2022 Camp Fire

This is a Log Cabin Book, an imprint of THE CABIN, a center for readers & writers 801 South Capitol Boulevard, Boise, Idaho 83702 (208) 331-8000 www.thecabinidaho.org

© 2022 The Cabin All rights reserved.

Book design and art by Brandon Stoker

Introduction

Heidi Kraay

| Teaching Writer, The Cabin

“Metaphor, the artist’s fundamental tool, is forgiving and generous…It suggests what might be possible and says, ‘You! In the audience, you can do this. You can look at things differently and do things differently. Blue can be orange.’”

–ANNA DEAVERE SMITH

I’m leading 11 young playwrights down 8th Street. We’re looking for doorways, imagining what lurks behind them. Not yet noon, the air is hot, dry but for our sweat. Smoke from distant forest fire falls on our tongues. We pass the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, the Library(!), approach River Street and cross between two white lines amid the chattering hum of 5th and 6th graders. We’re not at school. We’re hunting for characters and landscapes and connection.

This is our group’s first day of Summer Writing Camp. Excitement jolts the air. Our sneakers and sandals drop on sidewalk panels. I point in one direction after another, trying to project my voice over campers comparing their favorite online role-playing games, siblings’ habits, and what their parents do for work. “Remember to look for doors. What’s behind that one? It doesn’t have a handle. What about that door? A window is like a door.” They

offer ideas: an alternate dimension, a mad scientist, a cat lady with 1,000 furry compatriots. Then it’s back to more pressing conversations: the latest TikTok video they witnessed. Maybe this says more about me than the changing world, but over the years teaching for The Cabin, I’ve noticed attention feels harder to keep. How can we focus when so much is pulling us to look another way? How can we make something for hours or even minutes without stopping when a smartphone tries to kidnap our eyes? (In the midst of typing the above three sentences, I respond to three new text messages.)

This July morning, campers have phones on their wrists. We can speak to each other through watches, living out a present-day Star Trek reality. Even so, this week we travel together away from screens. We write on paper. With pencils. No typing, no iPads. We talk face-to-face. No Zoom boxes: IRL breakout groups. We sit in a circle on wellwatered grass. We listen to memories and dreams spiral out our new friend’s mouth while our mirror neurons blast with empathy. We share a collaged assemblage of shapes that could form a dragon or a spaceship or both. We discuss our images and paragraphs as though they’re the most important stuff in the universe – because they are –and laugh in appreciation as though this new usage of the word “poop” is the truest bit of comedy ever invented –because right now it is that, too.

Then we chase with “Squirrel!” energy a fluffy nut eater running up a tree trunk like our brains zip to a shiny new message alert. “Yes,” as the small mammal leaps up the Sycamore, “What is she thinking? What do we look like to her? What’s her story?”

At camp, we welcome the natural distractedness that is part of the creative process of wandering, which can propel any artist to track wild impulses. Then we concentrate that feral heat into a laser sharp gaze in our notebooks. What can come of it? If we trace that rabbit hole all the way, that branch-jumping rodent can guide us to untapped horizons within the multiverse of this planet where we spend every day in humdrum routine. Schedules, screens, beeps, calendars, stress, to-dos, the other two camps each writer is attending this week…all take a lot of brain space. We forget the magic we don’t know we’re still allowed to believe.

At camp, for three precious hours five days a week, we attempt to rewild our minds and retrain our ability to sit with something old (tree bark) for an extended duration so we can treat it as something new (a puzzle-piece microcosm our hero calls home). We can be a tourist in our own town. We can write about 8th Street as though we’re visiting a strange planet seeing this miraculous thing called “blue door” for the first time. What can that portal open up? Only this blazing book of collective lifeforce made of poems, stories, scenes and invitations to a world where we could live/do live/wish we lived. Only the chance

to look at things differently, do things differently. Only our future.

At camp, we discover not how to write, but how to be a writer, an artist, how to live our lives – facing the mire while moving toward the light. Throughout the pandemic, most of us got to know that struggle like our shadow. Goodness knows I welcome escape from that ache as much as anyone. Sometimes the journey weighs too heavy, we enter one more dark night of the soul and throw up our papers saying what was I thinking? I’m not cut out for writing. I’d rather stream Netflix. And yet we can also remember how simple it is. Lean in. Each gesture on the page, tiny sketch and impromptu song about ants marching to the Idaho History Museum speaks bookshelves about who we are at that moment. With each phrase we document lifetimes. Keep going. So at camp, I too learn how to be a writer (and a person) all over again. The intrepid explorers you’ll meet here teach me. As you read this collection, see how they show themselves (and us readers) what it means to be alive. That’s all writing is – and that’s a lot. Enjoy becoming human all over again through these metaphors, possibilities and catalysts.

–Heidi Kraay Teaching Writer, The Cabin

The Trees

Vivian Gendler | Grade 5, Boise

My insides bring me no emotion. I watch as the life around me crumples up like a failed test. The trees call for me, yet I can’t move, and it’s over. Fast. Now still. The life drowning like a lone 5-year-old in a public pool.

Why can’t you see? The world needs you, but you are too scared to do anything. You act like you are happy, but you are fearful. Fearful that you are useless, fearing everything so much you are useless.

The life draining like the blood from a lost tooth flows down the sink as you rush to tell your mother that your first molar is gone. It drains like the extra milk you pour down the sink when you are finished with breakfast, the breakfast that you barely ate because you wanted to have cereal instead.

The trees are still, but their life is gone and I still can’t move.

Timeless Serenity

Quinn Adams | Grade 6, Boise

The watch is a hanging sun shadowing the earth. Birds cling to it as if they are trapped there. Beneath them flows water, a beauty most overlook. Trees sway to the gentle hum of the scene. The ground is an eruption of green. Rocks watch, never changing, always protecting. The sky seeps into the rolling hills like bleeding watercolors, somehow each different shade perfecting the other one. This is a scene that is always shifting, dripping with a new serenity each moment. Tick, tick, tick, goes the clock. And the forest always obeys.

I sit by the side of the lake, wishing I could fly higher and grab the watch just to see if I could hold on to it like the other birds. They are protective of the watch though. I flit up to one of the trees and chirp as the breeze ruffles my wings and tickles my skin. There is nowhere I would rather be than in this painting.

The Donkey

Oliver Bullard | Grade 5, Boise

Heeello, my name is Democrat, and I’m made of steel from a broken-down bridge in Arizona (wink, wink. I’m actually from Seattle, Washington. Perhaps I underestimated my own sneakiness). Anyway, my main colors are dark orange and rusty bronzish brown. I am seen better from one side (the other shows my insides better) and a sharp jagged piece represents my heart. (Why did my maker, Deborah Butterfield, do that to me?) My mane is half filled in, half hollowed out, and my backside is mostly brown (for reasons I will not share here).

Now, about my personality. I know, I know, you all are probably pathetically moaning and groaning because I JUST shared what my personality is like, and you don’t want to go through it again, but here I go!

All my friends, like the swirly artwork over there, say that I’m loud and obnoxious.

“You are.”

“No, I’m not.”

Anyway, here are some of my deepest thoughts and feelings. I absolutely HATE being watched by ungrateful kids and loud adults. I also hate that I am stuck to the floor. I also hate that there are bolts stuck all over me. Lastly, I wish that my name was not Democrat. That’s too long. I wish my name was Halford the Great Donkey or something.

Mae Johnson

Annika Benton | Grade 6, Boise

Mae Johnson had two left feet. Her eyes, each a different color: one ocean blue, the other forest green. Both shined in the sun. It was hard to tell at first, but that’s all you could see if you get closer. She always wore a knitted itchy sweater, a different color every day.

Mae Johnson was 24 and 5’5” with long flexible legs. She reeked of cheese and always smiled a crooked toothy smile that twinkled in the light of the moon.

Her hands were dry and rough, and her voice was clear as day. She loved the taste of butterscotch and dark chocolate. Underneath, Mae Johnson was lonely because everybody hated her.

Maybe it was because she looked funny or because she was a klutz, or perhaps because she was loud, because no one ever spoke to her. No matter how many times she said ‘hi’.

She often wondered if she was invisible, like a ghost. But she was 98% sure she was alive.

She was scared to show her face because of the whispers that followed her everywhere. But fear never stopped Mae. When people whispered, she kept her head high and smiled. At least she was being herself.

The Dark NeverEnding Pit Where There Was Light

Owen Ford | Grade 6, Boise

I was formed by this dark never-ending pit of sadness.

I was formed to find strengths in weaknesses.

I was formed by the darkness that met with light to make peace.

I was formed, strengthened by this dark soil turning into rich fields of crops.

I was formed in the darkest moment, where I found the light of utter realization that I can be happy again.

Oh, how the darkest pond filled with sad thoughts flows into a crystal-clear river gushing with happiness!

Climb to the Top

Olive Reeder | Grade 6, Boise

You climb for what feels like forever! You look down at the rocky red surface. You easily jump down. “Ugh!” You were only 3 feet off the ground. You look up.

To you, it’s a miracle that you even made it past 2 feet. You’re so happy you start climbing, again. Sky’s the limit. You climb, trying to keep up the rhythm. Pat, pit, pat, pit. You try so hard to keep the rhythm you almost fall off. Now you’re 20 feet above.

You keep climbing and climbing until you can’t see the ground. “Sky’s the limit,” you keep thinking. You’re so excited you don’t know when to stop! You look down and see nothing. You keep climbing because after all, “Sky’s the limit.”

You have no idea how far off the ground you are. You look down. There’s no way you’ll ever get down. You’re on a big

mountain. This is going to take a long time to get to the ground. Once you’re at the top, you look down at everything.

You feel the wind rushing against your face. You smell fire. The strong smell lets you imagine a raging forest fire. You see a bird flying by. Then, you hear nothing, no wind. Something’s wrong. You look back and find a horrible thunderstorm rolling towards you.

You start climbing down as fast as possible. The storm isn’t far behind you. You feel a shiver of terror running down your back. Your legs feel like noodles. “Fight it,” you tell yourself with your eyebrows raised high. You sing softly to yourself. The song gets louder as the storm grows closer.

Now you’re only 20 feet from the ground. Now your tune has changed. Just keep climbing down, just keep climbing down until you get to the ground. Seven minutes later you safely reach the ground. “Honey, time for dinner!” “Please, Mom, 5 more minutes of the VR!”

Golden Rule

Alexandra Lewis | Grade 6, Boise

McGropper G. Winston was a lonely homeless man. He had no friends. Absolutely nobody. It was another gloomy day and Ritcord, a baby pitbull, was in need of a family or food. He began roaming the village when he came across McGropper. They played around for a while until McGropper realized that the puppy was starving. He gave the puppy leftovers from his dinner, and off to sleep they went, snuggling.

Later that week, King Marshall and his son, Gladitmor Marshall, were patrolling the village. They came across McGropper and Ritcord. McGropper got scared they were going to arrest him, but instead they thanked him for finding their dog and taking good care of him. They asked McGropper to come with them to a ball, and he said yes.

They all went to the ball happily, but then something terrible and outrageous happened. Ritcord was apparently abused and used for fighting because he was a pitbull. THIS WAS NONSENSE. McGropper knew he had to do something. So he grabbed Ritcord and off they went into the woods. Guards soon figured out what had happened and started searching the village for the pair. One of them found Ritcord and killed him.

McGropper spent the next couple of days crying, but one day he finally decided to search for some food. While

on the search, he heard barking. “No . . . It couldn’t be. You wouldn’t think?” Suddenly a pitbull jumped out of nowhere. ”RITCORD! YOU’RE SAFE WITH NO WOUNDS! But how??!” McGropper exclaimed. Together they spent the day doing everything together. A weird witch-like lady appeared when they were at the park. “Hello, kind sir. Puppy. I give you one million dollars. Use it wisely, or bad will come to you,” the witch said, handing over the money.

“Oh, wow! Why tha– . . .” McGropper started to say but couldn’t finish. The lady was gone in the blink of an eye. Ritcord and McGropper made the decision to go about handing out $500 each to homeless people. A few days later they received more and more money, and they handed out more and more money. They followed the rule of “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” They treated others with care and received love and care from others in return.

Time

Ellie Reed | Grade 4, Boise

Blair was an ordinary girl living in the year 3270. She was 10 at the time of her digital rotation and lived at the 16th floor of a white house. It was a newly built house and she adored it very much. She noticed her lights would flicker like in Stranger Things. Blair knew Stranger Things was a horror show made in the 2000s, but she thought it was so good. She was startled when her annoying rat friend Aurora rang the doorbell.

“Hey Blair! Wanna listen to The Beat-Boxers?”

She opened the door and said, “You know I hate them!”

Aurora replied “Hmmm, well now you don’t!”

Blair was caught off-guard when Aurora put a flower necklace from the old dollar store on her and played a song called “Ladadeladado”. It drove her crazy! “Look, it is 5:00 in the morning, so leave.”

“Ok,” Aurora said, annoyed. The next day Blair felt a massive shaking coming from the old attic. She walked up and saw a portal that had black demons coming out! She screamed and hid behind a grandfather clock. And soon the clock sucked up the demons, but by then she was traumatized, and lived the

rest of her life always waiting for a moment like that to occur again.

Sincerely, Your beloved author

Stories can still go on even though the author is done telling.

Prairie Dog Went Crazy

Eve Wald | Grade 4, Boise

Tortoise One said to Prairie Dog, “Hey, where do you live?”

“I live underground,” said Prairie Dog.

Tortoise Two said, “Okay, but are you large and ruff like me?”

“No,” said Prairie Dog, “I am cute and fluffy.”

Tortoise brought in Tiger. Tiger said, “Are you intimidating?”

“No,” said Prairie Dog.

“Are you creepy?”

“No,” said Prairie Dog.

“Okay,” said Anteater One, “what’s it like living in the zoo?”

“Now that’s more like it,” said Prairie Dog, “To be honest I hate it. When I want a moment of peace someone just pops in. Does anyone ever respect my privacy?! I am fed up with people staring at me 24/7. I think it’s unfair that all the other animals have glass or a fenced-off area. My habitat is like a playground. Giraffe is lucky, they made a replica giraffe for the slide. I can’t take it anymore, whaaah!!!”

“Let it all out,” said Anteater Two. “Okay,” said Prairie Dog. “Whaah, whaah!!!”

“I would stop if I were you, because the staff are coming and you went over your limit by one and a half hours,” said Wild Dog, “and they’re really mad— they’re coming for you— RUN!!! Prairie Dog, I will miss you terribly. Please visit.”

“NEVER!” said Prairie Dog, “But I will miss you.”

“NOOOO!” said Wild Dog. “Come back,” said the staff. “Never,” said Prairie Dog, “Goodbye. Victory!!!!!!!!”

Then Butterfly said, “Well if he can leave, we can leave. I don’t wanna be smushed. Goodbye, Prairie Dog. I am with you.”

“Ok,” said Prairie Dog, “Let’s go.”

THE END

Amonkus

Ria Prashant | Grade 4, Boise

CH.1: THE FIGHT

In an exotic monkey exhibit, four chaotic monkeys lived! The monkeys lived in an outdoor savanna that had a tiny river, a hammock, few tropical trees, sand, and some shade. An open window at the top of the exhibit led to an indoor wetland that, basically, had the same things. The names of the monkeys were B.B., French Fry, Onion, and Sprite Kid. B.B. and Sprite Kid were MonkPosters. The other two were Crew Monks.

B.B. was old and very grumpy because no one ever appreciated him. Sprite Kid loved Sprite and was a kid. Onion always said his name with two o’s, so they called him “Onionio.” French Fry liked french fries and had crazy hair. (He used french fries as a whip.) The Crew Monks did the tasks of monks. MonkPosters tried to bully Crew Monks. Nobody played by the rules.

One rainy day, the mean security guard named Meh kicked a light brown ball of fluff into the monkey house. As the ball entered the house, the monkeys realized that it was a monkey.

“Yo dude,” said French Fry, “we got company.”

“Bring him to me,” said B.B. in his grouchy, gloomy voice.

“He’s gonna rip you!” squeaked Sprite Kid.

“A new monkey?!” asked Onion. “Goody goody!”

The other monkeys fainted because Onion’s breath smelled like rotten onions.

“What’s his name?” French Fry wanted to know.

“L-Lemon head,” muttered the new monkey.

“How nice!” exclaimed Onion.

“Beware,” said Sprite Kid, “his breath stinks.”

“How rude,” snapped Onion. Then he went towards Lemon Head and asked, “Do you want an onion?”

“No. And try mouth refreshers. Your breath stinks.”

Onion looked confused, “But I do! I use onion refreshers. You can have some if you want, but they taste like onions so I…well, we think, I mean, I…ooofff!”

French Fry had wacked Onion with a french fry. Lemon Head stared in horror at French Fry.

“What did you do?”

“I only knocked him out,” replied French Fry, “And he deserved it. Anyway, come with me–I’ll show you around.”

After the tour, the five monkeys ate dinner. The next day, French Fry made fun of Onion, said his breath stank, and that he was the worst Crew Monk. Onion got so mad he threw an onion at French Fry. He flew 304 mph and crashed through 96 million buildings. He flew as fast as a speeding car, while B.B. fought Sprite Kid to death.

Monkey Game (Like Squid Game)

Aariv Prashant | Grade 4, Boise

CH.1: THE KIDNAP

There stood Lemonhead, a monkey, alone, abandoned, and dirty. Life on the sidewalks was depressing for a monkey. Lemonhead had lost everything: his large world of trees, his comics, and his large imagining brain. There was only one thing that made Lemonhead happy— he lost his evil, creepy brother.

It all started when Lemonhead was enjoying bananas, sitting on a flimsy sagging branch. His evil brother had an enormously large bottom. He had an evil grin spread wide across his face. He tipped down the branch and sprung at Lemonhead from nowhere.

As soon as this horrible memory passed through Lemonhead’s brain, Crack! Plunk! …Woosh! A sewer trap

“You are the worst MonkPoster — you drink Sprite, and steal all my fame, and make me look like a fool. So, you — will pay!”

door from behind him went flying over his head and landed with a near splitting crack of rusty metal bursting in half. Lemonhead slowly peered into the smelly sewers. Large bulging eyes appeared out of the darkness and stared back at him, then a large grin appeared.

“Are you Pennywise?” Lemonhead asked the dude in the sewers.

“No- I mean yes, I am Pennywise,” the sewer dude lied. “Anyways,” he continued, “did you know the saying that when life gives you lemons…?”

“A yeah, you make lemonade,” Lemonhead replied. “Shush,” the sewer dude said, “When life gives you lemons you squeeze ‘em in people’s eyes!”

Suddenly a long pale hand reached out of the sewers. Lemonhead could see a bright yellow lemon. The dude squeezed the lemon and a beam of lemon juice hit Lemonhead in the eye. Lemonhead felt like someone had lit his eye on fire. Everything went black. Lemonhead slowly collapsed into the sewer.

An Evil Monkey’s Plot (Excerpt from Amonkus)

Neil Prashant | Grade 4, Boise

B.B. the unappreciated baboon was sprawled on the hard rocky floor. His eyelids were stretched open, and his eyes were bulged out. The name B.B. stands for biggest bottom. The term is an unspeakable name in the monkey history. An unspeakable name is the name of a monkey or ape never to be spoken of. Monkey government told every monkey to never respect B.B.

B.B. had a sad origin story and after that people made fun of him. The whole exhibit of monkeys changed his name to B.B. Then his name can’t be changed, but B.B. knew that everything else would be one hour later. Soon, B.B. would be respected and the zoo would be his. A toothy grin had stretched upon B.B.’s face with all his evil thoughts and plans.

B.B. trotted to the public food bench for monkeys. He took his sloppy hands and grabbed a lemon, not to eat but for bait. He went to the front. Lemonhead was at another monkey’s base. He placed the lemon down on the floor. He took his dirty fingernail and carved down next to it, “when life gives you lemons,” then he scrambled and hid behind a tree.

Soon, Lemonhead came out from his base. The corner of his eye caught something yellow and flashy. Then he said, “Ooh a lemon.” He walked up to the lemon and then he read “when life gives you lemons—”.

“You squeeze ‘em in people’s eyes!” B.B. continued and he stepped on the lemon. Yellow juice went flying out into Lemonhead’s eyes.

“Ahh, it burns! It stings!!” Lemonhead shrieked and fell on the floor. B.B. dragged Lemonhead across the floor, then kidnapped him and all the other monkeys.

Red Panda and Monkeys

Amelia Julian | Grade 4, Boise

From the Red Panda’s view she seemed tired, and she did not like loud noises and just wanted a good night’s sleep. But then there was an explosion. Sprite Kid was spraying Sprite because he was mad. Onion kept on throwing onions at the backside of Sprite Kid’s head and knocked Sprite Kid over. French Fry chopped up a stinky onion and passed out. And Lemon Head made a lemon grenade and some lemonade.

Small Space

Aden Fletcher | Grade 4, Boise

COCKROACH 1:

My name is Ted, and I am a crunchy hissing cockroach covered in bad tattoos.

COCKROACH 3: No one needs to know that! What they do need to know is that I am an adorable and sassy cockroach in a small space, and a branch with horrible lighting in a zoo that smells of turkey and feels like glass, stuck with you and Bob the cheese lover and the other 8,000 cockroaches!

COCKROACH 218:

Just chill. I will complain to the horrible guy named Jeff that you need a shower.

COCKROACH 3: I do not need a shower you idiot! All I need is a—

COCKROACH 563: Be quiet. I am trying to eat in peace.

COCKROACH 22: Yeah. It’s ok that everyone knows you need a shower. So you do not need to yell.

COCKROACH 218: Yah.

COCKROACH 3:

I do not need a shower! I want to tell you that I want to move in with the Scary Python next door.

COCKROACH 53: Why?

COCKROACH 3: Because this stupid old cage is too small, and I need my privacy to shower. But I have all you guys looking at me!

COCKROACH 218: Told you that you needed a shower!

COCKROACH 3: I do not need a shower! I am so leaving.

[The next day with COCKROACH 3 in the SCARY PYTHON cage]

SCARY PYTHON: Hello.

COCKROACH 3: Hi. Wow, you’re big.

SCARY PYTHON: I know, and you look delicious.

COCKROACH 3: Ok.

SCARY PYTHON: One last thing before I eat you. Take a shower.

COCKROACH 3:

No way! I do not need a shower! And I am leaving.

[Back in the cockroach cage]

Cockroach 108: Told you he would not be gone for long.

Cockroach 1: He should have just let me finish my introduction.

Cockroach 22: Hey dude. Take a shower. ALL: Yeah! Please!

COCKROACH 3: Only if it means that you will leave me alone!

ALL: Ok fine! SO

COCKROACH 3: I wish I had stayed in the python cage.

COCKROACH 11: Then you would be dead and lonely.

COCKROACH 3: That’s the point. Plus, I am done with my shower so I will go back to a good life of being looked at.

[The next day]

3-YEAR-OLD KID: Hey mommy, that cockroach is— COCKROACH 3: Guys, I bet you he will say “clean”.

3-YEAR-OLD KID: …hairy and dirty. ALL: Agreed.

3-YEAR-OLD KID: He needs a haircut. ALL: Agreed! Life was horrible. THE END

The Prairie Dog Day, Parts I & II

Charlie Mitchell | Grade 3, Boise

PART ONE

PD1: Hi, Dug.

PD2: Hi, Joe.

PD3: What are you doing?

PD2: Nothing.

PD3: I saw you guys talking.

PD1: (Quickly) We were planning a party.

PD3: (Interrupting) Great, I’ll invite my elephant friend, my squirrel friend, my dog friend, and my bug friend, and my prairie dog’s friend.

PD2: (Whispering) No other animals. We were going to say a prairie dog party.

PD3: (Sadly) Ahhhh.

PD1: I’ll get goodie bags.

PD2: I’ll rent a place.

PD3: I’ll hand out invitations.

PD2, PD1: No!

PD3: Then who will?

PD1: I will.

PD3: Okay.

PD2: I’ll set up the stuff.

PD3: Then what will I do?

PD1: You can get goodie bags.

PD3: Thank you so much.

PD1: No big deal.

PD2: Joe’s right, CeCe.

PD3: Fine. PD2: Great.

PD3: Let’s get going.

PD1: Hmm, hmm what frame should I put on them?

Ohhh! Yes, I will do the purple one. I’ll go check on Dug. Dugggggg!

PD2: Yes, Joe?

PART TWO

PD1: What table, chairs, blanket, juices, and beds are you getting?

PD2: I’m getting the black table, white chairs, silk blanket, lemonade, a waterpark, and silk beds.

PD1: Cool.

PD2: Let’s check on CeCe, Joe.

PD1: Ya!

PD3: What are you boys doing here?

PD1, PD2: Checking on you.

PD3: I can’t decide between candy and games?

PD1: Candy.

PD2: Games! Games last longer.

PD1: You’re right.

PD3: Games it is.

PD1: It’s hard to believe that it started with me thinking of having a party and now we’re having a party. Right?!?!?!?!

PD3: Right.

PD2: Right.

PD3: Let’s party!

PD1, PD2, PD3: Yay, yay, wow, nice, cool, great!

Other PDs: Great job!

THE END

Fire Ginger! (FG for Short)

River Adamson | Grade 3, Boise

Fire Ginger is half mutated demon, half peaceful person. He has one pet named Bob. Bob is also split down the middle. FG lives on a cliff in Maine with Bob and his biggest problem is hunters, but the demon just eats them, and the peaceful person buries them. Oh, and FG can split in half.

Untitled

Franklin Hunt | Grade 6, Boise

PROLOGUE

The thief’s feet scrambled for holds on the slippery tiled roof as he searched for the edge in the darkness. There, he thought, grabbing hold and swinging himself onto the ground. He winced at the thump he made as his feet slammed the earth and froze.

After a few seconds of silent waiting, he began to move again, working his way around the house until he found the door. The thief took a deep breath, listening to the crickets chirping, the wind blowing across the city, the ever-constant shuffling of feet in the Looking House above him. He grabbed the handle. Click!

Whew, the thief thought; the door was unlocked. His comrade had done her job. He crept into the house, making as little noise as possible, and tried to follow the snoring that echoed through the house. The thief pushed open the last door in the hall and entered.

The thief was shocked. The sheer force and volume of the snore was much higher than he ever could’ve guessed. He would barely have to sneak at all with that racket. Slipping around the bed, the thief pinched a watch from the nightstand and put it in his pocket. He paused. Well, I guess

one more wouldn’t hurt.

The thief looked around the room pondering what he should take next, then something caught his eye, the glimmer of metal like a shooting star. Wait, what was that? No, it couldn’t be — An amulet shimmered from a hook on the dresser. An amulet with a silver eye. This the house of a Watcher.

The thief stumbled back, his hand searching for the window. He had to get out of there, now. The thief twisted the lock mechanism and pulled it open, jumping over the sill and dropping down the other side, bracing his legs for impact. Then, just as the thief landed outside the window, the town was flooded with brilliant light, temporarily blinding the thief and probably anyone else awake at 5:25 that morning.

Stumbling like a wounded deer, the thief frantically tried to run, but he was in such a state he could only make it a few feet before collapsing. And there, prostrate on the ground, he heard it, the most feared sound in the Veltrion — the dreaded barking of the Cobalt Hounds.

What am I?

Hally Zuroff | Grade 4, Boise

I’m known as the leader of the pack. I am very strong and fierce. I am fast. I have very sharp teeth. I am also known as “The King.” I sleep 20 hours out of 24 hours of the day. I have a lot of family. Some are in your house, some in the wild. My hair is orange and brown. I do not purr, I roar. What am I?

Stories of Olimneuba

Ghennisys Boulton | Grade 7, Boise

Directly after the boat lands, a group of elves climb out and begin shooting crossbows of fire at Cedar’s face. Cedar just holds her hand to her face to stop the arrows from tapping her nose. The arrows are as small as pennies compared to Cedar but still hurt as they impact with her fingers and palm.

Cedar removes her hand from her face to reveal the group of elves spread out, surrounding her in a circle, each holding a thick rope. Cedar squats down and swishes her leg to try and swat away the elves closest to her. She

ends up succeeding, but only four out of ten elves in the inner circle, and the four she did manage to hit are quickly replaced by the next set of elves. The way these elven raiders set themselves up around Cedar is a spiral formation, with ten being inside, then eleven, then twelve, and so on. This makes it so if Cedar chooses to knock out an elf in one of the circles, the elf behind them can take their place. After some frustration, Cedar realizes that in her missed attempts to kick her attackers, each elf in the inner-most circled had loaded their crossbow with an arrow which had their rope attached to it.

The inside circle then all simultaneously fires their ropearrows at Cedar and her various body parts. First the ropes wrap around her legs, then her waist, then wrists and arms, and finally, her head. The elves all pull on the ropes to tighten them, then all walk sideways until the ropes spiral all the way up Cedar’s thighs. The elves then thrust the ropes, forcing Cedar to her knees. They thrust again, and now Cedar has her face in the sand. Cedar looks to the side and glares at the elves.

A single elf who wears a dark brown leather tunic with a purple crystal brooch attached walks toward Cedar. With his short legs, he only stands as tall as Cedar’s nose. The elf takes a pouch out of his pocket, a blue powder out of the pouch, and blows it in Cedar’s face, causing her to fall asleep.

Amapola Power

Harper Pantera | Grade 5, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Poppy was in her soft, cozy, warm cloud bed trying to fall asleep. She read “Night” and snuggled her corgi, Jet. Red, her nine-tail, was sleeping. Poppy touched her geo stone locket. It felt cold. But suddenly, she felt warm inside. Ping! Her phone buzzed. She picked it up. The not-fiction read: Secret Superhero Society, SSS, is looking for a new recruit. We want YOU.”

Ping! The new message said: Meet at midnight. She set down her phone and got changed into her clothes, and headed out into the dark, cold night.

CHAPTER TWO

“Huh. No one else is here.” Poppy was confused. “We wanted you. And only you,” SSS Agent 5 explained. They must have known that Poppy had secretly trained all these years. “We want you to complete this obstacle course in less than one minute.”

Poppy thought the obstacle course could have been at least a mile long.

“Ready. ... steady ...GO!”

Poppy dodged, ran, and slid away from obstacles. Soon, she was left out of breath, panting, and sorer than ever.

“Congratulations, Poppy, you did it. You completed the course in 10.03 seconds. That’s the fastest time we’ve ever had.”

Whew, Poppy thought. At that moment, she realized there was a crowd.

CHAPTER THREE

SSS was so big, it took her nine hours to find her dorm!

SSS was as big as the Pacific Ocean! Her roommate was her BFF! Poppy felt so excited she could have burst.

“Summer! I had no idea you came to SSS, too!” Poppy said with joy.

“Are you kidding? I love the idea of being a superhero!” Summer said.

“My first class is gardening. Yours?” Poppy asked. “Mine is medic.”

“See you!” Poppy waved.

“Bye!” Summer waved.

Later, at the lush, green garden that smelled of roses,

Poppy saw her teacher, Ms. Natanya, hanging a sign that said Poppy’s name on a greenhouse.

“Poppy, this is your greenhouse. You will practice growing plants in here,” Ms. Natanya explained.

“Ok, Ms. Natanya,” she replied.

Poppy went into her greenhouse. It just made her feel good inside. She looked at the dirty, brown garden bed and raised her hand. Several leafy trees sprouted up, making a canopy. Suddenly, she realized that the greenhouse was bigger on the inside ... WAY bigger.

Suddenly a man stepped inside. He looked amazed.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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PROLOGUE

The gate swung open, and a strange animal walked in. It had come every morning at exactly ten o’clock. The animal had the body of a lion, the wings of a bee, the tail of a wolf, and the striped head of a tiger. As it entered the stone

Briella Nickell | Grade 5, Boise

maze, it gave a low growl. It’s coming.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER

Birdy pushed the old, rusty metal gate. It opened with a creak and she walked in. The sun flooded over her as she left the shadow of the gate. She clutched her purple and white amethyst crystal. It had always brought her good luck, so she always kept it with her. She had found it on Dragon Mountain, where dragon eggs hatch. She wondered if their cruel leader, King Smoke, had been born there. He had taken all magic from the villagers and snatched it up for himself. She had heard tales of when the kingdom had been bright and happy. She would give anything to live in that time.

As she began to walk, she saw weird paw prints, light on the stone. They were as big as lions’ paws but had the claws and pad size of a tiger. She knew this because she loved to study animals. She especially loved big cats. She decided to follow the prints. Maybe for the first time, she could see a lion or tiger! As she walked on, the paw prints seemed to loop back behind her. Strange... she thought as she followed them back. She reached the gate once again, and the paw prints still lead on. She followed them all the way back to the village and, to her horror, the front door of her house was wide open and screaming was coming from inside. She had arrived just in time to see a strange creature the

body of a lion, the wings of a bee, the tail of a wolf, and the striped head of a tiger. It grabbed her sister and carried her away at exactly ten o’clock.

The Other World

Liam Bentley | Grade 5, Boise

A dragon yelled at my friend and flames came out of its mouth, red as can be. My friend and I ran with the dragon egg. You might be wondering where this is going. So, two weeks ago when my friend and I were playing in my apartment, from the kitchen my mom said, “Glimmer! You and your friend go take the trash out!”

“I will in a bit, Mom!”

“No, now.”

“Fine,” I said. “C’mon, Lucy, let’s take the trash out.” We got the trash and went to the alley where the dumpster was. “OK, Lucy, let’s put the trash in the dumpster.”

“Wow!” said Lucy.

“What?” I asked. I looked behind the dumpster. There was a crack in time! I knew it was a crack in time because my mom said if I ever saw a crack in time, do not go in it. And what I was seeing was the same color my mom

said the crack in time would be. The crack in time was a galaxy color. Lucy put her hand in the crack in time and something pulled her in. “Lucy!” I screamed. I dove in after Lucy without thinking about what my mom had said. Then I blacked out.

Space Adventures

Kiki Noonan | Grade 4, Boise

Radiant Rose is a 12-year-old girl with a dream to go to the moon. Every night she dreams of her rocket ship that is pink and sparkly! Her clothes always have space on them.

Her mom always said follow your dream and that was what she did.

20 years later, she became the first woman to travel to Neptune! When the trip was done, she didn’t stop there. She went to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. After those adventures she got a dog named Astro. Astro was a golden retriever.

Radiant was older now, but still celebrated. All her birthdays were at the biggest ballrooms. Radiant was always an amazing storyteller. In fact, she wrote a book called Space Adventures. When her grandkids come over,

she always reads Space Adventures, and Astro loves story time too!

One of her grandkids, Luna, loves space too. Luna even sneaks away to go to the space museum that Radiant made. The museum has all sorts of fun stuff like classes, camps, and more fun! Follow your dreams!

Teagan’s Mission

John Maxson | Grade 6, Boise

There were five fire poles. Fire poles are pillars of fire that burn forever. The five poles were in the perfect place for flamegrass. Flamegrass burned the world, making new life wherever it went. So the world was covered in life. But when flamegrass makes life, sometimes it makes bad things. In this world, it made iceweed. Iceweed is the opposite of flamegrass. It destroys flamegrass. Soon, iceweed had destroyed all of the flamegrass. The last thing that remained were the fire poles. But the fire poles kept making new flamegrass. Iceweed was stronger than flamegrass, but the life made more fire poles, and soon there were twenty fire poles. After the iceweed was gone, fifteen fire poles disappeared, so then there were only five again.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER

Teagan walked by the testing house in one of the most important parts of Pyroland. Pyroland means fire land. “That’s where I become a teacher,” Teagan said to Magma, his lava lizard.

Teagan walked by Mage Manor, the house for all mages. He saw a mage out doing magic. The mage had brown hair

and he has a bright green wand which he used to make a leaf into a shield, and grass into a sword.

He turned to Teagan and made a fire amulet and gave it to him. Teagan wanted to say thanks, but the Mage had already disappeared. Teagan looked at the amulet, which was smooth and in the shape of a flame. There was a bottle inside. In the bottle there was a paper. The paper was rolled so Teagan could not read it.

Teagan said, “I want to be a mage instead of a teacher.”

“But you are not allowed to be a mage,” Magma replied.

“Your parents will never agree,” Magma continued, turning as red as the amulet.

That evening, Teagan said, “Mages are so cool!”

His parents said, “No, mages are bad.”

“The law says he must choose for himself,” Magma said. Early in the morning at the testing house, Teagan was standing in front of a big stone as bright as a sun.

A mage with a red wand was saying, “Put your hand on the stone. If it turns red, you pass. If the stone turns blue, you fail.”

Teagan touched the stone. It turned blue but then red. The mage said, “You pass, but one last thing.”

Teagan went down a long hall. At the end, there was a door. Inside was a big board with red, yellow, and orange squares. There was one empty square.

“Your

“What?” Teagan said, but the mage had disappeared.

A clock appeared on the board. Ten, nine—then the clock stopped, and the squares moved to become a flame. The board and the clock disappeared and the mage appeared.

The mage said, “You pass. Your parents know. You will live and train at Mage Manor.”

Suddenly, they were in a room with a lot of boxes. One box opened and an orange wand was inside. The wand shot into Teagan’s hand.

The mage with the red wand said, “To mage manor.” They were in a room with other mages with orange wands.

The red-wand mage said, “You will stay here with the orange mages until you get a red wand.”

A bang came from outside, and Varoom, the king’s son, stormed in, pointing at Teagan. “You cheated! The stone turned blue.”

“And then red,” Teagan said.

