Chapter 3
My favourite place in the world? I scanned through all my memories in search of the place the meant most to me. I couldn't think of anything. How, I asked myself, is it that she knows my favourite place in the world, and not me. "Come along now," she called from who knows where."I'm waiting," I followed the voice to our backyard (or what looked like our backyard) and saw her on her knees (if penguins had knees) and flippers in the air.
"Oh no,"
"What?"
"Oh no" I repeated. I turned to walk back in the room. She rushed after me. "You're such a wuss," she said, turning me around. This penguin ought to be kidding me! A wuss? A wuss? Just because I was a little scared to fly on the back of a giant penguin and possibly die? Who knows what kept me from dying before. God, perhaps. Maybe he heard my quick prayer and thought, Maybe flying on a giant penguin isn't the way this girl should die. But now, I was in this strange world, one with large penguins who could fly and a dreadful disease that was supposedly my fault and the giants and dates all out of wack, anything could happen to me now.
"Oh for goodness sakes!" she said, throwing her hands up in the air.
I frowned at her.
"Would ya just stop worrying so much! I know what I'm doing!" I stared at her uneasily, trying to make sure she wasn't bluffing.
"I'm not bluffing!" she cried in despair. "Okay," I said. "Good!" She crouched down low and helped me heave myself onto her. "Hold tight," she said, crouching lower and lower, getting ready to launch,"You sure you're alright with this?" I nodded my head. "Well you should," She flapped her wings louder and louder. "I just got my P plates a few days ago,"
...
Before I knew we were in the air, me screaming my head off, of course. "YOU!" I shouted above the flaps of her wings. "Oh quit screaming," she huffed. "YOU!" was all I could manage. I stared down at the scenery below and almost fell off. "G-G-G" I stuttered. "You'll have to speak up, my flippers have jets on them," "G-G-G-I-I-I" I pointed to a large hairy man down below. He had massive teeth and razor sharp finger nails. His beard was full of blood and there was a human sized bone stuck in his teeth. His skin looked almost yellow and there were bruises all over him. There were also bit marks in his leg, like as if some sharp object had been poked into him...time after time...
"Oh bracky? He's nothing,"
"Bracky?" I asked, still shaking. "Yeah, you shouldn't worry about him, he won't hurt you. As long as I'm with you. He wouldn't dare," I wasn't so sure. "These humans are so annoying! Thank goodness you die out in the later generations," she puts one of her flippers to her beak. "Oops,"
"WHAT?" I shout. "I shouldn't have said that, ignore that," "I'm not going to ignore th..."
"Just hold on tight," she interupts. "Hold on ti...AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
...
What happened? All I remember is Mz. Penguin, zooming straight downwards at an increasing speed. Right through the center of the earth. We seemed to drill down at five kilometres per second and I remember screaming and screaming and screaming. Even the penguin was screaming too. I'm not sure if it was just to make me more frightened or because she knew something bad was going to happen. As it go hotter and hotter I started to burn up. Literally. My skin felt the fiery ash burning my skin. I felt so faint, I was dehydrated and then...
Its pitch black, and all I can hear is a ringing in my ear. It's so soft, and so annoying. I'm feeling tired, and grumpy and really in the need for a shout. I scream into the darkness and tears roll down my cheek. Its nothing like I've ever felt. Its nothing like anyone could ever feel. I close my eyes in despair and sleepiness, and fall asleep.
"Helloooo?" a cheery voice wakens me. "How was your sleep, you feel good?" I open my eyes and see Mz. Penguin, eyes bright and cheery and a grin on her face. "Wow, you look nice this morning," I search her voice, trying to find the sarcasm in it. Nothing. Wow, she's actually being nice to me! I think, shocked. "How about you have some porridge, huh?" she points to a wooden table, across from me. There is a blazing fire just next to me that brings back fresh memories. "Get up easy now," she says, lifting me up. I waddle over to the table and lift my flipper to my eyes, feeling much better after me rest. "Ewek, Ewek," I say, indicating that I'm ready for my food. I push my beak into the bowl, mmmmmm, fish porridge, my favourite...
MY FLIPPERS? MY BEAK? FISH PORRIDGE!!
