Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...
...my fifth-grade writing. I would insert clever comments, but frankly, it mocks itself. I'm pretty sure the assignment was to write a story about Indians. That's probably why my main character is EXACTLY LIKE POCAHONTAS. Heh. Enjoy!
Chapter One
Celinacosta smiled as the little bird chirped happily at her. The hot sun had been beating down on the small city for several days now, so she and her father, Arrkin, had to economise water. Celinacosta's jet-black hair wisped around her smooth, mahogany skin. Her many jewels gleamed in the sunlight, and her aquamarine eyes matched them. "Fly away little bird," she whispered softly.
The bird cocked his head at her, as if questioning whether or not he should. Suddenly, the steady beating of ceremonial drums echoed around the valley. "Oh no!" Celinacosta gasped. "I'm late again!"
She ran through the woods faster than she ever had, and didn't stop until she reached Arrkin's side. "Where have you been?" he hissed. "I was..." Celinacosta started, but the loud crash of a gong cut her off. She watched sadly as the procession slowly walked up the slope. "Do they have to go through with this?" Celinacosta whined. Arrkin gazed sternly at her. "My daughter," he said, "you know the rules."
"But, daddy!" she protested. "Look at him! Do you really think the gods would want such a sad, innocent face?"
Arrkin rubbed his long, gray beard, as he always did when he was in deep thought. "Well... Do you honestly think he's not worth it?" he asked hesitantly.
By this time, the young man was being laid across a large stone red from all the people before him. Arrkin sighed, then cried out, "Stop!"
Celinacosta couldn't help but grin as everyone at the ceremony stopped dead in their tracks, looking expectantly at Arrkin. Instead of speaking though, he turned and looked at his daughter. Celinacosta puffed out her chest, took a deep breath, and started her speech. "Good people of the great Aztec empire!" she began. "Look at this man! Do you really think this person is worthy of the gods? No. He is honest and innocent. I will take care of him and make sure he doesn't get into trouble. But please, set him free."
The crowd looked at her in disbelief. Then, with a swipe of a knife, the sorcier [sic] cut the ropes holding the man down.
Chapter 2
The dim light flickered around the small hut. Celinacosta had been talking to the stranger for a while now. She had learned that his name was Clahinti and he was a young warrior. Celinacosta's tribe had captured him by surprise. His name meant "falling dusk", whereas Celinacosta's name meant "sunrise". They were still in deep conversation when Celinacosta hear a moan coming from Arrkin's hut. "What was that all about?" Celinacosta asked.
Clahinti just shrugged. Starting to worry, Celinacosta got up and walked out. Another moan found its way towards her. She walked faster, Clahinti now following her. They entered Arrkin's hut and saw him lying on his bed, his face twisted with pain. "What is it, daddy?" Celinacosta hastened to ask.
"Pain...in my side...in my head..." Arrkin groaned.
"I have seen this before in my village," Clahinti said. "I'm sure I can cure you."
Arrking opened his eyes a little, placed his hand on Clahinti's, and faintly smiled. "One day..." he choked, "one day you will be my son."
Celinacosta blushed a deep red and smiled at Clahinti. Instead of noticing, he babbled on, "I can give you a drop of medicine every day, for too much at one time might kill you." Arrkin smiled again then fell asleep.
Chapter 3
It was not June 10th, a month after Arrkin got sick. Celinacosta was picking wildflowers to cheer him up. As strange as it seemed, Arrkin wasn't getting any better. In fact, he was only getting worse. Celinacosta gathered the flowers in her arms and marched over to the village. As she passed by Clahinti's newly-built hut, Celinacosta heard some mumbling inside. She didn't like to be nosy, but curiosity got the best of her. Leaning over, she overheard what Clahinti was saying to himself. She gasped, dropped the flowers, fell to her knees, and wept with all her heart, for this is what she heard:
Chapter 4
"Ha, ha, ha! What a fool! I'm so sneaky I even amaze myself! I'll slowly kill Arrkin with my poison, then marry his daughter! The village shall crown me king and I can trick them into being captured by my own tribe. Ha, ha, ha! I'm so evil!"
