The rubbish bin murder

My name is Fergus Darwhale, and this is my story.

Part One.  The Begining 

It stared at me and I stared back. I could hear my heart pounding as I walked slowly towards the big green bin. I held my breath and wrenched open it's putrid jaws. This was it. The moment of truth. Everyone was there, watching as I tested the legend of the old man that lived in the bin, only coming out at night to murder small children.

 One of the seniors, the one who had a notebook with every date a child had gone missing since 2004, was scribbling frantically, recording my crazy act of bravery. The kids started to shout, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1 !!!"
I forced my eyes down and saw... a black hole. Everyone held their breath.
"The bottom leads into a tunnel!" I shouted.
Kids surged forward, eager to see the tunnel.
"It's true! It's really true!" The kids swarmed around chatting excitedly.

"WAIT!" Ann Burnscathe, the control freak, stepped forward. "Who will go in with Fergus?"
"I'm going in?!"
"Of course you are! It's your mission. You don't want to just be known as the person who opened the bin, do you?"
"No."
"Good then. It's all arranged. But who will go with him?"
The class idiot, Rex Slickdun stepped forward.
"I will."
I was glad, because although Rex wasn't too rich in the smarts department, he was very strong and could easily hurt an old man.
"I will too."
Everybody gasped. Nora Wallace was one of the prettiest girls in school, and no one could figure out why she of all people wanted to risk her life to go down a muddy hole and chase a murderer.
"Why do you want to go?" Susan Longhawk sneered.
"Why should the boys have all the fun?"
All the girls nodded, chatting among themselves.
"I shall go too." Susan said with a decided nod.

Ann looked around, with that look in her eye she got when she was about to launch into full organizing mode.
"Hey! You guys are boy scouts right?" She shouted at a bunch of boys who nodded in return. "Go get all of the skipping ropes you can find in the PE shed, start making a rope and hide it under the bushes for tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow?" One of the boy scouts asked.
"Well you can't possibly expect them to just jump in without any preparation, can you?!" Ann scoffed
They all ran away without another word.

Next, Ann turned to a group of kids.
"Tomorrow, you will bring extra lunch for the adventures to take with them OK?!"
They all looked very scared and nodded.

Ann then swivelled around to face a pair of girls.
"You guys can do Karate, yes?," They nodded. "You can teach them some moves and show them some basic warm ups."

"Done yet, Ann?" Susan asked, sounding a little worried.
"Nearly," Ann then turned to the rest of the kids, "Bring whatever else you think might be useful."

Last of all, she turned to me, Rex, Nora and Susan.
"Eat a good breakfast tomorrow, wear old clothes and raincoats, go to bed early tonight and remember to say goodbye to your family."

With this sentence the realization of what we were going to do dawned on us. I mean, who do we think we are? Four crazy kids who found a hole in a supposedly haunted rubbish bin and planned to go in. This might be the last time we see daylight, let alone our families.

Suddenly, my bubble of thought was popped by a voice saying,
"What about their parents?!"
Everyone went quiet.
"Well...," Ann started, "tomorrows Friday, so why don't we just tell them that your sleeping over at each others houses?"
Everyone cheered.

That night I wanted to stay up to spend time with my family but, for once, when mum told me to go to bed, I didn't object. 

Part Two.  The Vote

The next morning, I ate so much breakfast I felt I would pop. I also dressed in my oldest clothes. In my bag I packed:
1. A Torch
2. A Raincoat
3. My sisters longest skipping ropes
4. Gloves
5. A note book and pen

When I got to school, a few kids ran up to me holding a tightly sealed envelope. I put down my bag and ripped it open.

Fergus,

Please make your way to the Library ASAP.

When you get there, Tammy and Scott the Librarians will

take care of the rest. The password is Fossil. See you soon,

Ann

I pocketed the letter and ran to the school Library. When I came in, Tammy and Scott rushed over. They pointed at the door of the conference room. The conference room is the place where teachers and students can book a thirty minute meeting. I knocked on the door.
"Password." A muffled voice called.
"Fossil."
The door creaked open and Ann's stern little face peered up at me.
"Come in Fergus, we have been waiting for you."
"Sorry, mum couldn't find the car keys."
"Hmmmm. Well, hurry up."
I stepped in and Susan gestured to a seat next to Rex.

