The Golden Piano Meagan Siyde looked around at the school that she once went to. She was homeschooled now, but she still kindof missed her old school and friends. She missed Hannah, Christa, and Cameron. She took one last look before walking out of the old building. When she got back in the car, she sighed and wished that there was some way that she and her friends could get back together. An exiting way, a fun way. As the car drove down the street, she took one last look at the school before they were around the corner and it was completely out of site. As they neared home, Meagan looked out the window. Rain clouds were beginning to gather around the town. 'Great, more rain' She thought. 'I guess I'll try to make the best of it.' It had been raining for a month, almost straight. Just as she was getting out of the car, it started to pour. "Great!" she said "Just great! Now I can be wet AND miserable. OIY!" She stomped over to the front door just in time to hear her mother ask "Well, why are you miserable?" Meagan looked at Mrs.Siyde, and blankly replied, "I miss going to school. I've told you athousand times, why wont you listen?" Meagan ran into the house. Meagan's mother's name was Katherine. She gave a sigh and followed into the house. She sat down on the couch next to Meagan and started rubbing her back. Meagan huffed and got up to go to her room. In the safety of her room, Meagan turned on the computer and typed in her password witch was "GoldenPiano". She wasn't much of a storyteller, but she loved doing it anyway. She opened up her story wich was called: "My Friends and I Re-United". It wasn't much of a story, just what she wished could really happen with her life. Meagan yawned. It was late, and she was really tired from writing for hours on end. She yawned again, then lay down on her bed. While she was laying there, she thought about what she would do if she could go to school again. Slowly, her thoughts started turning into feelings, and then, she was with her class- mates again. She smiled. Boy, how different did they look from the little kids that she had known in kindergarden and first grade. Then a terrible thought hit her. There were Cameron and Christa, but they went to diferrent schools now. Then the knowledge that she was having a dream now hit her like a stone, and she jerked awake. She looked around. Everything was quiet now, but it felt like she was being soaked to the bone. There was no water, no nothing, everything was quiet. Then, She felt something jabb her arm. No blood, no sharp object, no nothing. Then, she walked out of the room. Her head started to spin at the sight of, well, nothing. Everything was pure white. She ran around, calling for help, but there was no one else there. She heard an eery echo, and saw nothing. Then, She jerked awake for real. She looked around to see that her bedroom window had cracked and rain was pouring in. Her arm ached and she saw blood all over her white sheet. She staggered up and went into the kitchen, and saw her mom and dad sitting on the couch, waiting for her. She looked around and relized that there must have been an earthquake during the thunderstorm that didn't wake her up through the sound of the thunder. She wrapped a dishtowel around her arm and looked around. Her window wasn't the only one broken, but it was the only one that came out. She was soaking wet, but she went to go sit down with her parents anyway. Mrs.Siyde wrapped her arm aroun Meagan, and Meagan felt sleep coming on her again. Finally, she gave in and drifted off to sleep. In the morning, Meagan got up and walked into the kitchen. She realized she had slept all night on the couch with a dishtowel on her arm. She looked at her mother who pointed to her father who pointed at the medicine cabinet. Meagan walked over to where her fathe rhad been pointing and grabbed some gauze and wrapped it around her gaping wound. "I think I'm gonna need a few stitches mom, this is pretty big" "Lemme see" Her mom replied. Meagan held her arm out and took the gauze off for her mom to inspect. Mrs.Syde looked carfully. "Hon, can you run Meagan to the emergency room, she needs some stitches." "Sure thing Honey" Mr.Syde grabbed the car keys "C'mon Meagan". Meagan and her dad got in the Syde's car and drove off to the emergency room. When they got back, Meagan's arm was covered in white plaster. Her mom stiffled a laugh. "Mighte as well let it out mom, I know what your thinking." Meagan said. She sat down on the couch, and her mom followed. "Hey hon, do you really want to go back to school?" Meagan nodded. What would you say if I told you that I got you in for Ironwood?" Meagan sat up and stared at her mother in awe. "Did you mom? Did you really get me back in for this year?" Mrs.Syde nodded truthfully. