FINAL+STORY

Chesca-Second Draft

I woke up to the sound of the paper boy throwing the weekly London Times newspaper at my small house’ doorstep. I read the top of the page, to check the date: December 11, 1852 “Already!” I mumbled to myself. its going to be christmas soon, and that means that William is going to give me one of his crazy inventions... Oh JOY! i thought to myself sarcastically. William Ashmore is my best friend here in the London slums. William is my only friend because I usually look down on the other people, they are just so despicable and grubby unlike me. I have curly brown hair that looks like angels weaved them with all the love in heaven, and my face that looks like God sculpted it himself! Talking about my face my eyes are ocean blue, my lips curled into a permanent smile, and my nose the perfect measurements. I am probably the most handsome, beautiful, and gorgeous man living in the slums, or maybe in the whole of England! I look down on the other people because they are just not as handsome and gracious as me, and i shouldn’t be forced to live with that, I mean I’m so much better than them. But the reason I’m friends with William is because he’s the only one around here that really likes me. Suddenly I felt oddly hungry so I grabbed some the cheap eggs I bought at the market, and put them on the stove william had given me for christmas. The stove was a shiny metallic color, and ran on electric gas power (something William had invented instead of using steam power like the rest of the world.)I put the eggs on a frying pan and turned on the strange stove. As the eggs were sizzling on the stove, I saw the flames licking the side of the pan. I went to turn the heat off but when I touched the nob, I felt a shock run through my arm. “Blimey for the love of the queen! William your inventions are absolutely terrible!” I exclaimed out loud even though there was no one around to hear it. I reached my hand out to turn it off, and succeeded. furious, I stepped out onto the cobble street, and headed for Williams house. I reached William’s doorstep,and knocked on it angrily for I could still feel the electrical shock through my arm. On the inside I could hear metallic things banging about, until finally William opened the door. “That didn’t take long at all!” I said sarcastically, and looked William from head to toe because he was wearing an absurd white apron, broken glasses, and his blonde hair messy and very unattractive. “I’m so sorry Ronald, do come in.” He said, now aware of how odd he looked. I stepped into his house, and saw all of William’s wacky inventions, metal bit and bobs. I looked to the right, and saw a huge machine with flashing lights, which was beeping obnoxiously. “Ronald what is this?” I asked curiously. “That my friend, is a cloning machine I made. It doesn’t work yet, but it will.” he assured me. “Of course, and why are you making this?” I asked “Well, the extra magnetic field is investing on...” He continued explaining, but I barely listened. I was more interested in the thing on the shelf that caught my eye.

Leila- Second Draft “Hey Will, what’s this over here?” I asked from across the room. In between all of the knobs, metal and gizmos there was a little creature on the shelf. I had noticed it from far away as a small piece of fabric. The colors looked faded and old as if the puppet had been very old. “I picked it up a few nights ago when I was looking for some extra parts by the river. I thought I would bring it back here and clean it up, though I could have sworn that I had left it in the back…” Will, my best friend and mad scientist, had the most peculiar things in his shop. From the roof there hung small metal birds that cooed if you pulled a string and on the walls were small buttons that did the most terrible things. Odd metal contrapositions lined the walls and most of them had a foul burning smell coming from them. “Come on Ronny, you don’t really want that do you?” I stared at the puppets small gray eyes. They were almost a complete opposite to my own dark blue eyes. Not just that, but it looked old and ugly with its thinning hair, unlike me with my dark hair and young body. Had someone made him to look like that? It must have been a cruel puppeteer for he made such an ugly little thing thing. “It is exactly what I want. I have been looking for a pauper for my puppet family and this is just the guy. How much for him?” “Not a cent. It wouldn’t look very good for me to be selling such cheap things now would it? Just get it out of my shop, it smells a bit funny don’t you think?” Will eyed the thing like it was an evil relic. As if the apartment didn’t smell awful already. Will walked to the back of the store looking for a small bag so the puppet didn’t stink up my trousers. “Thank heavens for you. I’ve been lying about doing nothing for ages. My shoulders are quiet stiff,” Ronald whirled around thinking he had gone insane, but no, there it was. The small puppet was sitting up right and was massaging his shoulders. “Excuse me but, are you talking to me?” I asked feeling more than a little silly. “Well who else would I be talking to? Your not the smartest are you boy?” The small puppet eyes Ronald up and down. “Yes you’ll do just fine,” the puppet said to himself. “Anyway, what’s your name boy?” “Ronald. Ronald Wikermyer,” I stammered. “And what is it you want most, Ronald Ronald Wikermyer?” “Money I suppose.” This was absurd ! A puppet was talking to me and I was going along with it. If Will sees me, I can only imagen what he would think. “Then it is money you shall get.”

