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Table of Contents
1: New Life…………………….......................................................... Page 1
2: Getting Back Together………………………………………… Page 7
3: The Surprise……………………………………………………….. Page 9
4: Adjusting……………………………………..……………………. Page 18
5: Finding Some Hope……………………………………………. Page 22
6: Bad news……………………………………………………..…… Page 25
7: The Time and Place…………………………………………… Page 28
8: Where Am I? .......................................................................... Page 31
9: Nervous ……………………………………………………………. Page 38
10: How To Be Saved…………………………………………….. Page 41
11: Keep on Fighting……………………………………………… Page 47
12: Enjoy Your Own Life………………………………………… Page 51
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Chapter 1
Only seconds left until the weekend arrived. The anxiety of the students was too
much for the teacher to bear. You know, the regular screaming and yelling by the class
clowns, and the excitement in their eyes. And to me, this was going to be the best
summer break ever! Soon 29 8th grade students were out of their seats when-RING! A
thousand papers flooded the classroom. The only one left, not even the teacher. But it
was me. I filled my backpack with all my unused textbooks, and got out of me seat. And
to match the great break bound to happen, I bumped into one of the cutest guys in our
whole grade. Nick Tockaletti. And then, my books fell.
“Oh I am so sorry, I didn’t see you there.” I said bending down to pick up my
book, acting as if it was my fault.
“Oh yeah, sorry about that. Here let me get that for you.” He replied.
“Thanks, but it is a little too late. I really got to go.” I sort of snapped. I just really
hoped he wasn’t about to ask me out. That kind of stuff makes me super nervous. But I
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mean. I knew that I really did have to make some changes with that, even if I didn’t want
to.
“Listen, I know that you came like a week ago at but just wait. I have been
watching you closely, and I think you are pretty cute. I was wondering if… if you wanted
to go out with me?”
“Well…”
Oh man, I knew he was popular and all that but what should I say?
“No, I am sorry, just, I got to go. I’m sorry.” I said though I wanted to date him, I
was just too nervous.”
I ran outside to the bus, but as they were leaving! Now I had to sit and wait in the
rain. I ran up to the bus as if it would stop for me and all that happened. Was they ran
over a big mud puddle and drenched my clothes. I walked back to the school sidewalk
with no way to get home. And to my surprise I saw my mom pull up in the empty
parking lot. I got into to the car with an odd expression on my face and sat in the front
seat. Hey, life is a breeze with some good luck. And like the mind reader she is, she
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brought me straight to Courtney’s house. You know, my BFFL. Or best friend for life!
We pulled up to her mansion and she stopped right in front of her favorite car ever. The
Samerous Luxury. She wanted one and she just starred at Courtney’s. But as she
started to drool is when I stepped out in a hurry. I think she didn’t even realize I was a
big muddy mess!
So this is Courtney. Her parents were rich so she couldn’t complain about
anything. But she was different then all the other rich kids. She was so sweet and
compassionate. That is why I am always there. I knew she would be there because she
takes her limo home. And when I knocked on the door she was there.
“Hey Liz!” Exclaimed my best friend.
“Hey.” I replied.
“Well you can’t be over right now, me and my friends were kind of, sort of, well
umm.”
“What?”
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“We are going to a movie.”
“Sweet! I will just hurry home and get redressed cause of this whole look I got
here. Okay?” I’ll be right ba”- I said before she cut me off.
“Um, yeah, well, maybe another time, when you are allowed to get in.”
“What do you mean, just because I am about a year younger then you doesn’t
mean that”-
“No Liz! I am sorry. This just isn’t your thing.” And the door slammed in my face.
Man I can’t believe that my friend would do that to me. I started to head out of her
driveway towards the sidewalk.
Well it’s not like it is the first time you have left me out before. I walked almost
two miles to get to my house. But I had her as my only friend. But you know besides
Nick, kind of. So there was nothing else to do. So Courtney, the girl I thought was so
nice, just left me all alone.
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Chapter 2
What I did with the left over scraps in my life, I went on the internet, I randomly
typed in beauty contest for Crow town, my city. And what popped up, is exactly what I
had planned. I forgot to mention, I have 3 little brothers, triplets, all in first grade. They
aren’t really the social type. Like all the kids pick on them, they are kind of dorky. I
honestly don’t feel bad for them, because my life isn’t much better. Just picture it from
my point of view. My only friend totally left me behind. And I just guess it runs in the
family, besides my mom.
I have a pretty boring life, like mentioned before. Like how I got in all the boring
electives in school I never asked for! I am in marching band. I am in math minions. So
geeky. And I am also in engineering 101. Where our motto is, if it’s smart, it can fit
inside an engine! It is way to annoying. Greg Mickolli made it up, and it doesn’t even
make sense. But the teacher, Mr. Mesoki, couldn’t think of one, we got stuck with it.