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you so so so so so so much!" Meagan ran up to her room. In her room, Meagan started packing her school supplies. Pencils, Notebooks, Folder, paper, paint, and other things. Ironwood was not like most other schools. You did all of your work in one classroom, and you had two breaks. One for reccess and one for lunch, and it was a private school. She threw all of her supplies into her backpack, and set it behind the door. She stared up at the cardboard that used to be her window, and also looked at the little slivers of glass on the floor that her mother didn't manage to get out with the vacuum cleaner. She was still tired from last night, so she changed her bedding and went to bed, and beside, it was getting late. The next morning, Meagan popped out of bed and ran downstairs. Breakfast was already ready. She sat down at the table and ate her bacon and eggs and drank her milk. She grabbed her backpack and rushed out to the car. Once in, her mother climbed in and revved up the engine. When Meagan arrived at school, she saw her old kindergarten teacher, Miss Migee. She waved hi to her, even though she knew that Miss Migee probably wouldn't recognize her, but she was wrong. The old teacher waved right back with a smile on her face. "Hi Meagan!" "Hi Miss Migee, how are you today?" "I am fine, how are you?" "Good" Meagan walked over to her new class. Then, She saw Hannah! She saw her old friend, and she saw Sierra to! "Hi Hannah! Do you remember me?" She asked. "Meagan! how could I forget? Of course I remember you!" She hugged her old classmate, and soooo wished that Cameron and Christa were here. Then, they felt a slight rumbling. "Aftershock" Hannah said. "You got that earthquake too." "It was a point six! fo course we got it!" Meagan gasped "It didn't even wake me up!" The ground started shaking again. Another aftershock already? Then, it started shaking harder, and harder, and the building started to shake. Could it be anohter earthquake already? It was starting to get even harder. The ran into the nearest room and hid under to desks that were right next to eachother. It started to shake even harder. Then, Mrs.Daniels, and Mrs.Syde ran into the room and did the same thing. "Meagan, are you alright?" "Yeah, I'm fine, are you?" "I'm ok." There was an earthquake scale at the front of the room. Meagan glanced at it and nearly fainted. It was up to eight already! 'Uh-oh' Meagan thought. The roof started caving in, then it all fell at once. They curled up up under their desks as the roof crumbled. All of her blood rushed to Meagan's head, and she passed out cold. Meagan woke up to see herself trapped in the school. She got up and looked around at all of the brown debris. Her mom, Hannah, and Mrs.Daniels were alll standing up, looking for a way to get out of the school. She got up and started looking. Then, She saw a pathway, and started clearing it out. It was a pathway! "Hey guys, Look!" They all turned and started cheering. They went through that doorway, and saw a series of pathways. They were the only ones there now. Meagan took one last look at the earthquake scale. That had been a ten!! They started looking around for a way to get out. Hannah said "I found another doorway, I'm gonna go in and see" Before anyone could reply, she went through, followed by the rest of the party. Inside, was a large beautiful grand piano. Meagan walked over to it and started playing. It was still in tune. There was another doorway. They followed that to another room, with a red portable grand in it. Meagan started playing, and a terrible shrill came out of it. They held their ears 'till she let go. They looked at the little piano, and stared at it with wonder. 