STRANGE DAY IN JULY

I wrote this story when I was 6, during the library Summer Reading Program. They gave us pictures, and we had to make up a story to go with the picture. These pictures are part of a real life mystery! To find out more about them, read "The Mysteries of Harry Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg. My story:

William picked up a skipping stone and threw it hard. It skipped halfway across the river. He picked up another one and threw it further. He picked up a third stone. He threw it with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back! Just then, his sister April cried," Do you hear that, Willie?" William listened. He heard a girl cry out. "Where's it coming from?" Willie asked. Suddenly a girl appeared on the other side of the river. She had golden hair and blue eyes, and wore a long red dress with a yellow sash. She had a yellow ribbon in her hair. She looked up. "I'm sorry if I frightened you," she said in a sweet voice. "I know it's not every day you see a ghost." April gasped," Y-you? A ghost?" The girl nodded. "I was drowned." "How awful!" said William. "What's your name?" "Jennifer," the girl replied. "What's yours?" April answered, "I'm April and this is William." She stared at the girl. Suddenly a voice called," April! William!" "We gotta go now," said William. He was already running toward the voice. "See you," called April as she followed her brother. Halfway up the hill she stopped and turned around. The girl was gone. So were her footprints. Puzzled, April turned around and thought, "Was it all a dream?"

Copyright 1996 by Chantessy