Preparatory School Writer's Festival 2019 | Page 26

Guildford Grammar Preparatory School
Writing Festival
2019
Narratives
Student writing sample:
The Sand
by Belinda Yuen
I saw a sharp, glinting light coming from the sandy ground. The
light was reflecting off the object and looked vivid and gave off
an intense glare.
I cautiously paced to the object and the brightness bored into my
eyes, but I swiftly covered my eyes with my hand.
I gradually got closer and closer and reached out my hand to
grab the object stuck in the sand and dirt. It came out instantly.
I pulled with so much force, thinking it would be a large, pointy
piece of heavy metal, but indeed, it was only a silver spoon.
The force of the pull flung me backwards and made sand flick
everywhere. I dropped the spoon in shock and noticed unique
carvings made into the handle of the spoon. On the front of
the circular part was an etching of my mother’s face. At least, I
think it was. Mama showed me her baby photos and I think I can
recognise her eyes.
I stared in astonishment and flipped the spoon around and
inspected the tidy and neat engraving of her initials, M.P.
My mother’s name was Marie Patterson. I quickly stuffed the
spoon in the pocket of my jacket and stumbled along the sand of
the beach.
“Let’s go Jordie! We need to go home now,” I called out to my
little brother, Jordan, who was carefully observing the ground.
When a seashell caught his sight, he snatched it up and put it in
his little play bucket.
“Why?” Jordan looked up and pouted and attempted the puppy
eyes he makes when something doesn’t go his way.
“I want to ask Mama something,” I saw him making a face and
add, “It’s almost time to go home anyways.”
I dart to Jordan and grab his bucket. “Look, I’ll carry this. You can
continue picking up shells on the way back home, okay?”
“Okay!” Jordan scurries to pick up the shells in our path and
routes back and forth from the bucket to the seashells.
Soon, we get to the house and the bucket already weighs like
thirty-five kilograms, even though our beach house is only about
seven minutes away from the beach.
“I push the button door ring bell!” dashes Jordan and is just able
to reach the doorbell. Ring, ring! Our beach house’s door bell
sounds just a bicycle’s bell.
26
“Ah, Jordan, Luna! You’re back earlier than expected! How
wonderful, and perfect timing too! Grannie Joanna, Uncle
Josh and Auntie Claire are here. Oh, and your father’s brother’s
children as well,” Mama opened the door wide and gives us her
beautiful smile.
“Is Mae here too?” I ask nervously. Mae is my older cousin and
I admire her very much. She’s kind, popular and really cool.
Whenever I get the opportunity to talk to her properly and
privately, I stutter and stammer and don’t remember what I was
going to tell her.