I Can Fly

Author's Note:  Some children grow up earlier than others do. Some experience more than others. In this narrative piece, I describe in full detail, the time I rode an airplane, alone. This is a District Writing Exam piece. Please enjoy!

I can't wait to see the world. I can't wait to be on my own. Maybe, just not yet. The experiences when I am young, all lead up to when I'm older. Like, flying on an airplane, alone. This is one of the experiences that happened when I was young that will help me be more independent when I am older. 

'Madeline Brielmaier' is the name that the flight attendant had on a sign when I walked in the airport. "That's me.", I said while rolling along my suitcase and my carry-on. I was flying back from Fort Walton, to Atlanta,  then to Milwaukee. I was on vacation with my aunt and cousins and I was flying home early for a volleyball tournament. Till this day I still don’t know why my parents let me fly home alone at the age of eleven, but it was something we all wanted me to do because the team needed me.

My first flight was delayed 2 hours because of a storm that was going over the south. I thought I wasn’t going to make it out of there. And I had reserved seating since I was a minor and I believed that would all get screwed up if they put me on another flight. “Were going to get you on a plane home, Madeline.”, the flight attendant said as she walked up to the crowd of people yelling at the man behind the counter, trying to figure this all out. She comes back about 5 minutes later and says “Follow me.”, with a smile on her face.

I finally got on a small plane that was going to Atlanta, GA. The biggest airport in the United States mind you not. I was really scared to be in there! The lady on the flight next to me asked me where I was going.  “Waukesha, WI”, I said as I look up at the woman. “Are you serious? I’m going there too!” she says with her jaw open. What are the odds? We were just talking for the rest of the flight about where we were from and where we are going. When my flight was over we said goodbye and the flight attendant took me off the plane and onto a golf cart.

Don’t you hate that feeling when you’re in an airport after a long day of traveling and you see that one person that gets to go in the golf cart that passes you by? Yes, that was me. To me that was the best part of that day. Riding around in a golf cart, picking up and dropping off people at different terminals was really fun! Remember, I was 11. It was a big deal.  When I was dropped off at my terminal it said “MILWAUKEE, WI DELTA AIRLINES” and all I thought about was, ‘Yes. I am going home. FINALLY!’ And I haven’t seen my immediate family in about 2 weeks and hey, I’ve got to say, I was homesick.

I was escorted by the pilot onto the plane and I was the first and last one on it. As I get to my seat it was about, 30 minutes till people started getting on. After about 10 minutes the airplane was packed! The last seat open was a spot next to me and in my mind I’m thinking “YES! I can sleep!”, but just as that thought raced through my mind. This big, scary man says “Excuse me.”, in a very harsh tone. Dang, I could have had it. The rest of the flight I was wrapped up into a blanket completely terrified of this man that was right next to me. At last, the plane comes to a stop. Everyone got out but me and I was escorted out of the plane and through the airport. I just wanted to run through it because it was about midnight and I knew my mom was on the other side of security. A lady in a suit coat takes my luggage and escorts me to my mom. I run up and give her a huge hug. I was even tearing up a bit but, I was so happy to see her. She took me home and I was reunited with my family once again.

Flying by myself was definitely an exciting journey and I really did enjoy it. It helped me be more confident when talking to people and helped be gain more independence as in individual. Also, it helped me realize that my parents and I will go to any extent to get me to a volleyball tournament. Oh, and one last thing. We won our volleyball tournament.

Ground Zero.

Author's Note:  The aniversery of 9/11/01 just happens and it had me thinking. How affected were the lives of the victims and loved ones?We all know the affect that 9/11 had on the people who lost loved ones. This hasn't happened to me so I'm just trying to figure out the emotions of those who have lost ones. This is not part of school work but I wanted to make a piece like this. Feedback is always appreciated!:)


“This may seem obsene but I keep living knowing I will see you soon. And I feel this way because life is a race and you have set the pace for now.”-Brittani Taylor

It is a beautiful Tuesday morning in September. I’m at home with a baby in my stomach that
could come out any minute. As I make coffee, I turn on the morning news and ask “Cream honey?”. “No, I’m already late!”, he says as he butters the toast out of the toaster.  This is my husband, my co-worker, and my bestfriend. We both work on floor 87 of the South Twin Tower and who knew on today, September 11th, 2001. That it would collapse.

