Story++39


 * Progressive Story 39 **
 * Your class will be writing ONE group paragraph(s) for the story (not each student). The first class will write the intro paragraph(s). Then the next class will read the paragraph(s) and decide how they want to continue the story. This will continue until the last class on the list writes the ending and gives the story a title. Your paragraph(s) will be typed onto this Wiki page. You will also need to send (email as .jpg) the 3 pictures to me. The pictures should illustrate events in the section that your class wrote. **


 * Please visit the Instructions Page for more information. **


 * If you would like to share any contact information please feel free to add it to the chart. This way your classes have a chance to actually "meet" some of the students that collaborate on their story. **


 * Please feel free to make corrections to your name/school/location or add the names of teachers if you are working with someone on this project. **

(Class 2) || 5 || lschinski@ramsey.k12.nj.us ||= Dater School ||= Ramsey, NJ, USA ||= October 30 ||= X ||
 * = ** Teacher ** || ** Grade ** || ** Contact info ** ||= ** School ** ||= ** Location ** ||= ** Due Date ** ||= ** Check when Finished ** ||
 * = Kathy Sheridan || 4 || ksheridan@cdschools.org ||= West Hanover Elementary ||= Harrisburg, Pa 17111 ||= October 23 ||= X ||
 * = Liz Schinsky
 * = April Sides || 4 || asides@shelbyed.k12.al.us ||= Valley Intermediate School ||= Pelham, AL ||= November 6 ||= X ||
 * = Ellen Schin || 5 || eschin@wssd.k12.pa.us ||= Red Mill Elementary ||= Etters, PA, US ||= November 13 ||= X ||
 * = Kathy Sheridan || 4 ||  ||= West Hanover ||= PA ||= Dec 5 ||= X ||

media type="custom" key="7789785" This is the worst day of my life. I still can't believe my parents bought the old Jenkins farm house across town. They always dreamed of owning land so they could raise llamas for their fur. I was dreading moving and living in that old house. For years the house has been abandoned and now is falling apart. Everyone in town knows that cranky, old Mr. Jenkins died in the house and think it's haunted by him. No one ever goes near it because they are too afraid of what might happen. After moving all day and trying to clean the dusty, dirty house, my whole body ached. I finally got my room unpacked and bed made and just wanted to crawl in and go to sleep but decided to take a shower. I walked down the long, narrow, creaky hallway to the bathroom and took the longest, hottest shower of my life. "Nellie, save some water for the rest of us and turn off the shower," yelled mom. As I stepped out of the shower, I noticed the mirror had steamed up and revealed a mysterious message. Who could of left this message and what did it mean? I had to find out!
 * Title: **Mysterious Message in the Mirror
 * Type your story here: **

I tried to decode the message and realized that it was directions to the old abandoned barn in the woods behind our new home. After the fog cleared from the mirror, I ran to tell my brother about what I had seen, and to ask him if he would explore the old barn with me, but he just laughed at my story and told me that I was imagining things. I went to bed still thinking about exploring the old barn. When I woke up, I saw that it was a gray rainy day outside. Since I wouldn't be able to go to the pool, I decided to investigate the old barn. Grabbing a flashlight, I headed out the door. My rain boots squeaked on the squishy, wet grass as the barn came into view. The barn was so dark and eerie inside that it gave me goose bumps. I flicked on my flashlight and made my way towards the back of the barn. Suddenly, a rat ran across my foot, causing me to jump and fall. As I scrambled to get my flashlight, I noticed a break in one of the floorboards. I lifted it up and found a trapdoor. I opened it and shone my flashlight down the hole. It led to a long deep tunnel with a ladder.

====I couldn’t resist the mysterious tunnel. I looked down into it, and something grabbed me and pulled me in. On the way down, I dropped my flashlight and the batteries fell out. When I landed, I looked for what had grabbed me, but I couldn’t see anything. All of a sudden and out of nowhere, I felt a rush of cold air and candles lit up all around me. There was a black rotting coffin with an old note on top. I picked up the note and read it out loud. “Once you come in, you cannot get out without solving these mysterious clues. If you don’t solve the mysterious clues, you will be stuck in here for eternity.” I couldn’t believe it but I couldn’t risk spending eternity in this stinky tunnel with the creepy coffin! ====

I saw the name Cornelius Jenkins engraved on the outside of the coffin. At this point, I wondered why old Mr. Jenkins was trying to keep me in here for eternity. I couldn’t see what it said at the bottom of the note, so I went over to the candles to get a better look, and the words started to change. The words said, “Look for the boat floating in blue. Then you’ll find a note waiting for you.” I was confused. This note made no sense. I was in a gloomy tunnel with no blue water in sight. I walked forward, and there was a dark, dusty door covered with spider webs blocking my way. I pried open the old, heavy door, and suddenly felt cold. The boat was sitting there in a river in a spotlight of the moon. I started to walk towards it, and suddenly, I felt something grab me and pull me into the boat. Again, I looked around, but couldn’t see a thing.

 As I searched for the paddles to row down the river, I felt a second note under my seat. I saw that it read, “See there in front of you, a maze lies before you. A field of corn you must go through.” Once more, I was confused. I looked so far into the distance, I thought I could see my house, but still there was no cornfield in sight. I found the paddles and started rowing downstream, and I saw before me, like the note said, the huge cornfield. Right in front of the field was a sign that read, “Enter the maze if you dare. Watch for the creepy things in there.” When I stepped out of the boat and approached the maze, I felt that cold breeze again. “Ouch!” I screamed as something yanked my hair towards the maze. That’s when I noticed the maze looked just like the layout of my house.

I slowly approached the maze entering the first room which looked like the farmhouse foyer. Hanging on the chandelier besides cobwebs was a note that read “Go to the kitchen and you'll find a steak and another note for you to take.” I slowly crept along the narrow hallway to the kitchen where I found the steak sitting on the kitchen table and sure enough underneath it was another note. By this time I was starving so after eating a few bites of the delicious steak, I read the next note. “Go to the place where you have a feast but watch out for the small wicked beast.” Nervously, I headed to the dining room not sure what to expect. Sure enough sitting in the middle of the dinning room table was the smallest, creepiest animal I’ve ever seen with a note hanging from its fangs. Quickly, I ran back to the kitchen and grabbed the steak. As I headed back to the dinning room, all I could think about was getting out of this nightmare and wondering if I was just dreaming. I threw the steak into the corner and the beast dropped the note on the table and ran for the steak. After grabbing the note, I slowly backed out of the dinning room not wanting to disturb the beast that was hungrily devouring the steak. On the crumpled paper covered in slobber was the most beautiful cursive writing I have ever seen. The note read “I know this house is old, so I left you some gold to fix it up. Go to bed and rest but first look in your closet for a chest.” I tore up the stairs as fast as I could and opened my closet door. Inside was the largest treasure chest I have ever seen filled with cold coins. I couldn't believe my eyes. Mr. Jenkins wasn't trying to scare me; he was trying to help my family fix up the house he loved so much. As I crawled into bed exhausted, I realized living in the old Jenkins house was going to be an awesome adventure after all.