Published writing

Another detention is just what I needed. The clock ticked rhythmically against the wall, tick, tock, tick, tock. Eyes staring devilishly into my soul hidden under a racing heart. “Isabella Jones. How many detentions have you had, including this one?” the principal asked. “Four detentions Ms Buck.” I answered proudly. “WRONG! You’ve had FIVE detentions not FOUR!” Ms Buck replied sternly. Bummer. I’ve always been terribly horrible at math and pretty much everything else. “And why have you been sent to detention today?” Ms Buck shouted. Her face filled with rage as she gripped tightly to her desk, her tight bun high in the air. “I was playing with fire. But it was an accident!” I insisted. First lie. Oh I know that you’re thinking something like, ‘This girl is so revolting!’ or ‘This girl is so dangerous!’. I promise I am nothing like that and have always been a good little girl. Second lie. Racing out of the office, I shoved past students as I ordered everyone to MOOOOOVE! Skiing around the corner I awaited my delicious lunch as I entered the canteen. BANG! As soon as the door opened I strolled into the kitchen waiting to make my move. Peering through a gap I spotted my prey whilst I crept toward the steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese. Glancing across the room, I snatched the bowl as I snagged a seat to enjoy my meal. I wonder whose meal it was? Eh, who cares? Instantly, I heard a screeching wail from the long line. “SOMEONE TOOK MY LUNCH!!!” he screamed. Time to chicken out of here and find somewhere else. Yep. This is my everyday life as a despicable girl. No one ever thought girls could be naughty but they always thought of the male. “Could Isabella Jones please come to the principal's office. Isabella Jones.” the loudspeaker announced. As soon as they called my name I froze as still as an ice statue stuck to the ground. Not long after that I ended up in the office next to my mum. After a long talk about stuff like unexcceptable behavior, being rude and blah blah blah yada yada yada. I don’t usually pay attention to conversations except my own. My mum had to go back to work and my dad is still at his long conference in Mexico. Kicking the same rock over and over again I thought about whether I should get pizza from the canteen kitchen or off someone else tomorrow. THUMP! A door landed right in front of me. Nothing behind it with no door knob and a single dragon keychain hanging in the middle. Not the weirdest I’ve seen in the past 10 1/2 years. Yanking open the door I realized it was a big mistake. Sorry, did I say “big mistake"? I meant a big dream come true! Bright neon colors splashed here and there as glitter showered over the entire place. Crooked trees hung over dazzling creatures with either a horn or a pair of wings. Birds singing a melodious song as the trees talked about… croissants??? As soon as I set foot the door magically disappeared as my surroundings on Earth changed into brave knights, beautiful maidens and much more! The most horrifying thing was when two long ears sprouted out of my head as fur white as snow wrapped around my body as I realized I was a- “BUNNY!?” I exclaimed. “Oh hello! Welcome to Sparkle Land, home to the Kippies.” a strange dog welcomed me. “WHERE AM I AND WHAT IS A KIPPIE!? TELL ME NOW!!” I ordered. “Well, there’s no need to be rude but you are in Sparkle Land. And a Kippie is every being who walks Sparkle Land and is an official Sparklen. To be official you must fill out a form at the Sparkle Palace with Queen Croissant.” the dog informed. There was something truly peculiar about that dog as I glanced behind it and I realized why. Out of his back was a pair of butterfly wings that perfectly matched his shiny blonde fur. “Hi Bella! How are you?” a passing bird asked. I don’t want to stay in this land, I want to be on Earth. EARTH! “So Bella, why am I here and how do I get out of this… this… Flarkle Fland or whatever!” I grumbled. Giving me a sad look she replied, “The color from Sparkle Land is disappearing!” I glanced at a nearby bush as slowly its color began to fade away from its leaves. In the blink of an eye, it had turned a dull shade of gray. “Who’s doing this? And what do I have to do with it?” I grumbled. “An evil witch has been gathering ‘color draining balls’ that can get rid of any color it touches. Even Kippies. And Sparkle Land controls all the color on Earth. So if the color in Sparkle Land is gone, all the color on Earth would be gone too! I’d be pretty devastated if I were you.” Bella explained. Before I could answer her a strange figure appeared out of nowhere! Two pointy horns sprouted out of its head along its scaly skin bearing