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.

100WC Week 3 - Tragedy

The waves crashed down; shattering, collapsing and unfurling. The weather had not been predicted, they were not prepared, Sarah and her Father; to be stranded… it had been a treacherous winter already. Now this storm was preventing them from getting the basics they needed to eat and survive. 

This was all becoming too much the lack of food on top of the tragedy which had occurred the previous day. Sarah had helplessly watched as her dog and companion and been swept up in a wave and dragged out to sea, she looked on as Benjy sank down, down, down into deep, green waves. She felt her heart sink as he did.

100WC Week 3 - Sinking

There was a dark dense smog forming in the sky as I struggled to steer the ship in the mad, furious, violent sea. The storm was so strong, like nothing I have ever experienced before. I could feel the boat squeaking and creaking, with every move the sides threatening to collapse. Beneath me I could hear screams of panic, ear piercing screams chorusing the same thing "we're all going to die!" and "let's jump for it, we've got no hope". I could make out the sound of people rushing to the top deck and with a splash they were gone...

100WC Week 3 - Farne Island

It was a cold, dreary night on the 7th September and the calming, peaceful view from the lighthouse was distorted as Grace looked out of the window. The sky was full of emotions as the wind began to rage and the clouds rolled in heavily. Grace felt the rain’s presence as she listened to the roaring sea. A crescendo of waves that roared; rose; ranted and raved. The tempestuous waves were surging, swelling and colliding. Suddenly the shudder, the stumble, the swerve of a boat could be seen from afar. The beautiful coastline along the Farne Islands was soon to be no more…