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Claws Blood Rivals Stupor The Invaders Limbo Octopus Ocean Blues Pig Squad
Isky,t waslighting a peaceful night in the North Pole. The full moon shone bright in the night up the snow-covered streets. Christmas time was nearing quickly, and the
By Ashleigh James
elves were busy at work preparing for their favourite season of the year. The sounds of laughter and singing filled the cold air as they decorated the streets, an all too familiar sound around this time of year in the North Pole. All was going well until a panicked elf ran aimlessly across the street. “He’s coming!� he yelled, already looking for a place to hide. Chaos ensued as the elves dove behind bushes and climbed up trees. Others started to make their way to the safety of their houses. A familiar stomping shook the ground as the figure trudged up the hill, grunting as he went. He stopped in his tracks in the middle of the street, a stray elf catching his eye. The elf stood, frozen, as he towered over him, casting a shadow at least twice the size of the elf. The elves watched on from their hiding places as he raised a sharp claw and slowly picked up the elf by his shirt. Anger flickered in his eyes as he tossed the elf as far as he could. In the frightened silence, a small thud was heard in the distance as the elf hit the ground. Satisfied, the figure continued down the now empty street, ignoring the muffled cries of the hidden elves. As he disappeared into the distance, elves slowly came out from their hiding places. Some ran towards the tossed elf and others started to head back to their houses nearby. There was no more laughter or singing, instead silenced cries and whimpers filled the night air.
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By Ashleigh James
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anta hadn’t always hated Christmas. In fact, he used to love it even more than his elves. He loved to decorate the North Pole with Christmas decorations his elves made for him every year, and would always praise the elves for their hard work. It was after Mrs Claus left him that he changed. Now he mostly stayed in his small house on the outskirts of the North Pole, as far away from the elves as possible. He lived on milk and cookies, and rarely left his house. Some of the elves had tried to help him get back into the Christmas spirit, but they had vanished shortly afterwards. So instead the elves avoided Santa as much as they could. They were the ones who would feed the reindeer and check the naughty and nice lists. They were the ones who delivered the presents they had made on Christmas night every year. It was the elves that ran Christmas. It was close to midnight when the elves awoke to frantic screaming coming from the centre of the town. Rushing outside they stopped in their tracks at what they saw. Santa was on a rampage throughout the town, destroying all of the decorations and toys that the elves had spent all year working hard to make. He tore down banners and used his sharp claws to cut down the Christmas tree that stood tall all year round in the centre of the North Pole. When he had destroyed everything he could find, he began to pick up some of the elves, tossing them with all his might in every direction. The elves tried to run, but Santa could easily catch up; he was much bigger than them. He continued to toss the elves aside until there was only one more. He stopped in front of the elf, glaring at him for a few seconds. Then, without hesitation, he took his claw and slowly ran it across the elf ’s face, leaving a bloody scratch. Picking up the elf, he admired his handiwork. “Didn’t you hear?” he said to the frightened elf. “Christmas is cancelled this year” he smiled as he tossed the last elf aside and made his way home.
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By Michel Azar
Iofna ahumble Mysterious land far away, there lived a man named Tendo who was the leader village. He ruled along with his two young sons Mīhya and Zura. Tendo
passed on all the knowledge he had gathered thorough his life to his two sons, one of the most specific things he thought them was how to love and protect others. He thought the self-defense through a form of martial arts that he created. Mīhya was the older of Tendo’s two children; Mīhya believed that power was the only way of solving people’s problems and achieving true peace. Zura on the other hand believed that love was the real key to achieving peace throughout all people. Now years later Tendo’s time was drawing near and a successor was to be selected from amongst his two sons to rule in his place. Although Mīhya was far superior to Zura in, strength, power, wisdom and knowledge, Tendo selected Zura as his successor because Zura unlike Mīhya had a heart of love and compassion that genuinely cared for others. Mīhya’s heart in contrast was cold, lacking affection towards those under him; he sought only to meet his objectives to the fullest regardless of any causes for concern from others. After Zura’s selection as successor, Mīhya heart filled with hatred towards his brother. Mīhya saw himself superior to Zura in every way and couldn’t understand why he was not selected as successor rather than Zura.
