Ew, creepy stuff! Nice work, Ariana.

The runners up were Jack Denby and Fleur van Asperen.

Jack wrote:
Whisopering into the darkness is what I like to do when I'm all alone at nigth. I pretend that theres noone else in the whole house, and i make my voice all low, like I'm a ghost. I go, "Jack! Jack!" in this really low, growly kind of voice.
The weird thing is, I know it's me making the voice. But it still makes me shudder, and then I stick my head out of the top of my blankets just to make sure that I am in my room where I thought I was.
The truth is, i don't mind being scared if I know it's not real... hang on, what was that sou

Yes, good work Jack. And our second runner-up Fleur wrote this:
I was going to the toilet out in the bush. Me and my friends were camping, but it wasn't too scary because our parents were sleeping in a cabin just near by. But I was going to the toilet, and when I went behind the tree, what would you think, but my torch went out. the battry was completley flat.
That was when I said a word that was a bit naughty, but I was really scarred. "Wh...wh..who is it?"I asked.
"It's just me," said my friend Sarah. She was going to the toilet too.
It was pretty hard to get back to sleep again after that!

Great stuff! Well done to everyone who entered, and if you missed out this time, try again next time, in our Christmas comp!

JULY/AUGUST 2005
The task for July/August was to write a passage based on the phrase THE MONK ON THE MOTORBIKE. And the first prize goes to Molly Munro. She wrote:
I am sitting in the dark waiting for the sound of silence. Someone is still out there I think it is the monk on the motorbike, he is walking around in circles mumbling to himself I hope he can't see me. Oh no not now please lord not now, oh here it comes "ATCHOOO" Suddenly the monk stops. He turns and starts walking towards me, I decide to make a run for it, but at the same time as I stand up the monk turns away and starts walking out the door that was lucky I thought. I walk out the way I came in the monk sees me and runs after me, I run the monk runs everyone is staring at me probably because he is shouting "THIEF". I look behind me, the monk is nowhere to be seen. I start walking again I am at the bus stop that is just around the corner from my house. There is a sound a like motorbike coming from a bend in the road about 20 metres away, oh no I think its the monk's . I start running I reach my house I run inside and go to my room mum is folding clothes " hi mum " I say she looks at me and says "hi sweetie how was your day" I was just about to say fine when there was a "knock" on the door.

Well done and congratulations, Molly. You'll be receiving a signed copy of Captain Mack.

The runners up were Sarah Marshall and Molly O'Dwyer.

Sarah wrote:
Once upon a time, there lived a little boy who, all his life, wanted to be a Monk. His name was Jeffery. Jeffery wasn't very popular at his school, he only had about 1 friend. Jeffery was always be bullied by the older kids. They always called him names.He was very smart though. He lived with his mother and brother.
15 years later
Jeffery is 28 now, and the kids who bullied him died in a horrid car crash 7 years ago. Alhough the boys bullied him and were horrible to him, he missed them a lot, and always is sad. Jeffery's dream had come true 3 days after the crash, he was a monk. Jeffery was so happy, but sad at the same time. The first day, when Jeffery was a monk, he remember those kids who had bullied him when he was 8. So he did so many good deeds, to make him feel better, but nothing, he was still sad. So he thought, maybe if he did something that they would do. Then he had it, he would hire a motorbike for the day. Jeffery hired a motorbike and rode along dirt roads and tar roads. It worked, he was feeling better, and so, from that day onward, he was know as The New Monk.

And our second Molly wrote:
The Monk on the motorbike he was eating his sandwich on day on Monday. He had a chicken and salad sandwich. One minute he was just going to take a bite and he realized that he didn’t cook the chicken in fact he wasn’t cooked chicken at all it was alive chicken. Not just one person but every bode froze when the Chicken popped out of the Monks sandwich even the Kids froze in fact just one kid the moke recognized Billy known as (Billy the Big Bully) every one was afraid of him even the Teachers. Billy was the only Kid you didn’t freeze in fact when the Monk saw Billy he Froze instantly and his sandwich fell out of his hand the Monk ran to his motorbike and drove away in a flash. When he was on the road Cailin the girl who always new everything and always got every thing right known as (the brainiest kid) she was on the road as well in their new sports car. She saw the Monk and said to her self “I’ve never seen a Monk On a motorbike”. The next day Billy the Big Bully and the brainiest kid were spreading the words of (I’ve never seen a Monk on a Motorbike before). The next day the Monks school St Thomas More went on a school camp to North Shore on the way in the bus the BIG BIG bus they saw in fact more than THREE Monks on motorbikes then every one realized that all monks had motorbikes no mater what even if they didn’t have one all Monks had motorbikes

Well done to everyone who entered.

