SOL

Going to bed early, waking up late, having a cough, tickling in your throat, stuffy noses, runny noses, naval pressure, stuffy ears, felling like someone is pushing on your eyes, fever, a normal cold usually has one maybe two of these things, but NOOO, mine had to be the one with every single one.

I go to bed early, wake up late, I have a nasty cough due to the tickling in my throat, my nose is so stuffed I can't get to bed that well, and my nose is runny, I have so much naval pressure that I have stuffy ears and I can't pop them, and my eyes hurt so bad I can't move them and I have to keep my head straight where ever I go, and my fever is 103. GOD! I hate it.

The worst part is almost going to bed and then realizing your SOL was due 5 hours ago.

SOL #5040000004.2.2.2.2...2..2

"ALRIGHT!" The starting man yelled, "I 'M GOING TO YELL READY, SET AND THEN BLOW THIS AIR HORN!" 

We get it, we get it! I thought. I was standing two inches behind Ethan. My face right up against his back. My chest pounding, my feet ready to move. I'm too anxious.  GOD!

 I start sweating even though we haven't started to run yet. 

"READY!" I've been to too many of these things. I should be more calm!

"SET!" Calm Max be calm. Breath. In, Out. In, Out. 

I hear the horn blow and I just start running. The pounding in my chest went away, and I just started running.

Snowshoeing (I have no idea how to spell that) Slice

     I stand up and brush the white powder off of my shirt. As I'm about to look up I feel contact and arms wrap around my body. I fall back into the snow, looking up I see Eddie smiling, getting back up and taking down Nate. My neck and my wrists are freezing, but I don't care this is too much fun.

     My eyes dart back and forth trying to scope out the easiest target and at the same time staying hyper aware with a wide stance. I see Gavin coming at me, I step out of the way and let him fall into the snow. I run at Kenny trying to stay out of his sight. Before I can get to him Max tackles me from my side taking me to the ground. 

    I grab Nate from behind trying to shove him on the ground. He turns around so I am now on the bottom about to fall. I gather up my strength. Twist my body and shove him onto the ground. 

    Tackling is so much fun.

SOL # i have no idea

I walked into the black room my parents by my side I scanned the room. Some people looked familiar, but some people weren't there a month ago. I sat down at the yellow covered table. Still quiet, still embarrassed. I became aware of my whole body feeling out of place. I put my hands in my lap and waited for it to start.

An hour and a half later they called my name.

"Our third place winner for the 8th graders, Max Van Sickle with his story Down The Barrel." My cheeks went red as soon as these strangers started clapping for me. I stood up, smiling. I walked down between the table for towards the people holding the certificate and my prize. I kept my eyes a little to the left of her, I didn't want to look at anyone. I shook her hand and I felt a lot better.

SOL #6

                   I walked into the strange room, feeling wary and out of place. It was big, with black poorly painted walls, a stage with four very expensive cameras, and three tables in the middle of the wooden floor. They had green table cloth with about twelve chairs at every one, and kids no younger than me taking up about half of them. They were spaced out, looking shy all either writing or drawing in their notebooks. Except for the kids that new each other, they were talking and laughing. I didn't know where to sit. I picked the table and the least amount of people. I sat down and instantly took out my notebook to draw in it like everyone else. It took about ten minutes before an older woman walked into the room, wearing a red dress and she said:

                   "Welcome, Story makers' to the Rocky Mountain PBS Story Makers Contest writers workshop."

Sol #5

     I woke up to the sound of my brothers voice.

    "Max! Get up! You know what day it is." I had no idea what he was talking about. I sat up, rubbed my eyes and looked outside. There was snow, and something else, it was like a weird glow or something........Lights! Christmas! It all came back to me.

     I ran downstairs and slipping on the wooden floor I made my way into the living room. My Mom, Dad, and my brother were all sitting there next to the fire. My brother looking anxiously at his first present. Wait, present? No! we had to do stockings first.

     "We have to do stockings first," I said. "Its a tradition." That was the most recent word I had learned, being that I was only four at the time. I ran to my stocking over the fireplace. My brother struggled to catch up. We both ripped them down, and I poured it all onto the floor, candy! Candy everywhere! I was very happy until I realized that some of that candy was my brothers, and he was still pouring his out. He had more candy than I did! What kind of joke is this! But what was I supposed to say. Ti's the season after all.

Sol #4

                 I didn't like Thanksgiving. I just don't like the idea of a day where you eat a lot of food and get fat. The idea doesn't appeal to me. Also I don't like going around and saying what your thankful for. Going around in a circle after (or before if that's how you roll) eating. I think that if your thankful for something you should keep it to yourself.

I didn't like Thanksgiving.