Oisin McCarshy was born different. He wasn’t like all of the rest. He hated the color green and his red hair. He wished he was a human. The problem was that he simply wasn’t. Oisin was a leprechaun, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Oisin was in charge of the pot of gold while his parents were on vacation. While he wanted to be human, at the same time, he was scared of them. But today, all that mattered was protecting the pot. He pushed all unrelated thoughts to the back of his mind, and sat. And sat, sat, sat, sat, and sat some more. Eventually, he began to get bored. Oisin decided to take a break, and have a seat on the rainbow near his home. The rainbow was the barrier between the human and leprechaun relm, what kept the two divided. Oisin walked up to barrier and lied down. The sky darkened as he drifted off to sleep.

He woke up in shock at 8:30 a.m.. His foot was on the wrong side of the barrier! He thought only animals could cross realms. Oisin slipped the rest of the way down the rainbow. He pondered what this meant. It only took him 5 seconds to realize the pot of gold was unattended. He raced back up the rainbow, and ran right into the barrier. However he could not get passed it. This only meant one thing. He was actually a human! It also meant that another leprechaun was near the pot, which was reassuring. The only problem was, his “family” was in the other world. He had to get back, he had to find a way! He hit the books, his only hope.

“Thy that wishes to travel back, must travel to this hidden shack. Located near the Cliffs of Moher, fight the guard if you dare. Once you pass this first test, venture on, defeat the rest. Pass the guard, you’ll find a key, to the door in the back, you’ll gain entry. Once your in, there is no time to lose, for from a bin of items, you may choose. Pick one that represents a place, to which you may travel, finish the chase. Beware of temptation beyond measure, a gift to which might change your adventure. Choose wisely between friend and foe, for the item you seek might reveal the unknown.”

Oisin was scared of the prophecy. He was so scared, in fact, that he tried to find a companion. He roamed the fields, until he stumbled upon a Donkasus, a donkey crossed with a Pegasus. She had a long silver mane, with a shimmering tail. Her body was white and fit, equipped with a saddle. Now, all he had to do was name her. “Talara” he muttered to himself. The donkasus came running.

He looked through the saddle for supplies. On the bag, there was a note! It read “Use this on your journey. Signed, Malcoy.”

To his surprise, inside the pocket there also was bread, apples, carrots, rice, a can of broccoli cheese soup, beef jerky, oatmeal, milk, a canteen of water, artichokes, brussel sprouts, and a compass. The compass had a message inscribed on the back of it. “The quest you seek, may be tough, keep this compass, and I'll make it easy enough.”

The compass pointed South, as Oisin hopped on Talara. They rode for miles and miles, until they finally reached the Cliffs of Moher.

“Oh. No.” Oisin said quietly. He had finally figured out that when they said guard, they meant I oger. A big one.

“I challenge thee to a dance battle!” The oger roared.

“Show me whatcha got!” Oisin said. “Hit the bagpipes Talara!”

Oisin deployed his moves. Swing to the left, swing to the right, and an irish jig. The oger tried to do the same, but instead, he swung himself off the mountain.

“Thunk!” A big key fell from the oger’s pocket. Oisin used it to unlock the door in the back, as the prophecy said. He then ran straight to the chest, but as he was about to grab the clover, he saw a flag. The flag would make him human. Like everybody else.

“Swoosh” a cage fell from the air, trapping Oisin inside.

“Gotcha! Yelled the man in the shadows.

“Who are you?” Oisin yelled.

“I am Malcoy, mate!” The man said. “I gave you your supplies, and you lead me here. You see, I need that four leaf clover.” right as Malcoy went to grab the clover, Tamara burst through the doors, running right into Malcoy! He flew backwards, straight into the brick wall. She used her horn to pierce the rope that held the cage door closed. Oisin crawled out, held onto Talara, and grabbed the clover. The prophecy did as promised, taking them both were they belong.

Revised version

The Leprechaun’s Quest By Gracie Rendel

Oisin McCarshy was born different. He wasn’t like all of the rest. He hated the color green and his red hair. He wished he was a human. The problem was that he simply wasn’t. Oisin was a leprechaun, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Oisin was in charge of the pot of gold while his parents were on vacation. Though he wanted to be human, he was scared of them. But today, all that mattered was protecting the pot. He pushed all unrelated thoughts to the back of his mind, and sat. And sat, sat, sat, sat, and sat some more. Eventually, he began to get bored. Oisin decided to take a break and have a seat on the rainbow near his home. The rainbow was the barrier between the human and leprechaun realms, what kept the two divided. Oisin walked up to barrier and lied down. The sky darkened as he drifted off to sleep.