The words echoed through her head like a superball in a small room. Gathering herself together, she rushed over to Arrkin's hut. "Father!" she gasped. "Clahinti has tricked us! He wants to kill you and marry me! He is not trying to cure you, he is trying to poison you!"
Celinacosta looked over at Arrkin. He was sleeping. "I'll just have to do something about this myself!" she thought. The first thing I have to do is stop Clahinti from giving poison to father. Next, I have to find a cure for Arrkin!"
She quickly ran over to Clahinti's hut. "Clahinti!" Celinacosta cried. "I saw a deer while in the forest. Why don't you ask the gods for permission to kill it and eat it for dinner?"
"Excellent idea, my dear," Clahinti cooed.
As soon as he stepped into the forest, Celinacosta rushed into his hut. She was horrified when she saw what Clahinti ahd been making the poison out of. Poisonous mushrooms, leaves, and snakes. Deer intestins, [sic] crushed butterfly wings, scorpions, and more. This was enough to make at least 50 people sick! After regaining her composure, Celinacosta grabbed the little jar filled with poison, and rushed over to the medicine man's hut. "Can you find an antidote for this?" she panted.
Ironuma (for that was his name) nodded silently. "Now?" Celinacosta pleaded.
Instead of answering, Ironuma immediately got to work. A little of this, a little of that. A little of that, a little of this. Finally, after what seemed like centuries, he finally handed another jar, identical to the first one, back to Celinacosta.
Chapter 6
Celinacosta grabbed both jars and ran into her hut. There, she took a deep breath to calm herself, then headed right back out. She could already see Clahinti's silhouette in the distance. "I must act quickly," she thought.
Running into Clahinti's hut, she placed the antidote where the poison had been just a moment before. Then, she quickly skipped over to Arrkin's hut. "Father!" she cried, this time shaking him awake. "Clahinti is out to kill you! He was giving you poison instead of medicine! I replaced the poison with an antidote, so just play along!"
Arrkin looked at her, his eyes penetrating into hers. Then, he nodded and closed his eyes. Delighted at her success, Celinacosta dashed out to meet Clahinti. "My father is worse than ever!" she cried. "Please give him some of your miracle medicine!"
Clahinti formed an evil smile. "With pleasure, my dearest," he said.
Chapter 7
Celinacosta and Clahinti rushed over to Arrkin's. Clahinti grabbed what he thought was the poison and grinned at Celinacosta. As soon as they arrived, Clahinti made Arrkin gulp down all of the contents in the jar, then stood back. Arrkin started coughing and wheezing. "I think you'd better go outside, while I try to calm him down," Celinacosta said to Clahinti.
"With pleasure, my pet," he replied.
As soon as Clahinti got out, Arrkin jumped out of bed and said, "My daughter, thank you so much for saving me, I feel much better. We must get rid of Clahinti, though, and that might be hard."
They both stood there and thought. Suddenly, Celinacosta jumped up. "I know!" she cried. "I'll tell him you died then go talk about it in my hut. There, I'll offer him the poison, make him drink is, and we shall be saved!"
Arrkin nodded his head excitedly, laid down on his bed, and played dead. Celinacosta held onions up to her face and let the tears spill out. Then, she walked out of the hut. "Boo, hoo, hoo!" she cried. "My father has died! I am very, very sad!"
"You poor, poor thing," Clahinti cooed. "Why don't we go talk about it in your hut?"
"I (huccup) would (hiccup) like that (hiccup) very much (hiccup)" Celinacosta sobbed.
Chapter 8
Celinacosta and Clahinti were not in Celinacosta's hut. "Can I (hiccup) offer you a drink?" she inquired.
"I would like that very much, thank you," Clahinti answered sweetly.
Celinacosta picked up the little jar and poured its contents into a glass. "Here you (hiccup) go," she said as she handed him the glass.
Without hesitating, Clahinti gulped it down. Almost instantly he fell to the ground, but not before breathing his last words: "I'll get you for this!"
Celinacosta ran to her father and cried, "We're free!"
Epilogue
Arrkin and Celinacosta stood outside of the main temple. Suddenly, Celinacosta felt her nose getting wet. "What was that?" she inquired.
