Part Three
“You say you witnessed a murder?” The detective stood up quickly. He was very surprised.
“Yes,” Mrs. St. John said, “I saw something happening several weeks ago while I was driving back from Halifax.”
“But I didn‘t know about this!” he said, looking annoyed.
“The Police had come up from London,” she added quickly as she saw annoyance on his face, “maybe they hadn’t time to let you know.”
“What had you been doing in Halifax?” The detective sat down again. He looked very serious – more serious than before.
“I had just taken Anna to her piano lessons, she has piano lessons in Halifax twice a week. I was just coming back home.”
“And what did you see – one your way back?” The detective took out his notebook again and started to write in it.
“I saw a parked car and two men standing at the back of the car, pushing something big into the boot.” Mrs. St. John shook slightly as she remembered that night.
“And what were they stuffing into the back of the car?” The detective moved to the edge of his seat. It seemed as though his heart was in his mouth.
“Well, I found out from the Police that it was the body of a man, but at the time I didn’t think it was anything like that. I just thought it was a bag.”
“So why did you report it to the Police?”
“I didn’t exactly report it,” Mrs. St. John replied quickly. “They got in touch with me.”
“ But why?” The detective looked puzzled, he didn’t understand.
“They, the Police, got the registration number of my car from a CC camera on the road.” Mrs. St. John smiled, “They usually want to give me a ticket for speeding when the camera flashes.” she said, and smiled again.
The Police must have known you had seen something, then?” The detective called the uniformed officer.
“Constable,” he said, loudly, “can you come in and take a statement from Mrs. St. John?”
“Yes sir, right away sir,” replied the man in uniform, and he sat down and started writing in his notebook.
Robert L. Fielding
How did the Police know Mrs. St. John had seen something strange?
Who were the two men putting a body into the boot of their car?
Was the person dead?
Who was it?
Version 1 by S
Mrs. St. John knows something but she doesn't want to tell anyone what was the detective thinking about.
The detective said, "Mrs. St. John, can you tell me more about this event?"
"Sure, I resorted to the music teacher and I reassured her about my girl. Then next, when I came back everything happened just like I told you before."
The detective stood up and moved right and left he didn't say a word.
Finally he said, "Mrs. St. John, did you pay for the music teacher and did you seen anything strange in her behavior and how did she interact with you? "
"No, I hadn't paid for her for four months and lately she was treating me as if I won't pay for her; she might take all the tunes which were written by my daughter, but lately I didn't send my daughter to her but my daughter was so sad and so I sent her again on the same day I saw the murder. Oh, I remember some thing very important; on the car steering wheel, I saw the scarf which Miss Janet, the music teacher had worn."
The detective stood up quickly. He said to the police men, “Go to Miss Janet’s flat quickly and look for Annie!" .After that he called the FBI and asked the name of two men. Next, he called to the CSI and asked the name of the men who died.
Finally, he solved the puzzle. The two men were brothers of Miss Janet, and the man who was killed was the same man who paid for Annie. Miss Janet told her brothers to kill the man because she wanted Annie’s tunes because they were worth millions of dollars. Then, the policemen caught Miss Janet, and Annie came back to her mother, and the government adopted her talent.
Write a short paragraph explaining your answers to these questions. Add anything else you think might have happened before Mrs. St. John saw the two men.
Send it to me at http://www.nicenet.org/
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Part Two - A witness to what?
Part Two
September 25th 2006 – later that evening
The young policewoman stood in the doorway of the house. She looked out onto a lovely garden; a lawn and flowers. She looked inside and saw a piano at one end of the lounge. She looked down at her feet and saw several pieces of paper lying on the path. She picked up the piece nearest to her. It was sheet music. She couldn’t read it, but at the top of the page was one word she could read. That word was ‘GREENSLEEVES”. She put the sheet down again, exactly where she had seen it.
Inside the house, two policemen were asking questions. One of the policemen wore a dark blue uniform with silver buttons. He held his helmet in his left hand and wrote in his notebook with his right. The other policeman wore a dark brown suite – ordinary clothes, with a white shirt and a dark coloured tie. He was also asking questions and writing things in his notebook.
Sitting on the sofa, Gill St. John was frightened. She had never spoken to policemen before. The two policemen had stern faces – they looked very serious.