“You stole my spot as a mage!” Varoom shouted.

“What color did the stone turn for you?” Teagan asked.

job is to make an image out of this. You have ten seconds.”

The Water Park

Daisy Brewton | Grade 4, Boise

As I step into the water park, the air very humid, the water rushing down the slides, it’s really hot outside. As I step into the cool water, I get shivers down my spine. I go down the yellow and red slide. It’s a straight-down slide. I go down the purple slide. It’s a dark, twisty slide. Last but not least, the blue slide. It’s a twirly slide that lets in the light.

Ghost World

Harrison Werre | Grade 5, Boise

CH.1: PROBLEM ONE, TWO, AND THREE

Thirteen-year-old Neblina couldn’t sleep that night. She needed to get up and do something besides sitting in bed doing nothing. So, she decided to go outside and explore. But there is one problem, she thought.

When you go down the hallway there was the master bedroom with her mom. That was Problem One. Problem Two was her dad’s office around the corner. If her dad found her, he’d send her straight back to bed. She looked

around but it was so dark she couldn’t see anything. Then she remembered she could use her blanket to cover herself. She tried to navigate around the room. She tried a few times then she found her blanket. It was nice and soft. She put the blanket over herself. When she came to Problem Number One, she had to stop, drop, and crawl. Her heart was beating so fast, and her face was sweating. She could hear her mom in the master bedroom. Neblina froze when she saw her mom look up from her laptop for a second then look down. Neblina had to keep going, she knew it. Then she came to her dad’s office. It was abandoned like a ghost town. Neblina was so focused on the office, she forgot about sneaking out. “Boo!”

“Ah!”

“I caught you, Neblina.” Max. “What are you doing? I thought you were sound asleep,” said Neblina.

“I heard you crawling out of your room while I was sleeping,” answered Max.

“Oh come on. Look, Max, I need to sneak out. Can you keep a secret?”

“Only if you give half your Easter candy to me.” But before Neblina could respond, they heard a laptop close.

“Mom’s coming,” Max whispered loudly. “I’ll stall Mom for you, Neblina, but remember you owe me big time.”

“Fine,” Neblina said. “Now run.”

Neblina ran as fast as she could. She looked back and saw her mom taking Max into the master bedroom. Right before Max went out of sight, Neblina saw him mouth, you owe me.

Ikem and the Four Rings

Malachi Rooks | Grade 5, Boise

PROLOGUE

You most likely have not heard of the planet called Htrae (Hee-trey). But you probably have noticed that Htrae has the exact same letters as a planet you might know: Earth. Htrae is just like Earth except it is filled with mutants. Everybody has their own animal inside of them, well, on Htrae it shows. The mutants on Htrae have a myth about Dr. Millenia. It was said he smelled like tulips in a doctor’s office. He was as intellectual as thirteen Albert Einsteins.

CHAPTER ONE

Ikem is a thirteen-year-old fox mutant. His fur smelled like pine needles. His best friend, Godev (Ga-dev) is a dog mutant. They both dream about the day when they turn fourteen and get to go to the NTS— Ninja-Training-School. They both live on the plant Htrae.

ONE YEAR LATER

Ikem has just gotten into the NTS, and the class where he got the best grades was thief class. Right now he is a pupil. There are different stages that a ninja must go through. #1: Pupil #2 Beginner #3 Mid-Ninja #4 Warrior #5 Master.

Tea Leaf

Anderson | Grade 5, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Knock, knock, knock! came a rapping at Chamomile’s door. She walked to the window to see who it was. It was just Lemon and his gang knocking on her door then running away.

“For the love of tea, why can’t they just STOP that!” she

Claire

exclaimed while walking toward the cupboard to get the kettle for tea.

Chamomile had long, wavy, green hair and was a deerling. She wore a purple dress made of soft wool and no shoes because of her hooves. Because Chamomile was so caring and sensitive, she was also very naïve. She lived in Harkea along with the other deerlings, the Harkeans. Zork was the evil bad guy.

Soon, she decided to go pick more tea leaves. Then, she set off for the woods.

The cold woodland breeze nipped at Chamomile’s face as she walked through the woods. The woods smelled softly of lavender and pine. She saw the river and remembered her favorite tea grew along rivers. She was walking along the riverbank when she tripped and crashed into the river. “Help!” she screamed. “Help! Somebody, please!” But no one heard her. She was splashing wildly while struggling to keep herself above water when her head hit a boulder. Chamomile could feel the ice-cold water but could not see a thing— just blurry colors. Then her sight went blank.

CHAPTER TWO

Chamomile woke up cold and confused. Where was she? Who was she? Around her she saw the river, rolling hills, and a junkyard that gave off a foul stench.

“Hi!” someone said.

Chamomile looked behind her and saw a half-mouse. “Um… h-hi?” she said.

“Oh, don’t be shy. I’m Maë,” Maë said. “Let’s go to the rose garden.”

“W-wait, there’s a rose garden?” Chamomile stammered. So they walked and walked through the cold, spring breeze and when they got there, Chamomile looked around and saw miles of sweet-smelling roses.

“So, who are you?” said Maë.

“I can’t remember anything,” Chamomile simply replied. Maë walked towards a stone brick, picked it up, and pulled out a tea set. “Do you like tea?” she said. “Of course you do. How about herbal?”

“Sh-sure!” exclaimed the deer girl.

Chamomile sipped her tea and felt a cozy warmth fill her heart. Suddenly, she remembered everything. “I remember!” she said. “My name is Chamomile.”

“Well, Chamomile,” said Maë, “I think it’s time for a makeover. Braids or buns? Salmon or purple dress?” Maë held up two different colored dresses.

“Um ... braids ... and ... salmon,” Chamomile replied. Soon after, she was dressed in fresh clothes. Maë asked how she ended up here. After the story, Maë took Chamomile home.

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Ella Wright | Grade 5, Boise

“Do you want to play the new game I got on my Switch?” the old man said, sounding like a fairy tale witch. “No. May I ask? Why does an old man like you own a Switch?” Shanghai asked. “Don’t ask questions, sister, just start playing,” James said, being more unusual than normal.

Shanghai looked at the old man, then back at James. She didn’t know what to do. This situation was all too much for Shanghai’s fourteen-year-old brain. But before she could say a word, James had pushed her outside into the hot sun and shut the door behind him. Shanghai pounded on the door, fear thundering out through every pound, and she was begging James to let her in. Shanghai searched her pockets for the house keys but found nothing. By this point, Shanghai was practically hyperventilating. Her brother had left her out there with the creepy man, she didn’t know what he was going do to her, AND nobody was outside to help her. Michigan life.

“NOW do you want to play?” the old man asked her. Shanghai sighed. “If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well have fun before my death,” Shanghai said, disappointed about the fact that she wouldn’t live any longer.

The old man handed her the Switch and she started playing. As soon as the Switch turned on, the world around her disappeared. It was like she was in space! But no planets and no stars. Just the empty darkness. Shanghai wasn’t even sitting anymore. She was floating. The Switch that had been in her hands wasn’t there, either. She started to think that she had already been shot and was going to heaven.

I wish I could stay here forever, Shanghai thought, peacefully. But her thoughts couldn’t last very long. For she was drowning in water.

CH.2: REPUS

The water around her was freezing cold and her limbs were already going numb. Her coughing echoed through what sounded like cave walls.

“Help!” Shanghai screamed as her head went underwater again. “Help!” When she coughed one last time, her eyes had closed, and the world had gone black once again. “Hello?” Shanghai could hear faintly in the distance.

The Immortality Stones

Loey Brandel | Grade 6, Boise

I landed in front of a worn brick building. The bright blue paint had worn off many years ago. Now the building was like any other abandoned warehouse in London. A big gust of wind blew the door off its old rusty hinges, and it fell on the concrete with a clang.

The farther I walked into the building, the weirder my surroundings got. First, it was a normal warehouse. Then it turned into an old temple. When I took my first step up the stairs, a large marble pillar started to fall in front of me. In less than a second I had my hands out and blasted the pillar. This saved my life but made it a great deal harder to get up the stairs with all the rubble.

Once I made it to the top of the building, I felt like the world was lifted off my shoulders. My legs burned with strain and my palms were a patchwork of cuts and bruises. As I walked to the center of the building, I wrapped my hands with bandages and slid on my leather gloves.

When I got about halfway there, the room started to have a gold glow. The light was centered in a glass dome that was hovering over a diligently carved obsidian pedestal. I tried to grab the glass, but when I got within six inches of it, my hands would start to burn. I threw things at the glass, but

they incinerated when they got near.

Finally, I sent a blast from my hands. When it reached the case, it let out a wave of energy that flowed over me like lava. For a brief moment, I could hear everything in the Multiverse. When the energy cleared, I brushed the glass away to find a small keyhole. I slowly took my necklace off and slid the key into the hole. The keyhole folded itself, revealing a ring. I dropped the ring on my finger and almost immediately it extended until I had one small ring on each finger. The rings all had small gold bands running down the back of my hand and connecting at a bracelet. I swung my hand around to get a better look. When I did, a gold loop appeared.

A person stepped out of it. This was the Keeper of Time, the guard of the Multiverse. They rushed up and started to choke me, and they spoke in a voice that rasped with age, speaking a warning.

Sugar Poppy

Hana Armagost | Grade 4, Boise

Sugar Poppy is a 6-year-old girl who became famous for building a sweets shop. She only gave good sweets to people she liked, but she did not sell anything good to people she did not like. She has pink hair and white clothes. Sugar Poppy always stuffs herself with chocolate, caramel, toffee, Skittles, and Milky-Ways. Her hobby is playing! She has a pet cotton-candy bunny named Sweets who plays with her all day long. It was almost Halloween and Sugar Poppy planned to dress up as a candy princess. She dressed up Sweets as a chocolate bar. Sugar Poppy ate all her candy in one hour! The next day, her class went on a field trip. They went to her candy store! She was so happy and surprised. Six years later, she became the world’s first all-candy seller. Now she tries to make more candy that will amaze the world!

War

Ellie Reed | Grade 4, Boise

CH.3: RUNA

Soon the radio, TV, and lights were going haywire, and the radio played, “rrr . . . EEE! Poss . . . posseso est flitican vilgss . . .”

“Raven, get my gun,” said Aden. (Aden always had a gun in our house, just in case.) “Umm, Spring?”

“What, Aden?”

“The radio at my house said Lizdems could turn into ninefoot black figures.”

“Rrr, would been better if you’d told me it earlier!” I yelled.

The lights flickered faster . . . and faster . . . faster . . . and BOOM, they went out.

Aden loaded her gun, and I turned on the flashlight. She looked around. “Umm . . . guys . . . it’s here in the bedroom,” Aden said, jittery and nervous.

Spring turned around and saw the nine-foot-tall black figure.

CH.4: THE LOST MOMENT

Aden shot like there was no tomorrow, and then in about a second, a bomb attached to the demon exploded, and we ran out of there. Soon, we saw our neighbor, General Curnal, throw a bomb. What he told us was shocking.

“I saw your infinite powers, and you come to war, or you die,” he said, while holding an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) at my group. I agreed, and he did not kill me. “Good, since you agreed to the terms of use, you’re gonna come with me.”

I hesitantly passed a piece of paper to Aden, saying, “I’ll be fine.”

When I got to the base, I had to train for days. A diary is the only thing that calms me, so I made a diary called Diary of Days of Training.

Entry #1

I trained every hour of the day. So far, I’ve kept using my powers, which was the easiest part, but I had to use them on lots of guards, which was horrific! What if they had children, even a family!

Green Parakeet

Lena Brown | Grade 3, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

In the land of pugs, there is a pug. She lives in the forest. She looks like a dog, and she has wings and loves her bone. It makes her happy. She is very happy about her life. She lives in a shed with more dogs. She loves to play with her dogs. Her dogs also have wings. She loves eating dog food. Her name is Green Parakeet. Her friends don’t really have names. Green Parakeet’s worst fear is losing her bone. She HATES eating tomatoes.

The Flame of Hope

Jameson Costello | Grade 4, Garden City

CHAPTER ONE

Whiplash, who was actually a human-dragon hybrid, was five feet tall. He was the king’s son, was 10 years old, had a twin brother named Hidden Wave, had a pet snake, a pet niffler, and a pet scorpion. He could shoot fire, water, and poison out of his hands, but he didn’t know that he could

turn into a dragon, or could shoot fire, water, and poison out of his hands.

The Kidnap

Fiona Mengel | Grade 3, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Lily is a fox that lives in the forest. She has a stripe of white that runs through her tail, and green eyes. She lives in a cave that has a hole at the top for light. She is a friend of the hero named Fin, but this is the time of war.

Shadowfire

Hassoldt | Grade 4, Meridian

CHAPTER FOUR

I sat lonely in my glass-walled room. Then I heard alarms blare. Everyone was screaming, then a rush of blood splattered on my glass floor. I locked my door so that

Madison

whatever was coming wouldn’t get in. The next few minutes went in a blur.

I watched those I had known and talked to die. I saw a boy I’d never met drop into, what I can only assume to be, a pool of his own blood. Another unknown person, a girl this time, stood over him, crying. The world froze for a moment, before a bullet burst into the girl’s shoulder. She cried out in pain and ran towards me.

I nervously trembled in my bed of Gorian fur. She punched through the glass and grabbed me by my shoulders. I screamed, but no one heard me. She whisked me onto a headless Gorian, and we took off into the sky.

She turned to me with a pained smile before saying, “Sorry for the rude introduction, but this isn’t exactly a normal situation. My name’s Moonlit, but you can call me Moon.”

Then I felt myself getting hot, Moon making a horrified expression as I passed out.

Vipero

Spencer Maxson | Grade 4, Meridian

CHAPTER THREE

Admiral Akbar goes out of the Dark Forest, to Lava-lot Island, when he sees a Death Bird named Fred.

“Once you pass me, you can’t go back,” said Fred.

“Why?” asked Akbar.

“You have to fight Vipreo and Black Diamond, the exterminator dragons,” said Fred.

“Can I fly to Death Desert then?” asked Akbar.

“Yes,” said Fred.

“Are you coming with me?” asked Akbar.

“Of course,” said Fred.

“Come on,” said Akbar.

“Okay.”

After landing in Death Desert, they go to a cave and see Vipreo. They try to run but …

CHAPTER FOUR

Vipreo slithers out of the cave and bites Fred.

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” said Akbar. Fred dies. Oh well, too bad for him. Okay, let’s get back to the fight.

Vipreo tries to bite Akbar, but misses. Akbar freezes Vipreo and then melts him.

The Last Beatles Concert

Aden Fletcher | Grade 4, Boise

CHAPTER THREE

After a few songs, like “Yesterday,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Sgt. Pepper,” and “She Loves You,” something interesting happened. A screaming girl fan screamed, “I love John!!!!!”

Gol (AKA cockroach #3) replied, “Me too!!!!!”

Then the girl hugged Gol, and said, “Let’s be friends and sisters in love with John. Even though you are a cockroach, I will stay quiet and not give you away, because if they found out that you are here, they will kill you. Also, my name is Loko Ono.”

“I am Gol.”

After a few more songs, like “Love Me Do,” “Let It

Be,” “Imagine,” “Yellow Submarine,” and “Hey Jude,” something else happened. It started with a screech, like “Heeeeachhhhedeeeeeeeeeee!” The music stopped. Then a flash of green appeared on the stage, and when the green was gone, blood was in the spot John was, and John was gone.

Three minutes later, someone found the body, but all that was left was the head. Loko and Gol cried and cried and cried and cried and cried and cried. Same with all the other screaming fans.

Eight minutes later, Gol finally realized what was attacking: Monini (AKA cannibal celebrity-eating zucchini.) Girls were now not screaming for The Beatles, but for their lives. Then Ringo was taken and killed and all that was left were Paul and George. So far, 20 girl fans had died, and the rest decided to go to cockroach territory where war was declared. Monini would kill, and no Beatle would live.

The Burning Flame

Henly Kim | Grade 4, Garden City

CHAPTER THREE

“What? How do you …” I said.

“I can read minds, but that doesn’t matter. By the way, my name is Silver Secret. I need your help, Flaming Sun. I need you to help the world,” Silver Secret said.

“What’s in it for me?” I said.

“You are the only one who has the potential and skill to defeat the dark beast.”

“Dark beast?” I said.

“The wendigo. It’s a dark mythical creature that possesses people and turns them into cannibals.”

“I am a little nervous, but I need to do this or else the world is dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomed.”

“Shut up, please.”

“Okay, fine… Actually, dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooomed.”

“SHUT UP!”

“HOLD ON, I JUST NEED TO FINISH. Dooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooomed.”

“Okay, that’s enough.”

“Fine! Shhhhh, I have to do this, or the world is …”

“SSSSHHHHUUUUTTTT UUUUPPPP!!!!”

“Okay! Okay. Let’s gooooo …”

“I said, SHUT UP!!!”

“But this one is different.”

“NO!!!”

“Okay.”

So, we went into Alendigon Forest and couldn’t turn back, and something strange happened to Silver Secret. It was like he was being tortured. I was scared. I didn’t know what to do. I was paralyzed with fear, but then I realized, he was being possessed by the wendigo. He didn’t look like himself! He didn’t talk.

I was scared. I ran, and he chased me.

Conversations With Roasting Animals

Gus Panitch | Grade 4, Boise

Hey Giraffe, I bet if you’re the seeker in Hide ‘n Seek, you always lose because you have so many spots to choose from!

Hey Penguin! Did your beak used to cost a lot? Those colors are expensive.

Sandcats, your turn! Can sandcats only live in sand?

Crane, you might be an animal, but you sound like a machine. You’re so noisy!

Zebra, did you go extinct in the 1930’s? Because that’s when everything stopped being black and white.

Hey Lion, does every male live in Maine? I have another question for you. Do you lie a lot, because you’re a lie-on?

“Yeah,” the lion said sarcastically.

Crocodile, do crocodiles wear Crocs all the time?

The Coming of Battle

Jack Lehner | Grade 5, Eagle

The night was ablaze with hundreds and hundreds of torches. Although the army was small, about five hundred men in all, their scarab mounts made them look like warlords. In the middle of this mass of soldiers, the siege tower Run-de-guon rose. It was pulled by two giant scarabs. They were the biggest Farkyin could get. Orthril wondered if the army would be attacked now or if the white shields would pull back to Girigath Onyagl. Their ships should be arriving soon, so they had to take back the keep until then. From the scout that had seen them and ran away, the enemy knew that they were coming.

How I Ate a Quetzal

Kirin Miller | Grade 5, Boise

How do I get that quetzal? First, I shoot it. It does 000000.1 damage. Then I fall on a rock and scream in pain, with my mouth wide open. I eat the quetzal, whole.

The next day…I poop. I look at my poop. There is quetzal in my poop. What the heck? It’s flying! It’s covered in poop but it’s alive! Oh, and the poop is as big as the earth.

Archibald

Koji Thompson | Grade 5, Boise

“Tis I, Archibald Fen of the sky islands, Slayer of Men!” I said, stick in hand, looking at the mirror.

I was born with gold speckled silver wings that, when I wrap myself in them, look like gold gilded armor. I do this because I want to become like one of the Valkyries, the flying warriors.

My friend Glen Stubock also wants to be a Valkyrie. He was born with violet wings that look like there’s a face on them. Sometimes he spooks people by wrapping himself

up in his wings and looking like a giant beast. We train every day with the hope of becoming Valkyries.

[OUTCOME ONE]

10 years later, they ended up homeless and never became Valkyries.

[OUTCOME TWO]

10 years later, their dreams come true.

Bella: A Scene

Grace Guymon | Grade 5, Eagle

“Now class, we are going to do pliés.”

Bella hated pliés. They were hard for her to do with her fake leg.

“And 1…2, 3, and 1, 2, 3.”

“Ah!” Bella said when she fell.

“Get up!” Mrs. Lé yelled.

“Sorry,” Bella said softly.

The other girls giggled. Bella sighed.

“Now let’s do some splits. 3, 2, 1, and down,” Mrs. Lé said.

“Leg straight, Bella!” Mrs. Lé yelled.

“My leg can’t do that!” Bella said.

“My leg can’t do that!” Mrs. Lé said in a baby voice.

“Oh snap,” said Lily, the mean girl.

“You are dismissed, Bella!” Mrs. Lé snapped.

Bella went to the bathroom and cried.

“How am I going to do this?” Bella said through sobs.

At home, Juney dumped his toys in Bella’s room.

“Juney!” Bella whined.

“It wasn’t me,” Juney said. “It was Layley.”

“Yeah right,” Bella said.

Juney started to cry and ran off. Bella laid on her bed looking at the faded glow stars on the ceiling. All of a sudden, a bird with a message poked the window.

“What in the world?” Bella said, confused. Bella opened the window. The bird hopped in, dropped the note, and flew off.

“Huh,” Bella said. She opened the letter. It was a scholarship to the Paris Opera Ballet School! Starting next week!

ZAM: POW!

Rowen Mitchell | Grade 5, Boise

20 years ago, in the year 361 (12,687 in Earth years), six Elyran astronauts from the far-off planet Querma traveled to Earth for the Earth Journey Program –or, as the people of Querma call it, Mission Auree– but never returned. It was theorized that the six Elyran astronauts ran out of fuel and died on the planet, so the United Council of the Elryan Species (U.C.E.S.) aborted the earth journey program. But the planet needed materials from Earth to build a renewable energy source. But after the incident on Earth, the U.C.E.S. knew that Querma was doomed and would not accept the fate of the planet.

This is the story of Zam.

Yummy Fire

Simon Kraay | Grade 6, San Francisco

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Jimmy. One time, he saw a magician eat fire, and thought he, too, could do that. He thought fire would taste like fire. But fire was very limited there, so, he traveled very far to find a forest. Then, lightning hit a tree and the whole forest caught on fire. He ate that fire and exploded into one million embers. The moral of the story is magicians lie.

The Butterfly Knife

River Schafer | Grade 5, Boise

One day, Crypto was going to the wind turbine to hack it and make it produce warmer air because it was producing cold air. As Crypto was hacking, the alarm went off and every guard started attacking him. Crypto decided to send out his drone and activated an EMP, which caused the whole wind turbine to shake and fall down and crumble into pieces.

As the turbine fell, Octane— who was 23, and wore black, red, and gold clothes with a shirt with its corners ripped

off for fashion reasons, along with golden goggles— was running, and almost got hit by the turbine. Once Octane’s senses kicked in, he sprinted out of its way.

When Octane figured out that it was Crypto who it was responsible, he ran straight to Crypto and said, “Geez amigo, you caused a lot of trouble. Everyone will get mad!”

As Octane ran away, he came across a prowler den. (A prowler is an animal that looks like a tiger but has no fur, has red and blue stripes, and very sharp teeth.) Octane tried to be as quiet as possible so the prowlers wouldn’t notice him. But Octane’s plan failed and all the prowlers noticed him. He had no choice but to fight because they had surrounded him.

As Octane fought them off, the leader of the pack got behind him.

Forty-Nine to One

Bullard | Grade 5, Boise

CRACK! I step on a twig. My prey, the second of the seven great pigs, looks straight at me, then bolts. I bite back a curse and fire my bow at it. It misses by inches, flies past the pig, and embeds itself up to the shaft in a thick oak

Oliver

trunk and stays there, quivering in place. I chase the pig. As I run, I grab the arrow from the tree. On my way, I see the pig’s footprints in some mud.

FIVE HOURS LATER

I finally find the pig. It has set up a laser maze. Then I think, ‘How did it set up a laser maze? Smart pig...’ I find a gap in the maze and raise my bow. I fire; my shot is spot on. The pig explodes into a bunch of sticky webs.

I pump my fist, “Yes!”

I travel for a while and find a swampy grove of bushy oak trees. According to my map, it is the home of not one, but two monsters! The first and the last great snakes. Oh, have I introduced myself? I’m Zeropsyche. I’m here because Jarubatu released the 49. They are monsters. 49 monsters— nine in the nine category, eight in the eight category, and so on and so forth. I have defeated the nines, eights, sevens, sixes, fives, and I’m about to get the twos. The one is a falcon guarded by threes so I’m going to kill them last. I have to hunt them because I’m the best hunter there is, and the world will end if I don’t kill them all.

Back to hunting. I silently move through the woods. I hear slithering, and blindly shoot a patch of shadows. A burst of web tells me that I had killed one of the snakes, but the other one is still out there. I travel even deeper into the forest and detect a trap. I disarm it and continue.

From: The Journey of Todbit

Violet Reinhardt | Grade 6, Boise

I’m Cranberry, a Todbit—a creature descended from Yoda, Hobbits, and Ewoks—and we live on the planet of Olympus. I am 12. Today I leave to have an adventure and explore this world.

“Blah, Blah, Blah,” Elder Ziti said. Actually, he was giving a boring speech. It was really boring.

“Begin packing, you must,” he said. “Go now.”

I went up to my hut and grabbed my pack. I threw in extra cloaks, a water pack, and an abundance of food, including moon-milk fruit, for healing.

I walked out my front door and fell all the way down. SPLAT!

“Oof. Ouch,” I said, as I struggled to get up from the sticky brown mud.

RIP! “Ugh.” That was my cloak. I looked down and saw my ripped blue and peach cloak bits stuck in the muck. I straightened whatever was left of my cloak and started my way out of the village. I had already decided on my route; I was going to be the first Todbit to explore the Lost City.

Outside of the village, I hopped in a hover-home and ZOOMED out into the forest. After a while, I made it out of the forest. I stopped when it started to get dark and looked through my pack for food, but I discovered a moosemouse had eaten all of my food!

I groaned loud enough that it looked up, saw me, and scampered off innocently.

I scavenged around and found purple flowers that looked like lavender. I ate a couple and went to bed.

“Oh no!” I said, but it was too late. “I ate a cotton-leaf flower!” Cotton-leaf flowers are pretty, poisonous flowers.

I went to sleep. Around midnight, I had stomachache and headache, and I was projectile vomiting all over. I grabbed a moonbeam and went outside. I searched for any moonmilk flowers (which heal anything) uneaten by the moosemouse and found a couple. I ate them and then I went inside and went back to sleep.

Bee Tigers

Ellis Troutman | Grade 5, Boise

CH.1: QUEEN HEXDASH

“Nooo!” I roar, “As Queen, I demand war! The humans have been in control for far too long, I think. Destroy the powerful, arrogant ones. Let the lesser ones live. Us bee tigers will attack them once, and they’ll follow, and go for the main hive. And most will get stuck in the sap river. The rest we’ll imprison.”

CH.2: YELLOWCLAW

As I wake up, I remember, today is the day me and Strongsap will attack the kingdoms.

“Yellowclaw, it’s time!” Strongsap says.

I grab a honeybomb and fly out of the dark room. As I fly, five other bee tigers join me.

“Ready, commanders?” he asks me and Strongsap. “Yes!” we say as we fly off to attack the kingdoms.

CH.3: ORANGEWING

It’s the second round of attack.

Yellowclaw orders, “Orangewing, drop a couple of honeybombs and then fly to the main hive.”

I do, then humans follow us shooting fireballs, throwing birds, and splashing water at us, but they all get stuck in the sap river. We save them but rule over them. We are not mean. We share honey and hunt food, but kill human traitors.

The Thing: Chapter One

Aidan Hicks | Grade 5, Boise

I woke up in a shell. I was trapped and I had to get out. I hit, I kicked, I bit, I used all my strength… then I heard a loud sharp crack, and I broke free (of what I later found out was an egg) and met my parents.

En was my dad and Ne was my mom. My dad looked mostly like me— super hairy, super sharp teeth, big bloodshot eyes…BUT WAS MASSIVE!!! I could barely see the head of my dad. I was bigger than a rainforest tree and he was 1,000,000 times my size. My mom was a water one, from a different tribe. She was the last of her tribe, so she had scales and a tail.

I turned my head around and saw my own tail. So far, my

dad and my mom have said nothing said to me. I let them see my tail and they had a shocked look on their faces.

I asked, “What is it?” They were speechless, so I asked again. “What is it?”

They whispered something.

Then my dad said in a low, deep, loud voice, “He was a myth.”

My mom then said, “Until now.” I could tell they were being harsh.

The Almost Snowy Day

Eve Wald | Grade 4, Boise

One day I was walking my Purennesse dog, Tova, but I dropped the leash and when I bent down to pick it up, I couldn’t see my footprints. I grabbed the leash and I ran home with my dog. I hung up the leash and went to bed. When I woke up, I packed five pairs of shoes, socks, my book, a magnifying glass, and my lunch. I had a banana and left.

I was an hour early to school, so I went on the field. I tried

all of my shoes and socks, and nothing worked. I was really creeped out.

By third recess, it was warm and sunny—

Oh, by the way, my name is Alex. And my bff is Enchanted Frog. My dream is running a dog sanctuary. My greatest fear is glass. If I see glass, I run everywhere. Now back to my story.

Even though it was hot and sunny, all the snow was still there. After school, I called in my friend, Frog. After a while we found a trail of white, shining glitter. We followed it.

When we got there, there was a lion. I asked it to let us pass. He said no.

Then Alex said, “We can go around you.”

“No, you can’t,” he said.

The walls around him shrunk. “Now try,” he said.

That’s when Alex realized that she didn’t eat her lunch yet. She took out her lunch and threw her sandwich. Then the lion chased after it.

They jumped into an empty hot air balloon. It was soon filled with cotton balls. A person hopped in and took off. (And threw the cotton balls out.) They threw her out of the balloon.

But Alex was too smart for that. So, she took the balloon off and made a parachute. She told the news about the snowy mishap, then became famous with Froggy—

Oh, and by the way, this is Alex again. This all happened on a normal Thursday. Hehe, haha.

THE END

A Warp in Tech

Eugene Luo | Grade 3, Boise

“Yoshi! Time for breakfast!” hollered his mom.

“Coming!” said Yoshi. He shut off the computer and hurried downstairs.

“Were you playing on YouTube again?”

“Yeah, but there’s-”

“There’s always something to do, Yoshi!” interrupted his mom. “You know better than this, Yoshi!” She scowled.

Okie dokie. I made her reeeeeeal mad, thought Yoshi. He sat down on the chair and quickly ate his breakfast.

After he ate breakfast, he ran outside to get some fresh air and test out his new bicycle. He got on the bicycle and started pedaling as fast as he could. Big mistake. The bicycle shot off! It went so fast, it rammed right into the mailbox!

He jumped right off and landed with his back hard on the pavement. He almost immediately jumped up and felt for his spine. The second his finger touched his spine he felt a surge of pain. He soon figured out that he had a big cut on his back, which didn’t hurt anymore, but was just plain annoying.

But the cut was NOTHING compared to the bicycle. OK the mailbox. (Good thing it was their mailbox, or the mean neighbor would be VERY mad!) He didn’t know what to do. (And he definitely wasn’t going to ask his mom for help.) So, he decided to just leave it like that, so he went back inside and turned on the computer and started watching Minecraft on YouTube, but he couldn’t believe it was talking to him DIRECTLY.

So, he snuck into the car. (His mom was having a nap.) He backed the car out of the garage and off the driveway. He put his foot on the accelerator but let go half a second later when he realized he had to set up the GPS. So, he set the GPS to the YouTube Headquarters. Then he stepped on the accelerator once again. This time, Yoshi’s mom’s car shot down the road and soon had three police cars on his tail!

He pressed on the accelerator as hard as he could. He looked at the mileage; it read 160 MPH. He knew he could lose the police cars, but could he beat what else was coming? Too late.

He looked up and saw two fighter jets and three helicopters! He finally got to the building and ran into

the HQ and dodged all the bombs. Three bombs hit the building. He got inside it and talked to the YouTube boss manager.

“YouTube is talking directly to me!” he told the manager.

“Ah, so you have seen. I was the one that talked to you on the video, Yoshi,” said the manager. “You want me to stop?” he asked.

“Yes. You scared me,” answered Yoshi.

A Rocket that Looks like “A”

Bridger Belts-Kauffman | Grade 4, Boise

Agg, help! I’m stuck to a rocket that looks like A. There are more things that look like A, and I’ll list the things that look like A.

#1. A is a crazy car that’s just about to crash.

#2. A is a woman in a dress.

#3. A is a guy with a pointy nose.

#4. A is some triangular TNT. And those are the things that look like A! (a.k.a. save me sometime!)

The Bad Dog

Aariv Prashant | Grade 4, Boise

On the sidewalks of Bobington, there stood Bob. He had a black jacket and black pants. Bob was holding a big torn piece of paper which read in bad handwriting, “I am bad.”

His babysitter had sent him out on the sidewalk because he wasn’t eating his disgusting broccoli. Suddenly, a wide and tall screen on the tall building flashed. It was an ad.

A bald man in the ad said, “If you want $100,000 you can take care of my dog named Beans, my chocolate-colored shiny-coated Labrador, Beans.”

Bob silently stared at the screen like it was a diamond in some dirt. A grin slowly spread across Bob’s face like a straight piece of string starting to curve.

“If you want to apply for the job, go to Mansion 7186.” Ding-dong

It was like the 10th time Bob had rung the doorbell of Mansion 7186. Bob was about to leave, but the door eventually opened, but there was no one behind it.

Bob stepped inside the ugly house. The door closed behind him. Beady eyes loomed out of the darkness, and then shiny sharp teeth.

Whoosh! The bead-like eyes and the needle-like teeth were gone.

“I have a feeling that this bean dog must be a very bad, bad dog,” Bob muttered to himself.

Bob slowly walked into the kitchen. The house was like a maze, and the furniture were like obstacles not letting Bob go. As Bob scooted the furniture out of his way, something caught his eye. It was a piece of paper. Bob kneeled down and picked the paper up.

It read, “chore list: 1. Clean dog litter, 2. Pick up doggy balls, 3.Feed dog food…” blah blah blah. The list went on forever. Bob didn’t even want to read it all.

Scoop. Mush. Creak! was the sound the pooper scooper made when Bob squeezed its handles together. Bob dropped the lump of stinky dog doo-doo in a wrinkly gray plastic bag. Bob’s ears could make out a faint but heavy breathing behind him. Bob turned around slowly.

“Grrrr…” A shiny-coated chocolate-colored dog was growling from behind Bob.

Suddenly the dog’s frown transformed into a wide-twisted grin. The dog rabidly darted at the frozen pale Bob like a bullet from a gun.

“Oh my God, you’re evil!” Bob screamed as he ran from the rabid-acting dog. Bob climbed over a rusty metal fence.

After getting on the other side of the fence, he hollered. “Haha! I guess you’re not that smart.”

The dog growled and climbed over the fence and leaped over Bob’s head and landed on the roof, then skidded

down knocking slate off the roof, and landed with a roll, but the dog didn’t even care to lick his wounds. He got back up immediately.

The chase was on.

Bob had somehow survived escaping through a ventilation system. Bob squinted to see what was ahead of him in the rusty, narrow, back-crushing vent tunnel. Bob crawled forward finding himself face to face with a chocolatecolored evil grinning dog.

Chapter One: The Raid

Liam Reinhardt | Grade 3, Boise

Once upon a time in Antarctica, something was disturbing the land. The animals so far had not been able to notice this. However, one baby fox had been hunting with its mother when he looked into the sea.

He saw a massive ship with 60-gun turrets all aimed at land. Suddenly, he saw a harpoon shoot from a turret and hit a chunk of land! Then a robot slid down the line. Soon more started zipping down the line. The people started coming down but that wasn’t the end. Soon the people

started shooting animals! Suddenly they all retreated.

Now is when you get some description on the baby fox. His name is Tar. He is 6 ½, and he lives with his mom. His father died at age 61. His dreams are to stop The Invasion. His friends are a polar bear, a narwhal, and a snowy owl. He loves chasing his mother. He is black and white. Now back to the story—

The Fox saw the people carrying the animals back to the ship. One thing he knew was that the ship was not leaving anytime soon. He ran to catch up to his mother, but his mother was lying on the ground with an arrow in her heart. The baby fox ran to help her get the arrow out. The fox got the arrow and yanked it out. Then he started licking the wounds.

Suddenly he heard his mother’s voice calling to him. He heard her saying to find a fox named Sensei (aka teacher). The baby fox could live with him.

Three Fox years later, he was living with him. But The Invasion was still happening. In the end, the fox had an idea why the people were invading — they wanted more land.

Hidden Kingdoms

Lily Lim | Grade 4, Boise

Once there was a hidden place on Earth that was called Hidden Kingdoms. No humans could see the entrance to the Magical World. In the Hidden Kingdoms there are elves, wizards, sorcerers, fairies, and witches. There was the Elf Empire, Wizard Territory, Sorcerer Village, Berry Kingdom, and Witch Kingdom.

In the Sorcerer Village lived a 10-year-old sorcerer named Alvin. Alvin was a very curious child and couldn’t wait to learn sorcery when he was 11. His dream was to explore Earth, but his parents told him that it was too dangerous for a little boy like him. His father was the king of the sorcerers, and his name was King Alan. His mom was a fairy and lived in the Fairy Kingdom. So, he was usually alone at home.

Alvin was very lonely when he had to stay alone in the huge mansion. One day, Alvin heard his father talking on the phone. “We have to do something about this problem. Humans might invade our land!” Alvin heard his father say, “But what will we do? We will have no way to close the border forever.”

Alvin was very curious and kept listening. “But we have to do something. A human is in the Hidden

Kingdom!” When Alvin heard that, he gasped.

I never heard of a human in the Hidden Kingdoms! he thought.

