It is an Camden Balls
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-1A
14 February 2020
Grim Reaper
“You’re early,” said the Grim Reaper, with a hint of surprise.
Today in March 22nd and this morning I woke up feeling uneasy. Drawn back to my slumber as I sat up. I slowly got up and dressed completely out of my usual routine. I put on some makeup and threw my blonde hair in a messy bun. I grabbed my keys and as I'm headed out the door, I take one last look in the mirror. I stop dead in my tracks as my hand slips off the door handle. There is someone in my house. I turn around to see the intruder, but no one was there. I look back in the mirror and the person is gone.
“I must have imagined it,” I mumbled to myself.
I opened the door and headed to my car. When I got in my car, I saw the person in my rear-view mirror again. This time more clearly dressed in all black I couldn’t see his face. I screamed as I flung open my door. Nobody came out of my car after me. Nothing stirred. I opened my back doors to see nothing was there.
“Now that’s just weird.” I sighed as my neighbor walked out of their house.
“Are you alright?” they asked.
“Yeah, I don’t know what got into me.” I apologized and got back in my car and headed to work.
“Hey Lily!” Aaron greeted me when I walked in.
Aaron is my best friend and coworker that I may or may not have a crush on.
“Hey,” I said drowsily.
“Are you alright? You seem tired today.”
“Yeah I'm ok. I'm just out of it this morning.” Should I tell him what happened? I wondered.
Soon we were making coffee and serving food to all sorts of customers. The feeling of uneasiness and the memory of the strange person I saw that morning had soon left me. The hours flew by and soon my shift was over. I took off my apron and looked at my watch. 1:30, I guess I could go grab some lunch.
“Bye Aaron,” I waved as I slipped out the back door.
“Bye,”
I decided to go to this fast food chain downtown. They had amazing hamburgers and I was craving them. I pulled into to parking lot, but no one was there. The restaurant was closed for today.
“Ugh,” I sighed, “I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to eat.”
I turned around and was pulling out of the parking lot when a car came zooming through my lane. Crashing into the side of my car. My car spun out eventually flipping over while I screamed. Then everything went black.
The next thing I know I’m in a hospital bed with my mom weeping in a chair near me.
“Mom!” but she didn’t seem to hear me.
“I’m ok. Listen to me.” She didn’t even look up. I tried reaching for her hand, but I couldn’t touch her. My hand went through hers as she shivered. I got up out of my bed, but I then realized my body didn’t move. I was looking at myself.
“I must be dreaming. Mom look at me.” I screamed as tears swelled in my eyes.
Then the door clicked and swung open. At the sound my mom looked towards the door. Aaron walked in carrying flowers. They stood up and embraced each other as my mom cried on his shoulder. When she gathered herself enough,
She looked at him and said, “I’ll give you a minute.”
As she walked out Aaron set the flowers at the bed side table.
“Wow,” Aaron breathed heavily pulling up a chair, “Looks like you’ve got it bad. The doctors said you probably won’t make it through this. I don’t believe them. You're strong. You have to fight this.” He sat silence searching my face for any sign of life. “You have to.”
After a couple of minutes, he stood up and walked out of the room. I cried. I couldn’t do anything I just had to watch all of this happen. I followed him.
“Don’t leave me. You have to help me,” I begged.
He closed the door and I walked through it when I got out, I followed him down the hall. Then I stopped. There was the man that I saw this morning. But nobody seemed to notice him. Nobody seemed bothered. He turned to face me, and I finally got to see his face. He was no man.
“You’re early,” said the Grim Reaper with a hint of surprise.
“What?” I asked.
“You’re early. I didn’t think it was time yet.” He smiled at me sickly.
I knew exactly what he meant. “No,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Yes,” His grin widened.
“I’m d-dead?”
“I guess so. I thought you would fight more but I guess I was wrong. It’s time now. Come with me.” He said as he slowly walked to me with arms stretched out reaching for me.
I ran. I ran as fast as I could back to my hospital room. When I got back into the room. I sat at the door looking for any sign of the Grim Reaper. When I thought the coast was clear I turned around, but he was there. He grabbed me and I screamed. Then I went silent. We weren't in the hospital anymore. We were in front of these huge gates that towered over me.
“Here, are the Gates,” he explained.
“The Gates?”
“Yes, everything you did in your life decides if you go to heaven or hell.”
“But I'm not ready to die.”
“I’m sorry.” He said in a sarcastic tone.