sharp claws on the tip of its fingers! Reaching into its bag it yanked out a smoking black ball and threw it at a tree. Immediately, it had turned a horrifying shade of black! I realised that those must have been the ‘color draining balls’ Bella was talking about. These balls could make lots of Kippies sad. I mean, I don’t care! Do I? “Um… Bella, who is that?” I asked. “That's the witch’s assistant, Morbumconnoritcallifrajour.” Bella replied. “What? How do you say it?” I whined. Bella repeated it exactly as it was. Bella motioned for me to follow her as we squeezed through a narrow valley. Spiders hung from their sticky webs staring at us with their many eyes. Soon, we reached the other side to discover a river filled with squirming balls. Cautiously, I placed my foot onto one of them to find they stayed perfectly still. Just as we were halfway through, Morbumconnoritcallifrajour arrived as he threw a ball towards the river. Slowly all of its color drained out of sight. I felt a violent rumble as it rose into the air thumping up and down rapidly! “Have fun!” he snickered. I leaped onto steady ground as I realised Bella was stuck in the center. I glanced at the path to escape and back at Bella. “UUUGGHHH!” I groaned as I offered my hand to her. With one final jump I pulled her in! “Thank you. You saved me!” Bella thanked. I felt a warm feeling in my heart that I had never felt before. It was different. “Meh, it was nothing.” I replied, trying to hide a small smile. That feeling felt so good! What was it? Bella continued to lead the way leaving me thinking about that strange feeling. Oh no. It couldn’t be. Was that feeling…kindness? Eventually, we landed in a place with no vegetation or color. Suddenly, a witch appeared in front of our eyes as she revealed a mischievous smile. “I know you are here to stop me. I know the bunny is actually a human. I know it all. But if you truly want to stop me I will give you a task. You must work together to build something that will change my mind using Lego.” the witch offered. “I am terribly sorry but for a moment I thought you said we had to build something using Lego.” I told. “You did not hear wrong. And if you change my mind I will stop draining the color. If you don’t then I will continue my task and rule all of Sparkle Land!!!” she cackled. Just at that moment, I knew we had to get to work. “Be we don’t have any Lego to bring the color back!” I cried. “Have you realised all the good deeds you’ve done? The Lego was created by those and have been following you. Just look behind you!” the witch called. They glanced behind to find a pile of Lego just sitting there. I looked at Bella and she looked back. Picking up the little chunks of Lego we got to work. We stuck pieces together and tore some apart. We thought for hours and built for hours. “Times ticking. And the longer you take the more color is going to be drained. MWA HA HA HA HAAAA!!!” the witch cackled. “You’re not helping!” I exclaimed. Finally, we had finished our masterpiece. Holding up our piece we revealed a nice pink heart. My heart raced as I awaited her answer. Eventually, she gave us her answer. Bella held her breath as the witch stated her reply. “This would have definitely changed my mind… if I were not a witch. Sparkle Land will be mine and my own to rule! Everyone will fear and bow to ME!!!!” she screeched. Tears swelled up in Bella’s eyes as she turned pale. I watched as the color began to disappear from the face of this world. In an instant, a strange creature leaped up and sliced the witch’s heart causing her to fade into thin air. Bella’s eyes lit up as the color slowly returned to Sparkle Land. Apparently, the creature was Morbumconnoritcallifrajour! “You saved everyone! Why?” Bella asked curiously. “I’m sick and tired of doing that witch’s dirty work. I’ll probably go back to my home now. This place is too glittery for my taste.” he replied. Then in the blink of an eye, he vanished. Suddenly, Bella leapt up and presented the door that sent me here in the first place. She gestured for me to walk in. “I’ll see you later. Goodbye Bella.” I told her. Giving me a warm smile I pushed the door open to go back home. One year later… Strolling across town I came by a stand with a sign that said, Beach Clean Up. Jotting my name down I continued down the road to find my parents. “I’m sorry I left you!” I cried. “Aw… that's alright. We’re just glad you’re back.” they replied. I noticed a girl was standing behind. Without a second thought I leapt into her arms. “I’m sorry I left you too.”I cried. “I forgive you, dear sister.” she replied. That’s when I saw Bella the Butterfly Dog who helped me on my adventures. Ah, the good old days.