MAY 2005
The task for May was to write a passage based on the phrase IF IT ITCHES, SCRATH IT. And the first prize goes to Tess Garwater. Tess wrote:

Itchy spot on my leg
That moozzy needs a whack
I hope he liked drinking all my blood
I wish he'd bring it back

Well done, Tess.

The runners-up were Anita Rosen and Andy Joseph.

Anita also wrote a poem. She wrote:
Scratching like a crazy person
Itching all over
Scratching until the skin starts to come off under my nails
I hate sunburn

And Andy wrote:
I woke up with a shock, because I was suddenly itching really badly. But the problem was that I was itching in the only place I couldnt reach rigth in the middle of my back. I tried everything, like a ruler and a coathanger and even mums woodenspoon, which she uses to make those yummy chocolate cakes I like so much (ewwww!) but I still couldn't reach it. But then I got a great idea, and I put some cat food on the spot with the wooden spoon. Then my cat Charlie came and licked the catfood off and that scratched the itch. Yeeeeees, that felt better!

Good job, everyone, and thanks for taking part. If you missed out this time, please try again next month!

APRIL 2005
The task for April was to write a passage based on the phrase MLKSHAKE SYMPHONY. And the prize of a free book goes to... Ashley Mundy. She wrote:

It was time for the last act in the school concert and it was my turn to go up. But the problem was I hadn't even planned anything, and my teacher had said that i had to do something in the concert or I wouldn't be going into high school. And I really wanted to go into high school, so I knew that I didn't have any choice at all. That was when I had my great idea. My mum had given me some money to spend at the kiosk, so I quickly went up to the lady asd asked her what flavors of milkshakes she had, and she said "How many do you need, young Lady? I've got strawbr, chocolate, caramel and vanilla." But I said, "Any others?" "Well let me see what else I've got here," she said. "I've got lime and banana and raspberry and blue bolt and even this weird puple on, blueberry I think." So i told her that I needed one milkshake of every flavur and every colour, because I had a special treet for everyone there that night...

Well done, Emma, and congratulations.

The runners-up were Adam Farnsworth and Rhian Mullaly.

Adam wrote:
Milkshake symphony
Runny milk and ice cream
Mixed all in together
Like a kind of milky dream
With all those flavours
Mixing all together
I especailly like milkshake symphonys
When it's really hot weather
Yum
Yum
Yum

And Rhian wrote:
Why was the music so weird, I wondered. I was in the front row of the Sydney Opera House, and everyone had told me how good the music was when the orchestra played. But it sounded really awful, especially when icecream started coming out of the violins. It was running all over the stage, but the musicians didn't even seem to care. But then milk started spraying out of the trumpets, all over the people in the front row. People like me! I screamed and stood up, with milk running down my shirt. Then the conductor turned around. He was dressed like a clown, and then I realised that what the orchestra was playing was the song from the Mr Whippy van.

Good job, everyone, and thanks for taking part. If you missed out this time, please try again next month!

MARCH 2005
The task for March was to write a passage around the phrase SPEED-DIAL 'P' FOR PANIC. And the free book goes to... Emma Campbell. She wrote:

Just wanna get away from here, run away, away, away....... Sara snapped out of her musical fantasies wen her little brother Jake poked her with his little green finger (they had just picked him up from preschool and he was finger painting). "Dad! Make him stop! I'm writing the next big song for my career!" Sara complained "Oh really?" Dad said as he turned around because they were at a red light "Where's the pen and paper?" Sara rolled her eyes. As soon as she had seen Delta Goodrem in concert she knew she was going to be the next Delta. "Dad, you know perfectly well i can write in my head." "Een! Een!" he cried. "Yes, Jake your finger is green!" Dad laughed "No, Dad! Look where he's pointing!!!" Sara screamed as she got out her mobile. Dad didn't dare to look. But when he did he saw a speeding car driving right towards them. He paniced and started shouting orders to Sara. "Sara call 123 and then press 'P'!!" Sara didn't ask why. she called the number and pressed 'P'. Welcome to the Panicing people hotline, a robotic voice said, tell us why you are panicing and we will send someone to help you. Sar told the robot the problem. as soon as she had put the phone down she heard a siren. it wasn't like a police siren, nor was it an ambulance or fire. The people coming out of the siren van were pulling Sara, Jake and Dad out of the car when Sara fainted because of all the comotion. When she woke up they were in their own home again with Mike and Mum and Pappy, their puppy. She asked if it was all a dream but they didnt seem to hear her.....

