This is a story that I wrote in 6th grade. We were supposed to write a Halloween story and this one's mine.

The Emberling
By: Cara (Me)
This book is dedicated to my classmates who at least tried to draw the front cover. (Actually, I'm not sure some people tried, after all, Grant, some people made six toes.) Malina, thank you for designing a back-cover summary.
Illustrations by: ?????? ???????????? (Feel free to attempt to draw the front cover. I will put all art submitted at the beginning of this, so nobody feels left out, and I will give the drawer credit, don't worry. Let's get started!)
Chapter 1
"Mom! I'm going outside!"
"Ok. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Ok!"
I walked outside. We lived in a cabin surrounded by pine trees that towered at least fifty feet in the air. I could smell the fresh air. I stretched. It's been, what, one month since I have been outside.
I haven't been able to go outside because I have been grounded. Mom knows I love going outdoors. I got grounded because I went out of the woods. That's a big deal. Trust me.
Anyway, I decided to go in a different direction. Turns out, in this direction, there is A LOT of space without pine trees. Or any trees, really.
I stumbled on something sticking out of the ground. I looked down. It was a worn down gravestone.
Chapter 2
"Thanks, mom for dinner," I muttered with my mouthful.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Lizzy, to not talk with your mouth full?"
"Um. lots?"
"Exactly. And?"
"And don't chew with your mouth open."
"Right. But do you ever listen? No," mom sighs.
For the rest of the night, dinner is silent.
"Time for bed," mom says just a little bit too loud.
Since I live in a family of five, bedtime is a little rough.
"But mom, I don't want to go to bed!"
"But mom, I don't want to go to bed either!"
"Ok. I'm going."
I could hear mom begging the others to go to bed. I climbed into bed and pulled up the covers. It was always chilly at night here. Before I knew it, I had slipped into a deep sleep.
Chapter 3
In my dream, I found the gravestone again. It went like this:
I'm running. Why am I running? I have no clue. Oomph! What was that? I looked behind me. The gravestone? What? I looked around. Why are there so many gravestones? This doesn't even look like a cemetery OR a graveyard. Not that there is a difference. Wait. I remember seeing I remember only seeing one gravestone. Not however many there are here. "Lizzy. Lizzzzzzy. Lizzzzzzzzzy. Meet me here at-"
Then I woke up. Awful, huh. I stretched and looked at the clock. 5:30. Perfect timing. I got up to get breakfast. I could just SMELL the delicious omelets with their melting cheese and the sizzling eggs and the ham in them. Then I winced. Last time we had omelets, mom wasn't paying attention and mine got burnt. And she made me eat it. Yuck.
Dad was already gone for work. When I bit into my omelet, I found out it wasn't burnt, but it was undercooked. I spit it out.
"Mom!"
"What?"
"You didn't cook this enough!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want me to cook you another one?"
"Yes please, and pay attention! I don't want another omelet that's burnt."
A couple minutes later, I bit into the perfect omelet, with its cheese coming out and hot, it's ham warm, the eggs perfect.
"Mom, I'm gonna go get the eggs from our chickens."
"Ok."
Chapter 4
I ran to the gravestone. I looked around. There was only one gravestone. Maybe this wasn't the spot haven't explored it all, yet. I found a river just a few yards away. It wasn't wide, but it sure looked like it had depth. I reached my hand as far as I could without falling in. My arm was pretty long, and I still couldn't feel dirt or rocks. Wow. It's deep! I went home and got a twenty-foot stick. I jabbed it into the river and it was still going. I put my arm in the river, too and it was still not enough. Now I'm definitely never going swimming in that water.
"Mom? Do you know anything about the river just past the gravestone?"
Mom and dad exchanged nervous glances.
"Should we tell her?" Mom asked dad.
"Well it's too late now you already blabbed about it," Dad replied and rolled his eyes.
"Okay sweetheart, we've been trying to keep this from you, but since you found it, it's too late. Someone died there last summer."
"And I didn't know? You know this town can't keep secrets."
"Well, now you know different. Everyone in the town knew about it- except the kids under twelve."
"But I turned twelve right before school started."
"We know, we know, but we just couldn't tell you"
"Who died?"
"Kids? Bedtime."
"Yes mom," they replied in unison. Apparently, they had been listening intently.
"I'll go to bed too," says dad.
After everyone was in bed mom told me more.
"Well, who died she was your cousin. She fell in and- I'll tell you more tomorrow."
" But I want to hear it now!!!" I whined. I begged and begged and begged until she told me more.
"All I have to say right now is follow the fungus that glows bright green at night. Do not go out tonight. I'll let you go out tomorrow night, ok?"
"Ok. I promise."
"Good. Now goodnight."
"Goodnight."
I looked in the mirror before I went to bed. I hate my long, red hair. My amber eyes could be better too. I'm taller than everyone else in my class, and I'm only thirteen! I'm also thinner than everyone. My skin is almost white. It's also really smooth. I'm glad I have contacts because the people in my class that have glasses look like nerds. Wow. I think next year, I will be ready for class picture day.