<span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Second draft : Juliana

<span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Once back at my small drab apartment, the puppet, who had been silent in his bag on the way home, jumped up and stood, slowly rotating in place, as he took in his surroundings. “Heh, I’ve definitely seen better" he said, once through with his inspection. “Once we are through you will know surroundings much nicer than this". Then giving a small jump, and clapping his little wood hands together he gave a cry of excitement and said" Allright! Let’s start with our plan." <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Plan"? I asked. "wich plan? <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">He shook his head in a disappointed manner. "Do you not want to be rich"? He asked. <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">" Well of course i want to be rich!" I answered. <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"That is why we need a plan!" <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Oh, ok." <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">After getting this straight, the puppet and I sat at my small table and thought, although I wasn’t sure what exactly I should be thinking about. After a while the puppet turned to me with a triumphant little gleam in his small black eyes. "My dear sir" he proclaimed to me, "I, Albert the puppet, have now got a plan to make you rich, and I shall be darned if it isn’t a good one!" <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Really? I asked, leaning towards the puppet, whose name seemed to be Albert."Go on! Tell it to me!" <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Well, I am a puppet, yes? And you are a puppeteer, yes?" H said pausing for me to answer and then speeding on when I dint. "It is simply logical that we have a puppet show then!" <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"That your plan?" I asked, a mite disappointed. “I’ve done many puppet shows, and I’m not rich at all!” <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Oh, but wait" He said lowering his voice, a strange little smile on his face. “You have never had a puppet like me. How many other puppets can dance and sing and talk all by themselves?"At this I finally got what he was talking about. With him as my puppet I would have the finest puppet show in the entire city! <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“That’s a wonderful idea!”I exclaimed. “Let’s start at once!” "Well, then." He said, the unsettling smile still resting on his painted lips, “Our first show must be free, just so people realize who we are” Seeing the disappointed look on my face he quickly added “Don’t worry, my dear fellow. One free show is no price to pay compared to the riches we shall soon reap. All we need is an audience! Any audience!” <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Six hours later I was standing I the middle of a small square in the middle of the slums. It wasn’t really a square, more of a tiny clearing amidst the squalor were the poor people of London made their homes. It dint matter, really, seeing as I had a small wooden platform set up, and all I needed were people to watch the show that was going to happen there in a few minutes. I looked around. So far my only audience was a few drunks and one or two street urchins. <span style="color: black; font: 12px/12px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Free show!' I yelled “Come one, come all!" and after a few of these yells I started to attract attention. After a decent sized crowd had gathered around my platform, I grabbed Albert from under it and jumped up on to it. Then, just as Albert had instructed me to do I called out “Welcome! Now I introduce you toooo... ALBERT!" At this the puppet jumped out of my hands and standing at the very edge of the platform looked out on the audience. “Hello all you lovely people!” called Albert in a singsong voice.”I hope you enjoy my performance today!” With this he proceeded to give the most marvelous performance, one full of song, dance, gymnastics, and even a few magic tricks involving a scarf and some cards. I stared at him as he did this, just as amazed and exited as any in the audience! Once done, He called out “We shall have another show soon! Tell your friends and family about us, Albert the puppet, and Ronald the Puppeteer”! He then performed one last back flip into my hands and became as limp and motionless as any puppet, except for his left eye which gave me a quick wink.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Aitana 2nd draft <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Back home, I took the puppet out of the bag an put it on the shelve. My house was a bit messy and dirty, the shelve was the only place where I wouldn't lose the puppet. While putting it on the shelve, I noticed something strange about it, but it didn't matter to me, because I know that with my new puppet show I was going to become rich. <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"So, what's your plan?" -said the puppet, acting like it was already my friend. <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"A puppet show..." -I said <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"A puppet show is going to make you rich?" -asked Albert, the puppet <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"It's not going to be a simple puppet show. You are going to be in it, Albert. It's a puppet shout with a talking puppet..."-I explained to Albert <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"That sounds good."