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Monday, 28 September 2009
Untitled Story
Chapter 2
I could tell Mz. Penguin was getting more and more annoyed. As I was regaining consciousness I was sure I could hear her tut-tut-tutting again. I was beginning to get annoyed as well. This penguin obviously needed an attitude adjustment. “Hello!?” she yelled in my ear, awaking me from my thoughts. “Oh sorry, did I wake you?” she said innocently. But I knew that she did it on purpose. I glared at her and was about to start the worlds biggest tantrum when I remembered why I had lost consciousness in the first place. “Gi…aa…ntts” I stuttered foolishly. I looked around in search for large towering beings but – strangely – saw no such thing. Phew, maybe I was just a little queasy from that ride on the penguin, I thought to myself. “What are, ‘Ji-a-nets’” the penguin said, pronouncing it carefully. “Oh, nothing you’d understand,” “Well, no time for chit-chat, let’s get to it,” she said and then waddled quickly out the door. Where did she go? I thought to myself. I was beginning to think that I had gotten myself into much more than I realised.
It was only then that I got a chance to analyse the room properly. Now I had no distractions I saw how weird the room really was. The walls were covered with black and white striped fur (which, I must say, looked very soft) and the ceiling was lit by a dozen small lanterns. There was a bed (which I was resting on) and it looked suspiciously similar to my own. The room was filled with all kinds of statues, big ones, small ones, and very, very scary ones. All of them were in the shape of penguins and all of them stared at me with their beady eyes. In the quietness of the room I could almost hear their breathing: judging me, glaring at me and (weirdest of all) tutting at me. Other than that, the room was as normal as could be - as normal as my room even.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the familiar voice of my dear friend Mrs Penguin calling out to me. Scrap that. My thoughts were rudely interrupted when I heard the annoying and horribly arrogant voice of my impatient kidnapper, telling me that she had been waiting for me for over five minutes! I sighed, picked myself off the bed and ran after her. Running along, I noticed that the hallway looked exactly like my hallway from my house, except for the fact that instead of family portraits there were pictures of penguins with names at the bottom. I slowed down and read some as I walked.
“Penocilius Penguin – 12 809 – 12 900 – Died of Harrofurus Hump”
“Emmaragus Penguin – 13 400 – 13 600 – Died of Harrofurus Hump"
“Cecilmargan Penguin – 13 243 – 11 398 – Died of Harrofurus Hump”…
The list went on and on. What in the world was this “Harrofurus Hump” and why were the dates so out of wack? Maybe the penguin could explain it to me. “Well I would explain it to you if you could just, COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT,” Jeez, I thought, to think I thought you were cute when I first met you. I could have sworn she was turning into my mum. I found her in my lounge room, sipping tea and coffee on our amber-red couch with my mum’s freshly baked butter cake laid out on the glass table. “Wha…?”
“Sit down,” she said. I sat on the chair opposite to her.
“There’s a lot I haven’t told you. I’m so sorry I was so hard on you before but we need your help and we’re running out of time,"
“Oh,” I said, feeling a bit mean about calling her names (even if they were in my head). She seemed so solemn at the moment. Her forehead was wrinkled and her brow was creased.
“You might have heard about the horrid disease, Harrofurus Hump. It is the most dangerous and deadly disease…what are you smiling at, child!?”
Oops, I guess the funny name just got to me. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…I’m sure Harrofuru…Harrofurus…Harro,” I couldn’t stop laughing. It was too funny. Why, why did people have to name diseases such funny names?
The penguin frowned. “I’m sorry Mrs. Penguin,” I said, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Well. Yes, you should be sorry, it is very serious disease and it kills millions yearly. Do you know how many penguins die everyday because of this?”
“Mmmhmm, it must be a lot,” I said, not really listening.
“It is a lot!” she said, clearly very grumpy, “And it’s all your fault!”
… The bit in a movie where the screen goes blank and then the picture fades back in…
“WHAT?” I said, insulted. “I didn’t know anything about this disease until just a few seconds ago!” “My dear child, you created this disease,” she said, lowering her voice and finding her temper again. She lowered her head and blew on the teacup in her hand. I knew that something was wrong. Why had I not noticed this before? The large penguin on my bed had to give away something. Then there was the flying into the sun, the hairy giants, the bed the same as my own, the tutting penguin statues, the hallway with the dead people and then my mum’s butter-cake. By its self these things do not make a dream but together…
“Oww!” I screamed. The penguin tutted at me again as I watched my arm go red once again. “No, no, no. If this is not a dream…”
“Then it means that this is really happening,” the penguin interrupted, taking a sip of her cup. “This butter-cake is really quite good, you should try some,”
Oh my gosh, what is going on here? I am sitting across from a giant penguin who changes her mood five times an hour in my sitting room. Something must be wrong, something isn’t right. It isn’t a dream, but something isn’t right.
