Litmus Year: 2026
‘Rot and Roses’ by E.K. Bell, age 15
Viscous, gargling matter sputtered out of its gaping jaw, almost a stygian colour if it weren’t for the swirls of vermillion lingering within. They were haunted eyes with blurred histories behind, drowned in uncontrollable despair with no refuge in mind. He remembered the desperate bellows of evacuation echoing throughout the elevated city which sat on …
‘Are you for real?’ by Klara Buczkowska, age 15, Penwortham Girls’ High School
Staring on your screen wishing it was you Always wondering, how can you improve You scroll for hours like it was minutes, Trying to be like the people you see, You try hard and sacrifice everything, Weather it’s your friends, your grades, Or the food you eat, Loosing yourself from time to time, Not knowing …
‘Are you for real?’ by Daisy Livesey, Year 10, Penwortham Girls’ High School
Spencer is a independent, strong, young woman, smart yet easily influenced by digital society. She looks up to popular influencers and believes everything they say, simply because they have an abundance of followers. Young, clueless people just like Spencer trying to be someone they aren’t. Spencer doesn’t understand how dangerous the internet is and how …
‘Are you for real?’ by Aasiyabanoo Mansoor, Penwortham Girls’ High School
My eyes flicked open at 6am, when I heard the voice of someone whispering my name, I got terrified as there was only me in the room, as I live abroad for my studies. I covered myself with a blanket and tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn’t. After a long time, I …
‘Is it a truth or is it a lie’ by Fatima Zahra, age 15, Penwortham Girls’ High School
Are you for real, or just an act?, is this a lie, or is it a fact?, it’s hard to tell what’s masked or true, just looking at the face of you, The world is full of fabricated smiles, and stories that stretch out for miles. a lie is slick and effortless to say, …
‘Are you for real?’ by Lilly-Mae Fowler, age 15, Year 10, Penwortham Girls’ High School
Teenagers look in the mirror they look at my face, Then they see pictures online from a different place. Everyone seems perfect, with smiles so bright and new, But pictures can be edited, and not all of them are true. Sometimes they feel small, like they do not fit in at all, When …
‘Are you for real?’ by Mumtaaz, age 15, Year 10, Penwortham Girls’ High School
I stand in front of my nightmare, Trapped by the glasses cold glare, This frame is a monster’s face, Changing my body into a great lie. The digits on the floor shows I’m fading away, But the monster in front of me is growing growing larger and hungrier every day, Two different truths battle …
‘Are you for real?’ by Shaza
None of it feels like it’s actually true They post videos of having fun But they were just stressing when the day begun We change how we look and cover the truth Always trying to be the most perfect Are you for real? Or are you just hiding behind a screen? Why not just uncover …