<span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I still felt something really strange about Albert, the puppet. Something evil about it, but I had no idea what it was. <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The next day, unsure about what I was going to do, I started to prepare for the puppet show. I put some chairs and a little tent on the middle of London town. A little later, a few poor people started to come. I decided to start the show with that little crowd. The show began. Ten minutes later, the people was already enjoying the show. The talking puppet and I were apparently good. An hour later, the show was over. Every single person left the place happy. Some even donated some money. <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 12px/19px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">"Our first show was a complete success." -I said to Albert.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sarah final draft

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I was making lots of money and life seemed to get better with time. I increased the number of shows and Albert was becoming a star, sometimes I wondered if I was even necessary. My surroundings changed drastically as Albert predicted. I went from living in a one room drab and depressive "apartment" to a bright and spacious three bedroom house, every one in the slums started making up their own little puppet show with the hope of succeeding like me. Unfortunately everything has a price and mine seemed to be pain, a terrible radiating pain that was invading every single part of my body. “Albert I am starting to feel stiffness in my hands and my legs are weak” <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“I’m sure its nothing,” said Albert not fully convinced <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Why was Albert's answer so unsettling?Does he know something I don't? I realized I had dozed off into deep thought when Albert came before me and started making hand movements to get my attention. <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Hello are you listening? I'm sure it's nothing trust me" said Albert <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I nodded with difficulty mostly due to the pain I was enduring but there was also something else bothering me right now I feel like I can't trust anyone, especially a puppet. The next couple of performances drained me out; I could barely walk, my speech seemed forced and I had to drag myself to and from the stage. “Enough” I said to myself and decided to go to the doctor. Doctor Reid the best physician in England is a young,tall,blond haired man with deep blue eyes that reminded me of my old self.He has to know what's the matter I reassured myself as I walked into his office. "Good morning what can I do for you?" he said with a deep yet sophisticated voice. <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Well I've been experiencing some stiffness throughout my body especially around my back" <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Hmm stiffness you say have you been working to hard?" " well if you consider being the best puppeteer in town hard work then yes" <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">" Oh I see sorry about that Mr puppeteer,lets take a look."He came up with a couple of theories but nothing conclusive. I seemed fine but I wasn’t. “I just don’t know” the doctor said frankly. I put on my waist coat and top hat and with a thank you set out on my way home.I felt even worse because if a doctor couldn’t figure it out then who could?

=
Daniela:

<span style="font-size: 1.03em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Doctor Reid told me I just needed some rest and to take a break from the puppet shows.When I got back I saw Albert, looking better than ever. I thought maybe it was just my imagination and he probably only looked better to me because I looked worn out in comparison since I was so exhausted. I knew it was just because I was working to hard so I headed to my room to get ready to sleep saying to Albert "I might not be able to do the show for a few days. The doctor said i needed to take a break and get some rest. Goodnight Albert!". But before I took two steps Albert shouted out. He said "don't listen to that old fool he doesn't know what he's saying! I thought you wanted to become rich!" I said to him "Well I do but I don't want to risk my health. Look at me it's like I haven't slept in weeks! I feel like an old man." But Albert quickly replied saying "What are you talking about you look perfectly as good as the day I met you! If not better! That old man doesn't know what he's saying you just need a good nights sleep. No need to cancel any shows". "O.K." I said thinking maybe it all just is in my head I mean I really couldn't look that bad Albert was probably right. So I went off to my bed but not before catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror in the hallway. I thought I saw what looked like a worn out old wrinkled face but I knew it was just my imagination so I ignored it, though I still felt uneasy, and went to sleep.

