Under the Grave: Part 2

Author's note: This is a continuation of another post, called under the grave. To read that, go to the bottom of the page and click on older posts. You probably won't understand this if you didn't read the first one.

It feels like jello, being pulled through miles of dirt and stone. But all I see is darkness. I close my eyes, hoping this to be a dream. When I open my eyes, I am filled with despair. I pray to myself that Gregory and Nikko are ok. Maybe they just left without me. All I know to do is wait. The darkness is turning to grey, almost unnoticed. Finally, I land with a thud, but no pain……Beside me are Greory and Nikko were spit out from the sky. I stood up, every muscle in my body, sore.  I tried to stretch a little, but that didn't help. Gregory looked like he was about to cry. He wonders aloud,

"Where are we?"

I feel frozen in time. Above us, is darkness. Behind us, is darkness. The fog on the ground is so thick, I can't even see my own feet. And in front of us, spreading wide  and long like the country side, are buildings, almost as dense as New York City.

Nikko asks, " What now?"

"It seems like we've got nowhere to go except there," I state, pointing towards the strange buildings

"No, no! Please, no,  Zeke! That place looks dangerous!" Gregory cries.

"Well, what else are we supposed to do? We have to find a way home!"

Nikko nods. Gregory has no answer.

"That settles it, then," I say." Let's go."

I start off, looking back to make sure Nikko and Gregory are following me.  Sure enough, there's Gregory, looking like he's about to pee his pants. Nikko just looks around nervously.

As we near the city, I start hearing a strange beat, like a drum. The closer we go, the louder it gets. I soon realize that it sounds like a buzzing sound, almost.  Too soon, we reach the first building. It is somewhat tall, but very creepy. It's hard to tell what material the building is made of, but it's hard, and smooth, and has a cream color to it.

" I can't remember where," Nikko said, knocking on the wall. "But I've seen this stuff before."

"Aren't you learning about bones in science class?" My weary brother asked.

Before Nikko could answer, a creature came up behind us and said in a raspy voice,

"What are you doing here?"

We all gasp, too speechless to scream. Now I come to a sudden realization. The buzzing noises are voices, chants, marching. Marching towards us.

To be continued...

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Trip to Europe

Check out my movie maker on my Trip to Europe page, and learn all about some famous landmarks.

Tom Sawyer

     The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a classic book that can be easily enjoyed, but takes a lot of patients. This story is about a boy's adventurous childhood. This book focuses mainly on the character of Tom Sawyer who lives every day of his childhood to the fullest. This is something we should all do because we only have one life. Tom was always making drama and getting into mischief, but somehow always got out of it using his cleverness and charm. This book was written for people to escape from reality for just a moment, and remember there own childhood. After all, everyone was a kid once. That is the theme of the story, escapism.

     Tom Sawyer has  many different themes mixed in with the main one, but Adventure is one that can be strongly recognized. Although we may not have gotten into as much trouble, we all got into mischief as a kid. But it is Tom's predicaments that define him. Most people do not witness a murder, get engaged,  run away, watch their own funeral, navigate out of a labyrinth cave, and find hidden treasure, all by the age of 13. Sure, it seems unrealistic for all of this to happen to one person, especially to someone of his age, but  Tom seems to bring it on himself. After all, the main theme is escapism. What does mischief and adventure have to do with escapism? In my opinion, if you are stressed out about school, sports, or any other kind of drama, reading about other people's lives can help you to escape from the real world. I know that when I am depressed about something in my life, it helps me to read or watch a TV drama about other people's problems. It makes me feel less alone.

     Even though this book can be stress-relieving, it can also be frustration-inducing. Personally, I thought the beginning of the book was very slow . Not much of importance happened in the book until well into the story. One could also find this book hard to comprehend at times. The fact that the story took place in the 1830's and was written in 1876, has something to do with the matter also. People talked a lot differently 200 years ago. If you decide to read this, you need to understand that culture advances through the years. Some might find this a hard book to enjoy, but if you have a respect for the way of life back then, you could find a lot to like about this book. So, overall, this book is a classic, and could be enjoyable to anyone, if you are open to it.

Thanksgiving

What is Thanksgiving? Sure, it’s the day you eat turkey, watch football, and celebrate with family. But, isn’t Thanksgiving a time you’re supposed to give thanks? You may claim that you do, but really, most people just, out of habit, mumble a few words about what they claim they are grateful for, than start to eat. There is no meaning in that. What we should be thankful for are all the blessings in our life. Blessings are not always physical. Things that can be blessings are life, health, family, friends, and faith. But it is also important that you are thankful for all of your physical possessions, too. Most people think world hunger is a joke, but it’s not. It is real. People waste food by stuffing themselves every day, or ordering meals they don’t finish. So be thankful you don’t know what real starvation is. Be thankful you can feel warm in your home. Be thankful that your drinking water is clean. Because we take all these things for granted, but the truth is, life would be miserable without them. If you think you have nothing to be thankful for,you are wrong. Everyone has something to be thankful for, they might just be little things, almost unseen. A good quote about thankfulness is by Irving Berlin, in " I got the Sun in the Morning"
"Got no chekbooks, got no banks,
still I'd like to express my thanks-
I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night."
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks. What are you thankful for?

Dachshunds

Dachshunds are the most intelligent, entertaining and stubborn dogs out there. If you are reading this, you might also know them as the Doxies or the infamous wiener dogs. This interesting dog, a symbol of Germany, is most known for its stubby legs and long back- making it look like a hot dog. This inspires people still today to dress them up in a bun and some ketchup. There are even Dachshund races held in many places, including here in Milwaukee, during German Fest. But at first, these interesting dogs used their low bodies for more useful things.