"Go to bed!" I hear and hurry into bed.
Chapter 5
The following night mom came into my room.
"Ok. Do you remember?"
"Remember what?"
"That-"
"Oh! You mean the bright green mushrooms. Yeah. I remember. But when tonight?"
"Midnight. That is when they glow the brightest."
"Midnight!?" I said a little too loudly.
"Shhh!" She said sternly.
"Right. Sorry. But where will the mushrooms lead me to?"
"You will be gone at least one day. Don't worry, you won't need any food."
"But where do the mushrooms lead to?"
"You're going to keep asking me, aren't you?"
"Yep."
"Ok, then. I need to give you directions anyway. Follow the mushrooms alongside the river and keep going until you come to the abandoned bridge."
"Wait, but I didn't see any mushrooms when I was there by the river. Are they invisible or something?"
"You didn't see them because they are transparent. Anyway, as I was saying, do not go on it. Fireflies will try to take you over there. Do not go over there. On the other side of the river, there will be an abandoned mansion. It got burned down some years ago. Anyway, keep going on. You will find a whole graveyard. There will be an old hobo. Give him a piece of food. Otherwise known as the fungus. Collect as much as possible without getting rid of the path. When you give him the fungus, he will give you a piece of his beard. Take it and wave it around the fireflies. They will follow it. Lead them to the fungi. They hate the fungi because they are poisonous."
"The fungi?"
"Yes."
"Then...how does the hobo survive?"
"Um," mom glances around nervously. "I don't think he does."
"Then why don't I just bring him regular food?"
"Because he would die either way."
"Oh. Ok."
"Anyway, lead the fireflies to the fungi and make them land on it. Then, poof! They will be gone. After the fireflies are gone, give them to the hobo. He will then give you-"
"Wait. The same hobo or a different one? And why would the hobo die if I gave him regular food?"
"The same one," mom said impatiently. She ignored my second question. "He will give you a lantern and a cloak. Take the cloak and drape it around you. The lantern will be lit, so turn it off. Then follow the fungi back to the bridge. I know I told you not to cross it, but you have to when you get there. Go to the burnt house. Get the one thing that's not burnt." She looked up at the clock. "Its time for you to go."
"Bye mom, love you."
"Love you too. Be safe!" She called after me.
"Ok, first find the glowing fungi."
After I found the bright green mushrooms and followed them for a while, I came to the bridge.
All of a sudden fireflies came out of nowhere. "No," I said. "You are not going to lead me over there." Then one of them bit me. "Ow!"
After that, I considered them a threat. And I ran. When I finally stopped, there were no mushrooms to be seen. Not even regular ones. I saw a light. It was just beyond my sight to see what it was. What if it was one of those nasty fireflies again? Well, I had to take a chance. I ran toward it. It was an. wait, what? It was an eye? A red-eye.
Chapter 6
I was trying to run away and I was well past the point of exhausted. I needed to stop. But where? I was looking around to see where I could go when I saw a house. It had a light on. I ran toward it as fast as I could. I burst open the door. Then I slammed it shut.
It was five minutes later when I finally looked at my surroundings.
"Well hello," creaked a raspy old voice.
I looked around. There was nothing to be seen.
It must be my imagination.
But it wasnt, thats for sure.
Chapter 7
When I finally found the trail again, I was super nervous. After all, I had gone through in the last couple of hours, who wouldnt be? Anyway, I found the trail of glowing mushrooms and followed it again. I'm not even sure I was going the right way. But I would have to take the chance. I couldnt help but fast walk.
"Oomph!"
How many times am I going to do that?!
"What do you want," whispered an old voice.
"Oh thank goodness, its just you." I sighed. I came here to give you some food, for exchange-"
"For a piece of my beard, I know. You are not the only one who has come and asked me for one."
"Who else was here?"
"A girl about your age."
"Really? Because I dont know of any other girl that is my age. Theyre all either older or younger."
"She came one year ago exactly."
I pushed that thought out of my mind.
"So, what do you want for a piece of your beard?"
There was a moment of silence. A long moment.
"Um are you still here?" I whispered.
"Yes, but hurry and take this. I will not be here much longer."
He gave me a piece of his beard. I ran to the bridge with the fireflies.
"Here fireflies, here fireflies!" I called as long as possible.
"Theyre fireflies, not cats," whispered a voice. I ignored it.
"Come here fireflies!"
I saw one tiny light. I stepped toward it. "Here fireflies, here fireflies."
Suddenly a whole bunch of fireflies came out. I ran toward the mushrooms. They followed me. When they landed on the fungi, their lights went out. I cant remember if mom said only one firefly or all of them. I brought them all, just in case.
"Here, take these," I whispered to the hobo. I looked around. I saw a lantern that glowed almost as bright as the light of mid-day. Beside it there was a cloak. I draped it around my shoulders, as told. I also turned off the lantern.