Anna Crown awards Ridgefield Primary, Histon & Impington Junior School and Bottisham Village College their £200 donations from Excelr8 Learning

The 3 Writing Competition Winners with their Prizes

The Day that Ended my Life

By Scarlett Mattingly-Peck (Year 5)

I hope for your own sake that you have not chosen to read this story because you’re in a mood for a nice cheerful fairy tale because believe me this wouldn’t be the story for you. As you probably know stories don’t all have happy endings. In this case the story is about a ghost (that’s me) who used to be a girl called Edith. This is how I lived.

It was 1666 and I worked in a bakery with my brother Arthur. Arthur was my twin. We were orphans and he was my best friend. We didn’t like it in the bakery. Well, no one did though I probably had the worst job. I was the maid who had to sit for hours on end watching the flickering tongues of the flames to make sure they stayed in the bread oven. I barely even got to see Arthur. That was the worst part of it all as I knew he was there but I couldn’t see him!!

So there I was again, sitting down one night on the cold, stone floor forcing my eyes open when little puffs of smoke were creeping out of the glass doors of the bread. I knew something was wrong but I didn’t know what. Should I have told the owners? Yes, but I didn’t!

So as it went on through the day I stopped noticing the little puffs so much. But as day turned to night, it was almost impossible not to notice. It was so easy to stay awake though. I guess that was kind of good. The oven made a sort of chugging noise that nearly drove me round the bend. There were grey clouds flickering through my mind. Then it happened!! The whole bread oven blew up!!

It was like no other event in my life! The flames scattered about, getting settled in their new homes. The smoke clouded up all of the room and I was screaming with fright. The flames had started crawling with laughter as they reached for the door. My screams were getting louder as there was no way out. I knew someone must come sooner or later but what if they didn’t? What if Arthur forgot about me? What if no one heard?.... I had to put the bad thoughts at the back of my mind so I had a bit of courage to get out.

After the longest minutes of my life, I could hear people screaming, "Help! Help get me out!"

Then I knew what had happened. The fire had spread!!! From that point on I knew that Arthur wasn’t going to be able to help me. I had to help him!!!

I didn’t know what happened next. All I knew was that the thud, thud of my heart was fading and my screams were getting weaker and weaker until finally everything stopped. After a few seconds I started to fly up to the sky. Then I knew I was dead. I’ve never seen Arthur since. But I am going to, I will find him.

The Big Match

by Sanjit Acharya (Year 4)

Hi my name is Sanjit Acharya.  I’m a friendly guy so I’ll introduce myself.  I have black hair, black eyes and my skin colour is brown.  But more important, I’m a professional football player and I play for Chelsea. I’ve been through many tough matches and I know what it feels like.

To tell you the truth, we are in a bit of situation here.  Our team is playing against Arsenal this Thursday so I need to come up with a formation to beat them.  Some members of our team have bad injuries and we haven’t got enough subs to replace them.

Today is Tuesday and it’s nearly the big match. Earlier today we were just practising with Arsenal, when their manager came up to me and hissed at me, "You’d better stay out of my way on Thursday or else!"

"Why should I?" I replied crossly.  What could he do? I asked myself.

Thursday has now arrived and I am feeling extremely nervous. On the football pitch, the other players are starting to sing so I join in with them.  It feels great to be out here again with the crowd behind us and cheering us all the way.

At last the game starts.  Arsenal is on fire today and they have already shredded our midfielders to pieces.  Now they are in our half and challenging our defenders.  FLASH, with a super fast move, they score a GOAL!  I didn't even see who scored!

The whistle sounds for half time and we all gather in the "home" room to discuss our plans all over again.  Does anyone have ideas for how we can fight back?  Some of the lmen come up with a few suggestions but our manager cannot see them working.  I discuss a new defence formation with the team. Would it work?

After that we chant, "Chelsea are the champions!"  Soon the half time interval is over and we jog out on the field again.

