AdrianneSantaRomana

Humanities
Mrs.SonyaRamirez
September29,2014
ScaryorNotScary
Itwasanightlikeanyother,thedarkblackskywiththemoonshapedlikeatoenail.Thefiveofuswereupin
theatticfilledboxesandspiderwebsineverycorner.Everystepweeachtakethefloorboardwouldcreek,they
werentinthebestcondition.Wewerechattingohsoquietlytryingnottomakeasoundsowewouldntwakeupmy
familydownstairs.
Thankyouforholdingthemeetingatyourplacement,Jack,Mariewhisperedassheturnedherdirtyblond,
shorthairedandlookedmeintheeyeswithherredglassesgivinghersaglare.
Noproblem.JustmakesurenottomaketoomuchnoiseasIamnotallowedtobeuphereintheatticatthis
time.Ireplied.
Wesuddenlyheardtheclingingandclangingofpotsandpansfallingtothefloorbehindus.In
synchronization,weallturnedaroundtoseewhatmadethenoise.
Jack,youneedtocleanupthisattic.Idontwanttobeclamberingoverthesedelicatefamilypossessions.
Dannyprofferedwipingthedustoffhisscrawnyshoulders.
Thisseemstobeacomfortableplacetobeginthemeeting.Whatshallwedotonight?Taylorspeakstothe
groupastheysitdown.
Ithinkweshouldtellscarystories!Emmasuggestedwithebullience,asshejumpsup.
SHHH!
Sorry...Butitsagreatideaandtheatticissuchaperfectplaceforscarystories.
Noway!!!Mariereluctantlyshouted.
SHHH!
Mariecovershermouthassherealizesthatsheyelledthatoutloud.Imsosorry...Ijusthatescarystories
oranythinghorroringeneral.
Marie,Emmahasagoodpoint,itsanicewaytokickoffOctober.Isay,tryingtoconvincehertochange
hermind.NoonecouldreallychangeMarieopinionsonceitssetandstone,itslikeshesaboulderthatwontbudge
evenifyoutry.
Taylorgivesherinputandsays,Scarystorieswouldbeawesome!
SHHH!
Oops.
Danny,youropinionistheonlyoneleft,EmmasaysaseveryonelooksovertoDanny.
Icantthink,withthiskindofpressure.
Well...,thefourofuseagerlysatthereaswewaitforDannysvote.
Ithink...scarystories...wouldbe...fun...,Dannyreplieswithanunsurelook.

