"The following story written by a grade 2/3 student in October demonstrates an understanding of engagement, richness of word pictures, emotions and feelings."

The Sounds of the Night By Morgan

"Look at that buffalo! Did you see that buffalo? It looked like Aunt Mary!" I laughed.

"Maybe it was Aunt Mary?" Mom joked.

The smell of fresh cooked chicken filled the air. I got hungry, very hungry. I asked mom what we where having for supper besides chicken. Mom told us pumpkin pie and apple pie.

I went back to the window. This time I saw a deer prancing across the grass. Then I realized that a coyote was chasing it. The magnificent animals were going through the field in circles. The deer was trying to confuse the coyote. I could just make out a gopher popping out of its hole looking for food. Now I know that the prairie has very hungry animals.

I built a fire in the fireplace that made me feel safer than before. The house became warmer, much warmer. I started to get sleepy so very sleepy that I feel fast asleep curled up on the bear rug for almost thirty minutes.

All of a sudden I woke to a frightening howl. The howl echoed through the night. I speeded up the steep, steep stairs to throw myself into my comfortable bed. Under my quilt I tossed and turned to the sounds of the howl through the night.

The next morning I was too tired to eat. I had to drag myself through my morning chores; washing the clothes, milking the cow, feeding the chickens, collecting the eggs, bringing in the wood and plowing the field. By dinnertime I was so tired it was hard to drag myself up to bed.

That night I heard something quite different. It sounded like a yip. It sounded like a dog barking in the distance. The sound faded into the distance. That was the last sound I heard that night. I fell fast asleep.

The next morning, I heard a scratching at the door. I opened the door very carefully to find a lone dog sitting on the doorstep. Now I had a furry friend to keep the sounds of the night at bay.

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