“Now, Mrs. St. John, when did you first notice your daughter was missing?” asked the plain clothes detective.
“When I came in to see what she was doing.” Gill answered quietly. She was still very upset and she was very worried about her daughter.
“I see,” said the detective, “and what time was that?”
“About – oh, I can’t remember.”
The policeman was kind but insistent – he wanted to know the answers to his questions.
“Try to think,” he said, “take your time, Mrs. St.John.”
Gill tried to think. “It was after five,” she thought, “a long time after.”
“I think it was some time after five thirty,” she finally decided.
The policeman was keen, he wanted to know the exact time.
“How long after?” he asked.
Gill thought again. She had looked into the oven and seen that the chicken was nearly done, and she had noticed that Annie had stopped playing the piano.
“It must have been about fifteen minutes after.” she said.
“So, about 5.45 then?” the detective replied.
“Yes, Gill said, “about that time, yes.”
The policewoman came into the room.
“Sergeant,” she said to the uniformed police officer, “There’s a woman here who says she saw something.”
“Keep her there, I’ll come out.” The uniformed policeman rose from his seat and left the room.
“Mrs. Smith says she saw two men carrying something large wrapped in a blanket out of this door at about 5.40.” said the policewoman as she looked at the woman at her side, and then at the sergeant.
“I’m sure I saw the thing move too,” Mrs. Smith said.
“Why didn’t you call us?” said the sergeant sternly.
“I just didn’t think,” said the woman, looking down at her feet. “I mean,” she went on, “you don’t expect a kidnapping in broad daylight, do you?”
The sergeant looked straight at the woman. “Who said anything about a kidnapping?”
The women blushed red, “Well, she said, sheepishly, “nobody, I just thought…” She couldn’t finish her sentence.
The sergeant and the policewoman looked quickly at each other, and then at the woman.
“You’ve been watching too much television, madam,” said the sergeant angrily.
Back in the house, the detective was still trying to find out the exact details and some background knowledge about Mrs. St. John and her daughter.
Mrs. St. John,” he said in a more serious tone, “Have you any enemies?”
Mrs. St. John looked alarmed, “What do you mean?
The detective knew she would react that way to that particular question, everybody did.
“I mean,” he repeated more softly, “can you think of anyone who might want to take Annie away from you? Where is Annie’s father?”
Gill St. John looked angrily at the detective. “He’s away,” she said, “out in the Atlantic Ocean, on a ship. He’s in the Royal Navy.”
“Oh, I see,” said the detective, “sorry!”
“There is one thing I want to tell you, she said, her anger leaving as quickly as it had come, “I was an eye-witness to a crime last month.”
“A crime?” The detective moved forward in his seat, “what sort of crime?”
“A murder!” she cried out.
Return to Part One - http://storiesforstudents.blogspot.com/2008/09/part-one-eye-witness.html
Students: Now what do you think has happened to Annie? Who were the two men that Mrs. Smith saw carrying something out of the house? Do you think there is any connection between Mrs. St. John witnessing someone being murdered and Annie's disappearance?
Version 1
I think the two men are the criminals of the murder which Mrs. St. John witnessed and they saw Mrs. St. John and followed her to her house. After they knew that she had a daughter they planned to kidnap the daughter as a hostage to force the mother not to tell the police about their crime, if she wants her daughter alive.
September 25th 2006 – later that evening
The young policewoman stood in the doorway of the house. She looked out onto a lovely garden; a lawn and flowers. She looked inside and saw a piano at one end of the lounge. She looked down at her feet and saw several pieces of paper lying on the path. She picked up the piece nearest to her. It was sheet music. She couldn’t read it, but at the top of the page was one word she could read. That word was ‘GREENSLEEVES”. She put the sheet down again, exactly where she had seen it.
Inside the house, two policemen were asking questions. One of the policemen wore a dark blue uniform with silver buttons. He held his helmet in his left hand and wrote in his notebook with his right. The other policeman wore a dark brown suite – ordinary clothes, with a white shirt and a dark coloured tie. He was also asking questions and writing things in his notebook.
Sitting on the sofa, Gill St. John was frightened. She had never spoken to policemen before. The two policemen had stern faces – they looked very serious.
