Year 9 students were asked to write the opening of a story called 'Facing a Fear' and produced some incredible work, bringing together many of the skills that they have learnt over the year. We hope you enjoy Aaminah G's and Meghan S's work:
The Midnight Pursuit
As Jemima jogged past the row of houses, the demonic hoots of owls echoed the eerie street. The trees swayed. She had just escaped from the dinghy orphanage. A conflagration of fear had ignited in her mind, the white light of the moon was hidden by the towering trees. Every step she took on the damp grass, droplets of water erupted on the ground. Jemima ran as swift as a peregrine falcon diving, in her head voices of doubt arose. When she passed the row of compact terraced houses, she hid behind some foul smelling bin bags, and waited to see if she was being followed. She saw a group of teenagers calling her name in a gruff manner. She immediately pounced from the rank bin bags and ran as fast as a cheetah chasing its prey.
They followed in quick pursuit. She had nearly got away but she slipped in a puddle creating an explosion of water. She scrambled up, in the process getting cold water in her shoes. Her mind raced with negative thoughts; “Will I be caught?” ‘Will I get hurt?”
She had heard the unmistakable chatter of the teenage gang. Jemima sprinted past the flickering lamppost, which reminded her of the light bulb above her bed in the orphanage. She hid behind a great oak tree. This tree was not alone; it was in line with its fellow comrades preparing for war. The booming, dominant grey clouds blanketed the innocent city. The grumbling of wind shook life into the lifeless, sleeping town. Rain gushed from the grey sky, attacking the gang but the great oak tree shielded Jemima from the ruthless ambush. She looked down at the ground and saw a puddle reflecting her face. Jemima’s brown hair was tangled, her pale face had dirt rubbed into it and her brown eyes gazed at the puddle.
The gang ran away drenched with water soon after the grey clouds parted revealing a dark, inky blue sky. The orphan climbed up the oak tree and lay on a sturdy branch staring at the sleeping, tranquil city. She felt the rough bark against her cheeks as she looked upon a black cat strolling through the moonlit street, dodging puddles. She stared at the great hanging orb in the sky shedding its luminous lustre upon the city. A pleasant sensation rippled throughout her body. Jemima had never felt this way before.
Aaminah G
Fear of Mother Nature
December 6th, 2000
It was the end, and he knew it.
The sky is a vibrant azure blue, clouds woven deep within its fabric; the jaundiced sun high above it, radiating a warm embrace. His feet teeter on the slick edge of his lofty apartment bed as his hands grasped tightly around a blanket. It was warmer today, much more than it should have been for the time of year.
A low rumbling noise began. Thump! After, Michael a middle-aged man is woken by a mini quake , he glances at the vast clock and realises that he is late to take his two children out camping at Briggs bury National Park. He darted across towards the door before tripping over copies of his book ‘Farewell California’.
Michael was driving like a banshee through California, he caught a glimpse of the thousands of people chanting
“Repent!”
“Repent, the end is near”.
‘A cataclysmic event will unfold, caused by an alignment of the planets in our solar system that only happens every 640,000 years, the end is near,’ an irrational man on the radio deliberating that the world is going to end.
Honk! Michael was now outside his former wife’s house picking up Isabella and Jackson(his two children).
“Hi daddy,” bellowed Isabella.
“Hey kids,” uttered Michael.
His 7-year-old daughter, Isabella, was eager to spend time with her dad. Jackson wore blue linen shorts buttoned to his shirt, his hair was snow white and stuck to his head like duck-fluff; he was 16-years-old and towered over his dad. While Isabella was delighted to see her dad, Jackson was cold towards him after he abandoned him.
As the car engine sung to the lone country roads, Michael relished the roaring winds that twirled in his raven hair and whistled in his ears. The once twenty square acres of entrancing beauty of Briggs Bury Park, now with posted wired fences coiled around the derelict park. Michael, Isabella and Jackson slowly walked closer; they saw an animal as cold as the ground it lay on with fur matted by the rain. Despite its lack of warmth it had died recently, no part of it attacked by scavengers and the eyes still moist, unshaken.
On the spur of the moment, government vehicles were converging onto them.
“You’re in a restricted area, sir and we need you and your family to come with us immediately,” babbled the Lieutenant.
Michael and his two children hurriedly ran into the Army car and were taken to the Sergeant who told them they were supposedly in an unstable area. The birds fluttered from tree to tree, eating scraps from bins, and singing off key in a language that wasn’t familiar to him.
Soon after, Michael set up the tents ready for his children. However, Michael spotted a crazy man(named Christian), the same one from the radio, ranting about the world ending.
“You mind if I join you, I wanna ask what exactly it is that’s gonna start in Hollywood?”, questioned Michael.
“ It’s the APOCOLAPSE, end of days, the end of the world, my friend!” exclaimed Charlie.
“That’s nonsense Charlie, nobody could keep that big a secret,” explained Michael.
“ Although, every once in a while, a poor little sucker tries to, and they all end up dead ,dead DEAD…...” declared Charlie.
“ One of these guys sent me a map,” said Charlie
“A map for what, what’s the map for?” uttered Michael.
“ They’re building spaceship, man” growled Charlie.
“ Um, ok, I have to go now,” said Michael.
Honestly, everything Charlie was saying, Michael did not believe a thing.
The next day, Michael had a part-time job as a limo driver for a Russian billionaire. He took the Russian billionaire and his two boys , Rutri and Karpov to the airport.
“Have a safe trip you little rats”, laughed Michael.
“Now you’re laughing, but we have tickets to go on a big ship,” bragged Karpov.
This was the moment Michael knew. He knew, the end was near.
He rushed to his family like a heartbeat. But it had started happening. Petrified by the sight and sound of great cities falling around him, Michael made it! His former wife and two kids were now in the car, as roaring waves were crashing towards them. The fleeing crowds with struck hearts falling within them, were tossed and flung like rags and dolls, to be engulfed into the centre of the Earth. All the once-green lands of the Earth were no more than ash and charcoal. The air was heavy with the smell of burnt flesh and smoke hanging in a haze over the blood-red sun. Michael was taking his family to the airport in order to get on a plane and get away before the ancient world will come to an apocalyptic end.
Will an era fall? Will they get to the airport in time?
Meghan S