Every year, Old York University (OYU), where my four sisters and I attend, holds a fund raising gala in which the entire city participates. The party, called Oyufest, involves almost everything. There is a dance floor almost a football field in size, and blaring speakers as big as a two-story building. There were also the carnival type rides. Kids of all ages crowded around the ticket stands. They clenched their one-dollar fees in their Popsicle stained hands. The kids’ mouths were full of cotton candy and lollipops, and they were all so excited to get on “the big one.” The kids waited countless hours to get up to the stand and get their All Purpose Pass.2
Though the rides were a good attraction, Oyufest was mainly about the three-mile long parade in Minutes Square. All the college societies put up extremely extraordinary floats which were sponsored by companies like Macrohard and Exclusive Magnetic. This year was an exceptionally exciting one for my sisters and me, though. This was because our father, the unknown inventor, was finally coming out with his invention. My father’s invention was an Ultimate Flying Automobile. This isn’t just any flying car. It is a hydro powered flying car. It was the best kind of new technology for the economy. My father’s genius invention would make its debut today at Oyufest. As the last float passed by, my sisters and I turned to face each other, and we stared out past the crowd as the anticipation started to grow. Seconds passed, but it seemed like hours. Where was my father? Why isn’t he here? All five sisters had the same look. We all had a look of disappointment, sadness, but worst of all, fear. ~ 3
~Ever since my mother died at age 14, I had been the odd one out in my family. I had always felt that she was the only one in my family who truly understood me. My mother was the only one who loved me, and when she was gone, I was suffocated by hatred and anger. When my mother passed away, I locked myself in my room for over two days. I wouldn’t eat anything that my mother had not cooked, and I became thin and pale. My own reflection in the mirror scared me. In those two days, I underwent a very big change. My father and brothers had always called me bitter. They had been mean to me, so this is how I turned out. I was a bitter, nasty, snapping boy who had never thought of changing himself. I had always seen fault in those around me even though people told me that I was wrong. The biggest example was that when my nanny, Martha, told me I was mean to her, so I told my dad to order her away-and he did.~4
Albert, Elizabeth’s father, was peacefully riding to Minutes Square in his rented U-Haul when suddenly black vans surround him from all sides. He stopped the van and got out of it with his hands up. Thinking it is the police, he automatically said “What seems to be the problem officer?” Albert heard two mumbled words and laughter as he was tied up and thrown into a van. The ride to wherever was surprisingly smooth. Albert was frightened out of his mind, and fainted because of it. 5
When Albert woke up, he was sitting in a lounge chair with his hands painfully tied down with thick tan rope. He opens his eyes to see a very familiar face. Thomas Darcy, nefarious car manufacturer, stood before him in a dimly lit room. Infuriated, Albert said in a harsh voice, “What do you want?” “Oh, I think you know what I want, my friend.” Thomas Darcy says back, with a malevolent gleam in his eye. “If this is about the formula, you’re not getting it.” “I will make sure I do, my dear Albert. You mark my words.” With that last threat, Thomas Darcy left the room, slamming the door behind him. Once again, Albert’s vision went black.6
~I was so worried about my father, that I even hired a private detective to find him. I paid the detective, John Miller, one thousand dollars cash the minute he stepped into the door frame. I would do anything to find my father. John Miller came up the stone pathway to my house, and when I saw him, I ran for the door. He only had to say two words to me before I knew the seriousness of the disappearance. “Thomas Darcy.” Those two words made me worry more that ever. Thomas Darcy was the city’s best car seller who would “Do anything to sell more.” He was the richest man in town, and I now knew he had my father. I had to go and find him, no matter what it took. 7
I packed up my clothes, went to my dorm, told my friends and sisters goodbye, and set out to find my dad. I finally found the Darcy building, when I found it was open. What good luck! So, as you can imagine, I went in and found the room, or office, where my father was being held captive. I was just about to open his ties and uncover his mouth, when a young, not to mention handsome, man stepped into the office. 8
“Who are you, and-,” the man stopped in his tracks when I turned around to stare him straight in the eye. He never finished the sentence, but I knew what he meant. He introduced himself as Darcy, and though I had never seen the man before, I knew he was completely evil. I hated him the minute I knew his name. How dare he try to steal the invention! How dare he kidnap my father! ~ 9
~I stopped in my tracks when I saw her face. She turned so quickly, but for me it was like slow motion. The way she turned around and looked at me, first with apprehension, then with anger was just so beautiful. She inquired me with such fury, I was a little scared. I answered all the questions she fired at me with dignity but when she asked me what it would take to get her father out of here, even I, son of Thomas Darcy, didn’t know what to say. I thought a moment and finally came up with a perplexing answer. He could go-if she would stay. I turned on my heel and left the room. ~10
