100WC Week 5 - Nice to be Home

Mum struggled over to the gleaming mahogany dining table. She carried a large, embellished bowl billowing with hot, silver smoke. Her only son, Charlie, was home from boarding school for the holidays.
She had missed him so greatly; the house had been so quiet since Charlie's father had passed away. Mum's afternoon had been spent peeling and stewing, kneading and baking. She wanted to make sure Charlie's favourite apple pie would be perfect.
Charlie helped himself to a serving of piping hot, crumbly pie. The pie was superlative and the custard tasted like heaven. Charlie looked at Mum and said,
"It's nice to be home".

100WC Week 5 - Blackberry Picking

The blackberries were a bit sharp but the custard tasted like heaven on a spoon! As she lifted another spoonful to her mouth she remembered the day that they had picked the blackberries. Small, grey clouds on the horizon had signalled the approaching rain, but they had gone anyway. Gramps had taken his old, gnarled walking stick with the large, curled handle so that they could reach deep into the hedges. They had both got soaked when the rain eventually started; but it had been worth it. Now Grandma’s delicious custard was dancing sweetly on her tongue.

“Grandma, can I have some more please?”

100WC Week 5 - Hospital Food

Lumpy, springy bed, aching, tired feet. My fear of hospitals goes to back my childhood, not sure why maybe the thought of the cold, eerie corridors, or maybe all the coughing, spluttering sick people you always associate with them.

As I wait to be discharged I can hear behind the curtain, an elderly lady jabbering away. Moaning about something or other flittering between subjects, and then returning to the TV, something must’ve caught her attention, quiet resumes.

As I collect my bag I hear one final whip from the impatient patient

“Nurse, the custard tasted like wallpaper paste.”

I smiled, I enjoyed mine.

100WC Week 5 - Rancid Eggs

Beads of sweat began to roll down his temples. He tapped the microphone, then jumped as it squealed into life. They studied his hands moving over the bowls and pans until, with a puffed-out, cock-robin chest he held the ladle high and let the thick, yellow custard tumble into the pan. It slopped, splashing up his once-pristine, embroidered whites. He reached for a cloth, his free hand rising to his mouth to hide his embarrassment. His tongue darted out, the custard tasted like rancid eggs.

“Voila!” He said, brightly. Applause erupted in a rattle of bracelets and watches. The WI would eat him alive.

100WC Week 5 - Light & Moist

It was a hot, sweltering afternoon with a jam-packed restaurant waiting impatiently. The Chef of the world famous 'Roules' restaurant was under immense pressure. The meat and the vegetables all had to be simmered to perfection. The main problem was the dessert. Sponge pudding and custard, simple yet effective.

"Make sure the sponge is light and moist!" screamed the chef trying to make himself heard above the clattering of plates and dishes. Quickly he whisked, stirred and prepared the custard. As the first dish was served, silence descended on the restaurant. You could hear a pin drop. The spoon enters the customers mouth and the custard tasted like...

100WC Week 5 - The Elegant Waiter

Looking at the menu, I went straight to the desert page. Then I could answer the question that always stumped me … starter or desert?
We were dining at Roast, above Borough market. It was a rustic, innovative restaurant with modern, British food.
“Madam, could I take your order please?” A tall, elegant waiter interrupted my thoughts. Desert! I ordered slow-roasted free-range pork belly with mashed potatoes and applesauce … and the desert!
After devouring my pork my reward was placed in front of me. Sticky toffee pudding. I loaded up my spoon and took my first bite. The custard tasted like liquid gold.

100WC Week 5 - Super Sunday

"Anyone for dessert?" shouted mum, who was trying to compete with the usual Sunday Sky Sports commentary. Having a break after your main cause is a necessity on roast day, especially after the mammoth feast we had just consumed.
"Yes please!" echoed the responses of us all from the lounge.
"Come and get it, or shall I eat it for you as well!" Like athletes out of their blocks, we leapt to kitchen. The steamy hot sponge with dripping treacle sauce, stared at us all invitingly. After smothering the sweet sensation in an adequate amount of custard, I prepared myself for my first bite. As the sponge touched my lips, the custard tasted like heaven. It tasted like nothing I had ever tasted before.

100WC Week 5 - Magical Custard

The children ambled on, scared, exhausted and starving. They were following an amazing smell. Suddenly they came across the enormous bowl, a giant sized bowl.