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By Michel Azar
nable to accept his fate Mīhya left the village, he was determined to establish his own village with people who shared his same ideals. Mīhya always thought of his brother as a weak child whose innocence blinds hi from reality. Yet Zura always looked up to his older brother and always aspired to be as strong and wise as he was. Both Zura and his father were deeply saddened to see Mīhya leave. More years pass and Tendo has passed away, Zura is now ruling as leader of the village. One night on the outskirts of the village boarders a crowd of people appeared and called out to Zura. Zura ran to meet them only to be faced with a leader who emerges from amongst the crowd. It is his older brother Mīhya who has reappeared before his brother after many years. Mīhya reveals that crowd of people that accompany him are from his own village which he has founded an that he is here to challenge his younger brother to a battle in order to prove once and for all who is worth or leading these people. Mīhya heart was still filled with anger and jealousy toward his brother, he yearned to beat his younger brother in battle and prove that Power is the only true necessity. To protect his honor Zura accepts Mīhya challenge and they engage in fierce combat, a battle between brothers to the bitter end. Through the smoke one appears victorious… Zura! However he has spared his brother because Zura stands for peace and love, he refused to take his brother’s life. Instead he offers him a helping hand. Mīhya’s pride keeps him from accepting his brother’s kindness. Mīhya acknowledges his brother as a worthy opponent for the first time and promises that he will be victorious in their next battle. Mīhya returns to his land. And a the once young brothers are now Rivals.
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“IN THIS WORLD OF WINNERS AND LOSERS, THERE CAN NEVER BE TRUE PEACE”
-Obito Uchiha-
body in bed, aware intensify the slight vibrations coming through sensations are fading, to return soon intensify, intensify, intensify in my head and a sinking feeling not yet feeling it is time to start slipping visuals to jumpstart textures, colors lucid fields of coloured visuals white siding, blue roof, small housing imagine sinking, sinking intensify dark house, rise from the floor difficulty standing in a dream state the entrance is dim, couches, paintings blurry, unstable, dark textures vary, feelings wool knits, wallpaper cotton, feathers colors are vivid reds, oranges greens, blues strips of colour strips of texture textured fabric lucid, vivid dreams
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grounding, intense senses mentally in control, physical absence reflecting on implications of physical departure large walkways, continuing hands and knees movement contact of cold white tiles on hands, feet, knees large, arched counter top regain stability before slipping into sink cold water rushing, rushing around my body, vivid engage senses, intensify engage five senses white fridge, dark brown chocolate square sections, cold, dark senses engaging invigorating, intense regain stability, vividity, lucid exploring, coloured details detailed colours reds, oranges, greens, blues rain coming down on the glass sliding door counter top dimly lit wooden stools tucked away deep red, flowing curtain fabric empty mugs, familiarity bite into chocolate, dull bite again, regain consciousness i am eating bed sheets
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By Tanya Rowlison
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he city never use to be like this. It once moved at a pace that only the people experiencing a coffee induced pick-me-up could keep up with, especially during nights like this. Now there are strict rules in place, no one is allowed out after dark anymore. Something I should try to remember as I make my way through the city. If they catch you they send you away, no one is quite sure where but I think they get sent away to a lab, if they’re lucky. Wouldn’t be surprised if they just ended up in the ground, after all, if they can’t control you then you’re a possible threat and they don’t like to leave room for error. We all found that out the hard way when they invaded. They hit the major cities first, creating global panic and forcing the civilians out and the soldiers in. They weren’t trained for this, they weren’t prepared, but the invaders were. They just kept taking out our armed forces until we had no choice but to surrender and eventually, everyone else in the world did too. Well, almost everyone. There’s a secret group of people, the Defenders some call them, who have been fighting back against the invaders. They use the cover of night to execute their missions and hide in plain sight during the day to meet and make plans. They also paint their symbol at the scene of their crimes, I guess it’s like a calling card, letting everyone know whose responsible.
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By Tanya Rowlison
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o far they have managed to take out a couple holding facilities and a few labs. Nothing too major just yet but the more they do, the more hope they inspire and encourages more people to join them. I hope to join them someday. Until then I sneak off into the night for other reasons, more selfish ones. After escaping the city through a hole in the fence, I make my way through the old park. This use to be my favourite place to go, well, I guess it still is. My mother use to take me here all the time before the invasion, but now she has been moved to another holding facility up north. That’s what I’ve been told anyway. So I’ve thought about leaving the city for good, now that there’s nothing keeping me here anymore. But who’s to say it’ll be better anywhere else, at least here we have the defenders watching out for us. I find my favourite tree and start climbing, a skill that I’ve become fairly familiar with lately. The poor tree is half way dead, much like the everything else on the planet now. I think they’ve found a way to change the world’s atmosphere to suit themselves, unfortunately that means that trees like this are starting to die off. I shudder to think of what that could mean for us later on. I doubt they care whether we survive or not, they just want a new planet to call their own. It’s working too, I don’t even recognise this world anymore.
