school+stories



“Owner: Mishta Farlay Date: 13.6.1867 Time:8:30pm, Tuesday

Today was one of the coldest days of the year, but I didn’t care, I didn’t have my jumper on, but I didn’t care. It was even my birthday today, but I didn’t really care. Because for me, it was a chance to get away from a war that we just couldn’t win, no matter how hard we tried. As I walked behind the orphanage towards the dirt mound i heard another shout from ms Schmakenwire and sighed with relief that it wasn’t me that she was shouting at. I reached the dirt mound, sneaked under the window and carefully lay down so that the old thrown out couch wouldn’t squeak. It was a good thing that I had found it, otherwise, I would be getting another beating from ms Schmakenwire right about now. Ms Schmakenwire was a nasty old hag who owned the orphanage that my mother dumped me at! I understand why she did it, the town was going through a really tough time and she just couldn’t handle it. But I don’t understand why she won’t take me back now, maybe she can’t for some reason, but I will find her someday, so she doesn’t have to worry about finding me, because I am coming for her.”

I found myself under much brighter daylight as I was jolted out of the world I was in like a bolt of lighting by my mother calling my name and saying, “ Jonathan, you’ve missed out on breakfast already, I don’t want you to miss out on lunch as well, so wherever you are, HURRY UP!” I waited for her to exit the hallway then crept quietly down holding the old, dust infested book in one hand, clutching it to my side as not to rip it or damage it in any way possible. As I reached the ground I swiftly moved towards my room and very, very carefully, slowly put the book in my chest of drawers. After lunch, feeling very bloated, i went to my room to rest, as i felt like I was 100Kg. But as soon as I entered my room, I suddenly remembered the book. I carefully lifted the old book from the depths of my drawers and turned the pages to where I was. I found it and started to read...

Date:14.6.1867 Time: 8:30, Wednesday.

I need to get out of here! next week is the week that the inspectors come to look at the orphanage, and five days till they arrive, Ms Schmakenwire will pretty much kill us if we don’t do what she says. She will make us clean the WHOLE orphanage and get her all dressed up for the big day. Its the most grueling days of my life and it happens EVERY YEAR. I really don’t want to do this, i have got to get out of here, i need to find a way...

The ink suddenly slipped off the page, I felt a wave of pain hit me as if someone was stabbing me. I dropped the book on the bed and fell to the ground in a whirlwind of pain. I was breathing heavily, and eventually, after five minutes, I stood up very carefully with a million thoughts racing through my mind. I slowly realised the pain she was going through after only reading a few paragraphs.

It was getting dark and i remembered my chores that I still hadn’t done, I went outside and down the path to where we kept the animals. As I was walking I was thinking about all that I had just read, an orphan girl, getting beaten up, and that sudden wave of pain,it just didn’t add up. While I was walking I tripped over, it was a branch that had fallen off yesterday. “I should probably clean that up” I thought to myself and slowly got up. Just as I was getting off my knees, i spotted something in the hole that leads under the house. I got back down on my knees and had a look, it seemed closer from far away. I got under the house and looked around for it, once I found it, i realised it was a key. I felt a sudden adrenalin rush, as almost all people would when they find a mystery key, i looked around for something to put it in, but there was nothing but old beer cans and dog poo. So I got up again and put the key in my pocket and zipped it up so as not to lose it when I did my chores...

When I got back, it was dinner time and my mum was not happy that I did my chores so late in the afternoon, but that passed with ease and soon enough mum was talking about something else. “You know,” Mum said, “ its autumn and you know what that means”. Every year we do this whole house clean and get rid of all the old stuff and put the stuff we don’t quite want to throw out in the attic. “You should go to your room and clear out all the stuff you don’t want” she said. I went into my room and had a look around as she called “Those old toys could be thrown out.” I put them in a bag and took them up to the attic, and looked around to find a place to put them. I saw an empty shelf and chucked it on. The shaking caused something that was very heavy to fall and hit me on the head...Hard! I felt like I was being squashed by a giant piece of concrete and fell to the floor. I was unconscious.

“It’s okay Susan, the bruises go away after a while...See? I only got this one yesterday. So it never really hurts after about an hour or so...

When I woke up I looked at my watch, 9:00pm, I should be going to bed. I sat up very slowly and looked around for what hit me. I saw at my feet an old, worn out box that looked like it was supposed to be a secret as it blended in perfectly with the walls. I moved quietly over and tried to open it, but was unable to as it was it was locked. I slowly realised that I had the key. I took it out of my pocket and put it in the keyhole and slowly, turned... There was a click, and a very loud creaking as i slowly opened the chest. There was nothing in it! I disappointedly shut the chest with a slam. It fell apart. I was so scared because it might have been Mum’s or something. I took all the pieces in my hands and then a slip of paper fell out. I saw it just out of the corner of my eye and bent down to pick it up, then everything fell out of my hands and made a perfect circle around the piece of paper. I gently picked it up and gently blew on it so the words were visible, and I slowly read.....

Find this paper and you will be granted with an amazing power, but be warned, if you read on from this point, make sure you have no family, because they will come. They will come and they will not rest until you are defeated. They will kill your family and everything that gives you praise. If you read on, you will surely die.

I thought for a moment, should I read on and maybe with a slight possible chance of risking my family, or not, and be the same person, wondering why I didn’t try.

I unfold the slip of paper, and read the following passage...

By Tahlia Griffis