The custard tasted like strawberries and marshmallows all rolled in to one. It was a soft, sticky liquid with a light, airy constancy. It tasted of whatever they desired, it seemed too good to be true after the starvation of the last 24 hours, while they had been lost and wandering. Terry ate the custard using the long, unusual spoon.

“Is it a trap, who lives here, can custard really taste of all our favourite things?”

100WC Week 5 - The Dinner Party

I was starting to regret holding a dinner party. I was already on my second attempt of the main course. Who would want to eat dry, tough pork? I took out my expensive serving plate, it was a gold, bone china platter with an oriental garden design, which only came out on special occasions and as I wanted to make an impression, this was one of them. Time for dessert. Strawberry trifle. This was the first time I had attempted custard, but how difficult could it be? I tasted it....
"Oh no, I don't believe this is happening!"
The custard tasted like scrambled eggs!!!

100WC Week 5 - Lumpy Gloop

Every Sunday my Nan would make her sweet hot custard with a smooth silky texture, the custard tasted like heaven on a spoon. I decided I would try my hand at making it.
"How hard could it be" I said to myself.

I went for it and actually surprised myself, it looked good! However my sense of achievement soon turned to disappointment; within a few moments my custard had become a thick, lumpy gloop with an unsightly, elastic skin,

"I'm not eating that" exclaimed my daughter, and I couldn't blame her, the only place my 'custard' was going was in the bin!

100WC Week 5 - I'm Not Eating That!

Gingerly mum placed the piping hot, steaming, bowl onto the table. As she nervously edged herself away she winced, just as she had anticipated, the ear piercing screams began!

“I don’t want it, I don’t like it and I’m not eating that!” declared Precious with as much venom as she could muster. Her chubby, clenched fists with strength and determination descended into the custard. Shocked and astounded mum with clamped, gritted teeth reeled. Before she could speak, Precious had stuck out her tongue as the oozing liquid dripped off her nose. 

To her surprise, the custard tasted like nothing she had ever tasted before.

100WC Week 5 - The Best Ever

Frantically I ran down the cold, dark corridor as I heard a scream from the canteen! Forcefully, I pushed open the doors. Standing in the kitchen, her hands in the air, the cook screeched,

“It’s perfect, my chocolate cake is perfect! It’s got gooey custard inside.” Pausing, she smiled at me and said, “Go on taste it!”

Slowly I took a bite… thick creamy, custard oozing over moist, chocolate sponge. Like liquid gold sliding down my throat, I savoured the moment. The custard tasted like…a little piece of heaven.

“So how was it?” The cook asked pleadingly.

“The best I’ve ever tasted.” I replied.

100WC Week 4 - The Remote

Frustrated, irritated, maddened, I put the remote down and went into the kitchen. Who had taken the batteries? Someone in my house was always ‘borrowing’ the remote’s batteries for other devices (I had a sneaking suspicion that it was probably my brother, who is a total geek and has millions of gadgets).
After rummaging through the kitchen drawer, where all the items that didn’t have a home lived, I finally found what I was looking for. Returning to the living room, I picked up the remote. But when I put the batteries in, it sucked me into the television screen…

100WC Week 4 - Sam's Birthday

It was Sams birthday (7th birthday) a big deal for myself and my wife. We knew exactly what he wanted, he went on and on about this new flashy car. He would tell me endlessly how it lit up in the dark, could whiz round corners or turn round by itself. I think I was more excited to give him the car than he was, the moment came.

The birthday cake had been eaten and we gathered round Sam with his presents. He grabbed ours and ripped through the paper, a wide grin appeared across his face but when I went to put the batteries in I realised I had got the wrong ones.

100WC Week 4 - The Light of the Moon

Frightened, terrified, exhausted I ran from the house. Fear and adrenaline pulsated through me. For weeks I had been too scared to enter but curiosity lured me in.
With trepidation I climbed the creaky staircase (where the man was rumoured to have died). The light of the moon shone through the open window illuminating strange portraits that seemed to watch my every move. Entering the pitch black room I tried to use the torch I had with me ...but when I put the batteries in it...it didn’t work! Suddenly a dark figure flew at me...I ran as fast as I could to escape, never to return.

100WC Week 4 - Special Delivery

Excited by the surprise delivery I had received, I stared at the parcel that lay before my eyes. Pounding with expectation, my heart raced like a ticking clock. Could this really be what I thought it was? Confused, worried, bemused, I was a bag of mixed emotions, yet one stood stronger than the rest...curiosity.