He woke up in shock to find that his foot was on the wrong side of the barrier! Oisin slipped the rest of the way down the rainbow. He pondered what this meant. It only took him five seconds to realize the pot of gold was unattended. He raced back up the rainbow, and ran right into the barrier. However, he could not get passed it. This only meant one thing. He was actually a human! It also meant that another leprechaun was near the pot, which was reassuring. The only problem was, his family was in the other world. He had to get back; he had to find a way! He hit the books, his only hope. He read, “Thy who wishes to travel back, must travel to this hidden shack. Once there, you fight the guard, if you dare. Once you pass this first test, venture on, defeat the rest. Pass the guard, you’ll find a key, to the door in the back, you’ll gain entry. Once your in, there is no time to lose, for from a bin of items, you must choose. Pick one that represents a place, to which you must travel to finish the chase. Beware of temptation beyond measure, such folly might change your adventure. Choose wisely between friend and foe, for the item you seek might reveal the unknown.”

Oisin was scared of the prophecy. He was so scared, in fact, that he tried to find a companion. He roamed the fields, until he stumbled upon a Donkasus, a donkey crossed with a Pegasus, Talara he named her. She had a long silver mane, with a shimmering tail. Lo and behold, she was equipped with a saddle where inside he found some supplies and a note .“Use this on your journey.” signed, Malcoy. In the saddle was a compass with a message inscribed on the back. “The quest you seek, may be tough, keep this compass, and I'll make it easy enough.”

The compass pointed South. He rode for miles and miles, until finally, he reached the Cliffs of Moher. Oh, no.” Oisin said quietly. The prophesy had begun. An ogre he had to pass. A big one.

“I challenge thee to a dance battle!” the ogre roared.

“Show me whatcha got!” Oisin said. “Hit the bagpipes Talara!”

Oisin deployed his moves. Swing to the left, swing to the right. Stomp once. Stomp twice. The ogre tried to do the same, but instead, he swung himself off the mountain. “Thunk!” A big key fell from the ogre’s pocket. Oisin used it to unlock the door in the back, as the prophecy said. He then ran straight to the chest. Inside was a clover and a flag. “Oh dear, symbolic be both, which shall I choose? To transport me home was my quest. Which choice will be best? He chose the flag.

Swoosh, a cage fell from the air, trapping Oisin inside. Gotcha! yelled the man in the shadows.

“Who are you?” Oisin yelled.

“I am Malcoy, mate!” the man said. “I gave you your supplies, and you lead me here. You see, I need that four leaf clover.” Right as Malcoy went to grab the clover, Tamara burst through the doors, running right into Malcoy who flew backwards, straight into the brick wall.! Talara used her horn to pierce the rope that held the cage door closed. Oisin crawled out, held onto Talara, and grabbed the clover.

The prophecy did as promised, taking them both were they belong.

The waves splash the shore

As I visit the Ice Cream Cart once more

As the smell of the wet sand creaps into my body

I gaze into the bar, and see men drinking hot toddies

I hear the seaguls chattering

as I see stares so flattering

As I gaze towards the people who are so, so thin

I feel the sun shone on my skin

I see sand castles being built

I laugh when it collapses, as I feel sudden guilt.

Two friends, Taylor and Preston, were separated from the start. Their parents had been best friends, but Taylor’s family had to leave the country. Her father worked in the military, so they moved a lot. Taylor moved to South Korea, while Preston stayed in California. They then were on different sides of the world, and they were not able to speak until they were 7 years old. Now they were each 17 years old, and were in love. Taylor woke up on a cloudy Friday morning, and caught sight of Prestons picture. “Today will be the day I finally go see him”

Little did Taylor know, Preston had the same idea. He bought a one way ticket to Florida, and began to pack his bags. He threw in a shirt or two, cologne, and a few more essentials. Meanwhile, Taylor had already began to plan her own escapade to Florida. She was almost ready to leave when Preston boarded his plane. Preston had already been in the air for 5 hours when Taylor began driving. He was munching on some pretzels, when the man sitting next to him began talking. “Who are you going to see?” the man named Mark asked. The two grew close throughout the rest of the plane flight.

After Taylor drove 11 hours to the Florida Airline, she eventually pulled into her parking spot, and headed into the airport, just as Preston got off of his plane. Taylor wanted something hot to eat and went into the nearest shop. Preston saw a Cinnabon and went to grab a coffee. The friends, without knowing so, passed each other when they went to sit down. They ate, and headed their separate ways.