Now back to the contest, sorry, but I needed to mention that. I knew Jessica
Lasiffer would enter it. The most arrogant girl ever! Well I mean they say, that it is only
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based on skill, personality, and junk like that. But all it is for, is to prove that Jessica is
the prettiest girl in the city. Though I don’t like her, it is true. Just look.
Jessica: soft and wavy, long blonde hair
Me: curly, dirty blonde hair
Jessica: deep sea blue eyes
Me: plain brown eyes
Jessica: perfectly curved eye lashes, black as pitch
Me: knotted eye lashes, brown like tree bark
Jessica: body as formed as a brand new Barbie doll
Me: body made of sticks, tall and hunched
And now you see why she is the most beautiful girl in all of Crow town, so I am
NOT ENTERING! Just merely observing. You know, the other contestants. I wasn’t
home yet, like you may have thought. I used my laptop in my back pack and instead of
walking, I am taking the bus.
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Chapter 3
I strolled down the long empty sidewalk home, in the cold wet rain. My thin jacket
soaked by the hard thick sheets of rain pouring down on me. My curly blonde hair
drowned in the drops of rain that soaked me head to toe, my pink sneakers trying to
absorb all of the puddles of water before they reach my feet. I wasn’t in a hurry to get
home today, because I had just received horrible news. Before I got to my house, I got a
call on my phone from the hospital. And like what I do to every phone call, I answered it,
though I didn’t want to. Just a minute later, tears were running down my rosey red
cheeks, all because my best memory of all, my mother, is now dead.
I ran down to my dad’s room. I dashed into his arms, both of us weeping, he
whispered, “It’s going to be okay Liz.”
Now, my dad needed to drop me off somewhere. Not in a mean way, but he
needed to do something in secret. It was because, since my mother has passed away,
we could not afford our old house. It was my favorite place ever. Well almost. But I
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would be too upset it I could not live there anymore. So he had to find a new house in
secret, even though it would not be a secret much longer.
Courtney came to my house four hours later. But I needed a hug, not a
conversation. So before she finished apologizing, I put my arms around her, and let out
a soft cry. And there was more. I needed to tell her how I really felt, and I used a poem I
had heard before.
“Courtney, this is a little odd. But I am going to tell you a poem I know. And this is
how I should be feeling right now, but I’m not.
On my face you see two eyes,
Watching under the great blue skies.
On my face you see a smile,
Wider than the countless miles.
But there is more to me,
Waiting on the inside,
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And when it’s feeling joyful, it’s hard to hide.
On my face you see lots of care,
That I like to spread, everywhere.”
“Thank you Liz. That was a beautiful poem.” Courtney replied. “And it certainly
inspired me.”
“Thanks, sorry for over reacting about the movie. I guess it really wasn’t much of
a big deal. We do so much together and I now know why you did what you did. Forgive
me?”
“Liz, yes I do, you know I love you. Now what happened wasn’t your fault. I
should have listened to my parents and not have gone to that movie. I should have just
gone with you, my best friend.”
“Best friends?” I said.
“Best friends.” She said back softly. And we hugged again.
Courtney had to leave after that. So I went back to my dad’s room.
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“Hey dad, why are you packing?”
“Because we are moving.”
“What, what do you mean!? WHY?!”
“Listen Liz it’s nothing.”
I didn’t want him to finish. I picked up my bag and charged into my room. I leaped
on my bed and let out a great big weep. How could my dad just move like that? He
knows that I absolutely loved this place. It’s like my life doesn’t even matter anymore!
“Liz, Liz open up. I need to talk to you.” He said knocking on my door.
I was still crashed on my bed sobbing.
“Fine come in.” I murmured.
I used my bed sheet to wipe the tears from my face. My door creaked open.
“Liz, I realize you’re life is taking an incredible twist right now, you think I’m happy
moving, you think I’m happy with the way you’re mother died in front of me. You just
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have to except it. This is just Gods way of showing us that we need to accept the
change. Now start packing sweety we got a long road ahead of us.”
“Wait, dad. How do you know this?”
“Know what Liz?”
“That God is leading us somewhere.”
“Because God has a plan for everybody, and he is taking us somewhere new
right now.”
“Okay, I love you daddy.”
“And I love you too Liz.”
Right then he leaned over and kissed my head, and then walked out my door.
I walked out my front door to enjoy the peace of nature and the world. But to my
avail, Courtney was sitting on my bench.
“Oh, hey, I am sorry.” She started as she got up. “I will go now.”
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“Wait, I will come with you.”
“Thanks.”
We both walked home together. To her house obviously. We were at my house.
And anyway, mine was a big box storage now. RIIIING! Went my cell phone. I
answered.
“Hey dad, was up!”
“Honey come home, it’s time we move into our new house.”
“Ug, I will be right over.”
I don’t want to go, but I have to.
I arrived home and got into the front seat of the moving van. I had to sit by my
geeky brothers though. Yuck! Oh, I forgot to say. Just yesterday I went to pick up my
brothers from school. And guess where I found them. This relates back to where I said
they didn’t have friends. Billy was hooked to a pole by his underwear. James was tied
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up to a slide. And Martin was being dangled upside down by a kid the size of me. Yikes.
