The dew on the grass made my running shoes damp. It didn't bother me. The sound of my feet hitting the street formed a rhythm, a steady pattern of light thumps. I timed my breathing with the rhythm. These sounds filled my head. I thought of nothing other than the next step and keeping my tempo. I soared over the sidewalks like concrete clouds

Red looked across the prairie. He didn't see anything concerning. He wondered why Texas Joe had hollered like that. Texas Joe turned to him. The ghost that Texas Joe had just seen was gone. Texas Joe swatted at the air. Now he felt crazy. "You have to believe me, Red. It was just here," said Texas Joe. Red scowled at him in disbelief. "What was just here, Joe?" he asked. Red was angry with Texas Joe for disturbing his sleep for no apparent reason.

If you are confused about something in class, don't wait. Raise your hand and ask for help immediately. Do it while your teacher is still explaining the material. Your teacher will probably be happy that you are taking an active part in your education and should attempt to explain the material in a different way. If you are still confused, ask your teacher if he or she is available after class to give you additional instruction. You are worth it. Don't give up on yourself.

Cesar squinted from the sun. He was thinking about the game. They could have won. He could have won the game for them. All he needed to do was catch the ball, but he didn't. He dropped it. His coach talked to him. "Cesar, we had a great season. Nobody's perfect. Look at me. Ha ha," he said. Cesar smiled at the coach, but he couldn't forgive himself so easily.

Juanita applied the lipstick to her lips. She had never done this before. She smacked her lips like she had seen other women do in the movies and looked in the mirror. She felt unsure about what she saw. She turned to her friend Ashley and asked, "How do I look?" Ashley gasped and said, "You look breathtaking, Juanita." Juanita smiled. She was grateful for these words, even though she didn't believe them.

Jocelyn opened the escape hatch. She was afraid to jump, but she realized that the airship was sinking. She looked at Johann, who was strapping on his parachute. He locked eyes with her and then he realized the error in his conduct. "I'm sorry, Jocelyn. That was ungentlemanly of me. Let me help you with yours." He proceeded to attach the other parachute to Jocelyn's back. This made him feel a little better.

The parade marched down the street. It was led by a caped drummer. He set a stately pace and tapped the accompanying rhythm. A marching band followed behind him, matching his pace. Behind the band were floats of all sizes and designs. Children and adults were riding on the floats, tossing out penny candies, streamers, and plastic prizes. The street was lined with people. The noises of revelry filled the streets

The bell rang. "Oh no! I'm going to be late for science! I've got to go," said Cassie to her friend Riley. Riley rolled his eyes and said, "Little Miss Perfect can't be late." This upset Cassie. She hated when people gave her a hard time for trying to do the right thing, especially Riley. "Shut up," she said while swinging at Riley with her folder. He narrowly dodged the strike and said, "Be careful now. Attacking another student is a level two offense." Then he smiled a big, cheesy grin at her.

The sun was rising. Ivan saw the light piercing through the drawn curtains in his bedroom and knew that he would have to get up soon. He hadn't been sleeping for the last hour. He had been thinking about the future. He nudged his wife Litzy. Litzy woke slowly. She smiled, still thinking about the pleasant dream that she had been having, until she looked at Ivan's face. She could tell that something was wrong.