I knew war was going to change my life but I never thought it would be this dramatic of a change. ... There were two sides of the platoon and every night the DI would say "Port side shine 'em up, starboard side shower up" or vice versa, meaning that whatever side would shower up would jump in the shower and whatever side would shine had to polish their belt buckle and their boots. ... You have to cover me while I go upstairs and steal someone else's.... I looked at Coop dead in his eyes and said, "Whatever happens tonight, you will always be my brother. ... My legs wo...

• Word Count: 2540
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

And off she would go, wherever she was, to tell her father, though it meant going all the way to Makati, Rizal, where she lived with her parents in a new house on Zapote Street. ... This, and the furniture, the shell lamps and the fancy bric-a-brac that clutters the narrow house indicate that the Cabadings had not only risen high enough to justify their split-level pretensions but were expecting to go higher. ... He couldn't bear to see Lydia and Leonardo rise and go up together to their room. ... His car had broken down and he had had it repaired and now he could not go home. ... Said C...

• Word Count: 5098
• Approx Pages: 20
• Grade Level: High School