When I was seated, Ann clapped her hands once.
"Right, lets get down to business. Tammy!"
Tammy poked her head in the door.
"Yes, Ann?"
"Go and get the Karate girls."
"Yes, Ann."
After a few minutes, Tammy returned with the girls.
"Everybody, meet Grace and Ruth." Ann announced.
We all chorused in 'Hi". They answered shyly back.
"They will help you learn the art of self defence."
And they did. To this day I can still preform a few moves.

After Grace and Ruth left the room, Ann sat everyone down again.
"Good. Tammy!" She shouted.
Tammy popped her curly head in the door.
"Yes?"
"Go fetch the lunch kids."

A few minutes later, four kids were pushed into the room.
"Welcome!" Ann smiled. "Lets see the selection."
A girl named Morgan put all of their lunch box's on the table. She told us what they had in them.
"We've got four of everything. There are Apples, Donuts, Juice box's, Water Bottles and those little box's of Trail mix."
Ann nodded happily, thanked them and waved them off.

Later, at lunchtime, as I tied my length of skipping rope around my waist, I looked around at the scene that lay before me. Nora was posing on a red beach towel for the secret kids newspaper. Rex was lifting weights while the Splitskin twins giggled and blushed. Susan was signing women's rights pamphlets. Nobody paid attention to me.

 Except, maybe I was wrong! I felt a light yet firm tap on my shoulder and spun around. Ann stood before me holding a clipboard.
"Are you ready?"
"I guess."
"Well, I have some news."
"What?"
"You might not have to go down the hole after all."
This was news to me.
"Has the adventure been called off?!"
Ann shifted on her feet nervously.
"Um. Well it's more like this. We have a replacement for you."
"What!?"
"Kurt Bashwell is going in instead of you. Well if the kids vote for him."
"A VOTE!?"
"Yeah. You and Kurt will each have time for a speech on why you should be the one to go, then the kids will vote."
I groaned. Kurt was perfect. He got everything he ever wanted. I was going to lose.
"Why is Kurt suddenly battling me for the chance to go down a dank sewer after a creepy old man?"
"The Rugby team threatened to beat my brother up.'
Ann sighed. Her brother Rob was in the same year as us. He was skinny and weak and couldn't even win a fight with me.
"Fine. I'll do it."
Ann brightened up.
"Lovely. Go work on your speech."

Speech

 

I have nothing to say.                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                                     

                                                                                

 

 

 

"Today we decide who will go in to the hole with Nora, Rex and Susan," Ann shouted, "Kurt and Fergus will each have time for a speech where they will give their reasons for being the winner. Then you will go to the voting desk on the left of the playground. First up will be Kurt. Good luck to all!" Kurt stepped onto the 'stage' (Which was a sturdy bench) and cleared his throat.

"Hello, everybody. My name is Kurt, you may know me from the Rugby team. I would like to have the extreme honor of leading the adventure into the legendary bin because I am a fast runner." He finished with a smug smile and stepped off stage.
Everybody went wild for his stupid, up-himself speech. Ann was pulling me toward the stage.
"Um. Hi. I'm Fergus. I'm the kid who opened the bin. I think I should be the one to go down the hole because....because....because, when was the last time a nerd got to do something. So what if Kurt is a fast runner, it just means he can run away and leave you all stranded. I can sort out the map of the tunnel or tell you what to do if someone is exposed to a rare virus. So, what I'm trying to say is... vote for me because I am a worry wart nerd."
The crowd ERUPTED with applause! I felt amazing.

About fifteen minutes later, Ann ran over to me and squealed.
"You won!"
Everyone kept coming over to congratulate me and Susan, Rex and Nora said that they were glad it was me because otherwise Kurt would have turned it into a story where he saved everybody or something like that. Today was my day, and nobody was bringing me down.

Part Three.    

This is what we trained for, I think to myself, This is the moment, your time, my palms are sweaty, you can't back out now. 

I look at all the faces around me, the faces I have been seeing for the last five years of my life. The faces that have been crowded around in the hall ways, lined up in the cafe. Ann's talking to me now, asking if I'm ok. Her face is lost in a fog. Huh, funny, I never noticed that she has a tiny spot just below her left eye. 

"Fergus! Fergus! Are you ready? We've decided that you can go in last 'cause you look a bit green. Is that okay?" Ann's face suddenly swims back into view, everything is clear again.

"Um, yeah, that sounds good." 

She looks concerned but doesn't say anything about it. 

Susan, Rex and Nora walked over and handed me a walkie talkie. Susan starts to talk. 