So that involves a lot of teasing too.
A simple ten minutes away is when we reached our new house. But it wasn’t
really a house. It was a mansion a lot more. So I trudged in front of the big ugly 4 story
building, and stared in amazement with a bit of yuck in it. It was all black, broken, and
surrounded by dead trees with bats and owls. It was just as big as Courtney’s house,
but a lot more like a Haunted House. I picked up my suit case and two boxes, leaving
the rest of my stuff behind for now. Then I headed for the doorway.
I got to pick out my room first though none of them looked pleasant. I picked the
one that looked the best, only because the walls weren’t painted, so a fresh (sort of)
canvas. And there was a bathroom and a walk in closet in there too. So the biggest
room in the creepy house all mine.
“Liz! James! Billy! Martin! Come down for dinner in five!” chanted my father.
“Be right there dad, just cleaning what is possible.”
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Okay okay, I get that sometimes I talk kind of rude. But who would want to live
here!
“We love it here daddy!”, Cried my three little brats for brothers as they skipped
through the endless hall filled with glee. What a great way to tear apart what I think. My
opinion doesn’t really matter to anybody anymore. I remember in the third grade when I
told Alex Plunkskie that if you wore a turban to school, you would be the most liked
person in the world. And maybe even in the world record books for Most Liked Person
in Your School. Well he bought it. Because the next day at school he had the biggest
turban you had ever seen. But then I extended it a little. Since no one liked him, he
didn’t believe me. So I said the turban had to be made out of toilet paper and pink
glitter. And of course that is how he dressed for the next two weeks. So you could say I
am the master at that sort of stuff. My opinion mattered at least once in my life. though it
wasn’t an opinion, more like a trick. I guess.
I was right about to go eat dinner right before I saw a note on my wall. It looked
as if it was marked with a knife. It read,
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If you dare mess with this house, I will come out from my grave and you
will be sorry!!!!!!!!!!
Oh no! Could this just be a prank, or was it really coming from a ghost! Or could it
be an old writing from the jerk that lived here last.
In the stress I was in right now. That didn’t really worry me. Just spooked me for
the minute.
Chapter 4
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I walked down the old crooked staircase, and came up to yet another carved in
note on the door. This time it read,
Tonight at midnight come into your backyard right next to the Dead Mans
River for a little trade. Just bring your gravel key located in your attic.
In the terror I was in now I rushed down the stairs, the tile creaking and moaning
beneath me. I ran up to my dad.
“Um dad, would it be okay if I just skipped dinner tonight?”
“Well I guess honey, but why?”
“It’s nothing, thanks though.”
I ran into my dad’s room and grabbed his laptop. Because mine had died. I
looked up Dead Man’s River hoping there would be a match. But instead of that, I got a
now dead laptop. Ha ha ha. Funny, fuuny. Dang.
“Oh great, just what I need.” I mumbled.
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I couldn’t figure that out, so I headed to the library that we had already in our
house. I read the book that was titled, All about Dead Man’s River.
An odd title, but it worked. At least it did for now. You know, all of this
randomness made me start to forget about the Young Miss Crow town Contest. It didn’t
matter though. I already got my facts straight and my hypothesis was correct anyway.
You know what stinks. Jessica Lassifer won. Now she is going to be living it up in Paris
for the next like YEAR! You know, the reward of the contest.
As I turned open the first page it told me it was located in my backyard. Yikes.
And that it is called Dead Man’s River because it is made of Haunted mud. And that
hundreds of people have died from just simply falling in. That thought made me feel like
I was just being pranked by this ghost I guess you can call it. Well what if the trade was
the key for my mother. Or what if the key gives him like all these magical powers, or
helps him get back everything he needs, wait. He could just come into out house and
take the key for himself! Right! Why does he have to interrupt with my life? Now I am
smarter than the thing that can get anything it wants! Now I am the one who can make
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sense. You know how did I even get rapped up in this in the first place? Yet again, this
could lead up to a pretty big and interesting mystery.
As I felt hard wooden poles of the attic ladder, I climbed up. As soon as I
reached the top I could immediately feel the dreadful heat pounding on my neck. It
made my body itch as if I had the chicken-pox. Since we had still had stuff in the moving
van, our attic was practically empty. So I crawled to the very back but in the intense
heat. Halfway there, I passed out.
I don’t know how long I was lying there. But it must have been a pretty long time.
As soon as I was starting to wake up. I was crowded by a big team of fire fighters and
these doctors or something. I just wonder how my dad found me. So right then I asked
him.
“Dad, how did you know I was up there?” I said with all the breath I had left.
“Well let’s see, it was either my physic powers, or the fact that you screamed
through the whole house.”
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“Oh yeah, I saw a HUGE spider.” I said as embarrassed as I had ever been. Only
because I was in front of all those people.