<span style="color: #808000; font-size: 1.03em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Joseph Draft 3

<span style="color: #808000; font-size: 1.03em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The next day, after getting a good rest, my back didn't feel any better at all. At least there was one good news: Our puppet anniversary was coming up soon. I went to the theater, as usual, trying and succeeding to please the giant audience. As I was preforming, I saw through the window a carriage pull up on the sidewalk. A lady stepped out, her two initials stitched on her robe in gold: C.W. Charlotte Walker. She was the governor's daughter, a very wealthy and arrogant man, almost like the Queen herself. Everyone in town knew about the famous Charlotte Walker. She was well known for criticizing important events. She was like an extra judge. When I finished the show, I quickly went backstage with the puppet. "Albert, I want to marry Charlotte Walker." "What?" He replied, "I want to marry Charlotte Walker, but I'm not sure if I could. I mean, look at me! How did I get this ugly? I used to be handsome and clean, but not anymore.... " I sobbed, "Oh that's nonsense! You still look as amazing as ever! nothing has changed......." Or so he wanted me to think. "Thank you, Albert. I won't let my self - esteem go any lower. I shall ask her to go backstage with me tomorrow, and we can have some tea together. The puppet grinned behind my back, except I could see him through the reflection of the window.

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A few months have passed since that visit to the doctor. My back still hurt but that didn’t stop me from going to my show. I walked towards the stage and then I saw her. Charlotte. The governor’s daughter. I have talked to her for a certain time now and we are great friends but my feelings towards her are very strong and I want to take a bigger step. ======

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As I see her coming towards me I feel this funny feeling. Like as if it were butterflies in my stomach. Albert stared at her and started to talk by himself “she’s perfect. Her hair, eyes, face, body figure.” ======

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I turn my face to look forward and in just a second, Charlotte was getting inside of her carriage. I ran as fast as I could to reach to her before she got inside, but it was too late. She got inside and the carriage went away. I take a look at the carriage that within seconds was gone. With a great disappointment, I look at myself in the mirror. ======

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Maybe Albert was right. I haven’t changed at all.” I thought in my mind. I slowly walked towards the stage looking at the horizon thinking of her and what should I do to propose. Finally when I got to the stage, Albert suggested “I have been thinking of how you and Charlotte could be just more than friends, you know..” ======

Right away, I took a pen and paper and wrote, “You’re cordially invited to the best puppet show in town. Sincerely, Ronald.”
-Roberto Luconi 2nd draft My dream is going to become true, I only need to make this show and the governor's daughter, Charlotte will be my wife because I will take her backstage and ask her to marry me while she is hypnotized. This is the perfect plan. I feel a little nervous but I can manage this. I have noticed that I am becoming very old and wrinkly while my puppet Albert becomes new and shiny. Maybe Albert is...

"Hey Ronald what are you doing? It's show time!" said Albert interrupting my thinking. Well, it is show time so I'm going to get started . I opened the curtains and I made the show. I did a very well job hypnotizing everyone including Charlotte. The show ended and my heart was beating as fast as a drum. I saw Charlotte getting up to come here but the I heard a voice behind me saying in a really creepy voice,

"Don't get so exited Ronald..."

Orlando Urroz "This is great, my show is about to start and I bet I'm going to hit the jackpot in this one!" I thought to myself. When I stepped on that dusty wooden floor the first thing I noticed was the governors daughter, Charlotte. "Ok, ok, keep your calm Ronald, you can do this, breathe in, breath out, it's just like a normal show, it's gonna be cool." I thought. With the crowd cheering and Charlotte sitting there surrounded by guards, waiting, Albert whispered to me, "Ok, there she is, now the only thing we have to do is hypnotize her." I then felt a deep feeling of mischief, and treachery. I slowly nodded my head and started the "show." Suddenly everyone fell asleep, including the governor's daughter. Suddenly, Charlotte picked up her head and got up from her seat in a snap. She then started walking towards us, only weirdly like if she was a controlled puppet. When she finally was right in front of me, I took that moment to kneel down and ask her if she wanted to be my wife. She only nodded her head slowly and stood there. I put the ring on my hand and showed it to her. Without a reaction, she looked at me, well not really at me, almost like through me. I grabbed her hand and placed the ring around her finger.

