Reila's Big Race

THIS IS A STORY I WROTE FOR A SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT WHEN I WAS 10:

Reila was a girl with dark brown straight hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her hair was kind of short and always tucked neatly out of her face with a headband. She was ten.

Reila was really hoping to win the big race next month, though there was not much chance of it. She had not signed up yet. She was going to go to sign up that afternoon. Reila loved races. Reila was a good, fast runner but she had a challenge. It was Mary. Mary was fourteen. Mary was a strong, fast girl who liked showing off. She won in all the school races and all the village races. She was also really selfish, unkind and actually did not like races so much. Reila hated Mary’s unkindness and selfishness and meanness.

Reila walked on. She was thinking about the race and so did not notice Mary running swiftly past. “Let’s see who gets there first!”  Mary shouted over her shoulder.

Reila ran as fast as she could. Mary, as always, beat her. When Reila got there, Mary was already signing up. Reila signed up too and went back home.

After she had lunch, Reila ran to the track to practice racing with her friends. When she got there, her friends, Tracy, Denia, Emily and Rachel were waiting for her

.

“Shall we start?” she panted as she ran up to them.

Tracy grinned. “Looks like you already did.” she said.

Reila laughed. “I guess so. I had to hurry. I was going to be late.”  She faced the playground track and jogged in place.

“I can’t wait! I want to go! Come on!” Reila took Denia’s and pulled her towards the track. “Also, if we don’t practice, Mary might win!”  Reila added. That set them going. They all ran to the track and as always, Reila got there first and they started running at once

.

Suddenly, Reila stopped. “Whoa!”  Tracy cried. She was right behind Reila and almost bumped into her.

“Why did you do that?”  Tracy cried.

“Do you suppose Mary will win?”  Reila asked. She didn't seem to hear Tracy.

Tracy frowned. “I hope not, I don’t like her.”  She said.

“Neither do I.”  Reila, Denia, Emily and Rachel replied.

There was a moment of silence. “Well, let’s hope we win this time.”  Denia said finally.

Reila took off again. She ran around the track and her friends followed. They practiced until sunset in silence. All of them were concentrating as hard as they could.

When Reila got home, she went to her dad and said, “Dad, I want to… to… to talk with you after dinner.”

Then she washed up and sat down to dinner. Everyone was silent. Dinner was a silent meal.

After dinner, Reila’s dad took her to her room and said, “Reila, what’s bothering you? Tell me!”

“Um…I… I… I… I really don’t know what to do! Mary is so fast! How can I ever defeat her? I don’t even like her!”

“It’s okay, maybe you will like her. Make friends.” Her dad replied.

“How could I make friends with Mary?!!!”  Reila cried suddenly. “She is so overconfident and mean and…” She suddenly burst into tears.

“It’s okay, just try your best! Don’t be sad, cheer up!”  Reila’s dad said. "You might win!"

That made Reila feel better, but she still wasn't sure. She wiped her eyes and went to bed, thinking about it.

When she woke up, she had decided. She would race. She would practice. Maybe, she might also win.

Practice. Reila raced with her friends every day and got faster every day. She was getting real strong, but she still couldn't win against Mary, even though she tried hard.

“You still can’t defeat me, slowpoke!”  Mary shouted as she ran past. Some girls laughed. Reila was going home and she knew she would not be able to run with her backpack. 

Still, she decided to try it. No use. Not with her backpack.

It was a week before the race. ‘Time goes so quickly.’ Reila thought. She was upset. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't beat Mary. Suddenly, Mary was behind her and she was yanking Reila’s hair! Reila snatched it away and went home, thinking of how rude that was.

Reila didn't have time to think about that, though. The race was coming! She was enraged at herself and at (almost) everyone because she still couldn't beat Mary. She had to beat Mary!

It was the day of the race. Reila woke up, and put on her racing outfit. The race was going to start at 9:00 am and the racers had to get there at 8:30 am. Reila willed herself to try not to get her hands shaky and sweaty. She ran to the track.

Coach Hairshy was there. She greeted Reila warmly. Reila gave her a nervous smile. Reila sat down and then, after five minutes, everyone got up to warm up. Reila was so shaky, she could barely stand up. She managed to stand and then took a deep breath. She felt calmer. She started to warm up. She jogged, ran and ran.

It was 9:00 am, race time. Reila felt numb as she took her place on the line. She again took a deep breath and felt calmer.

“Ready, set, go!” Coach Hairshy cried.

Reila ran as fast as she could. She raced past the other racers and caught up with Mary. She ran and ran. Mary was still a bit ahead. Reila couldn't keep up! Reila suddenly had a determination, a will to win. This gave her energy and she suddenly was beside Mary. Mary looked surprised. Reila didn't have time. The finish line was just there…

Reila suddenly had that wave of determination again. She shot forward and crossed the finish line, just in time.

No one cheered. No one clapped. They were too shocked. Mary was too shocked. Reila was too shocked. Then, there was applause, people cheered and clapped. Reila was proud. Her parents were proud. Everyone was proud.

Reila realized that if you practice, work hard and believe in yourself, anything can happen.

The Cat Who Went To Heaven

The Cat Who Went to Heaven is a wonderful book. It is written by Elizabeth Coatsworth. It is a short tale about a poor Japanese artist and his cat.

One day, the housekeeper of the artist goes out to the market to buy food. She returns home with a cat. The poor artist is not happy. Soon he realized that the cat is very good and they named her Good Fortune. Good Fortune is a gentle, loving, polite and well mannered cat.

Then one day, a priest from the temple comes to their house and tells the artist that he was chosen to paint a scene from the time when Lord Buddha died. The artist thinks and puts in animals after animals in his scroll of silk. He works on the painting for many days and the cat sits beside him watching him paint. He paints a picture of snail, swan, elephant, horse, monkey, bull, dog, tiger and deer. It is shown that the animals came to receive the blessings of Lord Buddha. He paints and with every picture, the Good Fortune becomes sadder because he was not painting a picture of a cat. The artist couldn't see his poor cat sad any more. So he finally, knowing that the cat only, of all animals, refused the teachings of Lord Buddha, painted a cat. 

Then, when the priest hears that the painting is finished, he comes to see it. But when the priest sees a cat in the painting, he is so angry; he decides to burn it publicly the next day. Overnight, a wonderful miracle happens.   Read the book if you wish to know!

There are some really wonderful illustrations in this book. Every animal the artist draws is illustrated separately and there is kind of small story every time an animal is drawn. 

 There is a really good illustration near the end of the book of the whole painting. 

Elizabeth Coatsworth is really good at poetry too. There is a poem at the end of each chapter and they are absolutely wonderful.

 Here is one poem:

'She’s sure to starve,
She won’t grow fat,
No dinner tempts
Our little cat!

All day I follow,
All day I cry,
“Come, pussy, come, pussy,”
As she goes by.

But she will starve,
She won’t grow fat,
It’s always that painting
She’s looking at.

All day I grieve
To hear her cry,
“Miaou, miaou,”
As I go by!'

So, go and enjoy the book! 

My Hiking Adventure

Click on this link.  My Hiking Adventure!