Quest for a Name
Carmel School Association Elsa High School , Gefen , Ella - 11
I sit at my desk with my head in my hands . I was trying to concentrate but nothing my teacher , Mr Walker , said made any sense , so I fell asleep . I ’ m 14 years-old , but I ’ m still learning simple algebra .
“ You with the black hair ,” said Mr Walker . Lots of kids have black hair , but I know that he is talking to me because all the other kids have names , I don ’ t . “ Come show us how to calculate this equation .”
“ Alright .” I try to keep my voice steady . He ’ s picking me on purpose . I write something I don ’ t understand on the board . “ It ’ s 20 ,” I conclude . “ Incorrect . Stay here after class ,” he says . I know what he ’ s going to do , and it isn ’ t going be pleasant .
“ I ’ m afraid that your grades aren ’ t improving ,” Mr Walker says after class , with a wicked grin . Before I have time to defend myself , he pulls out a ruler and starts smacking my knuckles , which are already a dark shade of blue , from all the times that they were smacked by other teachers .
I have bright green eyes and I ’ m quite tall for my age . I ’ m thin from eating so little and I have a long narrow face that rarely smiles .
It ’ s 2:30 , school ’ s out for the weekend . At home , I start working , sweeping , cooking , vacuuming , I could go on , but I won ’ t bother . These tasks were given to me by Helena , my legal guardian , ever since my parents died . She threatens that if I don ’ t get my work done , she will throw me out of the house with no possessions and nowhere to go . At first I didn ’ t believe her , but then I got a taste of what she was like and I don ’ t doubt that she would do it . When I finish I lay down . Finally , I think I get to relax . I am reading Insurgent , the second book in a series . I have an entire reading plan ; English is the only subject I ’ m interested in . And now to Insurgent . “ And then there ’ s Tobias , who switched to Dauntless to escape his father .” All of a sudden it hits me . The greatest idea in the world . My bag is almost full . I really hope my plan works , I don ’ t know anyone who ’ s ever run away from home before .
I wake up at 6:30 the next day . I ’ m really nervous for this journey . I ’ ve never been out of town let alone outside Australia . My plan is to go Boston because that ’ s where my parents used to live . Maybe I could find the place where they lived before they came on vacation to Australia and past away . I don ’ t know how I ’ ll get there . After Helena sends me out with a list of groceries , I run to the tram station . The ride ended much faster than I expected . I ’ m free ! After 14 years of torture and hard work !
Now I need to find a way to leave Australia , cross the Atlantic Ocean to Boston . I see an advertisement saying : Moving ? Overseas cargo container for only € 600 to anywhere anytime ! Just call - ( 620 ) 759132 - we ’ ll make it happen ! I know I can ’ t afford to pay but maybe I don ’ t need to ... I run behind a large container and hold my breath . Please don ’ t see me ! I think . When the coast is clear , I sneak onto the ship to Boston .
It could have been hours or days later , I may never know . I ’ m in Boston ! I wait until the guards look away and run outside . All I see is a long brown dock and a man walking towards me . There ’ s nowhere to hide . I know I ’ m going to have to pay for sneaking on the boat .
An hour later I find myself in a Juvenile Detention Center . The warden asks a girl , Christina , to show me to a dorm . Christina has tanned skin and light brown hair . She is tall like me and has hazel eyes .
“ This is your dorm . Here ’ s your schedule . If you need any help , my dorm is G63 , right across the hall . Oh and be careful , not everyone is as nice as I am .” She flashes a smile and goes into her dorm . The next morning , I wash a bowl and hand it to Christina , we ’ re both on dishwashing duty .
Quest for a Name
Carmel School Association Elsa High School, Gefen, Ella - 11
I
sit at my desk with my head in my hands. I was trying to concentrate but nothing my teacher, Mr
Walker, said made any sense, so I fell asleep. I’m 14 years-old, but I’m still learning simple algebra.
“You with the black hair,” said Mr Walker. Lots of kids have black hair, but I know that he is
talking to me because all the other kids have names, I don’t. “Come show us how to calculate this
equation.”
“Alright.” I try to keep my voice steady. He’s picking me on purpose. I write something I don’t
understand on the board.
“It’s 20,” I conclude.
“Incorrect. Stay here after class,” he says. I know what he’s going to do, and it isn’t going be
pleasant.
“I’m afraid that your grades aren’t improving,” Mr Walker says after class, with a wicked grin.
Before I have time to defend myself, he pulls out a ruler and starts smacking my knuckles, which are already
a dark shade of blue, from all the times that they were smacked by other teachers.
I have bright green eyes and I’m quite tall for my age. I’m thin from eating so little and I have a
long narrow face that rarely smiles.
It’s 2:30, school’s out for the weekend. At home, I start working, sweeping, cooking, vacuuming, I
could go on, but I won’t bother. These tasks were given to me by Helena, my legal guardian, ever since my
parents died. She threatens that if I don’t get my work done, she will throw me out of the house with no
possessions and nowhere to go. At first I didn’t believe her, but then I got a taste of what she was like and I
don’t doubt that she would do it.
When I finish I lay down. Finally, I think I get to relax .
I am reading Insurgent , the second book in a series. I have an entire reading plan; English is the
only subject I’m interested in.
And now to Insurgent .
“ And then there’s Tobias, who switched to Dauntless to escape his father. ”
All of a sudden it hits me. The greatest idea in the world.
My bag is almost full. I really hope my plan works, I don’t know anyone who’s ever run away from
home before.
I wake up at 6:30 the next day. I’m really nervous for this journey. I’ve never been out of town let alone
outside Australia. My plan is to go Boston because that’s where my parents used to live. Maybe I could find
the place where they lived before they came on vacation to Australia and past away. I don’t know how I’ll
get there.
After Helena sends me out with a list of groceries, I run to the tram station.
The ride ended much faster than I expected. I’m free! After 14 years of torture and hard work!
Now I need to find a way to leave Australia, cross the Atlantic Ocean to Boston.
I see an advertisement saying:
Moving? Overseas cargo container for only € 600 to anywhere anytime! Just call - (620)759132 -
we’ll make it happen!
I know I can’t afford to pay but maybe I don’t need to...
I run behind a large container and hold my breath. Please don’t see me! I think. When the coast is
clear, I sneak onto the ship to Boston.
It could have been hours or days later, I may never know. I’m in Boston! I wait until the guards look away
and run outside. All I see is a long brown dock and a man walking towards me. There’s nowhere to hide.
I know I’m going to have to pay for sneaking on the boat.
An hour later I find myself in a Juvenile Detention Center. The warden asks a girl, Christina, to
show me to a dorm. Christina has tanned skin and light brown hair. She is tall like me and has haze ����̸+�qQ��́�́��ȁ��ɴ��!�ɗ�é��ȁ͍���ձ���%���ԁ�������䁡������䁑�ɴ��́�̰�ɥ��Ё��ɽ�́ѡ�)������=�����������ɕ�հ����Ё�ٕ�役���́�́������́$�����t�M������͡�́��͵�����������́��Ѽ���ȁ��ɴ�)Q������Ё��ɹ�����$�݅͠�����ݰ�����������ЁѼ�
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