= Scene 5 Orlando Urroz Draft 2 There I was, behind the bright red curtains from the stage, rethinking my final big show, it was my time to shine. My restlessness caused me to trip over the rugged wooden floor, through the curtains and on to my puppeteer booth. I tried to get up from the floor but for some reason for a second I froze and couldn't move! Laying on the floor I started getting more and more worried about the show. "Hahaha! Clumsy puppeteer! C'mon lets all give him a round of applause!" Albert thankfully chirped. I then rapidly got up to see my oh so beautiful Charlotte sitting on her cushioned chair, standing out from the rest of the crowd. Of course, this could of been caused by the four dangerous looking guards surrounding her seat. "Lets get the show started then!" I encouragingly rooted on the stage. I picked up Albert from the floor, and held him in front of the crowd. "Behold, the live puppet! What ever happens, never start wondering how I'm doing what I'm doing, for you'll never figure it out!" I said to the crowd. Then I just set Albert on the ground and let him do what he did best. After the show I stood backstage, counting my money. Then something caught my eye. I saw Charlotte, standing, looking her best, as always. After a whole lot of thinking, I decided to walk up to her and just talk. I began to get up from my chair, when...TAN TAN TAN!!!!! = =-Saunon FINAL Draft= ==== I was backstage reviewing my plan to make sure I knew what I was going to do. I was very nervous and my heart was palpitating, but then I remembered it was going to be Albert doing most of the work. I took a deep breath and exhaled, relaxing myself and trying to get rid of my nervousness. But that didn't help much, and then Albert told me, "It's time Ronald, we've got to start now,". And then I grabbed the puppet and head out to the front of the stage. As I slipped out through the stage's red curtains and into my puppeteering booth, I looked at a crowd of about one thousand people. The theatre belonged to the government and had a very nice rustic architecture. The walls were painted a pale beige with ancient Roman designs on them, and in the back section of the theatre, there was a fairly large portrait of Queen Victoria. This was the moment of my life that I had been waiting for and I was extremely excited, yet I felt a shadow of sorrow and mischief crawl over me while I dropped by head down knowing that, I Albert the puppeteer, was about to hypnotize some one thousand people. But then I raised my head, took a deep breath, and started the show, the way as I had planned, and soon, within no time, the audience was hypnotized. ==== ==== When the show finished, I was relieved to be done and I was very excited because I knew I had finished a job well done. Then I glanced at Charlotte, the governor's daughter and thought to myself, "She looks like quite a fine lady,". She had warm blue eyes, and silky brown hair that seemed to blow in the air without the use of wind. That night, she wore a long red dress, with sparkling diamond earrings that looked quite expensive. After that first impression I decided to head over to her. As I was only a few feet away from Charlotte, I heard Albert say, "Sorry, we had a deal, nothing's for free, and your time is up," ==== ==== "Wait what do you mean!?" I cried totally flummoxed of what he meant. Then right after that, before I even knew it, my body started to slowly shrink, and went through a whole physical change. Every inch I shrunk, I seemed to be getting harder, which theoretically was happening; I was becoming a puppet while Albert was becoming human. As I became a puppet I went through a lot of pain, a very strong back pain that didn't seem to want to calm down. I glanced to see Albert, but instead of a puppet I saw a young, muscular handsome man, and when I looked back at myself, I saw an old, shaggy puppet. Once I had turned into a puppet I felt paralyzed; completely stiff and unable to move. It felt as if somebody had drained all of my energy and that I was so weak I couldn't move. Albert started talking to Charlotte in a flirty way, which really got me mad. Then I heard Albert say to Charlotte, "Hold on dear, I have some business to take care of, I'll be there with you in a moment,". And right after that, Albert snatched me carelessly off the ground and then threw me in a garbage dump that was in the old smelly alley behind the theater. The alley had three garbage dumps, which was the source of the smell, and had a scary feeling in the dark, foggy night. The exterior of the theatre was made out of brick which was nothing like what I had expected, and the building to the left of the theatre was also made out of brick. I looked at the street expecting to see the gas lanterns lighting up the street like a Christmas lights, but because of the thick fog, I couldn't see anything. Then I heard the door of the theatre close, and I knew it was Albert who had left. "Huh, what a selfish man, leaving me to rot in the garbage dumb, and running away with my supposed lady," I thought to myself. ====