Unable to wait a second longer (no change for me), I tore the appealing wrapping paper like a child at Christmas. There it was. There it was in front of my eyes. In front of my eyes and calling me to pick it up. Pick it up and give it a go; the game boy I had so desperately wanted. But when I put the batteries in, nothing could have prepared for me what happened...

100WC Week 4 - The Tantrum

Banging the toy train against the wall, the boy was rigid with rage. Annoyed, irritated, frustrated, I watched as he threw his broken train across the room. Without a set of batteries, his train (a Special Edition Thomas the Tank Engine) would not work…but when I put the batteries in it… the engine began to roar: lights flashed; music played; wheels spun.

The transformation from a miserable Ogre to Prince Charming was instant. Unfortunately the tantrum was not so easily forgotten. Removing the batteries I reminded him that his behaviour was unacceptable. Wet tears rolled down his rosy cheeks as he cried and gave his excuses for the outburst.

100WC Week 4 - The Puppy Dog

With Christmas approaching fast, anticipation and excitement brewing. An extremely happy girl awakes with an overflowing emotion, as she rushes down the twirling stairs like a herd of elephants. She then begins to unwrap her gifts, racing through them (as you do). When a gift was un wrapped that she hoped to receive, which was a small black and white puppy dog that walks and barks, saddened by the lack of entertainment, she moved it to one side, I then explained that batteries were needed. So when I put the batteries in it the little girl smiled and her eyes and mouth lighted up as if a lamp shone within.

100WC Week 3 - Gulp!

Despite its grandiose beauty, the immense, impressive and important wave came fast with great anger. Smashing, hitting whatever was in its way, it finally crashed on the tall and steady lighthouse and swallowed it in one big GULP!

Wow! Wow! Wow! They all shouted. Astonishment and worry struck against the spectators face as they were watching the scene from a distance. As they started to pray and hoped for people to come out, they could feel the spray thrown into the air on their face. Suddenly like as an answer to their
prayers, they could not believe what they saw...

100WC Week 5 - Sticky Toffee Pudding

“I’ll have sticky toffee pudding please” I pronounced to the waitress.

“Do ya want custard?” replied the sulky waitress.

“Definitely” was the only response required.

When the kitchen door opened, the hot, steaming pudding looked like a little piece of heaven on the plate. As the waitress carried it across the restaurant in slow motion, mouth salivating I couldn’t take my eyes of it. 

Light, fluffy sponge with smooth, rich and creamy custard, the dessert looked deliciously devilish. I plunged my spoon deep into the pudding, the sponge tasted delicate and moist and the custard tasted like nothing else I had ever savoured before.

100WC Week 4 - A Quiet Night In

Baby Ellie with dummy in mouth, slept in her cot. The movie was about to start, my feet were up and i had a mug of hot chocolate beside me. After an extremely hectic day, this is just what I needed. Then it started. Not the movie, the high-pitched wailing from Ellie's bedroom.

When I entered the room, I found her mobile no longer playing the soothing lullaby (the batteries were dead!) Frustrated, stressed and exhausted I ransacked the drawer for new ones.
I raced upstairs to the wailing pandemonium, but when I put the batteries in it stopped.

100WC Week 4 - I'm Late!

Drained, exhausted, fatigued I used the last of my strength to lash out at the beeping alarm clock. It fell from from the shabby wooden cabinet that sits next to my bed and made a crunching noise (which indicated the batteries spilling over the carpet). I drifted back to my easy dreaming and dozed until rays of sunlight crept around the gaps in the curtains and started tickling my face.

In a haze of sleepy confusion I fumbled for the clock, but when I put the batteries in it I let out a frustrated yell.

I was late. Again.

100WC Week 4 - Oopsy Daisy

Excited, amazed, thrilled, I tore at the paper desperate to see what was beneath the perfect gift wrap.. And there it was the Oopsy Daisy Doll (the latest must have toy.)
But when I put the batteries in... The possessed doll began to crawl towards me... it stopped... dropped to its tummy, waved its arms and legs up and down, screaming and crying. The crazed toddler having a tantrum turned It's head a full 360 degrees. It scared the life out of me! I fled the room in absolute terror and refused to go back in until my mum had put it away.

