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It All Started With a

Piece of Paper

By: Dakota fritts

May 10, 2013

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It A Started With a

Piece of Paper

By: Dakota Fritts

Published by:

Majestic Eagles

Publishing

Published in

Huntsville, Arkansas

Published May 10, 2013

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Dedication

This anthology is dedicated to my friends and family who gave me the ideas and support

to write these stories. They told me things that I could write about, and so I did. I would have

never done it if it wasn’t for them. Some of the stories were based on hobbies or sports that

they got me to do and supported them. I would like to thank them all for this entire anthology.

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Table of contents

Part 1 9

It Started With a Train Ride 10

Total Darkness 13

An Unexpected Night 14

Part 2 15

Livestock Shows 16

A Letter to a Friend 17

Hunting Season 18

The Best Fishing Trip 19

The Best Race 20

Part 3 21

A Very Bad Day 22

This is War 23

Spring Break 24

The Mask 25

A Poem about Coca-Cola 26

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Part One

For this section, I wrote these pieces to entertain anyone who reads them. In “It All Started

With a Train Ride” I wanted to write about the life of a normal person up until his death and the

kinds of problems that can arise during life. In “Total Darkness” I wrote about someone who

fells trapped and how he escapes from it. “An Unexpected Night” is about someone who gets

something that he didn’t expect at all. These pieces were inspired by my desire to write

something that someone might want to reread someday.

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It all started with a

train ride

I didn’t know exactly where the train was going. After paying my fare, I simply stood on

the platform waiting for it to whisk me away to somewhere, anywhere but here. And that’s

what happened. I could see lights in distance, the roar of an engine. My heart skipped a beat at

the sight of my get-away from this life. I was trying to rack my brain over the idea of finally

leaving this place. I was suddenly filled with excitement. That excitement was suddenly

replaced with determination, determination that nothing was going to stop me from getting on

that train, not even death. As the train pulled up, I stepped on and took a seat. I watched the

station fade into the distance and was faced with another feeling, curiosity. Where was this

train taking me? What will I do when I get there? As these and many other questions filled my

head, I started to get a headache. I told myself to relax. I will have all my questions answered

very soon. As the train pulled up to the next station, I got off with my luggage and stood on the

platform taking in my surroundings. There was the usual graffiti on the walls and carved-on

benches. The normal abandoned papers and other litter that was left behind by those too lazy

to pick it up and throw it away. I stood there looking at how sad this place was. I thought how

trains are used to help people, and this is what they do in return. I was disgusted in how people

do things like this.

I was curious of where I could have been. I could have been in a place as big as Los

Angeles, or a small town in Minnesota. It turned out I was in New York City. I walked around

this massive city of productivity and saw barely any nature. I walked past what seemed like

millions of shops and just as many apartments. I ate at a restraint and went to a hotel. The next

day I would do some sight-seeing and be off to another city again to continue my journey. I

checked out sights like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty and took a train from

Grand Central Station. I looked out the window to see the rolling hills and dense woods. I

passed a lot of country side and cities of all sizes. I had to get off at several different stations

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and reboard until I got off at Atlanta, Georgia. I did the same as in New York, but I stayed here

several nights as I had family here. Atlanta is where I got to meet some really nice people as I

explored this great city and learn some of its past.

I started to get low on supplies, so I took several trains back home and loaded back up

on essentials. But while I was there I decided something. This time I’m leaving and I’m not

coming back. I started to search the internet for any houses near Atlanta and I found one really

close to my relatives for a good price. So I called the owner, made a deal, and had the house a

few weeks later. I hired a moving truck and I was out of their as fast as I could. My relatives

helped me unpack and I was settled in after a few days. Around this time school would be

starting again very shortly, so I made the arrangements to transfer universities. I got a different

office for the company I was an intern for and made friends with my new fellow workers. I had

to get used to a new environment, but besides that almost everything was the same. I had the

same daily routine. Get up, go to work/school, go home, eat dinner, and go to bed. Every now

and then I would go to the beach or visit a museum, but I never really had much free time with

all the work I got from school. My life may sound like it was before I moved, but it isn’t. Here I

have family, more friends, and the city was much more exciting. Atlanta is always buzzing with

activity, but not yet as crowded as New York, which is the reason I didn’t stay there too long.

New York was too polluted and had too much crime for me to live there. The people were not

as nice and the traffic was unbearable. In Atlanta, I felt less trapped and more able to breathe.

