LB Short Story: 'Saving Me'

Her toes peaked out from the ledge of the bridge that towered high above the San Joaquin River on a clear summers day. Her auburn wavy hair stood out. In my twelve-year-old mind, I can’t fathom what is happening, but looking around at the stunned and screaming faces making their way from their cars that have come to a standstill on the bridge, I know that something is wrong. I look around and see a lady standing in front of the auburn wavy haired girl that is about to jump. She tried holding the girl’s leg but the slippery railings that the girl was standing onto could not hold her. In that moment, I knew that something bad was about to happen.

As my toes and legs grew bigger, my hands and arms grew longer too. I finally turned 15 years old. I stood looking around the house and I dropped my glass of water as I watched the nightly News. A crash? It was all too much. I have no one now. I fall to my knees as I cried playing back what the news had just said in my mind. Mom…Dad…

“Flight 703 - Western Airlines has crashed”

I ran outside to the nearest bridge I could find. The sky looked blue, it felt like it had just rained, the smell of the rain and the green damp grass. The sky reflected my feelings, the soft violet color that looked like the sky was bruised all over. The bruise that took so long to heal is now as black and blue as the day my parents never came home.  I climbed on top of the railing, holding the railing above tightly, glancing down to the river flowing swiftly below. Just as I was about to jump and fly like an angel, I heard a noise behind me.

The voice calling me sounded like Mom’s voice. Is it her? Is she still alive? Is she here? I turned my head violently towards the sound tearing a muscle in my neck. “Don’t.” The person cried, running towards me. There stood a woman wearing a brown leather jacket, denim jeans and brown boots. Her auburn wavy hair looked so familiar. Who is she? Why is she trying to save me? “Please don’t do this to yourself. Don’t ever give up on your life.” She said the same thing as what Mom said.

“Promise me, Elena. Don’t ever give up on your life. Because honestly, the only person who can save yourself is you.” She said. She told me to never give up on my life, but I can’t live without her. I need my mom and my dad.

“Why are you here? Who are you?” I asked, still crying. “I’m Aretha, you probably won’t remember me, but I just want you to know that it’s not okay to do this. I have no idea what problem you’re facing but this is not the way to solve it. Don’t do this.” She said, getting closer every moment, then grasping my leg. “Why are you saving me? I’ve got no one. No one cares. My parents are dead.” I cried. “I care! Even though I don’t know you at all. Please don’t do this, I wasn’t able to save her, that time. She was everything to me.” She yelled, pulling me slowly to the ground. I cried more after I felt like the sky is crying too, turns out she cried too.

After what seemed like hours, the sky changed to a slightly darker color. Slowly, she hugged me to comfort me and I felt like I was safe, my heart beat slowly returned to normal, even though my mind still won’t stop thinking about what just happened. I watched her silently as she walked with me to my house. She really looked like Mom. Her brown hazel eyes and her auburn wavy hair last but not least, her pale skin that showed her freckles, almost all of her features looked like Mom’s. “What happened with the person you wanted to save that time?” I asked. “She died three years ago. She’s always been an outcast at her school. I’ve tried various ways to make her feel okay but she always seems so down. Sometimes I wonder what I did, what did she do, she’s done nothing. I love Erika, I had no one left after she died. My husband died before she was even five years old. She was my only child and I don’t know what should I do.” She answered, sniffing and rubbing her swollen eyes.

In that moment, I knew that Aretha was the one. She was the lady. I kept my thoughts and questions to myself. Without realizing, we finally arrived at my house. I look around the backyard, still feeling cold. Looking around, I met eyes with Aretha and we smiled. I feel much warmer.

THOUGHTS ON 'HOLES'

This week, we finished reading the book and the movie 'Holes'. The movie and the book both are really good. I was not bored at all when reading or either watching the movie. After watching the movie, there were a lot of different things since when we are reading we imagine and the characters that I imagined were different with what I had thought. Not only the characters but some scenes or parts that is in the book did not appear in the movie. They had to cut out some scenes because no movie takes longer than 2 or 3 hours. But, it is still a good movie and book. You should totally read the book and also watch the movie :)

War Horse Film Review

War Horse is an exceptional movie adaptation based on the best-selling novel by Michael Mopurgo. War Horse is a story about a horse, Joey who experienced the First World War. War Horse is a great movie because an academy award winner, Steven Spielberg is the person who directed it. Some of the stars in the movie are Jeremy Irvine as Albert Narracott and Tom Hiddleston as Captain Nicholls. Joey is a very brave and loyal horse, so is Albert, he is also very brave and he is also loyal to Joey.