100WC Week 4 - Robot Awe

But when I put the batteries in it, the most amazing, extraordinary events began to unfold.  The previously non-descript box began to shake (violently).  It looked as if it began to split in two, it seemed to grow in size and the box appeared to unfold revealing robotic legs, arms and an angular head.  The eyes were glowing red, the robot stood taller than two metres tall, the metal limbs were powerful and strong.  The robot turned its head slowly to fixate a stare in our direction.   Terrified, amazed and intrigued my brother and I looked on in awe.

100WC Week 4 - The Brand New Toy

Still, quiet, motionless the toy did not move, out of my reach I’m powerless to check with my grandchild on my lap willing for the wheels to turn, for the car to creep once more across the floor.

Their eyes meet mine disappointment fills the air, a room full of toys yet tears form for one. First use for the plaything it can’t be broken (can it?). From all the cars I chose one from the back in their favourite colour, the toy does not work but when I put the batteries in it lights flash, life kicks in and joy restored.    

100WC Week 3 - Land's End

In the distance arising from the misty sea lies Land's End Longship Lighthouse. Lonely but proud, the tower anchored upon jagged rocks exposed to the elements and partly submerged by the cruel sea. Rolling angry waves crashing and thrashing against its side. Throwing white foam spray into the cold air engulfing the lighthouse from view.
Suddenly a blanket of fog slowly appears. CLANG ! CLANG ! CLANG ! The tower bell strikes.
Will I hear you tomorrow ...
The lantern light beams brightly across the sea casting its shafts far and wide. Warning the sailors of the dangers that may lay ahead.

100WC Week 4 - The Camera

But when I put the batteries in nothing happened, my long lost camera was completely dead. Thumb ling  around in a  draw ( the old oak chester draw my grandma  gave me) I finally found a packet of new batteries. Eagerly I placed them in,waiting to hear the noise of some sort of life. Surprised, delighted and excited it started to buzz and the shutters  opened. My memories were not lost forever, a colourful  gallery of faces slowly appeared.This great  occasion was another chapter in my life, my daughters wedding. Full of laughter and tears shared with family and friends.

100WC Week 4 - Christmas Lists

Worried I clicked the box that said availability and squinted my eyes - yes - three available! I reserved a
Buzz Lightyear. Now for Woody.these were the items at the top of my children's Christmas lists. All I
had to do now was go to the Disney store on Christmas Eve to collect them.

I arrived early but, still, the queue was halfway down the road (it felt like forever before I reached the front). Finally I arrived home, relieved that I would see my children's delighted faces in the morning. But when I put the batteries into Buzz nothing happened!

100WC Week 4 - Give It Back!

Frazzled, scorched, and charred the gadget fell to the floor.

“Ouch!” screamed the angry, red faced little girl.

The device (which was still smouldering) made a strange buzzing noise. A noise that sounded like the device was trying to talk! Inquisitively, the girl knelt down and listened carefully to what the contraption was secretively telling her.

The door swung open. Her mother, with her hands on her hips stood and glared at her from the doorway.

Sobbing hysterically, the little girl yelled “But Mummy … but when I put the batteries in it, the voice told me to do it!”

“Give it back to me” snarled the woman.      

100WC Criteria - Week 1

The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader reading it makes it live: a live thing, a story.' - Ursula K Le Guin

Broadford 100 Word Challenge

In order to contribute to improving writing and raising pupil engagement, we have launched a Broadford 100WC blog. In the first few weeks, staff will submit weekly entries to be published. The idea will then be rolled out to the pupils.

For each week there will be: a stimulus, sentence opener focus, imagery focus and punctuation focus. These ideas can then be used to support class teaching, encourage comments about writing and build up banks of quality sentences.

Staff entries should be emailed to: head@broadford.havering.sch.uk

(Teachers by Wednesday morning and Support Staff by Friday morning)

Pupil entries can be posted on their Phase Blog

Remember to use the Improving Writing Guidance to raise the quality/variety of language, imagery and openers being used.

Week 1 - 5th December

Text to include: ...and then the noise stopped...

Sentence Opener: Simile sentence opener

Punctuation: Exclamation mark

Imagery: Personification

100WC Criteria - Week 2

Week 2 - 12th December

The stimulus can come anywhere in the text, it doesn't have to be at the beginning.

Text to include: ...and then the sky grew darker...

Sentence Opener/Type: Tell:Show 3 

(The boy was exhausted: eyelids drooping; feet dragging; breathing ragged.)