After I graduated from the university, I got accepted into law school and took my four

years of that. I did many cases since the company I worked for was very popular in being sued. I

never lost a case and earned many raises because of it. I had much more free time since I was

out of school. My life was going great until I got sick right before a big lawsuit from one of our

rival companies. Our company lost and went bankrupt. I spent a few months searching for a

job. I did several criminal trials, but I didn’t make enough money to get around for too much

longer. As I was searching, I found somewhere that offered me a job, back in my hometown. I

already told myself I was not going back, but it seemed my only option. I accepted their offer,

but I always looked for another job whenever I had the chance. I did not make nearly as much

money as before, but it was still better than nothing. I later on got a call from my old boss

telling me that he was going to try to reopen his old business and I was invited to come back. I

immediately accepted and several train rides later, I was back in Atlanta. I met up with him and

then moved back into my old house. I was relieved to be back where I truly belonged. Until he

business was back on track, I got a lower wage than before and did other jobs since we were a

little short of workers. We gradually got back to where we were before and everything was

perfect again. I constantly told myself that I would never let anything like that happen again.

And it never did. We had a few rough times, but nothing compared to before. Life was back to

normal and was as if nothing bad ever happened. I was back to my daily schedule. Get up, go to

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work, go home, eat dinner, and go to bed. Every now and then I would have a friend or family

member come in and visit and I the same to them. Every now and then I ran into an old

colleague that had the same dream I had that drove me here to Atlanta. A dream that everyone

has. A dream of success. Many, including myself, found this dream in Atlanta. Others find this

dream in places all over the world. Some people find this dream faster than others, and some

may never find it. This dream has been the rise and downfall of many. When some find this

dream, they misuse it and make a mistake that they cannot revive from.

I later on got married and had children. I eventually had to retire and got the rest and

relaxation that I always wanted. I got very ill not too much later and was told I did not have

much longer in this world. I was constantly visited by my children and grandchildren. I looked

back at my life and realized it was a good long life. I felt at peace and finally closed my eyes for

the final time.

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Total darkness

As he was swallowed into darkness, he thought that he would never see light again. If

there was something else in here, he would be completely vulnerable if it attacked. He felt as

trapped as a prisoner in Alcatraz. He started to wonder if he would ever get out. He began to

walk forward until he ran into a wall, which after he realized this, he started to trace it to a way

out. After what seemed like hours, he started to see a light up ahead. Two ideas came to his

mind, he either found the way out, or he was dead. He started to go to it, either choice was

better than staying in here. He finally got out of the darkness. He knew that he was alive, but he

felt that it could have been heaven. He was bathed in sunlight and he understood the full value

of freedom.

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An unexpected night

He kept climbing deeper and deeper into the darkness until he finally reached the

bottom. He climbed out and entered the room. He searched for a place to lay out what he

brought. Afterword, he began searching for what he normally gets in return. No matter where

he looked, it wasn’t there, but then he saw something. He saw a note that had said “For Santa”

on it and then saw what was attached to the note. He didn’t believe it at first. It was a bottle of

ice-cold, delicious Coca-Cola. He knew many things, and yet he was surprised to see something

this amazing. Another thing that didn’t know was that he was going to see this millions of times.

He likes the new generation. He is going to have a very good night.

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Part two

These pieces were inspired by hobbies and sports that I really enjoy. Two of the pieces in this

part is about me showing livestock, one being about my personal accomplishments, and the

other being a letter to a friend of mine teaching him how to show sheep. Another two pieces

are about hunting and fishing. The final piece is about my own experience about my first track

meet and what really happened. I, like many authors, have written these pieces based on things

I enjoy.

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Livestock shows

Every year, I go and show livestock at several different fairs. I have to take care of them

by feeding them, watering them, washing them, and giving them plenty of exercise. I have won

many grand and reserve champion ribbons for my sheep and I have even won the Purple Circle

Award, which is for winning a champion at my state fair. There is a banquet later on where you

would receive your award and be put down as a member of the Purple Circle Club for that year.

As of 2012, I have received this award three times, twice in 2010 and once in 2012. I have met

and made many friends with many people because of these livestock shows. This is a long term

benefit that I have worked hard to achieve.

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A letter to a friend

Dear Aaron,

You don’t know how to show sheep, and so this is the point of this whole letter. You

have to take care of your animal for it to be its best. Make sure that it is healthy, feed it, and

give it plenty of exercise by walking it around. Walking it will also let the animal get used to you.

These factors are for any kind of livestock that you may want to show. In the show arena you

must walk your animal around the arena until your judge says otherwise. He will then tell you

to do different things to observe your animal. He will watch how it walks, see their body shape,

and observe how their muscle and size. If you are showing market lambs, you will have to do

what is called bracing it. This is where you push your knee to their chest right below their

throat. You push on them and they will push back. This will show how much muscle your lamb

has. A market lamb is lamb you sell or keep for their meat. Well I hope this letter might help

you in the future.