“…I heard that she is in the Elf Empire.”

This was good information for Alvin. He took his necklace that had a pendant which can transport you anywhere and whispered, “Elf Empire.”

Alvin was transported to the Elf Empire and started looking for the girl. It soon became too dark to search and Alvin found a cave to sleep in. At about midnight, Alvin heard a noise.

“Is anybody here?” A girl’s voice asked.

Alvin stood up cautiously and looked at the girl. She had strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes. “What are you doing here? Are you here to capture me?”

Alvin thought about what to say. “I am here to find you. I want you to take me to Earth. What’s your name, by the way?”

The mysterious girl was very surprised by Alvin’s words. “I guess I can. My name is Olivia. Let’s go!”

Alvin and Olivia traveled to the Fairy Kingdom and Olivia led him into the entrance of the Earth. Right before they tried to open the door, they heard a noise. “Stop right there, kids,” a mean voice said.

Alvin and Olivia turned around and saw over a dozen fairies. They had been followed.

“By order of Fairy Valinda, the fairy queen, I must have Olivia and any of her friends captured and executed.”

Olivia and Alvin both looked at each other. They had gotten so close and now their journey was going to be over.

“No,” a voice said from the crowd of fairies. “You can’t. I have permission from Fairy Valinda herself. She agreed to meet with these kids and talk to them.” The fairy who said that stepped out from the crowd and Alvin gasped.

“Mom?” he asked.

“Yes, Alvin. But we’ll talk later. We have to get to the Fairy Palace.”

When they walked into Fairy Valinda’s office, it was beautiful! There were berries and candy growing on the crystal walls.

“Hello,” Valinda said.

“Hi. I can explain. I was just trying to explore this place. I didn’t mean any harm!” Olivia said.

“I know you’re a fairy. You’re destined from birth to find Hidden Kingdoms.” Valinda replied.

“I can’t be a fairy! And even if I was how do you know?”

Olivia was so shocked she almost fainted.

The Shack

Ria Prashant | Grade 4, Boise

Emmy was a 12-year-old girl with green eyes and hazel hair. She walked dogs for one dollar a minute. Her favorite dog was a Golden Retriever named Tucker. One Sunday afternoon Emmy was walking Tucker when her hat blew into Creston Curve Street.

Emmy hated Creston Curve. There were terrible rumors about that place. Some say mad scientists live there hatching their evil plans. Some people even said zombies, waiting to be let out, live there. Suddenly, without warning Tucker ran after the Hat.

“Tucker!” Emmy called out. Emmy had no choice but to make do with the situation and follow Tucker.

Creston Curve was horrible. Stinky trash and rubbish were everywhere. The stench of rotten fruit was wisping through the air. Luckily nobody was out.

“Woof!”

“That must be Tucker!”

Emmy ran towards Tucker’s call. Emmy’s heart was in her throat. At last, when all hope seemed lost, she found Tucker.

“Oh boy I was so worried,” Emmy panted. Emmy looked up. “Oh no what did I get myself into?!”

Not far ahead— a broken, dusty, dirty shack. The shack had two broken windows on each side. And on the doorstep, there was a green puddle of gooey liquid.

“Should we go in?” Emmy asked cautiously. Tucker whined.

“I guess that means yes!” Emmy rang the doorbell while avoiding the green puddle.

“Who is it?” An old man in a dress came out of the shack. The dress was blue with white moons and stars. His face was wrinkled with long white hair. His dull blue eyes made him even more scary. “Who dares to ring my doorbell?”

“Sorry sir. You see I-”

“No excuses!” the old man snapped. “You will pay!” The scrawny old man took out a thick stick out of his sleeve. “Wooshka Bob!” he yelled.

A white beam of light left his wand and hit the ground. Suddenly the ground cracked like an earthquake. Emmy and Tucker flew backwards. Pale hands shot out of the ground.

“Rarrah!” they groaned. One lunged at Tucker, one lunged at Emmy. They were cornered.

The Fregles Food Factory

Neil Prashant | Grade 4, Boise

William Banks was a teen kid at the age of 18. He lived alone in his grandma’s house. William had brilliant brown hair, majestic amber eyes, and a long, pointy nose. Before this talk William was still sleeping but now, he’s wide awake. The lights have recently been on but now the bright light that had been pointing at William just flickered. Everything was the same except there was a strange shadowy man in a black cloak.

Suddenly, green gas filled the room which made William lay back in bed and drift back to sleep. Finally, after a long time William’s eyelids slowly stretched open. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds until he found out he had been kidnapped and brought to the Fregles Fresh Food Factory.

He got up to his feet. He looked at all the smooth marble tiles on the floor. William checked in one of the wooden cabinet drawers. He found a note with a shiny copper key attached to it.

The note told William everything that happened that night. The last thing the note said was use the key to go to the lab. William just figured out that he had been brought here to work here but he only had one question.

“What do we need a lab for?” William muttered to himself.

Suddenly, a loud siren sound entered William’s ears. Then William heard a news reporter’s voice. He said, “The bakery called Fregles is closing forever and all the workers are going to be arrested!”

William checked the main exit and entrance, but the shiny black police cars were heading that way. William spotted a small keyhole in the wall. Then William put the key inside, but he wondered, where was the door?

Suddenly one of the large marble tiles popped out and moved left. William was so shocked that he was petrified stiff and sturdy. He looked in the place where the tile had been. There was a ladder leading to a tunnel.

William climbed down the ladder looking at the tile closing in on him. William walked down the tunnel. All the doors it was connected to were locked. There was only one door that was unlocked. William trotted into the room. It was filled with many machines. There was a machine that had a big red button on it. The button said CREATE BEING. William wondered what that meant.

On the floor was a paper. It was the instructions to make a living being out of food. William was super surprised— it was one of his dreams come true! All he had to do was put food in the funnels and press the big shiny button.

William put gummy bears and chicken nuggets in the machine and then slammed the button several times. But it did not work.

Untitled

Anderson Padget | Grade 3, Boise

The last thing I wanted to be doing was walking in the local amusement park. I know what you’re thinking. Why are you scared walking in an amusement park? Because it was abandoned and scary!

Then a grown man shouted across the park, “It’s haunted!”

Something was coming towards me! Oh— it’s just a zombie. I vaulted over the zombie. Drawing my explosive sword, I killed it. They exploded, and I was met with air. He was My Bodyguard.

“Hi. Hello, George,” he said. “I see you’re free.”

Skyscraper

Amelia Julian | Grade 4, Boise

I feel like a skyscraper as tall as can be mainly because everyone looks up to me. I feel like a skyscraper because I can reach the highest shelf with a peach. I feel like a skyscraper because when I’m at the top sometimes I feel like I’m going to pop.

The English Rose, Rosie

Kate Vogel | Grade 5, Boise

Hi, I am an English rose. My name is Rosie the Rose.

I am two years old. My eyes are sunset pink.

My mom taught me English. I only know English.

I love to see the bees come to collect pollen.

I smell like the sweet candied apple from Thanksgiving dinner.

I feel people touch my petals.

I hear the rustling of my petals in the wind.

I taste the nutrition of the dirt.

I am a symbol of love.

I am a rose.

The Golden Currant

Soraya Clark | Grade 6, Boise

When the month of June comes around, my branches fill with berries. Orange and yellow, reddening as they ripen, fill my leaves and branches. The colors of the sunset –yellow like a lemon, orange and red like fall leaves. My berries taste like almost-ripe blueberries – sweet and a tad tart.

I wait for this time, through March, April, and May so that I can spread my seeds. Seeds which become babies and then adults and then can spread their own seeds.

In March and April my spirits rise because once again my branches fill, this time with bright yellow flowers. I know this is a very good sign because it means berries! Though, when I have so many berries, the squirrels and birds, humans and deer come and pick them. This makes me mad, but when I try to yell, more berries pop off and fall to the ground. My friend, the serviceberry, says he has problems, too. He also says his friends up in the mountains have bear problems! After all my berries disappear, my spirits once again fall, and soon so do my leaves.

The Secret Adventure of Spotless Spot

Nikolai Schwartsman | Grade 5, Eagle

Spotless Spot is a little white koi fish who lives in a koi pond with his friends, Banana, Cheeto, and many others.

Spotless Spot wants two things in life: to fly and to talk. Spotless Spot has had made many attempts to talk, but all he could say is “Blub blub.” He never attempts to fly because he thinks it is absurd.

But little did he know that today he was finally going to fly. And when Spotless Spot’s friend Cheeto screamed, “Bird!” Spotless Spot did not hear Cheeto scream, because he was listening to his favorite band, Imagine Fishes.

Suddenly, two sharp talons plucked him out of the pond. At first, he was scared, but then he realized he was flying! Spotless Spot felt brave. As the bird flew him over the pond, he could feel the air rushing through his gills.

After a while the bird got tired and dropped Spotless Spot into the pond. Spotless Spot rushed to his friend Cheeto’s house to tell him about his adventure. But all he found was a letter that said, “Went to a bigger pond.”

“Oh, boy, Cheeto, what have you done?” Spotless Spot said while reading the note.

Cheeto’s Escape

Edison Riecke | Grade 5, Boise

Cheeto the fish has the weirdest life. He asks the feeder, “Can you let me move to the river?”

The feeder says, “No. Why?”

“I want to have a bigger place to live. Please! I want to be able to discover fun places!”

“You can’t!” the feeder yells.

Cheeto dives down into the middle of the pond and finds a drain. He squeezes through it. It is very dark, and Cheeto has to find his way out. He tries to swim through another tunnel and ends up in a toilet!

Cheeto tries again and comes out of a sink drain. A kid sees him and screams. Cheeto swims back through the drain. He swims and swims and finally thinks that he has found the right tunnel. He swims through it quickly and comes face to face with a tiger shark!

Cheeto swims away as fast as he can, looking for a hiding spot. He darts into a hole, where he meets a sea pig.

“Can I hide here?” Cheeto asks the sea pig.

“Sure!” says the sea pig. “Thank you so much!”

Cheeto swims down to the sea pig’s kitchen where he sees 400 tiny sea pig babies. “I’m gonna be sick!” Cheeto cries.

“Dinner is served,” announces the sea pig. He gives Cheeto a big plate of sand.

“What’s this?” Cheeto asks.

“Food!” says the sea pig and his 400 babies.

Cheeto tries the sand but throws up. “I’m leaving this hole now,” Cheeto says and swims out of the sea pig’s home.

After he leaves, the sea pig and his 400 babies eat up Cheeto’s vomit.

“I want to go back home!” Cheeto cries. He misses the food, and his old pond wasn’t nearly as dangerous as the ocean.

Cheeto finds the drain and swims all the way back the way he came: up through the sink, through the toilet, then back to his old pond. The other koi, including Spotless Spot, are so happy to see him.

“Where have you been?” they ask.

“The ocean,” Cheeto tells them.

“Was it dangerous?”

“Yes. You don’t know what I’ve been through! A sea pig ate my vomit! Don’t tell the feeder, please!”

The Wonder of the Stormy Waves

Emma Allan | Grade 7, Ketchum

The sky is dark and menacing, and stained, a shocking shade of gray. Thunder roars its deafening bellow, and a flash of lightning turns the sky into a deep murky green. Another flash of lightning fills the sky, flying down to meet the stormy sea, closer this time.

Now the thunder. The waves are in an uproar, crashing against the mussel-covered rocks as if determined to escape the prison they have known for so long. Huge walls of water fall with a vengeance upon the tide pools, with the might of a thousand horses.

Even with the danger of being swept away, I cannot leave the water’s side. I am captivated by the waves. They are dark and mysterious with a million shades of green, gray, blue, and black. But my favorite part of every wave is the foamy cap. White and gray in the low light, it rides the wave all the way to the shore before disappearing into the stormy sea. I watch the surf for a while longer, then disappear into the waves as well.

Emotions

Lorelei Odenborg-Huntting | Grade 6, Nampa

They can make you feel the best you’ve ever been

They can make you feel like just ending it all

They can encourage you to take care of yourself

They can make you do nothing at all

They can be good

They can be bad

You can cry from too much of any emotion

Yet you cry from a single one

Sadness

It’s rare to be so happy you cry

It’s rare to laugh so hard you cry

It’s common to cry yourself to sleep each night

It’s common to feel a burst of sadness and have tears dripping down your face

Dropping to the floor

But if you want to be truly happy, be in nature

It’s the best you’ll ever feel

Chloe, the Bleeding Heart

Phoebe Lawley | Grade 5, Boise

I am a bleeding heart

My name is Chloe but I have many other names, like “Lady in a Bathtub,” but I prefer Chloe. My colors are pink and white. My smell is subtle for I do not want to be noticed.

I watch in silence as people walk by, but inside my heart is bleeding. I stay in the shade for there I feel safe.

In the winter I am a sleeping beauty tucked under a white blanket of snow. I see everything but only some people see me. I smell all the other flowers. I taste the cool air in the shade.

I hear the birds sing.

I wish I could sing like that.

I feel the cool breeze rustle my leaves.

I am Chloe, the bleeding heart.

Pollinator

Addison

De La Cerda | Grade 5, Boise

I fly high in the air

But I do not live there

I come in many colors like orange, black, and white

I love to spread flowers and joy everywhere

Despite my looks, I do not like being touched.

I am not an animal or a plant

I move swiftly and smoothly

I see everything and nothing at the same time

I hear everything and nothing at the same time

I LOVE FLOWERS

I migrate when the weather is cold

I am one of a kind

I have many brother and sisters

I sound like nothing

I smell like all flowers, the stinky and pretty ones

I hear the flowers

I am as fragile as a petal

My Name, Piper

Piper Connell | Grade 6, Boise

Pretty flowers on the ground

Insects biting me Peonies flowing in the wind

Endless rows of flowers

Roses smelling nice

A LIZARD

There once was a lizard who squiggled and squirmed. It broke all the rules zooming around.

Never stopped running all around the roses, but maybe it will stop and do some poses.

Smoke Tree

Sloan Flanigan | Grade 6, Boise Smoke tree, you’re full of life.

Though you are dark and scary, you are as beautiful as a rose. You’re much like an unseen shadow, a surprise for those who seek you. Your fiery seeds spread the storm of wonder as you hide unseen.

You’re as a cloud ready to cry, trying to hide from the others. You look like a storm cloud, but feel gentle as an acid rain.

Your scent smells of which you were named,

with a hint of maple.

The way of the sun is how you live, changing you from demon to angel.

A Day in the Life of a Worker

Max Ens | Grade 6, Boise

By Me & The Seven Senses! (My group.)

The dynamite blasts The coal comes out It is put in the train and smoke chugs away

I sit and I watch their faces black from dust the sun on my arms tired from the day

To harvest wheat & corn and to have it all taken away

with the coal and iron

We work all day

Until our faces are black

And our hair is greasy like tar

At the end of the day

I come home to my family

Work is hard these days

Every day is a new challenge

Some harder than the others I took a cold bath

‘Cause our heater is broken I shivered and my bones shook We needed somebody

To fix the heater

And quick too I never thought freezing to death

Sounded particularly enjoyable Another thing to save up for!

A Day in Nature

Darby Holden | Grade 6, Boise

The sun beams bright above. Children run around playing games. The trees sway side to side in the wind. It’s so quiet, no cars zooming by, just the sounds of nature. The sound of the nearby river rushing. Children splash around in the swimming pool. Everyone enjoying these moments in nature. The sun begins to set. People gather around the campfire and cook dinner, then make dessert. Soon they all say goodnight and go to sleep, everyone enjoying these moments in nature.

Attack on the Forest

Tess Nielsen | Grade 6, Boise

The sky is orange and thick with smoke, ashes flying here and there. The fire rages on, its fury growing, spreading everywhere.

Attacking animals. Killing people. Destroying everything in its path, blinded by anger and darkness. The smell of burnt wood and smoke won’t leave, determined to stay as the workers and the fighters rush people to safety. But some don’t live. Lights flash. Trees fall. Ashes fly. Yelling is heard over the wailing sirens. Desperate cries of help are heard. Frightening, sudden screams are the loudest of them all, echoing through the whole forest, like they were amplified

for the whole world to hear.

For a while, the fire never stops.

The flames keep at it, Determined to destroy the whole area. When the attack finally ceases, The smoke lingers. Small flames crackle, then curl into smoke,

And tiny sparks still dance around. Even then, you can still hear the hiss of the bright orange flames destroying the forest.

A Day in the Life of a Squirrel

Caitlin Johnson | Grade 6, Eagle

Hey there! I’m a squirrel named Walnut. You’re probably thinking, ‘squirrels are no-good and pesky,’ but I’m your pal! Now sit back and relax as you watch my show!

It started at my tree. I woke up and looked at my nut storage, I used my tail – oh my beautiful tail! I’ll tell you more about it later. Oh gosh let’s do it now!

My tail is furry as a rabbit, as helpful as a butler, smooth as a stone, cute as a button and sneaky as a bandit. That is my serenade to my squirrel tail. So back to the story.

I moved my beautiful tail back to the nut storage and felt around until I found a moldy and smelly peanut! I went out of my hollow and went out in search, climbed and gathered nuts until I found a bird feeder! It was an antisquirrel bird feeder, but I like a challenge. It was harder than most, because it closed when it felt my weight. It took a few tries, but I ended up unhinging the top and got my sweet prize of seeds and nuts.

As soon as I started eating, a big fluffy black dog ran over to me and started barking and yipping at me, slobber and

all! I climbed up the nearest tree, just as the dog’s owner called him.

I finished eating my treasure when a bird saw me. I knew this was trouble. The bird tweeted a few notes to its pals, and they shot out toward me, pecking and clawing me, blurring my vision.

I quickly grabbed my nuts and ran back to my tree hollow, where I crashed down on my bed and fell asleep.

Shattered (Excerpt)

Hazel Keller | Grade 6, Boise

Chapter 1

As I walk along the clean hospital hallway, touching the smooth wall, I see a painting of a skunk. I think, what will happen if sharks disappeared? I picture a blue sky, and my plane landing in China with all the paper lamps. I also think, What if I reach China? Will Louis still be alive? But I am just glad I am not a zombie.

I get to the clock. It says 12:30 AM. I guess I should go back to sleep and think about what life would be like if my plane makes it to China, and if Louis hasn’t died in the crash…

Two weeks earlier: Sam had just gotten the biggest shock of his life: His dad was flying back from Indonesia when bad people hijacked the plane. They forced all the people out—still flying over land—without a parachute. Sam couldn’t speak, but then he realized that he needed to tell Louis. Louis was his older brother, and he worked as a receptionist in a local hotel. Sam burst out the door. He ran down the bridge, not even stopping to admire beautiful Big Ben in the distance…

Chapter 2: 12:46 PM TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2011

Louis lost his balance when Sam burst in and as soon as he saw Sam’s face, he knew what had happened. Sam and Louis cried and cried that night. The next morning, Sam woke to the sound of Louis talking to his aunt and uncle in China, saying we will come in four days. Sam left the house without a word and went to his dad’s favorite spot, which was right next to Big Ben, and stayed there all day.

Chapter 3: 1:49 THURSDAY (TWO DAYS BEFORE LEAVING), MAY 3, 2011

Sam just got back home when Louis said to him, “I sold the house and we can only bring so much to China, so pack most of your clothes, shoes and other special things.” “Okay,” Sam replied. With a heavy heart, Sam packed his bags. He did not want

to leave. Then suddenly he got an idea. He ran down the hall to Louis’s room and said, “You can take care of me!”

“No I can’t. I am only 16. I can’t take care of you until I am 18,” Louis replied.

Chapter 4: DISASTER – 2:00, ON THE PLANE

Sam was looking out the window when the plane hit strong turbulence. Sam asked Louis if he thought it was just turbulence. Louis just sighed and said, “I love you.”

Sam didn’t get what he meant by that, but seconds later, a voice came over the intercom and said, “The pilot and copilot are dead. We are going to crash.”

The End of the Fire

Harper Pantera | Grade 5, Boise

My ash-covered face smiles as I hear the last of flames sizzle out. I hear the captain yelling the last demand for this mission. My once-bright-green uniform is now several tones of a darker green or gray.

The nearby town rejoices after seeing all of the fire is now gone. It is the end of the once-great fire.

My hair was blonde when we came… after the fire, it’s brown. My feet feel heavy, and my braids seem to pull my head down to look at the forest floor. The sun feels warm on my back as I run towards my friend Matt.

I squeeze him as hard as I can. He is the one person I want to see. “We did it, Matt!” I exclaim.

“I know, Molly!” he rejoices.

“Wow,” I say as I stop squeezing him. “Wow?”

“Yeah, wow. As in, we did it,” I explain.

Matt smiles. “It’s gone. Long gone.”

He squeezes me so tight I can barely breathe.

We did it. The fire’s gone. The great Ika Forest fire is gone.

Perimeter, of Flames

Lucca Smith | Grade 6, Boise

The mane of a lion is like flames bursting awake. Its fiery orange glow is as bright as the sun,

a mango made out of fur.

It is as fierce as a brave soldier.

It is as tangled as Rapunzel after a nap, flying like an angel in the wind.

It feels as busy as a tree.

It is like a crown of royalty, tossing it like jelly, as free as a monarch in the wind. It is like a wall of confidence.

It is sprawled out like branches on a tree. The mane is as bushy as a squirrel’s tail. It is a perimeter of flames.

I Flow Like a River

Ben Thompson | Grade 6, Boise

I am a river

I go with the flow

I am generous, I am kind

I give people water when they are behind I love the look on a person’s face when they drink water for the first time in days

I remember one time when it was sunset three birds came along birds that I hadn’t met they sat on a watch that hung from a tree they chirped a song a song for me

I wanted to sing I wanted to dance and that’s when I realized I didn’t want to be me for all eternity

Window

Lidia Wingfield | Grade 6, Boise

a way to see the outside makes you wonder what is beyond blur your eyes together and let the color flow making shapes and pictures dazzling as a dream the sun goes down the color fades leaving a cold clear refreshing darkness.

Sunrise

Kennedy Hood | Grade 6, Nampa

I rise for one hour, not even that. But most people forget about me and don’t even notice. Why rise when no one is watching? Why wake every day when people ungratefully sleep through my beauty? It’s because I have to make room for the over-wanted sun. I have to. For the circle of life.

An Illusion

Matthew Burke | Grade 6, Boise

even though it is black and white, it isn’t as simple as two colors. It starts out flat, but the deeper you go, the more chaotic and twisted it gets. Clovers, diamonds and squares alike all black and white, making a tunnel to get lost in. But when you look away, it makes this world not as bad as it seems.

Dear Old Leaf

Ione Dahl | Grade 6, Nampa

I watch over the world at the great heights of my tree. I shed my skin every season, as people admire me and my color. But there are so many of us, we are usually ignored. Only seen by some, but we never get any love. And soon we fall, we lay on the sidewalk. We are kicked and stepped on, always overlooked, while people admire the newer

leaves on my dear, old tree. We fly away into ditches and dirt, and slowly we fall apart. And now instead of watching the great big world we watch ourselves fall apart.

The Watcher

Mateo

Araya | Grade 6, Boise

The owl that watches us is an unseen being, no man or woman could ever see it. It’s the cleverest of all animals. We can get a glimpse, but it will be just a glimpse. Wow that watcher lives in the sparkling sky. Perched over the world with its eyes glowing. It casts a shadow across our world and covers the stars.

My Bouquet

Rio Kitamura | Grade 6, Boise

A precious memory that I can’t forget is a flower that will bloom in my heart forever.

Those moments, futures. I want to add them. My future, dreams, I will gather them to make a bouquet. Someday I will send it to you.

Paper

Cheyenne Viviani | Grade 5, Boise

I am white like a daisy. I’m sharp like a mountain. I was once one of nature. Now there for creativity. I help in time of need, of death and prosperity. When you are done with me, I am no longer available for helping. I am fulfilled and need to linger no more, though after a while I get lonely, wondering if I would ever become more than just a piece of paper.

Scenes from One Acts

You Never Know

Hadessa Blood | Grade 9, Boise

Scene 3

The wall moves to block the viewer from seeing Rex and Kattie. Kattie and Rex walk through the door to another multiverse.

KATTIE: This is a close space.

The lights dim. The set changes into an office. Lights come on with Ryan on stage.

K.D.: You are in another universe.

REX: Really? I couldn’t tell!

A loud pencil sharpener goes off.

RYAN: Ugh! Could this pencil sharpener be any louder?

Kattie steps out. Now in black dress pants, a white blouse and coffee jacket.

K.D.: He is your boss, and he has a sour attitude. Only looks at the dark side of things. His name is Ryan.

KATTIE: Sir, is everything alright?

K.D.: Kattie.

RYAN: My coffee spilled all over me this morning. My wife took the kids to daycare today. And my writers for the paper are all checked out. So I have to be the bad guy to 30 other people by giving them double the workload!

KATTIE: You seem really stressed.

REX: And I thought your kids made —

The pencil sharpener goes off.

REX: Your kids made you listen to bad songs that drove you mad?

RYAN: They do!

KATTIE: But you like dropping off your kids?

RYAN: I do.

REX: So with no warning you can’t listen to music, and you got—

RYAN: Mad.

KATTIE: Hmm...

RYAN: Kattie, you are in the therapy District, why am I mad that I didn’t hear the music? That awful repetitive, highpitched music.

KATTIE: Because you love your kids?

RYAN: But my kids are so needy and can’t fend for themselves.

KATTIE: But you do it anyway, right?

Rex sits on a desk that has his name on it.

RYAN: Yes. Because they are needy and can’t fend for themselves. They make bad mistakes.

REX: Do you laugh?

RYAN: Sometimes. I try not to when they are leaking from their eyes and noses.

REX: Crying?

RYAN: Yes.

KATTIE: So, you have tough love. That is fine as long as you can care and be compassionate and be proud for their accomplishments. And not bring up the worst part or how long it took them to get it right.

RYAN: Do I have to do it with you guys, too?

REX: No, we are professionals here. You should bring that stuff up with us, not with your kids. Or with your wife.

KATTIE: Yah, be gentle with them.

She puts her hand on Ryan’s shoulder to comfort him.

KATTIE: And you’ll be a great dad.

REX: Or just live and learn. It may come at a risk, but you tried and now you know better.

KATTIE: Rex, good advice, but are you trying to undermine the conversation?

Ryan and Rex both chuckle at the response.

RYAN: Either way, Rex, you both give — talks, but thank you. Ryan leaves.

REX: Why did you talk to our grumpy boss?

KATTIE: He looked mad, and you never know what may or may not have happened to him.

REX: Yah, but what if we ticked him off, Kattie?

KATTIE: Then we would be fired.

Guide

Devon Hayes | Grade 8, Boise Scene 3

All the friends scream. A shadowy figure of a child sits, kicking his feet in excitement at the opposite end of the table.

GUIDE: Are you new friends?

Everyone stands perfectly still. Until Nix pushes Viktor in front of her and Aaron. They just stand there, shaking.

GUIDE: BOOOOORING! I’m Guide...I think!

He levitates further into the light, causing all the friends to scream. It shows him to be a dark creature, probably 8 or 9.

GUIDE: I’m bored. Let’s play!

Using telekinetic abilities, Guide lifts Aaron into the air, drops him, picks him back up, and repeats this over and over as Aaron screams. Guide laughs. Viktor grabs a chair from

the table and throws it at Guide, causing him to lose his concentration and Aaron to fall.

VIKTOR: Get away from him!

Guide’s glance hurriedly turns to Viktor, who now looks terrified. Nix steps in front of Viktor.

NIX: Woah, woah, woah! Let’s not hurt anyone! (Gestures to herself) I’m Nix, that’s Viktor and that’s Aaron (she points to them). See? Now we’re all friends!

Aaron rubs his head and whispers to Nix from the floor.

AARON: What are you doing?

NIX: He’s just a kid!

GUIDE: Oh, okay! I’m Guide.

He grins.

NIX: Hi, Guide...what is this place?

GUIDE: It’s Dr’s mansion of course! Do you want a tour?

The three friends look at each other and make a non-verbal agreement.

AARON: Sure!

The Secret Ferrets’ Society and the Search for the Hawk Fest

Easton Elliott | Grade 7, Boise

Scene 4

Inside the ferret hawk cave.

RANGER 1: It’s not that funny.

RANGER 2: Aw.

RANGER 1: Let’s just grab one of these guys and get out of here.

Ranger 2 grabs a hawk ferret, the hawk ferret starts screeching.

RANGER 1: That can’t be good.

The hawk ferrets start flying everywhere and slam into the rangers. They run out of the cave.

RANGER 1: That was close.

MAN: Stop right there, hand over the ferret or face the consequences.

RANGER 2: Who the heck are you?

MAN: My name is Quandale Dingle. I have a condition that

makes me very itchy. One day Donald Dingo came up to me and said “I’ll scratch your butt for you.” So I let him, and now he won’t stop smelling his fingers. A beat.

RANGER 2: Okay, we didn’t need to know that but, okay.

RANGER 1: We should leave.

Snow on Snyder Mountain

Aberdeen Sanchez | Grade 7, Boise

Scene 10

DANDELION: Wait, so the reason it’s been snowing is because you two are having an argument.

GORDON RAMSEY: Yes, and Bob Ross is an idiot who’s painting snow and making it actually snow.

BOB ROSS: No, you’re cooking snow and making it real.

SMITH DETECTIVE: Wait! How are you painting or cooking something and making it actually happen?

BOB ROSS: Isn’t it obvious?

GORDON RAMSEY: We’re Gods.

SMITH MAGICIAN: Bob Ross and Gordon Ramsey have joined the league of Smith Magicians. Bob Ross and Gordon Ramsey get into a fist fight.

SMITH VICE PRINCIPAL: We need to stop them! They’re making it snow even harder!

ANDREW CYANIDE: I know what to do!

DANDELION: What?

ANDREW CYANIDE: We need to make a portal that will merge Bob Ross and Gordon Ramsey together so they can’t fight anymore!

DANDELION: That’s a great idea!

SMITH DETECTIVE: Hmmm—I know! We’ll call upon the Gods and use their presence to enchant the snow and turn it into a portal.

DANDELION: Okay, everybody join hands.

SMITH MAGICIAN: I said EVERYBODY.

Smith Vice Principal moves over and joins hands with Smith Detective and Smith Magician.

DANDELION: Okay, ready, set, go.

EVERYBODY: (chanting) Huya cosanyoucanera octopus shakeshake sortaoftencandy

DANDELION: The snow!

ANDREW CYANIDE: It’s glowing!

SMITH VICE PRINCIPAL: Idiot, snow always glows.

SMITH DETECTIVE: No, this time it’s really glowing.

SMITH MAGICIAN: The portal! It’s opening!

DANDELION: We need to lead Gordon Ramsey and Bob Ross over here to the portal!

Dandelion and Andrew Cyanide rush over to the still fighting gods and guide them over to the portal with care. They begin to merge into one being.

SMITH MAGICIAN: It’s working!

DANDELION: Oh god, that’s really weird.

ANDREW CYANIDE: Hey, what’s going on?

The portal begins to spin faster and faster in shades of purple, pink, and blue.

A hand sticks out of the portal.

SMITH DETECTIVE: Oh my God what is that???

The hand leads to an arm which leads to a body.

DANDELION; Oh, look, it’s Edward Cullen.

DANDETIGER: How did Edward Cullen get here?

ANDREW CYANIDE: Well, when we opened the portal, it most likely went into Twilight’s dimension and Edward Cullen came out.

DANDETIGER: But why did Edward Cullen come out?

ANDREW CYANIDE: I LITERALLY JUST EXPLAINED IT TO YOU!

DANDETIGER: Oh.

Smith Detective walks up to Edward Cullen and starts circling him, questioningly.

SMITH DETECTIVE: How did you get here?

EDWARD CULLEN: Um, well, I don’t really know.

SMITH VICE PRINCIPAL: You do not look trustworthy. Maybe I should throw you out a window.

DANDELION: There are no windows here, we’re on a mountain!

SMITH VICE PRINCIPAL: Okay, then I’ll throw you out of the mountain!

EDWARD CULLEN: Ahh, what the heck is that?

He points toward Bob Ross and Gordon Ramsey who have now fused together into a two-headed Bodon Rossey.

SMITH VICE PRINCIPAL: It’s not important.

DANDELION: Actually, it’s very important.

DANDETIGER: Ughh, I just want to go home! A steady stream of ponies comes out of the portal as everybody stares.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE: Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle.

VERITY: I’m Verity!

RAINBOW DASH: I’m Rainbow Dash!

PINKY PIE: I’m Pinky Pie!

APPLE JACK: I’m Apple Jack!

FLUTTERSHY: I’m Fluttershy!

ALL: And we’re here to teach you about the power of friendship!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE: We heard you were struggling to keep peace among your friend group.

VERITY: Especially you, Bobdon Rossey.

RAINBOW DASH: Friendship is the most important thing!

PINKY PIE: You would hate to lose your friends wouldn’t you?

DANDELION: Yeah, I guess I would.

APPLE JACK: Life is all rainbows and sparkles and without friends, it’s only rainbows.

SMITH MAGICIAN: That makes perfect sense.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE: Now let’s all have a group hug. Dandelion, Dandetiger, Andrew Cyanide, Smith Detective, Smith Magician, Smith Vice Principal, Bobdon Rossey, Edward Cullen, and the six ponies gather for a group hug.

VERITY: Awesome. We’re all friends here!

With that the ponies drag everybody down into the portal.

DANDELION: What are you doing?

RAINBOW DASH: What we do to everyone we meet!

PINKY PIE: We’re turning you into ponies!

SMITH VICE PRINCIPAL: What? No! Then I won’t be able to throw children out of windows recreationally anymore.

SMITH MAGICIAN: This is atrocious!

SMITH DETECTIVE: I know!

Everybody slowly transforms into a pony and the ponies smile, knowing they have successfully saved Snyder Mountain.

Laurel

FATHER PARKINSON: Hello, everybody. This is our little baby Laurel. She is our miracle. She is a very beautiful little girl. Everything about her is perfect.

MOTHER WISTERIA: I hope Laurel grows up to be a talented little girl. Hopefully, she can be a friend to all of you. We have waited 2 years to show you, so I think it’s time to see her.

Laurel exits the door. Laurel flies.

MOTHER WISTERIA: I have no idea what is happening, but this must be a miracle!

FATHER PARKINSON: Our little girl is magical. Laurel gets eaten by a bird.

Charlie Bolinder | Grade 7, Boise Scene 1

MOTHER WISTERIA: Oh.

They both fly to heaven.

MOTHER WISTERIA: What is happening, I’m flying!

All 3 fall and die. Their bodies are dragged off stage.

NARRATOR: Laurel was the first of many. The house of this family remained untouched, but magical, nonetheless. If anyone with a first name that starts with T C A M or R and ends with R E N E or A and a last name starting with S B H or C and ending with T R Z or A, or named Laurel, going through the door, they end up like Laurel did.

Moroccan Sky

Betty Clark | Grade 7, Boise

Scene 1

TV: Imagine being famous. Having all the money in the world! Well, we can get you started! Come to Sam’s Barber Shop now to get your free trial!

MOROCCAN SKY: Hah! Sam’s Barber Shop? What a stupid name. Is that your dad’s name or something? So simple. I’m lucky my dad owns a bee farm instead of what your dad is doing. Who wants to work at a barber

shop anyway?

TERRI: (shrugs) I don’t know.... I think my dad’s job is kinda cool.

MOROCCAN SKY: Nice joke, Terri, but I have to go. My dad needs me to help him with the dishes after dinner. I also get paid for doing them, you know. $15 a week. Isn’t that so cool, Terri?

Moroccan Sky stands up from the chair.

TERRI: I don’t get paid to do anything. And I wasn’t joking about my dad’s job. So—

MOROCCAN SKY: ‘Kay, see you at school, Terri!

Scene 2

Narrator: Moroccan Sky goes home to her dad and Simon, her cat.

DAN: What are you doing home so early, Sky? Don’t you go over to your friend’s house? What’s his name, Tim?

MOROCCAN SKY: His name is Terri, and yes I went to his house, but I told him I had chores to do. I wanted to leave early.

DAN: No wonder he doesn’t like you. He blows a puff of his cigar.

MOROCCAN SKY: What do you mean? We’re best friends. He admires me. We have been friends since 4th grade. So mind your own business. She storms off to her room.

MOROCCAN SKY: Oh, Simon. You’re the only one who truly gets me. And you’re always on my side. Right, Simon?

SIMON: I never said I was on your side. Now let me be!

Moroccan Sky picks up the cat.

MOROCCAN SKY: Oh, I knew it!

SIMON: (yells) Get off me, filthy human!

King of the Wolf

Ryan Parris | Grade 8, Boise

Scene 4

KNIGHT: I woke up and took Gerald with me. We crept slowly to a pathway on the side of a cliff that the King takes his moonlight walks on. In about a minute, he will turn the corner and come face to face with my sword. I turn the corner and hear a yelp. Gerald, the wolf, hangs off the side of the cliff. The King of the Wolf is above him, dragging Gerald to safety. The King sees him and runs back. But out of nowhere, Gerald pounces on the King and he dies. I can now be at peace. The End.

Turtle Creek

Lucy Brewton | Grade 8, Boise

Scene 3

The stage is set similarly to Scene 2 — tons of potted flowers everywhere. Turtle Creek is preparing to go outside. He’s putting on lots and lots of sunscreen.

Lizzy enters.

LIZZY: What is that smell?

TURTLE: (lathering it on) My sunscreen.

