Highly Commended

SOPHIE AND THE MAGIC COIN

 

Striding along the antique shop, smells crawled up Sophie's nose. Her grandpa, as old as a coin ran the Antique shop. Chandeliers glistened before her eyes, rusty chairs royally sat on the crimson carpets. Suddenly a coin dazzled like stars in the sky. Intricate carvings followed a line, one side earth and one side sea. As her skin touched the coin it felt like icy popping candy all over her skin. Slowly her grandpa approached, carefully inspecting what she was holding. All he said was "careful". These words rang in her head, what did he mean?

Now back home, as she soaked into the soft velvet chair, the coin radiated with cool air. It smelt like salty sand. Weird, normally coins have heads and tails nor do they smell like salty sand she thought to herself as she fiddled with it.

Before Sophie knew it, the coin slipped through her fingers however when it touched the ground it ended with a plop. Suddenly, water bubbled through the coin. Puddles of blue started invading her room. What was happening? Panic released into the air. Her eyes were glued to the coin. Aimlessly she reached out and received the coin as it sprayed water; she was soaked. This coin was out of the ordinary.

She was a sponge full of water. Whether or not she wanted to, she had to wash herself. Shimmering, the bronze coin dug into her hands as she clenched it tightly. She leapt into the bath but instantly she heard that familiar plop. Somehow the coin had slipped out of her hands as if it had a mind of its own.

In the blink of an eye, she saw diamonds glistening in the brilliant, blazing bright ocean all around her. Beneath her, a slightly crimson, brownish boat firmly stood. It was after a moment or two she realised what had happened. The coin had transported her onto a deserted ship. Horror lingered in her thoughts.

Walking around the ship in amazement, she stumbled across an elaborate carving with designs of sea flooding cities. People had planned this? She gasped on realising the purpose of the coin was to flood cities so they could be ruled but the plan ceased because the people could not keep the secret. There was no trace of it ever happening. Frustration clenched her fist.

Abruptly she heard the unexpected creek of the door. Someone was approaching. It was a pandemonium, her brain was wizzing in all directions. She was pacing down the room. Horror already stinging her throat. At that moment she stepped on a tile that was now sinking.

She was wildly shaken as if being in the jaw of a dog. Finally she hit the ground. Beneath her, she saw the sea of faceted dazzling diamonds all around. She noticed something strange. As she walked towards a pearl white pillar that seemed to have a missing piece, the exact size of her coin. She inserted the coin- she was home.

Riya Sekeram, 10

THE FIERY ALBATROSS

 

Amidst the endless expanse of the gargantuan ocean, the Fiery Albatross, a majestic three-masted sailing ship, drifted calmly along the peaceful July waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Laden with a precious cargo of valuable gold coins destined for the Caribbean, the ships crew prepared for the unpredictable waters of the transatlantic journey ahead.

Captain Montgomery Ravenscroft stood at the bow of his ship, his wrinkly hands guiding the vessel with great expertise. His eyes, sharp as an eagle’s scanned the horizon in search of rising danger. The crew standing in a neat line of prepared sailors and eager deckhands, worked without an end to ensure the safe passage of their precious goods.

As the sunset of early evening filled the sky, a dark mass wandered along the horizon. The wind, once a gentle cradle to the ship, now growled with a great anger causing havoc on board. Montgomery’s brows arched with concern as he sensed the imminent arrival of a storm.

“Secure the cargo!” he bellowed, his voice joining into the chaos of the storm, both cancelling each other out. The crew struggled to obey, tying down crates of gold coins with thick ropes in a desperate hope to prevent disaster.

But the fury of the storm proved ignorant, its power unforgiving and merciless. Waves as tall as mountains crashed against the ships hull, threatening to swallow the whole ship in one go. Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the darkness with it’s blinding brilliance.

Alongside the chaos, a deafening creak echoed through the air as the main mast splintered under the strain of the storms raging fury. The Fiery Albatross, once a symbol of resilience and resistance, is now on the verge of snapping in half in the heart of the storm.

With every passing moment, hope diminished like a candle in the wind. But crew fought valiantly to keep the ship afloat, their determination never dying out. But as the storm raged on, their efforts seemed useless, their fate hanging by a thread.

Just when all seemed lost a ray of hope pierced through the darkness through the pouring rain, a distant light shone like a guiding star, offering refuge beside the chaos. With renewed vigour Montgomery steered the ship towards the beacon of hope, his despair slowly fading.

As the Fiery Albatross emerged from the embrace of the storm, battered but unbroken, a sense of triumph washed over the worried crew. The cargo of gold coins, once in jeopardy of being lost to the depths, remained safely secured to the ships hold.