Scarystoriesitis,Emmasayswithexcitementinherblueeyes.MayIstart?
Dannyyouweresupposedtobeonmyside!AsMariegivesanindignantresponse.
Imsorry,Dannysayswithguiltinhisvoice.
Well,theresnoturningback,Emmasayswithasmirkasifshewereplanningsomethingevil.
Marieslowlygetsupandtriestoleavethemeeting,butendsupstayinginsteadjusttobewiththegroup.We
beginthediscussionwithEmmasstory.
Anisland,notanyisland,itwasspecial,differentfromanyother.Youdbesurprisedofwhathashappened
tothisisland.Itisdeserted,butitwasntalwayslikethis.Longago,itwasaplacewherepeoplewouldenjoythe
companyofwildanimals.Thenativespreservedtheirenvironmentsothattheanimalswouldliveinasafeplace.The
sandwasaswhiteassnowandsoftlikeapillow.Youcouldseeyourreflectionthroughtheoceanwater.Itwasa
placewherepeoplewouldfeelfreeandmakehappymemories."
Thisisntascarystory,Taylorinterruptswithadisapprovinglookinherfaceandwhipsofherblondhairas
shecrossesherarms.
Itsgettingthere,justwait,Emmareplies.
Ilikethestorystorysofar!Mariesaidwithagiggle.
Uhhuh...Youlllovethisstory,Emmasaidsarcastically.
Canwecontinuethestorynow?Dannysaid,annoyedthatthestorywasinterrupted.
Alright...Emmacontinues.Thebeautyoftheislanddidntlastlong.Oneday,anunfamiliarshipcameto
dockontheisland.Italmostlookedlikeapirateship,howeveritseemedtobeinthebestcondition,butthenatives
haveneverseensuchathing.Theshipdidntseemlikeitwoulddomuchharmtothenativesandthatpeoplecame
downfromtheshiplookedfriendly,orsotheythought.Thenativeswelcomedtheirvisitors,andshowedthematour
oftheirpricelesspossession.Thenewcomerskeptonasking,Wherearetheanimals?Thenativesbecameannoyed
oftheirconstantquestioningbecausewhattheydidntknowisthattheanimalsonlyshowupwhentheyknowitssafe,
exceptforbabyanimals.Asthetourcametoanend,thenativestookthembacktotheirship.Dayshadpassed,the
nativesbegantowonderbecausetherewerenosignsofawildanimal.Asuddenshriekwasheardcomingfromthe
ship,andasinisterlaughwentalongwithit.Thenativesrushedovertoseewhathadhappened,butnothingseemedto
bewrong.Ayoungboyscreamedatthetopofhislungs,watchingthevisitorshurtababytiger.
Thisissad,notscary.Taylorsaid,lookingbored.
Yeah,Ithoughtyousaidscarystories.Dannycomplained
Guys,canweletEmmacontinue?Goon,Emma.Isaytoreassureeveryone.AsforMarie,sheseemed
puzzledandlookeddisturbedandshakingasiftherewasanearthquake.Itsgoingtobefine,Marie.Itsnotreal,I
whispered.
Thelittleboyleftthedockwithasolemnface.Thepeoplebecamefrustratedandatumultbrokeout,butno
onecameoutoftheship.Itwasasifnoonewasinthere.Whatsgoingon?!someoneshoutedfromthecrowd.
Theyrealizeditwasnouse,andnoonewasgoingtocomeout.Walkingoffthedock,theysuddenlyheardfootsteps
comingfromtheplank.Acrywasmade,thenanunexpectedsplashintheocean.Thelittleboy,walkingonthebeach

sawthealmostdeadbabytigersubmergingintotheocean.Hescreamedagainthenbegantosobtryingtoholdback
thetearsbuthecouldnt.Coveringhisfacewithhishand,hebegantothinktohimself,WasIsupposedtohelpthe
tiger?How?Theresnouse,itwouldprobablybedeadbythetimeIgetthere.Stillnosignoflifeontheship,the
peoplestarttoworryabouttheirpreciousisland.Itsbeeneightnightsandeverynight,thesameshriek,laughter,cry,
andsplashhappens.Ontheninthnight,somethingchanged,theyheardascreamfromthedistanceandallthe
STOP!Mariesaidwithenmity.
SHH!
Icanttakeit.Idontwanttoknowwhathappensnext.Theyhearabedroomdoorcreakingopenfrom
downstairs.
Ohno,Isayinawhisper.
Kids?Issomeoneupthere?Mydadquestions.Therewasnoresponsesothedoorclosesandwebeginto
continueourstory.
Phew.Wewerealmostcaught.Wesaidwithrelief.
CanEmmacontinuewiththestory?Dannysays.
Umm...Ilostmytrainofthought,Emmasays.
What?Taylorgivingagesticulationofconfusion.
Emmareactedandsaid,Yeah,sorry...AllIrememberisthatnowtheislandisbeingsold.
Thisisatruestory?!Marielookedpetrified.
Yeah,whatotherkindofstorywouldItell?Ithastobebasedonarealstory.Emmasayswithsass.
Theysayyoucanstillhearthescreamsofthepeople,aswellasthesinisterlaughterandshriekofthebaby
tiger.Thereisnosignofanylivingmammal,insect,reptile,etc...thatroamstheislandanymore.Becareful,foryou
alwaysneedbackgroundchecks.
Letscallitanight,Jacksays.Weheadedoutoftheattic,togobackintooursleepingbags,butonthe
waydownwegetcaughtbymydad.Hehadasternstanceashestoodinfrontofus,andhisbigbrowneyeslookedas
ifhewereupsetanddisappointedatus.
Oh,heyDad,Isay,realizingwedidsomethingwrong.
Whatwereyoukidsdoingupthere?
Umm...
Tellingscarystories!Emmasaidinterruptedeagerly.
Andyoudidntinviteme!?Therewasanawkwardsilenceandnoonemadeasounduntilanunexpected
menacinglaughcamefromthekitchen.
ToBeContinued...