LIZZY: (sarcastically) I think you missed a spot.

TURTLE: (shocked and worried) Where?

He runs out of sunscreen.

TURTLE: I’d better get another bottle. Be right back

He goes to exit. Lizzy stops him with a sigh.

LIZZY: I was kidding. You’re more than covered. Where do you get that much sunscreen anyway, from the middle of the Earth?

TURTLE: (confused again) No, I would be — He’s cut off by Lizzy’s eye-roll.

TURTLE: Oh. You’re joking again. (forced laugh) I’m headed outside to water my plants and take notes on them.

LIZZY: Oh, yeah, I forgot, that’s your, ooh, Hey, while you’re out there, could you take a look at my car? Maybe you could figure it out and I’ll be out of your hair sooner.

TURTLE: Uh, yeah. I’ll check it.

Turtle moves to the other side. Lights change to show he’s outside.

Timmy and Tommy sneak onstage. Turtle doesn’t notice them. HE continues to water plants as Timmy and Tommy talk to each other.

TIMMY: Hey, who’s this bozo, Tommy?

TOMMY: I think he lives here.

TIMMY: Well that’s obvious, but who is he?

TOMMY: I think he’s one of those fancy-pants scientists. Timmy smiles.

TIMMY: Y’know what fancy-pants scientists have?

TOMMY: Good food?

TIMMY: No (rolls eyes) fancy-pants scientists have fancypants equipments worth...

TIMMY and TOMMY: Big bucks!

Amazing Place

Molly Steenhoven | Grade 7, Boise Scene 3

Enter Abby and Lilly under the sheets. 2 twin beds, one lamp on in an otherwise dark and drafty room with one window.

LILLY: Hey, Abby?

Abby sniffs as a weak sign that she is awake.

LILLY: I wanted to thank you...this is an amazing place, and I am so thankful that you encouraged me to enter it. I would have done anything to be in a place like this and all we did is talk and give some newspapers to an extremely kind lady. Imagine if we were still out there.

She gestures to the window.

ABBY: What can I say, I am never wrong.

LILLY: (adjusts blanket) Sure.

ABBY: (dazed) Okay, night.

LILLY: I love you. She turns off the lamp.

A long, 10-second silence — then Abby bolts up coughing and wheezing, holding her throat and stomach.

LILLY: (nervous) Abby! Are you okay, are you okay, are you okay?

ABBY: (wheezes) I - what’s wrong with me. (beat, quietly) This never happened to me, even when we lived in the alley.

LILLY: (sighs) Well, try to go back to sleep...okay?

Abby lays down in sync with a weak nod.

After 5 seconds, the lights slowly brighten and a little sun is seen in the window.

Gracie enters, masking her tiredness.

GRACIE: Rise n’ shine useless new residents. It’s 5:46. Time for you to get up and make PB’s with me.

LILLY: (lazily) What’s a PB?

GRACIE: (slight laughter) A PB is a Pun-ish-ment space Bi-ski-tut. I make them when I’m in trouble, but now that you’re my (air quotes) “sisters”, you’re gonna help me.

ABBY: What time is it?

GRACIE: Time that you listened to the first thing I said.

ABBY + LILLY: Pass.

GRACIE: No passes! “Sisters” stick together,

Frankie’s World (Excerpt)

Laina Williams | Grade 4, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

In the Mammoth Mountains of the Whispering Waterfall lives Frankie, a girl with green eyes and dirty blonde hair in two buns. She’s 10 years old. Almost every day, she wears her smoky gray hoodie and her black sapphire necklace her dad’s friend found in the Shadow Mountains far away from the little log cabin Frankie lives in. She lives with her dad, mom, and her little brother, Hunter. Hunter is six years old.

If you visit the Whispering Waterfall, it will talk to you. It’s where Frankie goes every night to tell her secrets and fears. One secret Frankie doesn’t know about herself is that her black sapphire necklace will give her powers.

CHAPTER TWO

Frankie wakes up to tornado storm dragons swirling around the peaks of the Mammoth Mountains. It was very unusual. She had never woken up to this before. It sounded like wind swirling around in circles. She gets out of bed and looks out her window. She sees the dragons landing by her cabin. She decides to go

outside after putting on her hoodie, jeans, and her black sapphire necklace. She rips up some waffles and puts them in a plastic bag, then stuffs them in her pocket and runs outside.

When she looks at her necklace, she notices that it’s broken into two halves. The other half isn’t anywhere on the ground. It’s floating in the air. Frankie feels the bottom half of the necklace. It’s rough and pointy.

One of the dragons by her cabin was Blue Moon, a dragon Frankie rescued when Blue Moon was a baby. He was named Blue Moon because he was born at Blue Moon Bay by the ocean. It has a blue moon there every six years.

“Hi,” said Frankie to Blue Moon. Blue Moon slightly moves his head down onto Frankie’s hand and roars, “Hop on.” Frankie puts one of her legs over Blue Moon’s back, and they fly off.

“We’re going to the Shadow Mountains,” explains one of the dragons. So, they head to the Shadow Mountains.

The Zookeepers

Asher Westhoff | Grade 3, Boise

CHAPTER TWO

Blazing Bonfire woke up to the sound of chirping birds. He did his morning roar. The roar sounded like the rumble of an earthquake.

Then he got out of his hut. He walked to the cold river and got on the old boat. He floated on the river, which was now really warm. While floating, he also fished for bright green fish the size of bricks.

Finally, Blazing Bonfire reached his destination: Has No Name Neighborhood. As he walked around, he smelled the usual sweet smell of the lemonade sold there for a nickel.

He leisurely walked up to the park. Then he stopped. He saw a glimmer of light yellow. The zookeepers were after him.

African Wild Dog

Ernie Jiron | Grade 3, Boise

I am sleepy and tired almost all the time. If you come close, I will hunt you. It is nice but easy to survive in this cage. I can run and run. Those hyenas are the worst, always barking. Humans give me food, but I’d rather hunt.

Heirloom Rose’s Magical Adventure (Excerpt)

Mia Barth | Grade 4, Boise

CHAPTER TWO

Heirloom Rose woke up to her mom calling her to get dressed, and go pick blackberries, peaches, guava, mango, bananas, and avocado for guacamole. Once she had picked all the fruit, she made a fruit bowl for breakfast, brushed her hair and teeth, and went to school.

Once she got to school, she found her friend, Meadow. They became friends because Rose is a flower, and

Meadow is a meadow. When they opened the classroom door where they had just started fifth grade, they got pulled into a magical world!

Once they landed, they looked at each other and around them, when they were greeted by a tiny gnome.

He said, “Welcome! This is a special land called the Land of Tranquility.”

The gnome told them, “This island is called the Land of Tranquility because it is surrounded by the Sea of Tranquility.”

Rose and Meadow decided to go swimming in the Sea of Tranquility. When they got there, they saw that they could rent boogie boards. They rented boogie boards and swam and played in the sea.

CHAPTER THREE

After swimming in the Sea of Tranquility, they went to find the tiny gnome. Once they found the gnome, they asked, “Where should we go now?”

The gnome thought for a moment, and said, “We can save the fun for later. I just found out that Venom, a species of storm dragon, is coming to take our sunshine gem, which provides all of the magic here! Will you help us, please?”

Rose and Meadow agreed to help fight off Venom. They declared together, “Yes!! This is awesome!!”

“Wait,” Rose said. “What’s your name?”

The gnome told them, “Oh, yes. My name is Toucan. Now let’s go get that Venom dragon.”

The Adventure of Silver Feather (Excerpt)

Leah Wickstrom | Grade 4, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Hello, my name is Silver Feather. I am six feet tall. I’m a saber-toothed cat. I love going out in the snow. Every day, I go into the snow, and I play. I have white eyes. My fur color is white in winter, brown in summer, colorful in fall, and blue in spring.

I live in Santa’s house. I was a hurt saber-toothed cat when I was little, and I did not know how to walk or stand. One day, Santa came up and he taught me how to walk and stand. Santa and Mrs. Claus adopted me, and that was me with my family. Every Christmas, I always get a present because I am always good.

There is one thing I am afraid of. Trains. I am afraid of their wheels going up and down and up and down. Every time I

see a train, I go behind Santa.

I am scared of trains because I was in the circus when I was little, and people were whipping me. One day, I got thrown in a train and I saw someone throw a lizard into the wheels. So, that is why I don’t like trains.

CHAPTER TWO

“Wake up,” said Santa.

I woke up in excitement. I went downstairs and ate my breakfast really fast.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Mrs. Claus said.

“I’m having a playdate with my elf friends and my reindeer, Watermelon Slice.”

“Okay then, just be safe,” Mrs. Claus said.

“I will,” I said. My breakfast was great. It tasted just like a juicy squirrel as always. “May I be excused, please?”

“Yes, you may, Silver Feather,” Santa said.

“Thank you,” I said. I am going on my reindeer, to my elf friends’ house. “Come on, Soft Cloud. Come on, Melting Icicles. Come on, Whisper White,” I said. “Time to do our journey to the forest. Come on! Come on!” I said.

“Let’s go,” said Soft Cloud.

“I’m in,” said Whisper White.

“Fine, if you are all in, then I’ll come too,” said

Melting Icicles.

“Let’s go then,” said Soft Cloud. There was a whoosh.

“Did you hear that?” said Melting Icicles.

“It’s just the wind,” said Soft Cloud.

“It smells like rotten eggs,” Whisper White said.

“Why are all the trees burnt here?” I said. “Look out,” I said. A log was about to fall on Melting Icicles. I went to her and moved her right out of its way.

“Who is that?” said Soft Cloud.

All About Glory (Excerpt)

Elizabeth Blier | Grade 3, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Glory is a six-year-old dragonet. She has curled horns and frills behind her ears. She lives in a lush rainforest with her brother, Jambu. Glory used to live in a cave with her friends, Clay, Starflight, Sunny, and Tsunami. All of them are scared of dragon-bite vipers.

CHAPTER TWO

“Stop turning red, Glory!” screamed Tsunami.

“You stop it, too,” said Glory.

“Why me?” said Tsunami. “Because you’re so–”

“Stop fighting!” interrupted Sunny. The two girls hissed and flew away.

“Geez,” said Sunny. “They fight a lot.”

Then a hole appeared under Sunny, and she fell. The hole was filled with biting vipers. They hissed and tried to bite Sunny, but she kicked and dodged them. Then Sunny landed in a forest and got sleep-darted.

CHAPTER THREE

“Where am I?” Sunny woke up and asked. She was in a green forest with a lot of trees and flowers. She also saw kinkajous and tamarins. It was all beautiful! She tried to stand up, but couldn’t. “Oh no,” she said. “I wish I could walk.”

Mountain Lions and Dragons Fighting (Excerpt)

Anna Wickstrom | Grade 3, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Hello, my name is Winter Shamrock. I have purple eyes. I am a mountain lion. I smell like huckleberries, and I live in a cave up in the mountains. I live by myself, but I have neighbors. I love to play in the snow, but I wish I had a family. I am afraid of heights. My colors are soft cloud and cracked pepper.

CHAPTER TWO

Winter Shamrock got up and got huckleberries for breakfast. She is in the woods and is trying to find her friends, but she went the wrong way, so she got in the middle of nowhere.

She went to Dragon Island. Glory met Winter Shamrock and Winter Shamrock met Glory on Dragon Island.

Glory fought Winter Shamrock, and Winter Shamrock fought back, and then they rolled into where all of the other dragons were, and Winter Shamrock, queen of the mountain lions, told other mountain lions to fight the dragons. All the dragons and mountain lions fought.

CHAPTER THREE

The dragons won, and the mountain lions lost, and they put chains on Winter Shamrock. Winter Shamrock has sharp teeth, so she bit the chains off, and hid herself from the dragons. That night, she dreamt that Glory was her sister, and her dreams are always true. The next day, she decided to tell Glory, but how?

The Blaze

Arabella Champion | Grade 6, Boise

Ojai, California, 2017, a fire occurs. Many people risk their lives to save others.

Red flames shoot up and burn down cabins and trees. Smoke billows from the cabins.

The smell of burnt popcorn and overcooked pie fills the air.

Two brave men use a single hose to attempt to tame the fire. They don’t know what will happen next. Maybe their lives are at an end, or maybe the fire will be put out. People around the world are watching, families are

praying, children are bawling.

Many are injured. Some dead.

What will happen next?

How to Eat a Scrumpdiliumtious Cupcake

Alyssa Day | Grade 6, Boise

How to eat a cupcake.

First, pick out your cupcake of choice. It could be chocolate, it could be vanilla, or it could be a moist lemon cake with a sculpted raspberry frosting and a fresh raspberry sitting on top.

When you get home from the bakery, get out a plate, a napkin, and a silver fork. Set them down on the table. Fold the napkin into a triangle on the left side of your plate, and then place the fork on the napkin.

Once that is done, place the perfectly made cupcake on the plate.

Next, peel off the frosting that smells of sugar and

raspberries and put it to the side.

Take small bites out of the lemon zested cake.

Lastly, get the frosting from the side and your silver fork, and make small cuts until it’s gone.

Another way to eat a cupcake is to smash up the whole thing into a vanilla cake and frosting mixture, and eat it with a tiny fork.

You can also take off the frosting, eat a slice with a spoon and then throw away the rest or give it to someone and then eat the chocolate cake with a plastic spoon.

In the Morning

Adeline Dina | Grade 6, Meridian

I am the morning light,

I am the one that shines bright.

I am the waking call, I shine brightly in the fall.

I am hotter in the day, Please don’t waste my gorgeous rays.

I am the morning light,

I am the sun you see who shines so bright.

Introduction to “Honum”

Jordan King | Grade 6, Nampa

Maxwell was from Qinafar, a broken empire. I saw the war in his eyes; he was fine, right? No injuries, no scars, no amputated limbs.

He was leaving the train, looking around the city. He wore a large yellow cloth, apparently a tradition from his land. In his hand, he held a suitcase, tightly gripping it.

He had pale skin, thick curly hair, and a short build. But those eyes told a story. A story of war, of loss. His people, his kingdom, his home were massacred by the empire Vanefar.

People were everywhere, wearing fancy clothes and dresses. He clenched his shoulders, scanning the area.

I needed to talk to him to see if the rumors were true.

He witnessed the destruction of his home, and I was asking a stupid question to him.

But still, I needed to ask.

I walked toward him, moving through the herds of people. The beautiful tile flooring was bright from the sun, and the oak trees around gave an odd smell.

Moving quickly, I bumped into Morry, but I continued.

Maxwell was frantically walking around, going through more and more. And then I touched his shoulder, and he jumped.

“Maxwell Fizali, I have a question for you,” I said.

The Nutmeg

Ava Donovan | Grade 6, Boise

Small and bumpy and very hard, it is dark brown like chocolate on the outside but light brown, tan, and rust on the inside. It looks like a brain.

It smells like an essential oil that you would put in an air mistifier. It makes a “clunk” when you tap it. It tastes like sweet dirt when you eat it like a nut,

but it’s really a spice to add to other foods. This is nutmeg from the island of St. Lucia.

The Girl Who Ran

Anna Merriman | Grade 6, Eagle

I’m running away. I am running away. I’m running, and I should stop. I should turn around and go back to Mama and tell her I’m sorry. But I can’t bring myself to do it. So, I keep running. Eventually, I reach the forest.

“Claire, sweetie, what are you doing?” Mrs. Pulley, my English teacher, spots me from a nearby walking path. She sees me at edge of the forest like I’m waiting for someone. “Claire?”

“Oh, hi, Mrs. Pulley. I came for hunting with Papa. He’s gonna come out any minute now.”

I don’t tell her that I’m lying. That Papa isn’t in the forest. That he’s off with some lady in New York that he is leaving Mama and never coming back, and that he left us with a jar of one dollar bills and took the rest. That Mama and I are in a fight and now I’m running away.

“Well, I’ll wait with you,” Mrs. Pulley says. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but why is your papa hunting in these forests?

“Ya, but he’s hopin’ to get lucky today.” I lie again.

“Oh, your papa’s a smart man. He knows he isn’t going to find a thing!” Mrs. Pulley says.

“Well,” I say, “I’ll go find him and tell him that.” I march into the forest, ignoring Mrs. Pulley telling me not to. I keep walking. Eventually, I reach my destination: a small cabin off the river in the middle of the woods.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Home

Schwartsman | Grade 5, Eagle

I am the wind sweeping up dust

I am the horse kicking the air

I am the dog begging for food

I am the cat who hunts in the field

I am the house that stays sturdy and strong

I am the smell of sweet lavender

Doesn’t he know that there are just chipmunks and bugs in here?”

Nikolai

Fly Bird

Silas Stephenson | Grade 6, Boise

One rainy day my owner left open my bird cage. I figured I could fly out of my cage and through the open window. I started flying right at the window to escape. Outside I could smell the rain. I felt it pelting my delicate wings. I was not ready for this, and I fell. My plan had failed. I had tried many times after, and all were failures. Until one spring morning, my owner left my cage open to grab food.

Yet again, the window was open, which gave me a chance to escape, so I darted straight for the window. It was my chance, but I missed the open window and hit the wall. I saw stars. I fell, and once again, I failed.

I am the sight of the geese overhead

I am home

The Organs

Eve Cicotte | Grade 5, Caldwell

The stomach is where we store our food.

The heart is where there’s love and mood. The brain is where we think and learn.

The digestive system sometimes hurts, but then again, we eat too much, so that’s why I have a very little hunch.

Just Me

Dishi Deliwala | Grade 5, Boise

I am a calm human being.

I am an art-loving human being.

I am an animal-loving human being.

I am a unique human being, and that’s just the way I am.

Camping

May Jankiewicz | Grade 6, Boise

Mountains, rivers, trees galore, lakes, trails, and much more.

The warm fire, crackling and popping, fluffy bunnies, joyful hopping. When I’m camping, I feel free, I just wish the mosquitoes would leave me be!

Cowardly Mad Scientist Teleporting

Katy Brewton | Grade 6, Boise

Once upon a time, there was a mad scientist who lived 500 feet underground because he was scared of bugs. This mad scientist invented a small cube, but if you took it apart and put it back together, it would teleport you. The mad scientist decided to test it out. He was teleported to the surface. He started screaming and running around, and he hid behind a small rock. Then, two days later, he had to face his fears. He was starving, but he waited another day. By now, he had almost died from starvation, but he faced his fears. He stepped out from behind the tiny rock, grabbed a bug and ate it, and he thought it tasted good. So now, the mad scientist lives on the surface eating bugs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Porky the Pig

Henry Lombardo | Grade 5, Boise

Porky was a 200-year-old pig who lives in a desert in Europe. Every day, the 500-pound pig tries to work out in his sweaty jeans with no top. He loves all food. He just hates running. His dream is to be the strongest pig on earth. He knows the only way to get fit is in a montage, but he left his music player back in St. Louis, his old home. He can eat 100 hot dogs in 10 minutes, but that’s all. Every day Porky runs one mile in search of a music player, but he never finds one. After day 104, his legs can’t walk, so he handstands everywhere. After day 300, his hands can’t work, so he does the worm. Then he can’t do the worm anymore. He walks on his head. He eats worms every day. One day there was a mirror in the desert. He looked in it, and he was super buff. He decides to go home to enter a bodybuilding contest, and he finds his music player. He decides to get even buffer, but then he just gets fat. He decides just to give up and eat food.

Bart Simpson

Joey Lojek | Grade 5, Boise

A ten-year-old boy named Bart is a bad boy. He does graffiti, and he makes fun of his sister. His role model is Krusty the Clown. He does bad stuff to his principal and the janitor, Willy. Bart has a fear of Krusty Kamp. He loves skateboarding. He goes to Krusty Burger five times a day, and he weighs 85,000 pounds. Every time he can’t finish a burger, he faceplants into the concrete after jumping off a 5000-foot-tall skyscraper. He dies, but he rises every time. He once was playing a daring game with his dad, Homer, and his dad fell through the roof. Bart helped Homer save Springfield by defusing a bomb.

Yosemite Adventure

Athreya Iyer | Grade 6, Boise

Our car would not start. A fire was creeping towards it. We were stuck. Not in a bad place, though. We were in Yosemite National Park in California. It is a place only some can visit, and we were inside the park. The only problem was that we were more to the south of the park,

and we were stuck there. The Washburn Fire was raging below at Wawona and burning the town, so we were as far south as any person was allowed to go in the park. There also was a fire in Mariposa Grove close to Mariposa, so nobody close-by could help. We would wait until the night to start the car, hoping the fire would not reach us.

I am Athreya, a 10-year-old boy that lives in Boise, Idaho. I am 5’ 3” and have black hair. I hate people that take the whole path and move slowly. I am going to be in 6th grade. My career plan is to join the Navy or the Air Force as a pilot, then to go and work for a space agency. After that, I will go make my own space agency with the things I learned. When I retire, I will become an international airline pilot and use the rule that international pilots have to stay at a place after a flight for two days, so I can become a tourist while slowly making money.

I will come back to what happened in Yosemite, but it starts where my family is going to California. We nearly missed our plane, but we safely got to California. We had a nice reunion planned. I had a great time religiously celebrating my grandfather’s 80th birthday. After everybody had left, we packed our bags because we were heading to Yosemite, unlike the others who were going home. The next morning, I wake up, and I load the car after eating a very nice breakfast. We start our five-hour journey to Yosemite. We go on Highway 152, and we remember that there are some really good markets there, so we stop by

many of them to buy goods that aren’t overpriced and show my grandmother. They had really good fruits, and we remember because we got some on the way to San Diego a few years ago. After we had picked up some farm-fresh fruits, we continued on for hours. We came to a place where the GPS told us to go through a farm, and there were a lot of potholes, and it was very bumpy. After that, we took a highway that would eventually take us to Yosemite. I decided to start eating my lunch, but this would prove to be tricky as the road and the people on it were making it such that my dad would have to drive crazily, so I set my food aside to brace for the crazy driving. By the time the crazy driving ended, I was full, and the mountains with winding roads had come.

We spent an hour climbing in the car to a place called El Portal, where I got a really big ice cream. We were able to get through the entrance quicker than we thought. We got to our condo in Yosemite but could not relax for one simple reason. We had no food.

We got in the car and headed towards the only store open in the valley. We were not able to get to the store in the car, so we walked there instead, which took 30 minutes from the lodge where we had parked. When we got to the store, it was almost closed, so we quickly bought what we needed after we realized we had another problem. Most of the restaurants were closed.

We bought a bunch of frozen pizzas just in case the other restaurant closed before we arrived at the lodge. We were

lucky because a bus to take us had just arrived. We got on and rode the bus for five stops. We got to the lodge in five minutes, so we were able to get some food. After eating, we went back to the condo. My mom forgot something, so she went back to the car to get it. She turned on the light of the car, got her things, and left the car with the light on. The next day, we all wake up and get in the car, ready to do everything possible, when the car says “multiple critical functions failing.” We tried to start the car for 30 minutes but had no luck, so we decided to go outside. We spend two hours waiting, until the bad news came. We had called roadside assistance, and they just said that the guy they sent to give us a jump lives in Mariposa, and there is a fire one mile away from his house, so he was going to turn back. The person on the phone said he would come in the night because he is very far away from us. We chose to play a lot of card games until he arrived. We kept playing card games for another hour, until my dad said the car has started. I was very shocked when he said that and asked how it had happened. He said that a person who had just come back from someplace and that works there had a jumper cable and gave it to us. We drove around with it to charge the battery and then set off to explore. We were able to do two hikes on that day and saw redwoods on the next day. We stopped by El Portal for an ice cream and then went back to Saratoga. When we were close to the fruit stands, we saw there was a massive backup. We got onto Highway

101 and saw there was a two-mile backup because of a crash and multiple more happened because of the backup. The next day, we flew back to Boise with my grandfather and also with my grandmother.

Like the Pack

Allison

Cantlon | Grade 5, Boise

CH.1: KITS

It was a nice sunny day in Heathersfield National Park, Oregon, where the pack lived. Wolves were out and about hunting, eating, and frolicking in the leaves. But even on a sunny and cheery autumn day, some places can still be gloomy.

“No, no, no, no, no!” howled Lauren. “I can clean myself!”

“You cannot. Remember last time?” her mother Emily asked. Lauren remembered. It was a sad rainy spring day when she was cleaning herself top to bottom, but when she showed her mother, it was a totally different story. “What happened?” Emily yelled.

“I cleaned myself!” Lauren announced, proudly. “Well, it is messy. Come here, and I will fix it,” Emily barked.

“Fine,” Lauren moaned while her mother fixed her fur.

After the flashback, Emily cleaned Lauren’s fur, trimmed her toenails (don’t ask how wolves trim their claws, they just do) and gave Lauren her breakfast.

That’s when Lauren’s younger brothers came back from hunting camp. George was the best hunter in the family. He was born three minutes before his twin, Ryan. Ryan was named after their father who has passed away defending the pack from humans who came to tear the forest down.

George and Ryan look identical except for the eyes. Ryan and George have gray stripes on their back and midnight black fur. Their paws are a glossy white, with gray tufts inside their ears. George has a nice hazelnut color for his eyes, but Ryan has a dark brown eye and a white eye. Ryan is blind, but he keeps it a secret. The twins love sleeping in the grassy meadows and hearing the birds nearby. Ryan loves the taste of fresh elk, but George prefers it rotten.

“Hey, Lauren!” Ryan called out as she ran for the entrance of the cave. “Where are you going?”

“To see Molly and Mauve!” she called. And so, she ran out of the room with her bushy white tail trailing behind her.

The Man of the Lake

Camille Heryet | Grade 5, Boise

The butterfly landed on the leaf as the sun started to set while the water glistened under the orange sky. “Why?” the old man mumbled. “Why must the beautiful land be stuck in captivity?”

This is the only memory I vividly remember. I remember watching the old man disappear, but I know he was still there. Still out there... somewhere. But today, I’m overcoming my fear. I’m going to the very spot this happened: Shiker’s Lake.

There it was, Shiker’s Lake, in all its beauty. It was different since the last time I saw it. The water no longer glistened, and the butterflies were gone. It was abandoned. So, I stood on the dock, the very dock I was on 10 years ago. I stood on the edge. It didn’t take long to hear a replica of the humming I had heard long ago. I turned around to see a young boy.

“Why must this be our fate? Our anger and greediness took a toll on this once beautiful land,” he says. I was quick and sprinted to him. “What? Please tell me why, “ I said.

“Tell you what? I’ve told you everything I know,” he says majestically. “You have to figure it out.” Then he was gone.

The Cinnamon Sculpture

Melia Kane | Grade 5, Meridian

Twisting turning living learning jumping yelling reindeer belling. Brown as cocoa tall as trees, I wish there were a thousand me’s. Like cinnamon or carrot peel, I am curvy cool and real. I am twisty turned and bent, hope I meet no elephants.

Twisting turning, whee he he, would you like to slide on me?

They say no touching, I can’t run, but in a race, I’d beat the sun. You say that I can’t move at all, just one push and I will fall, but here is a question to bring you home, if I can’t move, who wrote this poem?

City of Trees

Zev Roos | Grade 6, Boise

I am the mountain slopes.

I am the clouds floating over the valley.

I am the sagebrush on the hills.

I am the art of Freak Alley.

I am the lifts of Bogus Basin.

I am the greenbelt.

I am the flow of the river.

I am the dewy spring grass.

I am the taste of downtown ice cream.

I am the chill of winter snow.

Can’t you see?

I am the city of trees.

Jackoline Swift

Layla Smith | Grade 5, Meridian

“Tom, stick Lavender in the car!”

“Jackoline, take Sam for a sec!”

“Where’s my Barbie?!”

“I want the front seat!”

“I can’t find my posters!”

“Help me with this box!”

It was moving day in Jackoline’s house, and things are pretty hectic. Jackoline grabbed the two babies, put them in their car seats, and stuck pacifiers in their mouths. They were moving to a new town so the babies didn’t have to sleep in desk drawers and they could get away from the children’s father.

Jackoline was so busy daydreaming that she didn’t notice when her little sister, Daphne, jumped on her.

She buckled all the littles into the car, and sat in the backseat beside her twin, Jane, and Stacey, her sister who was 6 months older than her. They talked and listened to music while their house and many memories faded away. After 2 days, the sky started darkening and all of the kids nodded off. Her mom pitched up one tent for the girls, and another for the boys. Everyone got into the right tent and cozied into their sleeping bags. Jackoline got tired and passed out. *** Jackoline awoke to the sound of faint sobbing. She unzipped the tent flap and walked outside. She found Jane and Stacey crying, tears streaming down their cheeks. It had been hard for them to leave Dad after he married a pregnant woman and didn’t want them anymore. He left Mom with tons of kids for months, until she met Tom. Jackoline hates him, though. He doesn’t want them either, and keeps recommending boarding schools for them, but not for his own horrid kids, Hazel and Charlie. They punch and kick the other kids, leaving them with giant bruises. They always try to blame Jackoline, too!

She comforted Jane and Stacey and told them all the good things about their new town, including the beautiful rose garden and how she’d decorate the babies’ rooms.

The next day they arrived in the beautiful new town. There were flowers and trees everywhere, and kids had drawn lovely things on the sidewalks. Just down road was their house, a 10-bedroom mansion with everything you could imagine Jackoline ran outside and looked at their backyard. It had piles of wood with trees and rose bushes everywhere. A creek was running through it. They had a playhouse and a treehouse, and some of her siblings were already building a house with the wood. She smiled. Hazel was even playing!

She walked inside and tried to choose her room. She found a lovely one with a balcony looking out onto the backyard. She put her boxes of stuff in it and unpacked them. Jackoline was hard at work for 5 hours! But she got it done. It looked amazing, her bed was below pictures and posters and her mirror was painted white. She had a reading area with the softest and fluffiest cushions. Her desk had a metal sign above it that said, Homework, yuck! She had a shelf with a picture of every member of her family. Jackoline looked at everyone from her balcony. (She had put deck chairs on it.) Then, she rode the elevator(!) to the first floor and ran outside with stuff for s’mores. It was a lovely night, and it almost made her forget about her dad.

The next day, she went to the library. The smell of new books greeted her. She checked out a book about Hogwarts. Hazel and Daphne tagged along, and they got

books about a half-cow half-man, a mouse, and Garfield. At bedtime, she read and thought about her new school. ***

Ring, ring, buzzed Jacky’s alarm clock. She jumped up and got ready as quick as a flash.

It was the first day of school! She was out the door before you could say come back! It was only 7:00, but she ran out anyway. She wanted to get some candy and eat it in the rose garden, and that’s just what she did. She went into the school to look around just before the bell rang. Her eye caught on the bulletin board:

Free summer meals, auditions for the play, fun! Gymnastics team. TALENT SHOW.

Jackoline looked closer: One month away—we accept anything!

Jackoline’s mind was buzzing. They needed a costume designer. She about fainted! Just at that moment, Jane and Stacey came running in. The bell started ringing, and— “Watch out!” they screamed.

Jackoline ducked as a mob of children ran into their homerooms, all except a dreamy girl at the end. The girl said to her, “They are insane, but I prefer to wait at the end.”

Jackoline helped her up and caught her staring at the talent show poster.

“Oh, it is bundles of fun,” the girl said dreamily. “I will be dancing.”

“I think I will make the costumes,” Jacky said, stuffing her things into her locker. “Well, I’d better get going to class. Oh, I’m Jackoline. What is your name?”

“Lavender,” she said, and walked into the dancing classroom.

Jackoline smiled, then walked into the dressmaking room. The day went well, and she raced home. Lavender had told her that to do the costumes, she needed to talk to the principal. She did and was told what to sew. Jackoline climbed into the treehouse and sat on a beanbag, where she made a dress for a magician until she heard Jane call from her window that she needed help with Sam while they unpacked his room. Jackoline put the dress on her clothes hanger beside her window and spread Sam’s playmat on the floor. She went into Sam’s room, all ready to go, but Tom was there holding him.

“Tom! I was taking care of Sam!” she said, angrily throwing his play mat on the ground.

“But Sam is my son. You have nothing to do with me,” he said.

Jackoline stormed out and helped Mom make dinner. *** The next week, Jackoline had finished all the dresses and was backstage fitting them before the talent show.

Everyone looked amazing, and the magician had put a spell on her. As the show started, Jackoline thought about how far she had come: she had made friends with many kids, but Lavender was her best friend. Sophia the magician had been a good friend too. She started with nothing and ended with everything. And guess what? She won a prize for best dressmaker and accepted the award grinning ear to ear.

Mrs. Sarina Valentin

Facts: Immune to the death tree. Her subjects killed her husband, but she pretends not to know. Born on June 2, 1781, she is now a murderer and her children became amazing singers. Sometimes she goes underground to party with the hamsters and kill people in Beland—even her children. She hears their ghosts singing in the night, but she wasn’t found guilty of any crime. She soaked all

Sophina Eaglstun | Grade 5, Boise

of her gowns in her enemies’ blood. She owns a green carriage. The death trees do not affect her. Roses were the only thing that made her happy until she married Daniel Radcliffe. They lived a very happy, murderous life. Also, she can live forever. ***

I can’t believe that my own people of Beland killed my husband, the King! If my mother didn’t meet the maid of the castle, I would never be here! And my children want to be singers! Talk about annoying. I recently found out that I’m not affected by death trees! One night I found a hole in my room and I was so angry. When I went through the hole, I found a lot of hamsters. I partied hard that night!

I didn’t fall asleep until noon. For lunch, my servants brought me EGGS! BOILED EGGS!! I screamed at the top of my lungs, “I DON’T LIKE EGGS!!!”

All of the servants quickly scattered. Then Daniel Radcliffe appeared! We fell in love and lived a happy murderous life! Sometimes we go and plant death trees. I would not be evil if my first husband wasn’t murdered. But I kind of liked the evil life. When it was my 88th birthday, I became good again. I spent forever doing good to help everyone. THE END

A Mine

Dahlia Fields | Grade 4, Boise

A man dressed in black.

A black man in a black room, Canary birds by his side

To survey if the air is still clean.

Canary birds

Are the only thing that is bright

To light the way

For the black man in the black room.

Leaving

Veda Carrero | Grade 4, Garden City

We leave to find a brighter life, taking what we need, and leaving what we don’t. Mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, all of us. Birches, oaks, Philadelphia

to New Hampshire. Stars above us, moon behind us, join with people we don’t know. Green grass, dark sky. Rest at day, move at night. We were slaves finding the light.

Millie’s Life (Exerpt)

Camila Carter | Grade 4, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Character: Millie

• Eye color: blue

• Hair color: light pink

• Favorite subject: school

About Millie

Hi, I’m Millie. I really like school and nature. I’m in sixth grade, and I love math, science, reading, design, P.E., and DEFINITELY my favorite, writing! Yep! I know it’s not the coolest subject, but I REALLY like it.

I don’t have a lot of friends, but I have two best friends, Amber and Layla. They’re amazing, and we’ve been friends for nine years. Me and Layla usually walk to Amber’s house. Us three usually talk about school and stuff like that.

CHAPTER TWO: Millie’s Daily Life

Character: Millie

• Wake up for school: 7:30 a.m.

• Eat breakfast: 7:45 a.m.

• Go to school: 8:00 a.m.

School Time

Monday: Design: 9:00 a.m. Science: 10:15 a.m.

• Writing: 11:30 a.m. LUNCH Read: 12:45 p.m.

• Math: 1:45 p.m. P.E.: 2:45 p.m.

• END OF DAY!

Tuesday: Writing: 9:00 a.m. Math: 10:00 a.m.

• Science: 11:30 a.m. LUNCH P.E.: 12:15 p.m.

• SNACK: 1:30 p.m. BREAK: 2:30 p.m.

• Go Inside: 2:45 p.m.

• END OF DAY!

Wednesday: Math: 9:00 a.m. Read: 10:00 a.m.

• Science: 11:00 a.m. Design: 11:30 a.m.

• LUNCH BREAK 12:15 p.m.

• SNACK: 1:00 p.m. P.E.: 2:15 p.m.

• Writing: 2:45 p.m.

• END OF DAY!

The Girl of the Forest

Julia Abac | Grade 4, Boise PROLOGUE

“NO!!!” Willow and Morgan were surrounded by snake warriors! They were pleading to be free and not to capture their daughter, Leia, but the snake warriors refused. So Leia was gone from their house. She was five, so she didn’t really know what was happening, but she realized that it was a good time to cry.

She screamed and cried until the snake warriors with their red snake hair were annoyed but that didn’t stop them. They took her to a jungle with many bird calls. There was an enormous cliff surrounding it. Leia was trying to find escape points, but there were none.

CH.1: MORE QUICKSAND, GREAT. “More quicksand, great,” said Leia as she looked into the

last known escape point. “I’m nine now! Why can’t I escape?”

Suddenly there was a very loud bird call. It sounded like screeching.

“Ah man, not again,” she said. Many snake warriors were marching toward her, but they suddenly stopped.

The biggest one stepped forward and said, “You know the rules. No trying to escape.”

“Of course,” she said. “I know but–”

“SILENCE!” She was loudly interrupted by him.

He warned her one more time and left. When they left, a strong gust of wind blew her long blonde hair as if the world warned her not to try to escape. She sighed, wishing the snake warriors had never captured her in the first place. She was about to stomp on the ground when she saw a ledge.

“It’s not the cliff, so there must be an escape point,” she excitedly said. She tried to climb the ledge but fell almost immediately. “I know I can do this and I will not stop until I succeed.”