Soon the gates slid open and flashes of light shown through. There was a path with a fork in the road. To the left fire, destruction, and wars. To the right peace, beauty, and paradise. I knew which was which and I was terrified. Something started pushing me to the left. What? How? I thought I was a good person. I don’t deserve this. All these thoughts raced through my head. I turned to look at him. Fear in my eyes. While his beamed with delight. He had this awful smile that I knew I would never forget. I fought back. Resisting with everything I had in me. I couldn’t die Aaron and my Mom needed me. I stopped.
“What are you doing?” The grim reaper asked.
“I don’t know I just don’t want to go. I don’t deserve this either do the people I left behind.”
All at once I was back in the hospital room. With my mom by me side once again. But this time it was different. I stirred as my mom looked at me. Tears in her eyes she wrapped me into a hug and wept.
“You’re alive!” She exclaimed, “Let me get a nurse to check on you.”
She rushed out of the room as I sat up. A nurse, Aaron, and my mom all walked back into my room.
Beaming Aaron said, “I knew you could do it.”
“Hey nice to see you to,” I replied teasingly.
The nurse checked everything she needed to.
“You put up an amazing fight. These two weren't going to give up on you. I'm glad they didn’t. But it looks like everything is good,” and with that she left the room.
I smiled at Aaron while he wrapped me in a hug. When he let go, I could see the look of relief on his face and a glossy look in his eyes. I was glad that I was still alive I wasn’t ready to leave that warm feeling I got when I saw him.
Weeks passed since the accident and I had already decided to go back to work even though it was hard to walk at times. Everything had seemed to go back to normal, but I swore I still saw the Grim Reaper in the darkest shadows. I rubbed it off of course I was hallucinating from the traumatic experience. The day was your typical day but when I got home, I got the feeling of uneasiness I did weeks ago before the crash had happened. I sat on my bed not knowing what to do I had to be imagining it. So, I got ready for bed and as I was slipping into bed. I heard it,
“It might not be your turn yet, but it definitely is someone's. Someone's very close to you.”
I remembered that sickening voice and the terrible smile I knew I wouldn’t forget. I tried to get up, but slumber took over like it was forced upon me.
The next morning, I woke up in cold sweat all I could think about was that terrible, terrible sentence. What did it mean? I should've just told Aaron since the beginning. He could have helped me. I must tell Aaron.
I walked into work and soon found out what the Grim Reaper meant. Aaron never walked through that door. No call in sick. On my break I decided to call him. I needed his help and that was the only way I could reach him.
Ring, Ring
“Hello?”
“Hi, this is the police department. I need you to state your name and your relation to the victim.”
“The victim?”
“Oh, I'm sorry your relation to Mr. Aaron Williams.”
“Aaron?”
“Yes, ma’am please state your name.”
“Lily Sorenson and I'm his best friend. We also work together. You said victim what happened?”
“I'm so sorry but last night your friend's house was broken into and he was shot. He has unfortunately passed away. I'm so sorry for your loss.”
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I ended the phone call and cried. I ran to my car. I sat there. I just lost my best friend and I didn’t know what to do or where to go.
“I warned you.”
I spun around to see the grim reaper. I stared him deep in the eyes.
“You did this.”
“No, I didn’t I just knew what was going to happen.”
“Leave me alone. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“The balance has been restored and now you can't remember any of this. We will meet again one day.” And with that he disappeared. Today is March 22nd and I really don’t want to go to work...
Student's Choice Reflection
Please answer all the questions in complete , grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
I started by choosing one of the prompts that Ms. Lehmann assigned. After I chose my prompt, I brainstormed what I was going to do with it. I started off with one version of the story but about half way through I decided to change the way my story was going. After I finished typing up a first rough draft. I went through a revised and edited the story myself. Then I turned it into Ms. Lehmann for her to correct anything I missed or didn't know.
2. Is this paper narrative, expository, or argumentative? How do you know?
It is an expository paper because I have not experienced this story and I'm not arguing anything. Also an expository paper is a paper that requires us to express and investigate an idea. I investigated the story of a grim reaper that I made up in my own head.
3. Tell me one thing you learned from writing this paper?
I learned that stories don't always go to plan. I started off with one idea and had to change it because my story wasn't working for me.
4. What are you particularly proud of in this paper?
I am proud of the ending. I really like the cliff hanger and change of pace for the story. It left a lot of mystery.
5. What does this paper show readers about you?
It shows readers that I like the mystery of things. The what ifs of each story.
