Chapter 1: The Surface
By Michael Dahl
East of the town of Zion Falls lay a huge abandoned quarry. The bottom of the rocky crater was filled with water,
forming the biggest lake for miles around. The clear, calm waters reflected the moon and constellations overhead. Many people of Zion Falls would gather there to watch meteorite showers or gaze at the stars.
This evening, however, the lake did not reflect the heavenly bodies in the sky. The normally calm water was agitated.
An underground disturbance sent slabs of rock tumbling down the quarry’s high walls. Giant boulders fell and splashed into
the water. The lake trembled and stirred. Then the lake began spiraling in one direction. A whirlpool formed with a deep,
swirling hole at the center. Above the lake, lightning flashed in a clear sky. And from the center of the churning eye of the whirlpool, a golden disc rose into the air. Shouts and cries came from the disc. On top of it was a group of humans. Their voices were loud and happy, their fists pumping in the air in celebration. The strange figure of Dr. Hoo stood above the rest, his three arms hanging from his shoulders.
“The battle has been won,” said Dr. Hoo, looking down at his companions. “But the war is not over.”
Zak Fisher stood up next to the doctor. “Come on, Doc,” he said. “Can’t we just celebrate? What happened down there was
awesome!”
“Yeah!” said his friend Pablo O’Ryan, sitting by Zak’s feet. “We defeated the trolls down there!”
“It’s not over yet,” insisted Dr. Hoo. He walked to the center of the golden disc. “True, the gathool have suffered a major defeat. We struck a deadly blow to the heart of their kingdom.”
“Yes!” said Zak. “I mean, did you guys see when this disc —”
The doctor held up a hand to silence Zak. “But a wounded enemy is a dangerous one,” Dr. Hoo said. “More dangerous than you can imagine. Now, more than ever, we must all stick together.”
___
Adapted from Fallen Star, by Michael Dahl, ©️ by Capstone. Reprinted with permission.
Chapter 1: The Surface
The abandoned quarry east of Zion Falls was known for its huge crater, which had been filled with water to form the largest lake in the area. Many people from Zion Falls would often gather there to witness meteorite showers or simply gaze at the beautiful night sky. However, on this particular evening, something was amiss.
The calm and clear waters of the lake were disturbed. Slabs of rock tumbled down from the high quarry walls, crashing into the water and causing it to stir. Soon, a whirlpool formed, its swirling motion creating a deep hole at its center. Above the lake, lightning flashed across the sky, even though it had been clear just moments before. And from the eye of the whirlpool, a golden disc emerged, carrying a group of humans.
The people on the disc were shouting and cheering in celebration. At the forefront of the group stood Dr. Hoo, a peculiar figure with three arms hanging from his shoulders. He looked down at his companions and spoke with a sense of seriousness in his voice.
“The battle has been won,” said Dr. Hoo. “But the war is far from over.”
Zak Fisher, a young man, stood up next to the doctor and urged him to join in the celebration. "Come on, Doc," Zak exclaimed. "Can't we just celebrate? What happened down there was amazing!"
Pablo O’Ryan, a friend of Zak's who was sitting nearby, chimed in. "Yeah! We defeated those trolls! It was epic!"
Dr. Hoo raised his hand to silence Zak and Pablo. "It's not over yet," he insisted. He walked towards the center of the golden disc. "Yes, we may have dealt a devastating blow to the gathool, but a wounded enemy is a dangerous one. More dangerous than you can possibly imagine. Now, more than ever, we must stick together."
The group fell silent, absorbing the weight of Dr. Hoo's words. They knew that even though their recent victory had brought them joy, there was still a long and difficult road ahead. The war against the gathool was not yet won, and they would need to remain vigilant and united in order to succeed.
And so, as the golden disc hovered above the churning waters of the quarry, Dr. Hoo and his companions prepared themselves for the challenges that lay ahead. They knew that the fate of their world depended on their determination and courage. With renewed determination, they set off into the unknown, bracing themselves for the battles yet to come.
__
Adapted from "Fallen Star" by Michael Dahl. Copyright © Capstone. Used with permission.
How do you know this story is written from a third-person point of view?
The narrator is a character in the story and uses pronouns like “I” and “me.”
The narrator is not a character in the story and uses pronouns like “he” and “his.”
The narration switches between Pablo and Zak’s point of view.
The narrator is not a character in the story and uses pronouns like “I” and “me.”
The correct answer is: The narrator is not a character in the story and uses pronouns like “he” and “his.”
In the passage, the narrator describes the actions and thoughts of the characters using pronouns such as "he," "his," and "they," indicating that the perspective is third-person. The narrator is not involved in the story and remains objective throughout, providing an external viewpoint.