“I love you!”, he says as he kisses me and the baby goodbye. “Call me right away if you feel as if today is the day, call Cathy to take you to the hospital and I’ll meet you there.” he exclaims as he grabs his briefcase. “Ohh I know the drill! Go, you’ll be late.”, I say as I hand him his coffee. He walked through the door. “I love you too.”, I say louder than normal as I put away the cream and sugar. It’s around 7 o’clock as I check my home desktop for work reports I can type on my computer that are sent from my boss. I feel like, today is the day. Today will be the day my life will change.

Its around 8:45 when I look up at the NYC morning news and see a plane hitting the North Twin Tower. Right as the plane hit the tower, I felt a kick in my stomach
I just stared in awe, thinking “Is my husband okay?”, “Why on earth did that happen?”, “That kick really hurt.” I look outside of my doorstep and can see the faint city and all of the smoke comming out of that tower. I took a shower and come back out in all clean clothes. And I look down and see that my water just broke. “O, God.” I think. I race to the phone to call my neighbor and great friend Cathy. “Cathy! My water just broke! and Daniel isn’t home!” I say and I grab my bag and cell phone. She races over and we get in her car. It is around 8:59 in the morning. I call Daniel, “Dan! Dan! My water just broke! Are you okay? Are you out of the tower?” I say as we race towards the city to the hospital. “Honey, I’m okay, me and the rest of the people on our floor are still in the building. We are going to leave as soon as possible. Honey! That is great! I’ll meet you at the hospital in te....nn...O.My....OH MY GOD. Rachel, I love you so very much tell our daughter I love her to..o....” he says as I look up at his tower. “NO! OH MY GOD NNO!” I say as I cover my mouth I watched my husband’s tower get hit and all I could see is him looking out of the window seeing that plane comming, and telling me he loved me one last time. All I hear is a ring-------on the phone. “Cathy...he’s dead.”

Grace Bennett was born on September 11, 2001.
Daniel Bennett died on September 11, 2001.

The police found parts of his body and identified that this was him.
I believe that is is all in God’s plan that Grace was born on that day and that I am left a widow from that day. But, why wasn’t it me in that tower instead of him.?
I join most of New York, grieving the dead. Since it was him and not me I will make the best life for our baby girl that I can.

Whom Can I Trust?

Author’s Note: Ahh when you smell that crisp fall air and see my summer tan fading, you know its school time. Welcome back everybody. I was going through some old work of mine that I never published from last year and found a few pieces I wanted to post. Now, I post pretty random stuff on here, stuff that isn’t even homework or part of this class. But frankly, I don’t care. I feel as if I can publish any work I have on here so on a sadder note. Here is a story I wrote last year about someone who figures out they were adopted. This person is stunned and angry because they have been lied to their whole life. Here is my first short piece of this school year. Have a great school year everyone.

Make it stop. Just make it stop.
I’m in a world surrounded with people
but not one I can trust.
I can’t imagine that anyone feels the way I do.
I’ve been lied to. This whole time.
This whole time, I didn’t know the truth.
The truth about the world that surrounds me.
The truth about me.

When you have heard nothing but lies your entire life, who can you trust? I just, don’t know anymore. Where are my parents? I may never know.