I glanced at a nearby bush as slowly its color began to fade away from its leaves. In the blink of an eye, it had turned a dull shade of gray. “Who’s doing this? And what do I have to do with it?” I grumbled. “An evil witch has been gathering ‘color draining balls’ that can get rid of any color it touches. Even Kippies. And Sparkle Land controls all the color on Earth. So if the color in Sparkle Land is gone, all the color on Earth would be gone too! I’d be pretty devastated if I were you.” Bella explained. Before I could answer her a strange figure appeared out of nowhere! Two pointy horns sprouted out of its head along its scaly skin bearing sharp claws on the tip of its fingers! Reaching into its bag it yanked out a smoking black ball and threw it at a tree. Immediately, it had turned a horrifying shade of black! I realised that those must have been the ‘color draining balls’ Bella was talking about. These balls could make lots of Kippies sad. I mean, I don’t care! Do I? “Um… Bella, who is that?” I asked. “That's the witch’s assistant, Morbumconnoritcallifrajour.” Bella replied. “What? How do you say it?” I whined. Bella repeated it exactly as it was. Bella motioned for me to follow her as we squeezed through a narrow valley. Spiders hung from their sticky webs staring at us with their many eyes. Soon, we reached the other side to discover a river filled with squirming balls. Cautiously, I placed my foot onto one of them to find they stayed perfectly still. Just as we were halfway through, Morbumconnoritcallifrajour arrived as he threw a ball towards the river. Slowly all of its color drained out of sight. I felt a violent rumble as it rose into the air thumping up and down rapidly! “Have fun!” he snickered. I leaped onto steady ground as I realised Bella was stuck in the center. I glanced at the path to escape and back at Bella. “UUUGGHHH!” I groaned as I offered my hand to her. With one final jump I pulled her in! “Thank you. You saved me!” Bella thanked. I felt a warm feeling in my heart that I had never felt before. It was different. “Meh, it was nothing.” I replied, trying to hide a small smile. That feeling felt so good! What was it? Bella continued to lead the way leaving me thinking about that strange feeling. Oh no. It couldn’t be. Was that feeling…kindness? Eventually, we landed in a place with no vegetation or color. Suddenly, a witch appeared in front of our eyes as she revealed a mischievous smile. “I know you are here to stop me. I know the bunny is actually a human. I know it all. But if you truly want to stop me I will give you a task. You must work together to build something that will change my mind using Lego.” the witch offered. “I am terribly sorry but for a moment I thought you said we had to build something using Lego.” I told. “You did not hear wrong. And if you change my mind I will stop draining the color. If you don’t then I will continue my task and rule all of Sparkle Land!!!” she cackled. Just at that moment, I knew we had to get to work.

Sorry, did I say “big mistake"? I meant a big dream come true! Bright neon colors splashed here and there as glitter showered over the entire place. Crooked trees hung over dazzling creatures with either a horn or a pair of wings. Birds singing a melodious song as the trees talked about… croissants??? As soon as I set foot the door magically disappeared as my surroundings on Earth changed into brave knights, beautiful maidens and much more! The most horrifying thing was when two long ears sprouted out of my head as fur white as snow wrapped around my body as I realized I was a- “BUNNY!?” I exclaimed. “Oh hello! Welcome to Sparkle Land, home to the Kippies.” a strange dog welcomed me. “WHERE AM I AND WHAT IS A KIPPIE!? TELL ME NOW!!” I ordered. “Well, there’s no need to be rude but you are in Sparkle Land. And a Kippie is every being who walks Sparkle Land and is an official Sparklen. To be official you must fill out a form at the Sparkle Palace with Queen Croissant.” the dog informed. There was something truly peculiar about that dog as I glanced behind it and I realized why. Out of his back was a pair of butterfly wings that perfectly matched his shiny blonde fur. “Hi Bella! How are you?” a passing bird asked. I don’t want to stay in this land, I want to be on Earth. EARTH! “So Bella, why am I here and how do I get out of this… this… Flarkle Fland or whatever!” I grumbled. Giving me a sad look she replied, “The color from Sparkle Land is disappearing!”