Leia tried ten more times climbing that ledge. Every time she tried, she fell. On the twentieth time, she poured all of her heart out to climbing that ledge. The only way she knew how to do that was to climb something she already knew how to climb. She made it to the top, and came down again. She was sure she could make it so she tried

again but fell. She was so angry that she kicked the ledge. That was HURTful. But after she kicked it, a tree fell down. She climbed the tree and made it to top of the ledge! She was so satisfied but was also very tired, so she rested.

Dive Club

Leona Washington | Grade 4, Boise

CH.1:

THE BEGINNING

We begin our story with a group of girls named Ruby, Jade, Anna, and Lauren. The island is called Dive Island, and the girls were just on a dive. They came back because there was a storm coming in. Before we get to the story, let me tell you about the island. The island is a pretty big island with lots of wildlife. We have spider monkeys, howler monkeys, dolphins, sharks, palm trees, and, if you’re lucky and believe in magic, you will see some mermaids, unicorns that can talk, and my favorite, the tiger, Dyana. You might think that Dyana is just an ordinary tiger.

CH.2: DESCRIBING

Dyana is not just an ordinary tiger. Dyana has an enchanted necklace made out of magic crystals. Now let

me describe the girls. Lauren has long, gold, straight hair. She is tall. Anna’s hair is brown, she wears a bun, and she is short. Ruby has long brown hair, and is short like Anna. Jade has black hair, and she is tall.

Back to the animals: Dyana had a necklace, right? Yeah, the crystals were shades of green. They had talking-to-people magic, solving problems magic, and more.

CH.3: BACK TO THE STORY

“Oh no!” Lauren said, “I left my phone in the boat. I’m going to get my phone.” She went back to the boat. Now you might think she gets her phone and goes back to the house, but no, she went to the boat, and did not come back. She wanted to go on the Russian dive.

Well, the Russian dive is a shipwreck. A pirate bombed their ship, forcing them to flee and go to the nearest island. The girls did not want to go on the Russian dive that night because there were sharks. Lauren wanted to go on the Russian dive because it was new.

When she came back, someone in a black hoodie kidnapped her and brought Lauren to the old lighthouse. Where no one will find me, Lauren thought.

CH.4: LAUREN IS MISSING!

“It’s been two weeks since she disappeared,” said Jade. “Have you found anything,” said Ruby to the monkeys.

Dyana translated (have you found anything), (no) said the monkeys.

“No,” said Dyana.

“Thank you,” said Ruby with tears in her eyes. Anna said, “Let’s go and see if Lauren’s dad found anything.”

“Okay!” Jade and Ruby said.

“Please don’t say Lauren,” Jade whispered, “Ruby is very sad.”

“Ok,” Anna said. [TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK 2: FINDING LAUREN]

Togira Kom

Dominic Pelosi | Grade 3, Boise

PROLOGUE 1

King Kongar washed off in a waterfall, for he just woke up. Then Kongar walked through the forest that he towered over. Then he came across a little girl. She was a native of the island. She had a bamboo necklace and a buttoned red

shirt with a white shirt underneath and brown pants and brown books. Her name was Jia. She could not hear so she had to use sign language.

King Kongar knew Jia. In fact, Jia had even made a doll that looked just like King Kongar. The doll was made out of sticks and bushes. She lifted the doll and showed Kongar. Jia was the last native that Kongar had seen since yesterday. He didn’t know what happened to the rest, he just hoped they were okay. Jia frowned. Kongar picked up a tree and used his hand to shave the sticks off. He threw the tree at the sky, and it hit a mechanical wall. Kongar roared out.

“There’s a security breach,” said the monarch worker.

Chapter 1: Anabell

Ryder Mak | Grade 4, Boise

If you’re like most people, you’d ask me, “Anabell, why are you in the middle of the hallway in the royal palace of fire?” Well, the thing is that me and Jorden, my so-called brother, were curious, so we snuck out of the orphanage slash training facility to the nearby palace. Okay, now I will explain why we were here. It starts like this:

“Jorden!” I quietly said, “Stop packing all the swords! You only need one or two.”

“What?!” Jorden said. “I’m just preparing for the worst. You packed a ton of daggers and knives.”

“Fine, but I only did that because those were for throwing,” I said.

“We need to go now. It’s already midnight,” Jorden said.

We started to walk to the palace. It started fine until we reached the gates. Then we found five guards guarding the palace gates. One guard, supposedly the lead guard, said, “What business do you two have in the middle of the night with the god Fire or the nobles?”

I hesitated. I knew we couldn’t do it. I didn’t know why. “Focus on the part of you that heats up all the time,” our teacher would say, but Jorden and I never could! I mean, we could never find that spot. But what I found was weird. I saw a throbbing sphere of powerful energy that continuously changed colors. I also knew that we were not going to stand a chance against these people. Not only were they fully elite trained warriors, we were outnumbered five to two. So we both knew we had to talk it out.

“O-oh. We were going to try to get a job in the palace to serve the god.”

“Ok, but I’m going to have guards escort you to the king’s chamber,” said the guard. Just like that we were off.

As we walked in the palace hall, I couldn’t help staring at the elaborate paintings on the hallway wall and the warm, glowing pillars that suspended the temple-like structure. There were many halls branching off the main room, but soon we entered a hallway labeled “servant rooms.” Obviously, we had to get hired to a servant, and the servant keeper had to agree to do it.

Human and Witch

Lucia VanVoreen | Grade 4, Boise

Do you believe in magic? Well, you’re in luck because this story is all about it…

Once there was a thirteen-year-old girl, Lucy. She was a… umm… how do I say this? She was a . . . weird kid, but Lucy didn’t care. Lucy lived in a small – Oh! Did I say small city? Well, I was wrong. Lucy lived in a BIG city. There was a tiny forest on the west side of the city. Lucy had a pink necklace that she wore every day. Lucy had brown skin, black hair, freckles, and brown eyes. She wore a purple dress and green pants.

One day when Lucy was in the forest, she saw a blue spinning thing that looked like a portal. “Hmm. . . this looks dangerous . . . I’m going in!” Lucy said, knowing that

it probably wasn’t a good idea. She went in excited to know what was on the other side. “Where am I?” Lucy said.

“You’re in the village of magic, silly witch!”

“AAAAA!” Lucy said as she looked behind her and saw a girl with brown skin, black hair, and brown eyes.

“Hi! Sorry if I scared you. I’m Misty. I’m known by my silent footsteps,” Misty said.

“Oh, okay! But, umm, did you say village of MAGIC?” Lucy said to Misty, surprised. Misty explained that they were in a village where witches lived and that she was a witch too. But then Misty said something that Lucy didn’t know how to respond to: “Are you not a witch too?” Misty said.

“Um . . . well, no. I am human,” Lucy said. “Cool! I have never met a human before. Oh I should show you around!” Misty said.

The houses were wooden, and there was a market. There also was a park and broom races. There was a magic school and Lucy wanted to go. So one month later Lucy got in.

Now, you might think this is the end of the story, but we are FAR from it. TO BE CONTINUED…

Phoenix King

Agam Pushkin Huang | Grade 4, Boise

One morning in the fire castle, home of the phoenixes, King Ember sat on his throne eating his breakfast. Phoenixes are bright red and breathe fire. They have a special ability to change color. King Ember woke up bored so he wanted to steal the crystal dragons’ crystals. He said to himself, “They have plenty so they have nothing to worry about.” The crystal dragons are blue ugly beasts that could breathe blue poison gas, but they don’t know how to do that because they have an IQ of 20. They live in a crystal cave. The crystals are blue and turquoise.

When the king finished eating his steak, he called Fenix and Felix (the Phoenix fighters) for a meeting. Ember said, “I want to steal the crystal dragons’ crystals.”

Felix said, “Okay, but we need a plan.”

They thought and thought until Fenix had an idea. He said, “We should fly up in the sky and enter from the back of the cave and dig under the ground into their basement where they keep their crystals.”

“The only problem is that Brystal, the dragon guard, is the smartest dragon out there, so we have to be careful not to be seen by her,” said Ember.

“Okay,” said Fenix and Felix. “But first we have to bring our flame thrower and crystal shield for backup just in case our fire runs out and if they throw crystals at us.”

Once they had what they needed, they blended into the sky and flew to the crystal cave. When they arrived, they dug the ground with their sharp talons until they got to the crystal dragons’ basement and stole some crystals.

When they came out of the dragons’ basement, they flew away. The only problem is that they forgot to change colors. Brystal saw them and said, “I see Ember, throw crystals at them!”

Luckily for the Phoenixes, they used their shield to block the crystals and flew back to the first castle.

Ryder and the Seven Mythic Kingdoms

Alice Jackson | Grade 4, Boise

Once upon a time, there was a guy called Ryder. He had black hair and black eyes. His dad was Jason, and he was the Emperor of Power City. The palace of Power City was a big house made of solid quartz. The house was surrounded by apartments. Jason was worried about

Ryder, so he summoned all the princesses as well as maids from the Wolf City of Ariana.

Later all the princesses asked for juice while they waited for Ryder and Ariana to bring it to them. After she handed them their fancy cups, they tripped her, and laughed. Now, I must address the looks of these princesses. The Princess of Phoenixes had a red dress fabricated with fire on it, and she had brown hair. The Werewolf Princess had a beautiful silver-and-gray dress. She also had black hair. The Princess of Vampires had red hair, sharp teeth, and red eyes. The Princess of Dragons had a pair of piercing green eyes and green hair. The Wizard/Witch Princes had blue wizard robes and gray eyes. Lastly, the Princess of Griffandors had a red-colored eye on the left and a yellow one on the right. Her hair was brown.

Before Ryder went to talk to the visiting princesses, he spoke with the Oracle. The Oracle looked like a mummified woman; she was old and withered. Ryder asked her, “Oh, great Oracle, give me my fortune!”

Then the Oracle said in a bone-chilling voice, “Welcome, young Prince of Power. What you seek lies in the highest tower. Avoid making a friend that will hurt you in the end.” Afterward, she went limp.

Ryder stared into her cold dead eyes with suspicion for a moment. Then a shiver pushed down by Ariana falling because the princesses tripped her again!

Excerpt from Chapter 14: Training

Caleb Mitchell | Grade 4, Mountain Home

“DING!” A bell rang. Red could hear Katrina yelling through a megaphone. “RED!!! Get your butt over here!! You’re 10 minutes late for training! I swear, I’ve got half the mind to–” Red checked his watch. He really was 10-11 minutes late for training. He got up with a sigh.

In the training room, Katrina was tapping her foot impatiently. “You’re late,” she snapped.

Red sighed, “You did make that clear with the megaphone thing.”

“I’ll use it when I want!” Katrina snapped. “Now, let’s start the training. And stop talking!”

The first obstacle was the balance beam. After that the wood floor would drop away to reveal a dark pit. There was a narrow and broken bridge across the hole. After that you would be at one of the room’s stone walls. There were bumps in this wall because you practice rock climbing.

Red already had a bit of practice with this, seeing as how he had climbed that volcano. After the rock climbing, there was a four-foot blank wood patch. This wood was darker than the rest of the training room’s wood; the square was

ebony wood, nearly black, while there was oak, a light tan color.

The square wall was darker, too. The square wall was ore, while the other walls were granite. A door in the ore wall opened a bunch of wooden mannequins with wooden swords.

You will have a wooden sword. If it touches any vital part of a mannequin, it will fall. If it touches any of yours, you will fail, and this failure will be on your file until you level up.

Red wasn’t sure what “leveling up” meant, but Katrina told him to check number two. He would do that tonight.

The last challenge still took place in the square: sword lessons with Katrina. Katrina won every time, but Red hoped he would beat her someday.

But now to start training. Red quickly walked the balance beam, crossed the bridge, and climbed the wall. Twelve wooden mannequins streamed out the wall. Crack! One down.

After about three minutes, all the mannequins were down. Now, the last part. Sword lessons. Red waited for Katrina to enter the square. She grabbed a wooden sword.

“Begin!” Katrina swept Red’s legs out from under him. Red landed on the ground. He rolled out of the way of Katrina’s sword, only for it to lightly touch his back. The training was over.

Casino Night with Lottery Tickets

Beau Blumenfeld | Grade 4, Boise

Justin went to a casino with lottery tickets. It was big, like a mansion. A red carpet adorned the floor, and there were slot machines, roulette, blackjack, and poker. A food stand next to the roulette table sold subway sandwiches and drinks. There was a lottery ticket stand, just like what you would find in a gas station, next to the blackjack table. The sound of slot machines and people cheering filled the casino.

CHAPTER ONE

Justin is tall. He is 23 years old. He is wearing a blue sweatshirt and black sweatpants. He is nice. He has white skin and turquoise eyes. Today is his 17th time in a casino and 5th time in a casino with lottery tickets. He always brings $150 to the casino.

At first, he goes over to the roulette table. There he wins $100. He jumps with excitement. Then he goes over to the slot machines and wins $500. He feels like he is the happiest person on planet Earth. Then he goes to the lottery ticket stand and buys a lottery ticket. He scratches it off and realizes he won $1,000! He is so excited. He loses expression. He decides to go home.

CHAPTER TWO

Justin wakes up and walks outside. A man walks up to him and gives him a magic glowing pearl. Then he disappears as Justin blinks. He puts the pearl in his pocket and goes to the casino.

He gets a lottery ticket and wins $5,000. He is shocked. He decides to go to play Texas hold ‘em poker and wins $5,000,000! He doesn’t believe his eyes. He decides to go home. He goes to sleep with the pearl still in his pocket.

Justin wakes up and does his morning routine. As his morning routine, he takes a shower, eats breakfast, and counts his money. Then he walks to the casino. But today, people capture him. And then they take his pearl.

Five days later, people rescue him from his cell. They say, “Let’s go find that pearl!” They destroy the security cameras.

They go over and see the pearl right there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So they grab it and destroy it!!

The Undersea Adventure

Gabby Schuldenfrei | Grade 10, Boise

Nick and Sally were sick that day so it would just be Y/N and Cat. Y/N was nervous. Cat had been friendly, but that was when Nick and Sally were there. “What if he hurt me?”

Y/N thought. Suddenly, the wind picked up as Cat came down the Thingamajigger.

“Oh, hello, Y/N,” Cat said in an excited but not too loud voice. “Hm, this is odd. Where are Nick and Sally?” he asked.

Y/N whimpered in fear.

“Oh, Y/N, it’s OK. I won’t hurt you. Promise.” Cat stuck out his pinky. Y/N slowly reached their pinky out to meet his. Cat gave a soft smile. “Are you ready for an underwater adventure, Y/N?”

Y/N nodded and then they hopped in the Thingamajigger. Cat had reprogrammed the hands so they wouldn’t pat Y/N.

“Should we wait for Nick and Sally, Y/N?” asked Cat as he pulled up a map.

“No, they sick,” Y/N said in a small and quiet voice. “Oh well, then. Guess it’s just you and me, Y/N,” Cat said with a smile.

And with that, they were off on an adventure. The ride was mostly quiet with Cat talking about where they were going and what they were flying over with Y/N looking but not saying anything. Eventually they arrived.

“Here we are,” said Cat. Y/N looked around but only saw the ocean. They looked at Cat in confusion. “But just ocean?” they asked.

“Not just the ocean,” Cat said as he lowered the Thingamajigger down. With that, the Thingamajigger turned into a submarine. Y/N looked in amazement. Cat lowered the sub into the water. As the sub went deeper, more and more sea creatures appeared. Y/N started happy singing and Cat gave a soft smile, happy that they were happy. There were so many sharks, blue ones and gray ones, all sizes, with big teeth, which made Y/N even more excited. When they got back up into the air, Cat pulled out a fish ring and gave it to Y/N.

“Whenever you need to find me,” he said with a soft smile. “Would you …” Cat paused. “Would you like me to take you in? I could take care of you. If … if you would want me to.”

Cat was nervous about their answer. After a small pause, Y/N started to cry.

“Oh, oh no Y/N, I am so sorry.” Cat panicked. “Cat wants to take care of me?” Y/N said as they cried. “Yes, of course I do,” Cat said with a soft smile as he wiped their tears.

“Es please,” Y/N managed to say. With that they hugged, and Cat flew them back to his, no, to their home.

Doorways

Nathan Shumway | Grade 10, Boise

John took a step towards the door. It looked ancient, but its design suggested otherwise. He glanced at the white panel; its blue screen seemed almost alluring. What was curious was that the panel worked, despite the fact that the building had been abandoned decades ago. John could go on and on about the entry’s more interesting characteristics. The number above, the key lock but no handle, but that wasn’t why he was here. Joe had warned him about this house, the legends surrounding it. Opening this door was probably the equivalent of opening Pandora’s Box. John had no choice. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the largest button on the panel, half-hoping it wouldn’t work. From behind the wall came the whir of mechanics. John took a step back, waiting for the door to open. He could feel his heart racing. With a click, the door slowly swung open.

John pulled the door open, glancing through the doorway. Inside … was a classroom? John stepped in. It was a

small, rectangular room. In the middle of the room was a table with notebooks and pencils. Across the table was a whiteboard covered in mysterious symbols and words, none of which John could recognize. On the long sides of the room were eight doors, four on each side. They all had different designs, as if someone new had made each one. A loud bang caused John to jump. The door had shut behind him. He frantically looked up and down, trying to find a way to open it. Right before him, the door began to shift, becoming something entirely new. John blinked in disbelief. But now, instead of the old metal gateway, there was a simple wood door—no windows, just some square engravings.

“Pandora’s Box,” John muttered.

Of everything that could have possibly been behind the door, this mysterious room was not something John had thought of. If anything, he had hoped it would have been his sister trapped behind the door, but that would have been too simple. John pulled open the wood door. The door led to the old basement that he had already known.

A musty smell floated through the entryway. It was impossibly dark; John could barely make out a set of stairs. He almost closed the door, but something stopped him. John stood, still and silent. Then he heard the gong of a grandfather clock in the distance. It sent chills through his spine. Whatever this place was, it was clear it had some role in his sister’s disappearance. John pulled out his phone and clicked on the flashlight. Sweeping it across the

room revealed an old wood and concrete room. Massive spider webs clung to the corners. The stairs looked like someone had spent years running up and down them. John stepped through the doorway, making sure to hold the door open. He didn’t quite understand the rules of these shape-shifting gateways yet, but now was not the time to take chances. After scouring the room, John propped the door open with a block of wood. This old building seemed to call to him. John glanced around. He needed to see where he was. After looking up and down the stairs, he settled on heading up. Climbing the stairs revealed multiple rooms before John finally reached the top. While every other room had been an exact replica of the first, this one had an old metal ladder in the middle. “Going up?” John asked himself. The ladder was rough against his hands, the rust digging into his skin. Luckily it wasn’t tall, and John crawled into a square room. Except it wasn’t a room. Instead, it appeared to be the top of a tower. There seemed to be no sun, just a dark, endless cloud cover. Surrounding the tower were trees, but when the wind shifted them just right, John could spot abandoned buildings. In the distance, a few skyscrapers attempted to form a skyline, but the lack of lights suggested that they had long since been forgotten. John somehow knew his sister wasn’t here. He sighed, turning to back down the ladder, but stopped. He walked to a corner, blowing off the dust. On the ground sat a rusty key. This was important. The thought hit John like a train.

Before he realized what he was doing, he had pocketed the key and walked back down to the room with the gateway.

As he went to open the door, kicking the wood block aside, he heard the metallic creak of a hinge. Except it wasn’t coming from the house. John felt his muscles tense, now wishing he had brought a weapon of some kind. After a moment of anticipation, he threw open the door. In the room, standing in front of the old metal entryway that John had arrived through, was Joe, complete in his normal attire of shorts and a t-shirt.

“Joe?! What are you doing here?”

“I knew you would do something like this,” Joe said, almost accusingly.

Behind him, the metal door slammed shut. Joe spun around, watching in horror as the gateway began to shift.

Dreaming of Peace

CHAPTER ONE

Sage stood in a cluster of trees next to a large, grassy field. The air was comfortably warm with a light breeze, like most places created in dreams. She could barely hear the

Savannah Rutledge | Grade 9, Boise

distant voices of two of her classmates who were walking through the field. Suddenly, one of them pointed in her general direction and Sage froze.

“Sage! Get away from there!” one of her other classmates, Nolan, called.

Sage quickly scrambled deeper into the darkness of the trees.

“We only have five minutes left of dreaming.” Sage’s teacher’s voice reached all areas of the dreamscape. “Find the other team’s stone while you have time!”

Sage put her hand in her pocket and felt a smooth, round surface. The other team would never guess that the stone was with her. She smiled as she began to develop a plan that would help her get the other team’s stone.

She breathed in the scent of damp air and glanced at Nolan. He was standing in a tree to keep watch.

“I have an idea,” Sage muttered to Nolan. “Do you think our team will be okay with me leaving? “What about the stone?” Nolan asked.

Sage held out the stone in her hand, offering it to Nolan. He hesitated and Sage worried. What if he didn’t accept?

“Take it,” Sage whispered. “You’ll be able to control yourself.”

Finally, Nolan accepted and Sage darted into the field. Please work, please work, please work, Sage thought as she leaped into the air.

Focusing her energy on a different form, she transformed into a dove. She flew above the vast, green field until she found her two opponents who she had seen wandering around earlier. They were no longer talking, just walking. They were probably headed back to their team.

Swooping to where she could reach her opponents, Sage changed back to a human and tried to sift through one’s memories.

“Don’t let her probe your thoughts!” the other shouted as he tried to yank Sage away.

A blockade instantly sprung around Sage’s opponent’s mind like a thorny wall. Sage did her best to go through it and quickly found the memory she was searching for. The stone was buried in the field, not far from here. Sage jumped away from the two members of the other team. She grabbed a clump of soil from the ground and attempted to use it to raise the earth, but that backfired when one member of them sprang at her and knocked the soil from her hand.

Meanwhile, the other ran behind Sage and threw a net around her. Sage struggled and tried to use the abilities that the dream gave her to break free, but had no success.

“We have their stone!” a voice shouted. Through the holes of the net, she saw three other members of the opposing team running towards them. One held a shiny, white object in her hand. The other two were dragging the giant birdcage they had used to trap Nolan.

“Team Two wins,” Sage’s teacher, Mrs. Fawn announced. It seemed as though she came from nowhere.

It wasn’t long before Sage’s teammates were in the area, grumbling about how Sage went against the plan.

“You all did well, but it’s time to wake up now,” Mrs. Fawn prompted.

The World We Called Home

Aidan Cahill | Grade 11, Boise

A new line of text ran across the wall. “We had planned to settle on your world eons ago. But by the time we arrived, you had already destroyed it with climate change and nuclear warfare.”

Tavy didn’t know what exactly he meant, but even the idea of such horrors cut through her like a meat cleaver.

“The surface was so miserable that we were forced to go underground, where we’ve lived ever since. But because, because you ruined our plans, because you ruined our paradise, we were bitter.

“And so we decided to have some fun. To make you all

experience the same suffering we had—and still have—to undergo. It began, when you were a child, with locusts and will continue long after you die.”

The screen went blank. Tavy peeled her eyes away and looked around the room. At what could be the last of Earth’s natural beauty, housed entirely in the confines of a single glass box.

An idea formed in her mind. Seven new words replaced the old ones on-screen. “Which, by our estimations … will be now.”

Bubbly green-white gas suddenly began spurting out of the mist-pipes.

“Don’t worry, it won’t hurt the plants,” a deep, ominous voice suddenly boomed, its voice as loud as the smell of death. “But it will hurt you. ”

Tavy looked down and grabbed a small pipe running by her feet. With a grunt, she lowered her foot upon it and snapped a piece off.

The gas was up to her knees already, having consumed all but the canopies of the various preserved plants. Tavy dashed towards the nearest wall and slammed the pipe against it.

Nothing. The glass held firm. Through its reflection, she could see herself, bloodied by the locusts, staring defiantly back into her own eyes. Somewhere up above, one of the angel-creatures cawed.

Tavy looked down. The gas was brimming at her hips. She grunted and brought the pipe to the glass again. A small, thin crack sliced across it. Inspired by the damage, Tavy brought the pipe down once, twice, thrice against the glass. It rattled the first time, groaned the second time, and burst the third time. Glass rained down on Tavy, blanketing the floor in crystal shards. She backed away, feeling the gas tickle the rim of her neck.

Cold air rushed out of the observatory. A bird or two fluttered out of the opening, followed by the rest in a blur of color and flapping wings. Tavy fell to her knees.

The gas invaded her nostrils and started festering in her brain. Her vision was growing hazy. In the sea of fog, Tavy saw a potted plant just before her. She reached for it, but it fumbled out of her grasp and crashed to the floor. She groped for it in the haze and felt her hands graze over something smooth. Plastic.

She was shaking now. Her hands couldn’t keep still.

Somehow, she got the box into her hands. Somehow, she read the label.

“Seeds: Aa-De”

Somehow, she rose to her feet, and, even with her mind twisting and turning and collapsing in on itself, her primary goal remained clear—bright and glowing, a guiding beacon in the darkness.

She stumbled to the opening in the glass. She knew it was too small to crawl through, but she didn’t care.

Her hands fumbled for the lid. Popped it open. She reached the box through the opening and spilled its contents into the world. Where they could grow and reproduce alongside the birds, and maybe even start a little rebellion of their own.

Tavy couldn’t move. Her legs gave out underneath her and she found herself looking out of the hole. Her eyes landed on the flock of birds swooping and dancing into the sunset. Some plucked a few locusts out of the sky.

At least they’ll have plenty to eat, she thought.

Closer by, a gust of wind took the seeds and lifted them over the edge of the concrete fortress. They sprayed over the city like rainfall, carried this way and that by the breeze. Tavy smiled and stretched back. Her eyes fluttered closed. As warm light bathed her from the fading sunlight, she died knowing that she’d made one hell of a difference.

The Other Side of a Black Hole

Chad Thorpe | Grade 10, Boise

Bang!

The vault doors swung open.

“Get the money, Hank!” one of the robbers yelled.

There were two men, both wearing masks that covered their faces.

“I’m on it, Jack,” the other man said.

The two men grabbed the money, putting it in bags. While they were doing that, two more people wearing masks came walking toward them. All four of the masks were gray with an orange eagle in the center.

“You boys done yet?” one yelled.

“We hardly bought some time with the police,” the other person said.

“Anglia and Summer, just give me and Jack a moment!” Hank said.

Jack and Hank moved the money into the bags. All four of them each grabbed two bags. They all ran up the stairs.

“OK, let’s go to the car,” Summer said.

“About that,” Hank said. “Anglia and I decided we don’t want to share.

Hank and Anglia then attacked Jack and Summer. Hank was able to knock Jack out. The next thing Jack knew, he was laying on a bed. His mask was off. He was in a prison cell. But the door was open. He walked out into a room with a fireplace and a bar. There were three more small prison cells. Sitting next to the fireplace was Summer, Anglia, and Hank.

“I am going to assume while you were trying to get me and Summer out, the police came and got all of us, “Jack exclaimed with a smile on his face.

“Yes, that is what happened,” Hank said. “But we have bigger problems now,” Anglia said.

“I know what it means to be in a prison this nice,” Jack exclaimed.

Anglia walked up to Jack and put her hand on his back. “What is wrong with you?” Anglia said. “You act like everything is going to be OK.”

“We have to do ten missions of this stuff,” Summer yelled with fear.

“I don’t care because some of this group just backstabbed me!” Jack yelled.

“We’re criminals, Jack, what do you expect?” Hank replied. “Right before the mission, you gave a speech that we were

family, that when we work together, we can do anything,” Jack said.

“Money is more valuable than family,” Hank said. Before Jack could respond, four guards came in. “Time to prepare you. You are going to the ground in thirty minutes,” one of the guards said.

They then all went to the armory. After they got all their stuff, they got put in a pod. The four of them put their gas masks on. Then the pod started to make its way to the ground. When they arrived, they could see the blimp they were on.

The Bears

Kate Robbins | Grade 9, Star

Click, click, click… The sounds of the bicycle gears filled the hot air. Click, click, click—he slammed his hands over his ears. Click, click, click. Suddenly falling, scraped knees against the pavement. Hot, so hot—something dripping on his head, was it blood? He couldn’t tell. More sounds, then light—blinding, colliding into his eyes as if they were a wall to run into. The screech of tires. Click, click, click. Somebody calling for him, a man, woman, he couldn’t

tell. Screams pierced his ears. His own, he realized. More light. More sounds. Pain, so much pain, and then nothing, nothing at all.

“Friend, brother, son.” A voice filled the stale air, heavy with grief. “Father.”

There, there—it was that word. One word that stabbed into Oliver’s ears like knives. Father. Father. The one person who always believed in him was gone, gone forever. The only part of him remained a distant memory in the minds of some. It wasn’t fair, how could somebody so strong, so seemingly unbreakable be taken down just like that? All it took was one wrong move. One car to end a life. Oliver’s eyes prickled with unshed tears threatening to fall. He brought his paws to his face, furiously rubbing his eyes to try to quell the brewing storm. One day, he would let that storm loose. But not today, not while his sister, Ila, sat next to him, their forearms touching. Not while tears streamed freely from his little sister’s face, matting in her fur like it was foliage stopping a river from flowing. No, today he would stay strong.

A bell rang, startling the grieving pair out of their inner monologues. Oliver rested a gentle palm on Ila’s shoulder. “Ils,” he spoke gently. Her figure cleared as the tears receded. “Let’s go to dinner.”

They stood together, taking one last look at the now empty memorial room before they exited in the direction of the dining hall for supper. Oliver’s paws reached into

the pockets of his navy-blue vest, tracing the inner layer of thick fabric, grappling until his fingers found the familiar, smooth surface, and he exhaled in relief. He pulled the wooden object, his most prized possession. His dad hates it. Well, hated it. It was actually from his mother. She was a sickly bear. Sometimes barely even able to get out of bed. She lacked the strength to perform their job. The job that they were all forced into as young cubs. The job that took his father’s life and almost his. He looked down to see that his fingers were clasped tightly against the wooden spoon, shaking with the effort of it. Oliver quickly released the brittle object. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. It was the only thing he had left from his precious mother. Oliver knew by now that the life he lived wasn’t safe. Nothing about what they did was safe. “Traffic Bears.” That’s what the humans called their kind. It was simple: once you reached eleven, you were sent to the streets to begin your training. All because of the stupid cone that rested on every bear’s head like a burden. Sometimes the cone felt like it was heavier than it was, as if any day now, the cone could turn on him, crushing his head like a tin can, the cone exceeding the pressure his body could take, just like that. Gone. Like his mother. And his father. It wasn’t fair! Why couldn’t he just be human? Why instead did he have to stand there for hours day by day, the hot rays of the sun showering him in their scorching presence? Why couldn’t humans do it? Why was it up to the bears

to stand there with their stop signs making sure nobody drove off cliffs? Oliver thought it to be wrong. But that was just it. The life of the traffic bear would never be fair. “Oli.”

A meek voice reverberated in the echoey tunnels like a flashlight being turned on in a dark room. Blue eyes snapped to meet brown; Oliver pulled from his trance. Tears glittered in Ila’s eyes as she watched her brother regain his bearings. Oliver shook his head as if attempting to shake the sadness from his mind. He smiled gently.

“I’m OK, Ils.”

He wasn’t, not really, but she didn’t need to know that. “Let’s just go.” Softness poured into his voice. “We have to eat.”

The dining hall was loud. Oliver didn’t think it should be. Loud laughs and conversations meant happiness. How can they be so happy? Do they not see that their people are dying, that their job takes the lives of so many every day? But … what would happen if everybody just stopped being happy? Just let the misery wash over like a river over a stone. What happens then?

Oliver grasped two old lunch trays without thought, passing one to his sister.

Dinner passed by far too quickly for Oliver’s liking. The meal was a welcome distraction from the cyclone of thought that circled his mind. The thoughts did inhabit

his mind, but eventually, his eyes grew too tired to hold off tiredness for any longer, and Oliver fell into a fitful sleep.

Fallen Days, Endless Skies

Nick Maher | Grade 9, Boise

The Appearance of Hell (Part 2)

Akushi was guarding the east edge of the neighborhood for seemingly no reason. The small waves splashed against the industrial-sized flotation device keeping them afloat.

“Why are we even guarding the edge?” Akushi asked the eight additional people.

“Well, what if a Phantom could swim?” someone suggested.

“Even so, good luck getting through that thick glass,” Akushi teased, almost wishing something could happen. However, something sinister was approaching that would change everything.

A few hours later it was noon. The town seemed peaceful, the ocean water glimmering from the sunshine. Akushi almost forgot the terrible world they had left behind.

Unfortunately, reality had to remind him of how terrible the world truly was. He was looking back at the town when shadows covered the whole neighborhood. Akushi turned around to see exactly what he feared. A Phantom right next to the dome, easily towering above the whole neighborhood. Akushi was bewildered, so stunned he forgot how to move.

“That’s impossible. We’re in the deepest part of the ocean,” a girl yelled.

Akushi didn’t know how to react. The Phantom was a black skeleton with what looked to be boiling human flesh covering the back of his head and his shoulders. It lifted its arm. Screams arose from the neighborhood as it slammed its arm into the glass. Akushi couldn’t shake the idea from his head.

“Why do you look so familiar?”

The Appearance of Hell (Part 3)

The Phantom shrieked, smashing both hands into the glass. Shattering and cracking flooded our ears. Eventually, a large chunk broke off, giving him access to the inside. “Wait. Who is that?” a person shouted while pointing to the Phantom and Akushi looked closely. It was Ero! He was sitting on his shoulder. The Phantom slammed its hand on the ground, sending everyone flying. The houses closest to the dome collapsed as Akushi flew into a house, getting trapped. He was lying in the rubble, all hope lost.

He couldn’t do anything. Suddenly, his mind snapped, and he realized why the Phantom was familiar. A year ago the Phantom had appeared out of nowhere, catching Akushi, Aoi, and Haki off guard. Being the colossal size that it was, it made quick work of them. Both Aoi and Haki died. Akushi was on the verge of death. Now that he remembered, a hope had sparked. He looked around and saw the arm of a woman sticking out of the debris.

He pushed all the rubble off him, feeling nothing but rage. Akushi limped towards the arm, lifting things off it until the upper half of her body was revealed. Just as Akushi thought. She had a necklace, specifically a diamond one. Akushi leaned over her and crouched down. He grabbed the necklace and held it in his hand. “Finally … I can avenge all of you!” Akushi held the necklace close to his mouth. “Hunter, Bandit, Cahin, Haki, Aoi, I will avenge you.”

Akushi bit down on the diamond and a bright light engulfed the house.

Hell’s Demise

Akushi was bursting with rage as he transformed, sprinting towards the Phantom. Once Akushi reached the edge of the glass dome, he jumped off, latching onto its waist. He started climbing up the Phantom, using the ribs as a ladder. He climbed faster and faster. Soon, the Phantom’s face was in sight. Akushi leaped towards

the face but a sharp pain flooded his right side. Ero had stabbed him. Now caught off guard, Akushi’s attention turned to Ero, but then the Phantom moved its head towards Akushi and bit him nearly in half. The Phantom didn’t bite down, it was just pinning him down. Ero lost his balance and fell, hurtling towards the ground. Ero transformed and smacked into the ground, slightly injured, which was surprising for how much he fell. Ero attacked the people who were also guarding. They had no way to defend themselves. Akushi was still pinned in the mouth of the Phantom but then he had an idea. It wouldn’t kill Ero but it would at least end the Phantom and himself.

Pen Pals and Bagels

Hadessa Blood | Grade 9, Boise

Moving is scary, it takes a toll. Even with a large family, my family. I moved from the east coast to the west-ish coast. My pen pal for a few years and I were finally going to college in Boise. So that was where I was, Boise, waiting for someone to say “hey.” I sat in the Boise Rose Garden near the zoo. The fenced-off garden was more open than you would think. The sun poured down its heat on everything unprotected by shade. Clouds had been seemingly kicked

out of the sky. The large trees loomed protectively over their realms. Walkers appreciated the warmth of the sun and the cool of the shade.

As I was writing my first draft for my first paper for school, I heard a light voice call out.

“Hello, Max. It’s good to finally meet you in person.”

I turned my head to see an average guy, average height, black hair ruffled, gray hoodie, and jeans. His gray eyes seemed to fill with delight as I smiled at him.

“Hey, Jayson. It is good, I can finally tell my mom you are who you say you are,” I replied light-heartedly.

He chuckled.

“Of course. Now my aunt can stop worrying as well.”

I stood and we walked around the blotches of rose bushes, filled with color. Two fountains stood as starting pieces on other sides.

“I am sorry you couldn’t live with me, Max.”

“I get it, roommates.”

“Landlords as well. My landlord is put off by new people coming around.”

“Really? That is—weird. Why would they be?”

“Because of Californians driving up housing and rent prices.”

“Holy. Wow. How many are you getting?”

“Too many.”

“I’m sorry. I remember you said that it was peaceful.”

“It still is, mostly. Sadly, there are now more homeless people. And people are being kicked out of homes because of rent prices.”

We sat on a bench. Praying to not read the name on the plaque, I didn’t. It still feels weird to sit on a memorial, even if it is a bench.

“That is terrifying. I’m glad I have a dorm.”

“Yeah. I live around here. The big burnt orange apartments,” he said nonchalantly.

“Ah, about that. You said you have a roommate and she is—” I paused to think of a more PG word as kids ran in front of us, but Jayson pressed his two cents in.

“A turd, a stubborn mule?” Jayson stated bluntly, speaking a lot more PG than he did in his letters.

