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Little Red

Once upon a time there was a little wolf. He was a cute little cub who was dressed in head to toe in red clothes, so the townsfolk called him Little Red.

One day Little Red’s mother asked him to go to his grandmother’s house to fix the barn roof. Little Red was uneasy about this, as he had never met his grandmother before and his some friends had told him she is a mean and cranky woman. Nervous, he set off to his granny’s house that was on the other side of the forest. Along the way he met an ogre by the name of Shrek. “Hello young wolf. Where are you off to today?” said Shrek. “I am going to my grandma’s house at the end of the forest”, Little Red told the ogre. “The woman that lives there is mean and nasty. Once, my friend Donkey and I went there one day and she set Donkey’s tail on fire!” warned Shrek,” so good luck.” and he headed off.

Little Red continued on his way when he bumped into the Gingerbread Man. ”Hi, young one, where would you be going,” he asked. Little Red explained again where he was going. “My friend, Puss in Boots, and I went into the house and she kicked us out. Have a good day, little one.” Puzzled and worried, he set off again and heard a strange voice. “Nice day, isn’t it?” said the voice. ”Who is it?” said Little Red, voice quivering. “ I am Hansel, and I have just been chased by a woman with a baseball bat from a house at the end of the forest.”” I am going to my grandmother’s house at the end of the forest, ” said Little Red, “ I hope it wasn’t my grandmother.” ”Anyway, have a nice day, wolf, my friend.”

Scared and worried by all three creatures’ comments, he went on his way. He got through the forest and reached a run-down, two-storey house. It was the only house as far as the naked eye could see. “This must be it,” he said to himself. He went over, knocked on the door and held his breath…

The door opened and out stepped an old woman with pale skin and dark black hair.” What do you think you’re doing here, young wolf?” said the lady.” I am Little Red and I think you are my grandmother.” So I am,” said the woman, “Come inside.” Little Red went inside and sat down. “ I’m Snow White,” the woman told Little Red. “So you’re my grandmother,” said Little Red.” Some people said that you are mean and nasty. Is this true?”” I am afraid this is true, Little Red. But would you be nice if people came in and called you an old hag all the time, expecting a beautiful princess. Plus, Prince Charming was two-timing with Cinderella, so he left. It hasn’t been a good couple of years for me, so I’m glad you came along, Little Red,” After he fixed the roof on the barn, Little Red and Snow White had dinner together.

Little Red said good-bye and went home to bed.

Oops, I almost forgot: They lived happily ever after.

The School Yard Bully
by Keenan Jones

It is always weird when a new kid comes into your grade. You sometimes don’t know if they are going to be your friend or become your enemy. But I knew straight away that this new person wasn’t going to be my friend…..

14/6/2001: We are in class at North Port Primary and the teacher has marked the roll. Then there is a knock at the door. The principal walks in and behind him is a new student. “This is Marty Rieder. He has come from Eastside Primary. He will be in 5/6 T for the rest of the year. Have a nice day,” the Principal said. Marty was fairly short, skinny and had yellow hair. At lunchtime I went up to him and said, “Hi, my name’s Alan.” ”What do you want?” Marty answered.” Nothing.” ”Well go away then,” Marty told me. With that I walked away. In class after lunch, I was sitting with my friends Jason and Alex. I told them what had happened.” I wonder why he said that to you.” Alex said. “I don’t know. I’ve only known him half a day and he already has a bone to pick with me, for some reason.”

The next day he wasn’t at school, the day after that or the next. Then I found out why. I overheard a conversation between a group of people from 5/6 W about how he was suspended on his first day. “He punched a Grade 4. The Grade 4 was knocked out cold.” I was shocked. Why would he punch someone he didn’t even know, let alone a Grade 4 kid? The next day he was back at school. He had gained a reputation as a person that 95% of the kids at the school wouldn’t want to meet. And worst of all, one of his friends from Eastside had come to join him. And the new kid (his name was Ricky) was in mine, Jason and Alex’s grade too.

At recess that day, Marty and Ricky were playing footy with some of my friends, Jason and Kane, after they just joined in. I went and asked them if I could join in. Marty answered,” We don’t let worthless pieces of dirt play footy with us.” I felt really bad after that, but I still wondered why he didn’t like me, or almost the rest of the school. After school I told my parents about it, and my Dad said,” I don’t like the sound of this kid at all. I suggest you stay away from him.” So the next morning I got ready for the school, thinking about the advice Dad gave me. But this walk to school would be the worst…..

I normally meet Alex at the corner of my street and Main St. This morning we were going to go to the milk bar to buy a chocolate bar for recess. I then saw Alex, on the ground and unconscious, with a cut and a fist-mark on his fore-head. To my horror, I saw Marty and Ricky walking off in the distance, laughing their heads off. Them! Why? These words and more were racing around the inside of my head.” Alex, can you hear me,” I said to Alex, as he was lying motionless. I whipped out my mobile phone and dialled for an ambulance. Soon, the ambulance arrived and took him off to hospital.

That day I was late for class. For the rest of the day I was in a sombre mood. I just sat with my friends Marcus and Jason. I just steered clear of Marty and Ricky, as I was livid with them. When I got home from school, I put bag on my bed and raced to the North Port Hospital. I went to the reception. “Hello, how may I help you?”” Which room in Alex Daverto in?”” He is in room A68. I knocked on the door.” Come in,” Alex said.” Hi, how’s it going?” I asked Alex. “Not bad, Alex answered,” But I still have a really bad headache.”” Do you know what happened?” ” My memory is a bit sketchy, but the last I remember is being hit and seeing Marty and Ricky running off.”” I knew it!” I said,” I think I will go now, try and get some rest. See ya.”” Bye.” As I left the hospital, I was left wondering. Why would he do such a thing? He has been at the school 6 days and has punched 2 people that he has barely even met.

The next day, before school, Marty and Ricky came up to me.” Where’s your friend?”” He’s not here.”” Why,”” You know why,” I answered. When we went to class, I told the teacher what had happened.” They what?” Mrs Trinter said, as livid as I was.” They punched Alex and knocked him out,”” I will have to speak to them.” After lunch, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker;” Alan Gurfler, please report to the office, Alan Gurfler. I went to the office, followed by the usual “He’s in big trouble” chants. As I got to the office, standing in front of me was Marty and Ricky, with the principal. The principal pulled me aside and said,” I know you told Mrs Trinter that they punched Alex, but they have both denied it.”” I went to see Alex last night at the hospital, and he said that he remembers being hit from behind and seeing them run off in the distance.”” Very well,” the principal said,” I will decide their punishment.”

THREE MONTHS LATER: School couldn’t be better. Marty and Ricky were both expelled and Alex is back to full health. Oh, and a new kid came into our grade on Monday. But it turns out Richard is a great kid.