I hid in the closet, peeping through the keyhole. My mother thought I was out. I saw her grab a carving knife and pull up her left sleeve. She lowered her hand to her wrist, but before I realised what I was seeing, something smashed through the window and sent my mum flying, sent her landing with a thud on the cold stone floor. I saw a lock of blonde hair and emerald green eyes disappear behind the trees outside.
I ran to the front door, my shoes and hands covered in Mum’s blood. I stood at the edge of the porch, furious and hollow inside. I fell to the ground, tears dripping into my lap and my black hair falling in front of my eyes.
The twig snapped. My eyes darted forward. She was standing there, as if she was proud to have accomplished such a thing.
She smiled at me and called out a greeting. I ignored her. A whole bunch of emotions rushed forward, piercing her fake smile, but the biggest one was fear.
I stood up straight to show that I was perfectly fine.
As she blinked I ran as fast as I could to the back of my old cottage. I stopped short; she was already there, standing with her gun pointed at me.
‘Hello again Sienna.’
Adrenaline ran through me and before I could blink she retracted her finger against the trigger and the bullet came speeding out…
The Wish I Made, I Made a Wish Maisie...
Annie Pannell, Cwrt Sart
Little Elouise was a young miserable girl who had no friends at all, only a small little doll called Maisie.
One night Elouise was so upset that she made a wish to herself:
“Please, I wish that I could have one best friend ever.”
The next morning she woke up with a “ Hey! Wake up! You’re my new best friend!”
Elouise woke up and screamed with fear. “What? But you’re a doll!”
Maisie looked at Elouise in a puzzle. “Well you did wish for a best friend ever didn’t you? Well here I am!”
Elouise paused. “Ahhhhh! My wish came true, my wish came true!”
She quickly ran down the stairs dragging Maisie behind her.
“Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” Maisie screeched. Elousie ran into the kitchen where Mam and Dad where making breakfast.
“Mam, Dad! My doll Maisie has come to life!”
Mam and Dad turned around in a startled way.
“Love, don’t shout that loud, it’s only half seven in the morning. Now sit down, your breakfast is almost ready and then you can tell us all about your little Maisie doll.”
But just then Maisie walked into the kitchen and said “Hey guys! What we having for breakfast?”
Mam quickly grabbed Elouise and Dad shouted “Quick call the police!”
Maisie called out “No! Please don’t call the police. Elouise made a wish to have the best friend ever so here I am. So please don’t call the police. I’m only here to be Elouise’s bestest friend ever, honest. I’m telling the truth!”
Mam and Dad went through with the idea of keeping Maisie. However, the doll became world wide news and soon enough Maisie was doing interviews, movies, writing books and travelling everywhere. Underneath all that success though, Maisie was still the bestest friends with Elouise and never forgot about her.
Year after year Maisie’s success got better and better but then the success slowly started to fade away. Eventually Maisie became like a normal person. Then one day there was a knock on the door.
“Come in!” Maisie said joyfully, and in came a little girl and her mother.
“Hello there. Sorry to disturb you on a beautiful day like this but my daughter here can’t stop admiring your little friend there. Maisie isn’t it?” said the mother suspiciously.
“Yes, this is Maisie, and thank you so much for admiring her. I feel very blessed to have her in my life,” Elouise replied.
“Why don’t you come in for a cup of tea?” said Maisie.
The mother and the daughter sat down on the sofa. Maisie had noticed that the mother had a black rucksack in her hand.
When Elouise walked back into the living room she found it empty. No mother, no daughter and no Maisie....
From that day on Maisie was never found. Elouise tried to contact the police and even the police tried to search for Maisie but she just couldn’t be found.
Maisie the doll was left a mystery....
Prologue – I Hear All About It [Extract]
Rebecca Walters, Bro Myrddin
My violet dyed hair brushed along my cheeks as I raced towards the beach with Dora, my best friend, yards behind me. I decided that I could go the long way, the way I had never tried before but had heard every single detail about.
Meg, the school's greatest storyteller told me about it a few weeks ago. And I am sure that I could still win! So instead of turning right, on the corner of the street I turned my bike round and headed back down and then twisted somehow, and I found myself on a dark, mysterious street.
It was so dark it looked as if it were night! I must have taken the wrong turn. Then suddenly I felt whispers behind me. I turned. I saw nothing. And then it started again. “It's not funny!” I muttered loudly.
“I think she heard us!” one of the voices whispered.
“I heard you all right!” I shouted at the empty street.