“Now, Mrs. St. John, when did you first notice your daughter was missing?” asked the plain clothes detective.
“When I came in to see what she was doing.” Gill answered quietly. She was still very upset and she was very worried about her daughter.
“I see,” said the detective, “and what time was that?”
“About – oh, I can’t remember.”
The policeman was kind but insistent – he wanted to know the answers to his questions.
“Try to think,” he said, “take your time, Mrs. St.John.”
Gill tried to think. “It was after five,” she thought, “a long time after.”
“I think it was some time after five thirty,” she finally decided.
The policeman was keen, he wanted to know the exact time.
“How long after?” he asked.
Gill thought again. She had looked into the oven and seen that the chicken was nearly done, and she had noticed that Annie had stopped playing the piano.
“It must have been about fifteen minutes after.” she said.
“So, about 5.45 then?” the detective replied.
“Yes, Gill said, “about that time, yes.”
The policewoman came into the room.
“Sergeant,” she said to the uniformed police officer, “There’s a woman here who says she saw something.”
“Keep her there, I’ll come out.” The uniformed policeman rose from his seat and left the room.
“Mrs. Smith says she saw two men carrying something large wrapped in a blanket out of this door at about 5.40.” said the policewoman as she looked at the woman at her side, and then at the sergeant.
“I’m sure I saw the thing move too,” Mrs. Smith said.
“Why didn’t you call us?” said the sergeant sternly.
“I just didn’t think,” said the woman, looking down at her feet. “I mean,” she went on, “you don’t expect a kidnapping in broad daylight, do you?”
The sergeant looked straight at the woman. “Who said anything about a kidnapping?”
The women blushed red, “Well, she said, sheepishly, “nobody, I just thought…” She couldn’t finish her sentence.
The sergeant and the policewoman looked quickly at each other, and then at the woman.
“You’ve been watching too much television, madam,” said the sergeant angrily.
Back in the house, the detective was still trying to find out the exact details and some background knowledge about Mrs. St. John and her daughter.
Mrs. St. John,” he said in a more serious tone, “Have you any enemies?”
Mrs. St. John looked alarmed, “What do you mean?
The detective knew she would react that way to that particular question, everybody did.
“I mean,” he repeated more softly, “can you think of anyone who might want to take Annie away from you? Where is Annie’s father?”
Gill St. John looked angrily at the detective. “He’s away,” she said, “out in the Atlantic Ocean, on a ship. He’s in the Royal Navy.”
“Oh, I see,” said the detective, “sorry!”
“There is one thing I want to tell you, she said, her anger leaving as quickly as it had come, “I was an eye-witness to a crime last month.”
“A crime?” The detective moved forward in his seat, “what sort of crime?”
“A murder!” she cried out.
Return to Part One - http://storiesforstudents.blogspot.com/2008/09/part-one-eye-witness.html
Students: Now what do you think has happened to Annie? Who were the two men that Mrs. Smith saw carrying something out of the house? Do you think there is any connection between Mrs. St. John witnessing someone being murdered and Annie's disappearance?
Version 1
I think the two men are the criminals of the murder which Mrs. St. John witnessed and they saw Mrs. St. John and followed her to her house. After they knew that she had a daughter they planned to kidnap the daughter as a hostage to force the mother not to tell the police about their crime, if she wants her daughter alive.
Version 2
Anny looked like a rich girl called Maria; they had the same shape. The two men were sent to find Maria and kidnap her. They were told that Maria liked to play music. They wanted to kidnap her and take her father's money . Anny wasn't lucky because the two men found her there, thinking that she was the rich girl, Maria. They didn't know that this was Anny . They put a small piece of cloth in her mouth to stop her from screaming out and then they took her outside, but one of the men dropped something that looked like a napkin. The boss of the criminals was clever and when he saw the girl, he was very surprised because Anny was similar to Maria , but he was angry at the same time because she wasn't Maria because the colour of her hair was different. So he sent another strong man to kidnap Maria. However, he didn't return Anny to her home because she had seen every thing. When the police were searching for anything in the garden, they saw the napkin, so a policeman brought a dog to search for any more clues to help them find out who had kidnapped Anny.
