The Elsie Locke Writing Prize- entry extracts

In Whio class we have decided to enter the Elsie Locke writing prize. The theme for the competition was  'A Journey'. The prize is $ 400 and to get the writing published in a school journal. Judges were especially interested in seeing the use of figurative language, and the ability to engage the reader. Here are some extracts from the entries we have sent.


...The wind is roaring, the rain pounding down on the roof of my cave. The lightning is cracking, putting long zig zags of light into the black night sky. There's no going back, I've travelled too far just to turn around and go back home to Dancycliff.


I have been chosen, I, out of all the citizens, have been chosen to carry the message. I have to carry the message of our people and give it to the king of Mains town.

    By Ellie


...The newly named Commander John Makintosh and his partner Wing Commander Bruce Watts were sitting in the space shuttle. They were well trained but knew all the risks involved. They heard the engines ignite and the shuttle began to shake like an earthquake. It rumbled and vibrated for which felt like forever but finally it subsided. John looked out the window and saw earth slowly getting smaller. Since they were going to be traveling for 3 years they were going to be cryogenically frozen for most of the trip. John set the shuttle to auto-pilot, said goodbye to Bruce and got into his freezing chamber. Slowly, he went to sleep.

By Tom Schultz.


...Mountains surrounded me and Pepper was nowhere in sight, the only life I could see was a number of large shapes in the distance and stubby brown grass everywhere. The sun was blaring down and I began to feel quite hot, I whipped off my riding helmet, chaps and jacket. I tied my jacket around my waist, poked my helmet and chaps securely under a cluster of bushes and strode off in the direction of those oddly large shapes in the distance.


By Shannon Glover.


...Squish squash went the slimy sand between my frozen toes as I walked along the beach. My legs felt so numb. "Hello... is there any body here?" I called, but I heard nothing. 
I went up to the top of the beach to find a place to sit, as I lowered my into the sand , tears started to prick like needles into the back of my eyes, tears started to roll down my face, but  I brushed them off.


Leigh Snodgrass

...Beep,Beep,Beep,Beep. The sound of a hospital machine. The sound is so repetitive, just like everything else here; all the floors look the same, white painted walls with plain matching doors. Everything makes you feel lost and disorientated. 


Although everything is the same I remember exactly where Grandad is, floor four, room five. A small room with a hospital bed,basin,and a small bathroom on the east side of the room. Next to Grandad's bed is a big window looking across the tiny town with glistening lights, sparkling like little stars on a frosty night. For some reason Grandad's room was different to all the other ones...special...unique - just like him I suppose.


Rachel Ashley.