Zayn Malik

Author's Note: Well we had to write about a truth or a lie, obviously I picked a truth. I feel like I always find a way to write about One Direction in some way. And I think that that's okay. You know? Zayn Malik. You know, don’t ask me why I like Zayn Malik so much. I just, do. Once my cousin showed me a picture of them for the first time, of course she was Harry Styles obsessed, (Who isn’t?), but only one boy in that band caught my eye. That boy was Zayn. Zayn is the dark haired one with beautiful eyes. I think that is what caught my attention, his eyes. My eyes aren’t really a solid color, they are a hazel mix but, I wish they were just solid brown. But anyway, I started to listen to their music and realized that they are actually good. They aren’t just another boy band, they actually make good and quality music that is worth listening to. Now, I’m not the teenage girl type to get obsessed with boy bands but I got to say, One Direction took my breath away. I know, I know, Zayn is 19. And it’s not like I will ever have a chance with him even if I were around his age but, I don’t care. It’s only 6 years right? (Yeah, I tried to pull that one on my parents, didn’t work) I just want to meet him, maybe just say hello? I don’t think he or anyone else in his band try to be the teenage boy heartthrob that all of the girls go crazy over. They are just them and people love them for that. Their voices and good looks are just a plus! I have tickets to their concert in July 2013 and I enter contests to meet them or get front row tickets pretty much every day. I just want to hang out with them or meet them at least. I just want him to know I exist.

What The Future Has In Store

 Author's Note:  Hello again, for my creative writing group we were writing about the future. Like everyone else in the world, I'm not sure what the future has in store for me. I wrote this to tell you that your choices today are the choices you have to live with tomorrow. So why not make them good choices? 


People are all different. All people, have different futures in store for them. Most people wonder about the future. They wonder if they will succeed or fail in life. It all depends on the choices they make in their lives. If you make the right choices, your future could almost guaranteed to be happy. But, even happiness cannot cover up the bad choices you made in the past. Your life depends on who you are today, so why not be the best you can be today? Life can be tricky, life can be hard, but if you make the best of it today, your future will be your reward.

Let The Games Begin.

 Author's Note:  In gym class we recently played the Hunger Games in the woods out side of our school it was a lot of fun but it had me thinking, what if I were in the Hunger Games? The Hunger Games is merely a fantastic piece of literature and symbolism that was very well pronounced in 3 novels. I do like the story a lot but, nothing can cover up One Direction. This is just another story that is fun to write and rewrite about.


“Kaylie mail for you!”, my mom says up the stairs. “Be right there!”, I say as I place the Hunger Games book down on my desk. “Who’s it from?”, I say as I take the letter. “The United States Government, did you do anything wrong?”, my mom says as she watches me open the letter. “No, I never did.” I say as I start to read the letter. “Dear Kaylie Easterdeen,  We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the 74th annual Summer Program. Your abilities have proved yourself worthy of this honor. Thank you and we hope to see you this summer. And don’t speak of this to anyone except you and your family. Sincerely, President Sun.”, I read as I examine the letter. “This is a great opportunity! And look, it says you are going with....Peter Melik. He is that nice boy in your English class!”, my mom says as she looks over the letter. “Wait, if this is the 74th, then why hasn’t anyone ever heard of it.” I say as I think this could all be a joke. “It’s probably really secretive.”, my mom says. I say in reply, “That’s weird, in my book, Katniss just volunteered as tribute.”

My bags were packed and I grab my book of my desk, I’m at the part where Katniss and Peeta are on the train. I get in the huge car with black tinted windows.
When I get in there are men in black suits, sunglasses, and earpieces. They didn’t say a word. “Where are we going exactly...”I say since we have been driving for at least an hour. “It will be another 2 hours.” ,the man says in a deep dark voice. They have just been sitting there, staring, at nothing. I know it will be a while so I start to read. I pull out my book and the men start staring at me and mumbling. I just bury my face in my book until the car stops and I hear a boom.

