WRiting Contest #4

Senior Category Winning SUbmissions

Harsh to face Reality
By Cadence Siu
First place, Senior Category

Clara meets her idol and has a disappointing discovery

CLARA:

IS THAT APHRODITE!?! I can't believe it… no way! I’m actually meeting her, the goddess of love, the one and only Aphrodite! There's only about (counts) 21 more people in line to see her! (moves forward) Oh my goodness! (moves forward) I am so close to her! (moves forward) Everyone in school says she’s a legend, (moves forward) maybe even more! (moves forward) My mom always told me myths can be more than just stories, and I am 102% this one is! I always thought there could be a possibility… She could be real! And this... this moment is real! I mean, look at her. (pointing at Aphrodite) She’s perfect, her hair, luscious like all the photos my friends showed me! She’s like someone straight out of a painting, perfect and glowing. I always imagined she would have this giant, radiant smile. I can’t even explain!

(Meeting Aphrodite)

Oh my! Time passed by so quickly! (beat) I’m next! Oh my gosh. Hi, My name is Clara and I’m your biggest fan! (Looking all over, starstruck) Wow.. you’re stunning. I love your necklace, where did you get it? What's your hair routine to keep your hair shiny and golden? You are so perfect I am going to die. Uhm, hello? Aren’t you going to say anything? (crosses arms) This is so rude! Why are you so distant? I would think someone so popular would be more lively, but you haven't said much yet! Why are you staring at me... with that knowing look. It’s like you can see right through me. Maybe that’s just how ancient gods are. (beat) Hold on…why are you still staring. Quit staring! Oh, sorry I mean, can you look somewhere else just for a minute? Pretty please? SAY SOMETHING! TO PROVE YOU ARE REAL, SAY SOMETHING! I give up, why are you like this? I thought you would be so much more lively and elegant, turns out you’re just some nobody that won’t even talk to your EX- BIGGEST FAN. Yea, you heard that right! I’m no longer a fan of yours since all you do is stare. Oh. My. Gosh. Are you staring at me because my hair is not as perfect as yours? Ugh, I don’t even care anymore I’m leaving.

(Clara screams to the crowd)

WHY ARE YOU ALL LINING UP. SHE WON’T EVEN SAY ANYTHING, NOT EVEN A WORD. LIKE LOOK AT THE SIGN, IT SAYS.. Wait. (to self) look at the sign. SOMEONE TELL ME! WHY DOES IT SAY “GET TO MEET OUR MARVELOUS APHRODITE STATUE..?” I WAS BEING LIED TO THIS WHOLE TIME AND NO ONE TOLD ME? UGH. I HATE THIS CRUEL WORLD.

Time to meet Time
By Isabel Giovanni
Second Place, Senior Category

Isabel: (she sketches out fabric paints as the boating clock rings loudly; she looks up at the clock and groans)

Midnight. Again. Where in the world does time all disappear to? I swear I was just about to sit down. (shakes her head)

(she turns around and stands up only to see a mysterious shadow flipping through her books)

Holy guacamole! (eyes widening, whispers) What the heck is that thing in my room and why is it looking at my books?

(pause; slow realization)

Oh no. Wait a second… are you Time? Really Time?

(she crosses her arms)

Well, there you have it: Time poking fun at me once again, reminding me that I don't matter. (mocks) "Oh, Isabel, watch yourself, behind on time as usual." (paces, voice rising) What am I supposed to say back? That I can't possibly keep up, right? That I am tired of endlessly running out of every single difficult situation that I encounter? That I keep sprinting and bolting and running until I crash and have nowhere else to go?

(stops to fix her gaze upon Time, her voice almost breaking) Do you know what it feels like never to be enough? To always look at your answers and think, no matter how hard you try, it's not fitting in the hours you give me? (she shakes her head getting more ferocious) And you never stop ticking. Not for me, at least. Every minute moves forward and never stops, not even for a second of mercy; but, do you really care? Or can you not?

(she starts to break down in anger while sitting down) You are infinite. I am not. I am just me. It's like I can not keep up the charade."

(Pause. She looked at her desk, her notes, and the doodling on the margins as something shifted in her expression)

"Wait." (very softly) That's it, isn't it? There is only a portion of you for me. I’ve been blaming you for dragging me when I am the one not moving at all. Here I am, losing the meager time given to me, waiting for it all to fall into place perfectly, waiting until I finally feel ready.

(Now standing, she sighs) You are not my enemy, you are just my partner. (retrieving her pen, she speaks in a sombre tone)

All right, Time. Take what you have got.