Punctuation: Use a colon

Imagery: Include some onomatopeia

100WC Criteria - Week 3

Week 3 - 8th January

Don't forget to leave comments on someone else's writing: something positive and a tweak.
Sentence opener/type: LIST Sentence (bonus points for using alliteration)
Punctuation: Use an ellipsis
Imagery: Repetition for effect
The stimulus this week is a picture

100WC Criteria - Week 4

Week 4 - 22nd January

Text to include: ...but when I put the batteries in it…

Punctuation: Use a pair of brackets (for extra information)
Imagery: Noun Phrase
The car with a dented bumper, parked next to the hedge.
Without a receipt, items cannot be refunded.

Sentence Opener/Type:
3 __ed sentences
A 3__ed sentence begins with three related adjectives, each of which ends in –ed.
All 3 __ed words must be followed by commas.
Most __ed words used for these sentences will be connected to emotions.

Frightened, terrified, exhausted, they ran from the derelict house.
Annoyed, frustrated, exasperated, the postman repeatedly rang the bell.
Amused, amazed, excited, they left the concert reluctantly.

100WC Criteria - Week 5

Week 5 - 29th January
This prompt is taken from the 100WC challenge website, if you want to find some additional inspiration. Look for Week #17

Text to include: ... the custard tasted like...

Your piece should total 104 words (including the prompt)

Punctuation
Use speech marks - make sure to model that the speech should start on a new line

Imagery
Adjectival Strings
Bravely he entered the dark, gloomy cave.
Carefully remove the hot, plastic covering.

Sentence Type
2A Sentences (uses adjectival strings)
A 2A sentence follows a simple pattern:

Adj 1 Adj 2 1st Noun WITH Adj 3 Adj 4 2nd Noun
It was an old, rusty car with a peeling, dented body.
In the garden was a tall, twisted tree with giant, gnarled arms.

100WC Week 4 - The Remote Control Car

Intrigued, excited, fascinated I tore off the wrapping paper. The last few weeks had been agonizing. Sleepless nights, the tension was becoming unbearable.

The remote control car, which was bright red (and dazzling), was going to give me hours of fun. As the last piece of tape was cut like a knife through butter, there it was my brand new car. Now all that was left was to carefully slide the car from the box. Slowly I revealed the jet-black tyres, I could almost hear the wheels spinning as I let it loose.

But when I put the batteries in it...they were too big!

100WC Week 5 - A Postcard Home

Dear Mum,

While I write this postcard home, I can hear the strangest sounds: ducks quacking; donkeys braying and a cow stubbornly refusing to be milked. Above the farmhouse is a wide, blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. Back home everything was grey… grey and dirty.

Honestly Mum, you wouldn’t believe the food we get to eat every day. Working hard on the fields means my appetite is insatiable!

“C’mon now chuck,eat up,” beams Aunt Sally – she’s the kindly lady looking after me. She makes a magical apple pie – with fresh Bramley apples. And the custard… mmmmmmm the custard tasted like liquid gold.

100WC Week 4 - The Forest

The forest is so inviting during the day, yet foreboding at night. I find the mysterious dark shadows (which assume many illusory forms in my minds) to be interesting, rather than frightening. Deep into the forest, it feels strange, as if I am waiting for physical reality to burst out laughing, "Ha, ha got you!!!" The forest is awake! Hungry for blood, hunting animals emerge from their day time dwellings. Nocturnal creatures, glowing in the dark are waiting for you! Panic sets in. 

I reach for the torch…nothing happens! Frightened, terrified, petrified, I stumble through the dark, desperate for light. Fumbling through my bag, I find some batteries…but when I put the batteries in…

100WC Week 4 - Light Bulbs

Shocked, repulsed, horrified, I was plunged into darkness with nothing more than the biting wind, blowing through the window with a broken pane. I could barely see and knew I wasn't alone. My torch (the one that I had found), flickered and died. I reached into my pocket, frantically searching for the spare batteries and extracted two. But when I put the batteries in...nothing happened!

I heard a sound. Then a flood of light poured into my eyes. As I blinked, a figure stood before me. "Dad! Thank goodness. That is the last time I try to change a light bulb on my own".

100WC Week 4 - The Distraction

“But when I put the batteries in it, nothing happened.” Looking forlornly at the limp and lifeless toy (which she had received for her birthday) Jessie began to cry.

