HadenA1213

apples, pen, house, keyboard, water bottle, box, desk, timer, stress, friends, problems, alone, band, clarinet, fingers, people, nice, mean, wish, birthday, playground, party, driving, tests, books, trees, mountains bushes, **waterfall**, creek, outside, pray, grass, spring, allergies, sneeze, party, swing, read, music, quiet, mother, father, divorce hard, baby, mansion, grandmother, cow, farm, chicken
 * Brainstorming**

A girl named pen) wants (to go to a party) because (all her friend will be there) but ( her parents are forcing her to go on a family camping trip.)

by Abby Haden
 * Pen**

“Pen! Could you please bring your sleeping bag and duffel down to the car, we’re leaving in ten minutes!” Pen’s mother hollered up the steps. There was no answer. Pen’s mother clambered up the steps her gigantic belly making it hard for her to walk. She got to the big door with the “DO NOT ENTER” sign taped across it and knocked. “I’m not going!” Pen hollered not opening the door. Pens mother sighed. “We’ve been planning this trip for months, honey. I’m sorry you can’t go to your party but this camping trip is going to be the last family trip that we’re able to go on before the baby’s born” “I don’t care about the dumb camping trip or the baby! You never let me do the things I want to. I’m not going!”

Pen sat in the car wedged between her little sister Bell and the family tent. The family dog Dorcus lay sprawled across her lap. He was so big that he didn’t fit very well and kept moving around to try to get comfortable, and every time he moved he dug his claws into Pens legs. He also kept drooling all over her which was disgusting. “Why couldn’t we leave the dog at home?” Pen grumbled. “Not Dorky!” Bell exclaimed rubbing Dorcus’s head and making him slobber even more on Pens new pants. Pen’s phone buzzed in her back pocket. “Was that your phone?” Bell said. “Because you can’t use phones while were camping,” “I can do whatever I want!” Pen retorted pulling her phone out of her pocket. The “new message” screen flashed briefly and then the “no service button appeared”. Pen stared at it in disbelief. “Are you kidding Me!” she exclaimed throwing her phone into her bag in frustration.

“Ok, everybody, on three pull your pole and pop your peg,” Pen’s dad called out. Pen looked at her pole and the little piece of tan fabric she was gripping. There was no way that this was going to make something that she would be willing to sleep in. “One, two, three.” All of a sudden the fabric pulled away from Pen in all directions. She could barely hold on. She tried pulling it but it wouldn’t budge. This was so dumb she thought. Pen let go of her fabric and pole and the entire tent collapsed. “Pen!” her family screamed. “Ooops,” she said.

The camp site was outlined by a small stream that gurgled with the water popping as it hit rocks along the way. The water was so clear you could see pebbles on the bottom and ice cold fresh from a waterfall that crashed in the distance. The pine trees that lined the campsite and stream swayed in the gentle wind sprinkling Pen’s hair with a coat of needles. The wind blew with a small chill as it often does in early November. Pen sat in her cozy camp chair staring into the stream mesmerized by the beauty of it all. Pen smelled the smoke from a campfire drifting towards her and it reminded her of sitting around the campfire as a little kid and teaching Bell how to roast the perfect marshmallow. Pen smiled at the thought, but her brain stopped her, reminding her that she wasn’t supposed to like this and forcing the ever apparent grimace back on. “Pen!” Bell called galloping towards Pen with a huge smile on her face. “Mom wants us to gather twigs for the fire.” “Do I have to?” Pen grumbled. Bell’s face fell. Pen noticed and instantly regretted what she had said. “I guess I’ll come if you want,” She consented. Bell smiled again. “Yay, let’s pretend we’re Indians!” “No, way!” Pen replied

Pen didn’t understand how she was supposed to sleep with the annoying crickets making so much noise and with Bell clinging onto her for warmth. However Pen must have because the next thing she knew her father was shaking her awake. “Pen, your mom’s in labor,” her father said. “What?” “I need to take her to the hospital. You and Bell need stay here. I’ll arrange for someone to pick you up tomorrow.” It was too much to comprehend. Pen nodded and fell asleep.

“Where’s mom and dad?” said a voice in Pen’s ear. Pen opened her eyes. She was snuggled right up next to Bell and they were hugging each other for warmth. “Uhhhh,” Pen said “I had a dream that they had to go to the hospital because mom went into labor but they’re probably just out by the fire.” “I have to go to the bathroom” Bell whispered. Pen liked the warmth of Bell beside her and didn’t want her to leave. When Bell got up, Pen almost called to her to stay for a few more minutes but decided not to at the last second. Pen watched Bell leave the tent and heard her walk outside to the campsite. “Pen?” “Yeah,” Pen called “The van’s gone.” Pen jumped up and ran outside. Could her crazy dream have actually been true? Pen looked all around the campsite for any trace that her parents were still there, but their suitcases and books we all gone. “We’re here all alone” exclaimed Bell in disbelief. Pen looked over at her little sister. She could see worry creep across Bell’s face. “Don’t worry, Belly” she said. “I’ll take care of you”. Bell looked up at Pen and smiled. Camping was a much harder than Pen thought it would be. She remembered doing chores when she was younger but she hadn’t bothered to help the last few times that they had gone. Getting the fire going was the hardest. Pen and Bell had to make five fires before one actually worked. Every time a fire failed they ran into the woods to gather more twigs and pretended that they were Indians. Pen didn’t know how to cook any the food in the cooler so she and Bell stuck to marshmallows and chips. Pen and Bell explored the campsite all day and when they got back their Uncle John was there to bring them home. As Pen disconnected the clasp from the pole on the tent she found herself impressed that the tent had actually worked. On the way back to the house they were even more squished then the ride to the campground but Pen hardly noticed. When they stopped at the house on the way to the hospital Pen checked the answering machine and found a message saying that the party that weekend had been postponed until the next weekend. “That’s great!” said Belly walking into the room. “You will get to go to your party after all.” “Yeah, whatever,” said Pen, “I was actually thinking of finishing the camping trip in the backyard next weekend, so I probably won’t go anyway.”