Arrkin looked up and smiled. He said, "That, my daughter, was rain."
THE END
Beautiful. Now if only I could find the romance novel I started writing in third grade... XD
Chapter One
Celinacosta smiled as the little bird chirped happily at her. The hot sun had been beating down on the small city for several days now, so she and her father, Arrkin, had to economise water. Celinacosta's jet-black hair wisped around her smooth, mahogany skin. Her many jewels gleamed in the sunlight, and her aquamarine eyes matched them. "Fly away little bird," she whispered softly.
The bird cocked his head at her, as if questioning whether or not he should. Suddenly, the steady beating of ceremonial drums echoed around the valley. "Oh no!" Celinacosta gasped. "I'm late again!"
She ran through the woods faster than she ever had, and didn't stop until she reached Arrkin's side. "Where have you been?" he hissed. "I was..." Celinacosta started, but the loud crash of a gong cut her off. She watched sadly as the procession slowly walked up the slope. "Do they have to go through with this?" Celinacosta whined. Arrkin gazed sternly at her. "My daughter," he said, "you know the rules."
"But, daddy!" she protested. "Look at him! Do you really think the gods would want such a sad, innocent face?"
Arrkin rubbed his long, gray beard, as he always did when he was in deep thought. "Well... Do you honestly think he's not worth it?" he asked hesitantly.
By this time, the young man was being laid across a large stone red from all the people before him. Arrkin sighed, then cried out, "Stop!"
Celinacosta couldn't help but grin as everyone at the ceremony stopped dead in their tracks, looking expectantly at Arrkin. Instead of speaking though, he turned and looked at his daughter. Celinacosta puffed out her chest, took a deep breath, and started her speech. "Good people of the great Aztec empire!" she began. "Look at this man! Do you really think this person is worthy of the gods? No. He is honest and innocent. I will take care of him and make sure he doesn't get into trouble. But please, set him free."
The crowd looked at her in disbelief. Then, with a swipe of a knife, the sorcier [sic] cut the ropes holding the man down.
Chapter 2
The dim light flickered around the small hut. Celinacosta had been talking to the stranger for a while now. She had learned that his name was Clahinti and he was a young warrior. Celinacosta's tribe had captured him by surprise. His name meant "falling dusk", whereas Celinacosta's name meant "sunrise". They were still in deep conversation when Celinacosta hear a moan coming from Arrkin's hut. "What was that all about?" Celinacosta asked.
Clahinti just shrugged. Starting to worry, Celinacosta got up and walked out. Another moan found its way towards her. She walked faster, Clahinti now following her. They entered Arrkin's hut and saw him lying on his bed, his face twisted with pain. "What is it, daddy?" Celinacosta hastened to ask.
"Pain...in my side...in my head..." Arrkin groaned.
"I have seen this before in my village," Clahinti said. "I'm sure I can cure you."
Arrking opened his eyes a little, placed his hand on Clahinti's, and faintly smiled. "One day..." he choked, "one day you will be my son."
Celinacosta blushed a deep red and smiled at Clahinti. Instead of noticing, he babbled on, "I can give you a drop of medicine every day, for too much at one time might kill you." Arrkin smiled again then fell asleep.
Chapter 3
It was not June 10th, a month after Arrkin got sick. Celinacosta was picking wildflowers to cheer him up. As strange as it seemed, Arrkin wasn't getting any better. In fact, he was only getting worse. Celinacosta gathered the flowers in her arms and marched over to the village. As she passed by Clahinti's newly-built hut, Celinacosta heard some mumbling inside. She didn't like to be nosy, but curiosity got the best of her. Leaning over, she overheard what Clahinti was saying to himself. She gasped, dropped the flowers, fell to her knees, and wept with all her heart, for this is what she heard:
Chapter 4
"Ha, ha, ha! What a fool! I'm so sneaky I even amaze myself! I'll slowly kill Arrkin with my poison, then marry his daughter! The village shall crown me king and I can trick them into being captured by my own tribe. Ha, ha, ha! I'm so evil!"
The words echoed through her head like a superball in a small room. Gathering herself together, she rushed over to Arrkin's hut. "Father!" she gasped. "Clahinti has tricked us! He wants to kill you and marry me! He is not trying to cure you, he is trying to poison you!"