“I am fine. I can get up know.” I told my dad. There was an icepack on my head
that I took off and handed my dad.
Without anyone noticing. I headed back up the attic. A pretty dumb move after
what just happened but I think I would be okay now. At least now that I knew I had to go
faster this time. I crawled up the ladder yet again. And I ran as fast as I could. I thought I
saw it but instead,
“OOOWWW!” I tripped over it. I picked up the key landing on another carving.
This one had something else that looked rather long.
Remember you only have a little amount of time left. And you still need
to find your last clue. At midnight make sure you have me that key. Now if you
go into a room behind a part of the wall. You will meet a very familiar
person. Just remember. You will be trading me for that key.
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Man this is just getting harder and harder. Okay. So I need to go into a hidden
room. Easy enough, I think.
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Chapter 5
I walked on through the house and came up to my room. I would think it would be
in here. For some reason the ghost had an attraction with me. Well it is probably just
because I am adorable. At least that is what I think.
I am in too much stress. I just have to get it over with. I moved my bed over and
nothing was there. Could this just be a trap? I walked into my closet and it wasn’t a
closet anymore. It was a huge black room. I saw two bright green eyes pop out right in
front of me. I noticed that a blurry and fake like body start to appear also. And what I
then saw was UN-believable to me. That body there was my mother.
“Mom, is that really you?” I asked the ghost person in disbelief.
“Yes, it is me Liz.” She said, she still had her same beautiful voice. Also her
same care for me.
“Now Liz, this is very important. You will have to listen very closely. Fantasmo
has captured hundreds of humans. He makes people think that people have just
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randomly died in the Dead Man’s River. But he has lured them in just like how he is
doing it to you. Now you go to him, but whatever happens, don’t give him that key!”
“Yes mother, but how did he get you?”
“You can’t know, but just don’t give him that key!” she ordered me as she faded
away into the mystery black whole.
11:58. I was now headed for the mud river. Or Dead Man’s River, as all of the
others call it. I remember my mother’s exact words. Do not give him the key. But I just
wish I had the reasoning.
I strolled through the terrible looking yard. My mind flooded with questions. My
only hope is that my mother could save me from Fantasmo. As I passed through a rocky
path blocked by dead trees, I knew that I had been doing the best I could. I knew I
would save my mother, and I knew I would…………..
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“Whoa, I am guessing this is Dead Man’s River.” I commented. That happened to
be because I saw tons of ghosts, I mean, familiar ghosts, were appearing right in front
of my very eyes. But all of a sudden, a voice the sound of giants was booming through
the area. But still, no ghost or human there.
“Ahhhhh, so I see you are a good listener. Now we will trade as soon as I receive
what is mine.” He demanded.
“Okay, but what is my prize?” I said with a devious look on my face, as if I had a
plan.
“You will find out just give me that key!” he exclaimed, getting more and more
frustrated by the word.
“Then release all these people, and you will have your key!” I yelled right back.
But right before any voice comes back, or any comment. The key vanished out of my
hands, along with all the ghosts.
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Chapter 6
I ran away with tears running down my face, and with a terrible feeling inside.
The exact same one you get when your relative dies, and there is no way you can get
them back. Especially like when you had so many great attachments to them. As I
rushed passed the pathway, and came up to a stop. There in front of me. My mother
appeared.
“Mom, is it you, you know again.”
“No time, you have to find a way to stop Fantasmo. We are all depending on you.
I will try and meet you here tomorrow. Now you have to work to the best of your ability
to save all of us!”
“You know I will try.” I responded trying to stop my tears.
I ran back to the house as fast as my legs could carry me. I got into my room and
slammed my door. But you wouldn’t want to be there with me. Only because there was
a random ghost sitting on my bed. But I think I was supposed to recognize him.
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Because he had this huge grin on his face. But not the evil grins, like how I picture
Fantasmo.
“Umm, hello.” I said a little spooked.
“Hello, do you recognize me?” he asked.
“No, but why are you here and who are you?” I asked.
“I am your guardian ghost, you have never seen me before because I have lived
in your soul. I am just like your memory, or something.” He said back.
“So you are just going to stalk me or what.” I replied with a bit of an attitude.
“Just look at this list, get all the things, and then follow me.” He remarked.
“Wow you got a bit of an attitude now don’t ya.” I said quietly to myself.
This is what the note read. Or at least what I read.
You are going to be finding your mother, just as you planned at first. Ignore the fact that
I know this, for I am only a note. You will need to get all of the objects listed below.
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Knife, compass, dreggor.
What could be a dreggor? Was it an old like pioneer thing or something. I just need a
little break.
As I awakened from my day dream. The man was still there. He was just
creeping me out.
“Just get back inside me, and do whatever it is you do. Okay!” I snapped.
He dissolved away. Like a sugar cube inside boiling water.
I headed for my closet and switched clothes. I think I just needed a good night’s
sleep.
……………………………………………………………………………………….
