Three...Two...One...Blastoff!

        By Natasha L., 9, CIS

For today’s story you are not going to be a person. Instead you will be writing from the perspective of an inanimate object. What will you be?

        I will be a camera.

        Describe yourself. What kind of object are you? What do you look like? How do you taste, feel, and smell? Do you make any noise? Why would someone want to buy or own you?

        I am an object that uses batteries. I look like a rectangular prism with a circle in the front and on the back. I have a screen and buttons. I can take some pictures, I feel very nice, and I smell like metal. I make a noise like chik chak. Because I am useful, I help people take pictures and then keep it for them.

        One day, an astronaut brings you to his home. Where does he put you? What is the home like? What is the astronaut like? Be as descriptive as possible! Don’t just use adjectives like “weird” and “interesting!”

        He puts me on his bedside table. His home looks wonderful. The astronaut is really nice. He treats me very well and carefully. I like him very much.

        You fall asleep one night and when you wake up you are somewhere new. You look out the window and realize you are inside a spaceship. You hear someone counting down from ten. How do you feel just before liftoff? What is it like to soar up toward space from Earth? What will you miss most about Earth? Describe how you feel.

        I feel excited because I know that I am going on an adventure. My ears hurt a lot so I don’t like it that much. What I will miss about earth is that my owner’s home was nice and peaceful. And I feel very bad.

        It is very cool, dark and mysterious. The zero gravity is also very awesome because you float around. When he isn’t busy he takes pictures.

        One day, while your owner steps outside of the space craft to make repairs to the windshield, you accidentally get sucked through the door and go hurtling into the depths of space. Your owner tries to reach you but he cannot. Describe the experience in detail.

        I feel lost, cold and hurt. Now I don’t even know where the spaceship is. Then I take a lot of nice pictures and I feel a little bit better.

        For years you soar through space all by yourself until you finally land on a distant planet. Immediately, creatures surround you and inspect you. What do they look like? How do they act? What does their language sound like? Do they seem like they are going to protect you or harm you?

       

        They look hideous so I take a picture of them and the planet. Their language is really weird. It is like this: chikoree un la quil eqipuf.

        What happens to you next? What do the aliens use you for? Describe this in detail.

        At first they treat me well. They also take pictures but they just take nonsense pictures like of their toes. I hate very much to know that I have a toe picture inside me.

        One day you decide you don’t like it on this planet anymore. Why not? Do you miss home? You decide you are going to try to go back to Earth. How do you plan to do this?

        I leave because I’ve had enough of them taking nonsense pictures and I miss home very much. I plan to just jump up in the air and float up in the air.

        Describe your journey back to Earth. How do the aliens react when you leave? How do you feel leaving them behind?

        They don’t even notice me leaving. I feel very happy leaving them because I know I will not have any more disgusting pictures inside me. Then I delete all the ugly pictures except the ones of the aliens and their planet.

        Do you ever reach Earth? Do you land on a different planet? Do you fly through space endlessly? Describe what happens. Make your ending as creative as possible!

        Yes I do and I am very happy. I don’t land on a different planet and I don’t fly through space endlessly. I go back to the astronaut’s hosue and see him there. Then I go inside. When he sees me he picks me up and looks and my pictures and then says, “Wow.” 

The Wakawakalogogos

By Tiffany Li, 7, CIS

The Assignment: Vacation season is here and you were on a plane. However, there was turbulence and a lightning storm. The engine of your plane was damaged and suddenly you felt a lurch and you…were…fall…ing…BOOM. Complete the following questions to start your adventure.


How did you feel when the plane was about to crash? Were you terrified or scared? What did you do?

I felt scared and sad. I will put on my life jacket and swim suit and go to the emergency exit.

You landed on the ground and fainted. When you opened your eyes, you found yourself in a dense forest with lots of flora and fauna. What was the environment like? What are the sounds, smells and colors of the forest?

I opened my eyes and I saw there were green trees everywhere. I also saw many animals too. Some trees had fruit on their branches.

You looked around and saw that the plane was completely destroyed and there was nothing left but a backpack filled with some food, some water, a flashlight, a coat and a book. What would you do with these items? Would you stay there and cry, or would you start finding your way out of the forest? What are some difficulties?

