Beowulf

Projects

(The English IV Assignment)

PCS OrdersIn the state of Arizona on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, lives a junior student named Albert Martin. Albert’s father

happens to be in the Air Force. To the uninitiated, military life seems picturesque and exciting. Albert gets to travel, meet interesting people, and be a part of a close knit community. But unknown to the outside world is a monster so horrifying that it can change Albert’s life forever. This monster shreds memories, crushes relationships, and transforms lifestyles.

In a General’s office in a faraway land lies the monster, known as a Permanent Change of Station order or PCS order. This simple document is created by a group of Generals who decide the best job for Albert’s father. Unknown to Albert a wicked witch has been watching Albert and was jealous of his happiness. She hated to see anyone more content than her and plotted to sabotage Albert’s joyful life. She put a curse on the PCS orders. Without the Generals realizing it, she switched the regular ink they use to write the orders for a cursed ink that brings the document to life. Once the General finished the Martin Family’s PCS letter he left for the night. As the General left, the cursed PCS order came alive. The letter slipped out the door in search for the Martins.When Albert’s father came home the next day looking grim, Albert knew something was wrong. “Dad, what’s going on?” Albert said. “I need you to look at this letter” replied his father. Albert reached for what seemed like an innocent document and began reading. His heart dropped. The letter is an order to move from Albert’s home to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. “What!” Albert exclaims, “I’ve lived in Arizona my whole life!” “This is just a part of the job, military kids move all the time,” says his father. “But what about my friends, my school, and my life,” questions Albert? “You’ll make new ones, it won’t be too bad,” his father explains. Albert ran from the room and slammed his door shut. Despair, confusion, hopelessness, and desperation crossed his mind. He finally realized that this is the monster his friends have talked about. Albert has lived in Arizona his whole life, grew up in the same house, and attended the same school district for as long as he can remember. He looks upon his wall where all the

pictures of his friends stared down at him. All of a sudden military life didn’t seem so great.the same house, and attended the same school district for as long as he can remember. He looks upon his wall where all the picture of his friends stared down at him. All of a sudden military life didn’t seem so great.

As Albert was waging a mental war with his emotions, he didn’t hear the letter slip under his door. A shredding noise awoke Albert from his self-absorption. He turned around to see all the pictures of his friends shredded and sticking out of the envelope from which his grief originated. He turned to take a glimpse of the walls and everything began transforming around him. The walls shifted, paint changed colors, and the old pictures of his friends changed to strange faces. Albert became confused and realized he was in his new home in Nevada. “That happened so fast” Albert mutters to himself. Again he searched for the PCS letter that caused this and he caught its glowing eyes as it flew out of his room. Albert chased the envelope out of his room and got lost in the maze of his new house. Finally he made it to the front yard but he was too late. The envelope flew off into the night returning to the wicked witch as she cackled hysterically. Albert knew that the witch wanted to ruin his happiness but he was going to change his fate and enjoy his new life. Instead of seeing his move as a curse he thought of it as an opportunity to prove that wicked witch wrong.

spressa

It’s coming closer and closer, the images blur and become reduced to a slit of light between the upper and lower lid. Suddenly a whole new world appears where crime is unstoppable and fantasies come to life. “Ech hem. Maxwell there will be a chair in the office with your name on it if I catch you sleeping in my class one more time.” said Maxwell’s teacher in a booming voice that echoed through the mystical land, sending all of its inhabitants spiraling away. “Yes mam.” groaned Maxwell as he rubbed the last remembrances of the dream from his eyes. “Now, where were we? Oh yes, 1973 marks the day…” her words faded. Again Maxwell is ambushed by the evil fiend. This time the fiend attacks his ears first. The words of Maxwell’s teacher blur together until they are simply sounds being thrust away by the cloud of rest. His head teeters back and forth between reality and his dreams, eventually giving in to the beast once more. Who could stop the cloud of rest? Will there ever be a being so strong? Meanwhile on a distant coffee farm. A farmer began to harvest his precious coffee beans taking them off of their branches, inspecting them, and placing them in their new woven home knowing someday they would bring joy to millions. As the farmer made his way down the rows he threw the unworthy beans to their doom where they eventually decompose and become one with the soil.

