In Class Exercises

We're in Danger

We hid behind the door without making a sound. I could hear her heart pounding even louder than mine. Our parents left two hours ago and said they would be back in the morning. Why can we hear footsteps coming from the kitchen? Every crash and bang makes us jump as we hold hands and pray for them to just go away. We want to call the police, but our phones are in the other room. One wrong move and we could be dead. We hear another voice, our robber is not alone. How many people? We have no idea. What if there are more waiting outside? How did they know the house would be open? Have they been watching us? I shift my weight and the floor creeks. The banging in the kitchen stops. We hear a man make a “hush” sound and I put my hand over my mouth. We can’t move. We can’t breathe. The intruders make their way up the steps in our direction. As they approach the top step, my sister sneezes. The men stop moving. They tip toe to our door. They hover just outside and wait for another noise.


I'm really excited.

My mother sat me down in the kitchen, holding something behind her back.

“I have something important to tell you, and I hope you feel the same way about it as I do,” she said to me with worry in her eyes.

She held out a card and I accepted it with shaky hands. I opened the envelope carefully as if it were made of porcelain. On the front of the card was a tiny white stork soaring over houses in a dimly lit town. I felt the tears rush to my eyes. I opened the card, barely seeing through foggy tears and made out the words: “We’re having a baby.” I leaped up from my stool and rushed over to her.

“Oh thank god, Taylor, I thought you would be upset,” she shouted as she grabbed me like I’d be away for years.

We stood in the kitchen, holding each other, as tears of joy streamed from our eyes. I was 14 years old and always wanted a younger sibling. I was finally getting my wish.