“I’m sure they aren’t that bad.”

“You would be surprised.”

Soon, both of us mentioned we hadn’t eaten breakfast, so we walked around until we found a bagel place. I loved bagels. They reminded me of home.

The cashier was standing at the front, waiting for us to

come order.

“Hello, what can I get you folks?” he said with great cheeriness as we approached.

“One blueberry bagel, toasted, with very berry cream cheese,” Jayson said as if he were trained. I looked at him, eyes wide. I almost took a step back. I tried to make sure I wasn’t dreaming by listening to my surroundings. I heard a couple giggle to my right, while a family ate their bagels in a corner.

“… a plain bagel lightly browned with chives and onion cream cheese. Thank you.”

“Of course. Is that all?”

“Yes, sir.” Jayson took out his wallet, calm as a cat. “You alright, Max?” Jayson purred mischievously as he turned. “You—how?” Then, remembering what else he had ordered, I said, “Why chives and onion? Are you a psychopath?”

A new pair of people entered, so Jayson waved and smiled, then lead me to a table to wait.

“Because I find it good.”

“You are crazy. And more importantly, how did you know my order?”

“Because we are friends and that is what you normally order when you go out for bagels. When you are home you normally go for plain with strawberry.”

He knew me too well from those darn letters. I wasn’t mad about it. But I can’t say my brain wasn’t going a mile a minute.

“You know me too well.”

“Thank you,” he remarked sarcastically.

The family had started to talk about their day, and the couple left as the new pair settled in. We were sitting next to large windows. There was a bird diving down at the table next to us. Jayson closed his eyes and covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, while I felt bad as the bird hit the window headfirst.

“Poor bird.” I was a little crestfallen.

“It’s alright, it flew away.”

So, he does care.

“You aren’t as cynical as you once were.”

“What can I say, I’ve grown up.”

“I guess you have.”

A booming voice called out our order from the counter. We stood. We held our bagels. Walking to Jayson’s house, the streets were so much quieter than home, similar and different all at once. There were fewer cars, less honking, and not as much sound. The streets where I had lived were laid out in a square pattern; it was rare to see any big winding roads. I don’t know if it made me feel safe or sick. When Jayson’s apartment was three steps away, he spoke.

Palace of Angels

Ada Hunt | Grade 10, Boise

From below, the Palace looked like a flower. It unfurled modestly as Sacha rose through the mists, each new detail revealing itself like a delicate maiden peeking through her veil. Great billowing pillows of fog buoyed the Palace up, supporting its walls, roofs, soaring columns, and enormous flying buttresses that, without the fog, Sacha imagined would hang like noosed criminals, ominously unmoored. As she climbed the fine-pleated accordion of steps up to the Palace, Sacha felt the air grow gradually slicker with condensation. It began to rest heavily in her lungs, to settle over her skin and hair. When she licked her dry lips, Sacha could taste the heady scent of skies and farborne seas mingled with sharper sweat. Sacha paused in her ascent then, taking a moment to catch her breath and using the opportunity to study her surroundings.

The Palace was above her, arrayed in white and gold like the Sun’s own bride. Around Sacha, half-wound yarns of pearlescent clouds tangled, and though they looked

“Let’s eat our bagels and watch some hockey.”

I may not like hockey, but still, it felt like home.

almost gray next to the brilliance of the Palace, even these were so bright Sacha had to squint to look at them. Beneath Sacha was a flight of stairs a mile wide and too tall to measure. Crowds of people flooded up these steps with her. For a woozy moment, Sacha wondered if the constant clouds enshrouding the Palace were due to evaporated water like the Saints said, or if they were little more than the breath of a million modern pilgrims, a product of their gasping treks through sky-chilled heights to the Host’s favorite altar. There, in a world too high for the sun to warm, Sacha’s breath looked like smoke and the Palace burned.

Resuming her ascent, Sacha felt the cold light from the above increase. When once it had rained down on her in a benevolent shower, it now poured with abandon. A slit throat where before had been a skinned knee. Sasha touched her wet cheek, the dampness there abruptly foreign. Perhaps the water that rolled down her face in ticklish drops was not condensation but sweat. Perhaps it was not the sweat but tears, for the higher Sacha climbed, the harsher the Palace became. The Palace’s white and gold coloration weaponized sunlight and sapped it of its warmth. Sacha was forced to avert her eyes or lose sight. “Light is for us alone.” The Palace whispered. “And we will turn it to acid for our worshippers.”

“Some miracle.” Sacha thought. “Jesus, at least, had known how to party. If you asked these Angels to turn water to

wine, they’d turn it to molten gold and dunk you in it for your insolence.”

Painful though it was to look upon, from below, the Palace looked like a flower.

From above, the Palace looks like a skull.

Were Sacha just here to offer a prayer, like the devout and physically fit did daily, she would have turned back. As it was, the idea barely crossed Sacha’s mind. She was here to audition for a coveted place as one of the Singers at the Angel’s Conservatory in the Palace at Tireste, and to get this far, she’d already had to do things far more terrible.

The first time she’d heard a Singer perform, Sacha had been young, but she’d known it was her calling. Her throat had strained against her admonitions to keep silent, and though she clamped her jaw shut so tight her teeth hurt, Sacha felt the song bubble up within her. In her mind, Sacha was belting right along with the Singer on the stage. But when Sacha returned home, her illusions of grandeur vanished, a dusky moth fleeing into the night as she put the lights out.

“Absurd,” Mother had accused when Sacha had told her, though she did so in laughter, not shouts, which was somehow worse. Mother had laughed, and every mirthless breath had pierced the great warmth within Sacha a little more. Words like “foolish” and “crazy” had shot Sacha’s joy full of sick, cold holes. Father had contributed “delusional” after looking it up in his dictionary. Father made a point

to be the most well-spoken one in the family, though it often meant he was also the least-spoken, his nose forever buried in his beloved books, and as frugal with his words as he was with the limited family funds.

“Funds,” Sacha reminded herself, “you stole to get here.”

What Father and Mother hadn’t known or noticed, snickering and ridiculing Sacha, was how close her dream of becoming a Singer was nestled in her heart. When Sacha’s parents had killed that great dream, her heart had curled into itself and formed a sharp, brittle shell, fearing it was next to face the firing squad of serrated tongues and piercing laughs. Miriam had been the only one to notice, the only one to spare a thought for the thing in Sacha’s chest that kept beating, but also kept hurting. That night, Sacha’s older sister had delicately cracked open Sacha’s new little heart, as she did to the tubs of beeswax at the market to check their quality when buying supplies to make her beloved candles.

“What will you sing? Once you become a Singer?” Miriam had whispered as she readied for bed.

“Everything.” Sacha had replied, her whisper reverent and incandescent. “I will sing everything.” At this, Miriam had smiled despite herself, and Sacha had let her heart breathe, though it was still too frightened to leave its prickly cage.

“If you truly want to be a Singer,” Miriam had said in a measured tone. “You should wish for it when you blow out

the candle tonight.” Miriam nodded to the single guttering flame which lit the girls’ shared room.

“Does that work?” Sacha had asked, eyes wide and bright.

At thirteen, Sacha was usually quite logical, but she trusted her older sister implicitly. Miriam nodded seriously.

“It’s how I got you.” She had said like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I wished for you every night, and one morning, there you were.”

That night, Sacha had wished to be a Singer when she blew out the candle, just as her sister had instructed. But when Sacha went to bed, she was furious that Miriam was the elder sister and got to wish for Sacha, but Sacha couldn’t wish for her. Five years later, Sacha left home a thief and a dreamer, rustling pockets bloated with money, holding a contraband candle in two shaking hands. That night, she’d let the scalding wax drip onto her knuckles, and for the first time since her sister had told her not to, Sacha blew out a candle and wished for nothing.

The Cure

Jonathan Westmark | Grade 9, Boise

I trekked over the snow-capped mountains of the Kordeck Range, occasionally glancing to my right, where the brilliant blue-purple shades of dawn danced across the morning sky. The sun, peeking over the mountain, provided a beautiful centerpiece to the painting which was the sky. The air smelled like morning dew and there was not a single cloud. However, I didn’t have time to enjoy the view. Clutching a small vial filled with an aquamarine liquid, I pulled my thick buckskin coat over my head and walked as fast as I could to the Trex Sector, also known as my home. Finally, I reached the outskirts of Trex. The capital, Old Denver, loomed in the distance. Once a utopia, its skylines were reminiscent of an ancient city called Tokyo. I had heard it was a metropolis, filled with flashing lights and honking cars. Nowadays, Tokyo, along with many other cities, was just a pile of ashen rubble and broken dreams, like many other cities that were destroyed during the Apocalypse.

Hours later, I reached Old Denver. The city was known as a haven, where humans sought refuge against the harsh conditions outside the city. Trex wasn’t a kind Sector; there were only a handful of cities, and extreme weather such as blizzards ravaged the wilderness.

My family had sought shelter in Old Denver after the Plague had killed my sister. For a month, we received lavish living conditions: a high-rise apartment in the downtown area, plush couches and beds, free food and drink, and even our bathroom. But one morning, we were “relocated” to a miserable concrete block in the Outskirts. They never told us why.

I’m almost there, I thought, clutching the vial harder. I had come too far to lose the vitally important medicine in the small glass container. I hid the vial in my coat, praying no one would see it. If someone even caught a glimpse of the liquid, I would be in huge trouble. Our neighborhood was extremely poor. Two rows of eroding concrete houses lined the black pavement of Colorado Street. The street was missing huge chunks of asphalt, and weeds grew rampant. People suffering from the Plague begged for help, but they and everyone else knew that there was no hope.

I tried to ignore the Plague victims, knowing full well that I had a cure shoved in my coat pocket. Truth be told, I didn’t care about the infected. My only goal was to make sure my brother was rid of the Plague. Still, it was a little unnerving to listen to their cries and pleas.

Finally, I reached my “house.” I opened the wooden door, which stayed upright by one hinge, and stepped into the house.

“Mom, I’m home,” I called, shrugging off my coat and letting it fall to the cold, wet ground.

“Oh, thank goodness,” she exclaimed, quickly walking out of the back room and towards me. She embraced me in a tight hug, her arms strong from working at the factory. Her once angelic white-blonde hair was now gray with age and stress, and her bright blue eyes were dim with sadness and fear.

“I have the cure, Mom,” I whispered. “I made the journey.”

Tears began to fall down her cheeks. “You’re so wonderful …” she began but trailed off as tears took over.

“It’s okay, Mom,” I whispered. “Let’s head to the back room.”

We walked into the room where my brother lay on a stringy white mattress with a measly cloth blanket covering his cold body.

“Lux, is that you?” he asked softly, tilting his head in my direction. His icy blue eyes, a trait he inherited from our mother, were completely gray, and his brown, shaggy hair, a trait from our dad, was falling out in patches, revealing his scalp, which was as pale as the belly of a fish, signs that he was close to death.

“Yes, Lotis, it’s me,” I murmured, handing the vial to my mom. “We brought the cure.”

“Really?” Lotis cried. Tears instantly began to form in the corners of his bloodshot eyes.

“Yes, you drink up,” my mom said with a small grin. I hadn’t seen her smile in ages.

Lotis eagerly grabbed the vial. He popped the cork, brought the edge to his mouth, and— ***

“How many batches do we have?” Roy, a scientist at the Balve Sector Sciences, asked his coworker.

“Twenty more,” the coworker said, holding a couple of vials in each hand. “The process is slow, but soon we’ll have enough cures to ship out to Balve, then Trex, then all the Sectors.”

Beep! Beep! There has been a security breach in Storage Containment Unit A-416LL2. Please send all personnel immediately.

“The cures!” exclaimed Roy. Roy, his coworker, and every staff member in the building dropped what they were doing and rushed to Storage Containment Unit A-416LL2. If it were any other unit, only a couple of staff members would have gone. But this unit was different. This unit held the cures.

The invaders turned out to be citizens of the Balve Sector, each holding some kind of gun, explosive, or knife.

“We need cures!” one screamed. She was a woman who looked to be about forty years old with thin black hair and crazed hazel eyes. She pointed a double-barrel shotgun at the employees. “You will let us take the cures or we’ll blow

this place to the ground.”

“We don’t have enough to ship to citizens! We’re still making more,” Roy told the woman in his best calm voice.

But the woman didn’t listen. She grabbed a vial, held it up, and said, “My son is DYING. Everyone on the streets is dying! Grab the cures, everyone, and we’ll blast our way out of here!”

Ray tackled the woman, who screamed something inaudible. Then the building exploded. ***

Ray pried his eyes open. Looking around at the ashen rubble and the corpses, everything came back to him. The woman … the bomb … the cures … The cures!

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Lyreen sat up. She felt like she had just been falling. Her surroundings were not familiar. It was dark, and there was no noise, besides her increasingly panicked breaths. She suddenly saw the way she must have gotten in. A hole in

Nora Jackson | Grade 5, Boise

the low ceiling. It must have been the outdoors because she saw a dim murky sky through it. She pulled herself up through the hole, into this new land. Her clothes were the most colorful thing about the place. The ground was a brownish green like the grass didn’t know if it should be dead or not. The thing she had just been in was a large hole in the ground. About fifty feet from Lyreen was a forest of what seemed to be blobby mushrooms. And in the middle of them, eating the half-dead grass, was a bluish-greenish animal.

She walked a bit closer. The creature was the only thing familiar about this place. It was like she’d seen it before. She just couldn’t remember where…

When she stopped to think about it, she couldn’t remember anything.

Her mind started to race, searching for any hint of a memory past when she woke up in the hole. Nothing. She knew she did have them buried in her-but where? Her heart picked up speed, too. Suddenly, a big hand grabbed her arm from behind.

She turned—letting out a scream. The thing that grabbed her was a man. He was short, just a bit taller than her, but was ugly, scruffy, and very dirty, with clothes that looked rather like he had taken a great deal of mud and plastered it to himself. When she turned, he gasped. His voice was deep, but wrong—like he didn’t have much practice talking. “You look like a goddess.”

Lyreen was taken aback by his words and the tone.

She looked at her clothes and saw what he meant. She had on a light toga-looking dress, with silk that shimmered with many colors. Compared to his muddy clothes it was goddess-like.

She said to him, “Who are you?”

“I am Darb, goddess.”

“Well, Mr. Darb, I am no goddess, I’m Lyreen.”

“You are not from here. You are not like us.”

“Us?” Lyreen wondered if many people like Darb would suddenly pop out from behind the mushroom trees.

“Us.” Darb confirmed. “Moips. Mud people.”

“Well, I’m not a mud-person. I know that for sure.” Lyreen agreed.

“I know I’m not from here.”

Pikmin: Bound for Earth

Beckett Bowen | Grade 6, Meridian

PART ONE

Carter Bowen watched through his telescope one night and looked at all the stars. His father, Professor Bowen, was in Egypt right now, so 13-year-old Carter was by himself with his mom, but she was asleep. As he gazed at the stars, he noticed something. “That’s odd,” he thought. He zoomed in on a strange glowing thing in the sky. “An airplane, a weird star,” he thought, “no, it looks like an onion? What the…” Then out of nowhere, it landed in the woods by his house. He grabbed a camera, snacks, and a flashlight, and carefully walked down the stairs to go explore.

PART TWO

“Captain,” said Alph, “Captain.” Captain Charlie woke up. He was Captain of the S.S. Drake, a spaceship sent from Kopaii, a planet on the brink of space. His crew members Alph and Brittny had assisted him many times in the food search. “What is it Alph,” called Captain Charlie. Alph ran into the room. “We just found evidence of food on planet 27 EZ-I,” Alph said. Charlie was as excited as he was. “Food,” Charlie thought. “Alph,” he said, “Send the Pikmin

to the planet to see, inspect, and get a sample of food, then we’ll land.”

PART THREE

Kopaii was a small planet far away from earth. The planet had been in a drought and was suffering. The people were 3 feet at the tallest. The planet had horrible farmland and soil and had few lakes and trees. The people, Kopiins, had incredible knowledge and used it to survive. They sent drones to planets to find food. The only planet that had edible matter had been a planet with strange creatures called Pikmin, small flower-headed, l0-inch tall creatures that you could command with a whistle. Charlie, Alph, and Brittany had been sent there, only to be shipwrecked by the strong atmosphere. Once they got back to Koppai, they brought Pikmin and searched for a new planet with edible matter to go to, and now they had found one.

PART FOUR

Carter walked through the woods. He thought about what was ahead. He heard strange “mphin” and “uurgrn” sounds up ahead. He walked to a clearing and couldn’t believe his eyes. Small plant-like creatures were running around and looking everywhere as if they were flying to find something. One of them slurped sap of a tree, and a flower sprouted on its head. Then they spotted him and walked up to him. One of the weird rock-looking ones ran

at him and stopped. He talked to a pink flying one and then pointed at Carter. The flying one dove into his pocket and grabbed Carter’s pizza-flavored Pringles. “Hey,” he shouted. “Give it back.” He ran for the creature but it flew into the onion, as did the other creatures. Carter grabbed the onion, right as it launched into space.

I Don’t Know Where I Went Wrong

Escher Keim | Grade 5, Boise

I don’t know where I went wrong. I sometimes did bad things, but whenever I did, I would counter it with a good thing. For some reason, though, I just died. I don’t know why. It was like, one moment I’m alive, the next I’m in a purely white plane of existence with the text, “You have been banned from life” on a big holograph. I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was the old dude who looked like a Greek philosopher in white. I don’t know. I guess I should pick a direction and walk. Alright, my phone says it’s been three minutes, but I counted, and it’s been three hours. I have been walking for three hours. I am annoyed.

It’s been about another three hours. I tripped and broke my finger. It’s hard to write this while my index is going in two different directions.

Ok, it hasn’t been three hours yet but I just found that hologram again. I’m trapped in a loop.

It’s been some amount of time since I took a nap. I’m just gonna leave this piece of paper here and run as fast as I can. I’ll write again when I get back.

Alright, it’s been three weeks. They found me. I broke too many laws. They tracked me down. I should say that these “laws” that I broke weren’t normal. They were “laws” of physics, and I guess you’re not supposed to counterbreak the “law” of gravity by tipping a pizza delivery man. Anyway, I am a universally wanted felon. I can’t go anywhere.

The Adventures of Sylvia Adams

Sylvia Adams woke to the sound of birds chirping. She sat up and felt a cool breeze on her face. She began to look around and saw she was sitting on a sidewalk. There were

Madeleine Brown | Grade 5, Boise

no sidewalks in her tidy bedroom.

She stood up and said to the first person she saw, “Where are we?”

“We,” the small man replied, “Are in Ozi, or— as it formerly was known— Oz.”

Sylvia tried to think back to earlier in the day. As she thought, she got a vague image of what happened. She had been searching for her suitcase, but instead found a letter from her great grandfather.

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Charlotte Ellestad | Grade 5, Boise

“Hello!!!!!” “What is your name?!” “How is your day?” “Rafe!!!” “Calm down!!!!!!” “But…mum.” “Hello, my name is Rafe the squirrel.” “How can I help you?” “Hello?” “Readers?” “No!” “You want me to tell you my story?” “Well ok!” “Come in, come in!!” “Find a nice comfy spot.” “Ok, it all began on a lovely day…” “Yum!” “This is delicious mom.” “Nothing better than some nice buttered acorns.” “Hunny.” “Yes, mom?” “Can you help me gather some acorns?” “Sure!” “There is this tree with so many acorns we can go to!” “Alrighty, let’s go!” “We jumped and lept

and climbed and crawled and finally we made it to the great Oak tree.” “Wow, that is a lot of acorns.” “I know it’s a lot, right?” “No Rafe, I was being sarcastic. There are like 5 acorns.” “But…but there were like 100 yesterday!” “They didn’t!!” “Hey, you!” “Stop stealing my acorns!” “And that is how I became a hero!”

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Maggie Frary | Grade 6, Boise

I’ve always known night elves are real. I know I’m a light elf and should be all calm and peaceful and never use weapons except the hunting bow and arrow. And I’m not supposed even to think about night elves, who might or might not exist. But why else would half the kingdom be off limits?

“Hey Aspen,” Grove says sitting down next to me. His brown skin, long white hair, and knife-sharp pointy ears make him look like any other light elf, but inside I know he’s almost different from me. I decide to tell him what’s

on my mind.

“Do you think night elves are real?” I ask.

“Yes,” Grove says, sounding surprised. “And we have proof.”

“We do,” he confirms and points at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Come on Aspen,” Grove sighs. “Your hair!”

I touch myself continuously. It’s true though. In my sheet, silver blond hair, there is a midnight black strand.

“So?” I say. Definitely.

“Aspen, face it!” Grove cries. “You must be half night-elf!”

“No!” I yelp.

“You’ve never met your mom.” Grove points out.

“How do you know if she was a night or a light elf??”

“No,” I say more firmly. “My dad is the light elf king! He wouldn’t marry a night elf!”

Every tree in our half of the kingdom has a balcony around it with a home or shop against the trunk. That leaves room for a walkway. All the trees are connected by a spider web of bridges. The one we are sitting on sways as I jump to my feet. Spin around, and sprint away from the quiet outer trees toward the thriving inner village.

“ASPEN! WAIT! ASPEN!” Grove yells after me. But it’s too late. I’ve already disappeared.

This kingdom doesn’t have many rules, but one is “Don’t run,” because it shook the bridges too much. Protect me as I dart between families and shopkeepers, leaving wildly swinging bridges in my wake. I think uncomfortably that a low-class elf like Grove would have grabbed and lectured. While I, the Princess, go unchallenged. As if the universe is determined to prove me wrong. A muscular fourteen-yearold boy steps in front of me.

“Hey Aspen,” he growls. “What’s the hurry?”

“Hey Pine,” I say as though his ‘Hey’ was a friendly greeting. He’s my cousin, so technically he’s a Prince, but as the king’s daughter, I’m still more royal. He’s super annoying, and smug. He’s probably the least peaceful elf I know. Hmm…He’s only a year older than me—I bet I can shove him off the platform. My plan is foiled when his mom, and my aunt, Ivy appears.

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Sofia Gradhandt | Grade 5, Boise

Red leaves crunch beneath my feet as I make my way down the empty sidewalk from my home. The late September breeze blows wisps of my hair into my face. I gently tuck my hair behind my ear and look up at the tall maple trees around me. Few golden leaves still hang from the branches or flutter to the ground. The mid-morning sun hits the leaves making them glow brighter. The blue sky is scattered with several clouds, but none are covering the sun. I look back down at the pavement in front of me wondering where I’m headed. I grab my phone and earbuds from my jacket pocket. I plug in my earbuds and press play on my phone’s screen. “Love Story” by Taylor Swift begins to play through my earbuds. I close my eyes and begin to hum along as I walk. All of a sudden I feel my right arm brush against a cold, hard surface. I open my eyes and am surprised to see I am no longer on the sidewalk. I look around in astonishment at the empty parking lot around me. Behind me is a large metal gate that I somehow got through without knowing it. And in front of me is an old amusement park. A rush of fear zaps through my body. I race back to the gate and violently shake it, it’s locked. I pull out my ear buds that were now playing “Message in a Bottle” and stuff them and my phone into my pocket.

“Help!” I cry out to anybody who could be going by.

I wait several seconds before crying out for help again. The metal bars that I hold almost burn my hand with how cold they are. The clouds begin to cover the sun, making the already dark and ominous amusement park duller and creepier. I take a deep breath and start walking towards it, the big rundown sign reading ‘Amusement Park’ taunting me as I get closer.

I cross under the sign, walk across the dead grass, and go up to the ticket booth. The windows are shattered and the door is hanging open almost ready to fall out. My hands start to shake as I look at the building. I shudder and expect myself to race back to the gate, but instead, I surprise myself…and go inside.

The room is dark except in the corner there is a lamp and that lamp was turned on. Goosebumps rise on my arms and legs as I make my way over to the lamp. It sits atop a desk, and when I peer inside, there is no light bulb. Somehow it’s still on. I squeal, my eyes darting around the room. My eyes have adjusted to the darkroom so I make out another desk with a drawer pulled open, filled with scraps of paper. A shelf is in between them and is stuffed with books and cobwebs. I hear a creak on the floor behind me, and I dart out of the building. I run to the sign as fast as I can and rest my back against the pole as I pant. After my heartbeat slows I looked back at the booth and then behind it at the broken Ferris wheel and roller coaster rides. I bite my lip, clench my fists, and walk past the

booth, into what used to be fun and happiness, but was now broken and covered in plants. I cautiously walked around a Ferris wheel that had several chairs laying at the bottom dented and broken. I went past booths that were still standing with stuffed animals that were torn and dusty hanging on the walls. After I had been walking for what felt like an hour, I realized that this amusement park kept going on and on.

Clinking Clanking Rusting Doubloons

Mateo Wallace | Grade 7, Boise Shiny, wet, rusting Doubloons

Left in the musty chest, Since 1882 Sitting, waiting To be used once more To purchase Whatever

The owner Desires. The pirate’s plunder Successfully plundered From the sunken ship, Awash, on the sandy shore.

The Five Pages (Excerpt)

Max Large | Grade 7, Boise

“There’s no way the library will have something secret like ground out on the shelves. It must be in the back,” Nimbus says. So, Nimbus goes to find the back door. After a while of walking, she finds an old, chipped door with the paint peeling off and a rusted knob turned brown by a leaky pipe above it. As she grabs the handle, the dirty water on it seeps into the pores on her skin. “Ew,” she says. The inside is even worse. She hears the sound of water dripping on the concrete floor. An old rug soaked by dirty water squelches under every footstep. Everything smells like a wet dog. Not that Nimbus would know what

that was. “I wonder what those three old women were complaining about. Having people turn into clouds at death is amazing!” Nimbus says. “Well, then again, when someone dies, it means that a new house is for sale because they are no longer there to live in it, but instead we just build another house on the cloud they became. So, in a way we’re only making the price of living in a house even higher!”

Oh dear, Nimbus is very mad, and when she’s mad, she’s dedicated, and I didn’t sign up to narrate a whole adventure! Oh well, after trudging around the damp room for a while, she finally finds a book called Astrology. “Well, I better get reading,” says Nimbus.

She read for a whole hour, but the one thing that could even be related to ground was a planet called Earth, and in that exact chapter, five pages had been ripped out. “Dang it!” Nimbus says as she throws the book on the ground. “Hey! Kid! What are you doing back here?” shouts a burly security guard in the distance.

“Yikes!” Nimbus says with her teeth gritted. She runs through the door and dashes out of the library, tripping on the velvet carpet and running past the bookshelves all with intricate designs etched on the side and painted with golden details. A beautiful place, really. Too bad she’s running for her life. Finally, out of breath, Nimbus gets home, has dinner, and goes to sleep. “Nimbus!” shouts her mom from downstairs.

Falling (Excerpt)

Evan Padget-Waller | Grade 7, Boise

Chapter One: No Clouds (Jade)

Jade Lily Green is a very ordinary girl, with dark hair and bright blue eyes that always match her T-shirt. She lives in the clouds with her mom, dad, and twin brother Henry. She has a pet bird named Sticky (after the stickberries she loves to eat.) Jade was having a normal day. It was January 25th, 2022 when she fell down from the sky with no clouds beneath her.

Chapter Two: Mayors and Mansions (Henry)

My sister screamed. I turned and saw my twin falling. I quickly scramble from cloud to cloud. Finally, finding mom at the market, I tell her, “Quick! Jade fell!” and climb to the hot air balloon. That’s when I see it: the highest cloud. I go up and up and up. I go up until I see a sign: Mayor is the best! “That’s funny.

“Yeah?” “Time for school!”

What is a mayor?” I say to myself.

I clamber up on the cloud. “Whoa!” I say. I know that I should be more worried for my sister, but seriously, I really want to explore this house – no, not a house – it’s a really, really BIG house. I think about what grandma told me: “Some people used to live in mansions – big fancy houses, and we used to live on the land – land with hills and rivers and mountains.”

A mansion – that’s what that was! But what was a mayor?

I tried to think out loud, “Mayor... mayor... mayor.” As if on cue, an old man came.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I am the mayor and will always be mayor,” he shouted. “What do you want?”

The Jade Sword

(Excerpt)

Michael Torkelson | Grade 7, Eagle

Thanks, Gods, for ruining my life. But you wouldn’t care, would you? You’re too busy sucking on grapes and munching on donuts to notice us mortals who are trying to avoid the world being destroyed. I should back

up and explain. My name is Dark Flame Thorson. It was September 81st, and I was going to be late to my first day at shmool.

“Son of a garlic!” I woke up with a start. My mouth tasted like dust, and I realized I had been chewing on my pillow. “You’re going to be late for your first day at The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Shmool!”

“Mom, I know!” I yelled back. I got up and hastily threw on an orange T-shirt with black shorts. I went to the kitchen and ate a quick bowl of spicy oatmeal. My bike was down by the glittering beach. I forgot to mention, I live on an island. Technically, I live in a treehouse on the island of Valholbox. It is 87 walnuts from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Shmool, which takes 67 minutes to get to. I was going to be 87 minutes late.

67 minutes later, I was at shmool. We were going on a field trip to the Great White Shark. It is a big shark skeleton that smells like dusty bones and rotting wood. The pungent smell made everyone focus on covering their faces and not actually paying attention to the s’more guide. We got there, and right away, five kids hurled over the edge of our ferry. Our s’more guide greeted us with a not-toothy grin. She smelled like dead fish and something else I couldn’t quite place. “Hello, children.” She hobbled down the dock to meet us.

Someone snickered, “Hello, granny.” I turned to see who it was. The blue-eyed face of Chuck Norris stared back at me.

“Your ugly face!” I turned to follow the rest of my class onto the dock with the old lady. Our teacher, Ms. Nellie, rapped our heads so hard with her ruler that tears welled in my eyes.

Half a Funyun later, as the toothless hag droned on and on about the teeth she never had, “thish ish the firsht molar on the shark . . .” I noticed a door with a sign that said Danger! Do not enter! There was a strange light coming from underneath it. Its emerald glow was hypnotic, and my legs started carrying me toward it. “Flame! Flame! What are you doing?” I couldn’t stop myself, and I ran up to the door. It creaked open. Inside was a blinding green light. “No, boy! Get back here!” the hag yelled. I quickly rotated, but I couldn’t stop walking forward. I caught a glimpse of the toothless lady. Something was just . . . wrong. Her face was scrunched up, and she looked angry.

Suddenly, she sprouted bat wings and claws. Keep going, a voice in my head whispered. I turned back to the mysterious room and stepped into the blinding emerald shine. My jaw dropped. It was huge. It was like I had traveled to another world. I was in a huge cave with every type of gem you can think of: amethyst, emerald, lapis, sapphire, ruby. In the middle was a stone spire with a light at the top. Climb that, the voice said. I heard a screech from behind me. It was the bat hag

“What are you looking at, Thorson?!”

from earlier. I started to run up the rock. I heard water dripping from the stalactites. My heartbeat and footsteps were synced to the rhythm of the drips. Drip drip drip drip, click click click click, ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom. Halfway up the spire, the bat’s talons raked the stone right above my head. Finally, I reached the top and saw a glitter of gold protruding from the rock. It was the handle of a sword. Call it, the voice in my head told me. I closed my eyes and stuck out my hand. Come to me, I thought. I felt the cold metal in my hand and opened my eyes. The blade was green. Jade, I thought. It pulsed, and I could tell it held massive power.

The Darkness (Excerpt)

Nicole Jacobsen | Grade 7, Nampa

Surrounded by gnomes, there’s this giant tree with a round yellow door and silver accents. Inside this tree, there’s a black fluffy cat named Bee stretching in the sun on Serania’s lap. Serania is 26, with shoulder-length brown hair with highlights.

She has this big hat with a purple stripe and neutral color patterns, but what draws you in to this hat is its dangling red pentagram. Serania has big round glasses and lots of freckles on her nose and cheeks. Serania has a multicolored skirt with a brown belt with different colored potions and knee-high socks.

Serania wakes up suddenly, scaring Bee. “Oh, shoot,” Serania shouts. “I was supposed to meet Mr. Wiggles for lunch!” Serania throws on her cloak and makes sure Bee is ready. When she throws open the door, she sees this big black scaly dragon with purple eyes.

“Mr. Wiggles!!” Serania shouted. “I am so sorry, I was about to meet you,” she said, out of breath and surprised.

“Don’t worry,” Mr. Wiggles said in a calm deep raspy voice. “I need to talk to you about something, and I know how busy you are providing potions for the gnomes,” Mr. Wiggles said while looking at Serania’s worried face. “And you know I hate being called Mr. Wiggles. It’s degrading.”

“Yeah, I know! But it’s so cute,” she said. “What did you need to talk to me about?” Serania asks.

“Well, I think it’s better if I show you,” he said in a somewhat worried voice. “Climb on.” Serania climbs on, and it’s rough and smooth at the same time. She feels the individual scales.

“Off we go,” Mr. Wiggles said while taking off. The wind blows through Serania’s hair. Whoosh goes the wind as they fly over cities, mountains, and more. Once they get

over the mountains, they see this black fog destroying everything it touches.

“What is that?” Serania said, with worry in her voice.

“I don’t know. All I know is that it is destroying the magic, and you can help.”

“What!?! Okay, I can deal with the magic being destroyed. but me saving it? No, I can’t do it. There are so many warrior elves. I’m just some potion-making witch,” she said in a pained voice.

“NO,” he said.

“What do you mean ‘no’!?” she said, wide-eyed and panicked.

“That’s all I can say,” he said, perfectly calm.

“Well, why is this happening?”

“All we know is that an asteroid hit one of our moons, and it cracked almost fully. All we know is that it has something to do with this,” he said calmly.

“And how do you expect me to fix this by myself?” she said, worried.

“Who said alone? Of course, you’re going to need help. I can’t always be there, so you are going to need friends along your journey. We should be on our way,” he said much less calmly and kind of panicked.

Serania looked back as she was flying. She looked behind her and saw darkness following her.

What a Wonderful World (Excerpt)

Lilly Sloan | Grade 7, Boise

Daisy was sitting in her stable thing / house with her moa / grandma and her twin, Mac. They were curious about moa’s childhood so they asked, and moa told them about how once the mayor became the mayor, he put everyone into the air.

Now Daisy and Mac wanted to see why the mayor would do such a thing, and they wanted to see what Earth looked like. So, when it was nighttime, they made a plan to go to Earth and see why the mayor would do such a thing.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I mean moa, mom, and dad will be worried about us,” said Mac.

“I don’t know. I will have to think about it,” said Daisy. They kept talking about it until they both got tired.

“Goodnight, sis,” said Mac.

“Goodnight, bro,” said Daisy. Mac fell asleep instantly, but Daisy thought about it, and the next day at 6 a.m., she told Mac that she was going to Earth. Mac said, “Okay, but be careful.” Daisy nodded and walked outside and jumped, and she was falling and falling and SPLASH! She fell into the ocean and walked onto Earth. When Daisy was on Earth, she grabbed out her walkie-

talkie and told Mac she was safe, and that she made it to Earth. “Mac, I’m safe,” said Daisy.

“Whew, good job, Daisy,” said Mac excitedly. Daisy started walking around Earth and saw these tall brown and green things and green stuff on the ground. She kept walking and walking until . . . she tripped. “Ow,” said Daisy. She stood up and saw a bird.

Daisy knew birds, so she waved at the bird, and the bird said, “Why, hello.” Daisy screamed! She backed away from the bird. “What? Have you never seen a bird before?” said the bird.

“Well . . . yes, I have, but I have never seen a bird talk!” said Daisy, confused.

All of a sudden, they heard a SPLASH! They walked to see who it was, and it was Mac. Daisy went up to Mac and whispered, “What are you doing here?”

Mac whispered back, “I don’t know.” Daisy looked at the bird and stared at it, and then looked up at the sky.

“What are you looking at? Did that bird just talk?” said Mac, startled. Daisy nodded her head. Daisy kept looking at the sky. Mac and the bird also looked up.

Daisy started to say, “Mac, there is no way we’re going back. We’re too far from our home.”

Daisy and Mac looked at the bird, and they both said, “We need your help.” They both explained to the bird how they’re not from Earth.

“So, you’re telling me that you guys are from the sky, and you want me to show you what Earth looks like?” said the bird, confused. Mac and Daisy nodded. “Okay,” said the bird. For the next five days, the bird taught them about the world and the 50 states, the continents, and all the things they needed to know. Now they were ready to see why the mayor would want people in the air and not in this wonderful world.

Stuck

Olivia Sandow | Grade 6, Meridian

One day about four years ago, a girl named Sammy had gotten home from school late because she had science club. Sammy was in college so she lived in a dorm. Her dorm was fairly small with the room, a mix between the living room and kitchen, connected to that was a hallway, her bedroom on the middle of the left wall. Her room looked quite dull. Across from her room was the bathroom and at the end of the hall was her office. She didn’t have a roommate. Since she got back late (around 9:00) she went to bed, but first, she showered and got in her pajamas. She turned off all the lights and went to bed. But around 12:00

or 12:30, she heard someone at the end of the hall call her name. It started quiet but got louder and louder over time. Sammy couldn’t sleep because of this. Eventually, she got annoyed so she decided to see what it was. So she got out of bed to investigate. But the moment she stepped outside of her room the noise stopped, she was going to go back into her room when she found out that the door was gone, the hallway that led to the kitchen and living room had been blocked off with a wall, the bathroom door also disappeared. The only door remaining was the office door. In a state of panic, she ran into it ending up in a room, there were hallways and random walls. It was like a maze but harder. It was also seemingly endless. The walls were 1970s yellow wallpaper, the floor was made of carpet that felt wet when someone touched it. The roof looked like an office would have. The roof and floor were a pastel yellow. There was no human for miles. It was very quiet with the only noise being Sammy’s heart pounding and the humming of the fluorescent lights. Sammy decided to keep running straight when a wall came in her way. She would turn right, and eventually, run into a room with an open vent with a ladder leading into it. Sammy thought, “this must be the exit!” But she was very wrong. She found herself in a maze of hallways. It was very dark and the floor was flooded with water and the walls had pipes. Every wall had pipes. There was very little light, with light every few turns. There was also a white medium-sized sign that said “Welcome to level 2. Beware there is a monster lurking about.” Sammy got very nervous when she read the sign.