Nicely done, Emma, and you'll be receiving a copy of Billy Mack's War very soon.

The runners-up were Annie Kladnig and Mitchell Harvey.

Sarah wrote:
Mum's phone is out of bounds
for us kids
So when it rings we pass it by
Not because we are shy
But because we did
As we were ordered
Until my kid sister fell in the pool
And I really felt a fool
As mum yelled "call for help"
What do I then do?
Speed-dial 'P' for Panic?

And Mitchell wrote:
I was slowly waking up when I heard a loud screem behind me and I was so scared that I turned over and pressed the special button that I'd put on my telephone. It was the only button, because this was a special emergency telephone. The button was about as big as the lid on amilk bottle and it was red, with a big yellow P in the middle. I pressed it really hard, three times. That was when I heard another sound. It sounded like this...

Good job, everyone, and thanks for taking part. If you missed out this time, please try again next month!

NOVEMBER 2004
The challenge for November 2004 was to write a passage based on the phrase LIME GREEN SPIDERS. And the winner was ... (drum roll, please) Caitlin West. She wrote:

I stared in horror as thousands - no, millions of lime green spiders crept towards me, their fangs gnashing together, and a hungry look in their eyes. I looked wildly around for some sort of escape, but the only way out was the large black door that I had entered through, and it was covered in spiders, all lime green, and all looking very, very hungry. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. but as I opened my mouth, one of the spiders took a flying leap and landed on my forehead, making a high-pitched squeaking noise that made me want to retch. And it wasn't just the sight of them that was affecting me - it was the smell. Every time I opened my mouth I would breath in a breath of foul, smelling air that made me feel weaker, and more scared. Finally, everything began to overpower me, and I felt myself fall down... down... down...

Ew, Caitlin! That story made me turn around and check behind me. It's OK, I'm fine now. Well done, and you'll be receiving a copy of Billy Mack's War very soon.

The runners-up were Sarah Cartledge (a past winner and frequent contributor) and Emma Campbell, who has been a runner-up once before.

Sarah wrote:
Scary and sticky,
and really Icky,
was the lime green spiders web.
I had to walk through,
just to get to you,
On my broken bed.
All i could do is try and tell you,
that the spiders on your head.

And Emma wrote:
Lime Green Spiders, Tom wrote down, could be very interesting creatures if they actually did something! Tom hated assignments. He especially hated studying animals that didn't do anything all day while you had to watch them. He scrunched up his paper and threw it over his shoulder into the big pile of rubbish behind him. "Aghhh!" he groaned, as he could here everyone in his class who had finished their assignment playing in the park across the road. "Tom," he heard his mother call, "Are you doing that assignment for school? The one on a spider? Because you know that Mrs Smith will fail you if it's late another day, and then you'll be kicked out of school!" "Yes Mum, I know I'll be kicked out of school, you don't have to remind me!" he yelled back. He got out his journal. None of his friends knew about this because of he told them, they wouldn't be his friends anymore, and they'd call him diary boy. 1:10 pm, November 6 , 2004, he wrote. I have been doing this stupid assignment for a week now, with no progress. I may as well tell my mates about this journal, so it won't be as dramatic when I move schools. No I won't do that. But what I will do is stay up all night watching the stupid things to see if they do anything at night. Tom put the journal down, leaned against the tree and slept. It was 6 when he woke up. He could here mum cooking dinner and telling him he needed to have a shower. He ignored her and stared at the big tank with the Lime Green Spider in it. He looked around for it and found it frolicking and dancing in the moonlight. Tom rubbed his eyes and looked again it was doing the same thing! He grabbed his homework book and a pen and scribbled down Lime Green Spiders are. . . He never finished. His watch beeped. Strange, it sounded really loud. He looked for the spider in the tank but only saw leaves. He walked forward and banged into a glass barrier. And outside he saw a boy in lime green PJ's. He checked himself - he had 8 legs and fangs. "Oh No. . . . ."

Good job, everyone, and thanks for contributing once again. If you missed out, please try again next time!

SEPTEMBER 2004
September's competition was set around the phrase SWIMMING OUT TO SEA. I got a number of really great entries, but the winner this month was Sarah Cartledge, who wrote:

Swimming out to sea,
just you and me,
cause This is the place I want to be,
Alone with you in the deep blue sea,
What could go wrong,
Except losing your thong,
And maybe another thing or two,
But that's just me and you,
But Sue came out,
With a fish with a big long snout,
And of course she had to shout,
Far OUT!
And that was when we were swimming out to sea,
Just you and me.

I really like the way the poem comes around into a complete circle. Nice stuff, Sarah.