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Chapter 7
I woke up the next morning with a back ache and an empty stomach. But before I
get to that, I think you would be happy, you know kind of, if you heard this story from my
ghost stalker guys point of view.
We are in a big mess now. Are entire place is a big mess because we can’t get
Liz to go find her mother. By the way, I am with plenty of other ghosts, like a factory.
Except we are all working for people’s relatives who have all been captured by
Fantasmo. And we all look different then you might think. You see when we were
captured by Fantasmo and we escaped, he couldn’t get us back. But what he could do
was power us like we were his pets. But the catch is he only had one spell he could use.
So he made us look like monsters. Well more like scientific creations, but you get the
point right? Anyway. Liz is the only one who can save everyone from Fantasmo. She
has been chosen ever since we were released. Even though she was not alive then. It
will be fixed if she would just come with me, but she won’t.
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Okay. It is now backing up to my part of the story since you have already heard
his boring part. Now, I am getting tired of all this ghost junk. What if this was just a
dream, I mean things like this happen. Okay. I am going to try and wake myself up.
1……2……3……. Okay, that didn’t work. Ummmmm. Let’s see if I can add a bit of a
twist to this story. Okay, so right now, my life is a wreck. Maybe I could make this story
a mystery or an adventure or something. I could make it a story where I am trapped on
an island, or travel back in time. Well…….
“Whoa!” I screamed as I landed on a dump.
What is going on? Did my idea work, where am I?
I peered over what seemed to be a mountain of trash, I saw a familiar creep by.
He came up to me with a familiar face, a familiar smile. Just like…….. MY MOTHER!
“Liz, what are you doing here, you should be at home with the others.”
“What, no you have it wrong you see, I couldn’t find you anywhere and I have
had so many tries, but I just. Well. What happened to you?”
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“Liz, I have just come to a point where, you know. And before I could pass over,
Fantasmo got me. Now how did you get here?”
“Well, I thought I needed to find a new past time, because I thought you would be
gone forever. So I pictured myself in a new kind of setting, and here I am.” I said starting
to tear up.
“It’s okay.”
“Wait, mom, I just hugged you. You’re not a ghost anymore!” I exclaimed.
Stopping my tears, I knew I was safe again.
“So what are you doing here, let’s go show dad, and all the others! Come on!”
“Wait honey, here is Fantasmo’s catch. He can only have us for a certain amount
of time. Even though I came later, I was with older ones. So he released the whole
group. He doesn’t have enough power to stop a human though, people just think it.” But
I can’t go back to freedom. I am still dead, in a different way. I will be here until a relative
dies. Sad but true. Then we will go up at the same time. It is just the way life works.”
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“But what do I do now?” I wondered starting up the tears again.
“Nothing.” She said, and she walked off saying, “Listen to your ghost.”
My ghost, what does that even mean? Wait, I am making my story interesting,
nothing can get in my way.
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Chapter 8
So now, my biggest struggle was to find out where I was. I walked for miles to
come up to nothing. But what I did come up to was an old school, buried in mud and old
junk. I could barely make out the letters written on the door. RUN! Wait, this is the exact
same writing as…….. No. it can’t possibly be. Fantasmo. No, absolutely impossible. He
is somewhere haunting others now, I think. I opened up the door, well I tried. It must
have really been old. Because I pulled with all my strength and about an inch! That’s it! I
slipped my foot through the gap, and I kicked it open. Just enough to where I could
squeeze through perfectly. I walked over creaking wood. And tripped over a sandwich. I
got up once again, and stopped at a door that wrote, SECRET. I am the kind of person,
who really likes to know about this stuff. You know secrets. So I opened my sweaty
palm, and firmly gripped the handle. I pulled, but it was locked. I am surprised a lock
wouldn’t crack for so long. There must be a key somewhere, no key can last that long.
To my left was a door, it read, JANITOR. The next and more interesting one wrote, LAB.
There was a note again under it, it said in bold letters. REMEMEBER WHAT I TOLD YOU, DO
YOU STILL REMEMBER OUR LITTLE DEAL. HAHAHAHA!!!
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Ok, now I really think it is, well you know who. Fantasmo. But I have been doing
good to keep my mind off it. So, I think I should go in lab, weather it is a computer lab or
a science lab, lab is better. So I ignored the note. As good as I could. And yanked it. I
got it open, and it turned out to be a mad scientist lab. Awesome! I saw hundreds of test
tubes, filled with mysterious, well I guess liquids. I came over to a desk, over flowing
with papers, and folders noted. TOP SECRET! Was this a mad scientist lab, or a secret
agents lab? Looks like I got a mystery ahead of me. I picked up one of the folders,
shaking it nonstop. Like a thief taking a ten pound bag of money. I opened it up, and
then, “Hello?” said an old man behind me.
“What are you doing with my reports?” he asked.
“Oh, well I am simply putting them back on the table, yes. I am being helpful,
cleaning up your stinky and disgusting office you have here.” I said in a mysterious way.
