13/11/18 Miriam Halahmy https://www.miriamhalahmy.com

12/11/2018

It was the hottest day of the year so far. Mum said it was hotter than Spain. Dad snorted and said it was hotter than the Sahara! Jake was fed up. All mum and dad wanted to do was lie on the beach and roast, their skin turning lobster red. Jake had no-one to play with and he wasn't allowed in the water until mum or dad came with him.
"I'm ten, now," he said, in the car on the way down to the beach.
"Still too young, Jakey," Dad had called over his shoulder.
It had taken hours to drive, park and find a good place to settled down. And they were miles from the single ice cream kiosk way up towards the promenade.
Not my idea of a great day out, thought Jake, digging his fingers into the hot sand.
A boy about his age came past, carrying a bright blue lilo under his arm. The boy paused and scanned the horizon, one hand shading his eyes.
Then the boy looked over to Jake and said, "Want to paddle to France?"
Jake stared down at his parents, fast asleep on their beach towels.
"OK," he said.
Minutes later he was running into the cool, refreshing sea.
His new friend Tim thrust the lilo towards Jake. "You go first," he said with a grin.
"Brilliant," said Jake and climbing up he lay down on his stomach and started to paddle.
I'll be in France before tea time, he told himself and although he could hear voices calling out something behind him, splashing sounds drowned them out...

5 Comments

Bronwyn and Alessia Christ the King Australia

13/11/2018 01:08:04

As they paddled along the hot sun glared down on their bare shoulders. The tide began to rise.“I’ve never swam past a stone’s throw, let alone to France” Jake admitted
“Really I always go, my parents let me go alone in the water all the time” replied Tim.
“My dad says I’m too young even though I’m ten.”
“Well maybe you just have to persuade him better”
“Yeah”
They were so distracted by their conversation, that they didn't notice the ginormous wave creeping up on them. Tim shouted “lookout” but it was too late the wave had engulfed them. Tim tried to swim back up and get to the lilo but it travelled away too fast. Jake on the other hand was panicking, he had never been so deep in the water. ‘Maybe Dad was right’ he thought, ‘I am too young to be swimming alone.’ Tim noticed the panicked look on Jake's face, but there was nothing he could do. Suddenly, they both felt something grab their foot and tug on it. It was pulling them deeper into the ocean...

Ava Norton-Hargood, Iksha Limbu, Charlie Richardson, Nathan Payne - Warren Wood Primary Academy link

13/11/2018 09:32:55

The boy who tried to go to France

Suddenly, without warning, Tim pushed the lilo into the deep sea. Jake panicked. He called out for his parents but it was too late. The lilo carried on moving forward. Jake knew he wasn’t far from France…

He could see the end of the sea. The crashing waves were getting closer and closer; he didn’t know what to do, so he carried on going.

The lilo started to sink. His face was starting to go under water. Had he drowned?

Imogen and Gracie from Brighton and Hove Prep

13/11/2018 11:05:16

Suddenly, air filled his burning lungs as sunlight spilled onto his face once more. The relief swept over Jake. But then, all the memories came flooding back…Tim…the lilo…why was he in the middle of the ocean?!

He started to panic. What was he going to do? Nothing and no one to help him out here. He scanned the horizon. The shore, were his parents were probably lying unaware of the current events, was just a coloured blur through his stinging, salty eyes. Jake shivered, frantically treading water in the bitter ocean. Then something caught his eye, floating next to Jake in the shining water. A red cap floated past him and he grabbed it with his numb hand. The cap looked familiar. Then it hit him. The hat belonged to Tim.

Jake didn’t know what to do. His limbs were slowly freezing up in the deep ocean.He didn’t have much time. Forcing his arms to move, Jake made his way to the shore. After about twenty minutes he realised he wouldn’t make it. A thought flashed across his mind. Wouldn’t it be easier to just let himself die , let the waters take another victim? No, he thought, I must not stop pushing until it is absolutely necessary. Jake swam in a full circle, looking for any sight of land. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something unusual…

Dwain Kattah, Madison Campbell, Thafsir Awal - Warren Wood Primary Academy link

13/11/2018 12:37:58

Little did he know that it was his beloved parents who were trying to warn him that he was edging closer to the detrimental, colliding waves, whilst his cowardly friend snuck backwards without concern for his friend –Jake – not even bothering to call for help. Jake’s parents didn’t even notice he was gone. Suddenly, a shriek of peril bellowed from the horizon, informing everyone that a foolish, insane person (who obviously wasn’t in the right state of mind) was roaming the seas. In a millisecond, all went quiet…

The parents felt so narrow-minded. “Why, in the name of Jake, didn’t we let that boy have some freedom for once in his life?” Linda and Carl sobbed. The sacrifices the boy made were extreme, now he had to pay the price. Will he ever see civilisation again?

Simone and Alice, International Community School

13/11/2018 13:59:59

Jake was swimming and he didn’t know where to go. His legs were tired from trying to stay afloat; he needed to get to land. He scanned the horizon and he saw the blur of a land. His heart raced with excitement.
He needed to get there. He was swimming so fast he felt like a rocket.
At last, land! He searched for his beloved parents but he did not recognize the towels, umbrellas, and kids playing in sand. He knew he had to ask a lifeguard. He saw someone in a red uniform much like his mum’s.
“Hello I am looking for my parents Linda and Carl.” Said Jake.
“You are looking for Linda? That’s my name!” said Linda. Jake was so surprised.He recognized his mum’s pretty face. He looked around and saw his dad sleeping under the sun. He still had one question.
“Where was Tim?”
When he thought he had lost Tim , he felt someone hug him from behind.
“Tim!” shouted Jake.
“Mum! Dad! Tim!!!”
Jake was so happy he wanted to hug the sun.
Carl snorted and woke up. Carl was confused and asked, “Who wants ice-cream?” as if nothing had happened at all. Everyone jumped with excitement and headed to the ice-cream truck.

Simone and Alice, International Community School

13/11/18 Miriam Halahmy https://www.miriamhalahmy.com

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