Another detention is just what I needed. The clock ticked rhythmically against the wall, tick, tock, tick, tock. Eyes staring devilishly into my soul hidden under a racing heart. “Isabella Jones. How many detentions have you had, including this one?” the principal asked. “Four detentions Ms Buck.” I answered proudly. “WRONG! You’ve had FIVE detentions not FOUR!” Ms Buck replied sternly. Bummer. I’ve always been terribly horrible at math and pretty much everything else but it never bothered me. “And why have you been sent to detention today?” Ms Buck shouted. Her face filled with rage as she gripped tightly to her desk, her tight bun high in the air. “I was playing with fire. But it was an accident!” I insisted. First lie. Oh I know that you’re thinking something like, ‘This girl is so revolting!’ or ‘This girl is so dangerous!’. I promise I am nothing like that and have always been a good little girl. Second lie. Racing out of the office, I shoved past students as I ordered everyone to MOOOOOVE! Skiing around the corner I awaited my delicious lunch as I entered the canteen. BANG! As soon as the door opened I strolled into the kitchen waiting to make my move. Peering through a gap I spotted my prey whilst I crept toward the steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese. Glancing across the room, I snatched the bowl as I snagged a seat to enjoy my meal. I wonder whose meal it was? Eh, who cares? Instantly, I heard a screeching wail from the long line. “SOMEONE TOOK MY LUNCH!!!” he screamed. Time to chicken out of here and find somewhere else. Yep. This is my everyday life as a despicable girl. No one ever thought girls could be naughty but they always thought of the male. “Could Isabella Jones please come to the principal's office. Isabella Jones.” the loudspeaker announced. As soon as they called my name I froze as still as an ice statue stuck to the ground. Not long after that I ended up in the office next to my mum. After a long talk about stuff like unexcceptable behavior, being rude and blah blah blah yada yada yada. I don’t usually pay attention to conversations except my own. My mum had to go back to work and my dad is still at his long conference in Mexico. Almost every day I go back home alone. Kicking the same rock over and over again I thought about whether I should get pizza from the canteen kitchen or off someone else tomorrow. THUMP! A door landed right in front of me. Nothing behind it with no door knob and a single dragon keychain hanging in the middle. Not the weirdest thing I’ve seen in the past 10 ½ years. Yanking open the door I realized it was a big mistake.

The cars zoomed past the neat bushes. Doors slammed shut as the wind pushed us towards the wooden gates. Just another day at Roseinton Avenue. My name is Spring and I’m about to tell you the story of my neighborhood. It all started on a fine spring (get it?) morning. My pet dog ,Pop, bounced all over my body as I rose from my bed. My hair appeared as if a tornado had a dance party inside my brown locks. I changed into my favorite Sunday wear as I gazed upon the horizon. Birds chirping a melodious song, clouds floating in the clear blue sky, flowers blossoming across every garden. My feet tapped on the concrete along the path as I made my way to my best friend's house, Winter. Noticing her roses and sunflowers beautifully planted across her lawn I carefully leaped over each and every one. As soon as I reached her door it flew right open revealing her face. Long black hair hung down her head as she offered me to come inside. Her room was perfectly organised as I sat down on one of her cushions. Just before I could comment on her new flowers a loud BOOM interrupted me. “What was that?!” I questioned. “I’m not sure, Spring. But it sounded like it was coming from your house!” Winter guessed. “Can I borrow your binoculars?” I asked as she handed me sparkly pink binoculars. I examined my home as my mind was whirling with questions. Nothing was wrong with my house. The ordinary had stayed in the town Forestville. Mum ironing the clothes, Dad clicking the keys on his laptop, Pop chewing my slippers (bad dog!). It was then I noticed the new neighbor. Smoke rose from its chimney as I was able to make out sparks sprouting out into the air! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Explaining my discoveries to Winter she responded, “Yes they are the newcomers to Roseinton Avenue. Although I did find that their child always hid his/her face.” This mystery seemed to get stranger and stranger. Deciding to have a closer look I dashed straight back in my house! Racing into my home I peered over the fence as I discovered some relieving news. The smoke came from sausages and the sparks were the starting of a fire. It was just a normal backyard barbeque. Soon, Winter had caught up with me as she burst into my yard. I then discovered my new neighbor. Her short golden locks were hanging over her face, a bright purple dress shone in the sun. Guessing she’d decided to show her face, I asked my mum what her name was. Apparently, there was her mother (Mrs Packpun), her father (Mr Packpun) and her big sister (Rose Packpun). Which left her to be Daisy Packpun. “How lovely would it be if she could be your friend, girls?” cries Mum. “I hope they don’t disturb my silent reading. I’m just about to finish the last book of Harry Potter!” Winter worried. “Did you see their naked