The game restarts and we push forward with determination.  We have to score a goal.  As a midfielder crosses the ball to me, I surge forward with the ball and take a shot at the goal.  Luckily, the goalkeeper wasn’t looking at the ball just at that moment so it just flies past and into the back of the net.

GOAL!

We have evened Arsenal in goals.  After a few moments of celebration the match restarts.  At first we keep Arsenal in their half and with a clean tackle I restore the ball to my team once again.  After a few crosses with some other strikers, I take another shot at the goal but the goalkeeper pushes it around for a corner.  I tell the person taking the corner to aim the ball at my head.  Just after he kicks from the corner, I jump up and head the ball high into the goal.

GOAL! It’s my second goal that day.  Soon it was full time and we had crushed Arsenal.

After hours of cheering and celebrations, I return home to some peace and quiet after that wonderful match.

But Man UTD is up next.  Ahh, what can I do now?

Angel of Absence

By Annapurna Austin (Year 8)

The sinister angel had fallen from the heavens and had been forced to walk this confused world. Alone…..

I am the Angel of Absence.  I died on the 9th March, 1840, when my sister tripped on the train tracks that lay next to my home.  I pushed her out the way but it was too late for me.  The world suddenly changed from my ordinary surroundings to being absent from life.  I could see but not be seen, I could touch but not be touched, and I could speak but not be spoken to.  Or, at least I thought so.

I was dead.  But I stayed in my home.  I witnessed my birth, my growth and my death.  I was no ghost; I was just a memory occupying an empty space.

Years passed.  I sat and watched the world as I took care of the house.  We were two halves but together as one.  The birds and animals ran through the garden, its vines and drapes of dark roses smothered the walls.  The trees stood tall and proud as they guarded us and the sweet scent of lavender and fresh water fragranced the air as the stream flowed by.

But then came the year 1882 when the Arundels settled in.  There were Raymond and Angelica Arundel the parents, twins Maggie and Rosita (11).  There were 6 month old Francis (Cisi) and the poetical, mysterious 15 year old Theodore, who no one fully understood; the adopted son.

I’m not one of those ghosts that humans can’t see, I’m an angel. So I hid from them in places where I could not be seen, so my existence would remain unknown to them.  For would anyone ever believe in the truth?

One night as I closed my eyes and dreamed of life, I heard something.  I turned my head and that’s when I saw him…..

Theodore stood there frozen in the thick mist gazing at me.  That was when I found myself hurtling through the cold night’s air, determined to escape from the boy’s aggravating stare.  Branches cut me, cold air choked me and the wind blinded me.

Later, I awoke to the feeling of cold water touching my skin.  He knelt over me cleaning a wound on my arm, like he was the angel!

"You’re awake!" Theodore said, jumping about half a meter away. "I found you here after you fell."

"AAAHHH!"" The pain in my left wing struck me.  Theodore bent over to examine it

"You’ve broken it," he said gently.

I didn’t know how to react; he was a stranger who had stolen my home.  But he had rescued me?

"Who are you?" he asked me.

"I…I’m someone you should fear," I replied in the darkest voice possible. "A terrible plague will linger over you if you don’t leave me be. I can heal my wings without your help."

I glared at him but he broke the chain that linked our gaze together.

"Try me," he challenged.

He scooped me up (being cautious about my broken wing) and walked back in the direction of his (my) home.

"My name’s Theo."

"Well Theo, I’m nothing but a memory, a forgotten thought, a silent word in a burnt book. Leave me be!"

Theo smiled a crooked smile and chuckled a bit. "Here."  He passed me a bundle of sheet or robes.  "You’ll get cold in what you’re wearing, Atrapa."

The name struck me and a flood of memories came back to me.  I was Atrapa!

"How…?’ I couldn’t finish.

"Do you want to hear something?" Theo asked me.

I recognised him, his scruffy, thick black hair nearly covering his eyes which shone a deep blue.  He pulled out a small, familiar book and read, "The moon shines high and the trees guard us from the night.  The stars burn in the black night with beams of glimmering light that emblazon the heavens and reveal to us the path which will lead to happiness."

