Student story using the narrative writing format of Barbara Mariconda.

1. Lela and the Haunted House
Lela, a shy 12 year old girl, dashed down the
block to a dark and spooky haunted house. Lela
could hear an earsplitting shriek coming from behind
the black rusty gate. She wondered why the house
looked so old. “Why are the lights on?” questioned
Lela.
Lela cautiously twisted the door handle as she
entered the haunted house. As Lela entered she could
see cobwebs and dust everywhere! Lela shivered as
she heard the floors creaking loudly as she tiptoed
down the dark hall. As the wind blew through the
window of the old house she could smell smoke.
Suddenly, Lela noticed an unusual picture of a girl
hanging on the wall. Lela shivered as the pictures’
eyes followed her. CRASH! The pictures dusty glass
shattered on the floor! She stopped at the end of the
hallway and started walking down the stairs. She felt
the dusty old wooden
railing when she rubbed
her fingers across it.
Peering at the bottom of
the stairs she saw a
blinking light at the
bottom. Lela opened the

2. rusty door and felt her hand bleeding from the old,
wooden handle on the door.
Suddenly, Lela felt a stick poking her in
the back. She spun around with her hands
sweating but nothing was there, so she
continued walking down the hallway. In a
blink of an eye, a green flash appeared in
the distance. As Lela’s heart pounded in fear
she took two steps forward but it disappeared. “This
house is haunted,” she thought out loud but
continued walking around. Just then, she heard an
evil cackle coming from a room down the hallway. She
cautiously walked closer with her body shaking. She
opened the door and was face to face with a tall,
green faced witch.
Suddenly, Lela screamed as her heart pounded in
fear. She immediately started running down the hall.
But the witch was too fast! Just then, the witch threw a
bottle of freeze potion at Lela, but the hag had missed
her! The green faced witch suddenly started flying
above trying to catch up. Lela noticed and sprinted
the other way! “Try and catch me now!” shouted Lela.
Crack! Crack! One of the floor boards fell through and
Lela did too! Now she was in the basement of the old
house. Without warning, Lela could see the old witch
running behind her again. In a blink of an eye, she

3. noticed a dark room with a shattered window and a
dusty bed. She immediately ran in and hid under the
old bed. “What’s that noise?” whispered the witch as
she walked down the stairs. As the witch walked into
the room she saw Lela’s colorful striped dress
peeking out from under the old bed. “I found you!”
cackled the witch! Just then, she grabbed Lela and
threw her in the closet. “I’ve been wanting to tell you
something” whispered the green faced hag. She
opened the closet door and walked out. “Can I have
you for dinner?” Just then Lela felt like 15 years of
fear were building up in her. In a blink of an eye her
heart started pounding and her palms started
sweating. “You cannot eat me!” shouted Lela. “No, no,
no!” said the witch. “I would like to invite you to
dinner with all of my ghost, goblin and werewolf
friends. We’re having ghost roast,
apple pie, and the goblins favorite
extra sweet Shirley temples!” the
witch exclaimed. “Sure!” said Lela.
So Lela enjoyed the feast with her
new freaky bunch of friends! Later on she ran home
and told her parents, but they didn’t believe her!