Write down what you think and send it to me at http://www.nicenet.org/
Robert L. Fielding<
Friday, September 19, 2008
Part One - 'The Eye-witness'
The eye-witness
Part 1
by
Robert L. Fielding
Students - read the first part of this story and then answer the questions at the end.
Part 1
by
Robert L. Fielding
Students - read the first part of this story and then answer the questions at the end.
September 25th, 2006
Annie was playing the piano. Her mother was in the kitchen making dinner. It was 5.30 in the afternoon and most of the kids were still outside.
Annie continued to play her piano. She was trying to play a tune her music teacher had taught her. She was concentrating and looking at the music on the sheet in front of her.
Annie turned her head towards the open window. It was just beginning to go dark and the kids were going home to for dinner. Annie was an only child – she didn’t have any brothers or sisters.
She stopped playing the piano. She thought she heard her mother’s voice.
“Mummy,” she shouted.“ Are you OK?”
There was no reply.
“She must be cooking,” Annie thought, and looked back at the music. She began to play again.
Gill, Annie’s mother, was in the kitchen preparing a salad. She liked to hear her daughter play the piano as she worked.
“Those piano lessons are expensive,” she thought, “but they are worth it. Annie is improving. She has talent, she can play tunes easily and she learns very quickly, and she’s only 11 years old.” Gill smiled to herself. She was proud of her clever daughter.
Dinner was nearly ready. Gill opened the oven door to look at the chicken roasting gently. It was nearly done. She knew Annie would be hungry. She was hungry too.
The music stopped. The house was suddenly very quiet.
“Annie,” shouted her mother. “Dinner’s ready. Stop playing now, let’s eat,” then she added, “But wash your hands first, please.”
There was still no sound. Gill moved towards the kitchen door.
“I thought she said she was hungry.” she said to herself quietly.
As she opened the kitchen door, she heard her daughter crying out.
“Mummy, they’re hurting me!”
Gill rushed into the lounge. Annie wasn’t there. The front door was wide open. Annie’s sheets of music were lying on the garden path outside. Annie had disappeared.
Q1. What could have happened to Annie?
Q2. Where could she be?
Q3. Who could have taken her?
Q4. Will she be OK?
Write and let me know what you think are the answers to these questions.
Send your answers in a short paragraph to http://www.nicenet.org/
Robert L. Fielding
Annie was playing the piano. Her mother was in the kitchen making dinner. It was 5.30 in the afternoon and most of the kids were still outside.
Annie continued to play her piano. She was trying to play a tune her music teacher had taught her. She was concentrating and looking at the music on the sheet in front of her.
Annie turned her head towards the open window. It was just beginning to go dark and the kids were going home to for dinner. Annie was an only child – she didn’t have any brothers or sisters.
She stopped playing the piano. She thought she heard her mother’s voice.
“Mummy,” she shouted.“ Are you OK?”
There was no reply.
“She must be cooking,” Annie thought, and looked back at the music. She began to play again.
Gill, Annie’s mother, was in the kitchen preparing a salad. She liked to hear her daughter play the piano as she worked.
“Those piano lessons are expensive,” she thought, “but they are worth it. Annie is improving. She has talent, she can play tunes easily and she learns very quickly, and she’s only 11 years old.” Gill smiled to herself. She was proud of her clever daughter.
Dinner was nearly ready. Gill opened the oven door to look at the chicken roasting gently. It was nearly done. She knew Annie would be hungry. She was hungry too.
The music stopped. The house was suddenly very quiet.
“Annie,” shouted her mother. “Dinner’s ready. Stop playing now, let’s eat,” then she added, “But wash your hands first, please.”
There was still no sound. Gill moved towards the kitchen door.
“I thought she said she was hungry.” she said to herself quietly.
As she opened the kitchen door, she heard her daughter crying out.
“Mummy, they’re hurting me!”
Gill rushed into the lounge. Annie wasn’t there. The front door was wide open. Annie’s sheets of music were lying on the garden path outside. Annie had disappeared.
Q1. What could have happened to Annie?
Q2. Where could she be?
Q3. Who could have taken her?
Q4. Will she be OK?
Write and let me know what you think are the answers to these questions.