Puzzled, bewildered, confused by her friend’s sudden despair, Sally desperately tried to think of a quick fix. What could she do to brighten Jessie’s mood?

Distraction… that was it, find something to divert her attention.

“Why don’t you show me what else you got for your birthday? Didn’t you say that your Mum bought you a rabbit?”

Like sunlight bursting through a bank of dark grey cloud, Jessie’s face lit up. Grabbing her friend’s hand, she led her outside.

100WC Week 3 - A Gaping Crack

Below the grey, gloomy sky the wind began to howl like a wild animal. As it grew stronger it whipped the sea into a frenzy of foam, sending it surging towards a small harbour town. The lighthouse braced itself as a mountain of water engulfed it. Bravely it stood firm as the strong gale clawed at it's windows and doors. CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, the swirling sea hit the harbour wall threatening to tear it down. Still the lighthouse stood steady looking down onto the churning, choppy waters, but for how long could it hold out? Suddenly a gaping crack appeared.....

100WC Week 4 - The Present

I am often frustrated, exacerbated and infuriated by my mum, “I don’t want anything, “ she says ( but if you turn up emptied handed the disappointment shows). So for Christmas I bought the ugliest singing Santa I could find. It had a demonic expression; slanted eyebrows, angry eyes and an all-too-knowing smile. After she unwrapped it she gave the most insincere “that’s nice” I’ve ever heard. Our satanic Santa took pride of place on top of the TV, but when I put the batteries in it started to sing and dropped its crimson trousers to give us Santas special present.

100WC Week 3 - The Stormy Sky

Low clouds: heavy, angry and crimson with flames of sunset rumbled overhead. The lighthouse keeper raced towards the cliffs, slippered feet pressed hard to the pedals, white knuckled hands gripping the handlebars as he fought the gusting wind. His phone’s shrill buzz was still yelling out its warning. He leapt off the bike as he reached his tiny rowboat, he fought with ropes and oars before jumping onboard and sweeping out into the water. He reached the spluttering generator, petrol can in hand and the sky drew darker still before the great tower filled the stormy sky with precious light.

100WC Week 4 - Disappointed

It was the morning of my daughter’s birthday, the excitement on her face was overwhelming, she had been opening her cards and gifts and playing with the new toys she had received, a little later in the day she asked if I would help set up her password diary but when I put batteries in it, it wouldn’t turn on, no matter what I tried, it just wouldn’t work!

Baffled, frustrated, annoyed, we took the diary back to the shop that I had brought it from, to exchange it for a new one, which thankfully worked, to my daughter’s delight.

100WC Week 4 - SMASH!

“But when I put the batteries in it, it didn’t work!” shouted Amy. She stomped off in a huge huff, slamming each door in her path. She was absolutely furious (even though Mum was in fact right... she had broken the game).

As Amy stretched to reach her little brothers Nintendo DS...SMASH! It had fallen to the floor into pieces. She was told endless times not to touch it, and now to her horror it wouldn’t work. The DS, now with a loose wire, sat on the kitchen worktop. Horrified, worried, frustrated Amy waited for the moment Mum would realise.

100WC Week 3 - Red White, Red White

The weather turned so quickly. We were thirty minutes walk away from the car so, wrapped up against the wind, we put our heads down and picked up speed. The wind whirled, swirled and whipped around us, an empty chip paper floated above our heads. ""Look mummy, a lighthouse. It goes red, white, red, white, red." I held my sons hand and noticed that my husband was holding onto our other son too. We exchanged worried glances and started taking bigger strides. The waves crashed around the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse and we could feel the spray from the promenade. There had been so much flooding recently on the news. Our car was parked against the sea wall...

100WC Week 4 - It Had All Been Going So Well

It had all been going so well. The children’s happy laughter echoed through the house. Excitedly they ran through the hallway (like a high speed train). Then silence. The Buzz Light Year toy that was providing the children with so much joy had failed on them. Shocked, annoyed, and frustrated the children thumped down the stairs and scuttled into the kitchen. 

“Mum!” They yelled. “He doesn’t work”. 

“Mum, I never got my turn”. 

Quickly I ran to the cupboard...but when I put the batteries in it...the once dormant toy bolted across the room and filled the children with excitement again.

