Just to refresh your memories - the challenge was to create a character in a minumum 50 / maximum 200 words, choosing one of the following names for a character:
Lucy Jones
Dora Reichman
Fred Burke
Justin Jarvis
Felix Stand
Nabi Kong
Ellen McGonagle
Up for grabs were 3 x $50:00 and 3 x $30:00 book vouchers.
It was a hard choice with many wonderful stories and great character development, but there could only be six 'winners' and following are their entries.
Ari, aged 9 years
Ellen McGonagle is a young girl but she was a class favourite. She always got what she wanted, but if she didn't she would go mad.
But there was one thing, she had no friends but like I said if she didn't get what she wanted she will go mad. But when I said mad I mean she looks like a burnt pancake that went in a steam frier with black smoke pouring out. She also has a big mouth, short nose and grey eyes like a monster. She has small plaits sticking out of her head like stiff snakes.
Ellen knows how to be sweet to the teachers and brings them heart-shaped strawberry-filled chocolates. But when it comes to the kids at school she's mean and selfish.
When I asked to borrow her ruler she said yes and when I leaned over to get it she whacked me on the knuckles. My knuckles were red and burning so I started crying. Ellen put her arm around me and pretended to look after me. While she has one arm patting my shoulder the other one is sneakily pinching me so the teacher can't see. She got a sticker for being a good girl and I had to stand in the corner for being a cry baby!
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Josh, aged 12 years
Felix Stand's long white nose drooped as he walked through the pelting rain. The rain was sharp and stung like acid on the skin, but Felix didn't flinch, not once. His wispy grey eyes swirled like two bottomless wells. Felix's well groomed hair wilted over his eyes, but Felix didn't raise his hand to brush it away.
Felix was born an orphan. No one knew his parents, but they weren't exactly nice people for Felix Stand was found in the middle of the road. He was brought up in an orphanage but ran away when he was just 7 years of age.
Although no one properly knew him, everyone always said he was more lugubrious than anyone they had ever seen and even thought he might have a severe case of floccinaucinihilipilification.
He was a mystery, Mr. Stand. Sometimes he could be found late at night, wandering the streets, just him and his secret he was keeping.
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Morris, aged 11 years
Fred Burke is 16 years old. He is short, chubby, has a wobbly chin, dull blue eyes and curled lips. Fred had to shave his head due to lice infestation. Fred is sad and lonely because he has no friends and is constantly bullied by a gang of thugs led by a boy named Ox.
When Fred runs away from the gang, he resembles an overheated hippo. Fred's scream is squeaky and breathless when he is being chased. In conversation, he constantly repeats what he says because he is very keen to make people understand his point of view.
At school, Fred is good at English, not maths. He is interested in politics and protecting the environment and regularly uploads his opinions on Facebook. Fred uses Facebook to complain about all of the things that bother him in life - his weight, his loneliness and his misery with the world.
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Phoebe, aged 16 years
The clearing had a tranquil air about it, with its long, wild grass dotted with lavender and vibrantly burbling creek surrounded by lush green trees. Near the creek sat a petite figure, shoulders hunched over miserably, feet dangling in the cool, fresh water. Her jet black hair fell between her shoulder blades and her blue eyes darted around fervently, as if she was looking for something she could not find. Her full mouth crinkled into a pout as she concentrated on the currents gentle flow, her mind racing.
Dora Reichman was unwell. Not in an obvious way. On the surface she appeared to sparkle, her beauty immense. But inside a dark monster threatened to consume her every thought, taking away all that was good and convincing her, slowly, to give up. She pushed it away, but every time it crept back in she found it harder to see the light.
She lay back on the prickly grass and looked up at the turquoise sky dotted with plush, dreamy clouds. Her courage and resilience was enormous. Every time she came to her sanctuary she whispered the same thing: "Find the light in the darkest of times, and focus unwaveringly on the brightest".
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Bridget, aged 8 years
Nabi Kong is a girl who is 10 years old. Her friends Mitchie Adcar and Tess Widcer say "she's upside down more than she's the right way up".
Nabi is skinny, athletic and as bouncy as her brown curls. She has four older brothers, their names are Ed, Locky, Gabe and Flynn. Nabi has a scar on her arm, she has a tan, light brown eyes and has one silver tooth.
Her enemies are Berta, who is Tess' sister, and Emma - they are the teachers pets and are always getting Nabi, Tess and Michie in trouble.
Nabi's brothers tease her because her name's the same as the Princess of France, who is mean, but she doesn't care because in Turkish Nabi means brave.
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Hannah, aged 13 years
Fred Burke was an ordinary man. His old frame painted a picture in your mind of a small pond, not going anywhere, lying there slowly getting smaller as time went by.
He was one of those people who blended in with the crowds. His dusty brown hair, hazel eyes, and large, bulbous nose looked as though they had been sketched onto his face.
He had fought in world War II as a member of the army and had many medals presented to him. Even there he wasn't particularly well known by the other men.
During his time in the army he had made one friend. Fred was there when he died. It was night time and suddenly he heard a shot. He turned around and his eyes locked with his friends.
When Fred arrived back at Shepparton, Australia, he discovered his wife Jenny was dead. Fred was devastated. He buried her at the town cemetery and held his own private funeral.
If one looked from the gates of the graveyard one would have seen an old man, weeping silently, rocking back and forth, back and forth. Everyone thought Fred had gotten over his losses. But he never healed again.
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CONGRATULATIONS to all who entered - your stories were a delight to read.
Stay tuned for the next competition - coming soon!!
What incredibly talented young writers there are out there!! I enjoyed these thoroughly.
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