With the tempests fury behind them, the Fiery Albatross continued its journey across the vast expanse of the ocean, its destination drawing ever nearer with each passing hour.

Filip Cichlita,

COIN CAT

 

The salty sea air blew through my fur as I stood at the stern of Poseidon. I had boarded the ship one week ago, but it felt like ages since I had felt the solid ground beneath my paws. I had been taken aboard Poseidon for two reasons: to keep the mice and rats away and to guard the gold coins. I was allowed a break at lunchtime but apart from that I was on guard duty. I could hear heavy footsteps behind me. "Come on Tiger, back to work." It was the Captain. I leapt back down to the steerage and jumped onto the chest. Before long, I was fast asleep ...

When I woke up it was very dark. I could here a faint slapping sound coming from above me. Imagining it was one of the Captain's midnight parties, I jumped lightly off the chest and headed upwards. As soon as I reached the deck, I knew something was wrong. It was pitch black up here too. The slapping sound I had heard earlier was gone. I turned round thinking it was just a dream and began to make my way down to the steerage. Suddenly, a wave of water hit me on the face. I spluttered as salty ocean crept its way into my mouth.

At that moment, the cloud that was covering the moon drifted out of the way. The sight that met my eyes still terrifies me now. The sea that had once been so calm and clear was rising and falling in great arches some hitting the side of the boat, some reaching across the deck like grabbing hands. Only one thought passed through my mind: "get to the coins'~ I practically fell down the trapdoor leading to the steerage where the coins were kept and raced down the passage to the chest. My paws scratched oak wood and I clawed my way up. I curled up on the chest and stayed there. Maybe some one would wake up and find me ...

Seconds then minutes then hours passed by. After a while, I became restless and jumped nimbly onto the wood panelled floor. I began to venture to a part of the ship I had never been in before - the cabins. I ran towards the steward, Billy's, cabin and pawed at his face. "What? Who? Where?" Billy spluttered "You're meant to be guarding the coins." Then his expression changed as he felt the rocking boat. He rushed off calling to me "Go back to the chest, Coin Cat. I'll take care of the storm" I ran back towards the coins, but the boat was swaying so violently I could hardly move. The last thing I remember was falling towards the wall and then it all went black ...

Afterwards, Billy said I saved the lives of over one hundred people by warning him of the storm and I had been brave like my namesake, "But," he added "to me you'll always be Coin Cat"

Sophie Harris, 9

HMS ROYAL MINT

 

Hi, my name is HMS Royal Mint. I am a wooden, four mast cargo ship, and I ship valuables from the UK to the Caribbean and back. I am about to embark on a journey from Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua to take cocoa beans, wealthy cocoa farmers, and gold back to Falmouth. Once I have offloaded my cargo the captain has promised me, I will be shipped back to my birth town of Liverpool for a long overdue refit.

Oh, look here come the crew, you can smell them before you even see them, with the stench of rum and unwashed bodies lingering in the air. The crew are dumping sacks of the precious cocoa beans into my hold and now fighting over the best posts to tie their hammocks to below deck. Through the raucous laughter you can hear the excited murmurings about the return to England. The insult on my senses is making me feel tired, see you bright and early when we set sail for Falmouth. (YAWN).

Good morning, ah, there's the captain. Sails up, ropes in, onwards with the aid of the trade winds, hopefully it will be easy sailing. What's the lookout shouting, a big storm up ahead? That's bad news, but we will have to brave it. All I can hear is the crew screaming, trap doors slamming, the masts are creaking, the wind is banging my sails like thunderclaps, it's deafening. The crew have abandoned deck and are bunkering down waiting for the storm to pass.

Suddenly I feel like I am being ripped apart and I can see one of my masts has been torn from its step and is floating away. I hear a burst of doors and all the crew members scramble out on deck to see what the noise was. Panicked orders are flying all around, the silly deck hand shouts to dump the heavy gold cargo and turn back. Without the gold coins and cocoa beans what hope is there of me ever being repaired, surely this can't be happening?

With a wave of relief, I can hear the captains voice of reason, steady and firm, above the mayhem "HMS Royal mint will continue with three masts, she has the power and the strength to manage on, back to your stations".

With the captain's words hanging in the wind the crew returned to duty, doing their best to manage with the rolling waves. "Nothing can stop me now"; I repeat over and over to myself, and we surge on. "Land Ahoy" comes from the crow's nest, and gradually I can see Lands' end. Finally, we pull into the harbour, what a spectacle awaits us, crowds of people are lining the headland and waving. What a journey we have been on, I wonder what will happen to all those gold coins now? I think my job here is done. I say to myself.

Oliver McClure , 10