"Um, keep this with you no matter what." 

"Thanks." I replie, strapping it on my belt.

"Anyway, we realised that none of us really know each other soooo, we were going to go to the rope swings and talk for a while. Do you want to come?"

"Sure!" 

When we got there, we sat down in a circle and talked about our favourite stuff to do, eat, read, watch and play. I found out that when you get Nora away from all of her popular friends, she is actually pretty down to earth. And Susan can whistle REALLY loudly. Plus, Rex is fairly smart and rather good at knots. At some point, Ann came and joined us and , strangely, she was really relaxed and happy. Eventually, she looked at her watch and stood up.

"Sorry guys, but we have to go now." 

We all stood up and went to claim our destines.

                                                     Next installment coming soon  

                                                                      

                 

    

                                                          

 

         

quick thoughts on our new way of Learning

My dog Hamish written by Isla

One of my goals is to make a plan of ideas and put in to a paragraph

Choosing Learning in Room 11

The Rubbish Bin Legend...

Everyone. Even me knew that rubbish bin was evil and here is proof...


My name is Percy Fawcett and I tell this from up in the sky, the heavens...
          
It stared at me and I stared back. I could hear my heart pounding as I walked slowly towards the BIG GREEN BIN... I drew in my breath and held and I wrenched open its putrid jaws. This was it the moment of truth to see if the legend is true. The legend about children diapering into this terrorize monster, whenever they go to put rubbish in the bin. Everyone was there watching my CRAZY act. Slime oozed from its sides and made me cower, but I was forced to open it. All I could see was darkness and two frightful eyes staring straight back at me. There was a scream. My scream. I was being dragged down... down... down... to it's murky depths. I was practically being savaged by two frighting arms. Everything goes black. I have no idea what happened except that now my family, friends and everyone else that knew me were crying I didn't know why especially when I was there alive with wings on my back. Oh well I never really understood them and their ways.
 
My name Percy Fawcett is now in the book of History in the 'CRAZY act of bravery' department.





                                                       By Percy Fawcett

 ~ Evette ~ Horses   

Personification writing ~ Liam

He stares at me with an ugly look. The horrible stench of his breath comes out as he opens his mouth.               

Online Fraction Games for 3rd Grade - Jelly Golf, Fishy Fractions, Balls

Online Fraction Games for 3rd Grade - Jelly Golf, Fishy Fractions, Balls

Working on our Dragons - Thanks Mrs Smith

 Starting on our paper mache Dragons - REALLY!! And we are having so much fun Mrs Smith took these photos. Come in and see how they are looking ....

Need help adding fractions - See Gregor

Gregor's explaining how to add fractions - videoed on the IPad

Adding fractions from room eleven on Vimeo.

My writing changes.

This is what my writing use to look like

It was messy and rushed !










And this is the change...

I took my time and did it properly

What is Labour day??

 What is Labour Day??

 A public holiday or day of festivities held in honour of working people, in many countries on 1 May.

Liam's paper mache dragon

.

My Party By Janelle

My Party

On Friday I had my Birthday Party at Simple Wish. Kaelyn, Kate, Bonnie and William came to my Birthday Party. First we opened our Presents. We played musical Statues and Music chair. We had food and cupcake. My cupcake is yummy.

 

 

 

 

Paper mâché dragons

Children act to counter 'stupid' destruction

 Are the People who did this displaying our school values?

R - Respect
I - Integrity
S - Susutainability
E - Equity

Children act to counter 'stupid' destruction
TARA SHASKEY Last updated 05:00 19/10/2013

LAMING IDIOTS: New Plymouth District Council parks manager Mark Bruhn surveys the damage after vandals torched a feature in Pukekura Park's new playground.