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“WAITING BETWEEN WORLDS” - Zack Hemsey -
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OBLIVION by Adrian Odame
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couldn’t get up. It felt like something or someone was holding me down, but why? Why Whythey are aredoing they doing this? Wait… this? Wait… no… I’m no…restless. I’m restless. I had Itohad calm to calm myselfmyself downdown and figure and figure out whatwhat out waswas happening. happening. I slowly I slowly opened opened my eyes. my eyes. Everything Everything waswas a blur. a blur. Everything Everything was a mess.a mess. was Everything Everything was deformed was deformed but eventually but eventually startedstarted to taketoshape, take shape, startedstarted to become to clear again. become clearAfter again. a while AfterIanoticed while I Inoticed was inside I wasmy inside warm, mycosy warm, bed.cosy In fact bed.I wasn’t In fact even I in my own wasn’t evenhome. in my Where own home. was I? Where I slowly wasgot I? up. I slowly My body got up. feltMy heavy body asfelt if something heavy as ifwas weighing me something was down. weighing I looked me around, down. I looked nothingaround, familiar. nothing To onefamiliar. side wasTo theone boundless side was ocean the boundless and to my ocean other and side towas my other the endless side was expanse the endless of land. expanse I couldofsee land. no end I could either see no direction. end either Idirection. could seeIno could signs see ofno lifesigns for miles, of lifejust for miles, the swishing just theofswishing the ocean of and the ocean the crashing and the crashing of winds.ofI winds. called out, I called “Is anyone out, “Is out anyone there?” outNo there?” reply,No just reply, the echo just the of my echo voice. of I was my voice. alone, I was in isolation. alone, in isolation. The atmosphere was dull; there was no sun, only the moon but still I could see as clearly as day. It was too quiet; nothing made sense. Have I died? Or am I a sole survivor? I could not tell but enough was enough. I had to find answers. I walked around searching for anything that would give me a clue to what was happening. I wondered around for what felt like days until out of the corner of my eye, I saw a spark of light, flashing in the distance. It was very faint but it started getting brighter and stronger. I could feel myself getting weightless. Slowly I started to drift off the ground. It was as if gravity was pulling me in towards the light. As I got closer things got even stranger. Everything was starting to collapse around me. I didn’t know what else to do but to stare helplessly. I tried to run but I couldn’t move anywhere but towards the light. There was no escape. This must be a dream. It has to be a dream. Finally I had reached the source and…. Blank… everything went dark. Everything went cold.
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OCTOPUSSY
By Rachel Nolan
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ts 8pm on a Friday night and I’m in the middle of watching Little Mermaid. Im laying comfortably on my Wiggles Couch, struggling to keep my eyes fully open. I really wanted to know what happens at the end of the movie. So i decided to take the last bite of my Chocolate cake as i believe that its the only thing that will keep me awake and let me finish this movie. I couldn’t handle it. The lounge room is starting to get warmer. The lights on the lamp is starting to dim down.The volume of the TV is starting to become quite. My eyes are starting to close. The next thing i see is that I’m in Space, i felt weightless and invincible that i could fly from one end to the other end whilst doing front and backflips flips. The first thing i thought was what will my friends would think once i tell them in show and tell on Monday. I could see Australia and New Zealand from here, the colour of the water looked very Sparkling and Clear like the Diamond on my earrings. Im somehow in shock that i couldn’t see the houses and my friends from here. Out of nowhere it started to rain ,but the rain wasn’t blue. It was orange! and it tasted like sunkist. I didn’t expect rain from here to be orange. The teachers from School were telling me a different story. I wished that i brought my plastic bottle with me so i can bring it home with me. From far far far away i could see this Grass Purple Octopus with Black sunnies approaching towards me.
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By Rachel Nolan
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t that moment i didn’t know if i should scream, fly away as fast as i can, or call the police. ‘HELLOOOOO ‘ this Octopus said. I was surprised and shocked. I didn’t know if i was dreaming or paranoid. ‘Can i help you?’ i kindly asked.He replied ‘Im T and i need to help to find this red space ship.Before my evil Brother does.’ It was important that i should help him. In the corner of my eye i could see a red spaceship about to lift off. ‘ITS THERE.I FOUND IT!’ . He let me jump on his back and we quickly flew towards the spaceship.I could feel the wind blowing rapidly through my hair that my pink headband fell off.Behind the spaceship the evil Cats face showed up through mid air. My instincts knew that he wouldn’t do anything that bad.But instead he blew fire balls at us,gladly we missed it.The evil cat laughed while saying ‘I beat you to the Space ship before you did’. Me and T looked at each other in sorrow. We felt defeated and dint know what to do. Out of nowhere my pet mouse Max came. The evil cat quickly chased it as a fast as he can, suddenly a massive grey asteroid wipes him away. T looks at me in joy and hands me his glasses ‘Thank you for your help. now i can go back home and tell everyone the good news’ . In one blink i was back in my lounge,clueless if that dream was true or not.