The farther down the row the more imperfect the beans were. “This is unacceptable, why aren’t all of my beans perfect?” questioned the farmer as he grimaced at the acres of trees. Feeling flustered about his newly found problem he began his walk home. Just as he was near the end of the last row he caught a glimpse of a particularly small bean. This was the last straw; all of the farmer’s composure had dried up and began to crack releasing great anger. His blood grew hot and veins created mountains on his forehead. He ripped the bean from its life source and threw it with all of his might, “NO MORE SMALL BEANS ON MY FARM! SMALL BEANS ARE USELESS!” His complaint was so loud it rattled the trees and sent all living creatures fleeing for cover. Finally, he returned home and with the slam of a door his fit of rage was over.

The unusually small bean flew so far that it found itself at the bottom of the farmer’s well where it would sit for its short eternity, or so we thought. That night the air was misty and the moon and stars illuminated the sky. A sliver of this glorious light was able to reach the corner of darkness where the bean lay. Now the bean that once sat alone had its own spotlight. Showing absolutely no signs of stage fright the bean began to shake. Shake and shake it did until it began to rise from the bottom of the well. Before the bean could reach the top of the well it had transformed. It could breathe air and possessed a beating heart; perhaps this was Mother Nature’s way of proving the farmer wrong, “Small beans in fact are useful.” she might say to spite the man. Reaching the top of the well the living bean was doused in moonlight revealing every new feature. Although the bean was alive she was still quite small. She was entirely made of coffee related utensils ranging from filters to spoons. She possessed a coffee mug that had the ability to transport her to any desired location and provided an unlimited supply of coffee. The new hero picked up the mug to exam it and etched on the bottom she found the name Espressa. This name triggered Espressa’s instincts and suddenly her destiny was clear.

Maxwell’s head hit the desk seconds after he dozed off. The thought of going to the office was silenced by a much more interesting dream. Espressa spotted this damsel in distress and leapt into action. She gripped his eye lids and thrust them open, they sprang shut. Retreating in defeat was not an option. With her mug held high she shouted “I will not lose!” and tried again. This time nothing changed in fact his eyelids slammed shut even tighter than before. The wonders of the magical land within his head kept him mesmerized. Swiftly Espressa rushed to his lips, she wedged the edge of the mug in his mouth and began pouring warm coffee down his throat. The coffee raced to his stomach where it skipped digestion and went immediately through his veins. A surge of energy awoke the sleeping boy. His head flew from the desk and his eyes opened wider than they ever had before. When his gaze shifted downwards he saw a small fairy looking creature, “Who are you?” he whispered thinking a creature from his dreams had escaped. “My name is Espressa and I fight drowsiness all over the world.” Espressa proudly stated. “I must go my job is done.” As quickly as she had appeared she was gone, leaving Maxwell behind speechless. She was off to save the world.

The Grain Reaper The dark night falls upon the quiet farmVillagers sleep peacefully expecting no harmOut in the fields something shookBright red eyes begin to lookThe scythe glistened ever readyTo wreak terror by a hand steadyA monster so evil took to the nightOnly to disappear before a sign of light The golden plants blew in the breezeHe approached his victim with great easeAll that was left was ruined and tornAmidst the fields of wheat and cornMore had fallen at his handsAll across these quiet lands

 

One night felt more ominous than everThe ties of fate he could not severThis man, brave and true,Could not believe what his eyes now knewIf front of him a dark mantle shownIt fluttered gracefully in the wind blownHis bony skull glistened a brilliant whiteThe man knew it was his last nightThe creature raised its scythe of uncooked spaghettiBefore he could understand it was over alreadyHis body fell down upon the floorWhile his soul traveled on through another doorAnd as the pool of blood grew deeper and deeperSo lives on the legend of the grain reaper.