Tag: fire

Charlie’s Room: Sidewalk Chalk

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Isaac’s lunch break was longer than normal, because the fire alarm wouldn’t stop shrieking angrily. There wasn’t any fire, as far as anyone knew, but the alarm kept ringing even when it shouldn’t be possible. The office workers huddled together outside the doors, chattering.

“They cut off all the power. Removed the batteries. What is it running on?” someone said loudly.

Everyone began speculating. “Maybe it’s solar powered?” “Maybe it has a mini generator?” “Maybe it’s wireless?”

The building manager stomped over. “Maybe it runs on the mutterings of idiots. Go away and check back in an hour.”

Isaac’s office manager pushed forward through the crowd. “What if it’s still going off in an hour?”

The building manager rolled her eyes. “Then you need to go home for the day.” The crowd cheered and dispersed. Read More

No Worries

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When Carson sat down for breakfast, the house started shaking.  At first he thought someone had grabbed the back of his chair and started shaking it.  He turned around, but no one was there, and then he saw the pictures on the wall shaking.  Some pencils rolled off the hall table and rolled around on the floor.

Carson jumped from his chair.  What were you supposed to do during an earthquake?  Run outside?  Hide under the table?  Just then, his mom walked into the kitchen, looking perfectly calm.  “Mom,” Carson said.  “It’s an earthquake.  What do I do?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Carson,” his mom said.  She set out two cereal bowls and started pouring cereal.  The cereal flakes jumped around, and a few managed to leap out of the bowl.  His mom set the box on the counter and opened the fridge.  The shaking stopped.

Carson sat down, feeling confused.  Was that it?  His mom poured milk into the bowls and handed him a spoon.  He started eating.  “But it was an earthquake, wasn’t it?  Shouldn’t something bad happen, like the dam bursting and the house flooding?  Something like that?” Read More