100WC Week 3 - The Angel

The sky turned a sombre grey colour. In the distance I heard the rumbling of thunder groaning like a dying horse. As my rusty little car rattled around the side of the mountain, I squinted through the windscreen. Dismal, dreary and drizzly raindrops blurred my vision. I stopped the car, I stepped outside, I couldn’t believe what I saw …

Dressed in a thin nightgown, with no overcoat and bare foot the ethereal figure soared gracefully, arms stretched open like an angel and dived into the wild sea. No one else saw, no one else came, no one else cared.

100WC Week 3 - Alone

I clung on desperately to the oars as if my life depended on it. My knuckles pale, white and sweaty with the intense pressure. Wave after furious wave smashed against the vulnerable body of my little boat, like an enraged bull charging, enveloping me with terror. With no reprieve, I continued to battle the elements.
The pull of the tide is hot on my heels as I try to escape the terrifying nightmare that is unfolding before me. Only I knew I was here, only I knew what I had to do and only I could fight this battle.....alone.

100WC Week 3 - My Beloved

My dearest friend,

I am writing this to tell you of the terrible troubles I am facing. This may, in fact, be the very last time I able to write to you, my treasured companion. As my pen touches the paper, waves are crashing, smashing, thrashing against the walls of my beloved lighthouse. My only comforts...the gentle hum of my radio and the dancing flames of the warming fireplace. The only hope I have left is that I fall into a peaceful sleep before the final wave arrives at my door.

100WC Week 3 - Tap Tap Tap

The sound of rain hitting the window pane of the lighthouse woke me from my slumber. Tap, tap, tap. I turned over, hoping to catch an extra few moments of sleep. But it was no use, with thunder growling and erupting in the night's sky I was forbidden to snooze.

I rose and made my way to the only view I had. My eyes quickly adjusted to the unbelievable realisation that I was surrounded... lonely, terrified and frozen to the spot. Before my weary eyes I could see the waves at war, crashing, colliding and collapsing all around me.

100WC Week 3 - Submerged

The wind tore through the boat sending all the furniture to crash against each other. Waves of water crashed onto the deck. The siren sounded…The man grabbed the wheel and tried to control the boat. Horror struck against his face as he saw a dark outline of something in the distance. Something hit the boat water rushed through engulfing everything in its path. The man went pale as the water surrounded his body. His arms flung out clasping at the wheel. The boat started to submerge into the dark blue cold sea. As the man awoke from his slumber he realised that his safe, warm living room was now no long safe any more.

100WC Week 3 - Grace Darling

The sea was her constant companion and Grace had learnt to read it like a book. She was able to predict if it would bring warm breezes and African birds or rumbling thunder clouds and tall waves that would smash against the lighthouse. On the 7th of September 1838 Grace prepared herself for a busy shift. As evening approached she listened as the storm gathered strength around her and stared transfixed at the angry, grey, crashing waves. Just as her watch was coming to an end she spotted the ailing ship...her next actions marked her place in British history.

100WC Week 3 - Bullies

Andy left class wearily. “Please, please, please”, he whispered, preying he would not seethem. It was time to complete the walk home without enduring the wrath of the five ferocious, fierce and cruel boys… boys that taunted Andy, day in, day out.

Rapidly, jeers echoed behind him. Fear and hopelessness engulfed him like a lonely, feckless lighthouse at the mercy of a vicious storm. There was no escape. He stood frozen with fear. “Please, please, please”, he begged.

In that instant Mr Frinton appeared and ordered the boys back to school. From that moment on Andy never suffered the bullies again…

100WC Week 3 - The Fishing Boat

The fishing poles leaned against the small fishing boat. A large green metal tackle box sat inside the boat. The lid was open, exposing little hooks, flies and wriggling maggots. The children were dressed in thick coats and rubber wellington boots. Their excited steps leaving footprints in the sand as they walked past the lighthouse. It was a wet, windy and winter day. The sea was a hungry dog, grey and giant. Waves crashed and crashed against the shore. They thought about cancelling the trip but didn’t. The distraught Mother could now only wonder what had happened to her family…

100WC Week 3 - The Photograph

With his camera held close under his heavy jacket he edges his way closer. He stumbles on the smooth, sandy, slippery paving stones and stops. The wind howls around him tearing at his scarf while the sea churns around his feet like a boiling cauldron. Cautiously creeping ever closer he sees his chance. Lifting the camera carefully from its hiding place he takes a deep breath and clicks. Suddenly a massive, menacing wave envelopes the lighthouse in spray and foam. Click … click … click. Has he succeeded? Has he captured the moment? He looks at the screen and smiles.