Winners of Sarah Bonnell Creative Writing Competition
Categories: General News
The Winning Entries...
~Living Guidelines~
The room was a little empty, but it was so in a pleasant way; small with flat wooden floor boards and pale green and white stripy wallpaper. The walls were bare other than two small windows to the north of the room, as was the floor, with the exception of the little furniture there was. It was only about four o’clock in the afternoon but it was dead in the middle of winter, so it was already dark outside the square framed glass which reflected the dimly lit scene of the quiet house. The soft cackling sound of the dying fire that was settled at the base of the brick chimney was quietening but could still be heard clearly in the silence of the room.
I looked up from the book I was holding and directed my gaze over to watch the reflection in the window where I could see a man with dark eyes and hair, holding a small tattered old book in one hand and sitting on a white sofa. As always the light skinned youth staring back at me had the exact same face from when I had first turned twenty three. No additional scars or features. Nothing had changed, outside and in, for as always I was sick. I was sick of waiting for the reason why I should once again age. It's who I am, I know that there is nothing I can do about it. For each of us immortals it's different, a different age when we stop growing and start waiting, well none of us know what we individually are waiting for but it will be the thing that we were “meant” to do or see or the person that we were meant to meet. Us immortals are all born for a purpose and no matter how much it may really annoy us we actually very much enjoy whatever it is that we have to do...
Caw! Caw!
I heaved a deep sigh. The skies have been full of the cries of those dang Carriers for days now. I do love watching them fly past, during the day that is, but at night I prefer to be able to sleep. I should be used to it by now. For the past thirty or so years that I’ve lived here there hasn’t gone one winter when the eggs of the fauna birds have failed to be taken from the Arctic glaciers and delivered to their waiting guardians. The Carriers are very reliable-
Caaaaaaaaw!
Just as I began to realise how much that caw sounded like a screech, I saw the giant bird. It was a magnificent thing, wings spread wider than any ordinary pigeon by possibly eleven foot! Its widespread wings were white with grey feather tips, as was the rest of its sleek, streamlined body. Its golden beak was sharp and long, still open from its screech-like call. At the end of its skinny legs the almost yellow coloured feet had talons, almost a foot long, but I realised that the ball-sized egg that was clutched close to its stomach was slipping. One of the creature’s feet was oozing a dark liquid that stained the precious thing in its grasp.
The carrier plummeted down after it screaming and screeching but before it could reach it, the egg had hit the icy ground and hit it hard. Soon after the egg hit the ground the carrier slumped down the rest of the way in defeat, turning the snow from the shimmering white colour that it was meant to be, to a deadly cold looking red. Its long beak pecked at the cracked, stained form at its feet but even I knew that it was no good. The injured creature would not be able to lift the poor egg from the freezing, snow covered floor, but even if it could the child inside it would not have survived the fall.
I stood there at the top of the small mountain, letting the strong breeze whip my golden brown hair across my pale face like fire dancing in the breeze that is swept through the chimney into the fireplace. I could feel the rush of fresh air race past me, rippling the golden brown feathers on my outstretched wings. I could almost feel the delightful light-weighted sensation when my long taloned feet would leave the firm grass covered ground, with my wings spread wide, totally and completely supported by the air. I would see the clouds swirl in defeat as I broke through, leaving a soft white trail behind me. The fields and villages below me, I would hardly notice nor be able to see properly as the vast landscape of the country of the world sped past me, far, far below. The rushing sound of the wind as it raced past my ears and under my wings, that would be all that I could hear.
The soft wind stopped its whistling and rushing, taking my fantasy with it, leaving my hair long, straight and still down my back and leaving me desperately longing for the freedom of flight. I had been so caught up in my heart's most pronounced and natural desire that I had forgotten about its most secret and abnormal one. I opened my eyes and blinked at the dazzling light that was able to escape from between the white clouds that were driven in by the constant wind. The large, solid clouds were outlined by silver glowing vapours where it was evident that the sun was fighting to breakthrough.
I turned around and began heading towards the familiar neighbourhood full of familiar houses and one house in particular that I've known since before I could remember. The man who lives there with me is not my actual father, and with one glimpse at him that would be easy to notice. He is an immortal and I'm a Taranaca and although my kind always grow up separate from their families, it was only by chance that he found me. When our eggs are laid we are taken by the carriers, leaving behind our mothers and fathers and our entire home in the north off to meet those of us who remain here to watch over the eggs once they arrive. The reason that I'm not one of those Taranaca who grow up with others of my own kind is because my carrier never delivered me to one. Adam, the immortal I live with has told me this story every time I ask and the first time that I wondered why I was different was when I was thirteen years old.