cat? It's as pale as a ghost!” I shouted. “Oh, stop worrying. I’m sure she’s a wonderful child who’s very lonely.” Mum commented. I gathered all of my courage as I made my way over with Winter. As soon as we knocked on the door, a lady with a long pink dress and silky beige hair appeared. We explained we wanted to welcome them and get to know what brings them to Roseinton Avenue in Forestville. “Where did you use to live before you moved?” Winter asked politely. I could tell she was trying hard not to scream at the naked cat. “We used to live in New York City. It was a lovely place.” Mrs Packpun replied. “Why’d you move if you were so happy?” I questioned. Winter gave me a hard kick in the leg (ouch!). Okay! I know, it's a bit of pressure when you’re being asked like that but I can’t help it! “Well, I got a new job here and so we had to move.” Mr Packpun answered. I offered them a box of handmade cookies to make them feel better. I had to admit, they looked pretty sad. As I was heading out the door a row of bizarre flowers were planted on the front lawn. Strange petals hung crookedly along the paranormal stem. I decided to ask the other neighbors what they thought of the Packpun family. Ms Billings said she thought they were very caring to look after her garden. Mr Catal replied saying he thought they were quite an odd bunch but are the perfect people for a conversation on a bright morning. Most of them said positive comments. Realising there's nothing to worry about I headed back home. There is nothing to worry about, right? The hours flew by as I climbed into my bed diving under my covers. BOOM! A blast exploded from my neighbors house. Peering through my bedroom window I discovered silence had reigned throughout the entire street. What was that?! Was it an explosion? A science experiment? I wondered in curiosity. A thought suddenly struck me like thunder. At school, we had a project to mix elements and record what we found out! Realising my silly mistake I drifted off to sleep, pillow closing into my head. DING-A-LING! My alarm clock screamed in my ears as I jumped out of bed ready for a brand new day! Deciding to go over to Winter's house, I dashed down the street as I noticed a peculiar event. The Packpun family had gone out for their daily run (as usual) and had worn their sports clothes (as usual) and were running in a straight line in unison!? That was not normal like every other family who went out for morning runs. The pattern continued nonstop,left ,right ,left ,right ,left ,right. Not a single hair out of line followed by shining clothes glittering in the burning sun. They were neater than Winter and she’s the neatest, most organised, cleanest person I had ever met in my whole 12 years. Realising they’re all just neat freaks, I skipped happily towards Winter's house. Suddenly, an arm reached out to grab me as it yanked me toward their room. “I FOUND SOMETHING TERRIFYING!!!! DURING THE NIGHT YOUR NEW NEIGHBORS NAKED CAT HAS FUR!” Winter panted. My eyes widened as my jaw fell to the ground. I’d had enough! Racing back home I climbed my tree next to the Packpuns families gate to plan out my actions. Glancing over to their window I discovered the most horrifying sight. The father had turned into a ghost, mother into a witch and the two daughters into witch-ghosts. My heart skipped a beat, a lump had formed into my throat and my breathing became more intense. I had found out their secret at last. “rmrmfhfhfjdkfdj…turn..skfdkfjdisjijeifjdif..every…djkfjdkj…one…skskfsjsl…into….skfjd..toad!” Mrs Packpun murmered. My body froze in fear as it turned as still as a statue. “Turn…djkfjdskakjd…them…skfjdkfjskajkj…into…kfsdjklfdj…ghosts!” Mr Packpun whispered. My hands shook, as sweat dripped down my face. “How about toad ghosts?!” the daughters suggested. It was clear that the Packpun family definitely had plans. Scrambling down the branch of my tree, I leapt into my house. Suddenly, a horrible thought struck me like a bolt of lightning. Mum had informed me of a barbeque lunch with the Packpun family next Saturday! Dipping my face in a sink of water, I sat down on my silky sheets imagining the possible consequences. Gathering the last of my courage I began to plan a way to make sure nobody gets turned into ANYTHING! It was my job to save everyone in Forestville no matter what! “Spring! Take a look at the newspaper!” Mum cried. I dashed over to find the Headline to say: The Daily Banana says a huge tsunami is coming! My heart drummed as sweat flooded my face, my entire body shaking like a leaf. As soon as Winter heard the news she turned as pale as a ghost at the same time stuffing a sandwich in her mouth. Breathing heavily, my brain was jammed to get any new ideas. That was when I realised that the only hope was the Packpun family. A witch could do some sort of spell to protect us and I’m pretty sure that a ghost has some sort of death magic!? “Perhaps Mrs Packpun could do a spell that could stop the tsunami or protect Forestville from it damaging anything. And I’ve been reading about ghost magic lately. So Mr Packpun could somehow allow the water to freeze (since ghosts are so cold) or let the water dissolve (kinda like killing water).” Winter suggested wisely. I knew I could always count on Winter to get all sorts of good ideas. “What about the daughters?” I asked “Well one daughter must be more of a dad or mum.” she replied “And?” “So one