~When he said that my father could go, words could not explain how happy I was. But there was something wrong, and I knew it. When I saw his mouth form the words, “but you would have to stay here,” I was instantly brought down with dismay and fright. I sat and pondered this decision. Let my father go free and have to stay captive myself, or let my father stay here and free myself. The decision was wrenching at my insides. My stomach turned all the way over, and my heart started beating double time. I was so scared for my father, and so scared for my self. Finally, though, I decided to let my father go. His life was worth more than mine. He could save the world’s economy, and all I could save was myself. I opened the door to the office, and he was standing right next to the doorway, frowning at me. He almost looked….dare I say it, worried. I told him my answer-I would stay. 11
Life with William for those few months was actually not at all as I had expected it to be. After the initial week of silence and bitterness from him, I found myself strangely attracted to the things about him that I did not know of before. His six foot one frame towered elegantly over me, but his striking face with gentle features bewildered me the most. His eyes, soft and hazel, warmed my heart whenever they looked into my own. His perfect nose, perfect mouth, and perfect hair made me lightheaded. Not only was his appearance magnificent, his personality was just as wonderful. He was brilliant in everything he said and did. He was humorous and made me laugh a thousand times a day! He was sensitive and understood all my needs without a single word. But, above all, he was kind. Every week, his eight-year-old niece would come to visit him. He was the most kind, gentle, loving man I had seen. He spent countless, tireless hours trying to satisfy her every whim. But, when needed, he scolded her- only for her own benefit. This image of William was etched into my memory, and it seemed as though it would never leave. ~12
~Elizabeth brought kindness and laughter back into my life and made me feel truly happy for the first time in years. She was graceful and beautiful; her every movement filled me with growing adoration for her. The way she sat, walked, talked, danced, and sang took my breath away. She was unbelievably learned and had an extensive knowledge on every subject; occasionally, she knew more than I did. She had put up with my arrogance, bitterness, and severity with such understanding and compassion that my words could not express. In those few months, she had cared for me more than my own family. When I was ill, she nursed me back to health. When I needed help with my work, she sat by my side until I was finished. She was the most wonderful woman I had ever beheld, and soon I was aware of that one inevitable feeling- love. But how could I tell her what I felt for her? What if she did not feel the same for me? Still, I could not leave my feelings unspoken. I had to tell her… ~13
~ “Okay, dad. Make sure that Albert Bennett does not leave the house- under any circumstances,” I overheard Will tell his father on the telephone. My heart stopped. My pulse raced. My father, Albert Bennett? Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. I had to go save my poor, helpless father from the grasp of the malevolent Thomas Darcy. I did not care if Will had forbidden me to leave. I was going- nothing could stop me. So, I snuck out of my room, late at night, and I took Will’s car and drove off into the night…to save my father. 14
The feeling of dread rose in my chest as I made the four hour journey back to Old York City. What had Mr. Darcy done to my father? Was he held hostage? Then my thoughts flew back to Will. Why had I trusted him? How could he have done this to me? By the time my mind stopped flying, I reached home. I ran into the house as I prepared myself to see the worst. I raced up the stairs and threw open the door to my father’s room. I saw Mr. Darcy sitting by the bed next to my father, applying a hot compress to his head, while the Doctor prepared to leave. They all looked up at me as I stood in the doorway in shock. “Mmmmmiiisster Darcy,” I stammered, “what is the matter?” 15
“Well, my dear Elizabeth,” he said, calmly, “Your father had a very bad cold spell. He called me, so I rushed over to aid him. Don’t look so alarmed, dear; he is doing very well now.”16
We all had a long talk, where my father and Mr. Darcy explained the whole situation. Apparently, in the five months that I had stayed with Will, our fathers had come up with a deal. They were to form an alliance. My father would give Mr. Darcy the formula, if Mr. Darcy would give my father half of the ownership of the new UFA Company. Unfortunately I could not focus on this conversation because all my thoughts fluttered back to one person- Will. What had I done? I left him without one word of explanation. I had to let him know that I still cared. I had to let him know that I loved him! “If you are thinking about Will, he is standing right behind you,” a familiar voice from behind me said. I turned around…~17
~…she looked into my eyes, and I knew that she felt the same. We walked out the front door secretly smiling, for we knew exactly what lay ahead. ~18
…And they lived happily ever after. 19
The End20
*The names Elizabeth Bennett and William Darcy were taken from Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice. 21
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