2015 School Magazine

FRICTION [EXCERPT] CHELSEA COLLINS (9G)

The snow had always fascinated her. The way it effortlessly danced across the sky, flowing in the wind with finesse. She glanced across the car, a rusty old Buick hanging together despite the rust. Next to her, her best friend smiled angelically. Grace couldn’t help but smile back at the purity of her grin. She subconsciously stared back at the road, scanning the white wonderland around her. Her gaze landed on the afternoon sun seeping down below the horizon. She listened to the sound of the raging winds roaring through the valley, getting louder. She took a deep breath, inhaling the icy air. She always hated the cold but she feared going back even more.

The sound of her best friend’s kind voice brought her back to reality.

‘Are you okay, Grace?’ Sarah’s gentle voice was no more than a whisper as Grace struggled to hear her over the sound of the wind.

‘I think so’. She lied.

HORIZON [EXCERPT] CAITLIN EDWARDS (9B)

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The glistening harbour stretched out to the gold-painted horizon for miles upon miles on end. Christoph scanned his new surroundings with wide eyes, craning his neck to try and absorb every aspect. The relentless December afternoon beat down on him. He felt droplets of sweat form on his brow, which he wiped with a shaking hand. An hour. He had an hour to find somewhere to stay before the night swallowed up the sky with inky darkness. Sucking in a deep breath of salty air, he clutched his worn leather suitcase tightly to his chest as the sea of people that enveloped him, forcing him to move to the shore. Smack! The sound of heavy boots cracking against timber pierced the tense air. Consternation swept through the crowd. Christoph’s heart sank. He watched a pair of crisp grey uniforms approach, the crowd scattering before them like a school of fish dispersing before an advancing shark. They stopped at regular intervals, checking luggage and papers. Papers. They were coming closer. His heart was pounding. Closer. What if they force me to go back? Waves of panic washed over him. Closer. He swallowed hard at the lump in his dry throat. ‘Next!’ Christoph stepped forward, keeping his gaze firmly on the weathered wooden planks of the pier. ‘Name?’ the voice dripped with hostility. Christoph looked up, and was met with a steely, unforgiving stare.