Litmus Year: 2024
‘Metamorphic dismay’ by Saoirse-Caoimhe
You are a flourishing, effervescent, verdant plant waiting to explore the uncertainty of joy the world could deliver. You are wishing with every fibre in you, from your highest stem to your deepest root, to expand your knowledge with the hopes of gaining an overall peace of mind that the world fulfils every need one …
‘Tiles’, by Benjy Nash, Freman College
Tiles. White tiles covered the whole room, top to bottom, side to side. No-one ever discussed what happened in that room, so I’d never found any explanation of the tiles. Not that it was necessary, of course. The room was made by Them, so the room was exactly as it was meant to be, and …
‘The Good Old Days’ by Abishek Prenav Raj, age 14,Year 9, Ilford
I remember the days, the good old days When I wasn’t alone, the ones with everyone in sight. The days where me and my friends stood proud and tall, watching the birds, hearing their song The days where we played with bugs, staring at clouds- peacefully drifting away. It was just us, we were always …
‘Aligned by Soha’, age 15
She drowns in unspoken words, the air laden with a speech misheard. He utters a message, unknowingly a wreckage, not of one’s heart, but of one’s mind, know that you’re not a person aligned, with the hassle they grapple with every day, be it a home, a workplace, or a classroom to play. Speak it …
‘The Hostile Environment of a Tank’ by Robert
Shrapnel pinged against the armour, as dirt, rocks and corpses were all crushed with brutal indiscretion beneath the tracks of the great iron behemoth. Yet perhaps they were kinder than both those in the country of Norterra that Magran had fled from, and those …
‘Neglected Stab’, Leon Bavar, Chelsea Academy
November cold complimented with sharp breaths as he Edged his way into the concrete jungle of teens, Christmas cold still slicing him outside but Hot and humid within when he is greeted with Horror and hate. Smiles in school became machetes outside, Amongst whom he found a few friends: A new sharp six-foot …
‘Revolution’, Lily Smith, Year 10, Freman College
Lana was raised in the boggy, secluded moorland away from the extreme development of technology in the city. She had always dreamt of the city of Azeroth, with extensive opportunities and vibrant life, soon it would become a reality. Lana was nearly an adult and when this happened she would move to Azeroth leaving all …
‘Nowhere to stay’, Julia Goersmann, age 15, Freman College
I couldn’t go back I had to flee, Across the land and over the sea. Her deafening screams and his helpless shout, If I stayed my time was ought to run out. Days on end, trapped in the dark, Just one look and we knew they’d left their mark. So close to the border, …