I would eat some food and then start searching for an island. When I find one I will use the flashlight in the backpack, and then I will open it. Then I will find somewhere to sleep and eat.

Suddenly, you heard some human sounds in the distance. You saw a fire and smelled something nice, like roasted chicken. What would you do?

I would go a little closer to see what’s going on. Then if it is safe I will go closer.
It turned out that the sounds actually came from a tribe, the Wakawakalogogo. What did you see? What did you hear? How did you feel?

I saw a hot air balloon and went into it. I saw a tribe wearing clothes that looked like chickens, tigers, horses, and rabbits.

What did the people from the Wakawakalogogo look like? Did they look the same as us, or did they have three eyes and four mouths? Did they wear face paint or other strange costumes?

They have one eye, five ears, two mouths, and one piece of hair that stands up straight.

How did the people from Wakawakalogogo treat you? Were they friendly and warm, or were they cold and hostile? How did you introduce yourself to them?

They were very mean and made me eat bugs and grass.

The Wakawakalogogos invited you for dinner with them in the chief’s tent. What kinds of food was served there? Did they eat bugs or other strange foods? Do they use forks and knives or do they eat with their hands?

They ate with forks made out of wood. They also used their hands to eat.

OH NO! It turned out that the Wakawakalogogos were actually cannibals and they wanted to eat you! How would you escape and explain to them about your situation?

I ran away at my fastest speed. They were adults so they could not catch up with me. While I ran I spilled some water so they would slip and fall.

The Wakawakalogogos made a deal with you: You either teach them English and they will not eat you, or they will roast you on an open fire. Which one would you choose?

I would teach them English and they would help me get home.

Phew! Thanks goodness, a mysterious person came to your rescue in the nick of time and fought off the Wakawakalogogos. Who was this person? You can make up your own imaginary hero!

It was a girl. She did kung fu and kicked the Wakawakalogogos away.

Where did this mysterious person take you? How did it end? Did you manage to get home safely, or were you forever stuck in the forest? Make the ending exciting and unexpected!

She took me to her house and set up a bed for me. Then she gave me a map to use to go home. She said “stay here for two days then set off for home.” As she had said after two days, I set off for home. After an hour, I found myself in the middle of the ocean. Two hours later, I was on land searching for the landmark of my home. Soon I saw it standing there. I ran past it following the map. Within twenty minutes, I could see my home. I was too tired for running so I walked up the mountain. I walked up up up until I reached the top of the hill. Then I walked to tower fifteen and went up the elevator. I was home.

Rough Waters

Jason Liu, 9, CDNIS

    

            I sat in the cozy armchair in the living room of my cruise ship room. I watched the path of the ship on my in-room TV. Life seemed relaxing on this cruise. We were just over the halfway mark of our journey from Hong Kong to Honolulu. I felt really scared being so far from land, but some dolphins outside the boat comforted me by using their mouths to point downwards. I knew what they meant: there is a land down under. We are on top of an everlasting piece of land, the seabed. I smiled.

            Zzzzz. I snored as I dreamt about a cheeseburger when CRASH. The noise was even louder than a cannon blast. I jerked awake, grabbing my mom, and I freaked out. Immediately, I grabbed my life vest and took all my belongings. Then an announcement came over the PA telling us to remain in our rooms. Feeling seasick, I packed my bags as the captain tried to wrestle control of the 300 pound cruise ship.

            “Chirp chirp chirp,” birds sang as the ship recovered from its harrowing incident. The cruise had come to rest on a small, unknown island. The ship was damaged badly. On impact, when the ship slammed onto shore, the hull of the ship was badly scratched. People grabbed their belongings and evacuated the ship. We all gathered equipment to build a camp, complete with wooden rooms and furniture from the ship. It was fun building the houses. Then, a small group of aboriginals emerged from a giant dark cave.

            As we finished our dinner—barbeque roast—the captain was preparing for us a night full of fun on the beach. When we were “night bathing,” I saw a little light coming from the sea. I thought it was a cruise ship, but I wasn’t sure. I felt very nervous…What if they were pirates? Would they steal our stuff? How would they react when this island is empty. Would they hurt us? All these thoughts filled me.