Vandals attacked Pukekura Park's new playground only hours before its official opening yesterday.
Council officials were horrified to discover that plastic covering a climbing feature called the New Zealand Wave had been set on fire during the night, damaging ropes and fittings.
About 150 people gathered at the play area yesterday morning to test out the new equipment despite the mindless vandalism.
The event opened with a blessing from Trent Martin, of the Ngati Te Whiti hapu, who urged all of the children present to hug a piece of equipment in the playground for one minute.
He told the children to think a happy thought while doing that to offset the negative act that had occurred.
"Who better than you children to replace that negativity with your innocent minds," he said.
In her first day as deputy mayor, Heather Dodunski revealed the new plaque, which marked the playground's opening.
Ms Dodunski spoke about how angry she felt about the "stupid" vandalism. She said all of the hard work that had gone into the new area should not be overshadowed by the senseless act.
Ms Dombroski said she had fond memories of when she was younger, playing at the park's playground with her grandparents and sister: "This really is a playground for the generations."
Three-year-old Joel Stobbie was ecstatic to test out the new water-feature after months anticipating the opening.
"He's been watching the progress all winter," Joel's mother, Rebecca Stobbie said.
Ms Stobbie, who said the playground would be a popular spot for her family this summer, said her son was aware of the arson attack that had taken place.
"He asked me if the police were going to put them in jail," she said.
"It's really sad. I just can't get my head around who would vandalise a kid's playground."
New Plymouth District Council parks manager Mark Bruhn hoped the equipment would be repaired within five weeks.
Mr Bruhn was unsure of the costs to repair the structure at this stage or where the money would come from.
"Until we work out costs we wouldn't be able to ascertain the funding source," he said.
"It needs to undergo a full assessment and be checked for any structural damage."
He said it was dependent on how many segments of rope would need to be replaced and some parts would be sourced from Europe.
The playground's revamp had been underway since June and has cost a total of $560,000.
Tara Shaskey is a Witt journalism student.

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Deep Ark 6 - Epilogue

                                                      Epilogue
                                                         pg 124

We lie on the warm sand, my dad and I. The waves lap gently at our bare feet. Above us, seagulls circle lazily and the mashed-potato clouds slide across a plate of blue sky.

The island has never looked so beautiful. I have never been so happy.

After we buried poor Octo Serp, Hammerhead took the Sea Slug back to DA6 and I stayed on the island. I felt no fear at being left alone. For five days, I was the king of my own domain. The place was teeming with bird life, tropical flowers and trees and I explored every part of this amazing paradise.

                                                  pg 125

I even learned to climb the tall palm trees. At the top, I found strange, giant nuts. I knocked one to the ground and it split open. Inside, it was pure white and full of clear juice. I guzzled it until the sweet fluid ran down my cheeks. I'd never tasted anything so delicious.

At night, I built a fire of driftwood and cooked fresh fish that I caught in a net the skipper had left me. Basin City and my underwater world seemed a very long way away.

On day five, the Sea Slug returned. When Dad and Old Joe climbed out of the hatch, the looks on their faces were something to behold! I'd never seen my dad so happy. The smile never left his face. And Old Joe actually did a jig for joy on the beach!

I knew how he felt.

"I'm going to set up a hamburger joint, here on the beach. I'll call it Island Joe's," he said.

I found Dad staring out to sea at the end of the bay. "I wish your mum were here to see this," he said sadly. "She loved the sun and the sand."

"She is here, Dad." I squeezed his hand.

Then we walked along the beach together and

                                            pg 126

I told him about everything that had happened. The words just poured out: finding Octo in the hold, the snakes in the crates, discovering the Surface ...

"One thing still tugs me though," I said,

gazing out at the Sea Slug bobbing at anchor in the bay. "I still don't know why that boa turned on poor Octo like that."

Later that day, I asked Hammerhead the same question. He smiled knowingly, then took something out of his pocket and passed it to me. It was one of DA6's snake remote controls.

"I kept this little souvenir ven ve left DA6," he said with a chuckle. "And this, too." It was a small homing device. "Your dad said all the large vorms had microchips inside. So I figured all I needed to do vas plant this homing device on Serp. Ven he broke open the tank, I simply pressed the button and the vorm did the rest. It vent straight home to Mamma!" 

Dad stands  and brushes the sand from his

                                                                           pg 127

shorts with a puzzled frown on his face. "Rom, I've just thought of something," he says. "What happened to the snakes that Octo stored aboard the Sea Slug? They weren't there when the skipper returned to DA6."

I stand next to him and point to the jungle behind us.

"What use is a paradise without snakes?" I say, looking Dad square in the eye.

He looks back at me in astonishment and then turns to the jungle. A huge smile spreads over his face and he laughs so loud, a flock of rainbow-coloured parrots squawks up into the clear, blue sky.

My name is Rom. I'm twelve years old, I live twenty metres above the sea on a tropical island and I always see the sun.

Deep Ark 6 - Chapter 10

                                                Chapter 10

                                                     pg 118

Hammerhead and I spend a cold, miserable night locked in the forward cabin. Not even my joy at seeing the Surface and the mysterious island can blot out the dread I feel as I think of our likely fate.