“Okay. He said in a sweet voice. Then his eyes turned bright red, and popped out
of his head. He starred at me like he was just about to murder me.
“Get any of my notes lately.” He whispered. Just as he got me into a big suitcase.
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Everything else was fuzzy. I was losing oxygen, and was getting dizzy too. I
should have listened to my ghost guy. Wait, this makes perfect sense. I am in his ghost
world thing! Wait! I still have my phone in my pocket! I might be saved!
I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my phone. There it read I had 59
new texts. Yikes. They were probably all one saying, where are you? From Courtney. I
got on to speed dial and, my phone dies. Oh great, the perfect place for it to die at. I just
sat there squished in a bag, being jerked around, unendingly. But it finally did end he
shoved my into a wall. Wait. Why was the room I was in moving? And why was it getting
higher and HIGHER! I AM ON AN AIRPLANE! I was now completely in danger.
Pacing back and forth, in my mind of course, I struggled for oxygen. A person,
possibly Fantasmo, came up to me. He or it opened up the suitcase. And a large group
of men pulled me out and shoved my into a tiny room. Three of the men came in. on
grabbed my hands and one used thick tape and tied them. The third grabbing my feet.
Then the one with the tape tied my ankles together too. The harshly put on a piece to
my mouth and left me there. And they even did something way unexpected before they
36
left. The picked me up a couple of feet in the air. And then taped me the wall using the
rest of the tape! How cruel to do that to a teenage girl! They turned the lights off and
left. In a terrible situation, I struggled for freedom. Just too much tape on me. You know
that is like four pounds of tape! This just makes me very upset! Wait, they didn’t quite
finish. They shoved a boy just about my age in here tied up too. Except he wasn’t taped
to the wall! He didn’t even notice me for minutes to come.
“hup mff!” I screamed through the tape.
He turned around. Looking at me very strangely.
“Hello, who are you?”
“Mufel mecklay!” I shouted.
“Uh, do you come in peace?” he asked. He may be the hottest guy I have ever
seen, but he is easily the dumbest!
“Rufsti lobu!”
37
“But what are you talking about. Ooo oo oooooooh! I know this! You are just like
my slave servant girl. And you are the one who is going to save me!”
“Oyshee dek Na!” man this guy is stupid! It is just like he doesn’t realize I am
practically buried here!
“mustot.” I said looking at him like he is retarded.
“I am just messing with ya! Grow some thicker skin girly! So what do you want? I
am just kiddin’! Here let me get that!”
He came up to me an tugged at my mouth tape. Yank!
“OW!” that hurts bonehead!” I snapped. “Get me down from here!”
“Only if you apologize.” He said like he was the hurt one here.
“Listen, I didn’t plan for an egghead to barge in here like this and torture me, but
since you are here, you can be a little helpful!” I shouted starting soft and getting louder.
“Fine, as the loving price I am- I mean wa- was. I will help you.”
“Wait, what do you mean was?” I questioned.
38
“Well, you were mean enough, it is rather best if you don’t know. Now I will help
you down.” He said like he was torn, well you know his heart.
I didn’t know what I could do, but what even happened to him. Did he get banned
from like his castle. I wouldn’t know though because I am just an average, kind of, girl. I
don’t know ANYTHING about this stuff.
I picked at all the left over tape on me off.
“So, you are saying you used to be a, prince?” I asked.
“Um, well yes. Until I made a mistake. I got banned.”
Hey I was right! He got banned. Wait I make that sound like it is good thing.
“So is there anything you can do, to like get back?”
“Not a chance. Everyone from the castle hates me now. It would be worthless to
even try and go back. Cause you know, they would hold me captive, torture me. I am
not even going close to going back.”
“So you are just going to give up? But you can’t!”
39
“Why do you sound so devastated? What is wrong?”
I teared up again.
“I gave up on something, very important to me. I won’t let that happen to you.
You need to at least try.”
I cried, but I couldn’t help it. I missed my mother, more than anything.
“So how did you get here?”
“I was banned, I have nowhere else to go to. It is like a stranded puppy, living in
a box. It has nowhere else to go.”
“I, I feel so bad. What could we do for, that lonely puppy!” I exclaimed.
“Will you forget about the puppy! It was an example! Geez!”
“So anyway, what is your name? My name is Liz.”
“Great, I am Wallace. Nice to meet your acquaintance, again.”
40
“Ya, now that you are in America. You don’t normally say nice to meet your
acquaintance. Got it.”
“Indeed I do.”
“Oh boy.” I commented turning away.
41
Chapter 9
I rocked back and forth. I couldn’t believe it. I was trapped on a tiny airplane
room, with a complete stranger that dumps his problems on me. Well you might not
need to know this but I am just trying to make myself feel good. I actually bent his arm in
a weird way behind his back so he would tell me. Shhhh. You know. I wonder what is
going on in real life. Is it like frozen? Or is my dad devastated because I have been
gone so long! All great questions, but what is the answer. You probably have realized. I
get distracted a lot. I have a weird mental condition. Like a dog. That is just how my
brain is. I don’t know anything else though. Hey! I have my phone! Just like before,
except it is dead. Perfect. There is a charger just like mine. I am saved at last! I pulled
out my phone yet again, and placed it on the charger. It will be charged within 3 hours. I
hope. So. What is there to do next? Oh yeah. I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!