The man opens my door and I step out and see a platform that can lower under ground. I’m told to step on it. When I do it lowers to the underground and I see a medicine bed and a bunch of stylists. They don’t say a word. All they do change my clothes and fix my hair into a braid. Wow, just like Katniss. “What is going on, why are you dressing me up like Katniss, WAIT. Am I in the Hunger Games?”, I say as the stylists finish and one of them places his finger over my mouth and places a mockingJay pin on my jacket. I am Katniss.


I place my book in my small bag and they take away my phone and everything else. In the book,  I am at the part where the tributes are on the podiums where the hunger games begins. Just like what’s gonna happen to me. I am told to stand on the podium as it rises and I see 23 other people in the same position, confused. I turn to my right and see Peter, him and Peeta are identical. I look around and see all of these teenagers that look exactly like the other tributes in the book. Did the government try to reenact the Hunger Games? I guess this has been going on for longer than the time the book came out. Why am I Katniss?

5...4...3...2...1. Everyone starts to run to the center where all of the weapons are. I start to sprint to the bow and arrow because it’s the only thing I know how to use. (since I took lessons as a kid.) I sprint into the woods but before I do, I see people slaughtering each other in the center or the Cornucopia. I guess this is real, this is the Hunger Games. I run as far as I can in the woods. I find a tree to climb and through my bag up on one of the branches. I climb up to the tree to the top. I look around but all that I can find is my book....WAIT! Thats it! My book! I can read that to see what happens next and what I should do. I don’t know if my character, Katniss, lives or dies, but I guess I’m going to find out.

I’m half way through the book and I have done everything that Katniss did. I’m at the part where the careers are looking for me in the woods. Just as I finish that chapter I hear, “Hey look, There she is! Common guys. Let’s get her.”, The big tall one says. That must be the Cato. I turn and run. As I sprint I figure I have to climb a tall tree to make sure they can’t catch me. I start to climb and Cato is right behind me. I get to a branch and pull out my bow and arrow and point it straight at him, I miss. “I’ve got you now!”,He grabs on to an unsteady branch and falls. “Lets wait here guys, she will come down sometime.”, Cato says to the other careers. They set up camp under my tree and I keep reading my book, it says that there is a tracker jacker hive nearby and Katniss gets stung by one. It says she has unimaginable illusions. Now, I don’t want that to happen to me. So I wake up early look around, find the nest, and grab one of my bow and arrows and start to cut the branch. It cuts and falls right on them and has the same effect like in the book. I couldn’t believe it worked! I really felt like Katniss right here well without the hallucinations.

I followed everything the book said and I’m still alive but, in the book, the people of the captial were watching your every move. Now, its just the people of the government. Now I’m at the part of the story where Katniss reunites with Peeta and defeats Cato. I found Peter while running from Fox face and we hid in the cave just like the book. Lucky for me, Peter wasn’t wounded. We had got to know each other well, he looked exactly like Peeta which was a bonus, but I had to focus on being Katniss and winning the games. Peter and I fought Cato and won. Peter grabbed me and said “Kaylie? Kaylie?” I woke up in the middle of English to Peter’s voice. “Kaylie? Wake up we are starting a new book and I grabbed you a copy” He hands it to me and smiles. It was the Hunger Games.

1D Day!

 Author's Note: In our writing circles, we had to create a holiday that needed to be made up. Of course I did a One Direction holiday! They are my favorite band and Zayn is really dreamy. I hope you enjoy this short paragraph.


If I could create a holiday, what would it be? One Direction Day of course. This would be a day where only the true directioners could get out of school or work and all go to celebrate One Direction and all of their beauty. One Direction music would be playing throughout every town and city in the world. All of the boys in the band would be in London, performing for their home country. (Well, except for Niall) And Skyler Bohn and I would always be invited to go from row because I made up this holiday. After the concert Skyler and I would spend the rest of the day with them in England. Everyone else in the world would just be listening to One Direction. It would be an amazing day that would land on July 23rd because this was the date that One Direction became a band on the X-Factor (or that is what I’ve been told.). This day would be amazing and filled with One Direction. I can’t dream of a better day.