could help Mr Packpun and the other could help Mrs Packpun. That should definitely work!” “That's a really good idea Winter!” “Thanks Spring.” After we’d finished deciding our move we thought about how to persuade them to help us. Winter pointed out that the tsunami should be enough to get them on our side. Darting out the door we made our way to the Packpun family’s house. Alarmingly, we spotted a parade of splashes laying on the road! CRASH! A wave flew over roofs of houses as I thumped on the Packpun family’s door. Winter panting like a dog, stared at the terrifying sight. Everyone who lived in Roseinton Avenue had evacuated their homes onto the street. “I’m too young to die!” wailed Miss Petty, the lady who always offered choc chip cookies on Christmas Eve. “We’ll never survive out of this.” snorted Stacie who was 13 years old and the drama queen of the street. “We got this together!” Winter and I chanted. Suddenly Rose and Daisy burst through the door! “We know exactly what to do!” they cried. A splash of relief swept over me as we explained everything to the Packpun family. Eventually, we decided that Mr Packpun, Rose and Winter would be sending the tsunami back into the ocean. Mrs Packpun, Daisy and I would protect the street if anything went wrong. Leaping into action, we split into our places. Daisy instructed me to hold tight onto her hand as our feet left the ground. Mrs Packpun began chanting a spell as Daisy and I followed. A flash of purple light fell over the entire town as I gazed upon our magnificent work. Meanwhile, Mr Packpun and Rose were busy thinking of the perfect way to send it back. “How about we do momeli?” Winter advised. “Perfect!” Rose complimented. They formed a circle until Mr Packpun pushed towards the wave with a mighty…SPLASH! It dissolved into the sea. Everyone cheered as the tsunami had finally gone back to its origin. My fist punched the air as I thanked the Packpun family for helping them save Forestville. A month passed as our friendship grew closer together than ever before! “Hi Daisy! Any new spells lately?” I asked. Flashing me a smile she replied, “Yep! I learned how to turn water into wine, make a full moon appear and how to bake a cake!” Winter had started a climate change club with Rose and so far so good. I’d figured over the past days that anyone could be friends with anyone. And so we lived in harmony forever hand in hand. (Also I found out that that night I found out their secret, they were just deciding what to do for Daisy's next spell. And were thinking of turning a cat into a toad or a ghost. So they decided on a toad ghost instead.)

The hours flew by as I climbed into my bed diving under my covers. BOOM! A blast exploded from my neighbours house. Peering through my bedroom window I discovered silence had reigned throughout the entire street. What was that?! Was it an explosion? A science experiment? I wondered in curiosity. A thought suddenly struck me like thunder. At school, we had a project to mix elements and record what we found out! Realising my silly mistake I drifted off to sleep, pillow closing into my head. DING-A-LING! My alarm clock screamed in my ears as I jumped out of bed ready for a brand new day! Deciding to go over to Winter's house, I dashed down the street as I noticed a peculiar event. The Packpun family had gone out for their daily run (as usual) and had worn their sports clothes (as usual) and were running in a straight line in unison!? That was not normal like every other family who went out for morning runs. The pattern continued nonstop,left ,right ,left ,right ,left ,right. Not a single hair out of line followed by shining clothes glittering in the burning sun. They were neater than Winter and she’s the neatest, most organised, cleanest person I had ever met in my whole 12 years. Realising they’re all just neat freaks, I skipped happily towards Winter's house. Suddenly, an arm reached out to grab me as it yanked me toward their room. “I FOUND SOMETHING TERRIFYING!!!! DURING THE NIGHT YOUR NEW NEIGHBOURS NAKED CAT HAS FUR!” Winter panted. My eyes widened as my jaw fell to the ground. I’d had enough! Racing back home I climbed my tree next to the Packpuns families gate to plan out my actions. Glancing over to their window I discovered the most horrifying sight. The father had turned into a ghost, mother into a witch and the two daughters into witch-ghosts. My heart skipped a beat, a lump had formed into my throat and my breathing became more intense. I had found out their secret at last. “rmrmfhfhfjdkfdj…turn..skfdkfjdisjijeifjdif..every…djkfjdkj…one…skskfsjsl…into….skfjd..toad!” Mrs Packpun murmered. My body froze in fear as it turned as still as a statue. “Turn…djkfjdskakjd…them…skfjdkfjskajkj…into…kfsdjklfdj…ghosts!” Mr Packpun whispered. My hands shook, as sweat dripped down my face. “How about toad ghosts?!” the daughters suggested. It was clear that the Packpun family definitely had plans. Scrambling down the branch of my tree, I leapt into my house. Suddenly, a horrible thought struck me like a bolt of lightning. Mum had informed me of a barbeque lunch with the Packpun family next Saturday! Dipping my face in a sink of water, I sat down on my silky sheets imagining the possible consequences. Gathering the last of my courage I began to plan a way to make sure nobody gets turned into ANYTHING! It was my job to save everyone in Forestville no matter what!