In Devon, the South West part of England, Ted Narracott (Albert's Father) buys Joey because he is in a low-economy condition. Ted is an alcoholic because in the past he was involved in the war before specifically the Boer War. Ted should've buy a draught horse instead he buys a thoroughbred horse to plough the fields. Since he buys the other type of horse, he had no other way but to teach Joey how to plough. He had no idea how to plough the fields in a short amount of time his landlord gives. Suddenly, Albert volunteered to teach Joey how to plough. It is very unlikely considering Albert and Ted's relationship were not that great. Days and days passed by, Albert and Joey's friendship has developed much more. Until one day, Joey is sold to a cavalry (Captain Nicholls). Captain Nicholls is a very brave person and he is also a very kind person. Since that day, Joey experiences a very thrilling and touching adventure. Will Joey and Albert meet in the end?

War Horse is a very thrilling and touching movie. The acting skills that the stars did were very powerful. The costumes and props were really great. It makes you feel like watching a real war happening. The settings were also great. It is close to what I imagine the condition of the old times would be, especially the no man's land scene. The music is one of the best elements that I think stands out because each background songs played represent a theme. For example, the bonding theme where Albert and Joey's friendship grows stronger, it becomes a very touching and heart warming to see while listening to the background music. Another example is the War Theme, there is a lonely trumpet call that represents the War Theme greatly considering that War Horse is a war movie. 

I think War Horse is one of the best war movies I have watched, because it is very rare to watch a war movie that involves animals and also having the movie in an animal's perspective (Joey). The movie also has great elements. I totally recommend you all to watch this amazing, touching and yet courageous movie. Don't miss it, because it's totally worth your time to watch!

WAR HORSE

War Horse is a great movie about friendship, bravery, courage and of course war. Everything started when a man name Ted Narracott went to an auction and bought a horse. The horse was bought for 30 guineas. He was supposed to buy a horse that has bigger legs, so the horse could plough the field near his house. But unfortunately the horse he bought was still a young horse and it was also the different kind of horse.

Ted Narracott’s son, Albert trained the horse and named him Joey. Everyday their friendship and bond grew stronger and stronger. One of the examples is the way Albert calls Joey; he did this whistle kind of thing to call Joey that sounded like an owl. Meanwhile, Ted Narracott’s landlord name Sir Lyons, came to their house and ask them to pay back his money because at that time during the auction, Ted bought Joey for 30 guineas which means he actually couldn’t afford to pay rent to his landlord. After that, Sir Lyons threatened Ted to plough the farm. Ted promised that he would pay the rent after he plough the farm and plant turnips.

Ted was worried that he could not pay his rent, his emotions went up and he was about to shoot Joey, but then Albert and Rose (his wife) stopped him. Albert promised Ted that he would really train Joey to plough. After that incident happen, Rose show Albert Ted’s medals from the Second Boer War in the South Africa. The War caused him to have a bad leg. Rose gives Albert his father’s regimental pennant, telling him that his father was not proud of what he did during the war.

Albert trains Joey to plough, it was hard at first but Joey listened to what Albert said. As he train and prepares the field to plant with turnips, a rainstorm destroys the turnip crop. In order to pay the rent, Ted sells Joey to a young cavalry officer named Captain James Nicholls without telling Albert at first, but Albert found it out later. Albert begs the officer to not take the horse but Nicholls can only promise that he will took care of Joey like his own horse and hopefully he will return in back to Albert after the war. Before Joey leaves, Albert tied his father’s regimental pennant to Joey’s curb.

Joey is trained for the military and he became friends with another horse called Topthorn. Both horses are sent to France to fight in the war. The Germans kill the officers who ride the horse, because the Germans had machineguns even though the attack to the Germans were all of the sudden. The Germans also captured the horses.

