text: Lexi was your everyday child, she had everything she needed. Her family would get her whatever she wanted for her birthday and her friends would show up and celebrate with her. At school she would have singing recitals and dance recitals that her family would show up to. But there was one thing about Lexi that no one liked and that was how spoiled and entitled she could be. When she didn't get the right gift on her birthday she would throw a tantrum. And when her parents would try to console her she would cry all the more. Lexi never understood what it meant to really appreciate the ones who loved her. She always thought that they would be there for her. She always thought that she would have them around. But unbeknownst to the little girl she was being watched by someone very very powerful. This being would show Lexi how much she needed to change and if she didn't she would see the consequences for the choices that she made in the past and the present. For no matter the age, no matter the experiences you must always treat others how you would like to be treated. For that is the Golden Rule. One day while Lexi was playing with some of her friends in the park she was on the merry-go-round and told the other kids to get off because she wanted to be on it by herself. When the other children would not leave she threw a tantrum and forced them to leave. She screamed and screamed until she got her way. All the children left her to play on the swings since it seemed easier to just go elsewhere than be miserable around with her. One child in torn blue jeans and a beige color jacket with glasses on his face that were taped together, walked up to her. “ Can I get on this Merry-Go-Round with you?” “No, I'm on here by myself and that's how I want it to be. You can play somewhere else. You look like you stink anyway so don't come near me” , said Lexi The little boy put his head down and you could see a tear slowly come out of his eye. He walked away and back into the bushes and disappeared as the brush covered from behind as he passed through. Lexi didn't think anything of it; she just wanted to play on the Merry-Go-Round alone. It never occurred to her that maybe the way she behaved hurt others feelings and made them feel like an outcast. All she knew was that she wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. Then suddenly a man with a funny looking hat that was red with a bull's-eye on the top approached Lexi. With him was his tricycle where he carried all sorts of things that look like they were from a junkyard. Children came toward him to look at his Contraptions that he built and to ask him questions. When he talked to them he gave away small gifts to make them happy. To David he gave a Rubik's Cube because he loved solving puzzles. To Nancy he gave needle and thread because he knew that she loved to sew up her dolls whenever they were broken or ripped. When Lexi saw that he was giving things away she immediately ran up and pushed other kids out of her way and told him to give her something. The man told Lexi to wait her turn and to be patient and she would get something but Lexi said “no I want it now”. While she began to throw a tantrum the strange man looked at her with a cold stare as he bent down on one knee to get on Lexi's level. “Remember Lexi that you should always treat people how you want to be treated.” “But I want something from the cart. Oh, it's not fair! Why does everyone else get a gift but me? It's not fair, it's not fair!” Exclaimed Lexi. The man smirked as he tipped his top hat. He turned to his tricycle and reached in the basket that was on top and pulled out a spinning top. He handed it to Lexi and told her to move out of the way so the other children could get a gift. As she looked at the spinning top she began to cry even more because all the other kids' gifts seem to be so much better than hers. “This isn't fair, why do I get just a small wooden spinning top that doesn't even do anything?! While they get all these different gifts thats great for them? I want something that's good for me. Why can't you give me something that's good for me?” “My dear Lexi, this is the right gift for you. All you have to do is make a wish and spin the top and your wish will come true no matter what it is no matter where you are.” The man gave a smirk that only you could see a cat give that swallowed a canary. Lexi though being so focused on what he told her did not notice the look on his face. She took the spinning top and ran home. As she came through the front door she didn't even say hello to her mother and father she just ran straight to her room and slammed the door. She paced back and forth wondering what she should wish for. “Maybe I should wish for a chocolate cake? Humm, or maybe I can wish for Jason to like me." She paused for a moment. "I think I should start with something small just to make sure he wasn't lying to me.” Lexi said to herself. She put the spinning top on the ground and took a deep breath and thought up a small wish. “I wish for a dress made of silk that's red and just my size.” Then Lexi spun the top and as she watched it spin it seemed to spin for minutes at a time she was almost hypnotized by it. As it slowed down and then tipped over she looked on the bed and saw a red silk dress. It seemed to shimmer from the sunlight coming in through her window. “Yes!”, she screamed. The dress looked beautiful on her as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her mother walks in and sees her and is amazed at how wonderful Lexi looks. “Baby you look gorgeous!” “Thanks mom.” “But who bought this for you, your Father?” “No mom, it was the uhhh....prize I won from an online contest.” Lexi smiled at her mother as she lied to her. “Well you look wonderful in it darling.” “I know I do. I think I’ll keep this dress on a little longer to see what everyone else says.” As Lexi went on with her day and received compliments from her neighbors and the kids in the neighborhood she began to notice the dress feel a little tight. But she thought to herself maybe it was her not being used to such nice clothes. Soon though after a moment walking back to her house she began to feel a little dizzy. “I need to get home and take this off.” As she got closer she felt the tight squeeze of the dress. Then she noticed, with every compliment she received the dress held her tighter. “Beautful dress, darling.” Said one neighbor. “Ah you look like your mother.” Said another. Lexi’s walk became slow and and as she looked ahead with her house in the distance her vision went blurry and the house began to turn side ways. Her fall to the ground felt like she was floating for a moment and in the distance she could hear what sounded like her father calling her name. “Lexi?! Lexi wake up!” To be continued..............