Something

By: Kate, 6^th grade

            I was finally ready to go back to school that day. After a long two weeks of staying home because of random unconsciousness, after banging my head on my locker, I was anxious to see everyone. Of course I didn’t know what other homework I was going to get today. While at home the school sent me my homework. But, now I had to turn it all in.

            Everything was in my backpack, while I walked to school. Of course school was almost a mile away so I was required to walk, but I didn’t mind. I was now all about going green, but walking to school was the only thing I had accomplished doing, so far.

            For some reason I was happy. My month was turning around and becoming better, for I never knew how lonely I could become. A few times I had visitors. But it was only Nothing and Something, the twins, Nothing whom suggested banging my head. Now, of course I had forgiven him from suggesting this. I wouldn’t have met Something if it weren’t for him, because I had grown to like her.

            Anyways, after walking this mile I came up to the school building sighing a happy sigh of relief. I drank from my water bottle I always brought to school every day and sat down waiting for a teacher to arrive. Almost as soon as I sat down I……

Black Out

            “Martha, Martha, Maaarrrthaaa. Martha, are you okay?” I began to blink seeing Something, just Something. All I saw was Something right there in front of me. Then I heard, “Martha, please say anything!” Instantly, I turned my head to see Nothing, so I wasn’t seeing double anymore. Still I didn’t say anything feeling my mouth too dry to open. The twins saw I was alive and sighed. “Martha, could you please say a word so we know you won’t end up like our cousin, Anything,” Nothing pleaded. I began to drone softly, “water bottle, please.” He picked up my water bottle, then weighed it like it was heavier than normal. “Hold on,” he said. He opened the cap and sniffed the liquid like a detective would inspect a clue. Before I had a chance to take a sip, he poured a brown, gooey substance out onto the concrete porch. I looked longingly at the liquid too thirsty to care what it was. As soon as the liquid hit the concrete it began to bubble up and turn green.

            “Nothing, what is that?” Something shrieked at the ever disgusting goop. “I believe it’s some sort of un-toxic waste. Now, this type won’t kill you, Martha, but it did make you pass out. Apparently, whoever gave this to you thought it was toxic waste. Apparently, they don’t know the difference like I do.” He scared me at first then I almost barfed. “If it’s waste, then where has it been before?” I freaked. “Um, well I’d say, it’s washed through the sewer, then to the ocean, and lastly got shot up through a spring. So it was once purified by sulfur.” “GROSS!!!” Something yelled before I could try to scream. “EWWWW!!!” I whisper-yelled since my voice would not allow me to.

            “Now, let’s get you inside to some real water,” they both said picking me up from my arms and legs. I didn’t know how the door opened but, I was carried inside to my locker area. In each locker area there were 20 lockers, three couches, table that the couches are all facing, carpeted flooring in the area of the couches and table, card decks on the table, a very nice laptop, and a girls and boys bathroom. Nothing waited on the couches while Something helped me into the girls bathroom.

            Inside she began to through water on my face, drowning me. Then she led me to the water fountain inside the bathroom and I began to drink. After I finished, feeling refreshed, the automatic sprayer sprayed the fountain and scrubbed all the disinfecting stuff off. So on my own I walked back out to the lounge area and sat down on my own couch. Something sat down on the couch to my left, while Nothing was to my right.

            “Okay. Something, Martha, you two are going to have to find out who tried to kill Martha. It is essential or I guarantee you they will try again,” Nothing began, “I’m sorry I won’t be able to come but, I’ve been absent to school WAY too much without an excuse. Something hasn’t been absent much so it won’t matter, and Martha, the teachers will think you are still home because the doctor said so. Now, I first suggest going to Jinled Springs first since that’s where the water came from, from there, Something, you’ll know what to do and where to go. Whenever you find him go to the nearest road and call the police. TURN HIM IN!!!”

            I glanced over at Something who looked just as confident as her brother that we would succeed. “You must go now. Don’t worry I’ll show you our homework after school,” Nothing pleaded. So, Something and I ran, leaving our bags for Nothing to attend to.

             For some reason I was somewhat shocked to find out Jinled Springs was a WHOLE lot closer to our school than I thought it was. Something and Nothing had ridden their bikes to school, living farther away then I did. Something got onto her bike and strapped on her helmet as I hopped onto Nothing’s bike and put his helmet on with speed I didn’t know I had.