I was playing in the neighbourhood with some of the other children who lived there and they were all immortals who had not yet reached their waiting stage. One of the other girls was extremely rude and wouldn't let me join in with their game because I was not of the same species. She told me to go back to where I came from and sadly enough my other friends agreed with her. I went home crying and when I told Adam what had happened he didn't seem surprised. He sat me on his lap and hugged me tight then said to me that I should pay no attention to the other kids and that I am never to listen to a single abusive word they say to me. He told me that I wasn't the same as them but that that was nothing to be ashamed of.
“But why am I so different to everyone, even you?” I would say, pressing my face against his shoulder. Then he put his arm around my back, which with anybody else would have been awkward because of my wings attached right across my shoulder blades. However it was never uncomfortable with Adam and while I was with him I felt no different than anyone else. It was then that he first told me about my past. I was found in my egg hurt and unprotected, by Adam.
“You were dropped just a few yards outside my house.” He told me. “I went outside as soon as the carrier flew away so I wouldn't draw attention to myself. I found you easily.” He paused and I could tell that for my sake he had edited the story, it was a little annoying but I did appreciate it.
“I tried not to touch you that much before you hatched, just in case your carrier came back, but I didn't think it would. The fall damaged the shell and there was a huge crack down the side, but when I picked you up for the first time I felt you move inside so I knew you were okay. When you hatched you were weak and had a huge cut on your left arm where you hit the ground. I was scared that you wouldn't survive but when I fed you, you ate, just didn't open your eyes until you were a few days old.”
Ever since that day I'd felt so grateful to him. I began to realize just how much I owed him: My life. Since I was born he had always just been there and maybe I'd started to take him for granted, started to think that he will always be there no matter what. But also on that day I'd realised how much I deeply ached to be around and to learn from people who I could relate to, people who I wouldn't have to hide my true self from.
I looked down at my arm and sure enough the same thin, pink line was way too easy to notice and I felt like screaming out loud. Part of me wished that Adam had never told me about where I came from. I wish that the decision of what I want to do and where I want to go could be as simple as choosing chocolate or broccoli. (Chocolate would win hands down, yuck I absolutely hate broccoli!).
Part of me is desperate to find out who I am and be who I was meant to be, I'd love to finally belong somewhere. I'd love to know about myself and not be bullied ever again by those few immortals who think I'm some sort of animal.
However the rest of me isn't strong enough to give up the life I already have here with Adam, who helped me whenever I needed it and raised me into a mature young woman. I owe him so much and I'm desperate to stay with him. I'd never tell Adam about how indecisive I am about this particular topic. He would tell me to leave him and go where I wanted but I can tell that he would hate it if I left.
I've been worrying about this for six years and constantly wondering that if my carrier hadn't dropped me as a newly laid egg then I wouldn't have this decision to make because I'm certainly not happy when I don't know in which direction to turn. Although every day of my life I wish desperately for an easy way out of this, a compromise between my two raging halves, I had never ever, not for one second been able to bring myself to regret the fact that I am with Adam now.
I approached a small house with walls made with large stone bricks and a roof of bright red and very fragile looking tiles, each one overlapping the next. I reached for the door and pushed forward on the handle and as it always was whenever I was outside, the door was unlocked. I stepped into the hallway and shut the door leaving it, again, unlocked behind me.
“Hi Adam!” I called to the quiet house. I walked into the living room and found him halfway up a ladder that was pushed up against the half-green, half-white wall with a paint brush in his hand. I know that he has been ageing for the past twenty or so years because if I had to guess I'd say that he looked as if he were in his forties. I know that it is a much too personal question to ask an immortal but I have always been so curious as to when and what (or who as the case may be) caused him to age once more and why he is no longer with them.
“Hey Adelaide, you okay?” He turned to face me and smiled when he saw me standing by the unfinished wall, but his smile faded from his face fast when he got a good look at mine. He jumped down the three steps of the ladder and came over to me, concern clear in his expression. I've learned to compose my face while I'm around him, not wanting to worry him, deal. But I felt like I just couldn't live like this, feeling like I'm being torn in two completely opposite directions. I had to choose which way to go sooner or later and sooner would most certainly be better for the both of us. I felt tears burn in my amber coloured eyes and threaten to spill down my face. This is stupid, I told my self, silently. I should be happy, I should feel as though I can finally enjoy my life with no worries of future decisions.
“Daddy, I've made my mind up, I know what I want to do.”
Events we will never forget!!
I was walking, walking,
I was running, running,
I was thinking, thinking,
I was crying, crying,
I was walking away from racism!