"You have talent," I finally said. "Theo please...."

"I swear to you I won’t tell anyone about your existence.  I’ll be back tomorrow."  And then he was gone.

I could have run away.  But I couldn’t leave behind my other half (my home).  Also I knew I was determined to find out exactly who Theo was.  He came the next day as promised, clutching two baskets and a pretty frock.

"This was my sister's," he said handing it to me. "It was her favourite. She told me, before…she died, to give it to someone who needed it."

He looked so sad.  I stood up, taking the dress from him and I went to put it on.  It was deep purple and dotted with dark blue and ruby red roses.

Theo startled me as he caught me glancing at my reflection in the stream.

"Here, we’re going berry picking." Theo gave me the basket and off I went, cloaked to hide my wings.  This became a regular event and I strangely enjoyed it.

A few weeks passed and my wings were healing quickly. I sat with Theo and made daisy chains. I leaned into him to hang one round his neck but his eyes caught mine and I clicked inside.  His lips tasted of the raspberries we picked.  Sunset ended but the stars rose into the thick, black sky; a perfect night, especially for flying.

He kissed me once as I landed us in a high tree top from where we could see the forest and meadows that lay below us. My death at that moment was perfect.

Meanwhile, Raymond Arundel sat in his chair, inhaling the smoke from his cigarette.  Ash fell onto his thick, brown beard which was very slightly burnt.

"Daddy!" screamed a voice from outside. Raymond flew to his feet and fled to where Maggie was stuck up high in the pear tree.  Rosita stood below.  Raymond began to climb the tree to rescue his daughter.  Only Cisi noticed the air thickening and darkening in his father’s study. The cigarette lay burning on the straw chair.  Slowly the flames engulfed the study and began attacking the rest of the house.

Theo and I had stayed in the forest to watch the sunrise.  Then I saw a vision: a 14 year old girl ran through the meadow.  Gazing at her, the farmer’s working boy smiled a crooked smile as he grabbed his girl and lifted her into the air.  Her purple dress swayed in the summer breeze.  He kissed her but she ran on.  After several attempts he caught her, causing the two to fall into the long grass.  Plucking a daisy from the warm earth, Theo placed it in Atrapa’s hair and gently kissed her.

I had remembered. I looked at Theo, but this resulted in fainting, not from the vision, however.  Theo got me in his arms and ran back to the house.  I smelt the smoke and opened my eyes; smoke lifted from the frail stones from which my home was made.  Even the garden was now alight and I cried as it died.  Sweet scents were now choking the air, leaving a smoky mist.

I ran inside without warning, I couldn’t stop; it was our two souls pulling us back together.  I swallowed the pain and closed my eyes.

Then silence.

I could see rain falling and seeping down the walls. My face was drowning in them too. We were both weeping for each other.

No matter how much I loved Theo, I never truly loved anything more than my heaven, my home, my soul, my other half.

"Shade me from this darkness,

because this light in the distance has faded now.

This warmth has changed;

ice cold is the air now,

memories of you haunt me.

Your ghost scares what’s left of me

and steals the rest of my heart.

My loss, not of love but of peace,

my home,

my soul,

my other half.

I’m hollow without you.

I remain like this;

my secrets stay unwoven

and I drift through this nightmare,

waiting to awake.

Or maybe I already am….’

That was the last poem quoted from Theo’s book, and it was the last thing I’d ever say.

A blanket of ash covered the earth, only half a dead pear tree stood, The Arundels and their adopted son froze there and watched as a ray of light fell upon where the house and the girl once stood. Sunrise was over.

The Arundels moved but Theo stayed. Telling his story to the farmers, they took pity on him and gave him materials for his project. In the end a small simple house stood proudly on a hill. Theo lived there for the rest of his lonely life.

He dreamt of me one night. He dreamt the night he saw the Angel of Absence and felt relief, knowing he had found me, the memory of his girl. But he too was just a memory and memories fade away, just like we did….

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