The Mysterious Sound
In the Segten Apartment ring, there are 12 apartment buildings lined up well to form a ring. From the air you can see trees, playgrounds, and a small pond near the center. You can also note that the apartments form a near-perfect dodecagon. The apartments are located in a peaceful setting near the center of New York City.
The residents have always had a good time. There have been no problems going on in all 12 buildings, not even a leak or mechanical failure. Two young children, John and Susie, are always curious on what things are. One night, this all changed.
As John and Susie were getting ready for bed, everything was still going okay. When they went to bed and turned off the light, strange flapping sounds that sounded like clothes flapping in the wind started as a surprise. John and Susie didn't think it was anything, but it was loud, even a few floors away. John and Susie were sleeping in two totally different rooms, but even behind a closed door, it was still clearly audible. John and Susie went to bed thinking that it wasn't a problem.
When they woke up again the next morning, the sounds were gone. They felt as if the sounds were for just that night. Susie said, "Did you hear that flapping sound last night?" in a scared feeling. "Yes I did" replied John, "It was quite loud, wasn't it?". Susie replied back in a slower speed, "Yes, it was loud".
The day went on without any problems except that a neighbor's car broke down and he couldn't get to work. That night, John and Susie went to bed as usual, but just before they entered their bedrooms, the sound returned. Susie said, frightened, "That sound, " one-second pause "it returned again!". John replied eager to find out what it was "Let's go find out what it is, okay?". Susie agreed with a small nod.
John and Susie left their apartment room and closed the door. This was the hallway. John and Susie didn't know their apartment building that well, except only the second floor, where they lived. The sound outside the room was even louder. The hallway, from where they lived offered three different directions to finding the source. To the left, with your back to the door, was the flight of stairs going down toward the exit. In the center was the emergency exit. It was locked except during emergencies. To the right, there were two more different directions. Facing the end wall, left would bring you to a dead end with more residents' rooms and to the right a stair case to go up and down the floors quickly.
John and Susie took the right path toward the end wall then took another right. At the stairs, the sound was even louder. They went up the stairs very slowly to the third floor and the sound was even louder. They continued up to the top floor [the fifth floor], and the sound was really loud. John tried to open the door, but it was locked. The night janitor had a skeleton key that would open any door. They rushed down the stairs to get the janitor. He was cleaning a minor spill on the left side. "I've found the source of the flapping sound and I can't open the door." said John. The janitor finished the last of the cleaning job and went up the stairs following John and Susie.
As the janitor approached the top stairs, he was shocked to hear those sounds on the top floor. There were very few residents living on the top floor. The door was still locked, so the janitor took out the skeleton key and opened it. The door wouldn't open normally, so he kicked the door with minor force and it opened. It was too dark to see inside the door, so he found the light switch. The sound was so loud that ear muffs might be a good option. The janitor turned on the light and there were about a dozen birds flapping around with wingspans of ten inches and another five sitting on what appears to be a nest.
Susie spotted an open window and told the janitor "So that's how they got in here! That open window!" The janitor turned around and saw it. He pushed the birds out the window and they all flew out, except one who was still sitting on it's nest. The janitor went over there and picked the bird up. It had laid an egg. The bird was carried to the window and it flew out. The janitor quickly closed the window. Susie took the egg and ran down to the exit. She found a tree and put the nest and egg in the tree where it was safe. Indeed, the bird returned to that nest and started sitting on the egg.
Susie returned to the first floor where John and the janitor were waiting. He saw a sign by a room that said "apartment manager". John and Susie, both, were worried about it if they got into trouble. Obviously when the manager opened the door, he called for the janitor and started a conversation. John and Susie couldn't hear it as the door way was sound proof.
"John and Susie have done something marvelous!" Said the janitor.
"Like what?" asked the apartment manager.
"Those strange flapping sounds were discovered by them and they helped to eliminate it."
"Oh really. Maybe a fair reward?"
"That's what I was thinking of. Maybe a nice, new, free toy costing no more than ten dollars for each."
"Not a bad idea. Where are they right now?"
"They're outside your room. Want me to get them?"
"Sure, maybe they'll like it."
"Okay."
At that moment, the janitor opened the door, but John and Susie weren't there. Suddenly, they jumped out from the back of the door and said "Surprise!" together shocking the janitor. They all went in.
"I have a very nice treat for you that I think you'll enjoy" Said the apartment manager.
"Like what?" Said Susie.
"A free ten dollar toy of your choice for each of you" said the apartment manager.
"WOW!" Said John and Susie in a very excited way. "A free toy!"
"Don't tell anyone though, okay" said the manager.
The two went to the toy shop and John and Susie found a very nice toy that both of which liked a lot, but costs seventeen dollars. The manager thought about it and realized that they were only spending $8.50 each, and agreed that if they share that toy, they would get it. Rather than paying seventeen dollars [the actual advertised price was $16.99], they paid ten percent sales tax, still within the twenty dollar limit. They loved their new toy. But, since it was night, they couldn't play with it until morning. They went to bed happy and slept until 11:50 AM.
Notes on story: This was a story I typed up from a school assignment and I thought it may interest anyone. It's not of the true format I do, but, however, it gives you a general idea on how well it can get. Since the mass-upgrade of Rise of Atlantis, my quality is likely much greater than this.
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