Racing into my home I peered over the fence as I discovered some relieving news. The smoke came from sausages and the sparks were the starting of a fire. It was just a normal backyard barbeque. Soon, Winter had caught up with me as she burst into my yard. I then discovered my new neighbor. Her short golden locks were hanging over her face, a bright purple dress shone in the sun. Guessing she’d decided to show her face, I asked my mum what her name was. Apparently, there was her mother (Mrs Packpun), her father (Mr Packpun) and her big sister (Rose Packpun). Which left her to be Daisy Packpun. “How lovely would it be if she could be your friend, girls?” cries Mum. “I hope they don’t disturb my silent reading. I’m just about to finish the last book of Harry Potter!” Winter worried. “Did you see their naked cat? It's as pale as a ghost!” I shouted. “Oh, stop worrying. I’m sure she’s a wonderful child who’s very lonely.” Mum commented. I gathered all of my courage as I made my way over with Winter. As soon as we knocked on the door, a lady with a long pink dress and silky beige hair appeared. We explained we wanted to welcome them and get to know what brings them to Roseinton Avenue in Forestville. “Where did you use to live before you moved?” Winter asked politely. I could tell she was trying hard not to scream at the naked cat. “We used to live in New York City. It was a lovely place.” Mrs Packpun replied. “Why’d you move if you were so happy?” I questioned. Winter gave me a hard kick in the leg (ouch!). Okay! I know, it's a bit of pressure when you’re being asked like that but I can’t help it! “Well, I got a new job here and so we had to move.” Mr Packpun answered. I offered them a box of handmade cookies to make them feel better. I had to admit, they looked pretty sad. As I was heading out the door a row of bizarre flowers were planted on the front lawn. Strange petals hung crookedly along the paranormal stem. I decided to ask the other neighbors what they thought of the Packpun family. Ms Billings said she thought they were very caring to look after her garden. Mr Catal replied saying he thought they were quite an odd bunch but are the perfect people for a conversation on a bright morning. Most of them said positive comments. Realising there's nothing to worry about I headed back home. There is nothing to worry about, right?

The cars zoomed past the neat bushes. Doors slammed shut as the wind pushed us towards the wooden gates. Just another day at Roseinton Avenue. My name is Spring and I’m about to tell you the story of my neighborhood. It all started on a fine spring (get it?) morning. My pet dog ,Pop, bounced all over my body as I rose from my bed. My hair appeared as if a tornado had a dance party inside my brown locks. I changed into my favorite Sunday wear as I gazed upon the horizon. Birds chirping a melodious song, clouds floating in the clear blue sky, flowers blossoming across every garden. My feet tapped on the concrete along the path as I made my way to my best friend's house, Winter. Noticing her roses and sunflowers beautifully planted across her lawn I carefully leaped over each and every one. As soon as I reached her door it flew right open revealing her face. Long black hair hung down her head as she offered me to come inside. Her room was perfectly organised as I sat down on one of her cushions. Just before I could comment on her new flowers a loud BOOM interrupted me. “What was that?!” I questioned. “I’m not sure, Spring. But it sounded like it was coming from your house!” Winter guessed. “Can I borrow your binoculars?” I asked as she handed me sparkly pink binoculars. I examined my home as my mind was whirling with questions. Nothing was wrong with my house. The ordinary had stayed in the town Forestville. Mum ironing the clothes, Dad clicking the keys on his laptop, Pop chewing my slippers (bad dog!). It was then I noticed the new neighbor. Smoke rose from its chimney as I was able to make out sparks sprouting out into the air! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Explaining my discoveries to Winter she responded, “Yes they are the newcomers to Roseinton Avenue. Although I did find that their child always hid his/her face.” This mystery seemed to get stranger and stranger. Deciding to have a closer look I dashed straight back in my house!