But she was determined to make her way out. So she began walking, hoping to find the exit.

The Bottle of Secrets

Amelie Purcell | Grade 8, Boise

CH.1: THE BOTTLES

I plop down. The cool grass seeps through my work jeans. I reach up to a spindly branch near my head and pluck a purple apple. I pitch it to Vixen, and he snatches it in his mouth, jumping on his hind legs, his wings flaring beside him. I pull open my lunch pouch, slipping out the pasta my mom had made last night. The sun is warm on my skin and the vinegar from the pasta explodes in my mouth.

Then a thought pops into my head as I look out to the rest of the forest. The branches sway in the light breeze, petals catching the sunlight and turning a brilliant spew of blues. Miniscule creatures hop here and there, chasing one another. Little warm yellow lights float, lazily, specks of magic. Birds sing melodies overhead, their dull feathers catching the wind. Lots of delicate ferns and flowers line the path. Moss and vines envelop the trees. My cart full of bottles of sadness is off to the right, and Vixen on my left, munching on the bright purple apples I picked for him.

What if I opened one of the bottles? No. I couldn’t do that. I was explicitly told I couldn’t when I first got this job. We were forbidden to. They didn’t want us to release the sadness back into the world. Then where do they put and get rid of all the bottles? No. I finish my lunch, slipping it back into its pouch, pulling the strings tight. I place it in the cart and call Vixen over and attach him to the cart. I heave myself up onto him, placing a foot in a stirrup, gripping his reins.

We gallop out of the forest, Vixen’s hooves clattering against the cobblestones as we emerge into town. All is well, but the thought won’t leave my head.

What if I opened one of the bottles? No. I couldn’t do that. I mean, I could … No. I couldn’t. It was forbidden. And who knew the punishment if I were to open one. But then again, if I didn’t get caught …

The Dandelion Dealer Who Wished This Never Happened

Ava Pfordte | Grade 8, Boise

It was night. The rich moonlight beat down on me menacingly. I never imagined that it would come to this. Guilt tugged at my sleeves. It tried to get me to stop. But I couldn’t. My feet were moving by themselves. I let the robot take over now because I knew that if I let guilt keep tugging, it would make me turn around. I couldn’t afford to let that happen. Actually, I couldn’t afford anything. A dark thought for sure. I am … not as well off as other people, I guess. After The Phenomenon happened, my small business evaporated. People became more greedy. Wish fountains, dandelions, wells, glass wishing bottles, and birthday candles all became the currency of royalty. If you were lucky enough for dandelions to grow in your yard, you would have to protect them. The Wishing War began. People’s wildest dreams could come true. Good friends would stick by you. Great friends would share their dandelions. But then The Protectors arrived, or so they call themselves. The downtown slang for them is the Marbleheads. They restricted the wishes of anyone who came to their Guarded Wells. They punished anyone who sold dandelions or birthday candles. They arranged

rules for the kinds of wishes you could make. They forced criminals to become Well Guardians. And yet, they never once addressed businesses that might be affected by The Phenomenon. So that’s what brings me to the present. Where I would illegally sell the dandelions in my pocket. I patted my pants’ pocket gingerly. This was a nervewracking task. Nevertheless, I didn’t back down. The person who had ordered the dandelions expected to receive them. I angled my sight down toward my shoes. Glad to see that they were still moving forward. My fingers on my left hand danced along the dandelion-filled pocket. I had become quite the dealer. Everyone knew where to go for their dandelion-less needs. Fortunately, everyone I had sold dandelions to had kept their trap shut. I brought my gaze back up from my feet. The lights from the ruined city skyscrapers were certainly worthy of awe. I jerked my head to the right as I felt something begin to push me forward. My eyes widened. I should have been looking where I was going. My feet were a tad too slow, though, because a person in a black, threadbare coat had shoved me and I was falling forward. Desperate not to get hurt, I flung my hands in front of me before my head slammed into concrete. I could feel confused and anxious eyes on my back while I stumbled to get up. Yet not a single soul reached down to help. Humanity had turned untrusting because of The Phenomenon. I nervously patted my pocket after getting to my feet. Yes … they all seemed to still be there. I wiped the dust from my bright green vest and

moved on. How embarrassing!

But Ark didn’t know that she had left a single, withered dandelion behind. A disguised Marblehead knelt down to pick it up. Pressing a communicator in his ear, he spoke, “We found her.”

Swords of Peace

Ben Malaniak | Grade 8, Boise

It was a sunny evening as Gabriel and his friend Timothy walked back from the market. The wind flew through their hair. They had bread in their hands.

“One more stop,” said Gabriel. “We have to get the goat milk.”

“Hey, look, it’s the Forbidden Library,” said Tim. “We should sneak in.”

“Why?” asked Gabriel.

“Because we never get to go in.”

“No, we can’t. My parents would kill me,” said Gabriel. “C’mon, just a peak.”

“OK, fine,” Gabriel said.

The two looked inside the window, then Tim opened it. Gabriel stepped inside out of curiousity. He saw books upon books but his eyes immediately fixed on one. The book was on a stone. It looked magical. Just then, Tim snatched the book and replaced it with a similar looking book.

“What are you doing?” exclaimed Gabriel.

“Chill, Wild Wings we’re skylings, we can just fly away if we’re caught.”

“First, don’t call me that. Second, it’s stealing so, GIVE ME

THE BOOK,” Gabriel yelled.

Tim threw a punch and a fight started. Gabriel grabbed the book and bolted out. He got to the skyship and quickly flew away...

When he got home, he didn’t see his dad or mom so he walked to his room and opened the book. The book felt old and smelled musty. What he saw was four words: “Red Skull will come.” He kept reading and realized Red Skull was evil. He saw there was a large sword that could break Red Skull’s armor. Then he heard a knock. He put the book down and went to meet his dad, but instead there a knight who brought bad news.

“Your father is dead.”

“What? But I saw him this morning.”

“I know,” said the knight. An explosion went off in the distance.

“Stay here, I have to go,” said the knight as he rode away.

Gabriel looked at his city from his sky island. He smelled burning wood and saw ghost skeletons riding on skeleton horses. More explosions went off. He rushed to the city and found hundreds of soldiers battling skeletons. He couldn’t find Tim. “Timothy!” he yelled out. “Where are you?”

One of the skeletons heard him and advanced on his position. Just as the skeleton was retrieving his sword, Gabriel’s mom burst through the trees, armor on, sword in hand. She slashed the skeleton and it fell to the ground.

Gabriel’s mom rushed to him and said, “Take this gold knife and lucky fish ring. The skeletons have invaded us.” She kissed Gabriel on the forehead. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Go find Timothy, he’s at our house.”

Gabriel began to run, tears streaming like waterfalls from his eyes. He heard the screams of dying soldiers and the impacts of huge cannon balls. A huge bomb impacted next to him, some flying wood scratching his cheek, but he kept running, pumping his legs faster and faster as he ran to his house.

Quest to Remember

Magdalena Stay | Grade 9, Meridian

The people were happy once. Long ago, the Glimmerleaf trees were far away in the forest. The Kingdom of Avania prospered. They sang and danced and laughed. But this could not last. ***

Indie ran down the hall, braids bouncing off her back. She didn’t know where she was running to, but she knew what she was running from. Father always got frantic when a new shipment arrived. When she’d left, he had been trying to make memories of the servants dancing.

She finally reached her hidey-hole. The rug still covered the trapdoor. Perfect. She lowered herself into the tiny underground room. Little Dipper sat in her basket. Her bed was made. And her chest of memory journals was still locked.

She unlocked the chest and grabbed her current journal. Inside were lists of memories. They were labeled with meticulous detail. They weren’t all her memories, either. The first read: Cousin Ari’s memory of Father playing the bagpipes. They were silly stories, sentimental tales, even a transcript of her mother’s lullaby. If they got their memories back, Indie would still know them.

A thumping came from above.

“Indie? Indie!”

Father’s voice carried through the trapdoor. “Thorns! That girl is always disappearing to someplace.”

He thumped away. Indie sighed and checked her clock. 2:57.

Father was a beast, a predictable beast, but a beast all the same. Every day at 3:00 PM exactly he would go to the Glimmerleaf nursery and check the leaves for potency.

She locked her journals back away and fed Little Dipper. Then she climbed up the ladder and started walking to the nursery. She passed nigh on barren tree as she walked. A trail of sparkles led the way to the nursery. With the sparkles and the barren trees, it was a clear sign Father was splurging.

When she reached the nursery, she saw Father. A pile of wishes sat at his feet. Gold. Fancy dresses for Sofia. A bag of Glimmerfruit for Mother. Indie cautiously approached him.

“Father? You wanted to talk to me?” Her voice was hesitant, cautious.

“Who are you? Oh, right. The disappointment …”

Father’s voice was slow but biting.

Indie swallowed hard. “Father, how is Sofia?” she asked.

“Your sister? She makes me proud. She wished twelve leaves today …” Father sounded pleased about how

addicted Sofia was. “Leave. This tree has matured and I need my privacy.” Father’s guard grabbed Indie by the arm and pulled her to the door.

Indie trudged back to her hidey-hole, fighting back tears. When she was safely back inside, she couldn’t hold them back any longer. As she laid on the ground sobbing, a cooing sound came from Little Dipper’s basket. Fluffballs knew when you needed comfort. He rolled out and used his tail to flick the tears off Indie’s face.

“Thank you, Little Dipper,” she managed to choke out.

What had she done? What was the egregious sin she had committed that made Father so decidedly not proud of her? All she could remember was a pile of sparkles and Father smiling immensely.

As Indie pondered, something in her snapped. She couldn’t keep living in fear, living with a sense of “this is wrong.” She grabbed a knapsack from the corner and dumped out the scrolls that lay inside. Indie knew there was one specific scroll that had the answers she needed. Finally, she found it. A map to the mother tree. She read the map, then put it back in the knapsack. Next in went a compass, her current memory journal, and her fluffball Little Dipper.

“Ok,” Indie said. “Now for the hard part.” She tossed the knapsack out of the hidey-hole. Once she was also out, she walked to her actual room. It contained the outfit she needed. She went into the room and walked straight to the

wardrobe. At the very back hung her adventuring clothes. Her knife hung on the belt and a canteen hung with them. Perfect.

Now prepared to leave, Indie hurried to the kitchen before too many people noticed her attire. Once there, she found plenty of foodstuffs for a fortnight’s journey. When she was about to leave, one of younger palace servants walked in. “Oh!” she peeped, then curtsied. “Your Highness.”

Indie rolled her eyes. “It’s … Skylar, right?”

The girl nodded.

“Well, Skylar, have you ever gone camping?”

Skylar bobbed her head like a chicken.

“Of course, ma’am. I was born and raised in the Glimmerleaf forests. I know that place like I know the back of my pan.

Indie frowned. “Do you mean ‘hand’?”

Skylar shook her head. “Respectfully, Miss, I’m not quite sure how well I know the back of my hand. But considering how often I wash dishes, I know the back of Chef’s pan pretty well.”

Indie couldn’t help but laugh.

“If I offered you the chance to go on a kingdom-saving quest with me, would you take it?”

Skylar’s eyes bulged. “Really?”

When Indie nodded, she literally jumped for joy.

Then she ran off.

Indie smiled. She walked back to her rooms with a spring in her step. After about five minutes, Skylar joined her. She had a knapsack and looked ready to go. Once Indie opened the window, however, Skylar appeared to have second thoughts.

“Are you sure we can leave?” Skylar asked. “Nope!” Indie said, then smiled. “C’mon, let’s go.”

The Crimes of Sinco

Molquist | 8th Grade, Boise

The day Wood lost his family was like any other. His parents went shopping and asked if Jason or Wood wanted to come with. Jason went, but Wood just wanted to stay home. He had a long day at school after all.

Wood was watching some TV when it started. First, the TV shut off, then he heard the crashes. The cars never crashed. They had auto drive, unless the car power shut off and only Sinco Inc could do that. But they wouldn’t do that, would they?

“I’ll pack my things and meet you in your chambers.”

Elijah

Sinco was the company that made life near perfect for everyone; they wouldn’t do this.

Wood couldn’t think straight. All his mind was set on was calling his parents when the shaking started. The house was spinning, moving. The TV fell. So did all the pictures. It kept getting worse and worse.

Once it passed, Wood stepped outside. He wasn’t in LA anymore. He knew that for sure. There was a huge forest neighbored by a lake. Wood couldn’t take it. He ran back inside and tried to call his parents. No answer. He tried again with the same results. They always answered the phone. Something was wrong.

He went to sleep, which was harder than he hoped, knowing one thing: he would have answers. ***

Wood woke up in the morning and dashed outside, the sunlight shining in his hazel brown hair, highlighting his eyes, similar in color. He saw a Sinco worker stumbling around, dazed. Wood grabbed him and pinned him to the nearest tree.

“Where are we?” Wood shouted. “What happened?”

“I...I don’t know,” the worker stuttered.

Wood could hear the fear in his voice. He liked that. Wood shoved him into the tree even harder.

“A-all I know is that Erin and Tucson have something to do with it. I overheard them saying it was the big day.”

So it was Sinco, Wood thought. He felt betrayed. He was betrayed. Everyone was. Erin Vergo and Tucson Slawn were the top two heads of Sinco. Everyone who was someone knew who they were.

Whip! Thud! Wood dropped the Sinco worker and looked around, just when something hit him in the back of the head and he blacked out. ***

Wood came to in a prison cell, but something was off. This wasn’t a normal prison. This place was ancient. And he could just waltz straight out. “What kind of prison is this?” he thought.

Wood got up and was about to leave when he heard someone nearing. He dropped down immediately as if he were asleep.

“You know, I’ve always wanted to see a human in real life,” said a gruff voice. “It’s a real shame it has to be like this, knocking him out and all.”

“Yes, yes,” answered a clearer, fairer voice. “It was necessary, but still a shame none the less.”

“What are they talking about?” Wood thought aloud once he thought they were gone. He quickly got up and ran for the exit, when a tall lanky figure dropped down from the second level, as if expecting Wood. He made no sound.

“Where are you in such a rush to get to, little human?” The man was tall, fair, and the most graceful human he’d ever

seen. But he wasn’t a human, Wood realized when he saw his ears.

“Are you an elf?” Wood cried out. “Why yes, I am!” the elf laughed. “Come.”

Wood didn’t know why he followed the elf. How could he trust him, his species, along with the dwarves, pixies, dragons and more were said to have gone extinct centuries ago. More lies from Sinco, Wood thought.

Untitled

Kai Romeo | Grade 8, Boise

September, 13th, 1985

Another morning of high school, first year going strong. Wasn’t as exciting as my five-year-old self depicted it to be. Who cares, I’m just like any other billionth person in the world who is forced to work for the tiniest bit of success in our society. That sounds pretty harsh when it comes down to it. but at least I’m getting through it. My grades have been getting better, and hanging out with my friends regenerates my sense of thought. I wish you guys an amazing day! See you next time!

Esper Thrine, 1 min. ago

He slowly closes his computer and tosses it across the dimly lit room. Then, he bangs his head again and again against the caving, dented dry wall. “Why,” Esper says in a silent voice. “God, why them. It should have been me,” he whispers while slowly staring at a small photo in a heart-shaped locket. It was a photo of his parents. After a tragic bombing on September 13, 1984, Esper’s parents died due to falling debris in a nearby area. Today is now Esper’s fifteenth birthday. Lonely and scarred, all felt useless. He currently lives with his aunt and uncle who barely show any affection towards him at all. The only sign of compassion was Trevor, Esper’s best friend. They always hung out when either felt stressed or lonely, he was the only person that made Esper feel whole. But one day, panic arose. The whole town ran in a frenzy. Because of the Kabulot trees. The Kabulot tree is a supernatural plant. A large, prickly oak tree full of beautiful, lucious black leaves with a pulsing aroma of basil and organes. Then, one day in 4000 B.C., a village defied their wizard Kabu who always failed to entertain. Out of anger he cursed a tree to live forever and never be destroyed. It multiplies quickly and when touched or close it can start immense and horrifying hallucinations. But if consumed or entered into the body in any way, it activates a deadly poison to

destroy and wither any that obtain it. Because of this, the current village created a ritual. To kill and revert him from this world. But not knowing his unrested spirit lives on, waiting for his revenge. Suddenly, on September 14th, 1985, the trees surrounded the entire town, blocking out any outside transmitions, stopping anyone from entering and exiting this town of horrors. Because people aren’t the only ones trapped within this barrier. Spirits have become lost and corrupted, secretly attacking townsfolk one by one, slowing embracing, ripping, tearing through bodies, leaving corpses piled on the cold, rough, empty streets, barely lit by the flickering lampposts of Moonlit Lane.

Hotel in the Forest

Finch Letellier | 8th Grade, Boise Xavier

Oh, how he would’ve liked to be back at his library sorting books. Xavier wasn’t quite sure how he’d ended up in the forest, stumbling though the underbrush in the dark rain. His clothes were soaked through, and he shivered as he kept moving. Xavier didn’t know where he was, but the forest seemed to impose in on him as he went on. The trees grew larger and closer together here, the rain

lessened by the thick canopy of leaves. It continued to darken till he was stumbling, near blind, running into trees and tripping on roots.

At last! Xavier tripped into a clearing, an odd light emanating from something ahead. A young man with dark hair sat outside what miraculously seemed to be a hotel. It was a strange shade of green with lanterns hanging from the windowsills. It gave him a strange sense of calm that soaked into his frantic bones. The young man looked up, a smile growing on his face.

“Welcome,” he said cheerfully. “Where am I?” Xavier asked. He already had more questions than he could count bubbling in his head but chose to ask the most prominent one. The young man, (who was really only about Xavier’s age surely), he laughed, offering a hand for Xavier to shake. “You’ve just arrived at the Green Train Hotel and Suites!” the man responded. “I’m Novus, the owner. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Xavier was still burning with questions but decided to be polite. He had to admit that he had been lost, and it couldn’t hurt to stay somewhere for the time being. He ached with exhaustion. For God’s sake, he was a librarian! Not a runner!

“How much per night?” Xavier inquired, his voice breathless with tiredness.

“Oh, we don’t charge money here. All you need is to help out.”

That shouldn’t be too hard, Xavier thought.

Little did he know, he would both regret and love his decision to stay.

***

Xavier tried to leave earlier today but got lost again. What is it with humans and rushing their lives now? He is sitting in my office, forlorn and confused. He’s very dramatic.

“My family will miss me.” This and, “What about my job?” That.

“Look, Xavier. Time here passes differently. Every day here is…if I had to guess, about a minute back where you’re from. This forest belongs to the fae. Do you really think that it’ll be the same?”

He looked at me like I had sprouted another arm. “What?” I asked him.

“Wait, wait, so you’re telling me I get a free vacation?”

The hope in his voice is infectious. I can’t help smiling a little. “You could say that, yes,” I replied.

He leaned back against the chair. Regretfully, I had let him sit on the only chair in my office, which was a small room with my desk and the occupied chair.

“Brilliant,” Xavier said, standing up. “By the way—” I walked out from behind my desk. “I expect you to help clean.”

Theseus, the Avian

Ella J. H. Barton | Grade 8, Boise

CHAPTER ONE:

Theseus’s fourth birthday was his best by far. His parents were incredibly happy. In fact, when he looked back on it, they were too happy. But the four-year-old Theseus Serasen did not notice anything. He got three whole presents; what child would not be overjoyed? He got a cool metal puzzle that the blacksmith must have made, a small wooden sword, and a Sarus crane feather in a clear lacquer case. The crane feather, Theseus’s mother said, was a family heirloom, and it belonged to Theseus’s paternal grandfather, Sir Wilbur de Serasen, who was an avian himself, and who had risen to the rank of general. The day passed happily. Friends came over, they went swimming in the local pond, and Theseus’s parents even made him a pudding. However, as with many happy events, time passed quickly, and all too soon it was Theseus’s bedtime. As Theseus went begrudgingly to bed, he heard his parents speaking in another room. Theseus heard his mother speak first.

“He has no wings! Oh, thank god!”

“But … the avian gene has always come through if a child gets it from their father,” came his father’s deep voice. “This has been true for as long as my family’s records

have lasted. That is, at least 200 years. The wings always develop or show signs of developing before the age of four. Theseus has shown no signs and has not complained of random pains at all. That must mean he is not going to be an avian. Plus, the siren gene passes mostly through females … There is a chance I am a carrier of the gene and Theseus is a siren.”

“Sirens appear by age six, most often. If he does not suddenly take a liking to singing or starting to want his meat very rare–”

“Then we will have to wait and see,” his father’s voice boomed.

“I suppose so. Good night.”

Theseus crept away from the bedroom door. What was a siren? He knew what an avian was, his grandfather had been one. Avians were winged humans; any type of bird was possible, but whatever bird your family members were, it was likely you would be something similar. His family was all types of cranes. Theseus crept into his bed, confused, but fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down.

CHAPTER TWO:

Shortly after Theseus’s fifth birthday, all of the town’s children who were between the ages of four and eight were summoned to the town square. It was mandatory, and those who did not attend were fined severely. Theseus’s parents told him that they wanted to find all the

avian children to add them to a list that would allow them to force all of the avians into military service, because after all, one soldier in the air was worth twenty on the ground.

Swords could not reach high enough to swing, and bows took time to prepare. They could not aim and shoot as fast as the avian could fly.

Soldiers in armor walked down the line, stopping at each new person to interrogate them and force them to take off their shirt. Lost in thought, Theseus was caught off guard by the rough voice of one of the soldiers.

“You there, state your name.”

“My-my name is Theseus Serasen, sir.”

“Take off your shirt.”

Theseus obeyed, and a after a moment that felt like many, the guard stopped inspecting him and continued down the line, interrogating the next child. After replacing his shirt, Theseus walked home, relieved to be away from the tense lineup.

Untitled

Charlee Wayman | Grade 6, Boise

Lightning cracks across the sky as Ellie’s feet pound on the gravel. Leaping over a broken desk, she whips her head around to see how far away he is. Rain blurs her vision making it hard to see. Not watching where she is going, Ellie trips on a student’s chair and falls to the ground. She sees her destination, gets up, and leaps into the janitor’s closet. Before she reaches the bucket, he closes the door and the portal opens, sucking Ellie into it before it closes. Sunshine warms Ellie’s face. She feels something crawl up her arm. It bites down and Ellie yelps and jumps away from it. The furry gray thing scurries away into the shadows. Ellie sighs relief as she walks away. She looks at her surroundings, surprised that it’s not Pluto. The millions of people, the moving pictures on glass, and the loud sounds, it was all too familiar. At once, Ellie knew she had landed in Times Square on Earth. Ellie had never been to Earth, but her older sister had. Her sister would tell her all about her adventures, and little Ellie was still stuck in the town Kanjeke on Pluto. The janitor’s closet, which was at her school, that had gravel for floors and no roof, was supposed to take her home. Not to Earth! That portal was in her sister’s closet. Ellie sighed and grabbed a twentydollar bill that was laying on the ground. She scans the square and walks over to a cart that sells pizzas. She gives it to a man who looks at it and frowns. “That isn’t enough

for a pizza,” he says. The man points to the sign. “Can’t you read? It’s $20 plus tax.” Ellie frowns at the man. “But I’m hungry! In my town, there isn’t even tax.” Ellie protests. The man squints his eyes at Ellie. “You pay tax or no pizza.” He growls. With a huff, Ellie storms off into the crowd. Suddenly, a girl runs up to her and grabs her. Snapping her fingers, she and Ellie disappear for good. But the man from the school snaps his fingers too, following Ellie and the girl.

Once a Week

Betty Clark | Grade 7, Boise

“Happy birthday!” My mother and father said happily. Dad passed me a small, exciting box.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Open it,” Dad replied.

I tore the wrapping paper open to see a cardboard box. “Wow! Thank you so much—I love boxes!” I said with a toothy grin.

My mom walked to the kitchen, then came back with a pocket knife.

“What are you gonna do?” I said. “Kill my box?!”

“Yes,” Mom replied, “because there is something in it.” She set down the knife.

I picked up my box and the knife, then stabbed it multiple times on the top until it finally opened. “Wow! Even better—a succulent!” I said excitedly.

“Betty,” Mom said, tapping my shoulder, “Remember to water it once a week.”

I looked back at her. “Sure, Mom.” Little did they know: I still had no idea what I was doing.

CH.1: REMEMBER

“Yeah. My parents are the best! They got me my own succulent,” I said.

“Wow!” said my teacher, Mrs. Smith. “Do you know how much you have to water it? I recently got one myself.”

I paused. “Umm…five times a week!” I replied. “Thanks, B!” She said.

Just then I realized…I have to give my plant a nickname! That evening, when I got home, I went straight to my parents’ laptop. I searched for “names for plants.” One stood out to me a lot. I would name my plant Bill.

Portal

Calvin Carter | Grade 8, Boise

A sparking bolt of lightning flew past Demos’s head, embedding itself in the wall behind him. Demos whipped out two white-hot revolvers and fired them off into the dark as a response. He could see the armored caravan had regrouped from his initial attack and was beginning to drive off, leaving their guards to deal with him.

“Not on my watch,” he muttered under his breath as a large purple portal opened in front of the caravan. The momentum of the cars caused them to fly through the portal as another portal opened behind Demos. Letting the cars crash behind him, he turned towards the flaming wreck and smiled.

Duck Domination

Yam Pushkin Huang | Grade 7, Boise

“Ahh!” Chilli screamed, being chased by twelve geese. The mallards were on his small tail. “Help my life!” He screamed, flapping his tail.

“Never fear!” A gruff voice called to him. It was Pecks, the fourth general of the United Parks Against Geese army. “The army is here!” Behind him were ducks with wooden sticks. Squirrels, cats, dogs, and more animals stood behind them. Chilli jumped into the safety of the army. His head jerked to Pecks, looking gratefully at him.

“No need to thank me. You know geese are sworn enemies of the Park Animals.” Pecks looked back at him, but then at the geese. “Attack!”

The geese ran back and looked at each other in amusement. “You really thought we came alone?” They taunted, and from the bushes exploded dozens of geese.

General Carcass was in the front, staring at Pecks. “You know, humans are coming, eh?” His eyes were dark.

General Pecks looked back. “Retreat!”

Chilli hid under a bush.

“What are you doing in my nest?” came a voice. It was an eagle! The eagle hooked his claws into Chilli’s back and flew away. When they reached a canyon, the eagle

dropped Chilli into a big nest on a rock column. There were babies in it.

“Hi, Crag!” one shouted.

“Did you bring us some food?” another asked, cocking its head to the side.

Chilli bared his teeth at them, and they whimpered and cowered to the opposite side of the nest.

“Don’t do that to the babies,” Crag growled.

Chilli thought of an escape. “I wish that tree would not fall on us,” he said. Crag flew across the canyon and spent hours digging up the roots with his talons. Once he was done, the tree fell on the nest. Chilli smirked slyly, then ran across the bridge. He fled into a forest nearby.

“Pssst! Pssst!” He heard. He ignored it, but it came back. Chilli looked up, annoyed. On top of him was a brown furry animal. “Hi, I’m Bana the monkey.”

“Hi, I’m Chilli,” Chilli introduced himself, but privately, he thought about giving his information to him.

“Are you lost?” Bana asked.

Chilli hesitated. “Uh, yes,” he told him.

“Come with me.” Bana swung from tree to tree, then went through a hole in the ground. Chilli followed and was led to a ravine. “Welcome to my home!” Bana announced.

Chilli looked around and caught sight of a giant cat-like animal, with an orange and black pelt and hard muscle. It looked at Chilli …

Mach

Max Keim | Grade 7, Boise

Before I tell this story, you need to believe in the impossible, to believe that anything can happen to us … Have you done it? Great! Now, here’s my story:

My name is Oliver Queen. When I was ten years old, my mother was murdered by something impossible—red and yellow lightning, but I think that was my mind not letting a scared kid see what happened.

When I was twelve, I was struck by lightning. I went into a coma for months, and when I woke up, I felt a lot different. But it should be normal to feel off when you were just hit with 300 million volts of electricity.

A couple of weeks later, they let me out of the hospital. Ever since then, nothing really bad has happened to me, but all that, it’s in the past. I’m like a new person now. I’m 27 years old. I have a wife, and I work in Forensics at the LAPD. Life is great!

One night, while I was working in my lab, I got struck by lightning AGAIN. I know right, twice in fifteen years, but something was off. I wasn’t in a coma this time when I opened my eyes. I was running fast … ON WATER! I realized I had to have been a speedster. I was not seeing something impossible. I was the impossible. I didn’t know how I was or why I was, but I was!

But once again, that was the past. I have been a speedster for two years now, running around, saving people, and helping the city. Now, I am one of the best, most famous speedsters out there, and my name is Mach.

Baguette

Sage Ellestad | Grade 7, Boise

I loved the market when I was younger. All the people and the smells made my baby-brain so happy. But one day I was in the market with my mom when some baguettes distracted me. As a baby, I loved bread—sweet, fluffy bread. I wandered toward it. Before I got to the stand, I realized I was lost.

“MOOOOM!” I was screaming, and now that I look back on it, the strangers did exactly what I would have done. A screaming yan-ti baby attracted a crowd, and before long, strangers had started asking me who I was and who my mom was. As a baby, I was so scared of strangers. If I had been any older, I would have started hitting. I was so scared that when my mom came I was hyperventilating and crying uncontrollably.

This is the reason that now I am sitting in a dark room with social anxiety.

The Chief Alchemist

Dane Landry | Grade 8, Boise

The alchemist, the first being, known later by mortals as the Alchemical Spirit, made lead, gold, and life from Chaos and Order. He harnessed these primordial, ancient forces, and created the first homunculi and the first human. That was the beginning. That is no longer. The humans did as humans do, enslaving, conquering, and abusing those so-called lesser beings, and eventually, they subjugated their kind. From these humans, one emerged with salt, mercury, and sulfur. He threw this pouch of materials upon the ground, proclaiming himself the incarnation of the Alchemical Spirit. And saying thus, he drew his sword, and with a look of grim righteousness, killed the anarchybound dissenters. Ninety men he killed with his steel, and when the last of the evil men were dead, the first azoth was made. The man, the Great Alchemist, used this azoth and the power within to rule righteously for centuries; and in this reign, Ozymandias was born. Ozymandias was declared the Chief Alchemist, second only to the Great Alchemist himself. He was given a tower in the palace keep, a tower high and mighty to develop alchemical Azoth not requiring lives. And he has, to this point and beyond, failed.

Ozymandias, known by a few as Ozzy, scrambled desperately to close off the room hidden within the

tower, the room containing his shameful secret. You see, Ozymandias is dead.

Forgotten King

Claudia Burton | Grade 7, Boise

The twin suns traveled across the land, casting light into even the furthest corners of the desert. Small shrubs and grasses grow from deep cracks in sandstone quarries, struggling for life in unbearable conditions. There were no animals at all except for the desperate voles, scratching at the final seeds of cheatgrass towers that stood out like sore thumbs in the barren landscape. Rolling hills of stone and dirt led the way to the huge valleys of sandy desert, stretching for miles and miles more.

There was one man who would travel this land commonly. He called himself Traveler. He was walking over to the nearest town, the nearest source of water. A boy was sitting on one of the sand dunes. The boy was just sitting there dumbfounded. He could have been hurt or lost or neither or both. The traveler walked up to investigate the situation. The boy said hello as Traveler approached.

“I’m trying to get to Ethaned. Yet I appear to be lost.”

“That kingdom fell long before you or even your parents would be able to see it at its glory. Beautiful you wish. You’re lucky—I’m traveling near there. Walk with me.”

As the boy stood up, he asked, “You know anything about Ethaned?”

Traveler shrugged. “I grew up there.” “Did you happen to have anything from it?”

Traveler pulled out a small golden cicada with an emerald on the top, tied to his pocket by a string so he would not lose it. The boy’s eyes grew wide, and he reached for it. “There’s a message inside. All you have to do,” the boy continued, narrating his movements, “is push down the emerald. Then the wings pop out, and if you rotate them then you can pull the abdomen out like a little drawer.” Sure enough, there was a little drawer in the golden cicada. Inside was a poem. Traveler read it aloud:

“Forgotten King returns to his forgotten land an ancient kingdom rises from beneath the sand more riches than you’ll ever know where diamonds pool and emeralds grow”

They traveled a dry riverbed, a path with skeletal trees hanging over them as a form of shade. Pulling away from the river bed, they came to the copper gates of Ethaned,

now tinted green and orange with rust and standing in opposite positions weirdly. Between them was a statue of a king, arms open wide in welcome. All jewels had been picked from him, except the opals in the eyes and the smile giving the statue an eerie liveliness to it. They walked forgotten paths and streets.

Until they reached the tallest standing tower. The old paint had been chipped away and any valuables had been stolen by both thieves and time. The stairs were in good enough shape to climb. They climbed many, many flights until they got to the top. The room could barely be classified as a bedroom due to its size. It had a beautiful balcony. The floor and walls were made of white marble. An ornate chair made of real oak and covered in a varnish that had lasted almost a century looked like it belonged to a fancy king. The whole place was beautiful. The boy turned and sat in the chair. It was like the whole world had been holding its breath for a very, very long time and only now did it breathe out. Then the world roared. A gust of cold wind whipped from what seemed like the sun that rose in the north, Never, to the east rising sun, Ever. The tower began to stink lower. Crystal clear water sprung from the base of the tower. Vines were growing faster than they could count. The sands changed, turning darker and into perfect soil for growing plants. Fresh clean spring water ran down the river. Above, a forgotten flag waved in the wind. Ethaned had returned. Diamond water poured into the emerald canopy. A forgotten king had returned.

I Am

Kylie Benton | Grade 4, Boise

I am a wonder, the talk of the town. I will enchant happiness into all who come around

I am the best of the best, greatest of all time, I am the one who passes through all minds

I am in the hall of fame, for I am so great whenever they see me, they all chant my name, yeah, that great.

I am not a seed, nor a tree, because no jungle or forest will ever amount to me

Sure, King Tut had his glories, Benjamin Franklin too, but they will never grow up to know or see, how or who my glories ever came to be.

I am great and smart like a silent sword, slicing through the night, like a wrecking ball. I am the amazing.

A Silent Cry for Help

Ava Martin | Grade 6, Boise Scene 1

On a mysterious day, 6/66/66, a day of the future, VOLT wakes up one morning remembering the mission she assigned her agents Fang and Thunder. She gets dressed and heads to her office. At her office she grabs her smooth hearing stone. After she listens to the horror, she hears them screaming muffled cries for help, puts her stone down and she picks up the stone again. Volt passes quickly around the room waiting and listening to what agents Fang and Thunder are saying, since she has super hearing. She nervously fixes things on her desk and pulls her chair out to sit, then pushes it in again. Clicking her pen over and over. Click click click click click click click then a cup breaks the silence. She goes to take a sip but, her mind wandering, drops the whole cup of coffee on the floor, but still

doesn’t seem to care. She keeps pacing faster and faster until BOOM! She trips and falls but still doesn’t seem to mind, on the scratchy floor. She wakes up to find a…RAT chewing on a candy she had in his breast pocket of his suit.

VOLT: GET GET! The mouse skitters off.

Scene 2

FANG and THUNDER enter. Volt exits stage.

FANG: OK we need to grab all this DNA. Put on your gloves.

THUNDER: Yes. Both pick up garbage and put it in bags.

FANG: We better go. The waves are getting big.

THUNDER (bending down to grab can): Just one minute. I gotta grab—

Both get pulled under water and struggle in water.

Volt enters, sits down and thinks. Then realizes what’s happened…Volt gets up.

VOLT: I gotta go.

Volt runs out frantically.

END OF EXCERPT

The Element Realms

Jonah Cover | Grade 4, Boise

Scene 5

Two days later. They attack. Everybody starts fighting. Many people die. The war rages on! An archer shoots an arrow at Coral but Rafi leaps in front of her and the arrow goes straight through his heart! Blood goes everywhere, burning the entire forest realm! The blood is hot pink and dark purple! The war continues, people fall and die! Coral sees her mom. She uses her power to blast everyone out of the way!

Scene 6

They both blast water at each other and there is a big SPLASH. They are in a huge bubble of water! Still blasting at each other. Until Coral traps her in a whirlpool! She takes her to the fire realm. They put her in a fire cage so she won’t be able to escape. The rest of the water realm retreats. Coral wins! She will be the new queen of the fire realm.

END OF PLAY

Glitch

Avery Hull | Grade 5, Boise

Scene 1

MAMA walks onto stage.

MAMA: Breakfast is ready.

SAMMY: OK, Marley’s still sleeping. Should I wake her up?