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By Sidney Wiles
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s you lay there at night you start to think. You think about your day, what you said, what others said to you, about what you have to do and you keep trying to shut your brain off but the thoughts keep coming. You start to feel heavy and you try to think of something to keep your mind away. As a little girl you would dream about being a mermaid that perfect hair, seashell bra, swimming underwater with all your animal friends. No one warned you about the unrealistic expectations and pressures of such perfection. You realise your only human and you are just trying to keep your head above water as you try not to drown. You start to compare yourself to such expectations and pick at your flaws looking for what you think you need to change to meet such expectations. You begin to fixate on every that’s makes you different and start to question whether you fit in. In Greek Mythology an octopus is known to be a witch of the sea, the severed head of medusa. Medusa was once a beautiful woman who ended up defying her morals and turning into an ugly person with snakes as hair. Mermaids however are usually portrayed as beautiful with long gorgeous hair and they use this beauty as trickery to lure others to their demise. As young impressionable woman the unrealistic expectations of beauty and perfection lure us in just as the mermaids and it is then when we like the octopus change ourselves. We lose ourselves in the process and can barely recognise the face that stares back at us and this leads to our demise. As we try to grasp the last of ourselves we sink deeper and deeper until we are unrecognisable.
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By Sidney Wiles
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s we try to find our way back and swim to the surface we are dragged back down, our ‘demons can’t drown, they know how to swim’. These demons haunt us at night as we try to sleep and it is then that we feel such loss and helplessness that affects our mentality. Falling Deep. Sinking. These feelings take hold of you and start to control your life; you become closed off to everyone around you. Its these feelings and thoughts that you hold on to that keep pushing you further down. You feel hopeless like nothing can save you, and no one can hear you and you start to want everything to go back to the way it started. It just takes that one person to really listen and start to pull you back up so you feel like you can finally breathe again. That is the only way that you can start to rebuild yourself and let go of the unrealistic expectations and start to truly appreciate yourself and your life. This is when your dreams will start to shine from the darkness.
“I cant drown my demons, they know how to swim� - Bring me the horizon-
PIG SQUAD By Botan Ozer
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lbert a 42 year old man with very few words. All day, every day, he sits on his blue canvas chair filing paperwork for a company that he works for. He’s that disconnected from his job, he doesn’t even know how to file papers anymore. Papers pile up and up. Albert constantly fantasises. He has no interest for what he does and wants continuous amusement. Albert returns to the same boring blue rusty chair and office again. Sweat furiously builds up. Blood rushes intensely through his veins. His brain is going to detonate. His heart beats rapidly. His inhaling buckets of air heavily. Trying to keep awake. For two whole decades he dedicated his time for this company, hoping for a promotion, but no, instead he throws me in a 2 by 4 metre office with a desk that covers three quarters of the room. Then, he gives me a pile of filing papers that could swallow the entire country. Mate, c’mon! He lies back, closes his eyes gently and takes a good lengthy yawn… “Look at me, stranded in this office with four concrete walls around me. Filing, what the hell is this? I didn’t sign up for this! Look at this! Thunderstorms, rain, hail. It never ends.
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By Botan Ozer
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want to get out of this mind-numbing office and stupid squeaky chair and go to space, adventure and have fun. I want to run away from this hole. I know what I need; I want to have my own pig army with jet packs to rule the universe. I also want a flying T-Rex with wings too. This is the life, early retirement in space! Me and my pig squad and the T-Rex, of course, will all live a life in space, where we get to do fun and exciting activities. Who in the entire world, gets to ride a T-Rex and flying pig with jet packs. No one! Flying my own pig in space, WOW. I want to travel space with my own trained pig. We are going to rule space. Own everything. Fly anywhere. My pigs and I will fly across the universe searching for new worlds for us to live. My T-Rex is like a fighter jet used for survival purposes and confronting creatures in space whereas my pigs on the other hand are used for quick getaways from other organisms in space. On our hunt for our new home, we came across a planet. Our new world was a new beginning for us. We finally arrived. At first it seemed like a white star. We got closer and closer. A pink world full of pigs and T-Rex securities would be so cool. We joined forces with other troops to create a stronger foundation from other beings in space. My favourite animal in the entire universe is pigs and they are everywhere in one enormous world. My boss, ha ha, oh him, he will be our servant. He will file papers everyday, all-day and cleaning the entire planet for health reasons�. Back to reality, filing papers again‌
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