Celinacosta looked over at Arrkin. He was sleeping. "I'll just have to do something about this myself!" she thought. The first thing I have to do is stop Clahinti from giving poison to father. Next, I have to find a cure for Arrkin!"
She quickly ran over to Clahinti's hut. "Clahinti!" Celinacosta cried. "I saw a deer while in the forest. Why don't you ask the gods for permission to kill it and eat it for dinner?"
"Excellent idea, my dear," Clahinti cooed.
As soon as he stepped into the forest, Celinacosta rushed into his hut. She was horrified when she saw what Clahinti ahd been making the poison out of. Poisonous mushrooms, leaves, and snakes. Deer intestins, [sic] crushed butterfly wings, scorpions, and more. This was enough to make at least 50 people sick! After regaining her composure, Celinacosta grabbed the little jar filled with poison, and rushed over to the medicine man's hut. "Can you find an antidote for this?" she panted.
Ironuma (for that was his name) nodded silently. "Now?" Celinacosta pleaded.
Instead of answering, Ironuma immediately got to work. A little of this, a little of that. A little of that, a little of this. Finally, after what seemed like centuries, he finally handed another jar, identical to the first one, back to Celinacosta.
Chapter 6
Celinacosta grabbed both jars and ran into her hut. There, she took a deep breath to calm herself, then headed right back out. She could already see Clahinti's silhouette in the distance. "I must act quickly," she thought.
Running into Clahinti's hut, she placed the antidote where the poison had been just a moment before. Then, she quickly skipped over to Arrkin's hut. "Father!" she cried, this time shaking him awake. "Clahinti is out to kill you! He was giving you poison instead of medicine! I replaced the poison with an antidote, so just play along!"
Arrkin looked at her, his eyes penetrating into hers. Then, he nodded and closed his eyes. Delighted at her success, Celinacosta dashed out to meet Clahinti. "My father is worse than ever!" she cried. "Please give him some of your miracle medicine!"
Clahinti formed an evil smile. "With pleasure, my dearest," he said.
Chapter 7
Celinacosta and Clahinti rushed over to Arrkin's. Clahinti grabbed what he thought was the poison and grinned at Celinacosta. As soon as they arrived, Clahinti made Arrkin gulp down all of the contents in the jar, then stood back. Arrkin started coughing and wheezing. "I think you'd better go outside, while I try to calm him down," Celinacosta said to Clahinti.
"With pleasure, my pet," he replied.
As soon as Clahinti got out, Arrkin jumped out of bed and said, "My daughter, thank you so much for saving me, I feel much better. We must get rid of Clahinti, though, and that might be hard."
They both stood there and thought. Suddenly, Celinacosta jumped up. "I know!" she cried. "I'll tell him you died then go talk about it in my hut. There, I'll offer him the poison, make him drink is, and we shall be saved!"
Arrkin nodded his head excitedly, laid down on his bed, and played dead. Celinacosta held onions up to her face and let the tears spill out. Then, she walked out of the hut. "Boo, hoo, hoo!" she cried. "My father has died! I am very, very sad!"
"You poor, poor thing," Clahinti cooed. "Why don't we go talk about it in your hut?"
"I (huccup) would (hiccup) like that (hiccup) very much (hiccup)" Celinacosta sobbed.
Chapter 8
Celinacosta and Clahinti were not in Celinacosta's hut. "Can I (hiccup) offer you a drink?" she inquired.
"I would like that very much, thank you," Clahinti answered sweetly.
Celinacosta picked up the little jar and poured its contents into a glass. "Here you (hiccup) go," she said as she handed him the glass.
Without hesitating, Clahinti gulped it down. Almost instantly he fell to the ground, but not before breathing his last words: "I'll get you for this!"
Celinacosta ran to her father and cried, "We're free!"
Epilogue
Arrkin and Celinacosta stood outside of the main temple. Suddenly, Celinacosta felt her nose getting wet. "What was that?" she inquired.
Arrkin looked up and smiled. He said, "That, my daughter, was rain."
THE END
Beautiful. Now if only I could find the romance novel I started writing in third grade... XD