It was shocking, shocking,
It was hurting, hurting,
It was upsetting, upsetting,
It was heartbreaking, heartbreaking,
It was shocking when I found out Martin Luther King was shot!
The world was shouting, shouting,
The world was praising, praising,
The world was dancing, dancing,
The world was celebrating, celebrating,
The world was shouting when slavery was abolished!
America, were befitting, befitting,
America were enjoying, enjoying,
America were cheering, cheering,
America were dreaming, dreaming,
America were befitting of the thought of the first African-American president of USA!
Singers were mourning, mourning,
Singers were weeping, weeping,
Singers were yelling, yelling,
Singers were screaming, screaming,
Singers were mourning the death of the King Of Pop!
Students were waiting, waiting,
Students were dreading, dreading,
Students were fainting, fainting,
Students were talking, talking,
Students were waiting for their GCSE exam results!
I was panting, panting,
I was praying, praying,
I was gasping, gasping,
I was hoping, hoping,
I was panting when Usain Bolt broke the world record!
Countries were helping, helping,
Countries were panicking, panicking,
Countries were phoning, phoning,
Countries were organising, organising,
Countries were helping when the tsunami happened on December 26th 2004!
What I dream...
I was walking down the road,
To buy a pint of milk,
When I saw a gang of youths,
Attacking a young, maybe 10 yr old looking boy,
I didn’t know what to do,
Should I call the police?
Or maybe not.
Should I run away and forget what had happened?
Instead I shouted “Oi”!
They turned around,
I recognised one boy,
He was in my class,
He had behaviour problems,
His mother was caught smuggling cocaine into the UK,
His dad was a cancer patient,
As the result of smoking too much,
His sister was on the run, escaping from prison
After she was sentenced for killing her best friend,
The gang of youths kept staring at me,
Everything was in silence,
Not even the siren of the ambulance
that went past the road was audible.
I could see the gangs’ eyes,
They were dark, as they were filled with hate,
Full of sins and revenge,
Full of murders and shoplifting,
Suddenly, as quick as a flash they disappeared!
The 10 yr old boy, was left lying on the road,
With smears of blood and marks on this face,
As if he had been eaten by a tiger or lion!!!
I was watching the telly today,
I was going to watch Eastenders,
Just before that it was the news,
They talked about the killings of
2 British soldiers serving in the war,
I could see the tears and loss, on their families’ faces
They were screaming and yelling,
When the 2 coffins went past them,
One of them fainted.
Tears kept dropping from their eyes,
Down to the ground,
I could hear the faint ‘plop’ sound,
It was slow at first,
But it was getting faster!!!!
I was reading the newspaper today,
Full of top stories,
The main story
was the murder of Stephen Lawrence,
A boy who was murdered for no reason,
He was at the wrong place,
At the wrong time,
Yet, he didn’t deserve to die
By the hands of those criminals,
faithless murderers.
So young and bright
Stephen Lawrence had a bright future ahead of him,
BUT IT’S ALL GONE,
IT’S LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE,
IF ONE PIECE IS LOST, JUST ONE PIECE,
YOU CAN’T COMPLETE THE PUZZLE!!
Are these things supposed to happen?
But why?
Is there any way we can stop it?
Can we stop time and reverse it?
Autumn Mother
Oh, Autumn mother of rosy, red leaves,
Your young children dance in the wind so slow,
Mother, your young children hang off large barked trees,
Elegantly do your rosy red leaves flow,
Your gentle, soft blow spreads a light cool breeze
like a box of chocolates, your leaves are swirled,
And as your silky wind hits us we freeze,
The trees with old branches lightly curled,
You wrap us warm in your cosy, warm quilt,
With Autumn outside, we lay in your warm bed.
Oh, Autumn mother your leaves start to wilt,
Oh, they suddenly start to fall,
Your leaves start to be shed,
Oh, Autumn mother of rosy, red leaves,
Your leaves land on the ground,
Making a light crisp sound.......
Oh, Autumn mother of rosy, red leaves,
Your rosy, red leaves fly in the breeze,
Away they go,
Flying away freely,
Your rosy, red leaves shine so clearly.......................
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Comments
I like the short story and poem but I thought the short story was rather a long story.
I would like to thank the judges who chose me as the winner for the poem category. Thanks a lot and to my friends who have congratulated me. :)
Well Done Shelby, you really deserved it!!
Wow, shelby, well done!! You really deserved it!!
Congratulations Shelby, your story is so good!! Thanks for choosing my poems for the Key Stage 4 competition.
Sharina !!! Your poem is really really good! Congrats .. Well done. :D
Well Done Sharina The Class Is Proud Of You !!