Like that one time over a green crayon.
    "I found it first!" I yelled.
    "It's my favorite color!! Girls aren't supposed to like green!" Zach yelled back.
    "Well." I say. "What if I’m a different kind of girl?"
    We both had dropped the crayon and fell in love. That's how we started. We've liked each other for 5 years. Were both in 7th grade now.
    We grab hands and turn the other way to walk towards the school. Since we were both in different classes we hardly got to see each other in school.
    I stopped by the library on my way to lunch. What caught my eye was a big brown old book with blue gems on it. I asked the librarian if it was available. She said it was fine to check out. She gave me a smirk as I wondered what it was for. I ignored the smirk and moved along. I checked out the book and brought it to lunch.
    "Hey, gabby! Look at this book," I say
    "What is it?" she asks.
    "Some old book," I reply.
    She nods her head and keeps eating. I guess when she's hungry, she doesn't like to be bothered. I shrugged my shoulders and put in a spoonful of applesauce into my mouth. I open the book. There was nothing inside!! I drop my jaw and start flipping through the pages. Nothing. After lunch, I skip workshop and go to the library.
    "Hey!" I yell to the librarian. "What is this crap? There's nothing in it!"
    "I thought you would find out," she says
    "Find out what?!?!? This is stupid." I yell as I turn to walk out of the library.
    "WAIT!!!!" she shouts. "Let me tell you the story.
    I walk towards her with interest. I sit down and listen to what she has to say.
    "A long time ago my dad's brother was a very bad man. He wanted to take over the world, and destroy every one in it except for him. So, he made this book that if every time it was opened, a building was destroyed or a person was hurt. He had said, ' One day a child will be born that has magic to destroy this book. Nothing else can destroy the book unless he or she uses the magic.' I wanted to get rid of the book. I looked everywhere for a child who had the magic to defeat the book. And, I think it's you Rish."
    I shook my head. "No! No! This isn't happening! I don't believe in magic!!!!" I run out of the library and ignore everything the librarian, Ms. Elliot shouts. I just keep running without even knowing where I decide to go. I calm down once I finish my math test. Then I had to leave for science. I walk down the stairs. I see nothing, but blood trails.
    "Ow! It hurts!" I hear someone scream.
    I run down the stairs to see where the noise is coming from. I peek out to see the nurse with hundreds of students. They were all hurt, crying and bleeding without any physical reasons. I heard that someone was just sitting on the toilet and then just got a scratch on her back. I was so confused. I didn't know how this was happening and why it was. I ran and tried to ignore the bloody students. I just ran to science class and slammed the door shut. BOOM! Everyone turns to look at me.
    "He he. Am I late?" I laugh sarcastically.
    "Have a seat Cherish." Mr. Lueimeire says.
    I take a seat next to Ariel.
    "Why are you late?" she whispers to me.
    "Long.... story. I'll tell you later," I whisper back.
    We both turn around and snap back into attention. "What is the volume of a balloon?" Mr. Lueimeire asks. I daze off as he asks more questions. I think to myself, "Do I really have magic? Is it true what Ms. Elliot said?"
    "How about you Rish?" asks Mr. Lueimeire.
    "Huh? What?" I say surprised.
    "Please pay attention next time Ms. Heart," he says.
    I sigh and right down some notes.
    BrrrrrrInggg!!! Goes the bell.
    "You have a test on Friday, please be prepared and study page r.118 for homework," calls out Mr. Lueimeire. I walk over to Ariel and tell her the story while we pack up to go home.
    "Are you sure?" Ariel asks. "Because it seems to me that it ain't true."
    "Some things in life are just worth believing," I reply. "See you tomorrow."
    When I get on the bus, there's Zach calling for me to sit with him. I try to ignore him because I just want to be alone right now. I stare out the foggy window and see my house coming closer. I get off the bus and put my backpack in my room. I run out the door and across the bridge in the field. I like hanging out in this place, it was my own secret place. The open fields just beyond the bridge.

    The following week, I walk into the school and Ms. Elliot is crying and yelling for me. I’m so confused that I’m dumb enough to follow her.
    “Li-listen!!!” she cries
    “What is it?” I say trying to sound like I care.
    “My dad called me. He said that his brother had told him that he knew who had the book. His brother said he was going to your house, Cherish and steal the book,” she says in a soft whisper.
    A hush falls over me.
    “I’m tired of games Ms. Elliot,” I reply while shaking my head. “I don’t want any part of this.”
    I run out the media center and up the stairs to my classroom. All day I think about what Ms. Elliot said. Half the time I’m scared it might actually happen. The other half, I calm myself down and say she is lying.
    I almost get into trouble with Mr. Lueimeire again since I wasn’t paying attention in class. He said that he would call my parents if I didn’t participate in class. I beg him not to and he gives up and warns me. What a relief!
    In the evening, after my shower, I tell my mom I want to go to bed early. She says that’s fine with a worried look on her face. I told her I wasn’t sick or anything.
    I lay in my bed asleep for a few hours.
    Shhhwww! I nearly jump out of bed. I wake up and walk down the stairs quietly.
    Squeak, squeak, creakkkk. Goes the stairs. I get really scared. My heart is thumping. As if it wants to play catch and is flipping inside of me. The door slams shut. Mama or Papa doesn’t ever get up at this time of day. Was it true what Ms. Elliot said again? I run down stairs and put my coat on. I run out the house and follow the shadow of the mystery person. He crosses my bridge! I follow him. He turns around and smirks along with an evil laughter. I shake my head. I cry and scream. “It’s you! You’re Ms. Elliot’s uncle! No! This isn’t true!” I cry and shake my head. I drop to my knees and scream.
    BAM! Goes the gun. I drop dead. My head falls into a pool of blood. My parents hear the sound and check into my room.
    “She’s gone Jerry!” my mom screams to my dad. They both run out the house remembering my bridge. They see me in a pool of blood and I can still hear my mom screaming. I was almost dead. Ms. Elliot’s uncle had vanished and my mom was holding my head repeating the words, “Stay here my dear. Stay here my dear.” As she rocks me in her arms.
    “I-I love you mom.” I say in a soft whisper. “T-talk to Ms. Elliot, save the book!”
    My head hangs towards the ground. “No!!! Don’t leave me!” my mom cries into my face. I’m gone.
    I hear a faint sound of the ambulance and a bunch of news reporters. I close my eyes. I’m dead. Even Zach comes over and cries too. My mom, she doesn’t stop. Her heart is broken. The reporters start asking Zach questions. “What connections did you have with Cherish Heart?” the reporter asks.
    “She was not only my girlfriend that I loved,” said Zach. “She was also a very beautiful sister.”


    Story Written by K.M.Avery
    Copyright ©