Life in Death Valley by Divyash Poudyal ( A child author)

 ‘ It is a very hot and barren place, I read in a book’ Dryash said. The people of that area used to call this place ‘Death Valley’; the place where nothing lives.

 In a small town not far from Death Valley, there was a boy named Dryash. He was seven years old.

 ‘Why is there no water in Death Valley, Dad? ‘, asked Dryash. 

‘Stories have said that far far away there is a vast and unique lake,’ Dad said. ‘But to get there’ we have to cross the grand canyon, big cities and lots of plain lands.’ 

‘ Sounds like it's very far away’, Draysh said. 

‘The plain lands are really stretched out,’ Dad replied. 

‘Whoa!’ Dryash said as his pet dog Sniffer sniffed around his foot. ‘Nobody has ever explored the lake's unique features’, Dad told him. 

He showed Dryash a map. He pointed out exactly where they were. Then he traced the line to where the lakes were. They were a long way from the lakes.

‘Then we'll explore it’, said Dryash.

 ‘Ok’,  his Dad replied. Then, they went to bed. 

The next morning, they got ready for their journey. They packed food, 10 bottles of water, rope, hats, umbrellas, toys, safety kit and some money. After they were done packing, they left.

 After walking for a few hours, they reached a cab station. Dryash’s Dad gave $12 to the nearby driver to drop them off to Oregon. When they arrived at the border, the cab driver drove them off and returned to the cab station.

Dryash and his father continued their journey. When they were almost at mainland Oregon, they saw a trail that lead to Oregon National Park.

‘ Why not check it out? We can make a camp there overnight’, said Dryash to his dad, noticing it was getting dark.

 Dryash’s Dad pulled down some trees to form a teepee like tent. Then he built a campfire. 

After they had dinner together, they went to the bed. By the next morning, five of the water bottles were empty.

‘Why not fill our bottles there?’, Dryash pointed to the nearby fall. As Dryash tested the water, he immediately threw it out . Water was salty.

`Water of the salt creek falls comes from the Atlantic Ocean,’a nearby biker said.

 After talking briefly with him dad and Dryash continued their journey. When they reached mainland Oregon, a friendly man named John offered a ride to Idaho where they would camp for the night.

That night, John asked them where they were going. Dryash told them they were going to a vast lake and bring the lake's water back to Death Valley.

 ‘Can I help?’ John asked.

 ‘ Why not?  Come with us?’ Dryash said.

 ‘I am more than happy to help, ' said John. And off they went to bring water to Death Valley. 

The next day, they set off for mainland Idaho. After a five hours drive, they arrived at the restaurant named Pizza Pizza.

Dad and John ordered two medium-sized pizzas. Then John found an empty hotel room and booked for the night. The hotel was just a few minutes away. After they finished dinner, they went to the hotel.

That night, when everybody was sleeping, John couldn't sleep. He lumbered around the hotel until he found the CD. He put it on and drifted off to sleep.

 ‘Good Morning’, said John when he met Dryash at the window.

 ‘What time is it?’ Dryash asked.

 John looked at his watch and said, ‘9:50.

 ‘Aren't we supposed to be at Mainland Idaho by now?’ Dryash asked him.

 ‘Oh! yah, I forgot, sorry,’ John said.

 " Good morning John,’ Dad said as he made his way towards the bathroom. 

After a one hour drive, they reached mainland Idaho. The streets bustled with traffic. After waiting two hours in traffic, they arrived at the border between Utah and Idaho.

 Utah was a beautiful place just by looking at it from the border. While driving through the plains of Utah, they came across a flock of geese flying overhead.

‘Look dad!’, Dryash told his dad as he pointed to the Geese.

John took out his phone and took a photo. From Utah to Coronado, it is a seven-hour drive. 

They stopped at a small Inn for the night.

The next morning, John took them to Colorado, but it was a long way from where they stayed for the night.

 While driving through the streets of Colorado, they decided to visit the Grand Canyon. At the Grand Canyon, there was a huge crowd of people. Dad, John, and Dryash saw an open space, and the sniffer was standing on the other side of the gorge. 

‘What are you doing there?’ John asked the little dog.

 Sniffer sniffed as if he were crying.

 ‘Oh! you poor little puppy’, dad said. ‘ Don't worry, we will get you out of there.’

 Dad tied a rope to a nearby tree, and with the help of his friends, they were able to pull it down. They did the same on every tree until they had a tree bridge. 

Finally, they put the bridge across the Grand Canyon for the sniffer to cross. Sniffer nervously looked down the Grand Canyon and put one foot on the tree bridge. Then he ran across to his family. As soon as he arrived at his family, the tree bridge collapsed.

‘ Hurry!,’ Dryash said as he cuddled the sniffer in his arm. ‘Now it is time to continue our journey.’

Next, they arrived in Kansas.

 While driving in Kansas, they came across a Zoo full of wildlife. They saw a tiger who was blind and he was famous too. He was going to go to the Zoo in California.

They were almost at Kansas City, and they came across a traffic jam.

 "Wow! Kansas is so populated " Drysh said.

‘Sure it is’, dad replied.

Then they arrived at highway 101. As  they arrived at the border, John saw an underground tunnel. Then he checked the map. The tunnel led to Indiana.

 After driving a week, they arrived at Indiana. The sky loomed with cloud as if there was a thunderstorm. The storm has left hot and sticky air.

 Suddenly, a funnel cloud drifted from the sky. A kind family called them inside quickly.

Just then, the funnel cloud touched the ground and formed a tornado. The tornado headed towards the community.

The family led Dryash, Dad and John to the basement.

 After a while, the radio announced that it was safe to come out. When they came out they couldn't believe what they saw. The windows were shattered and trees were uprooted and even the cars flipped upside down.

 Luckily, nothing had happened to John's car. John thanked the family and drove to Lake Michigan which was north of Indiana.

 When they arrived at Lake Michigan, John talked to the workers about bringing water to the Death Valley and their plan.

While dad and Dryash explored the lake and took photos, the workers agreed and signed the contract with John.

 First, they collected donations from the government. Then, John and dad raised charity to collect money.

 With the money they collected, the workers were paid and also helped the workers to buy the tools they needed for the project.

 After a year’s hard work, they became able to stretch a pipe and brought the water to the Death Valley.

Now flowers bloomed and animals came to the Death Valley. Then, the Death Valley isn't dry and desolate anymore. Instead, it’s a beautiful place where life exists and people visit during their holidays.