“Of course something isn’t right, you nut!” I had forgotten about her ability to mind-read. “You’re in a era, very different to your own,” she stopped to swallow a piece of cake. “This!” she waved her flippers around the room. I couldn’t help giggle at this sight. She ignored my remark and continued, “This room, this cake, this house, it’s all not real!” A frowned at her trying to understand what she meant. “I.T I.S A.L.L N.O.T R.E.A.L” she said sarcastically. A tear rolled down my cheek, I didn’t feel sad but I couldn’t help it. The penguin saw my face, “I’m sorry, I really am,” she said. “I know my mood has been changing all sorts, my hormones are still crazy from my pregnancy,” I remembered the little egg I saw in my laundry.
“Come on let’s go somewhere else,” she put the cup down on the table and stood up. “Where?” I said, bewildered. She walked to the door and turned around, “Your favourite place in the world,”
My second Chapter in the untitled story. Sorry if it isn't as good as the first, it was a little rushed. Thanx for reading. Oh and - please ignore the skype number things - they are actually supposed to be the years but blogger keeps putting a skype link on it.
Tigerlily
I could tell Mz. Penguin was getting more and more annoyed. As I was regaining consciousness I was sure I could hear her tut-tut-tutting again. I was beginning to get annoyed as well. This penguin obviously needed an attitude adjustment. “Hello!?” she yelled in my ear, awaking me from my thoughts. “Oh sorry, did I wake you?” she said innocently. But I knew that she did it on purpose. I glared at her and was about to start the worlds biggest tantrum when I remembered why I had lost consciousness in the first place. “Gi…aa…ntts” I stuttered foolishly. I looked around in search for large towering beings but – strangely – saw no such thing. Phew, maybe I was just a little queasy from that ride on the penguin, I thought to myself. “What are, ‘Ji-a-nets’” the penguin said, pronouncing it carefully. “Oh, nothing you’d understand,” “Well, no time for chit-chat, let’s get to it,” she said and then waddled quickly out the door. Where did she go? I thought to myself. I was beginning to think that I had gotten myself into much more than I realised.
It was only then that I got a chance to analyse the room properly. Now I had no distractions I saw how weird the room really was. The walls were covered with black and white striped fur (which, I must say, looked very soft) and the ceiling was lit by a dozen small lanterns. There was a bed (which I was resting on) and it looked suspiciously similar to my own. The room was filled with all kinds of statues, big ones, small ones, and very, very scary ones. All of them were in the shape of penguins and all of them stared at me with their beady eyes. In the quietness of the room I could almost hear their breathing: judging me, glaring at me and (weirdest of all) tutting at me. Other than that, the room was as normal as could be - as normal as my room even.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the familiar voice of my dear friend Mrs Penguin calling out to me. Scrap that. My thoughts were rudely interrupted when I heard the annoying and horribly arrogant voice of my impatient kidnapper, telling me that she had been waiting for me for over five minutes! I sighed, picked myself off the bed and ran after her. Running along, I noticed that the hallway looked exactly like my hallway from my house, except for the fact that instead of family portraits there were pictures of penguins with names at the bottom. I slowed down and read some as I walked.
“Penocilius Penguin – 12 809 – 12 900 – Died of Harrofurus Hump”
“Emmaragus Penguin – 13 400 – 13 600 – Died of Harrofurus Hump"
“Cecilmargan Penguin – 13 243 – 11 398 – Died of Harrofurus Hump”…
The list went on and on. What in the world was this “Harrofurus Hump” and why were the dates so out of wack? Maybe the penguin could explain it to me. “Well I would explain it to you if you could just, COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT,” Jeez, I thought, to think I thought you were cute when I first met you. I could have sworn she was turning into my mum. I found her in my lounge room, sipping tea and coffee on our amber-red couch with my mum’s freshly baked butter cake laid out on the glass table. “Wha…?”