(sitting to write, the clock ticking more constantly than ever, almost beating.)

The Kraken
By Karl Pachal
Third Place, Senior Category

Imagine the character on a boat, they’re going through the sea to find a Kraken. Today, I’m going to find the Kraken and ask it some questions and I’ll see what happens. He’s driving the boat at a slow pace Oh no! He’s here, I have to hide. Speeds up fast and hides behind a conveniently placed rock. Oh phew, he didn’t see me. He moves out of the rock. What was in these dangerous and treacherous seas were other mythical sea creatures that weren’t documented, and there’s some I can make out, the Loch Ness Monster, Medusa, and others that I haven’t heard of, but the only one I'm looking for is the Kraken. Some days later… I’ve been out to sea for days, when will I find him? Takes out a radar to locate the Kraken. Let me just, oh come on! It shows no signal. There’s absolutely no signal out here for miles! It’s an endless ocean of mysteries yet to be discovered. Please just let me find him, I’ve been trying to find him, just please oh please. He sees something in the distance. Wait, I see something, oh, I found him! He’s gigantic! It seems like his tentacles are going for him. Let’s see, wait a minute, he’s going to eat me! The Kraken eats him. Oh! Damn him! Aw man, I got into his body, how about I just, oh wait, there’s something cool here, oh a whole place inside his body?! He explores around. Wow, it’s wonderful. There’s so many cool things here, even there’s people living here? The character seems to have envy that’s pointing towards this place. Oh my god, I can’t believe people would live here even if it’s the nicest thing ever, but how’d they survive in this crazy creature's body? I would totally be happy here. It doesn’t seem good being totally isolated with a wall all around you. There’s so much you could do outside. Oh, you’re totally fine with here, alright then, have fun being there! They have something to give to him. Oh a present? Thanks! 5 days later. Looks like I totally brought back something very interesting for everyone to see! Everyone, come around me! This is what people who were living in the Kraken gave me, and no it can’t do anything to harm you, it’s kind of cool, it’s a thing we could put in the middle of the city or city hall. He gives delivers it to the mayor. I guess it’s another day over now. Goodbye everyone! He walks and goes to the imaginary house. Time to finally relax and sleep. He goes to his room and sleeps.

Monologue from seeing the super duper really cool green mario
By Miquel Fung
Honourable Mention, SeniorCategory

Doo do do, do do doo (in the mario theme) do doo doo do doo doo doo (in game over theme). Um what’s that– green thing? Hmm. Is it a hat? And is that a vacuum cleaner but like for toilets? This really dark alleyway looks very– welcoming! I’mma check it out! La la la. Hi um ghost. Ooh a painting! Of, Mario. Cool, but why is it so wiggly? Whoooaaa it feels like I'm mooooving towards iiit.

AH! What was that!? Luigi?!

Wh-what’s happening?! Am I dreaming? Does it have to do with that squiggly wiggly painting? Does it?! Oh okay. What are you doing here though?… Luigi?… Why aren’t you doing anything? Just standing there menacingly with a deadly stare. Why are you doing nothing? Nothing. Well I guess I’ll just steal all your stuff then! Your Poltergust G-00, your hat, your weird hammer or something? I have all your stuff now! Goodbye! La la la! Ooh, a strangely sized dimensionally accurate gap has appeared in front of my eyes exactly 155 cm long! I think I can & will just jump over it! (hits a kaizo block) Noooooooooooooooo!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh!! Why am I still faaaaaaallllllliiiiiiiiiiiing!! How deep does this goooooooooooooo! It has been like 15 seconds so I’m likely at terminal velocity and if I hit the ground at any point I would either die or get heavily injured! ow. I hit the ground. Now how do I get out? I mean I am stuck in a pit that is very very unfathomably but actually probably fathomably deep. What can I do? Luigi why are you just staring at me from up there? What is it?! Audible sigh. I guess I’m stuck here. Until I sigh enough times and figure something out for no reason. Sigh. Sigh. Big sigh. SIGH. Oh! Wait, okay I forgot. sigh. Wait no I remember! I stole Luigi’s stuff! I might be able to use it to get out! So lets see there is a hat, kind of useless, a hammer or something? Not really dimensionally accurate gap exactly 155 cm long escaping material, and this is the last one, I hope it is useful, a Poltergust G-00. Which is a vacuum cleaner. Well I did say might… Because I can escape because it is a vacuum cleaner but with a plunger so I can use that to get out! Schlup, plup, schlorp, wump, toilet noises.

And I’m out! Goodbye!