            Splash! The boat crashed onto our beach! I half-expected pirates but instead it was a group of sailors. One of the sailors greeted us and gave us some snacks. The sailors also questioned us about how we ended up in this little island. They seemed very nice and friendly! All the sailors spoke with a decent American accent. (They were probably from America).

            I went on that boat. I was very impressed with its interior. An announcement came over the PA system: “We are going to Hong Kong”. Three minutes later, we were in the ocean…

            The boat was a bit nicer than the cruise, with a buffet dinner every night. With breakfast in bed included. The rooms that they had were way better than the cruise ship. (It looked more like an airline business class seat than a ship room). With personal televisions to top the nice service off. Life on the ship was nice, but I couldn’t wait to get home.

            PLACK! The ship docked at Harbour City, Hong Kong. All of us were back home. Reporters started flooding the ship, trying to interview us about our harrowing experience. A woman told a reporter, “I am going to ride an airplane next time.” I thought I’d agree with her…

Escape from the White House

By Ryan (age 10, St. Paul's Co-Ed)

So tired of being the president’s son, I needed to have a day free. “Oh man, the horrible bodyguard is sticking to me like glue and guarding me even when I am in the toilet!”, I whispered to myself with anger. There’s always no privacy and freedom for me. No playing with my friends. Not making any decisions with my classmates. It was definitely horrible and disastrous. So I had an idea to escape from the boring house and have a great adventure to discover the world without my bodyguard for one entire day!

The sky turned black. It was bed time. I slipped into my bed and pretended to sleep but I knew I should wait for my parents to sleep first before I begin. At midnight, I knew that they had gone to bed because the corridor was all doomed and the rooms had no lights. I packed some things into my backpack, such as a torch, and tip-toed cautiously towards the main entrance. I slowly opened the door and closed it lightly. There were no more cars on the road and I started my journey.

Suddenly, the security guard from the main entrance woke up from his nap. He took out his torch and the light was so shiny that a yellow spot appeared on my T-shirt. The guard rushed towards me and started chasing me. I kept my eyes forward. But finally, he caught me and grabbed me back to the house. I shuffled back to my room and slammed the door. When the guard went back to the main entrance to sleep, I opened the window and I jumped out. Miraculously, I landed safely onto the ground.

The sun slowly appeared in the sky. There were cars driving on the road now. I thought that I should hurry up because I was just half way to my best friend Gabriel’s house. My head was filled with happiness and excitement. I could finally do whatever I want today! I could play video games, read, play basketball or soccer… “Hurray!” I shouted loudly at the top of my lungs. I finally arrived at my friend’s house. I knocked on the door and I could hear “Gabriel, go and open the door!” When he opened the door and saw me, he was totally shocked. He whispered to me, “Do you have one day free?” I nodded my head. He rushed into his room and packed his things and the adventure started!

We called a taxi and headed to Ocean Park. While sitting inside the taxi, I heard the radio saying “Hello everyone, I’m the president. I have one thing that I need your help with. I have lost my son this morning. I am so worried about him. Please help me!” I asked my driver if he could turn off the radio. He turned around and noticed that I was the president’s son. He glared at me with his beady eyes. I said immediately, “You’re a kind driver. Please don’t tell anyone I am here. I escaped because I want a day to be free without being following by the annoying Secret Service guards.” He turned back to the road and kept driving. Forty minutes passed. We saw the Ocean Park entrance and we were exhilarated. We paid and got out of the car. I took out my hat and wore it nicely so as to not be recognized by anyone.

Suddenly, a guy who was wearing a scary, black mask zoomed past me. Behind him, there was an old, weak woman whose bag was stolen by the burglar. I dropped my backpack and ran as fast as I could to get the burglar. The guy ran towards the roller coaster and jumped onto it. I jumped onto the roller coaster too to try to get the bag back. Then, someone called the police instantly. The ride finally finished. Two strong policemen were standing straight at the exit. I got the bag and returned it back to the woman.

Then, there were many reporters surrounding me. They asked me “Who are you? Why are you so brave?” I finally pulled off my hat and everyone was so surprised. I answered, “Hi! I am Ryan Chan, the president’s son. Dad, can you hear me? I am a hero now!” Everyone clapped and shook my hand.