I paced back and forth, hoping 3 hours would pass faster. Me and some price,
nothing to do. I was practically starving at this point. On the door there was a slot whole.
But it could only be opened from the outside. But if I could find a way to fix it, we could
42
get out. The whole was big enough for me to reach my arm out and grab the key on the
wall. But I had to figure out how to fix the slot first. Well you know it is not fixing it, more
like breaking it. But anyway, lets get to work.
“Hey, Wallace, you are wearing a medal badge. Give it to me.”
“But why, I love this pin.”
“I know you do, but would you rather starve or keep your pin!?”
“Here.”
I bent down to the slot, and I picked at the medal hinge. I broke half of it, after
just 10 minutes. Possibly 10 more I will be free.
“OW! My wrist is killing me. You try.”
“Okay, but what do I do?”
“What do you think! You saw me for 10 whole minutes! Just pick at it!”
“I will try.” He said with no confidence.
43
I sat in the corner, I started to cry. I don’t care. I know I have done it at least 5
times. I just needed to let it out.
I crawled over to Wallace.
“So what do you have so far?”
“I am almost done, just a couple more.”
“Or you could go like this.”
I picked up the badge. I lifted it up in the air. I slammed it back down on the
hinge. It broke off.
“Yes!”I exclaimed.
I slid open the door. I peered outside the slot. I saw a ton of machines, all
making, believe it or not, MONEY!
44
Chapter 10
I saw a man’s boots stomp by. Is he going to see us? I pulled my head back into
the space we were in. I am going to call this place the death room. Or how about just
the room. Wallace looked in the whole and stared. I don’t have a slightest clue to what
he was staring at. But I do now. He looked back in and said something like he was in a
trance.
“They have a room staaaashed with moneeeeey!”
“What! How do you know!?”
“I saw them open the door. It is the same size of this room. A-aa-hhhh.”
“What! How are they getting all that money! Wait that is what the machine is for!
They are copying there own money!” I exclaimed in shock and amazement. What could
happen if this story turned into something else! Anyway, I am on the case of getting out
now. So I see a big factory, much like the one I heard of earlier? I see all sorts of people
dressed in black clothing. Just like a movie I saw. No wait I didn’t see the movie. I had it
told to me by Courtney when she ditched me with her friends. You know the part that
45
happened about two weeks ago. Now what could I do with it now? Hummmmm? Okay,
I think my phone is done with it’s charging. It is very odd but it has actually been three
hours. I walked over feeling my stomach pounding. I was so hungry. I hadn’t eaten in 1
full day now. A pounding of boots got louder and louder creeping there way up to us. If
they are coming up to us to give us food, I will be amazed. I was right, they slipped two
bowls of old grey oatmeal in the slot, and a bag of two big carrots. But when the door
popped back out in his direction, he knew something was up. He grabbed on the door,
and yanked it straight off. I saw his face. He was full of rage. I could know why, because
he has to fix it. He stood up, and we could only see his boots now. They weren’t
moving, so we were in danger. We both looked at each other, and then at the same
time dug our faces into our food. We ate as much as we possibly could, until he opened
up our door. We wiped off all the food and our face on our sleeves. He grabbed us by
the back of our shirts, and dragged us out of the room. I am so tired, and upset. He has
my cell phone now! I saw behind me all the people staring at us. They had been in a
factory mentioned before that looked now somehow familiar. Okay, now we were in a
situation. He dropped us down and tied our hands behind our backs, and had our
46
ankles and legs tied up too. But the stupid part about it was they tied us back to back,
and left a knife about 15 inches away. And we could still talk to each other. Only since
the factory was loud enough where they couldn’t hear, and our mouths weren’t taped
either. He trudged away heading for the money copier. I remember seeing a news cast
a while ago, our first night at my new house. It said a copier just like that was stolen
about two months ago by the government. It had to be them! It looks like a match. I
whispered to Wallace.
“Lean.”
“Okay, whatever you want me to do.”
He pulled me the opposite way I wanted to go. Well great job Wallace. I kicked
my feet to spin around and pick up the knife. The gross part is I had to use my mouth. I
couldn’t reach it. I stuck my tongue out and curled it like an upside down spoon. I pulled
it over and bit it like a dog does with a new chew toy. I hung on and dropped it by my
hands. Like the ball dropped in front of an owner. You know by a dog of course.
“Hey, Wallace. Grab the knife and cut me free.”
47
“Why do you get to go first?”
“Because I am a bigger threat to those guys then you. Now cut!”
“That is so not fair they are always more scared of the guy.”