“Sit down,” she said. I sat on the chair opposite to her.
“There’s a lot I haven’t told you. I’m so sorry I was so hard on you before but we need your help and we’re running out of time,"
“Oh,” I said, feeling a bit mean about calling her names (even if they were in my head). She seemed so solemn at the moment. Her forehead was wrinkled and her brow was creased.
“You might have heard about the horrid disease, Harrofurus Hump. It is the most dangerous and deadly disease…what are you smiling at, child!?”
Oops, I guess the funny name just got to me. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…I’m sure Harrofuru…Harrofurus…Harro,” I couldn’t stop laughing. It was too funny. Why, why did people have to name diseases such funny names?
The penguin frowned. “I’m sorry Mrs. Penguin,” I said, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Well. Yes, you should be sorry, it is very serious disease and it kills millions yearly. Do you know how many penguins die everyday because of this?”
“Mmmhmm, it must be a lot,” I said, not really listening.
“It is a lot!” she said, clearly very grumpy, “And it’s all your fault!”
… The bit in a movie where the screen goes blank and then the picture fades back in…
“WHAT?” I said, insulted. “I didn’t know anything about this disease until just a few seconds ago!” “My dear child, you created this disease,” she said, lowering her voice and finding her temper again. She lowered her head and blew on the teacup in her hand. I knew that something was wrong. Why had I not noticed this before? The large penguin on my bed had to give away something. Then there was the flying into the sun, the hairy giants, the bed the same as my own, the tutting penguin statues, the hallway with the dead people and then my mum’s butter-cake. By its self these things do not make a dream but together…
“Oww!” I screamed. The penguin tutted at me again as I watched my arm go red once again. “No, no, no. If this is not a dream…”
“Then it means that this is really happening,” the penguin interrupted, taking a sip of her cup. “This butter-cake is really quite good, you should try some,”
Oh my gosh, what is going on here? I am sitting across from a giant penguin who changes her mood five times an hour in my sitting room. Something must be wrong, something isn’t right. It isn’t a dream, but something isn’t right.
“Of course something isn’t right, you nut!” I had forgotten about her ability to mind-read. “You’re in a era, very different to your own,” she stopped to swallow a piece of cake. “This!” she waved her flippers around the room. I couldn’t help giggle at this sight. She ignored my remark and continued, “This room, this cake, this house, it’s all not real!” A frowned at her trying to understand what she meant. “I.T I.S A.L.L N.O.T R.E.A.L” she said sarcastically. A tear rolled down my cheek, I didn’t feel sad but I couldn’t help it. The penguin saw my face, “I’m sorry, I really am,” she said. “I know my mood has been changing all sorts, my hormones are still crazy from my pregnancy,” I remembered the little egg I saw in my laundry.
“Come on let’s go somewhere else,” she put the cup down on the table and stood up. “Where?” I said, bewildered. She walked to the door and turned around, “Your favourite place in the world,”
My second Chapter in the untitled story. Sorry if it isn't as good as the first, it was a little rushed. Thanx for reading. Oh and - please ignore the skype number things - they are actually supposed to be the years but blogger keeps putting a skype link on it.
Tigerlily
Monday, 21 September 2009
Bethy
Chapter 1
Bethy was worried
That she’d never be happy again
It had been a long time since Bethy had felt genuinely happy.
Even her best friend, Jasmine said that she was no fun anymore.
Once in a while, Bethy had flash backs of times before,
when she had not a have a care in the world and the days never ended.
As she walked home from school she felt the cool afternoon breeze stroke her face. It seemed to say to her: “It’s all right. It’s all right, my little Elizabeth,”
She remembered how her Uncle Al knelt down next to her and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, your mum will always be with you,” Tears pricked her eyes and Bethy let them fall, now she was alone she could cry without feeling guilty.
Uncle Al lifted his head from the newspaper as he heard the squeak of the door open, and then close again. “Bethy?”
Bethy paused in-front of the hallway mirror to make sure no signs of tears showed.
“Yeah,” she said, walking into the living room. Uncle Al lifted his hands up in the air and gave her a big smile. Bethy faked a grin and ran into his arms.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,”
Bethy was in no mood for one of Uncle’s surprises but she played along, just so she wouldn’t hurt his feelings.
“Oh, really?”
“Just for you, Queen Elizabeth,”
“Prince Alfred, what ever could it be?”