For the rest of the day, my friend and I just went to play whatever we wanted and we won a lot of prizes. At last, the president and my mom and sister all arrived. They hugged me and they were crying but still felt very proud of me. I nervously told my dad the truth, “My escape is not because I don’t like you but because I was actually annoyed by the security guard. Even in class or in the toilet, he always sticks to me.” And then the crowd giggled loudly. The guard walked towards me and said, “Ok. I will not go somewhere that you don’t want me to go!” “Yeah!”, I screamed.

After going back home, I breathed a sigh of relief. The next day, going to school, my guard finally noticed that he should stay in the car and wait outside the school. When I stepped back into the classroom, I felt so free now. I can finally discuss anything I want in class now. My friends asked me, “Doesn’t your guard always stick to you?” I replied, “That’s not happening anymore.” From then on, I enjoyed my class in school. It was like there was “another” me.

The true meaning of friendship

By Clarence, age 16, CIS

Friendship is something that cannot be bought. True friendships last for ages. Regardless of wherever you are, you will always remember it. Japan’s ‘Rent-A-Friend’ agency is nothing but a phony for sad and socially outcasted people. There is no true bond when renting a friend.

Friendship is not something that comes naturally. Upon meeting someone you do not know, casual small-talk always leads you towards the right direction. Through this, one’s personality and interests are slowly shown in perspective. The choice is yours: whether you want to develop the friendship or not, as supposed to renting someone you may never meet again, and spill out your personal secrets to them.

As common interests begin to show, the relationship develops to build. Leaving you number and contacts help keep the friendship going, regardless of time or destination. It helps people to get closer, forming bonds that cannot be broken. Rent-A-Friend is very much a one-second relationship where you connect with the person and leave. No ‘true’ bonds are formed. No ‘real’ communication methods or interests shared. From there, you have nothing to build on to continue the friendship, but rather go back to the place where you came from, sad and lonely.

Whatever happens after the relationship is formed is your choice. Whichever path you choose, whether it be the right or wrong one, you always remember the bond that your friend and you have shared. However happy or sad you may become, it gradually helps shape your life, making you stronger and understand the rights and wrongs. Rent-A-Friend is different. Deception hurts everyone in many forms. Getting someone to pretend to be your ‘boss’ to introduce to your family in order to escape the embarrassment of unemployment is deceptive. The aftermath could go either way, making you guilty or proud of what you have done to your friends and family.

Trust is probably the biggest issue to a strong friendship. Trust keeps the friendship going in times of hardship. Someone who is a true friend to you will always support you and care for you. Rent-A-Friend buddies act as ‘friends’, who do not embody the true’ feelings of friends.

Rent-A-Friend is probably a good solution to absolute outcasts or depressed people. At least by making them feel they have someone to talk to and consoling them, they may feel better. However, you must pay for Rent-A-Friends, whereas true friendship is free.

Genuine friendships that last for ages are always the better solution than Rent-A-Friendship agencies. True friendship is defined as having common interests, personality and a desire to care for someone regardless of time and destination.

My Ice Cream Shop

By Alden, age 6, ISF Academy

My ice-cream shop is called The Flavor’s Ice Cream shop. It will look like a bowl with ice-cream on the top on the outside. Inside, it will have big comfy couches. It will have all the ice cream flavors in the world, for example, chip flavored or sweet and sour flavored ice-cream. I will also have pictures of ice-cream on the wall. The employee’s uniforms will look like the three best ice cream flavors: Chocolate, strawberry and water melon. My shop doesn’t have a mascot but my logo will look like an ice-cream. The most popular flavor is chocolate chip. It tastes like real chocolate. It looks like a chocolate ball with chocolate chip cookies. It is very fantastic in your mouth. The second most popular flavor is strawberry. It tastes like berries. It has berry bits with strawberries in it. It smells like apples. It feels sweet when you taste it. The least popular flavor is watermelon. It will taste the same as an actual watermelon. It looks like a green snow ball. It only smells like water melon. However, it feels flavorless in your mouth. The toppings available at my store will be: Rainbow flavor, chocolate chip cookie flavor, berry flavor, and vinegar flavor. My shop will be in a big shopping mall. My store will be on the third floor. It will be the 33145th store in the shopping mall. I will also put a good menu and a poster outside to promote my new store.