A small flame flickered as we all joyously sang happy birthday at the top of our lungs. The room erupted into cheers and applause as my great grandpa blew out the candles on his birthday cake. His face shone like the sun as he launched into a speech. “Thank you so much everyone,” he croaked “We are not promised tomorrow so I am extremely thrilled to be spending another day celebrating, in this wonderful world with you wonderful people” He smiled. It felt like we were all swimming in emotions as we pulled out white tissues and dabbed our eyes.
Blowing trees cast frightful shadows upon the haunted house. A whistling wind called me from inside. Trembling, I stepped through the open door and into the abandoned mansion. The stairs creaked as I warily placed my weight upon them. An eerie glow seemed to follow me through the grand hallway freezing only when I did. I let the worry slip my mind just as the door slammed, I knew I wasn’t alone. I silently spun on my heel and ran to the stairs, my breath coming in short ragged gasps. I broke through the door and sprinted for my life.
My hair stood on end, a shiver raced down my spine and a lump came to my throat. A large crocodile twisted its way through the long grass. The professor stood knee deep in the filthy swamp water insisting the crocodile was safe, he managed to encourage a lady in a purple shirt and her husband into the water. Later on when the tour was coming to an end the professor announced that the crocodile had had a difficult life, he had been rescued from the wild injured when he was young. I suddenly felt sorry for the innocent crocodile….
The ground shook vigorously like a giant dog shaking off after a dip. I dropped to the ground, expecting the worst. When the shaking didn’t stop panic swirled inside me and escaped through my fingertips. I stood up strong, my legs felt like like jelly against the in-humane vibrations. I crawled through the front door and onto to the deserted street. I caught a glimpse of some thing big, the temptation to run inside and hide was reaching breaking point but I kept going. All of a sudden my hand fell into something on the ground … a giant foot print.
The lights flickered and then went off, then the sirens began their annoying, wailing screech. I clung to the legs of my desk, scarlet red ink dripped down the face of the whiteboard creating a puddle on the floor. Freshly watered plants lay in a pile of rocks along with remains of the neighbouring violin school. The shaking stopped long enough for the entire school to evacuate and assemble a block away at the park. Tears streamed down the face of children and many were clutching handmade cushions. All watched in terror as our beloved school toppled to the ground.
I sank my teeth into the creamy, milk chocolate; the gooey substance dripped into my mouth. The moment was too good to ruin, so I held off on checking my brother for a few minutes and I definitely regretted it. When I turned around he had gotten hold of my dad’s planning figures and was dipping them into his broken creme egg. “Stop!” I yelped, spraying chunks of half chewed chocolate everywhere. I raced towards him shaking my fist; he looked at me and screamed in horror. Then he simply stood up, walked away and left me to clean up!
And in the flash of lightning I saw what I had been fearing for as long as I could remember. Sharks. At least ten of them were circling the cage. I could hear my heart pounding as I floated helplessly in the centre of the shark cage, not daring to move even an inch. I was surrounded. I knew I was safe but the sick feeling inside me was swaying my decision. Why had I let them convince me to do it, why! The unanswered question was still circling my head when I felt a jolt, I was going up.
The first place ribbons hung to the wall like a spider on his web. The winning of the art show was almost a family tradition, it was sort of expected of the girl to take first place each year. This year would be harder. The competition was stiff. This time her glitter infested poster would not be enough, nor would her model unicorn or ocean art that had won for her last time. She would need to think outside the box. The big day came leaping with no hesitation and in the end her paper mache burger won first place.
A wide grin spread across the old lady’s face, she was certain her last day in Africa was going to be the best yet! When her and her husband had left the hotel the orange sun had been only just visible. It was now 100% visible and indeed burning there heavily sun-blocked skin. Within there stay they had seen; lions, elephants, giraffes and rhinos but now much to the wife’s dismay they were visiting crocodiles. The thought of the scaly creatures was near enough to make the wife want to collapse but she had promised her husband, so off they went.
Cautiously I peeped behind the already opened door. The only civilized looking thing in the room was the whiteboard, I thought it odd to have such a modern piece of equipment in such an old room but never the less I entered the room. Although I did not know it at the time it was probably the best decision I ever made. After I had taken everything in I peeked behind the whiteboard, what I saw was two boys but in a flash they were gone through the wall! Millions on questions popped into my head. It was very crazy!