Originally, they were bred to hunt. Some might find this a silly thought, but it actually makes sense. The main animals hunted by these dogs were badgers. The name Dachshund even comes from German roots, meaning "badger dog". Badgers live in narrow burrows under the ground, which meant big dogs couldn’t get in. The Dachshund's low body actually gave it an advantage, making it very easy to get into the burrow and retrieve the badger. This also applied to foxes and rabbits. But the earlier form of the breed of dachshunds weighed between 30 and 40 pounds on average, much heavier than the modern breed, so they weren't as petite. Though dachshunds were probably created by German breeders, some people believe they go as far back as Ancient Egypt. There were carvings of hunting dogs with short legs found by the American University of Cairo, and also found in some Egyptian tombs, were Dachshund-like dogs that have been mummified. They are not sure what their purpose was at that time, but it was possible that they were simply favored by the Egyptians. Even if they weren't actually there in ancient Egypt, it is sure that they do have traces of some French and also English hounds and terriers bred into them. The breeders mixed the dachshund for the reason of adapting it to make hunting less of a hassle.

Breeders purposely bred the long ears into Dachshunds, for the reason that dirt, seeds and other things don’t get into the ear. The long, curved tail was also added so the dachshunds could be easily spotted in fields. This was also done because it could be used to pull the dog out, if stuck in a burrow. Some other main appearance characteristics have to do with its long snout. It is very good in absorbing odors and sniffing out animals. Dachshunds have large paws, handy for tunneling, and a deep chest, for easy breathing. Doxies' coats can vary from short, long, or wire-haired, and can be found in almost any color that a dog's coat can come in, besides all white. However they can be cream colored. Wiener dogs' coats can be dappled, meaning many different spots and areas of color. Though very small, dachshunds are extremely muscular and well built. They are very speedy, too, despite their short legs. And obviously, its long, lean body. Though it helped them in hunting, it makes their back very fragile and prone to intervertebral disk disease, so they have to be handled gently. Other than their appearance, Dachshunds' characteristics stand out very much, too.

Dachshunds aren't always the classic dog that follows your every command. If he doesn’t want to sit, he won't sit. Not that they aren't intelligent, because they are. Dachshunds are just very, very stubborn. These dogs are also extremely dominant, acting like they're in charge. Wiener dogs will be very loyal to their owners and a few others, but will bark and growl at strangers. They surprise many people by how loud and deep their bark is. They will usually tolerate kids, but might bite if they feel threatened. Regardless of being independent, most Doxies love to play, especially chase things like toys, tennis balls, or any animal they might see. But the reason that Dachshunds are 5th most popular dog breed in America is because they are so determined and lovable.

Lots of people have owned Wiener dogs, even some famous people. E.B. White, William Randolph Hearst, and even Pablo Picasso were proud Dachshund owners. But these dogs weren't always so popular. During the First World War many dachshunds were killed. Some were tortured by being stoned to death. Anyone owning a dachshund was considered "Un-American", because wiener dogs were German. After the war, their popularity slowly came back, and currently, they are one of the top breeds in the country. Now many people favor these beloved pets. Dachshunds really are man's best friend.

• "Dachshund." Dog Dow — The Dog Training Resource. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://dogdow.com/20080325-104931.php>. 
• "Dachshund - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachshund>. 
• "Dachshunds." Free Web Site Hosting - On A Mission - Free web site hosting for businesses and personal use . N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://oamweb.com/educational/dachsiefaq/dachshunds.html>.

Under the Grave

 Author's note: a stream of consciousness

It is Halloween night. My friends and I are sneaking around the graveyard. Gregory says this is a bad idea, but what does he know? My brother is always worrying and being a goodie goodie. I cannot believe I had to take him with me trick or treating. AGAIN. But that gives me a perfect chance to get back at him for getting me grounded. AGAIN. Gregory, Nikko (my best friend), and I jump over the fence, and as soon as my feet make contact with the ground, something eerily cold seems to pass through me. But we continue on. As wear near the gravestone we are headed to, the one we planted a trap in, Gregory gets more and more reluctant.

"Please stop!" he whines "We can just go home and trade the candy we already have!"
But I tell him

"You don't have enough candy to last the week. I told you, there will be more candy than your little heart could ever desire under this grave. But if you don’t want to come you can go back alone, but we're not coming with, are we, Nikko?"

"That's right, but I'm sure you'll be fine, zombies only like nine year old boys."

"But I'm nine!" yells Gregory.

"Ooh," fakes Nikko "We'll it was nice knowin' ya!"

We snicker and start to walk away, knowing Gregory would stop us and say

"OK, OK I'm coming! Wait for me!"

But he didn't.

And when he didn't, we turned around, only to find Gregory's spilled trick or treat bag spilled out all over the grass.

Panicking, I say

"Gregory this isn't funny, come out!"

Silence.

"Gregory?"

I can't believe it. He must be playing a trick on me. I'll be in so much trouble if I can't find him!

I turn to Nikko for help, but he's gone. I spin around in circles trying to spot either of the two, seeing nothing but endless graves.

Now the fog is getting thicker, stinging my eyes. The silence is ringing in my ears. There is no wind, nothing to carry my scream when I feel something grab hold of my ankle, and pull me under, into darkness.

                                                                               To be continued...