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-1A
14 February 2020
Grim Reaper
“You’re early,” said the Grim Reaper, with a hint of surprise.
Today in March 22nd and this morning I woke up feeling uneasy. Drawn back to my slumber as I sat up. I slowly got up and dressed completely out of my usual routine. I put on some makeup and threw my blonde hair in a messy bun. I grabbed my keys and as I'm headed out the door, I take one last look in the mirror. I stop dead in my tracks as my hand slips off the door handle. There is someone in my house. I turn around to see the intruder, but no one was there. I look back in the mirror and the person is gone.
“I must have imagined it,” I mumbled to myself.
I opened the door and headed to my car. When I got in my car, I saw the person in my rear-view mirror again. This time more clearly dressed in all black I couldn’t see his face. I screamed as I flung open my door. Nobody came out of my car after me. Nothing stirred. I opened my back doors to see nothing was there.
“Now that’s just weird.” I sighed as my neighbor walked out of their house.
“Are you alright?” they asked.
“Yeah, I don’t know what got into me.” I apologized and got back in my car and headed to work.
“Hey Lily!” Aaron greeted me when I walked in.
Aaron is my best friend and coworker that I may or may not have a crush on.
“Hey,” I said drowsily.
“Are you alright? You seem tired today.”
“Yeah I'm ok. I'm just out of it this morning.” Should I tell him what happened? I wondered.
Soon we were making coffee and serving food to all sorts of customers. The feeling of uneasiness and the memory of the strange person I saw that morning had soon left me. The hours flew by and soon my shift was over. I took off my apron and looked at my watch. 1:30, I guess I could go grab some lunch.
“Bye Aaron,” I waved as I slipped out the back door.
“Bye,”
I decided to go to this fast food chain downtown. They had amazing hamburgers and I was craving them. I pulled into to parking lot, but no one was there. The restaurant was closed for today.
“Ugh,” I sighed, “I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to eat.”
I turned around and was pulling out of the parking lot when a car came zooming through my lane. Crashing into the side of my car. My car spun out eventually flipping over while I screamed. Then everything went black.
The next thing I know I’m in a hospital bed with my mom weeping in a chair near me.
“Mom!” but she didn’t seem to hear me.
“I’m ok. Listen to me.” She didn’t even look up. I tried reaching for her hand, but I couldn’t touch her. My hand went through hers as she shivered. I got up out of my bed, but I then realized my body didn’t move. I was looking at myself.
“I must be dreaming. Mom look at me.” I screamed as tears swelled in my eyes.
Then the door clicked and swung open. At the sound my mom looked towards the door. Aaron walked in carrying flowers. They stood up and embraced each other as my mom cried on his shoulder. When she gathered herself enough,
She looked at him and said, “I’ll give you a minute.”
As she walked out Aaron set the flowers at the bed side table.
“Wow,” Aaron breathed heavily pulling up a chair, “Looks like you’ve got it bad. The doctors said you probably won’t make it through this. I don’t believe them. You're strong. You have to fight this.” He sat silence searching my face for any sign of life. “You have to.”
After a couple of minutes, he stood up and walked out of the room. I cried. I couldn’t do anything I just had to watch all of this happen. I followed him.
“Don’t leave me. You have to help me,” I begged.
He closed the door and I walked through it when I got out, I followed him down the hall. Then I stopped. There was the man that I saw this morning. But nobody seemed to notice him. Nobody seemed bothered. He turned to face me, and I finally got to see his face. He was no man.
“You’re early,” said the Grim Reaper with a hint of surprise.
“What?” I asked.
“You’re early. I didn’t think it was time yet.” He smiled at me sickly.
I knew exactly what he meant. “No,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Yes,” His grin widened.
“I’m d-dead?”
“I guess so. I thought you would fight more but I guess I was wrong. It’s time now. Come with me.” He said as he slowly walked to me with arms stretched out reaching for me.
I ran. I ran as fast as I could back to my hospital room. When I got back into the room. I sat at the door looking for any sign of the Grim Reaper. When I thought the coast was clear I turned around, but he was there. He grabbed me and I screamed. Then I went silent. We weren't in the hospital anymore. We were in front of these huge gates that towered over me.
“Here, are the Gates,” he explained.
“The Gates?”
“Yes, everything you did in your life decides if you go to heaven or hell.”
“But I'm not ready to die.”
“I’m sorry.” He said in a sarcastic tone.