Queens and Princes was a special game of theirs. Bethy recalled the times before when she would laugh and squirm and while Uncle would tease her. It had always made her feel so special, but now nothing could make her feel alive again. Her Uncle stood up, letting her fall to the green plush carpet of their living room. “Aha!” he said walking into the kitchen. “Now I’ve been a bit impetuous today,” he called from the next room. “But,” There was a bit of noise as he rummaged through boxes trying to find the right one. “I’ll do anything for my…” He bowed low to the ground and held out a parcel, “queen,”
“Oh, thank you Alfred,” she replied with a sweet smile. She loved her Uncle so much, to think what would happen if she lost him…
She ripped open the parcel with excitement, hoping to see what she had longed for, for a few months now.
“Oh my goodness!” Bethy cried. She lifted the small rectangle box to her heart and hugged it tight.
“Be careful there, little miss, your going to squeeze all the paint out!” he chuckled. Bethy reached out her arms and hugged her uncle tight. There was no need for words – He knew what she was thinking and hugged her back, really tight. For the rest of the after noon, they painted vivid colours. They swirled and splashed and let the colours run wild, running into each other. Uncle taught her how to make the brush run on an angle to get a smooth thin line, he taught her how to blend colours and use the right amount of water. Bethy forgot what had happened before; she forgot about everyone and just focused on her painting. There was a glimmer of hope in her heart and Bethy felt she was in a state of Euphoria. Bethy didn’t say it out loud or even in her head, but she knew that she had never felt so alive.
A very short chapter, tell me what you think.
Tigerlily
Bethy was worried
That she’d never be happy again
It had been a long time since Bethy had felt genuinely happy.
Even her best friend, Jasmine said that she was no fun anymore.
Once in a while, Bethy had flash backs of times before,
when she had not a have a care in the world and the days never ended.
As she walked home from school she felt the cool afternoon breeze stroke her face. It seemed to say to her: “It’s all right. It’s all right, my little Elizabeth,”
She remembered how her Uncle Al knelt down next to her and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, your mum will always be with you,” Tears pricked her eyes and Bethy let them fall, now she was alone she could cry without feeling guilty.
Uncle Al lifted his head from the newspaper as he heard the squeak of the door open, and then close again. “Bethy?”
Bethy paused in-front of the hallway mirror to make sure no signs of tears showed.
“Yeah,” she said, walking into the living room. Uncle Al lifted his hands up in the air and gave her a big smile. Bethy faked a grin and ran into his arms.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,”
Bethy was in no mood for one of Uncle’s surprises but she played along, just so she wouldn’t hurt his feelings.
“Oh, really?”
“Just for you, Queen Elizabeth,”
“Prince Alfred, what ever could it be?”
Queens and Princes was a special game of theirs. Bethy recalled the times before when she would laugh and squirm and while Uncle would tease her. It had always made her feel so special, but now nothing could make her feel alive again. Her Uncle stood up, letting her fall to the green plush carpet of their living room. “Aha!” he said walking into the kitchen. “Now I’ve been a bit impetuous today,” he called from the next room. “But,” There was a bit of noise as he rummaged through boxes trying to find the right one. “I’ll do anything for my…” He bowed low to the ground and held out a parcel, “queen,”
“Oh, thank you Alfred,” she replied with a sweet smile. She loved her Uncle so much, to think what would happen if she lost him…
She ripped open the parcel with excitement, hoping to see what she had longed for, for a few months now.
“Oh my goodness!” Bethy cried. She lifted the small rectangle box to her heart and hugged it tight.
“Be careful there, little miss, your going to squeeze all the paint out!” he chuckled. Bethy reached out her arms and hugged her uncle tight. There was no need for words – He knew what she was thinking and hugged her back, really tight. For the rest of the after noon, they painted vivid colours. They swirled and splashed and let the colours run wild, running into each other. Uncle taught her how to make the brush run on an angle to get a smooth thin line, he taught her how to blend colours and use the right amount of water. Bethy forgot what had happened before; she forgot about everyone and just focused on her painting. There was a glimmer of hope in her heart and Bethy felt she was in a state of Euphoria. Bethy didn’t say it out loud or even in her head, but she knew that she had never felt so alive.
A very short chapter, tell me what you think.
Tigerlily
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