Friday 30 October 2015

Halloween Stories

Thanks to everyone who entered our Halloween story writing competition. Here's our winning entry, and two runners up. Well done everone!


Mirror 

The clock stopped at midnight when a strange sound woke me. I opened my eyes and looked around, the room was dimly lit by moonbeams. I felt uncomfortable, the bed seemed suddenly tight, so I tried to move on the side. 

Knock… knock… knock. 

I had no doubt at that point, it was a ticking. Perhaps caused by rain, I seemed to see flashes of light through the shutters of the window. It was a sound delicate, yet it disturbed me. I couldn’t get to sleep, so I decided to get up and go to the window. There was no sign of rain. No clouds, no lightning. 

Knock… knock… knock. 

I turned around, the ticking came from the mirror. I went and when I heard it once again I shuddered, it was as if something was knocking beyond the mirror. I started shaking and panting. Inevitably my breath fogged the glass on which appeared a disturbing message. 

“I feel so lonely. Would you like to join me?” 

By Rosa (Level 5 with Corinne) 


The House

The clock stopped at midnight… it was a night in winter, it snowed and it was really cold. A group of boys walked the streets of Naples, and at some point they saw a dark house, which no-one know. The house was very large, had two towers outside, and inside the lobby had antiques, with cobwebs and dirty… you could see that it was not a house like any other. 

The boys asked who it might belong to, this house, out of curiosity, and entered after crossing the main concourse, they discovered things that they had never seen. There was a sarcophagus, a couple of tombs, and a small black carpet, spider-shaped. 

Small annoying insects lived in that horrible house, and the atmosphere of fear and horror was accompanied by the beat of the windows and the sound of rain falling over the rooftops, and on the ground, making an annoying noise. The chandelier that illuminated only a small part of the room, hanging, was in danger of falling over the frightened boys. 

At one point, the tombs and sarcophagi that surrounded the room mysteriously opened and from there came many-headed monsters, mummies and vampires. It was the so-called “Night of the vampires,” who wanted to suck blood from people who came to disturb them in the house. The group of boys tried to open the exit door, but they realized that it was locked, they were segregated into a scary room and in danger of being eaten by scary monsters. 

Andrew, the leader of the group, tried to defeat the monsters by means of the chandelier and some objects, obviously using the cunning, because no human power could have won against the monsters.

The challenge between humans and monsters was divided into several rounds, the first round had to defy the vampire against Stephen, the monster took the boy’s arms and broke them, then made him fall to be held and suck blood, no-one could help that boy because who would have had the courage would be dead against the monsters, though everyone is supposed to challenge so death was close to everyone… 

The second fight was Richard who, albeit with courage, never managed to defeat the monster with 3 heads, and was killed after several shots, that ugly and horrible death, but above all the horror was waiting and seeing death as a best friend or girlfriend can die… without trying to protect it or defend it. 

So death touched everyone, and Andrea, a young boy apparently brave and with a strong and determined character, in the clutches of Cerberus, a mythological figure coming into the house of horror, to scare anyone to come with his horns. 

In the house, as well as cobwebs, were scattered drops of blood which made the atmosphere even more terrifying. 

By Salvo (Level 4 with Bea) 


Noises

The clock stopped at midnight. It was the clock of the church near my house. It stopped before the twelfth stroke. I woke up because I was thirsty, and I walked to the kitchen. I was tired and I didn’t want to switch on the lights, so all the house was dark. While I was drinking, I heard a noise coming from the living room. I thought it was my imagination and went back to bed. In the bed, when I had closed my eyes, the noise was still in my mind. I discounted it from my mind and fell asleep. 

But actually there was something in my house and there always has been, and it’s certainly also been to your house. The situation to wake up at night and hear a noise has happened to most people all around the world, about 98% of all the global population. 

Ever since you were a little child it happened that you thought there was something under your bed, or in the attic. It has been there following you around, waiting for the perfect moment to kill you in your sleep. And every time you get that strange feeling, it smiles. 

He’s saved you… for now… 

By Giuseppe (L4a with Suzanne) 

Monday 19 January 2015

My name is Daniele and I went to Peru, a big country full of strange plants and animals.

I lived in a small house in an Indian village, the shaman  is very talkative and the local people are full of strange and fantastic habits.

On the first day I visited a big Maya temple. It is abandoned but I could see a lot of interesting things: altars, little waterfalls, small and dark rooms. On the second day I went with the Indians on a beautiful safari. I saw parrots, elephants, tigers and a monket stole my hat. At night we made a fire and we had a dance.

On the last day we watched the sunrise. it was very beautiful, then we made clothes with the plants and I went to a big cave with prehistoric words, for the Indians they are sacred. In the evening I left with a plane, and now I am writing this description so I don't forger this fantastic holiday.


My name is Vincenzo and today I am in Istanbul. It's a fantastic city and there are wonderful churches everywhere. Yesterday I went to a Turkish restaurant for dinner. I really enjoyed the food but it was a bit strange for me. Yesterday I visited the most important things in the city. I went to Hagia Sophia, an amazing church built by the emperor Giustiniano, to the Blue Mosque, and to the palace of the sultan. Tomorrow I'm going to visit the Great Bazaar of the spices and the Black Sea.

I love this city for its great history: it was the capital of the last Roman empire, of the Byzantine empire, and of the Turkish empire, but the language is very difficult and the culture is very different.


Hi! I'm in the Maldives!
 
At the moment I'm sunbathing on the most beautiful beach of the island. The sea is blue and there are a lot of beautiful fish. The beaches are simply perfect.

When I arrived, I had a fantastic welcome: a lot of people took me to the hotel. From my window I have a fantastic view: I can see the sea! Yesterday I went to a party. Everywhere there were people with beautiful and colourful clothes: blue, yellow, read, pink...

I'm going to visit all the island and all the beaches. Now I'm going to swim.

Write to you soon,

Elisabetta.
Hi everyone! I'm writing to share my summer with you.

After the exams of the 8th grade, I'm going to go to a camp in Switzerland. I love it! I'll talk in English and I will have so much fun!

After 20 days of camp I'll come back home to Palermo. Then I think that my cousins will come to Palermo and together we're going to go to Scopello, like last summer. After 10 days with my mum and my brother I'll go to Porto Cervo, in Sardinia.
I still don't know where I'm going with my father and my brother but I think and I hope to go to Miami.

Well I'll have a great summer with my friends and my family. I need the greatest summer before High School.

I'll update you soon, guys!

Giorgio.

Tuesday 13 January 2015

Hi everyone! Welcome to my travel blog.

My name's Charlie and I am now in Buenos Aires. It's a fantastic city and there are beautiful buildings everywhere. Last night, I went to a club to see a tango show and have dinner. Everything was delicious, and the dancing was great!

Before Buenos Aires I was in Patagonia. I went to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Nobody else was there, it was silent and very beautiful. I also visited the Valdes Peninsula to see the whales and the penguins. Tomorrow, I'm going north to visit a waterfall. I'm so excited!

I love it here hecause Argentinian people are really friendly. Yesterday I bought a book to learn Spanish. I can't understand anything at the moment!

What about you, are you having an interesting holiday?

I'd love to know where you are! Write to me and I'll feature your experiences on my blog.