On the german army, there was a 14-year-old boy name Michael, he convinced one of the officer there that the two horses (Topthorn and Joey) are fit to pull an ambulance wagon and he and he brother Gunther drive the horses. Gunther tied the pennant to Michael’s bag that he found on Joey’s curb as a sign of good luck because he was assigned to the German front, but turns out he did that so he could recognize which was Michael. He then captures Michael, each of them riding Joey and Topthorn. They wanted to go back home but they stop for the night and hide in a farm’s windmill. Soon the German soldiers discover them and they are executed.

The next morning, a French girl named Emilie that lived with her grandfather, finds the two horses inside the windmill and she took care of them. German soldiers arrived and took all the food and supplies from the property, but the horses were not taken because Emilie kept the horse in her bedroom. The next day, Emilie tried to ride Joey, even though she was not allowed to do that because it is dangerous considering that her bones are not strong enough and she could die if she fell from the horse. She rides the horse up to the hill near the windmill. Grandfather waited and waited and Emilie did not return, Topthorn races toward the hill with the Grandfather following him from behind. He saw that she has run to the German soldiers who took their supplies. The German soldiers took both horses even though Emilie begged to not take them. The war sure has taken everything from everyone.

Joey and Topthorn were forced to pull a German heavy artillery, which is a very tiring task to do. Heiglemann who loves horses, helps them survive. Soon Albert was enlisted with Andrew and they’re fighting in the Somme Battle with Lyons’s son David as the leader. After fighting and finally going to the German’s place, a gas bomb that contains poisonous gas exploded.

Joey and Topthorn did survive at first, but Topthorn’s condition was really bad. His leg was injured badly and he was also exhausted so he died. The German soldiers left Joey and there was a tank and that was following Joey, when Joey had no where else to go, he galloped up the tank and ran through the Somme incident and he get tangled by the wires near the German soldiers spot. Both sides (British and German soldiers) saw him and they couldn’t believe that a horse survived in the battle. Everyone was so afraid to go out from their camp/area, so each side had one person going. From the British side, a guy named Colin walks over to the horse and tried to help him. Another guy named Peter but from the German side also walks over to the horse and helps the horse by using wire cutters. With teamwork, both of them free Joey and they did heads and tails (coin flip) to know who would take the horse.

The poisonous gas bomb killed Andrew, but Albert survived although he is blind but only temporarily though. While the doctor or the medical people bandaged him, he heard news about the “miraculous horse” that was rescued from the no-man’s land. One of the officers named Fry tried to shoot Joey because he was no use since Joey had quite a lot of injuries, but the owl sound whistle thing came. Albert and Joey meet each other. Albert explains to Fry that he raised Joey and he gives the exact same description of the horse.

It turned out that the horses are going to auction. His fellow soldiers helped him so he could purchase Joey, but he lost because someone bid 100 pounds. That someone said that if another bids higher he will sell his coat, his farm and everything he had, that caused no other people to bid. Turns out that someone is an old man, to be exact Emilie’s grandfather. Albert pleads so he could have Joey back, but the old man still did not agree. He said that his grand daughter has died and he walked three days to get the horse back because the horse reminded him of his grand daughter, Emilie. But in the end, the Grandfather did give back Joey and Albert’s father pennant. Albert was so happy. He went home riding the horse and hugs his mother and father.

R E F L E C T I O N

I have learn a lot of things in this 2nd unit. I was quite shocked when I know the results of both of my argumentative essay and debate. Honestly at first, I'm kind of bad at writing essays and doing debates. I have no idea what should I write and I'm considered low at thinking critically to find ideas and those kind of things but I tried to do it in a different way. I learn a few methods from Ms H, like how is the format of a good argumentative essay and we also learned about thesis statement which at first I have no idea what it means but I do now. I'm satisfied with the result of my argumentative essay but it is not the full score, I have to practice more on writing the correct citation format (APA style) and when writing examples I should choose the powerful examples that make sense with my statement.

