NETDAYS

About a week before Netdays, a school called Lumcloon sent us an e-mail to write a story about the Carroll family. So we went to Lumcloon's web site and checked it out and decided to do it. When we started to write it, teacher put us into groups of four and six. In the groups we wrote pieces about the story and we had got a trigger from the Lumcloon school .This is what it was

Shauna turned in her sleep. Something had woken her, but she couldn't say what. It sounded like Bubble Gum's stable door or maybe it was just the wind. She decided it could wait till the morning. That was her mistake.

We read the parts to teacher and we put the stories together. Then teacher put us in two's to write the story on the computer. When we had finished writing the story teacher sent it to Lumcloon as an e-mail. A few weeks later we saw our story on Lumcloon's web-site we also saw some other schools stories and we really enjoyed it.

Here is our story...

The Carrolls Save the Day

(Written by Miss Murphy's fifth class in Ballinamere N.S.)

Shauna turned once in her sleep. Something had woken her but she couldn't say what. It sounded like the banging of Bubblegum's stable door or maybe it was just the wind. She decided that whatever It was could wait until morning. That was her mistake.

In the morning Caitriona was woken by the screaming of her little brother Oisin .She got up and got dressed and went to the kitchen to get her breakfast Here her mother was forcing a spoon of mashed banana into Oisin mouth but he was having none of it!

Daddy was at the hall door, "Ciaran! Shauna! Get up or you will be late for school" Her Mother said that she wouldn't be home till late as she had a lot of briquettes to deliver.'' Oh, by the way '', said Dad did you see my keys? I can't find them anywhere!

Just then Shauna and Ciaran barged into the kitchen

together. I'm going to feed Bubblegum said Ciaran.

No you're not said Shauna "Bubblegum is my pony". Daddy was cross ."Sit down and stop arguing- its time for breakfast

We'll sort Bubblegum out later. Grandpa Joe came into the kitchen. "Did you hear Bubblegum last night? I tell you there's something wrong with that horse. "Hurry on" said Theresa you are all going to be late, its 9 o clock and I can see Barry Egans bus coming down the road .The children shoved their lunches into their bags, grabbed their coats and raced out the front door. They were just in time! Barry Egan had pulled up at the stop and they hopped on.

Meanwhile back in the house Daddy was giving out "How many times have we fed Bubblegum this week?..and what about Bart? He's very quiet - he must be up to something!" " I'll feed Bubblegum," said Teresa, "you go ahead" "I still can't find the keys."The spare set is in the press," said Teresa."Thanks, love, bye"

John headed outside and nearly fell over the worm bin. The place was a mess. He stuck his head back in the door grandpa Joe will you clear up the worm bin - the wind must have knocked it down. Dad picked it up and ran to the garage. Teresa was on her way out to the shed when she heard John. "Teresa, where's the car? "he shouted. "It's in the garage, silly." 'No it's not there!" " Stop playing games and go to work or you'll be late!" " I AM SERIOUS, its not there, Teresa" had reached the shed. "Oh no! Bubblegum is gone!" "We've been robbed John, call the police, "said Teresa.

The children arrived at school and were chatting before the bell. Mary Walsh, Caitriona`s friend was in an awful state "Our house was broken into last night-our T.V., computer and video are all gone". Catriona tried to console her but she was very upset.

The police came out to Carroll's house and looked around for clues. Just then Teresa saw that the back window was open. That must be how he got in to get the keys! The police checked for fingerprints. They told the Carrolls that there had been three robberies last night. After school the children decided to walk home by the mill as mammy would not be home and she wouldn’t be worried. The children chatted on the way. The sound of a pony broke their chat. Shauna said "Oh no we forgot to feed Bubblegum- I hope Mammy or Daddy remembered. As they got nearer they realised the pony was Bubblegum. Beside him was the Horsebox. "Oh look," said Caitriona there's a car here as well." " Golly gosh that's our car"; said Caitriona. Whats, Dad doing here? With that they heard a bang and a scream. Ahhhh! Catherine and Ciaran ran to the Mill door while Shauna stood beside Bubblegum, they heard a man groaning OHHH! They followed the sound |It was dark in the mill apart from the light coming from a small window upstairs. AHHHHH! Shouted Caitriona .She had just fallen .She strained her eyes to see what had knocked her .She realised it was Mary Walsh's computer.

Ciaran raced on and saw the outline of a person lying on the floor in distress. He was holding his leg and couldn’t move. "He must have fallen on the broken step," said Ciaran. Caitriona ran to the car and found Mammy's mobile. She rang the police. They arrived immediately and arrested the man. That night Bart began barking again. He was found in the shed. He had obviously been knocked out to keep him quiet. A week later there was a knock on the door. Shauna answered. "The Midland Leader" said the girl". Could we talk to the children who caught the robber".

"No Problem;" said Shauna," come on in ".

That week the headline on page one read "The Carrolls save the day".

By Tara and Sinead