Sincerely,

Dakota

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Hunting season

As he crept through the woods, he finally found it, a good spot to sit and wait for what

he came here for. As he set up the blind, he kept an eye out for any movement. He got in, sat in

his chair, and stared out at the beauty of nature. After what seemed like hours, it finally

showed up, a good sized buck with at least twelve points on its rack. He loaded his rifle and

looked down his sight. He caught his target on sight and aimed for the heart. He pushed the

safety off and pulled the trigger. For a second there was silence, and then a thud. He got what

he came here for. He earned himself the trophy he’s been wanting.

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The best fishing trip

As he finally stopped the boat, he felt as if he was in the middle of the ocean, even if it

was only a few miles away from shore. All he could see was the blue of the ocean and sky and

the white of the clouds. It was just him and a few other fishermen. They dropped the nets and

then got out some poles and starting fishing themselves. He could not catch anything while the

others were having the luck of their lives. He was starting to get really frustrated, and then it

happened. He felt a tug and was automatically reeling it in.. Whatever it was, it was strong. He

started to see something under the water, and he couldn’t believe it. It was a swordfish! He

told the others to get something to kill it onboard. This would be his most prized trophy. He

would never forgive himself for letting this one get away. He finally got it on deck and killed it.

He may of only got one catch, but it was the best catch that topped everything for that day.

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The best race

He was nearly about to faint after just the third lap. He already ran so much and he still

had one more lap. This was his first track meet and his coaches already put him on the mile run.

He was the only one on the team to run the mile today, and he wanted to make his coaches

proud. He was in about twentieth place out of forty-two. He was now halfway done with the

last lap, and he passed two more runners and kept going. When he was only about one

hundred meters away, he went all out. He passed one, two, three more people! He was almost

there now. He was almost done. And then he did it, he crossed the finish line! He may of only

made fifteenth place, but he still beat twenty-seven others. He did pretty good for his first track

meet. He decided he is going to enjoy track.

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Part three

Miscellaneous

This section is for random that I wrote about for random things. One of these pieces is an echo

poem about Coca-Cola, which I was inspired to write about because of my love for it. Some of

these stories are comedic, while some are a bit more serious. These stories were either

entertaining or informational. These were stories that I was proud of enough to put into this

anthology.

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A very bad day

As sweat poured down his face, he knew he wouldn’t make it. He knew it was only a

matter of time left until it was all over. Closer and closer he was getting. Then it was all over.

The bank just closed. He’ll never get to deposit that check.

As he ran for his life, he knew that it was just a matter of time before it would be the

end of it. He finally sees it. He is getting closer and closer. Then all of the sudden it was over.

Happy hour just ended. He’ll never get that half-price drink.

He ran at what he thought was the speed of light the make it. He wasn’t going to miss it

again. His blood was boiling with the determination of a lion going to make its kill. It was just up

ahead now. And it happened again. He missed the garbage truck.

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This is war

A solider jumped into a trench to avoid the crossfire. He met up with his squad and they

made out their plan. They were going to surround the hill and, on the commander’s signal,

charge up and storm the base. As they waited for the signal, they loaded their guns and

prepared themselves both physically and mentally. Then a flare was hot up into the sky, the

signal. They stormed up the hill, getting slaughtered by machine gun nest. Soldiers were

dropping like bugs, but they still pushed on. They finally made it and flooded into the base,

killing any opposition. It only took a matter of seconds to take this place, but how could that

be? Then the commander called on the radio saying a group of enemy bombers were going to

fly by and destroy the base. They could now see them. Everyone tried to get out of the base as

fast as they could, but most didn’t even have a chance. Many were killed that day, and they told

themselves that nothing like that would ever happen again. But of course it did and still will

forever, some not as bad, some worse. This is war and it will never cease to exist. Some think it

will, but how humans behave, it will just keep going. Many wars are caused for no good reason

and people have to pay the price for this.

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Spring break

Some people can really get stressed out during school and need time away from it.

When the weekend comes, students love it, but it is still not enough. But when Spring Break

comes, students think of it as a holy event. Students are constantly stressed by homework and

test and don’t get very much time to themselves. Then Spring Break comes around the corner

and students get the rest they have been wanting ever since Christmas Break. After Spring

Break, students feel more energetic and can do their work better.

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The mask

Everyone wears an invisible mask to hide who they truly are. They are used to hide

secrets that you don’t want them to know about you. Some people have more behind that

mask than others who are more open about themselves. People feel that if they remove this

mask, they will be judged. They feel that if they keep these secrets, they will be better off this

way. This may be so, but other secrets might actually make things better if they are told. Some

secrets will help people, while others will ruin them forever.

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A poem about coca-

cola

Life is easier with Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola lets you open happiness.

Happiness is guaranteed with every purchase.

Purchase a Coca-Cola and start living.

Coca-Cola is a piece of art.

Art is only one adjective to describe Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola is compassionate to everyone.

Everyone loves delicious and refreshing Coca-Cola.