The Fifth Chair is in France!

Story by Ivanna Lopez Gomez,12, based on the painting by Chris Van Allsburg, for a project in her school.

TITLE: The Seven Chairs CAPTION: “The fifth one ended up in France.” From the book:  “ The Mysteries of Harris Burdick”

Chapter 1

“It’s the fifth floating chair!” – said a man running out of the church. You could tell that he was traumatized just by looking at his face. It was all dirty as if he fell in dirt when he was running. He looked like he was crying out. He was too weak to make a tear. As he ran past me I could smell his sweat from running so fast. I went inside to see what was going on.

It was 1809. There had been a floating chair in 5 countries now. First was England. Then Spain. Then Germany. Then the United Stated. Now France.

As I was running inside the church, I heard millions of screams. I saw people running as if there was a horrible creature chasing them. I smelled the delicious food people dropped in fight. I tasted people anticipation to get out and mine to see what’s going on. I felt the wind coming from the church windows.

I stopped. I saw 2 men simply standing peacefully. Other then those 2 no one was there. I looked up. I saw a floating chair. But for the first time ever someone was sitting on the floating chair.

Chapter 2

Once I saw what everyone was screaming about, I understood them. That was the most morbid thing I ever saw. The person (or whatever that was) was dressed like a nun. Its eyes were gone. They were replaced with black holes. It looked like it was 80 years old. It had a neutral look on its face. One of the most relaxed faces I had seen all day.

I turned my head to the left. I took another look at the 2 men. They were wearing matching outfits. They were wearing a red robe with a strange orange hat. They were not terrified. Not stunned. They were almost smiling. They both had their hands behind their back. One had brown hair and one had blond hair. I kept on starring at them as if I was expecting them to do something. Then, they both turned their heads at me at the same time. Their eyes were looking no where else but my face.

My heart stopped beating. Their look was so intense. I was terrified. One of them took a step forward. I shivered at the though of what might happen next. Then I fainted.

Chapter 3

When I woke up at least 20 people were around me. I looked up. The nun was gone. I looked to my left. The 2 men were gone. I asked about the event to people near me. They all made a facial expression that showed they thought I was mental.  Nobody knew anything about the incident. I got up and ran out of the church.

I went home. I sat down. I started to think to myself “what if I am mental? What if that was a delusion? I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head. It was the nun.

The end.

by Ivanna Lopez Gomez - May 01, 2012