“Look, come with us!” another voice said. It was a grown-up voice, not the young voice I had heard before. “We need you Maxine!”
“You know my name?” I asked suddenly. I stopped my bike.
“Of course! We are magic, and you are too!” the grown-up voice continued.
“Me! Magic! Wha'…? Oh my gosh! Wow!” My eyes widened.
“If you try, you should see us!” the child voice yelled excitedly. “Then you will come and live with us in our world. See! Everything will be OK!”
“Okay... I will!” I promised. I scanned the street. “Hey! I can see you!”
Now I could see that the child was about ten years old and the grown-up was a woman. I ran towards them. But then I remembered something. “What about my family, friends?”
“We will cast a spell to make them think you were never born!” the grown up said.
“WHAT!?” I was shocked. “Leave them! But! Pah! Ahhhhhhhh!” I spat.
“You'll be okay. You will make yourself at home in Mansik Island,” the child promised.
“Mansik Island?” I asked, puzzled.
“Mansik Island,” the grown-up explained. “Mansik Island is where we live. Right now we need to get you back there. It's never been discovered by any humans. It's invisible to humans in fact! And boats, they change direction without the driver’s control, just to make sure that no human will bump into it! It's huge too! Far too big for an island! It's twice as big as the U.K!”
“Really?” I asked, really taking interest.
“Truly!” the girl said. No, not a girl, a magic being. Maybe she is human. Or is she? There were so many questions to ask. I paused, froze, not saying a word, then finally I said: “Um, but what exactly are you? Girls? Women? Magic?”
“Magic! We are magic!” the woman said. But still I was confused.
“No! I mean tell me everything!” I ordered.
“Okay! My name is Ms. Devinton or Ms. D for short. And this,” she said, pointing to the girl, “is Amethyst. She is ten, like you I believe?”
I nodded. Ms. D continued, ignoring my nod. She didn't seem to mind the wind sweeping her long, blondie-grey hair onto her face. Her dark, dark blue eyes (I have never seen anyone before with these darkest of dark blue eyes!) shined and beamed at me, then she turned away and when she told her story her eyes seemed puffy and dull. She must miss those lost ones, maybe?
“Long, long ago just after the dinosaurs had died, there were ‘sort of’ humans, the magic kind, the ones we are. Half of them turned into those you may think of as real humans, but the others stayed in the magic form. The real humans kept all the land to themselves except one piece. We lay magic dust
over it to make it invisible. Then a hundred and one years later a powerful storm washed away most of our form. And all of those who were washed away were sent plunging towards a random human, to years later be re-born as that human.
We are on a mission to find all the missing magic forms. And welcome, you are Magic too! We just need to scan you in!”
I was thrilled and threatened at this story. She paused then added: “We are not called magic forms. We are called Misics of the Magic. Or MOTM people if you like.”
“I would rather just call you, I mean us, the MOTM if that's okay with you,” I cut in.
“As you like,” Amethyst said. I had never really looked at her closely, I had never noticed she had pink eyes. I had never noticed she had hair cut really short, but not as short as a boy's. Her brown hair had pink streaks in. I turned away, making eye contact with a car mirror, and I suddenly noticed my real, light violet eyes. I truly had a magical touch.
“This is amazing!” I commented.
“Yes it is,” Amethyst grinned. I had a feeling I was going to like Amethyst.
Seff
Non Roberts, Tre Gib
One day in a little old village was a little old farm where lived a little old farmer man called Seff Morgan. Seff Morgan was a little old farmer who lived in a village named Llanwrda. He lived on the outskirts of Llanwrda. Llanwrda is a little old village with a little shop and a little cafe and a BIG pub for all the locals to enjoy! Seff loved the shop and the café but the thing he loved most of all was the pub. He would call in every night to grab a Jack Daniels Whiskey!
As I said before, Seff lives on a sheep and milking cow farm. He is the special man that provides every house and shop and café in the village with their milk.
Every morning he goes down to the shop to deliver only fifteen bottles of milk because he says that if people really want their milk they have to come and get it. ‘First come, first served’ he says to the lady in the shop. He also delivers milk to the café but in the café he always phones the lady to see how much she needs. Every body in the village thinks that Seff fancies the café owner, Mary, because they say every time people stop to talk to him when he is on his way to see Mary he’s always in a rush! That is not normal for Seff. He normally has all the time in the world.
Every year in the village there is a show and then after the show every old person gathers in the village hall for a little dance.
One day Seff plucked up the courage to ask Mary if she wanted to go to the dance with him… after a minute of thinking she jumped up and down in happiness… and so did Seff! That was it. Seff was going to the dance with Mary.
