teenage – Library Love

They both clamped their shaking hands over their mouths and stomach as nausea built up a wave of blurred vision and dizziness with every surge of the ground. Suddenly the decision to sneak into the hull of an enemy ship as it departed to report the destruction of everything they stood for, seemed like a laughably bad idea. They weren’t exactly ready for the unforgivable and lurching nature of ocean travel; the closest thing being paddling lightly through oases and shallow rivers as relief from the scorching heat. A loud battering and strong smell of decay made Olivia jump to attention searching for the source through dazed and frantic eyes. Just as she found the spot water exploded into the hull, weighing the floor into a slant and throwing Noah tumbling onto his feet and Olivia scrambling to keep her balance.

In front of them a figure stepped out from the crack in the wood, it was hunched and unsteady dripping water into the flooding deck. The creature could hardly be considered human, pale blue skin clung tightly to sharp sleek bones, tearing at the ribs revealing stained bones dripping with stringy black blood that failed to hide a completely hollow chest. The creature had no heart, only a pale ragged blue crystal suspended in strings of inky blood. Transparent fins were twitching at every joint, a group of them were clustered on its head, like layered hair, concealing its eyes with only sharp ears and a gross toothy grin that split its face visible. Its thin claw-like hand twisted backwards slamming its hand into the water, the water obeyed smoothly leaving the deck dry and filtering back out the ship in one smooth motion. Olivia and Noah’s breath caught in their throat, desperation and fear in the air. It stood straight re-adjusting the fabric tied round its waist and snapped its head up, two deep and hollow black eyes stared at them, the faint shine reflected in them its only pupils as its grin widened impossibly further.

Noah fell back with a thump that caught the corpse-like figures’ attention and it began to lumber forward, growing more confident in its stride with each step it took. Even with its eagerness it seemed to struggle, its body looking as if it was being dragged harshly and its breaths were strained and raspy forcing its hollow chest into jerked heavy heaves and wet pants from its jaw. Noah sat wide eyed and frozen in place. Olivia grabbed at the ground blindly before picking up a cracked and rusty telescope, she gulped, she wasn’t exactly confident in this as her weapon of choice. Instead she smashed it against the ground, the weak metal shattering as the mechanisms flew apart. The creature stopped abruptly licking its lips and turning away from Noah and scanned the area where the noise could have come from and turned to her grinning. Olivia matched the grin with a smirk filled with satisfaction and pride, her confidence returning.

01/12/202329/11/2023

Teen Poetry Winner, Writing Rammy 2023

By Chloe Lannon

In the chambers, your voice does reverberate,

Echoing whispers of love, now dissipating to hate.

In this labyrinth of emotions, lost and forlorn,

Bearing the burden of a heart, so torn.

Eyes that sparkled with joy, now stormy with grief,

Crying silent tears, seeking solace and relief.

Yearning for a love that’s vanished in the blue,

A heartbreak’s melody, sombre and true.

Wings of dreams that soared so high,

Now, wounded by lies, fail to touch the sky.

Petals of hopes, trampled and broken,

Bear testament of words left unspoken.

Yet, remember, heart, strong yet tender,

In the coldest winter hides itself a summer,

Though relentless waves crashed against your shore,

You’re still standing, bruised, yet ready for more.

In shards of despair, blooms the flower of resilience,

In the canvas of night, stars trace their brilliance.

Heartbreak might have left you torn,

But it’s also where compassion is born.

So sing heart, sing your mournful hymn,

In sorrow’s river, learn to swim.

Beneath the weight of your sorrow, don’t bow or break,

Remember, even stars need the dark, to shine and awake.

Thus, heart, though you bleed and ache,

Find compassion within your heartbreak.

Rise, not with vengeance, but with love and grace,

For in the healing of hearts, one finds their place.

01/12/202329/11/2023

Teen Fiction Winner, Writing Rammy 2023

Love Letters by Stephanie Cameron

The old man walks through his door. Hanging up his coat and hat, leaving his shoes on, he goes over to the desk not too far away from him. Sitting down and placing a piece of paper in front of him, he picks up a nice looking fountain pen, one his dad gave him, and starts writing.

“My dearest, Eliza

“Yes I remember that quite well, I still can’t believe we managed to ruin my mother’s flower beds! Of all the places you could of swerved into, you somehow were able to run over my mother’s marigolds and daffodils. Of course it was my own fault for letting you behind the wheel of my dad’s car. Such troublemakers we were!

“Of course we weren’t always like that though. Do you remember? We use to have picnics down in the football field. I’d bring a pitcher of your favourite lemon and herbal tea, while you’d bring my second favourite sandwiches, mature cheddar and Swiss on whole-wheat bread. We would just talk and laugh the afternoon away. You’d have that old record player your dad got you for your sweet sixteen playing. And we’d dance anytime one of our songs came on, and even the rain couldn’t stop us! We’d dance and dance until you kicked off your heels, then you would try race me up and down the football field. I’d always win of course!

“I hope this letter finds you well,

“Yours forever, Arnold.”

He puts the pen down, and grabs one of the envelopes from the pile to his left. Folding the letter neatly, he slides it carefully into the envelope. Writing ‘Eliza’ at the front, and sealing it shut, he carefully but firmly holds the envelope in his hand, and walks out the door again.

Walking down the familiar street, he waves at all the familiar faces, just as old as him. While he could take the bus to his destination, and it would be quicker, he prefers not to. The bus is always so crowded, and full of sweaty people, and he just didn’t like the bus. Besides, he wants to look his best for when he reaches his stop.

Turning the corner, he sees the familiar play park,, filled with children playing, some of which being scolded by their mothers. He smiles, remembering fondly about how his mother use to scold him like that. She was just looking out for him after all. Finally, he reaches his destination.

Walking into the familiar place, he sits down on the ground, placing the envelope neatly in front of the tombstone, along with all the others.

“I hope this letter finds you well, my dear,” he says.

“I love you.”