I peered down staircases as I opened door after door! Each room drew me closer to it every time. Their frames looked like they were brand new from the nearest antique store! “Did any of you know about this?” I asked in excitement. “Actually, we had no idea there was a place like this.” the ship replied calmly. In confusion, I stepped backward as rocks kicked my shoes. In alarm, I fell back towards one of the doors! WHAM! Pain spread throughout my throbbing head as I rubbed against the bumpy surface. The dusted door revealed a black room filled with darkness. And there stood an object in the middle of the room. Ruffled pages squirmed in my hands as I flicked through the contents. But beneath it all was a clean beige folder lying on the hard ground. I gently picked it up as I examined its surroundings. Taking a deep breath, I looked inside its papers. In an instant, I hopped onto the phantom ship. “Ghosty. I know you’re known as ‘the ghost guide’ but I’m gonna call you Ghosty. Okay, I know our last and final destination.” I ordered. Clutching the precious information in my grip, we entered the journey. I steered along the slippery hallway as we turned to the left and we twisted to the right and twirled around doors! Finally, we reached Ghoala and Ghangaroo’s mischeif lounge. “Ghoala and Ghangaroo. I command your attention!” I shouted without showing any sign of fear. “COMMAND?!” they screeched. Nodding, they swept down to my height. “Why are you angry?” I questioned them. Ghangaroo took a step forward. He explained that there were invaders in their territory. Their mission is to make them pay and they’ll be happy when the enemy has realised what they’ve done to them. Glancing at the given information, I flashed a tricky smile. “Well, at the looks of it. Your mission is completed. In this file is a form. Look.” I began as I showed them the form. Eying me suspiciously I continued. “The ruler of your invaders signed this to declare peace across all of Australia and has generously handed this land to the Aboriginal people. Especially the Aboriginal animals. That includes Koalas and Kangaroos you two! There’s also a record that shows some people aren’t so bad. Captain Cook only came to research the area. He also offered materials to the Indeginous for them to survive! Do you really want to continue this… whatever this is, in the library?” I thoroughly explained. A silence pierced my ears as I awaited an answer. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I held onto Ghosty (I couldn’t actually hold onto him as he’s a ghost but you get the idea). “The answer is that we think we’ve done enough. Although we don’t know what’ll happen after we finish our mission.” Ghoala replied. Before I could answer, mist covered their bodies as they slowly disappeared. Silence echoed across the library as I watched them fade away. Mist covered the area of the disappearance as all was emptied. Once we had gotten over the event I finally got to ask Ghosty a question I was dying for! “What's your name?” I asked hopefully. “Well. I don’t have much time to tell you as it’s almost sunrise but I can tell you my last name. Fisher.” he answered before floating away. “Oh I knew it!” I whooped. I waved goodbye to the ship as I walked out of the gates. One week later: I took a deep breath as the cool breeze flowed through my hair. Skipping to the gate, I entered the library. I peered around the room as I noticed books shuffling in a corner. Suddenly, a white, fluffy koala appeared who crawled out of the window. It was followed by a pale kangaroo. They reminded me of Ghoala and Ghangaroo. I suspect they’ll be back to visit real soon.

I peered through the corner as I captured a glimpse of silence. BANG! The doors slammed shut behind me. I lept in the air as I bounced off the roof. “Haha! You’re scared!” Ghoala snickered. “Yeah! We’ll just remain a mystery forever because you’re too scared to tell the tale!” Ghangaroo added showing off smirks at me. I hid my face under my hands as I steered away the ship. The ghost guide and the ship didn’t give a peep on the entire journey out. Suddenly, a memory flashed through my brain! To break the silence I decided to tell them what had happened earlier on. “I noticed Ghoala crashing a ring and Ghangaroo ripping a diary. Do you know anything about that?” I questioned. “I dunno. I just died last week.” he answered. “Are you serious!?” I cried. I quickly told the ship to pace around the library as I stopped steering the boat. I placed a foot forward as I lunged for a stool. I knew things were going to get rough as I stared into his transparent eyes. Growling, I leapt for him as I swooped right through his chest! In fury, I put all my might towards him as I fell face first. “Yeah. I’m a ghost so you can’t hurt me. Being a ghost means no touch, smell and worst of all… No taste in pepperoni pizza.” he explained carefully. Struggling up, I plopped back into my seat to continue my ugly relationship with a snobby ghost guide. Instantly, the strangest thing happened. “For your information, the ring is a stamp which was worn around the royal messenger of the colonial people. And the Ghoala experienced terrible treatment from that person. The diary contains secret plans to destroy and capture the people who lived in Australia. Ghangaroo got captured and killed by the person who owned the diary.” the ship piped up. It was as if a soul lived inside the ship. Its musical voice vibrated across the deck. “You can talk?!” I screamed. “Yes. I am not a normal ship you know.” she replied (yes it was a female). Smiling at the guide I reached for the wheel as I gripped tight ready for our next destination. I steered the ship around the room as I passed an unfamiliar door creaking side-to-side. I ordered the ship to go through as it revealed a room of doors and stairs. Some were even upside down! Winding passageways filled the alleys. Doors of all sizes surrounded us, as the stairs led to unexpected places. The entire room just took my breath away!