Thank you to Bryana Ellery, who responded to the 1,000 Words feature in the January issue of Writing. Hope you enjoy reading her creative response to this very funny picture.

There was no evidence of me being there. Nothing but an empty clean chair, and a neat computer desk. I don't even know if anybody came looking for me. But I do know that I was lost in a game of a computer network and couldn't find my way out.

So this is the story about my journey through my own game. I could never imagine it more realistic than it was that day.

It was June 3, 2007 and I had been playing that game until almost 1:30 in the morning. I had about four cups of coffee to keep me awake. I was so desperate to beat that game. But by whatever time it was, something went completely wrong.

As hard as I tried to stop playing that game, and as hard as I tried to close my eyes to get detached from that game, it wouldn't let me go ahead. With my head was still turned toward the screen and eyes still wide open, I was sucked into the game, and literally shifted into another world.

When I landed flat, splat on my back on virtual grass, I heard a loud voice say "LEVEL 1."

At that moment, I knew I had to beat the game to get out. So I stood up, and looked around. But suddenly a bunch of monkeys started running toward me and I didn't know what to do. I ran as fast as I could until I saw something shiny in the distance. Once I picked it up, I realized it was a sword that I had to use to get the monkeys off my back.

After I fought the monkeys, my points started racking up. Then next to me a cool black convertible showed up. I thought back to when I was playing it in the real world, about how I beat the level. I finally knew what I had to do. So I drove to the top of the mountain to reach the exit door. It wasn't that easy though, even more monkeys latched onto the car and made it really hard to drive. I even almost fell off a cliff. I made it out okay, "It's only the first level, piece of cake," I told myself.

"Level 2," the deep voice said as I entered the next level. Standing up right in front of me was a huge, ugly, one-eyed Cyclops. Horrified, I ran and tried to hide. It almost got me, but I hit it with my sword. I hit it again knowing that every time I did, it lost a life. I finally killed the Cyclops, but then three more showed up and I almost passed out. Next thing I knew, I was flying through the air heading for a brick wall. It hurt like crazy, but luckily I had two lives left.

I found an energy coin that gave me strength to grow bigger. I grew as tall as the Cyclops. Then I beat them all. I jumped up and dpwn at the feeling of victory.

As I was heading to Level 3, I heard a horrible shrill noise. All of a sudden the game was over! Drifting back into reality, I woke up slowly. Slammed my alarm clock on the floor. Looked up at the computer with the bright green flashing words that said, "GAME OVER." I must have fallen asleep while playing the game. I can't believe I lost, and that it was only a dream that took me to such an adventurous place in my mind.  

Happy Leap Year Everybody!

Well actually, it's leap year all year. I guess today is Leap Year Day? Can I get a ruling on this?

Anywho, by now you should have READ's special Time Travel issue in your classroom. It's weird because we worked on that in the past.... and now, here you are, in the present, reading it. Whoa. Cosmic man.

Well, how do you like it? Feel free to give your two cents by clicking COMMENTS below or emailing us at word@weeklyreader.com.

We have already received one observation from a very intelligent class at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Wichita, Kansas. Their teacher, Ms. Vanwey, writes

"My 7^th  graders were in a tiz concerning Time Will Tell! How did the author add together 24 and 25 to come up with 60 as the age Jon was when he came back to 2008."

Well, that's a very good question. Our math is all screwed up! When Jon Pacone returns to 2008, he should be 49, not 60! Our only sorry excuse is that we stink at math. But someone on our end definitely should have caught this oversight. All apologies to time travelers everywhere.

Also, the question was stated of whether or not Jon would have been living two different lives at once. The first being the first time he lived through those years, and the second being his return to the past self living those years. Hmm... well... you see... um... time travel is a very tricky thing involving lots of compound theories and... um... holy cow! Look! Quick! Behind you! There's a flying cow!

Moo.

Well, at least Billy Pilgrim can time travel with class.
So it goes.

It happens maybe twice a year... I don't like it anymore than you do. I am sorry to say that our blogging skills, as of late, have fallen to the wayside. Sorry about that.

I'm trying to do my best with War & Peace. I got through Part One, barely. I will try to get back into Part Two tonight. But it's not easy, let me tell ya.

Some sad news, our resident Writer's Strike/pop culture blogger, Jessica, has left our fair company. We wish her well and will miss her bloggy presence.

Also, we've got magazines. Yes, as a side-job to blogging, we also put out these two magazines called READ and Writing. And next year, we are combining the two. So there's that.

All of this adds up to lots of work for the WORD bloggers here at Weekly Reader. But wah wah wah, right?

Where's the student writing? Where's the book and author news? Where is the bloggy we know and love? My friends, I tell you, a re-birth is coming. Please sit tight and bear with us during these slow times. We promise you... the best is yet to come.

Word.