They both boarded their plane, one to California, and the other to South Korea. They each landed one after the other. Taylor went into a gas station to fill up her tank, and grab some cash. She went to the ATM, and the “RECENT USES” tab popped up. To her surprise, she saw PRESTON LENNEN written in blue. She shrugged it off, assuming that her friend must have recently gone on a road trip. She drove all the way to Anaheim, California, where Preston’s house was located. She knocked on the door, and waited a few moments. To her surprise, it wasn’t her buddie that had answered, it was Preston’s mom. “Hello, I’m looking for Preston!” Taylor exclaimed. “He went to see you!” Preston’s mom said. To Preston’s disappointment, he got the same answer.

Each friend laughed it off, and Taylor flew back to meet Preston at his house in Anaheim. The freinds shared a hug, although there was serious tension in the room. “I love you” they each said at the same time. They shared yet another hug, and started debating something fun they could do together.

“A walk in the park?” Preston inquired.

“How about an aquarium?” Taylor responded.

“The beach?”

“I’ve got it!” Taylor said. “How about Disneyland!”

“That’s perfect” Preston exclaimed.

After buying tickets, the lovers went to Disneyland. They hopped on the thunder mountain railroad ride, and road to the tip. As they reached it, they kissed, as fireworks went off. The friends shared a long hug, and a heartfelt goodbye. It was time for Taylor to go home.

In 1930, 13 year old Sophia Anne Wilson and her 5 siblings lived in Oklahoma. Sophia had long brunette hair, and deep blue eyes. She and her family lived in a ridden down house, next to their family farm. Her father was killed while transporting water for his company. Although, they never caught the people at fault They sent Sophia to Franklin Academy with her friends Emalie, Dick, and Ruby, along with the other two triplets, Bentley and Bradley. She got good grades, and was on the tennis and soccer team. She loved her life in Oklahoma, but little did she know, her whole world was about to change.

“Sophia, get up, quickly!” Mama yelled. “Dust is a-comin, go down to the basement.”

She jumped out of her bed, and ran to her mom. A huge cloud of dust blew through the cracks in the floorboards, as they all tried to cover their mouths with wet towels. The dust raced for her lungs, as she wondered Eventually, the dust passed, but it wasn't over yet..

“All the food is ruined ma!” Bentley cried.

“The milk is spoiled.” Bradley wined.

“We've got no water left!” Sophia fussed.

“Our floors are covered in dust!” Enzo webpt.

“We have nothing left at all for us” Copper sighed.

“We've got each other!” Ma responded “But for now, it's time to go back to bed”

Sophia woke up at dawn the next morning to her brothers each having a coughing fit. All of the sudden, her parents rushed in and took Bentley and Bradley to the hospital, but they didn't tell her why. Sophia broke down in tears, as they took off to the clinic.

“Mother has just arrived!” Sophia cheered.

“Where are Bentley and Bradley?” Enzo asked.

Mother fell apart, right on the doorstep. She couldn't hold her own weight, as she collapsed to the ground. She breathed heavily and sniffled and cried.

“They're dead! Bentley and Bradley are dead!” She shrieked.

Sophia felt the wind run right out of her. She dropped to her knees, praying her brothers would come home. She buried her face in her hands, and just sobbed. It wasn’t until dawn that she got up, to her cooing baby brother, whom she could here through the open bedroom window. She went inside, her eyes puffy and red, to warm a bottle for little Zephan Zerura. She swaddled him in a mint green and baby blue blanket, as she rocked him. He sucked his bottle, down to the very last drop. Even though she was tired, hungry, and thirsty, she wouldn’t let go to the tiny life she held in her hands. She wondered how one baby can be so innocent. She looked into his eyes, and the sky got bluer, the sun shined brighter, the clouds fluffier. The world was a better place, until the dust came.

She laid him in his crib, as she ran around the house, looking for her mother. She was nowhere to be seen. She closed the living room and dining room. She locked the front door, and hid in her room, until the dust passed. She went into her brother’s room, to see him coated in dust. She looked up at the window. Open. She picked up her brother, screaming for help. He stopped breathing. She ran out the door, but the next house was 3 blocks away, and the hospital was a mile. She ran back into the house and called for help.

“Operator, what’s your emergency?” The operator said.

“The dust! My brother ain’t breathing!” Sophia whimpered.

“Honey, how old are you?” The operator replied.

“13.” Sophia said.

“Here’s what you need to do….” The operator began.

With the help of the operator, she administered CPR. Then, her mother walked through the door.

“Where have you been!” she asked.

Unfortunately, Zeph didn’t wake up. Her beautiful little brother, that she loved so much was gone, and it was he fault. She made a pact that day that she would never forgive herself. She honored it til the day she died. Another one bites the dust.

Dear Gracie,

I deaply regret not visiting Dad one last time. I would have gotten to see him one last time. I am sorry I didn't relize his time was near. I am so very sorry I didn't hug him one last time. I didn't say goodbye. I wish I would have, one last time.

Apologize from the bottom of my heart,

Gracie Rendel