Welcome, Germies, to this month’s writing challenge! This challenge will begin today and will end August 31st. However, you are welcome to come back anytime to complete the challenge and submit it below in the comments section. We will pick a few of our favorites that are submitted during this month, though, and they will be featured in our Lit section.
Writing Challenge:
–In the spirit of Germ’s story of the month for August, Peter Pan, let your imagination fly free!
–Write a short story that’s no longer than 700 words.
–Choose 1 or more of the following settings:
- lagoon
- forest
- cave
- island
- sea
–Choose 1 or more of the following characters to appear in your story:
- fairy
- pirate
- lost boy
- mermaid
Submitting:
Submitting for this challenge is easy. Simply email your story to [email protected]. Put “August Writing Challenge” as the subject of your email, and include your name, age, and country in the body of your message. If you have any questions, or if you’re having problems submitting, feel free to email me at [email protected].
Everyone who completes the challenge will be responded to and informed as to whether or not their piece has been chosen to be featured. Since the deadline for this challenge is August 31st, do not expect an email from us until the beginning of September.
To prevent the possibility of our emails ending up in your spam folder, be sure to add [email protected] to your contacts list.
“Never” Land
The skies are an ugly shade of gray. Lighting strikes through the sky and the thunder rumbles. Could this day get any worse? I failed my Chemistry quiz. I accidentally dropped my food tray because I saw the stupid guy I liked. Now, I will be wet any minute now because it’s starting to drizzle and I don’t have an umbrella. It’s not like I’ve never experienced being so unlucky. In fact, my whole life was a joke.
Broken family. Bullied. Financial problems. Not enough intelligence. I didn’t have a great childhood. Well, you can say I never had any childhood.
The rain starts to pour and I run to the bus station as quickly as I can. A bus stopped and I get in on it. There was no one else in the bus except the driver, an old lady, a mother with her baby, and a guy my age. I take a seat at the back, wetting the floor as I do so. The guy eyes me like I was an interesting specimen. Maybe I was. A soaking wet, hopeless Homo sapiens. The bus idles and chugs to life.
Our flat is not so small. There are two rooms, one for me and one for my mother and sister. As usual, my mother’s not home yet when I arrive. She works over time for us. My sister was staying with Luke, our father. He offered for me to come but here I am, trying to compose myself as I open the door to my room.
I go to my room and turn off the lights.
My consciousness is already fading when I hear a knock. My eyes flutter open, adjusting to the darkness. There was a knock again, but it was not coming from the door. It’s coming from the… window.
A light was floating across the room. Like a firefly. It was…. Jingling. How could this be? I turn on my lamp and I see it clearly. It’s a fairy. The window started to open and the guy from the bus came in, flying.
My heart is thumping. Peter Pan? In my room?
***
I open my eyes and I see blue sky. The wind is blowing my hair. I’m flying. And he’s carrying me.
I didn’t say anything. We land on the shore.He sets me down on the rocks and he smiles. “Am I in Neverland?” I ask.
“Yes, young lady,” he says. He’s tall, blonde and blue-eyed. He’s wearing a white tee, and jeans. Not those green leafy things.
“Why did you bring me here? Why were you on a bus?”
“I brought you here so you could have happiness. I could show you around.”
“Why were you on a bus?” I ask again.
“Come on,” he says, tugging me along with him and I let him. I didn’t care. I wanted happiness, even just for a while.
He shows me the lagoon, where the mermaids sing me a song. Their voices are incredible! He showers me with pixie dust and I fly through the sky, feeling the wind in my hair. I’ve never felt so light. He then leads me to the tree house, only me and him. “How did you find me?” I ask him warily.
“At the bus. You looked so down, I thought maybe I could help.I came to find you. One night, I had a dream about a girl, you. Your face never left my mind.. I had to find you.”
“I.. did not expect that. But, I can’t stay here. My mom needs me. I have to get back.” He looks down at me with those blue eyes.
“I know. I’ll bring you home, but I want to give you this,” he says while handing me a locket. “Open that and I will come,” he adds.
“Thank you. I’ve never been this happy.”
He carries me back to the real world. I close my eyes.
When I open them, I’m back on my bed. It’s still evening. The light outside my room is on, meaning my mom is already home. I get up and go outside. My mom is eating dinner, and she was… smiling.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
“Willow, honey! Guess what? I just got promoted!” she says, beaming with joy. I hug her and tears start to sting my eyes. “When is Kimmy going home?” I ask her.
“Tomorrow, dear. Now, go to sleep. You have school tomorrow. Goodnight, midget,” She kisses my forehead, and so I get back to my room.
On my bed, the locket is there, waiting to be opened at the right time. If I learned anything from today’s adventure, it’s hope. Life is like flying through the open air. How to survive? Never land.