            We pulled out of the school parking lot and turned right, speeding down the road surrounded by evergreen trees. I raced with mighty speed (pretty good for myself) finding myself almost missing the left turn, which obviously put me in second. Something was a really fast bike rider, so I continued to pedal the bike the greatest that I possibly could. She made another right turn and this time I followed her with ease. After traveling forward from there about a fourth of a mile with breath gasping speed we finally made it to the little lodge where all the paths began.

            We stopped abruptly, throwing our bikes and helmets on the ground and running down the shortest path to the gross part of the springs. I, still tired from the bike ride now had immense trouble keeping up with Something who ran as if trying to win a marathon. But I still followed. We twisted and turned on that path until I could see the springs just down the little hill we were on. I began leaping down the hill, surprisingly getting in front of Something, but almost ran into the greenish looking spring.

            To the right of the spring was a khaki colored tent, one you might see at a Revolutionary War reconstruction site. There was a fire pit and a foot sticking out of this tiny tent. As the man inside heard our foot steps he pulled his leg back into the tent and we could hear him trying to escape through the back entrance of the tent. But, before anything really happened Something dashed to the other side of the tent trapping this man. I walked casually to the other side of the tent with her to find a man with a tie around his neck that hadn’t shaved in several weeks.

            As if running from the police, he went out the front entrance in a full sprint. Something took off and I followed trying hard to keep up with these marathon runners. My legs were becoming sore now, but I would not stop running. I began to love chasing this man, the wind in my face and my light blond hair racing in the wind. As I was running I began to almost daydream when I heard an abrupt thud and all the wind sensation was gone, for I stopped.

             The man had tripped over a pulled up root. Something grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back, stood him up and commanded me to ask questions.

            “Why did you try to KILL ME?!” I demanded, knowing perfectly well he would have to answer now. “What do you mean?” He replied. “You replaced icky stuff with water from my water bottle, hence caused me to pass out! But, you thought it would kill me! I know you did it now ‘fess up!!” I slapped him in the face giving him a little more of the idea that I was in charge, and that there was to be no funny business.

            “So, you finally found me, yippee! Well you’re right I tried to kill you. And you wanna know why? Because once you and that little nothing of a kid,” Something giggled, “deleted all of the newspaper several weeks ago, it was ME who got blamed, the best reporter there, who’s idea it was to write about you, it was ME who got fired for the deleted paper. So now, I figured, if you were to be killed I could write the best article this town has ever seen and be hired again.” Something, though behind this man, kicked him twice on both calves, which must have been VERY powerful of a blow since it was Something. This kick caused him to go limp temporarily.

            “Martha, we need to go to the nearest road which is that way, since I hear cars. We’ll turn him in for attempted murder and then you’ll be safe,” Something grinned greedily, happy to get this fool turned in. I followed her who dragged the poor, dumb man who dared to mess with this powerful girl.  

            Once we got to the road, we turned real lucky because right there to our left was a police car. The two police inside the car saw us emerge from the woods and instinctively put handcuffs on the man. They put Something and I in the back seat unhand cuffed next to the man and drove us to my family’s estate.

            “I’ll let you two girls go here,” one police man began, “good job on finding this criminal.” The car drove off and I said good-bye to Something who began walking back to the springs to get the bikes for she and her brother. “THANK YOU!!!” I yelled after Something, and she winked at me continuously walking.

            Once I had closed the door to the kitchen, there once again was my mother and father.

“Where were you this time, might I ask?” Ma said in a calm tone. “Well at school, some dude tried to kill me by putting what he thought was toxic waste in my water bottle, so Something and I hunted him down, and now he’s with the cops,” I said with ease. “Alright then,” Pa began, “did you say he attempted murder?” I nodded. “Then we should be able to take him to court but who will your lawyer be?” Pa began pacing back and forth. “Pa, Nothing told me he has a cousin named Anything who’s a great lawyer. He might have to right down everything he says because he lost his voice in a motorcycle accident. But, he’s really good,” I explained. “Well, we could consider him. In the mean time go take a nap you look like you’ve just finished a 100 mile marathon,” Pa commanded.

So, I obediently did as he said and went to sleep from there. Of course I never woke up until the next morning needing this sleep for tomorrow.