A week went by as fast as lightning, the dance was here at last! Seff phoned Mary to ask what time she wanted to be picked up in his Land Rover. She said “7:00pm, please,” and Seff replied with an “Of course, darling.”
She got picked up at exactly 7:00pm outside the shop looking spectacular in her new dress. Seff was wearing a new tweed suit he had bought especially for this occasion. They had fun in the dance and they had a couple of whiskeys too!
A year has gone by and Seff and Mary have been in love ever since that night. In fact, just yesterday Seff asked Mary to marry him and she said ‘Yes!’ They are living together in Seff’s little old farm in Llanwrda where the little old couple are going to live for the rest of their lives.
Beautiful Blue Sky
Angharad Treharne-Jones, Tre Gib
Thud, thud, thud, thud…
Footsteps.
The sound of my bare, dirty feet colliding with the concrete floor is deafening as it fills my head with its rhythmic pounding. Each step I take, bringing me closer to death, to my end.
The steady beat of my heart is merely a quiet background noise in comparison. I am not scared of death, I am sad to go and leave my loved ones behind, but not scared, never scared. I am dying already. I die every day, seeing my beautiful country torn apart by the horrendous, brutal war. I die seeing my family cower in terrified fear. I die every time a lorry drives past, loaded to the brim with limp, lifeless bodies. I die every time mothers and sisters receive that dreaded letter, informing them that their beloved father, brother or son will never come home again. They died gallantly, and so will I.
“You!” A roar comes from the man. He’s clad in grey uniform, as he motions for me to stand and take my place against the wall. His face red with anger, the foul emblem on his sleeve. “Hurry up!”
I don’t hurry. Instead I wonder if this man has children back home somewhere? No, he can’t have. No man would be able to glare at me so mercilessly as he hands me over to my death if he was a father. How can he kill a twelve-year-old child if he has witnessed and experienced the innocence and purity of his own? If he has held his darling baby for the first time, looking into his child’s trusting eyes, would he be able to take part in my death today?
That’s when I stop. I feel as if all the air has been sucked out of me, a hard punch thrown to my face. Josef. My little brother.
“Hurry!” The man roars once more, but I don’t move, I can’t move.
I can’t seem to take my eyes away from Josef’s small, bloody frame, lying on the floor. His green eyes, which I’d always found so mesmerising, no shade I had ever seen before, were now dead of emotion.
That’s when his gloved hand strikes my cheek, but I feel nothing. I am numb, immune to pain, for inside I feel far worse. I watch Josef being dragged away by another soldier. A soldier…he isn’t a soldier!
Soldiers are brave and fight for what is right! How can killing a four-year-old boy be possibly alright in any way? It is wrong… No. It is worse than wrong.
It is the devil’s work. This man…he is no soldier, he is a coward.
All at once, I want to lash out, scream, fight and weep; for I will never see my brother again… he can’t be dead… how was he even here? How was he caught?
The last time I’d seen him had been at home. Mama and Papa and he and I had been hiding from the soldiers who were searching our village. We hid in the dark cellar, stocked with food and drink, hidden underneath the floorboards. Papa told me to run. He told me to run away, far away, to safety. He wanted me to take Josef, but I didn’t know if I would make it, and I thought they would be safe… but, they weren’t safe, they were found. Mama and Papa must be here too… or already dead. They’re dead because one murderous man in charge is against my people. They’re dead because of our beliefs.
I just want to break down and cry for my family… but no, I can’t give them the satisfaction. I won’t. Instead, I hold my head high, walk my final steps, before coming to a halt, standing with my back to the red brick wall, splattered with blood. Before me is the barrel of the gun as I face the firing squad with six guns and six targets, impossible to miss.
Beside me are others, punished for our beliefs. We stand together. I do not know any of them, but for this moment they are my brothers and sisters. Some cry in terror, some beg for mercy, some pray and some just close their eyes… waiting. I just stare. I stare into the grey eyes of my killer. Which, for a brief moment, show a flicker of doubt. Am I really killing this girl? he probably wonders. But, as if ashamed of his hesitation, he hides it with cold determination.
I see my home. I see the luscious green grass on the mountains which I walk in the summer, decorated with flowers. I see the day Mama told me I was going to be a big sister and I see my brother’s eyes, my father’s smile and hear my mother’s tinkling laugh. I watch the glorious sun rise over the tall mountains, lighting up the valley in glorious light. I hear the birds singing in the trees and the wind creating a light, almost refreshing breeze. Then I pray my thanks to God. I thank him for my life. I pray for this war to end and I pray for peace to end this monstrosity. As I gaze at the beautiful blue sky, I see a shape form in the clouds. The Star of David. I smile.
