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Tina Pan
English 11
Creative Writing
June 1, 2016
Madinas Punishment
The sun shone through the windows, and the pool glittered with its reflection.
Birds were chirping and dancing in the bath fountain. The flowers were all smiling at the
sun, soaking themselves with sunlight. The dogs, Lizzy and Grizzy, ran across the yard
as if they were in the olympics. Curtains are pulled and windows are opened for the
fresh air to fly in the house. In one of the rooms, an 17 year old girl snores under the
covers.
Madinaaaaaa, time for schoollllll, shouted Madinas mom. Madina rose from her
bed and said, Mom, let me sleep a little longer. I dont want to go anyways. When she
didnt hear a reply she took a quick shower and went through her morning routine after
that. Madina lived in a suburban house with her mom, dad, sister and two brothers. She
was the typical teenager who would stay out late at night, back talk with her parents,
and skip school. Running down the stairs and into the dining room, Hey Tyler, whats
for breakfast? she asked her brother. Tyler replied smartly, Whatevers on the table.
Madina wiggled her finger at him and said, Someone woke up on the wrong side of the
bed this morning. They both finished their breakfast after that and went out the doors
for school.
At two in the afternoon Madina and Tyler both came home from school. They
climbed the fence to the backyard instead of going through the front doors. As they were

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climbing Allison and Brendon, Madinas sister and younger brother, ran towards them in
their swim suits. Lets go swimming, they both said. Tyler announced, Sorry kiddos
but I have tons of homework today. As Tyler walked off, Madina proudly said, Ill go
with yall. I am so stressed from school anyways. She took off her backpack and
jumped into the pool, without changing from her school clothes, making water fly everywhere. After her came Allison and Brendon. Moments later, Lizzy and Grizzy came
through the bushes with great speed. They both jumped in the water, causing a huge
splash, surprising the Madina and her younger siblings.
The sky was getting darker, and the three of them decided to head back in the
house. Madina! shouted Madinas mom angrily. Yesss? Madina replied and rolled her
eyes. Obviously knowing what she did wrong. After taking a deep breath, her mom said,
I thought I told you that school is your first priority? Didnt I? You were supposed to finish your homework and study for your quizzes when you came home from school.
Madina rolled her eyes and ignored her. She walked up the stairs to her bedroom,
turned on her radio, and drowned her moms voice out.
When it was time for dinner, the whole family was sitting at the dining table. They
shared their stories about what happened at school, what they did with their friends, and
the funny jokes they made. As they talked happily amongst themselves leaving out
Madina. Suddenly, the conversation suddenly shifted. They started to talk about Madinas grades and what she plans to do in the future. Madina grew more and more frustrated with every word that was said. At last, she couldnt take it anymore and walk out
of the house, slamming the door behind her. She got in her car and drove off to a nearby club.

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Outside the club, Madina kept an eye out for a chance to sneak in. Skimming the
area she saw a group of college students making their way in the club. There was her
chance, she felt as if her heart was going to jump out her ribcage already. As they got
closer to the entrance, she slowly walked after them. Success! she screamed on the
inside, happy about the fact that she made it in without getting caught. After having
walked around the whole club, she decided to sit in the corner of the bar where she
wouldnt get caught. She ordered a few drinks and sat there watching the others dancing on the dance floor. After a while she checked her phone; it was midnight. Tired and
drunk she drove home. She left the car in the driveway and walked to the side of the
house. She hop the fence and walk to the back door, her usual way of getting in the
house after midnight. She stood there staring at the door to the house. I should sleep
outside tonight instead of waking them up. That way I wont have to deal with the
speech they planned to give me. She assured herself that it would be best if she slept
outside. She climbed up the tree house that had been built on the biggest tree in their
backyard and made her bed up there.
It was morning again and the birds were chirping and dancing in the bath fountain. The sun shone through the tree house awakening Madina. As she rose she was
surprised that no one came to wake her up for school. She climbed down the tree house
and took a look around. Everything was the same. Madina walked into the house and
went to the bathroom. She took a look in the mirror. She noticed that her hair has grown
down to her waist and her eyebrows were so out of shape that it was one straight line
across. Strange, she said to herself, How could I have grown so much hair in one day
and a unibrow? Where is everyone? The house is so quiet today.

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Making her way up to her room, she saw two strangers in her living room. Taking
a closer look, she noticed that they look a lot like her parents. Umm. Do you know
where my parents are? They looked at Madina paused for a second and asked, Is that
you Madina?. With tears rolling down her eyes, Madinas mom said, We thought you
would never come back to see us. Confused she said, What do you mean? Do I know
you? Im looking for my parents. Her mom replied, It has been twenty years, my dear.
You have left us for twenty years. How could you? Madinas dad tried to hid his tears.
Madina, did you know how much pain you have caused us these years. We thought
you ran away and didnt want us anymore. said Madinas dad. Not being able to hold it
back anymore, her dad burst into tears. Twenty years? I have been asleep for twenty
years? Is this why my hair has grown so long and I have a unibrow and, and Madina
broke down into tears. I cannot believe this, I was gone for one night only. I was in the
tree house the whole time. How could you not have found me? What about the Tyler,
Allison and Brendon? Where are they? Lizzy and Grizzy? Tear rolled down Madinas
face as she pours out all the questions she has. There was a moment of silence. The
three of them stood in the middle of the living room. Finally, breaking the silence, Madinas dad answered the unanswered questions, Honey, we looked. We looked everywhere. The tree house, I went up there and there was no one there. We even had the
police come and help us find you but for twenty years we could not. Tyler graduated
from college and found a job as a lawyer. Allison and Brendon are now in college. Lizzy
and Grizzy died about three years ago of old age. A lot has happened. Madinas mom
wiped away her tears and said, Darling, are you sure you were in the tree house? Did
someone kidnap you? We sent out a search party to go find you but they never did.

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Madina zoned out of the conversation. She ran into her bedroom and carefully process
through what she had just heard. This was her punishment. Her punishment for being
so irresponsible about her life and her family. Walking out of her bedroom, she took a
deep breath and said calmly to herself, this punishment lasted for twenty years, and for
twenty years I have been put to sleep unable to live my life, unable to change and be a
better person. It is this punishment that made me realize that my family members are
important to me. From this day on, I will live my life to the fullest and wash all my previous mistakes away.
When dinner came around, Madinas parents called for her brothers and sister to
come home for dinner. This time before she is called down to dinner by her mom, she
has already flew down the stairs. And unlike before, she now questions everyone at the
dinner table. Outside the house, anyone who passes by can hear the loud laughs that
echo through the night.
That evening, she looked out her bedroom window and watched as the birds
chirped and danced around the bath fountain.