'How could that little thing make sooo much noise?' When they turned around to go back, it made that sound again. They turned around and looked at Meagan, but she wasn't anywhere near it. They all looked at the piano, and what they saw next made them all dizzy. The piano was now an extremely large golden grand! Meagan went over, and tapped one of the keys. A song started playing! nobody knew wich song it was, but it was playing a beautiful song none the less. Then, some kindof hollographic woman's head appeared over it. The keys on the piano started changing colors. They were turning from gold to silver and back again. The woman's head started to say something, and then, the piano started playing a different song. The woman started singing something strange. Meagan couldn't make out what the song was, but all she could tell was that it was beautifull. She went to get closer. She stopped singing, and said "Meagan," Meagan gasped. "How do you know my name?" she asked. The woman replied "My name is Hiyloryde. I have lived in this piano for years, and waiting for a young girl to play it." Meagan smiled. "So, what exactly are you?" Meagan asked. "Me, I am an Exodroid. This piano is made of pure gold, sit down." Meagan did as told, and sat down on the piano bench. Hiloryde said "I want you to play a song, any song you like. You don't have to know how, just play the keys you think would make the right sounds." Meagan nodded. She pressed middle C. It made a beautiful sound. She started playing amazing grace. It was perfect! She played a tune that nobody could recognize. 'wow' she thought. "May I try?" Hannah asked. "No!" the Exodroid exlaimed. "No, only Meagan may play, in fact, only Meagan CAN play. If anyone else tries to play, it makes no sound." "Amazing!" Mrs. Daniels said, quietly. Meagan's Mother nodded in agreement. Meagan looked at Hyloryde. "Hyloryde, can I ask you a question?" Meagan asked, hesitently. "Of Course." The friendly Exodroid replied. "Hyloryde, Why, why have you been here all this time? Were you trapped in there, or living in there by choice?" Meagans face had a curious expression in it. Hyloryde sighed. "Meagan, I live here neither by choice or by force, it is something supernatural, that has called me to live here, I cannot explain." Meagan bowed her head in dissapointment. Mrs. Daniels spoke up next. "Well, I suppose we should be going, they might be worried about us." Hyloryde bowed herself. "I understand. Here, turn around." They all turned around, then they heard a puffing sound, and Meagan looked, and the once beautiful grand turned into a small box, small enough for Meagan to pick up. She assumed that meant that Hyloride wanted her to take the piano. "Talk about portable!" Hannah Said. Meagan Chuckled. Mrs. Syde looked at her daughter. "Are you going to take it or leave it?" She asked. Meagan shook her head. "I don't know, I think Hyloride wants me to take it, but I have no idea!" Meagan finally shrugged and picked up the box. She stuck it in her pocket. Small as it was, it was heavy. She guessed it must be pure gold, at least 24karrot. By the time they had gotten back to the car, she could feel it litterally wearing a hole in her pocket. She took it out, and looked in her pocket. There, where the box had been sitting, the thread was completely worn out. Meagan looked at the car, and was surprised to see that the earthquake hadn't damaged it beyond repair. The only damage to it was a small dent in the hood, wich could be easily repaired. They climbed into the car. Meagan set the small box on the dashboard, and signaled to her mother. "Pick it up." she said, simply. He mother obeyed, and a look of astonishment crossed her face as she set it back down. "That must weigh at least ten pounds!" Mrs. Syde exlaimed. Meagan nodded. When they got back home, Meagan explained what had happened to her father. Meagan was also surprised to see that the only damage to their home was a couple broken windows, and the front and back doors were gone. But that was it. Mr. Syde was so astonished, that he highly considered sending Meagan to the insane isilone, untill her mother confirmed her words. Meagan showed him the little box, then wondered how it would turn back into a piano. She sighed, and set the box down in her torn up bedroom, just where she wanted the piano. She went out to eat supper, and when she came back, the big beautifull golden grand was back, and Hyloride was above it. Meagan smiled at her. "Boy," she said. "I sure can't wait to tell all my friends about this one!" Meagan went to sleep, with a happy mind that night. The Ironwood school was completely rebuilt six months later, and Meagan was able to go to school again, and she also had a story that never got old, thanks to, The Golden Piano. This story is based on a dream that Megan Trast had when she was eleven years old, and it amazed her and her family so much that she decided to write a book about it. The title was clear. The Golden Piano.