Then, the birds fall silent as the shots echo in the air.
Death is merely a good sleep after a long, tiring day.
&
nbsp; An Eve to Remember
Rhiannon Davies, Tre Gib
I woke up this morning and slipped on my fluffy white slippers and my long dressing gown. It was the 30th December. It had been a super Christmas, celebrating with all the family. I was very excited about New Year’s Eve as it was my daughter Eve’s birthday. She was turning ten! My husband Martin was in the bathroom getting ready for work so I walked into Eve’s bedroom and opened the curtains.
“Good morning sleepy head!” I said. “It’s time to get up now.”
“But it’s Saturday,” she moaned, covering her face with the duvet.
“We need to go to the Post Office,” I said, pulling the duvet off her body. “I have some letters to post.”
I walked to the bathroom to get ready. Martin was in his smart Paramedic uniform.
“I’ll see you later,” he said, rushing to the big flash car, blowing Eve and me a kiss as he got in. The sound of the car echoed along our small street.
“Yes,” she answered with a small smile which lit up her pale delicate face.
We got into my trusty little car and drove off to the post office. I parked the car and we walked inside.
“Can I help you?” asked the lady on the counter who had a kindly face and greeted us like a cheerful grandmother.
“I would like to get some stamps,” I said, turning around, trying to find Eve.
“That will be a pound, please,” said the lady behind the counter. I got my purse out from my shiny designer leather handbag.
“Anything planned for tomorrow?” she enquired.
“Yes, we’re celebrating my daughter’s birthday. What about you?”
“I’m working late tonight so that all my work is done for tomorrow as I’m going to a party.”
All of a sudden the strangest thing happened. Eve walked slowly to the counter and stared at the lady behind it.
“Eve, don’t be rude!” I said, and then I caught a glimpse of her eyes. One eye was her usual pale blue but her other eye had turned chocolate brown. What was happening? How could this be? I went really quiet which concerned the woman.
“Don’t worry, your daughter’s probably just tired from all the festivities. I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it,” she said. That was the last thing I could remember because apparently at that moment I fainted.
I woke up at home in my bed with a cup of tea on the bedside table.
“Mum! You’re alright! I’m sorry that I stared at the woman. I didn’t mean to make you faint,” said Eve. “Dad! Mum’s woken up!”
“Eve, it wasn’t that. I’m pretty sure I saw something strange just before I started feeling dizzy!” I replied, taking a sip of my tea.
I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. It was only Martin, though.
“Feeling any better, love?” he asked. “I had a phone call from Mrs. Green from the Post Office. She told me you’d fainted so I rushed from the hospital to come and get you.”
“I’m feeling fine,” I said looking up. “Oh my goodness, not again...”
I started breathing heavily. I couldn’t stop staring at Eve.
“What’s the matter now?” questioned Martin.
“Look at Eve’s eyes. Please tell me you can see that one of them is brown.”
“I think you’re still a bit in shock. Eve’s eyes are both blue just like they always are. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head when you fainted?”
“Go and look in the mirror, Eve.” I demanded.
“They’re both blue,” she said.
I wasn’t sure what was going on. The only thing I did know was that only I could see Eve’s eyes in a strange way! I finished my cup of tea but didn’t fancy anything for lunch as I still felt a bit shaken up.
I must have fallen back into a deep sleep because I had the worst nightmare. I had flashbacks of the day. I could see Eve’s eyes and for some reason the woman from the Post Office, who seemed to be in danger.
I woke up in fright and looked at the bedside clock. It was 6.30pm. I could hear Martin and Eve playing and laughing together downstairs. I decided I had to find the woman!
I was in my nightdress so I slipped my red coat on before rushing down the stairs.
“I’m going out for a walk!” I called before whizzing through the door.
I ran to the Post Office. The woman had said she’d be working late so she should still be there. When I arrived I was out of breath and I was panting heavily. It was cold and icy so I knocked on the door in the hope that I wouldn’t be outside for long.
“Excuse me!” shouted a voice from across the road. It was the kindly woman smiling back at me.
“Oh thank goodness. I was looking for you but it doesn’t matter now.”