Send your answers in a short paragraph to http://www.nicenet.org/
Robert L. Fielding
Here are several of my students’ versions of what happens next in the story. They are all excellent, aren’t they? Robert L. Fielding
Version 1
Gill ran toward the front door, she looked out to search for her daughter, but sadly she didn't find Annie. At this moment, Gill mind's was full of thoughts and questions. "Where is my daughter, what will happen to her, is she ok?" Suddenly, while Gill was thinking, she heard a nice sound coming from the garden. "This is Annie's sound "; she said to herself, and she ran quickly to the source of the sound. Gill was very surprised when she found her daughter sitting with a group of children singing and laughing. "What are you doing here Annie?" The mother said. Annie replied: "Don't worry Mum, I'm Ok, when I was playing piano I saw these children playing football in the garden, by mistake, they kicked the ball toward my window, my papers fell down then I shouted to you. Then I went out to see what happened and who did that. I found these children playing; they asked me to excuse them and asked me to sing for them." Gill smiled and said "Don't go out without telling me, Annie"
Gill ran toward the front door, she looked out to search for her daughter, but sadly she didn't find Annie. At this moment, Gill mind's was full of thoughts and questions. "Where is my daughter, what will happen to her, is she ok?" Suddenly, while Gill was thinking, she heard a nice sound coming from the garden. "This is Annie's sound "; she said to herself, and she ran quickly to the source of the sound. Gill was very surprised when she found her daughter sitting with a group of children singing and laughing. "What are you doing here Annie?" The mother said. Annie replied: "Don't worry Mum, I'm Ok, when I was playing piano I saw these children playing football in the garden, by mistake, they kicked the ball toward my window, my papers fell down then I shouted to you. Then I went out to see what happened and who did that. I found these children playing; they asked me to excuse them and asked me to sing for them." Gill smiled and said "Don't go out without telling me, Annie"
Version 2
There was a man in the town, his name was Michael, and he loved to hear music so much. But he searched for a person who played piano. So he sent his followers to look for a good pianist. They wore normal clothes like other people. One of them heard the sound of Annie's piano and it was nice. So he stopped near her window and wished it was open and he saw her nice piano. He was attracted to this beautiful piano. So she decided to go to him, and when she went to him he carried her away. But she heard him. After that he put her hand on her mouth and put her in the car. He carried her to his big boss. When his big boss saw her, he requested from her to play piano, when she refused that he requested from his followers to carry her to a special room. When she was alone, she felt sad, so she began to play piano. The big boss heard her playing and admired her. So he decided to be one of his followers. On the other hand her, mother started search for her, but she was disappointed. She told the police. Then they helped her. And when they found the big boss and his followers, they fought them and beat them. So, the mother saw her daughter. When police asked the big boss why he had kidnapped the person who played a piano, he told him that he loved it and loved music so much. But Annie loved this man because he loved music. So she said to the policeman that she want to come to him every night, play piano for him and eat dinner with him. Her mother agreed and the big boss swore to take care of her.
There was a man in the town, his name was Michael, and he loved to hear music so much. But he searched for a person who played piano. So he sent his followers to look for a good pianist. They wore normal clothes like other people. One of them heard the sound of Annie's piano and it was nice. So he stopped near her window and wished it was open and he saw her nice piano. He was attracted to this beautiful piano. So she decided to go to him, and when she went to him he carried her away. But she heard him. After that he put her hand on her mouth and put her in the car. He carried her to his big boss. When his big boss saw her, he requested from her to play piano, when she refused that he requested from his followers to carry her to a special room. When she was alone, she felt sad, so she began to play piano. The big boss heard her playing and admired her. So he decided to be one of his followers. On the other hand her, mother started search for her, but she was disappointed. She told the police. Then they helped her. And when they found the big boss and his followers, they fought them and beat them. So, the mother saw her daughter. When police asked the big boss why he had kidnapped the person who played a piano, he told him that he loved it and loved music so much. But Annie loved this man because he loved music. So she said to the policeman that she want to come to him every night, play piano for him and eat dinner with him. Her mother agreed and the big boss swore to take care of her.
Version 3
Annie was kidnapped by some bad men who hate her family. She might be in a very dark place underground, outide the town. I don't think she will be OK.
Version 4
Her mother worried about her daughter. She shouted everywhere, but she didn't hear her voice.
"Annie had disappeared, yes that is it."