MAMA: Yes, you guys got school today.

SAMMY: OK.

SAMMY wakes up MARLEY.

MARLEY: What are you doing?

SAMMY: Mama told me to wake you up because we have school.

MARLEY: It’s still summer break, stop lying.

SAMMY: Summer break ended yesterday.

MARLEY: Oh, OK.

SAMMY: Let’s go downstairs so we can eat breakfast.

MARLEY: OK.

MAMA: Good morning. I made you guys some pancakes.

MARLEY: Ooo yummy.

SAMMY: Eww. Pancakes are gross.

MAMA: I thought you loved them?!

SAMMY: Well not anymore.

MAMA: Oh, well do you want anything else?

SAMMY: Can I have cereal?

MAMA: You can get that yourself, you’re almost 10.

SAMMY: Ugg, fine.

Sammy makes cereal.

MAMA: I’ll be right back. I’m going to go wake up Timmy.

SAMMY: OK.

Mama walks upstairs.

MAMA: Lil’ Timmy wake up.

TIMMY: Hi Mama!

MAMA: Hi Buddy! Good morning! You have daycare today, so you have to get dressed!

TIMMY: OK!

MAMA: What do you want for breakfast?

TIMMY: Oatmeal

MAMA: OK.

Mama walks downstairs holding TIMMY. Five minutes later: MAMA: Here’s your oatmeal!

SAMMY: Why can’t Timmy make his own breakfast?!

MAMA: Because he’s only two.

SAMMY: Why doesn’t Marley have to make her own breakfast?

MAMA: She’s five, sweetie. You’re nine, you’re older. Sammy groans.

END OF EXCERPT

Sarah & Carlos

(Excerpt)

Dorothy McClure & Reese Davis | Grade 6, Boise

There once were two families, and these families did NOT like each other. Why, you ask? Because they are in a family feud.

It was a sunny day in California State. Sarah was at Brookstone High, getting her books out of her locker. She was going to class when a gush of wind came down the hallway. It was the popular girls! They were coming down the hallway, pushing people out of their way, giving cute boys air kisses, making them faint. There was Suzie, Cara and the leader… Sofia J. Sofia J. and Sarah were mortal enemies. Sofia J. was always

compared to her by her mother. And Sofia always had to come to Sarah’s house, because their parents were friends.

Back to the school scene. The popular girls were walking and then Sofia J. slipped on a banana peel. Everyone was shocked about what just happened. A jock came over and picked her up bridal style. Sofia J. jumped out of his arms and slapped him smack across the face. Meanwhile Sarah was laughing her butt off. But then it was time for class and Sarah had to go.

From the Core Up

Maya Cover | Grade 5, Boise

PROLOGUE

The MONSTERS have been living on earth for longer than we have. Much longer. But of course not OUR part of the world. The Core. Living in pools of magma, living their lives. Some are content living in their humble home. Others wonder what is on earth’s surface. Maybe they’ll find out.

Scene 1

The lights switch off and on and off and on multiple times. A young GIRL is frightened, which would be surprising to some,

due to her age. She’s 13. Walking through a shop and the lights start flickering on & off. You won’t admit it but you’d be scared too. Maybe just a bit. But still you would. But little did she expect the events that day would bring forth: Monsters. I am sworn to secrecy about what happened that day, but maybe you, human, young or young (I’m guessing all of you are under the age of 1,000, so I know you’re not old). So…you really want to know? Well I can’t tell you…oh fine here’s the story!

Scene 2

The MONSTERS have just woken up. All of them. One of them is still in bed though. Stretching. Moving around. An OLDER MONSTER (likely their parent) shakes the TINY MONSTER awake. Reluctantly the small monster awakens. Slowly but steadily, the tiny monster crawls out of bed. The parent sighs, and then looks at their child, who is staring off into the endless pools of magma. The small monster just sits there contentedly staring off into the distance with their one eye. An ACTOR from the company walks onto stage holding a flag or sign reading: (Meanwhile.)

The HUMAN family wakes up. The PARENTS wake up without delay but the child stays put. Stretching. It is clear the child does not want to awaken. One of her parents walks over to where she is still lying down and whispers something in her ear. The audience does not know what.

END OF EXCERPT

Grace

Maizey Hume | Grade 5, Boise

Scene 2

Grace and Joshua walk into the cold dark room. They sit down at the bland table. Grace looks around to see the cold, dull room. Sam walks in and plops down on a chair across from the two.

GRACE: Do you know why you’re here today?

SAM: I DIDN’T DO IT!

Grace and Joshua exchange glances.

JOSHUA: Please Sam, you’ll get in less trouble if you tell the truth.

GRACE: So you’re telling us you don’t know anything that happened at the party, exquisite, your little “friends” exposed you for the poison in the punch. Fruit punch! You realize how many people you killed that night. You immature beast. Fess up!

Grace angrily slams the table. Grace storms out of the room.

Scene 3

Grace walks in and sighs loudly.

GRACE: If only I had proof.

Grace kicks a table, which flies the drawers open. A note flies in her hand.

GRACE (reading): “Try the punch, it’s good.” —Sam. AHA! He wanted people to drink it! That might help my case.

END OF EXCERPT

Store Thief

Chloe Autier | Grade 5, Boise

CHARACTERS:

Nancy: girl, brave detective.

George: girl, smart, agile.

Bess: girl, fancy, funny – sort of.

Jim/Thief: boy, mean, revenge.

Police: boy, kind, helpful.

Scene 1

At the mall. 2020.

BESS: I can’t decide between the rose or pine perfume!

GEORGE: Oh Bess, I’m going to spend my money on

something useful.

NANCY: I don’t know. This mall is so big.

GEORGE: NANCY your purse! It’s gone!

BESS: There’s the thief!

NANCY: Bess, go tell the store manager to lock the doors so the thief can’t escape. George, you and I will track that thief down!

GEORGE: I think I recognize the thief. NANCY and GEORGE run off.

Scene 2

A few minutes later. Nancy, BESS and George meet up in the kid section of the mall.

BESS: What’s your plan, Nancy?

NANCY: Catch him. Also are the doors locked, Bess?

BESS: Yes.

GEORGE: Well then, what are we waiting for!

NANCY: There he is! Can one of you call the police!

BESS: I will!

GEORGE (quietly): Let’s corner him until the police get here.

BESS: The police are on their way!

Nancy tells Bess the plan.

GEORGE: There he is.

NANCY: Quickly!

BESS: We have him and the police are here.

POLICE: Where is he?

NANCY: Over here!

POLICE: Why did you do this, Jim Carness?

NANCY: I put him in jail seven years ago!

JIM: And I wanted revenge!

POLICE: And that is why you are back in jail.

GEORGE: I knew I recognized him.

BESS: What do you want now, Nancy?

NANCY: A nap.

END OF EXCERPT

The Dark Wolf vs. The Lotus Falcon

Ella Wright | Grade 5, Boise

Scene 2

One month ago, after two weeks of training, SCARLET is in line. Kid after kid, blood everywhere. Her palms are sweaty, her face is red, her stomach feels queasy and she is shaking superfast! As if someone else is pulling her strings. Her turn has come. It is time for her to fight the Tihabo (champion in Jilo).

TIJO: Hey! Relax! You got this! Just block, and swing.

SCARLET: Block and swing. Okay I’ve got this—

The TIHABO swings his sword and cuts through a KID’S stomach. The kid screams in pain. Scarlet gags. Her hands go to her mouth.

MS. ZEKIO: Alright! Next!

SCARLET: I-I… (gag)…can’t do this.

TIJO: Yes you can! Go on!

SCARLET: No…I-I can’t.

MS. ZEKIO taps her foot impatiently.

MS. ZEKIO: Next!

TIJO: SCARLET, come on!

SCARLET: I…can’t.

Scarlet’s stomach starts flipping upside-down. It is too much for her. Scarlet throws up.

TIJO: Whoa! You okay?

SCARLET: No…

MS. ZEKIO: Alright! Since Scarlet threw up, Tijo is next!

Bobby! Clean that up!

TIJO: Well (takes out sword), gotta go!

Scarlet looks around her and passes out in the puke.

MS. ZEKIO: SCARLET! Get up! It’s your turn.

Scarlet waves her away and continues to blab nonsense.

MS. ZEKIO: SCARLET! UP! NOW!

Scarlet gets up out of the puke and sneezes in Ms. Zekio’s face.

MS. ZEKIO: Just…go.

Scarlet wipes her face on a curtain, pulls her sword out and drops it.

SCARLET: TIJO!?

TIJO: Hi! Look who is the new Tihabo!

SCARLET: You…You’ve got the yellow eyes and…everything!

TIJO: Cool, right?

Scarlet grabs sword and walks toward her.

SCARLET: No…

Odd Hole

Miles Brown | Grade 6, Boise

CHAPTER ONE

Friday, August 18, 2083.

The sun was beating down. It was 203° outside. Luckily, we were in techno suits. So it felt like it was only 80°.

We were at a beach. Hunting. Hunting for fish. Not just any fish, but a cargo fish. They’re normally ‘bout 6 feet at most. They come near shore when water’s streaming. And today’s perfect. We hunt by using electro staffs.

I see a 5-foot shadow stalk the sea. I hurl my electro staff, it pierces the water. The fish jolt away.

“Darn, I missed!” I was angry and hungry. No…Hangry! Then a giant purple and black hole appeared out of nowhere.

“A black hole!”

Water and sand rushed up into the hole. I flew at the hole, bracing for impact.

BAM! CHAPTER TWO

I woke up. Something felt off…

The sky was dark red. Waterfalls were falling up instead of down. As if there was no gravity at all.

“Am I…in another dimension?” I wondered. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP… “SCANNING PERIMETER.”

A spiderlike robot emerged from the shadows. Its metallic purple paint gleamed in the darkness.

“HUMAN DETECTED…PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.” “J. Jake,” I said, frightened. It paused.

“NOT REGISTERED…DESTROY MODE ACTIVATED.”

“What?!”

It began to fire at me. I ran. I ran toward the lake, which used to be blue and was now black. I took a breath and jumped in. The water was murky and warm. I could make out the robot looking around. It left. I swam to the surface. “Phew!” I said.

Heist

Quinn Adams | 7th Grade, Boise

INT. DARCI’S HOUSE - 10:30

Darci sits at her desk drawing on paper. Suddenly, the door bursts open and Jessie runs in.

JESSIE

Darci, we have a code purple. I repeat. Code Purple!

Darci’s eyes get wide and she tears off her clothes. Underneath is a bulletproof suit.

EXT. BACKYARD - MOMENTS LATER

Darci and Jessie run out to the backyard. The cats, Bear and Scare, have taken over.

Darci pulls something from her utility belt. It looks like a pistol.

Jessie, now in a bulletproof suit of his own, closes all the gates.

Bear leaps on top of Oscar, who is gardening.

DARCI

No, not Gardener Oscar! BEAR Yes. Now hand over the tuna. Darci’s eyes narrow and she pulls the trigger on the pistol.

A little red dot appears on the lawn.

SCARE

Are you so petty as to think we cats, of all species, would be so foolish—

Bear leaps onto the dot.

SCARE

No, you fool! We want the food, not the dot! But then Scare jumps onto the dot, too.

Jessie places a tub over them, trapping the cats. He and Darci high five, then start to put their clothes on again.

End scene

Mystery School

Eva Necochea | Grade 7, Boise

EXT. SCHOOLBUILDING - DAY

Macie Enola Holmes Reid walks to school.

MACIE ENOLA HOLMES REID (V.O.)

My school is this insanely fancy private school where

everyone owns Chanel or Gucci, uses the latest iPhone, and rides home in a Porsche or Tesla or limo. I got in on a scholarship, so I’m immediately a loser. Yay me! That means I either get bullied or ignored. I paid no attention to the random lady asking me where I lived and continued walking down the path through the school garden. The school building looked like a combination of Buckingham Palace and the U.S. Capitol. It was built right on the border of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon in 1602. No one knows specifically by whom it was made and they hadn’t exactly ventured out to the west in 1602, so really it’s a mystery school.

Suddenly, a man wearing a suit and holding a gun walked towards her.

MAN Macie Enola Holmes Reid, STOP. End scene

Bessie

Penelope Hume | Grade 7, Boise

INT. TAVERN - EVENING

Maeflower walks into the tavern. She’s wearing a kneelength floral pattern dress, with a white poofy collar. She’s wearing hiking boots. Her satchel is stuffed with a change of clothes, shoes, a jacket, emergency food.

Mae walks to the counter.

MAE Table for two, please.

AUNTIE DARLY

Right this way, sugar. Mae follows Auntie to a wooden table with two chairs.

AUNTIE

All right, darling, I’ll go get your menus and I’ll be back in a second. Is that alright, honey?

MAE

Yes, thank you, Darly, and if you see Hank, bring him to my table.

AUNTIE Be right back in a few, dear. Auntie leaves.

Mae fidgets with her hands. Popping her knuckles. Hank walks in and takes a seat. Hank holds a briefcase. Mae looks at her watch.

MAE

You’re late. HANK Chill out, darling –MAE (glares)

Don’t call me darling. Not after what you did. HANK

What did I do? Just because I broke up with you. Oh poor, poor baby. MAE Shut up. Did you bring the stuff? HANK

Oh, oops... I forgot. OF COURSE I BROUGHT IT. Shouldn’t we do this in (under his breath) a more private place?

Mae looks around. MAE Seems fine to me. Just hand it over. Hank slides the briefcase over the table. Mae checks the

bag.

MAE Is this enough money?

HANK

Should be. Are you sure you don’t want any company?

After all, I owe you.

MAE

Company, yes. But yours, never. Now I ought to start, after all, I’m the reason they took Bessie and locked her up. Goodbye, Hank. Take care.

Mae sits up, puts the case in the satchel and walks up. She bumps into Auntie.

AUNTIE

Why, sugar. Why leave so soon? I just got the menus.

MAE

Sorry but I have to do something. Goodbye, Darly. AUNTIE Okay, honey.

Darly hugs Mae. Then Mae runs to her cottage.

INT. COTTAGE - MOMENTS LATER

MAE

Okay, I need food, clothes and money. Mae empties out her satchel. She puts the case in it. Puts

in nice boots, a big puffy jacket, nice silky trousers, some undergarments, a nice long sleeve jumpsuit, some thick men’s PJ’s, ribbon, a bucket full of wrapped up meals, a hairpin, a picture of Bessie and her, a pen, some paper, some soap, socks, and scissors. Mae puts her hair up in a pin, she takes off her socks and puts on nice fresh ones. She buttons up her satchel.

She walks outside.

MAE

Well, farewell. I’m off to save Bessie.

End scene

Boring Vacation That’s Actually Interesting

Michael Marshall | Grade 8, Bosie

INT. AIRPORT SECURITY - DAY

The crowded security line at the airport.

MAN

We should have left earlier.

WOMAN

Don’t you dare (air quotes) we should have left earlier me, Alex.

MAN (talking to himself)

When we miss our flight. Don’t complain to me.

WOMAN

What did you say?

An old lady clears her throat. Their arguing stops. OLD LADY

If you’re going to keep yelling, can I go ahead of you?

The old lady gestures to the line ahead of them, which has moved up a lot.

MAN (embarrassed)

Oh, um, of course.

MAN IN LINE (heavy British accent)

Oi! What’s this? If she’s going ahead of you, can I?!

The Woman sighs.

OLD LADY

Never mind.

The line moves up. Cut to the security station.

FIRST OFFICER

Passports, please.

The Woman sets her passport on the table.

FIRST OFFICER (studies passport)

Okay, you can move on! Next!

The Man steps up.

FIRST OFFICER Passport, ple— MAN (interrupts)

I know the drill.

The Man hands the officer his passport.

FIRST OFFICER

All right, move on, next!

The Man starts walking away.

FIRST OFFICER

You forgot your passport!

The man grabs his passport and walks away.

SECOND OFFICER

Shoes off, people, c’mon.

MAN

What if... I’m wearing boots?

The Woman’s face is in pain.

WOMAN

You cannot be serious.

SECOND OFFICER (rolls eyes)

Shoes AND BOOTS off!

End scene

The Land of the Crwth and the Walka

Declan Mitchell | Grade 9, Boise

Somewhere in Europe.

EXT. GAZEBO - NIGHT

The camera opens up to a zoomed-out gazebo in a blizzard at the top of a hill. There’s a man with two guards already there.

The other man with his two guards walks to the gazebo and begins talking to the other one.

BRWYDR

King Sequinus of the Walka Empire!

SEQUINUS (angrily) Minister Brwydr of the Crwth Republic!

BRWYDR (cheerfully) How have you been, as of late?

SEQUINUS (irritatedly)

I see no reason as to why we should be allies or amiable to one another. You should hinder your charade. You and I both know we have nary a care about each other.

BRWYDR (quasi-sunny disposition fading)

O, thank the gods! How nauseating it is to greet you kindly!

SEQUINUS

Likewise, you knave of self-absorption! You and I both really loathe the other, but we must both begin (sighs heavily) talks of peace and the most tranquil of negotiations.

BRWYDR

Though my heart groans and aches to even consider your ludicrous proposal, I think it imperative to begin these negotiations.

SEQUINUS

Of course. Shall we ride to the nearest secondary park?

BRWYDR

We shall. EXT. ENROUTE TO THE SECONDARY PARK - MOMENTS LATER

Sequinus and Brwydr mount their horses after exiting the gazebo.

BRWYDR (points finger in direction of both sets of guards) Leave us be. They both begin riding to the park.

SEQUINUS

Let me be perfectly frank, Gael, I am thoroughly and completely lost as to how I am to deal with this impressive threat to our formidable nations. I want a fighting chance at this war, but it seems as though she’s corrupted every one of our strongholds across the land. I remember her

when she and I were at the center of politics all those years ago. But, alas, that alleon has long since sailed. Ah!

Sequinus begins leaning to one side just barely clinging onto his horse. After a period of seconds go by with him unable to move, he guides himself up to the top of the horse again.

SEQUINUS

I grow weary and withered, Gael. He scratches his graying hair and shakes his head.

SEQUINUS

I fear she will continue to corrupt and manipulate our people. As much as I hate to admit it, I fear her and her autocracy. This is no longer a rebellion, Minister. This is a long, grueling war. We must mutually sign for peace between our two nations as soon as we possibly can. My wife is the pure embodiment of destruction and chaos that must be destroyed...

BRWYDR

I haven’t forgotten, King.

They continue to ride in silence and after several minutes they come to two large braziers to signify the entrance to the park. They dismount their horse and walk to a large temple composed of marble.

End scene

One Breath, One Life

Maggie Morehead | Grade 8, Boise

The story thus far: Mia has lung cancer and has started chemotherapy.

Act 4: Chemo 7 days later.

INT. MIA’S HOUSE - MORNING

Mia looked in the smudgy mirror. Today was the day she could leave the hospital. Although she still had to take chemotherapy, she could sleep in her own room.

Mia took her bright vibrant red hair brush and started brushing it through her hair. The more she brushed, the more hair starts slowly falling out.

Quickly, Mia threw the brush into the mirror.

Crack, crack, crack. The sound of the mirror slowly falling apart then... Smash!

Everything fell silent, the only thing anyone could hear was the breathing of Mia’s chest.

Her parents rushed into the room. MOM

Oh, my chicken, what happened here?

MIA

I – I didn’t mean to... I just saw my hair falling out.

DAD

It’s better to shave it now before you look like a shedding dog.

MOM

Mike! How is that funny to you?

MIA (an unhappy face and whines)

Just great... I’m officially bald... I look like a shaved dog. There, on the inside of the pearly white sink is a bundle of thick hair.

MOM

Mia! You’re going to be late for school.

DAD

I’ll give you a lift to school.

MIA

I’m coming.

Act 5 - School

INT. SCHOOL - LATER

When she arrived to school, she felt quite nervous. Her palms started to feel sweaty. Mia went to her locker. That’s when she hears it, clack, clack.... Ugh, the sound of

the high heels.

MIA (under her breath)

That must mean it’s the Pick-Me girl, Emily.

EMILY (sassy voice)

Look who it is, the girl with cancer. How does it feel being a baldy. At least you won’t have to worry about boys, because you don’t have any beauty to even look at. Emily laughs. Mia felt like she fell a thousand miles down. Tears come into her eyes.

EMILY

There is no need to cry, baby. This is high school not kindergarten. MIA Stop...please.

Then Emily runs... runs out of school. Tears streaming down her face.

End scene

The Atrium

Wesley Clark | Grade 9. Eagle

INT. ATRIUM - DAY

One day later.

We cut to a small sheet metal bunker under the atrium. There is gear and benches. The small group of five soldiers (including Jefferson) sit silently preparing.

Soldier 4 (Bryce) loads a gun and holsters it.

Soldier 2 (Cody) takes a picture of his wife and unborn son (implied they died) and folds it up and puts it into his coat pocket.

Soldier 3 Nathan puts boots on and says a silent Prayer.

SOLDIER 4 (Andy)

If we don’t make it out—

JEFFERSON (cutting him off)

Don’t say that we’ll be fine.

CODY (bleakly)

We don’t know that. JEFFERSON

If you act like that we won’t.

The men all sit in silence before one by one standing up and exiting the bunker.

We see the last men and women on earth all sitting in the atrium.

Jefferson clears his throat.

JEFFERSON

Good morning everybody. As you know today we launch an attack on the insecticides. Today is our last resort, all or nothing. The insecticides have devastated our Earth for 3 years, dwindling our numbers and our hope. If it doesn’t work today, we may all go extinct, but we won’t let that happen. Today we bring the war to them. We take back what they took from us. We may be low in numbers, but we have something they don’t. The will to survive, the human spirit that has carried us through wars, plagues, and tragedy. They do not know that, they do not know anything about us. They do not know our power, they don’t have our will. Today we win this war, today we free the Earth. Today we prove to anybody who wants to stay to destroy us that they will receive that destruction tenfold! This will be our final day of war!

Everyone stands, clapping and cheering all hopeful and ready to begin the mission. The cheering and clapping all fade, as we see Jefferson’s face, and realize for the first time, he could very well be leading all these people to die.

Jefferson solemnly walks off followed by the 50 selected soldiers.

End scene

Staircase

Samantha Schaefer | Grade 7, Boise

The story thus far: Zodiac has just walked up a hill and is at Trixie’s house.

INT. DOORWAY TO HOUSE - EARLY MORNING

TRIXIE

Zodiac! Dearest Zodiac! I’ve been expecting you!

Trixie smiled. Zodiac smiled back, though she wasn’t so energized.

TRIXIE (politely)

How was the walk up?

ZODIAC

Daunting. TRIXIE

I’m so sorry to hear.

After a brief pause, Trixie told Zodiac that she was making tea when she arrived.

Trixie walked into the kitchen.

Zodiac turned to the wall next to the front door and noticed a small black spider glaring back at her. She stared a mean stare and put out her finger.

ZODIAC

(whispering, demanding tone) Now. The spider slowly crawled onto her finger.

Zodiac smiled at the spider and put it into her pocket.

TRIXIE

Zodiac! ZODIAC Coming!

Zodiac walked into the house, nearly tripping from the step up to the entryway.

INT. HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

She walked forward and stopped at the sight of a staircase that looked to be endless. It must have been 40 ft. tall!

Zodiac blinked and it disappeared. She was in genuine

shock.

ZODIAC Trixie?

Trixie didn’t respond. Instead: TRIXIE

Your room is upstairs. Follow me!

Zodiac made a confused face as she slowly followed up the stairs.

Zodiac looked at the various mirrors and paintings along the wall to her left. When she got to the top of the stairs, she saw three doors and a hallway towards the right.

Trixie led Zodiac to the third door and opened it. The room was covered in spiders and cobwebs along with the dust caked to the walls.

TRIXIE

Sorry about the clutter, I haven’t had a guest in years.

ZODIAC (mumbling) Clearly. TRIXIE What was that, dear?

ZODIAC Nothing. The room looks fine.

You could very clearly tell the Zodiac was lying to make Trixie feel better.

End scene

Tennis Match

Hudson Ouchley | Grade 8, Boise INT. TENNIS COURT - EVENING

Fade in. Thump. A tennis ball hits a racket. Tick. A clock strikes a second. Sweep. A broom picks up dust. The camera raises up, showing a BOY in shabby clothes, sweeping up a tennis court.

The focus shifts to kids behind him. The kids are well dressed in tennis whites.

KID

The forehand’s looking good, but the backhand needs some work.

The kids laugh to themselves as they hop on their bikes

and ride off.

The boy hops on his cheap bike, then rides up a trail.

BOY (V.O.)

I’m afraid of the dark. That is a problem, considering that I spend most of my time at this period of the day. My bike ride from work is 13 miles all in the dark, and on an abandoned trail in the middle of nowhere.

He notices a poster that advertises a tennis tournament. He stops, scans over the poster until one thing catches his eye - a $1000 prize!

End scene

Acknowledgements

Summer Writing Camps at The Cabin touch the lives of hundreds of student writers and adults each summer due to the talent of our teaching-writers, the generosity of funders, and the gifts of time and support from volunteers, interns, board members, and community partners.

Thank you to teaching-writers Natanya Biskar, Colleen Brennan, Meg Freitag, Desmond Fuller, Lyd Havens, Chris Mathers Jackson, Heidi Kraay, Aurora Mehlman, Kathleen Olp, Hannah Phillips, Hannah Rodabaugh, Daniel Stewart, and Tracy Sunderland.

Many thanks to our 2022 interns, volunteers, and Cabin staff: Alize Portue, Shriram Sivaramakrishnan, Aiden Cahill, Sierra Culver, Hallie Delaney, Sonya Feibert, Sara Ivey, Perry Kemper, Sebastian Kou, Abby Peck, Grace Schlafer, Taylor Sharp, Ambrosia Shomaker, Darien Smartt, Fiona Van De Graaff, Madeline Welsh, Rebecca Young, Adie Bartron, Hillary Bilinski, Chris DeVore, Gen Emerson, Jordyn Marcroft, Emmy Parton, Joel Wayne, Megan Williams, and Kurt Zwolfer.

A special thanks to Foothills School of Arts and Sciences, Idaho Botanical Gardens, Albertsons Library at Boise State University, Flying M, Boise Art Museum, Zoo Boise, and the Idaho State Museum. Your generosity allowed us

to expand camps when COVID might have kept them too close to The Cabin.

Writing Camps and publication of CAMP FIRE are made possible by generous support from the Whittenberger Foundation.

Teaching-Writer Biographies:

Natanya Biskar grew up in San Francisco. She graduated in the spring of 2022 with an MFA in fiction writing from Boise State University, where she also taught fiction courses and served as Associate Editor for The Idaho Review. She is the recipient of a 2021 Alexa Rose Foundation Grant, and the winner of the 2021 Glenn Balch Award for Fiction. Before she turned to writing, Natanya taught elementary school for over ten years. When she is not reading, writing, or teaching, she loves to swim in the Boise River, ride her bike, and appreciate other people’s dogs.

Colleen Brennan is a freelance writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher with an MA in linguistics. Her stories appear in Writers in the Attic and A Year in Ink. A native Minnesotan, she has lived and worked in San Diego, Boulder, Paris, Bordeaux, and Boise. She is the recipient of a 2018 literary arts grant from the Alexa Rose Foundation. Meg Freitag was born in Maine. She earned her BA from Sarah Lawrence College, and has an MFA in Poetry from UT Austin’s Michener Center for Writers, and an MFA in Fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her first poetry collection, EDITH, was published by BOAAT Press in 2017. Individual poems have appeared in Tin House, Boston Review, and Black Warrior Review, among other journals.

She’s currently at work on a second poetry collection, a short story collection, and a novel. She lives and works in Boise, Idaho.

Desmond Fuller is a third year MFA candidate in fiction and the Associate Editor of The Idaho Review for the 2023 issue. His work appears in Indiana Review, West Trade Review, The Timberline, The Gravity of the Thing, and elsewhere. Desmond holds an undergraduate degree in English/Creative Writing and Spanish (double major). He spent two years teaching middle and high school students in bilingual schools in Spain.

Lyd Havens graduated with a BFA in Creative Writing from Boise State University in 2021. Their poetry has been published in Ploughshares, Poetry Northwest, and Tinderbox Poetry Journal, among others. She’s also had essays published by ENTROPY, Half Mystic, and Autofocus Lit. They are the author of chapbooks I Gave Birth to All the Ghosts Here (Nostrovia! Press, 2018) and Chokecherry (Game Over Books, 2021).

Chris Mathers Jackson is a freelance writer and editor, an aspiring novelist, a teacher, a mom, an artist, and a lover of the natural world. Chris received her MA in English Literature from University of Montana in 2005. She taught English Composition at UM from 2003-2006, both during and following completion of her master’s (as a TA and then an adjunct instructor). She worked in the administration of Missoula International School from 2006-2010 before becoming a full-time freelance writer, editor, and graphic

designer. After several years, she stopped doing design work professionally to focus on her growing family and her passion for the written word. In 2019 she established a book review website (LitReaderNotes). In addition to teaching, writing, and editing, Chris enjoys spending as much time outside as possible, adventuring both near and far, with her husband and two daughters.

Playwright and writer across disciplines Heidi Kraay examines the link between brain and body, seeking empathy with fractured characters. Her work pulls myth, metaphor and monsters together to discover connections across difference. Plays include Unwind: Hindsight is 2020, see in the dark, How to Hide Your Monster, New Eden and Kilgore, as well as co-devised plays, one-acts, plays for young audiences and short plays. Her work has been presented in Boise, regionally, in NYC and internationally, most recently through the Last Frontier Theatre Conference, MING Studios, Mission at Tenth’s podcast Artifact, Boise Contemporary Theater, Storyfort, Climate Change Theatre Action, The Bechdel Group, West of Lenin Theatre, Spark! Creative Works and Oregon Contemporary Theatre. Recent publications include Smith & Kraus and Magical Women Magazine. Heidi holds an MFA in Creative Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Arts from California Institute of Integral Studies and is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America.

Aurora Stone Mehlman earned her MFA in Fiction from Boise State University. A writer, freelancer, and teacher,

Mehlman organizes and facilitates Treefort’s Storyfort, and teaches with The Cabin and the College of Western Idaho. Active in her local community, she was awarded a Judge’s Recommendation in Boise Weekly’s Fiction 101 Contest, and recently shared her stories at the Idaho Botanical Garden, Scaryfort, and Story Story Night’s Grand Slam, where her team won first place. Previously, she designed and facilitated writing workshops with underserved communities and scribed at hospice homes for Write Around Portland. Mehlman is currently at work on multiple projects, including a lyrical novel about the women fire lookouts of WWII and a collection of short stories. Mehlman resides in Boise, Idaho with her 6-yearold daughter.

Kathleen Olp is a recent graduate from the MFA Fiction Program at Boise State University. Originally from Chicago, she currently lives and writes in Boise, Idaho, where she is at work on a novel.

Hannah Phillips is a fiction writer and screenwriter originally from the Endless Mountains region of Pennsylvania. She has BAs in creative writing and English secondary education, and she loves working with young writers of all ages. Currently, Hannah is a second-year fiction student in Boise State’s creative writing MFA program where she’s working on her first novel, as well as a TV pilot.

Hannah Rodabaugh is the author of With Words: Verse in Concordance, We Don’t Bury Our Dead When Our

Dead Are Animals, and We Traced The Shape Of Our Loss

To See Your Face. She’s been published in Anti-Narrative Journal, Berkeley Poetry Review, ROAR Magazine, Horse Less Review, K’in Literary Journal, and Written River, among others. She’s received grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the Alexa Rose Foundation, and the COVID Cultural Commissioning Fund. She’s been an artist-in-residence for the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and Surel’s Place.

Daniel Stewart, a poet, is the author of the collection The Imaginary World, and a teaching-writer for The Cabin’s Writers in the Schools. A Pushcart Prize nominee, he won the Erskine J. Poetry Prize from Smartish Pace, and has published in BOAAT, Graviton Lit, NightBlock, Prairie Schooner, Puerto Del Sol, RATTLE, Sixfold, Skidrow Penthouse, Thrush Poetry Journal, Yes Poetry, and elsewhere.

Tracy Sunderland loves storytelling and the particular demands of writing plays and screenplays. Her short films have won multiple festival awards and her first feature film script Tailor played in festivals all over the world and won the 2021 Best Screenplay award at Festival 36 Mostra de Valencia in Spain. Tracy holds an MA in filmmaking from London Film School and received the 2015 Fellowship in Filmmaking from the Idaho Commission on the Arts. She also teaches at Boise State University and received the Adjunct Faculty of the Year Award in 2015.

Index

A

Aariv Prashant 21, 88

Aberdeen Sanchez 134

Ada Hunt 230

Addison De La Cerda 108

Adeline Dina 159

Aden Fletcher 25, 65

Agam Pushkin Huang 197

Aidan Cahill 212

Aidan Hicks 81

Alexandra Lewis 14

Alice Jackson 198

Allison Cantlon 173

Alyssa Day 158

Amelia Julian 24, 99

Amelie Purcell 266

Anderson Padget 99

Anna Merriman 162

Anna Wickstrom 156

Annika Benton 10

Arabella Champion 157

Asher Westhoff 149

Athreya Iyer 169

Ava Donovan 161

Ava Martin 301

Ava Pfordte 268

Avery Hull 304

B

Beau Blumenfeld 202

Beckett Bowen 242

Ben Malaniak 270

Ben Thompson 122

Betty Clark 140, 289

Bridger Belts-Kauffman 87

Briella Nickell 39

C

Caitlin Johnson 116

Caleb Mitchell 200

Calvin Carter 291

Camila Carter 186 Camille Heryet 175

Chad Thorpe 216

Charlee Wayman 288

Charlie Bolinder 139

Charlie Mitchell 29

Charlotte Ellestad 246

Cheyenne Viviani 126

Chloe Autier 310

Claire Anderson 50

Claudia Burton 297

D

Dahlia Fields 185

Daisy Brewton 47

Dane Landry 296

Darby Holden 113

Declan Mitchell 326

Devon Hayes 131

Dishi Deliwala 166

Dominic Pelosi 192

Dorothy McClure 306

E

Easton Elliott 133

Edison Riecke 103

Elijah Molquist 277

Elizabeth Blier 154

Ella J. H. Barton 285

Ella Wright 53, 313

Ellie Reed 16, 59

Ellis Troutman 80

Emma Allan 105

Ernie Jiron 150

Escher Keim 244

Eugene Luo 84

Eva Necochea 318

Evan Padget-Waller 255

Eve Cicotte 165

Eve Wald 17, 82

F

Finch Letellier 282

Fiona Mengel 62

Franklin Hunt 33

G

Gabby Schuldenfrei 204

Ghennisys Boulton 35

Grace Guymon 72

Gus Panitch 69

H

Hadessa Blood 128, 225

Hally Zuroff 35

Hana Armagost 57

Harper Pantera 37, 119

Harrison Werre 47

Hazel Keller 117

Henly Kim 67

Henry Lombardo 168

Hudson Ouchley 338

I

Ione Dahl 124

J

Jack Lehner 70

Jameson Costello 61

Joey Lojek 169

John Maxson 44

Jonah Cover 303

Jonathan Westmark 235

Jordan King 160

Julia Abac 188

K

Kai Romeo 280

Kate Robbins 218

Kate Vogel 100

Katy Brewton 167

Kennedy Hood 123

Kiki Noonan 42

Kirin Miller 71

Koji Thompson 71

Kylie Benton 300

L

Laina Williams 147

Layla Smith 178

Leah Wickstrom 152

Lena Brown 61

Leona Washington 190

Liam Bentley 41

Liam Reinhardt 90

Lidia Wingfield 123

Lilly Sloan 262

Lily Lim 92

Loey Brandel 55

Lorelei Odenborg-Huntting 106

Lucca Smith 120

Lucia VanVoreen 195

Lucy Brewton 143

M

Madeleine Brown 245

Madison Hassoldt 62

Magdalena Stay 273

Maggie Frary 247

Maggie Morehead 330

Maizey Hume 309

Malachi Rooks 49

Mateo Araya 125

Mateo Wallace 252

Matthew Burke 124

Max Ens 111

Max Keim 294

Max Large 253

Maya Cover 307 May Jankiewicz 166

Melia Kane 176

Mia Barth 150

Michael Marshall 323

Michael Torkelson 256 Miles Brown 315

Molly Steenhoven 145

N

Nathan Shumway 206

Neil Prashant 23, 97

Nick Maher 222

Nicole Jacobsen 259

Nikolai Schwartsman 102, 163

Nora Jackson 239

OOliver Bullard 9, 76

Olive Reeder 12

Olivia Sandow 264

Owen Ford 11

P

Penelope Hume 320

Phoebe Lawley 107

Piper Connell 109

Q

Quinn Adams 8, 317

R

Reese Davis 306

Ria Prashant 19, 95

Rio Kitamura 125

River Adamson 32

River Schafer 75

Rowen Mitchell 74

Ryan Parris 142

Ryder Mak 193

Sage Ellestad 295

Samantha Schaefer 335

Savannah Rutledge 209

Silas Stephenson 164

Simon Kraay 75

Sloan Flanigan 110

Sofia Gradhandt 250

Sophina Eaglstun 183

Soraya Clark 101

Spencer Maxson 64

T

Tess Nielsen 114

V

Veda Carrero 185

Violet Reinhardt 78

Vivian Gendler 7

W

Wesley Clark 333

Y

Yam Pushkin Huang 292

Z Zev Roos 177