Story+Number+18

Level** ||= **Location** ||= **Email** ||= **Skype** ||= **Twitter/Other Info** ||= **Due Date** ||= **Did you post your section of the story?** || (Class 8) ||= Berwick Lodge Primary School ||= 4 ||= Berwick, Victoria, Australia ||= smethurst.lois.la@edumail.vic.gov.au ||= lois.smethurst ||= loisath ||= March 20 ||= yes || (Class 1) ||= M.C. Lively Elementary ||= 4 ||= Irving, TX, USA ||= csharhiary@irvingisd.net ||=  ||= cshahriary ||= April 3 ||= yes || (Class 2) ||= Sandoval ||= 4 ||= Chicago, IL ||=  ||=   ||=   ||= April 17 ||= yes ||
 * = **Teacher** ||= **School** ||= **Grade
 * = Lois Smethurst
 * = Lori Lund ||= Fairview Elementary ||= 4 ||= New Cumberland, PA ||=  ||=   ||=   ||= March 27 ||= yes ||
 * = Cathlin Shahriary
 * = Ms. Alicia Busillo ||= Penn Beach Elementary ||= 4 ||= Southern, New Jersey ||= abusillo@psdnet.org ||=  ||=   ||= April 10 ||= yes ||
 * = Hiliana Leon
 * If you would like to share information about you: email address, Skype name, Twitter name, etc., please feel free to add it to the chart. Some teachers mentioned that they would like to actually "meet" some of the students that work on their story. **


 * 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. Illustrations can be drawn and photographed or created using a computer program such as Kidpix.

Go to Instructions Page. **

The Healing Stone **
 * Start your story here:

“And so the tortoise knew that all was well, and he would live in peace.” I finished reading the last paragraph and laid the book on the hospital bed. “Wo...wonder...wonderful”, my father let out a slow, painful moan. “You...are...an...excellent reader”. He let out another moan. It was Tuesday morning, the first week of the holidays and I knew by now that my father was as sick as he possibly could be. I decided to read his favourite book to him. This book inspired him to keep a smile on his face, and that’s what made me happy too. As I opened the first page of the book, I saw a page fall out, I wondered in my head what on earth it was because it was old and very fragile. It was a map-you could tell it was over 50 years old. “Father, have you ever seen this map before?” I asked. I took the map and showed it to him. He took a long look. “Yes it looks familiar, but I can’t remember what for, this illness is making me forget a lot of things.” He told me weakily. Then his eyes seem to sparkle, just a bit, and he said “ That map is the path to the healing stone but by the time I’d found the map,” He looked down to the floor. “I was already sick.” I knew what I had to do.

That evening I sat on my bed feeling very puzzled as to how to find this healing stone. I knew I just couldn't sit around and do nothing. I just had to find this stone for my father. I read the map quietly to myself and studied its contents very carefully. There would probably be several obstacles I would have to face in order to find this treasure. Some of the barriers might include wild animals, strong rivers, deep, dark oceans, high, rugged mountains and who knows what else would be waiting for me on this unpredictable adventure. I decided I would start the next day. I packed my bags and called my Uncle John to watch the house while I was gone. Finally, I set off on the adventure of a lifetime to find the much needed healing stone for my ailing father.

I arrived at the airport. I checked the map to see where I needed to start. The land on the map had the same shape as China. I looked for a map of China. The healing stone map had a blue x where Beijing is located. I booked the first flight to Beijing, China. After 18 hours, the plane landed in Beijing. I was nervous that I had the location wrong, but when I started walking around the city, I knew I was in the right place. The map showed a trail out into a forest, up a mountain, and towards a lake. I wasn’t familiar with the area, so I asked someone at a motorcycle rental shop where this lake might be located. They told me it was Pearl Lake and gave me directions, but I wouldn’t be able to get there walking. I rented a motorcycle and set off. After driving for several hours I was exhausted, but I knew I had to keep going. Finally, the road ended and I had to travel by foot. I started the long hike through the forest and up the mountain. It was very steep and dangerous. Luckily, I had rented some mountain climbing equipment as well. I started climbing the steep rocks, when suddenly a small rock hit my head. I knew more rocks were to follow. I could see boulders tumbling down towards me. I was terrified. I quickly moved out of the way, but lost my grip. I dangled by one hand, struggling to find a place to pull myself up.

Sweat was pouring down my face, my hands were red as apples, and my eyes were covered in dirt. While I was dangling, I spotted a branch sticking out from between the layers of the tall mountains. Rocks, were flying toward to me with blazing speeds. I saw a huge boulder tumbling down the mountain. I knew I had to do something fast. I managed to swing myself towards the branch. I closed my eyes tightly and swung with grace and speed. "AHAHAHAHAH," I was screaming in terror. I missed the branch and began falling with extreme speed towards the foot of the rugid terrain. In the air, I felt a blast of hot air and all of sudden I heard "flap, flap, flap and thud!!" I landed on a beautiful, fire breathing, friendly, dragon named Faith. Faith safely swooped and landed me safely on the ground. I could not stop gasping for air!!

To my surprise, the dragon spoke. Faith said to me, "You are safe now, tell me why are you here in this dangerous land?" I replied, "I am trying to find the healing stone for my father, so he can get better, he is very ill." I went on to explain my father's and my family's situation to Faith. Luckily, Faith agreed to help me. The dragon offered to fly me over the mountain range and across the Chang Jiang Lake to help me on my journey to the healing stone to save my father. Faith, said, "Hang on and continue to be strong."

Through deserts and dark woods Faith carried me on her back. Large rocks and boulders fell from the mountains. I closed my eyes tight and clung to Faith when I realized that strange creatures where flying near us. All of the sudden I realized that we came to a sudden halt. “Why did we stop?" I asked Faith. She mentioned that we were going to enter a large cave. “This is the only way to the lake but I cannot fly inside”. She then made a funny sound as though she was calling for someone. In a split second a dog appeared from no where. She mentioned that the dog’s name was Hope and he would lead me to the healing stone. I thanked Faith for helping and Hope and I went inside the cave. After a long, exhausting walk I noticed sunlight. I ran to the end of the tunnel and noticed a beautiful lakefront. Faith ran towards me and led me to a smaller cave near the lake. I saw huge stairs. All the way at the top I saw a small purple stone. I had a feeling that it was the healing stone for my father and even though I was tiered, I felt a flash of energy throughout my body. We both ran up the stairs. When I reached the top, I picked up the healing stone and a door appeared. I asked Hope, “What happens if I go through the door?” He replied, “You will go back to your own land so hurry and walk through it with the stone!” I knew at that point that I had to save my father. I ran through the doors and suddenly I was in the hospital. I hurried to the room that my father was in and I put the healing stone in his hand. Suddenly my father was okay. The doctors came in to see if he was fine and said that they had never seen anyone recover like that. My dad and I knew the truth, though. It would be our little secret.

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