The story began now. Annie heard someone calling her name, she followed the voice and suddenly someone bit her that why she said, "Mummy, they're hurting me!". She couldn't see them but she heard them. She reached a dark place then suddenly she saw a young boy with blue eyes and brown hair. She asked him "Who are you? Where do you come from? Why did you bite me? ". He said, "My name is Raul, I am from a charmed world and for the last question he laughed". Annie was afraid when she heard that, she began to cry. He stopped her and did some funny things then she stopped. After half an hour he showed her an amazing place then he told her a secret between them. After two hour, she returned to her home. Her mother hugged and kissed her, she told her mother the story and she let Raul live with them.
Version 5
The mother was afraid that something bad happened to her daughter so she ran outside the garden into the street looking for her but she found a clay in the ground and decided to follow it.
The clay lead her mother to a deserted garage where she found Annie covered with the clay and she was with a small cat. Gill was happy and felt relief to find Annie, and went back home.
On the way back, Annie told her mother that she heard the cat screaming outside, in front of the house because some rough boys were throwing the clay on it and when she tried to help it they started throwing the clay at her and this hurt her and that was why she screamed, asking her mother for help but she followed them to help the cat then her mother found her in the garage.
The mother was afraid that something bad happened to her daughter so she ran outside the garden into the street looking for her but she found a clay in the ground and decided to follow it.
The clay lead her mother to a deserted garage where she found Annie covered with the clay and she was with a small cat. Gill was happy and felt relief to find Annie, and went back home.
On the way back, Annie told her mother that she heard the cat screaming outside, in front of the house because some rough boys were throwing the clay on it and when she tried to help it they started throwing the clay at her and this hurt her and that was why she screamed, asking her mother for help but she followed them to help the cat then her mother found her in the garage.
Version 6
The mother was afraid. She didn't no where her daughter was or even what had happened to her. She felt nervous and she didn't know what to do. She asked herself if she should call the police to look for her daughter or should she look for her by herself. After that, the mother decided to look for her daughter by herself. She went out and she started looking for Annie in the street. At sunset, she saw Annie coming from the end of the street with two kids. They were laughing and talking together as friends. The mother was very happy to see her daughter again, so she ran and enfolded Annie strongly. The two kids were wondering what they were seeing. Annie told her mother that she was OK. She said to her mother that while she was playing the piano, the two kids came in and asked her to go with them. When they saw that Annie didn't want to go with them they pushed her out and that was why she shouted "Mummy, they're hurting me!" . One of the kids caught Annie's hand trying to lead her outside and the other kid gathered the music sheets and followed them. Because they were running, some of the sheets fell down and that's why the mother saw Annie's sheets of music lying on the garden path outside. The two kids took Annie to a smal old house. After they went in, Annie saw an old piano. The two kids told Annie that it was their house, and the piano was for their granny. Also they told her that their granny was too sick, so she couldn't play the piano any more and that's way they had brought Annie to their home. Annie felt comfortable and she decided to play the piano for the sick granny. The two kids were happy to hear that. They took her to their granny's room. She was very happy to see the granny and the granny was happy too. The granny told Annie that she would be very glad if she played the piano for her. So one of the kids gave Annie her music sheets and they all sat around the piano then Annie started playing her favorite tune. The granny was very happy to hear the music again and she forgot her sickness. They all had a nice time. Gill was proud of her daughter after she heard the story and she hoped she was with them.
Version 7
Annie went to the garden when she heard a sound in it. Then she saw a cat in the middle of the street and it was coming very fast, so she screamed and ran to the cat to save it. After that, the car hit Annie very hard but the cat was unhurt. Annie can't survivde the concussion and died. Gill went out to search for her daughter, and when she saw Annie in the middle of the street, she ran to her and cried. She hoped that Annie would survive but she didn't. Finally, Annie became famous and her pictures were spread all over the newspapers, with the headline,
"SHE PAID HER LIFE FOR A CAT."
MANY THANKS TO MY GREAT STUDENTS FOR WRITING THESE CREATIVE ENDINGS TO MY STORY.
Now that you've read these excellent versions written by my best students, read the next episode - http://storiesforstudents.blogspot.com/2008/09/part-two-witness-to-what.html
Robert L. Fielding
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