Rafael M: Ronald sees charlotte approaching in slow motion with her hair waving and her eyes sparkling with the stage lights. Ronald starts drooling and nervous but at the same time worried because he was getting uglier and uglier, when he looks in the mirror he doesn’t know who it is because he wasn’t like that. Minutes before charlotte arrives in slow motion Ronald starts talking his nerves out to Albert but Albert has a weird sinister look so Ronald stops talking and asks him “what happened Albert?” “You really don’t know?” “Why do you think your getting uglier….” Said Albert in a sinister way “What are you talking about Albert, what is happening?” Said Ronald in a worried voice. “okay ill explain it to you, I’m not just a puppet like you noticed, but there is something else, I was human before but this weird stupid girl wanted to kiss me and I didn’t let her and she through a cast on me and I turned into a puppet. She said that one day a man would pick me up and the only way to return to human was absorbing his energy as he touches you and you will be a handsome man again and he will turn a puppet. With only you touching I absorbed your energy and you turned uglier and I turned handsome. In a matter of seconds you will turn a puppet and I will turn human, sorry bro.” said Albert. Suddenly Ronald turned an ugly puppet and Albert a handsome man. Just when charlotte arrived Albert was human and started talking to her, they fell in love and Albert invited her to dinner. Just before leaving Albert picked up Ronald and through it to the streets.

-Santiago Neira 3rd draft “Perfect!” I thought as the final curtains had closed. The multitude of people had risen out of their seats, hooting, hollering, and clapping. Some were throwing roses, while others just kept clapping. I tried to get up when my legs stiffened, and I almost fell. “I must be getting old” I thought, but I knew this wasn’t true. A year ago, I had been lifting wood and helping Anthony and now all I could do was sit and handle puppets. Then I remembered, today was my one year anniversary with Albert. It had been a successful year, going from wooden platforms in the streets, to royal stages in the castle. I slowly walked to the puppet room for my bones felt stiff as wood. My skin was sagging and I felt my hair falling every day. My body’s aging seemed to have sped up over the years like my life was put in fast forward. I was at the door of the puppet room when my thoughts were interrupted. There she was, the love of my life, the one who would soon hold my hand in marriage, Charlotte. She hadn’t seen me yet, or recognized me, because we had never really met in person. I had sent a message for her to come back stage and she seemed to be looking for me. My hand released its grip on the handle, and I turned my body. That’s when I got a huge cramp in my arms, and I couldn’t move them. I took a tentative step forward, and almost fell. “What the...”I started to wonder but I felt the same cramp on my neck, and I immediately could turn my head. I tried to move my legs forward but they wouldn’t respond and I was still in the same spot. I was now panicking, “Charlotte” I tried to yell but nothing came out. I didn’t control my body now, my vision went black, and I was sure that as I fell I heard Albert’s voice cackle as he said “Ronald, boy, you think all those puppet shows and riches were free? No, no, my boy everything comes with a price, and it’s time to pay up.” Suddenly, I could see again. “Phew” I thought, “what a scary dream I had”. I tried to look down at my body, but I was still staring forward. “Nooooo” I screamed as I realized there hadn’t been a dream. I was really immobilized. I couldn’t do anything but think and see. But what was the reason. What happened to my. Did I die? I started to weep, when a flash cut my train of thoughts. Before me stood a blue eyed, muscled and blond haired man that looked a lot like my puppet Albert, next to a beautiful woman…Charlotte? “Someone found me”, I thought “I’m not doomed” a part of me thought. “So this is your famous puppet Albert” she said looking at me but talking to the man. “Wait, what did she say, I’m not Albert I’m Ronald” I thought. But then my eyes adjusted more, and I could see they were huge. The walls of the puppet room seemed to have spaced out and the marionettes looked life sized. The man then spoke “Yes dear there he is, Can you go up to the restaurant while I put him away?” “Of course” she answered and left us alone. “Who are you” I asked but again, nothing came out. “Why am I here?” “Why is everything so big?” A million questions came out of my mouth as I started panicking again, fear crept up my throat as he crouched, grabbed me and lifted me up. “Poor, Ronald, so confused and scared.” He grinned. “You will soon understand” he snickered as I felt my self being pushed by a force into a soft material, and being carried away.

2nd draft noah

getting shrunk and stiff is the worst thing ever. i hope i never forget the pleasures of being a human, when i was handsome and had possibilities but being a puppet left me useless i can only hope to be a human and go back to my glorious moments of humanity. my arms hurt and my back is killing me but there is a few things i can move like my eyes and mouth.

i see a person walking towards me, i see him walk past me he has black hair, dark eyes, about 5 feet tall, and wearing a suit. i call out for him. "who's talking" "me, down here i'll help you but you need to pick me up. What is it that you want most?" "money"