September Story Contest

Anything
By: Faylem
Age: 9

Chapter 1
 Birthdays

Life for Faylem Andrews was boring. It was the same every day: get up, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, take a shower, eat dinner, go to sleep. Faylem's eyes widened. It was the first day of summer! Her birthday! Faylem's mom better not embarrass her like last year. At her 11th birthday her mom had brought out the cake. Faylem shivered, for the cake was a Disney Princess cake, as was the party. Faylem had decided that very day that she would plan her 12th birthday party, and so she did. She put on her favorite dress, a black spaghetti strapped dress with small white speckles. She brushed her long strawberry-blond hair and clipped it with a bobby pin, carefully applying her white hoop earrings. She looked along her shoe rack, pulling out tall, black leather boots. She opened her vanity mirror and pulled out the box she had been filling for one exact year. The label on the box was fresh and untouched, reading "Party Decorations".

Faylem came down the hall to find that her mother was making breakfast. She hid the box in the living room, tucking it at the back of the mantel. She looked to her left then to her right as she tip-toed into the kitchen.
"Good morning, Faylem." Faylem's mother didn't look up from the pancakes she was making. 
"Good morning, Mom." Faylem stepped forward into the kitchen. Her mother looked over her shoulder at Faylem. She wrinkled her forehead questioningly.
"What, Fay?" Faylem's face grew hot and red.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIDN'T REMEMBER MY BIRTHDAY!” she shouted furiously.
"Of course I did, Fay!" Faylem's mother walked over to her and put her hands on Faylem's shoulders.
"Why would the calendar say 'Grandpa Frank's Stable for Fay's B-day’?” she asked, pointing at the calendar. Faylem cooled down. She had been so hooked on the fact that it was her birthday that she'd forgotten to look at the calendar. She pulled away from her mother to stare at it. Sure enough, it said exactly that. Faylem grimaced.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Grandpa's stable? Why? Not a birthday party, Mom, I-" Faylem's mother interrupted.
"No, Fay! You'll see when we get there! Now go on back to your room and find a better outfit to wear to see your grandfather, this isn't your sixth grade dance, you know, and it'll be hot there. And dear, wear different earrings!"
Faylem did as she was told and as they scurried out the door, she wondered what her mother wasn't telling her.


   Chapter 2
Gifts at a Stable      

At the stable, under the big wooden sign reading, "Pacerstone Stables”, was Faylem's grandfather himself, Frank Andrews.
"Happy birthday Fay-pie!" he sang merrily, hugging his granddaughter. He winked at my mother. "Now come on in sweetie, for your birthday present.
Faylem glanced at her mother, who nodded encouragingly. He took Faylem to the stall that was always empty, yet Faylem could swear she heard a whinny from inside. Frank pushed open the stall doors. Faylem stared in astonishment. Inside was an Appaloosa mare, her coat shining. It was as if someone had draped silk over the statue of a horse. Faylem walked inside and ran her fingers through the horse's mane.
"Destiny," she whispered into her neck. Then she ran and jumped on her grandfather. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!" Faylem cried. Frank took Faylem's hand.
"We knew you were ready. Go into the tack room, now, and take a good look inside,” he told her, pointing at the tack room doors.
Faylem stepped warily into the tack room to find brand new tack. There was a brown leather western saddle, a dark blue and light blue diagonally striped saddle blanket, and an Indian brown leather halter, bridle, and lead rope set, all topped off with a single red bow, the same color as the one on Destiny's back. She gasped. Indian leather was very expensive, and with everything else, and the horse!!! Her grandfather must love her so much, to get all this for her! Faylem almost started crying with joy; she didn't know what to do next. She reached out a hand and touched the saddle, nearly pulling back, but stopping herself. It was all hers now.


Chapter 3
Up in the Attic
 
Faylem’s mother had decided that Destiny would, I quote,” STAY... HERE."(Meaning at the stable) Of course, Faylem had something different in mind. And now, as their car reached the house, Faylem smiled broadly to herself. She turned over and looked at the horse trailer hooked to the back of the car. Through those walls was a horse Faylem had been dreaming about since she was a little girl.
"Faylem, that horse goes in the attic and stays in the attic," stated Faylem's mother. Faylem obeyed. She led the horse through the house and up the stairs. She pushed open the trap door, letting Destiny in before following herself. All the hay had been set previously in the day by Faylem's mother. But there was something different. In the middle of the room was a small table; on top of the table was an orb, with a book set in front of it. She blew the dust off the cover and opened curiously to a random page. She was then sucked into darkness. Faylem opened her eyes. She was underwater! Though she could breathe?
A voice whispered in her ear,” May you find the treasure, hidden below. Though be warned of the consequences you must suffer!"
This very much disturbed Faylem. But she would follow it. Let's see, treasure below... Faylem looked down. Oh, wow. A sunken ship. That's so obvious! She swam down and peered inside. Aha! Gold! Now where to get in? Faylem swam in circles for what felt like hours. When she was about to give up, she found a trap door on the deck. It creaked loudly as she opened it. She swam inside. The trap door slammed shut, darkening the lower deck. Faylem could only see because of the cracks in the wood. She pushed and pulled and pounded at the trap door, but it didn't budge. Faylem thought she could hear her heart beat echoing around the musty room.

She explored the area until she found something creepy: a human skeleton. She then noticed that there were skeletons scattered around the room. She shivered. She turned to try at the trap door once more, when out of the corner of her eye she saw a gleam. One of the skeletons held a ruby. She grabbed the ruby and slid it in the trap door's crack. She pushed the door open effortlessly. Faylem climbed onto the upper deck, shutting the trap door behind her. A loud clatter made her jump. Faylem noticed the trap door had opened up again. She looked inside. She hardly had time to scream before the bony hand grabbed her ankle and pulled her into the lower deck once more. They surrounded her. Dozens of skeletons. She struggled but gave up and became limp. She just lay there on the ground, hardly aware of the skeletal creatures around her. Faylem thought. The ruby!
She grabbed it from her pocket and screamed,” Wait!" The skeletons just kept coming in closer, choking her with their musty smell. She held out the ruby, the little light in the lower deck casting sparkles on the walls. One skeleton grabbed the ruby and everyone fell to the floor, asleep for many more years.
Faylem was upset. If the ruby wasn't the treasure, what w- An old box sat in the corner of the room. Faylem smiled mischievously (or like an evil minion DEDICATED TO BRITNIE AND SHADOW). She slipped her bobby pin into the lock and the box creaked open. Inside was more gold than Faylem had ever seen. What a 12th birthday! She put her finger on the gold, but then all was darkness. She was now lying on the floor in her attic. Faylem looked up at the pretty horse by the window. She climbed lazily down the steps and walked into her room.

Chapter 4
Uh-oh

School is school. Faylem stared at her table mate. He did not have an organized desk, and his glasses were askew with a crack in the left lens. Faylem also thought she caught him picking his nose. Faylem sulked. She hated 7th grade.