Soon the gates slid open and flashes of light shown through. There was a path with a fork in the road. To the left fire, destruction, and wars. To the right peace, beauty, and paradise. I knew which was which and I was terrified. Something started pushing me to the left. What? How? I thought I was a good person. I don’t deserve this. All these thoughts raced through my head. I turned to look at him. Fear in my eyes. While his beamed with delight. He had this awful smile that I knew I would never forget. I fought back. Resisting with everything I had in me. I couldn’t die Aaron and my Mom needed me. I stopped.
“What are you doing?” The grim reaper asked.
“I don’t know I just don’t want to go. I don’t deserve this either do the people I left behind.”
All at once I was back in the hospital room. With my mom by me side once again. But this time it was different. I stirred as my mom looked at me. Tears in her eyes she wrapped me into a hug and wept.
“You’re alive!” She exclaimed, “Let me get a nurse to check on you.”
She rushed out of the room as I sat up. A nurse, Aaron, and my mom all walked back into my room.
Beaming Aaron said, “I knew you could do it.”
“Hey nice to see you to,” I replied teasingly.
The nurse checked everything she needed to.
“You put up an amazing fight. These two weren't going to give up on you. I'm glad they didn’t. But it looks like everything is good,” and with that she left the room.
I smiled at Aaron while he wrapped me in a hug. When he let go, I could see the look of relief on his face and a glossy look in his eyes. I was glad that I was still alive I wasn’t ready to leave that warm feeling I got when I saw him.
Weeks passed since the accident and I had already decided to go back to work even though it was hard to walk at times. Everything had seemed to go back to normal, but I swore I still saw the Grim Reaper in the darkest shadows. I rubbed it off of course I was hallucinating from the traumatic experience. The day was your typical day but when I got home, I got the feeling of uneasiness I did weeks ago before the crash had happened. I sat on my bed not knowing what to do I had to be imagining it. So, I got ready for bed and as I was slipping into bed. I heard it,
“It might not be your turn yet, but it definitely is someone's. Someone's very close to you.”
I remembered that sickening voice and the terrible smile I knew I wouldn’t forget. I tried to get up, but slumber took over like it was forced upon me.
The next morning, I woke up in cold sweat all I could think about was that terrible, terrible sentence. What did it mean? I should've just told Aaron since the beginning. He could have helped me. I must tell Aaron.
I walked into work and soon found out what the Grim Reaper meant. Aaron never walked through that door. No call in sick. On my break I decided to call him. I needed his help and that was the only way I could reach him.
Ring, Ring
“Hello?”
“Hi, this is the police department. I need you to state your name and your relation to the victim.”
“The victim?”
“Oh, I'm sorry your relation to Mr. Aaron Williams.”
“Aaron?”
“Yes, ma’am please state your name.”
“Lily Sorenson and I'm his best friend. We also work together. You said victim what happened?”
“I'm so sorry but last night your friend's house was broken into and he was shot. He has unfortunately passed away. I'm so sorry for your loss.”
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I ended the phone call and cried. I ran to my car. I sat there. I just lost my best friend and I didn’t know what to do or where to go.
“I warned you.”
I spun around to see the grim reaper. I stared him deep in the eyes.
“You did this.”
“No, I didn’t I just knew what was going to happen.”
“Leave me alone. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“The balance has been restored and now you can't remember any of this. We will meet again one day.” And with that he disappeared. Today is March 22nd and I really don’t want to go to work...
Student's Choice Reflection
Please answer all the questions in complete , grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
I started by choosing one of the prompts that Ms. Lehmann assigned. After I chose my prompt, I brainstormed what I was going to do with it. I started off with one version of the story but about half way through I decided to change the way my story was going. After I finished typing up a first rough draft. I went through a revised and edited the story myself. Then I turned it into Ms. Lehmann for her to correct anything I missed or didn't know.
2. Is this paper narrative, expository, or argumentative? How do you know?
It is an expository paper because I have not experienced this story and I'm not arguing anything. Also an expository paper is a paper that requires us to express and investigate an idea. I investigated the story of a grim reaper that I made up in my own head.
3. Tell me one thing you learned from writing this paper?
I learned that stories don't always go to plan. I started off with one idea and had to change it because my story wasn't working for me.
4. What are you particularly proud of in this paper?
I am proud of the ending. I really like the cliff hanger and change of pace for the story. It left a lot of mystery.
5. What does this paper show readers about you?
It shows readers that I like the mystery of things. The what ifs of each story.