“What did you want? I was on my way home,” she said, about to cross the road to talk to me. Her foot stepped on the zebra crossing. She was half way over when a car came speeding down the road. The driver had no time to stop. Without a second thought, I jumped into the road and pushed the woman out of the way of the car and onto the pavement, just in time. The car roared past speedily.
“You saved me!” she cried. “How will I ever repay you?”
“It’s fine.” I replied softly. The two of us were in pain and just as we were struggling back to our feet an ambulance pulled up. To my surprise it was Martin and Eve who’d come looking for me.
Anyway, I have the New Year to look forward to. A new year will bring a new start which I’m looking forward to, that’s for sure.
The Cave That Changed My Life
Nia Evans, Bro Myrddin
It was a cold wet typical Russian winter’s night and Johnny was all tucked up in bed with a bright smile on his face.
“It’s over,” he said to himself, “the war is finally over. Just think of all of the things I can do tomorrow, just knowing that siren isn’t going to go off and we won’t have to take cover from passing planes all loaded with bombs.”
The war had finally come to an end and all Johnny could hear was the sound of people dancing with joy in the streets. Johnny listened to the cheers of the people slowly fading as he fell fast asleep.
The following morning Johnny slowly lifted his heavy eyelids to see the sun peering through the gaps of his shutters. He jumped out of bed and opened the shutters, feeling the warmth of the sun greeting his face. He looked down at his clock and saw the time: “Ten o’clock! I’ve over slept!”
He rushed over to his wardrobe, chucked on some clothes, slid down the banister and went into the kitchen. Something bad had happened. Johnny’s aunty was there holding his mother’s hand and his mother was sobbing into his auntie’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Johnny asked.
“Ooohhh! My boy! Something terrible has happened,” she sobbed. “The day before the war came to an end your father was out in the field, a gun was fired and it hit your father. They tried to save him but his heart just gave up.”
Johnny just stood there. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t blink. He just stood there. Then suddenly he ran.
He ran out of the door and did not stop. He didn’t even think of stopping but he knew where he was going.
After about five minutes of non-stop running he pulled up. In front of him there were miles of sand dunes, sea and a sandy shore. He was at the beach. The very same beach that his dad and he would visit every Saturday to go fishing and crabbing. He just couldn’t believe it. One of the most important people in the world to him had just gone. Vanished. He had no clue how on earth he was going to go on and then a voice in his head said to him: ‘For your mum. You will go on for your mum.”
He decided to go for a walk to clear his head.
He reached all the way to the top of the cliff and sat down with his legs dangling off the ledge. All he could hear was the sound of the waves smashing against the rocks underneath him. Johnny had a look around and saw, well, what you would usually see on a beach.
He saw seagulls, some sand, and the sea. But then he spotted somet
hing a bit different. A small cave about a mile or two away.
There was something special about this cave though. You could only get to it when the tide was out and for some reason no birds or living creature would go near it. As if there was something different about this cave, something mysterious and spooky. And that is when Johnny decided he was going to visit and explore it.
When Johnny arrived home his mother was standing in the doorway. She did not look happy. Johnny hesitated about going into the house or near his mother but finally he got up the courage.
“Where on earth have you been?” she yelled at him. “I have been worried sick, all day long.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him through the hall into the kitchen.
“Aaaawwwwwww!” he shrieked, “that really hurt.”
“Oh don’t be so silly! I hardly gripped it.”
“What’s your problem?” Johnny answered back.
“Don’t you dare speak to me in that tone! Anyway, where have you been? Do you know how worried I have been?”
Everything went silent for a second or two. Johnny didn’t want to say where he had been. He was slightly embarrassed to say that he had been down to the beach, but in the end he had no choice.
“Well, I’m waiting for an answer,” his mother said impatiently.
“I went down to the beach,” he mumbled.
“What did you say? Speak more clearly.”
“I’ve been at the beach.”
His mother went silent and just looked at him. “Why on earth did you go there? Especially on a day like this.”
“I just wanted to be close to dad, just for one last time.”
“Oh darling,” she sobbed as she cradled him in her arms, “that’s what we all want.”
They both spent the next hour and a half just sitting at the table eating their dinner in complete silence. The only sound was the sound of the neighbour’s cat meowing on the garden wall and the tap dripping slowly into the kitchen sink.
Then suddenly Johnny’s mother ended the awkward silence by announcing “Well, I think it’s time you went to bed young boy.”
He replied “I agree mother. I am rather tired. It’s been a long day.”
Johnny walked up the stairs and curled up into bed. His mother didn’t follow, she just sat in the living area sobbing until she could see the morning sun peaking over the horizon.