“Not when the guy has the strength of a guinea pig. And also the arm size of a
string of spaghetti. Now I gave you an order. Cut!”
“Well no one ever bothers to listen to Wallace now don’t they. So mean doesn’t
get me at all.” He murmered.
“Wallace! I am literally touching you! I am that close we are tied up together I can
here you!”
He cut me free. They didn’t notice though. I picked up the knife. I scratched and
cut like I was about to die. Which I probably will. I cut him free. And right then he
noticed.
“Get them!” they exclaimed.
48
“AHHHHHHHHHHH!” I yelled like a first grader finally being released out of
prison after 2 years. Not like that would happen anyway.
I climbed up a ladder leading to a shelf that could hold six cars. I saw a huge
rope hanging from the ceiling and grabbed on tightly.
“PE class don’t fail me now!” you may not get that but I am a pretty decent rope
climber. I jumped off and knocked over the man who had Wallace in an arm lock. I
swung back up and ran to the other end. I jumped and piled onto a lady who was
packaging all the complete money. There she was knocked out. Good job to me. A man
was peering over the piles of packaged money. I creeped over and tripped over a box of
it.
“Ow! Not what I had planned!”
I still managed to creep behind him. Pull down the fire extinguisher. What could I
do. I slammed it onto his head to make him either die or get knocked out like the others.
I got pushed over by a lady who looked very angry. I kicked her chest. My karate skills
49
help me through a lot. I am not very good at many other thing though. Wallace snuck up
on me and said.
“Pull the lever!”
I didn’t know why, but I pulled it to me and the fans on the walls the size of 5 cars
for each fan blew on high. All the workers getting upset. The money blew all through out
the factory. All the struggling workers jumping for flying money. Ha ha. I am glad that
isn’t me. I ran into the room we were prisoners in. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed
911.
“Hello, police. I am in great danger. I hav-
“I am sorry miss. What did you say?”
“I said I am calling for an emergency. I need help.”
But all she could hear was the noise out there.
“Just tell me where you are and I will come soon!” she yelled.
“2483 Molatophy avenue. I found the stolen money printer!”
50
“Honey I will try!” and she hung up.
51
Chapter 11
I saw feet creeping my way. I dove behind the shelves to stay hidden. Just wait
for it.
I could hear the sounds of the police cars and the horns. All the thieves ran away
to be protected. Cops barged in and grabbed and hand cuffed many people. Almost all
of them! Sweet revenge!
“Excuse me. You the young lady who gave us a ring?” she asked rudely
smacking her gum in front of me.
“Yes and thank you for coming so quickly.”
“Yeah sure kid. Good work though.” She commented.
I dug my phone in my pocket after checking the time. Now my clock read 7:38
and I was in desperate need to travel back home. So I needed some cash to get me
there. I ran over to the piles of money that they had made. They would take it as real
money because it was made by the real copier! I picked up a large bag, muck like the
52
size of a school backpack, and piled in at least $10,000! Then I calmly strolled out the
back door with Wallace. We called a very fancy and classy limousine. We headed to a
place nearby, hoping something would happen.
We came up to a point where the limo driver had to get us to leave by throwing
us out the window! To many details, you don’t need to know all of it. Well actually, you
do. You know that I had all that money. Well he scammed me into giving him ALL of it
and then said that, well, let me tell you through flashback.
“Here, I hope this can cover to get here to the local airport.” I said.
“Oh yeah,” he said examining my money in amazement. “Huh, this is pretty
decent,” he said as I got more excited, “Yeah, this will do, TO GET TO THE LOCAL
GAS STATION!” he ended up saying as my face expression and my happiness
dropped.
“Hey! That was at least $1,000 in cash! The airport is just in walking distance! It’s
only like 10 miles away from this spot!”
“Fine, I will make you a deal. Give me double and I will bring you there. Okay.”
53
“Fine, just wait.” I said and I pulled it out.
(Ten minutes later, they kicked us out because we weren’t dressed appropriate
enough for his business and to have all that money). GRRRRR!!!!!
Well I yet again pulled out my cell phone to text Courtney. I thought she would
have an idea.
I went first in the texting, obviously.
Hey! Haven’t seen or talked to you in a long time! Wuz up?
Hey! U gotta get bak here! Things r getting bad with out u here!
I need ur help now! I am stuck in the middle of a weird time! Save
me!
Wat! Dat is crazy! Dat izn’t even posibl stupid!
I no but it iz tru! Plz help!
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Fine how do I help?
Get ur butt down here. I am @ umm 200 Baker Lusy street. Plz
Kkz bi
Hurry and bi 2!
55
Chapter 12
I then saw right in front of me, a giant black hole appear. And as I stood there
almost in tears, my mother stepped out and pulled me inside. There I saw my family,
and my friends there. All the smiles at me. I ran into my dad’s arms. And when I turned
around. My mother. Looking at me with all her love. Waving and fading away. Then I
hugged my dad once more.
“I love you dad.” I said.
“I love you too Liz.”
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