We can hear Octo down in the hold. He is talking to his snakes, his children. The man is clearly bonkers, but he's also cruel and cunning

"He won't let us go back," I whisper to Hammerhead. "As soon as we've helped him release those snakes on the island ..." I let my words trail off into thin air.

The skipper's eyes flash with fire. "Ve're not done for yet, boy. This is still my ship and old Hammerhead's got a trick or two up his sleeve."

                                                                    Pg 119

I doubt it. Octo has all the cards stacked in his favour.

The morning sun is blazing through the dirty porthole when I awake with a start, wondering where I am. Looking outside, I marvel again at the blueness of the sky, the sparkling green water. Suddenly, something drops from the sky. I leap back, startled.

"It's just a seagull, boy!" says Hammerhead with a grim laugh.

I watch it flap away towards the island.

"I've only seen pictures of birds back in Basin City," I say.

A loud banging on the metal door interrupts us. It's Octo. "Arise and shine, my worker ants!" he 

shouts, as he turns the key to let us out of the cabin. "Time to release my children from this stinking 

tub!"

Hammerhead's fists bunch up, but he says nothing.

Outside, we see that Octo has been busy. Red

                                                                  pg 120

barrels line the chart room and galley. The air is rank with diesel fumes.

"What's he up to?" I whisper to the skipper. His eyes are like slits in a furnace grate.

"Those are fuel 'barrels. He's planning on having a fireworks party — and I'll bet you and me vill be on top of the bonfire?'

My heart sinks. So that's his plan. Once we've carted the snakes across to the island, we'll have served our purpose. Then he'll blow the sub, and us, sky-high!

Octo smirks at us, like.a crocodile watching its prey. "We'll start with the emerald tree boa. I know you two have met before, Skipper!" he says, laughing hideously.

I expect Hammerhead to react violently, but he simply nods and heads down to the hold, meek as a lamb.

Maybe he's given up all hope.

Octo has already opened the largest of the crates. Inside, coiled in a tank like a giant green hose, is

                                                                pg 121

the emerald boa. It looks at us with dead black eyes, its tongue flicking in and out.

"Oh, my beauty, my sweet one!" coos Octo, patting the plastic tank, which stands as tall as his head. "Not long now and you'll be home!" He opens the top and the boa's head rises up.

Then something gross happens. Octo kisses it! As I watch in horrified fascination, Hammerhead is suddenly whispering urgently in my ear. "Get back into the engine room now! And close the door!"

"But what about you?"

His bulging eyes blaze. "Just do vat I say!"

I dash back into the engine room, slamming the metal door behind me. The last thing I see is Octo spinning around with the flare gun in his hand. Then the door bangs shut in his face.

I can hear his angry laugh.

"What good will that do you, kid? Open the door or I'll shoot!"

"I vouldn't do that, Serp," I hear the skipper say. "This sub is a rusty fuel tank — one flare and the whole lot could go up. You and all your snake children as yell!"

                                                                 pg 122

Octo hesitates. I know his cunning mind will be racing. "I have something more persuasive than a flare, my bug-eyed friend," he says. And I hear the sound of a ,crate being toppled and breaking open.

He has pushed over the boa's tank! The huge snake is loose in the locked hold. Hammerhead will be crushed in its deadly grip a second time. And here I am, helpless to save him once again!

Octo's hysterical laughter rings out, followed by a scream. "No! No! NO00!"

What should I do? What can I do?

The scream has turned into a choking cry. There is the terrible sound of thrashing and kicking. I have to help my friend. I don't care what Octo does to me. Grabbing a wicked-looking spanner, I pull open the door and burst into the hold.

The sight I see there stops me dead in my tracks.

Smashed crates lie tumbled about on the deck.

                                    pg 123

The hideous green boa is coiled in the corner, wrapped in a vice-like grip around its lifeless victim. I run towards it, raising the spanner above my head.

"Skipper!" I cry. "Can you hear me?"

A voice comes from behind me. "Of course I can hear you, boy!"

I wheel around, hardly believing my ears. It's the skipper! I turn back to the boa and stare at the limp figure in its horrible grip. "Octo Serp?"

Hammerhead nods his head grimly. "I am afraid so, boy. Now let's get this hold locked up tight before that big green vorm decides it vants a second course!"