In Debate, I was really worried but I told myself that I should be confident. Last year, I did debate and the results weren't that good because I was so worried and I stumbled over the things I said, because I didn't practice much at that time. But this time, a day before the debate started, I practiced the things that I am going to say. I actually kind of like debating considering that we can express what we think about the statement but of course we should give a reason why we said or claim that statement. I'm glad that I told myself to be confident and I ended up getting a great I'm really really super duper glad about the result of my debate. 

For sure, I had fun doing the debate and the argumentative essay.

Be brave, take risks. Nothing can substitute experience. 

- Paulo Coelho

:)

Who Is Responsible?

Every year, a lot of car accidents happen in Indonesia. On 8^th September, last month a minor name Dul drove illegally and has caused a car crash accident to happen. That caused 7 people to die and a few injured. Should Dhani the father of a 13-year-old boy who killed 7 people and injured many others be hold responsible for his son’s actions? I believe that Dhani should be hold responsible for his son’s actions, because Dhani is the guardian of Dul. He is Dul’s father.

It has been argued that Dul is responsible because he was behind the wheel of the car. However, as a father, Dhani should have checked on his kids, not buying his kids car for their birthday and he should know his kids are not legal yet to drive a car especially when it is in the highway or areas that are danger.

Another argument against this is Dul drove in the highway so he must’ve passed the toll. The person in the toll way is to blame because he should’ve contact the police. But as we all know, when we ride a car and we pass the toll way, the person in the toll way doesn’t really pay attention to the people who are driving because their job is just to either give a card or give the change back of the money. Also considering Dul looked like he is not underage, because almost all males have puberty faster than girls. So, we can’t blame the person in the toll way.

I believe that Dhani should be held responsible for this accident because he also was aware that Dul drives sometimes. Dhani should know that Dul is a minor and he should know that he is also not emotionally stable. As people age, they are more emotionally balance and are better in the ability of solving emotional problems. To drive you need emotional stable and high reflexes.

So, as the father of Dul, Dhani must responsible for his son’s action. He must watch each of his son’s behavior and actions and yet also remind them so there will be no accident like this case to happen again. This is also a reminder so parents should be more aware of their children’s activity and behavior.

Slip or Trip Investigation Report

To Mr.Smith,  
Chief of investigator of Bekasi

When we arrived at the crime scene at 1:45 a.m., on the 2nd of september 2001.

We found Arthur, husband of quennie the eye witness. lying on his back facing up on the bottom of the stairs with his legs on the stairs. He was holding a glass that was totally still perfect no cracks or scratch on the glass. With a wound on his head. There was also a stove on with some food being cooked. The carpet on the stairs was tidy,not messed up.-

Queenie said that arthur was going downstairs to get another drink. But on his way down, he slipped and fell. The autopsy said that arthur died from a wound on the head and confirmed that he’d been drunk.Queenie said it was accident because Arthur was drunk few minutes before it happened.

If Queenie is really saying the truth, then the glass that Arthur’s holding onto,

does not break into pieces. Because usually when a person falls down holding a fragile object, the object will break. Another evidence is the glass that Arthur’s holding is in his hands, when we fall, we usually would let go anything that we’re holding onto. Especially if it is a fragile object, because if the object falls down with us, we would of course consider throwing the object away, so it will not hurt us way more. Why is the object on the walls are not misplaced. Because usually when a person falls down, they will grab hold of something nearby or something that is reachable.

In the picture of the crime scene, the stove in the kitchen was on. Considering the time is at midnight, it is very rare for people to cook after midnight. Usually people cook at meal times. Another evidence is that the carpet on the stairs are not messed up. When a person falls down a carpet covered stairs, the carpet usually will get messed up. Another piece of evidence, there are no paramedics at the crime scene. As a rule, when a person finds someone who needs help usually they will call for help. Arthur was also found lying his back facing up. As a rule, when a person falls down when coming down the stairs they usually fall and land face first.

In conclusion we suspect that queenie is a crime suspect. but, we still need to investigate further so that we will interview more eyewitness (queenie’s friend)  so that we can conclude whether or not queenie is lying. We are speculating that queenie had killed arthur because either she was drunk or in rage (because of the fight she had with his husband, arthur) maybe even both.

Your sincerely,
Agents A, I, D,and S