Now to the runners-up. Emma Campbell wrote:

Abigail loved the sea. It was her air, her food, her life. Even though she was only 6, she still wanted to swim out to sea alone. She wasn't a tiny bit scared. All of her friends at kindergarten, all had their mummy's holding on to their sides beside her. She ran over to her Father. "Daddy," she said,"Can I go swimming out to sea? Pleeeease!" "Abigail, you know Mummy's rules, no swimming in the sea alone!" said her father. "But, Daddy! I love the sea! i've gone to swimming classes all my life! I know how to swim when I'm taking nappie time!" Abigail cried. Her Father frowned his usual frown. "Abigail, you have had 3 swimming lessons, you dont even sleep during your naps, AND your Mother doesn't allow it!" her Father argued. "You want to know something, Daddy?" Abigail whispered, in her cutest voice, "What?" said her very confused Father. "I think your the nicest daddy in the world and I love you." Abigail said looking up with a sympathetic look on her face. Her father gave in. "OK, Abigail Smith, you've won. You can swim out to sea....."her Father started. "Weeeee! I'm swimming out to sea without Mummy! Wooooo Hooooo!" Abigail screamed. Her father calmed her dowm and finished his sentence.".......with your brother." Abigail's smile faded. "But, Daddy! Alijah doesn't let me do anything! I won't even be able to swim!" Abigail argued. "I'll speak to your brother and make sure you swim. But you have to swim with someone, Abbey! When your 8, like Alijah was when he first swam by himself, you'll swim by your self" her father promised. Abigail waited what seemed like hours, until Dad finally finished talking to Alijah. Alijah walked up and Abigail ran in to the sea with him being dragged along by him. She was finally swimming out to sea! She swimmed for ages, wih her brother close by her. But nothing braced her for what her mother was going to say when they got out.......

And Jemma wrote:

Laura was enjoying a nice day out at the beach with her friends, when they decided to play Dares. Laura was reluctant to join in, as she knew it would be dangerous. But she joined in anyway and on the first turn she got dared to swim out to sea. She said “No” but of course they pushed her to join in. They called her a Chicken, and made her do it. So she did. Swimming out to sea was scary for Laura, but she was a strong swimmer and she didn’t let it worry her too much. Little did she know, circling not far from her, was a great big shark, its fin sticking up like a knife cutting through the water. Although she didn’t know about the shark yet, something in her mind told her to turn around and go back, and that she was being silly. She shouldn’t have been pressured by her friends to do this; they were putting her in danger. When she looked up and saw her predator, she panicked. In record time she was back in at the beach, and she collapsed with exhaustion and shock on the sand. She had definitely learned her lesson, and she decided to go home after that. She felt that was enough adventures for one day, maybe even a week.

AUGUST 2004
August's competition was slightly strange one. What could this phrase possibly mean? WE SIT IN JUICE, ALL OUR ACHES GONE. I received a number of rather odd entries, but that makes sense, seeing as how it was such an odd phrase.

Emily Ross, 11, will be winning a signed copy of Captain Mack for her short poem:

We sit in juice, all our aches gone,
What is this miracle substance?
We're quite relaxed until we hear a fizz,
Where are our pants?
They must've fizzed away.
Oh well,
This is life,
Just another
Unlucky day.

Well done, Emily. I hope you like your book.

Our runners-up were Sarah Cartledge and Loanne Bjornssen. Sarah wrote:
Every women say's to themselves that they have to look beautiful it's like a bit of blush here and some botox there and mascara here and so on. Well I think women look beautiful inside and thinking of there outside is never the answer to any of your problems. You should go by what you say than how you look. Example, Codie a girl who is at my work she is so beautiful with every makeup and facial lifts that you could even Imagine but her personality stinks. Not one person likes her but they like her looks. There all users just to become the one but they don't realise that what they say is more important.I have been through a ruff time communicating but people like me and who I am. I admit I am overweight but does my friends care?No, they like my personality and I think people should see the right side of me. They shouldn't see blush and botox.

Loanne wrote:
We sit in juice, all our aches gone
It's so therapuetic, it makes me feel warm
You couldn't imagine such a nice place to be
Is it orange , or mango, or boysenberry?

JULY 2004
The task for July was to write a poem or the beginning of a story based on the following phrase: BENEATH THE PURPLE SKIN. The winner of a signed copy of A Boat for Bridget is Hayley Maidment (age 11). She wrote:

Beneath the purple skin a zit arose. I was bad enough that Dad had bruised my face but now a zit as well. How embarrassing, how can I face my friends. I must point out that my bruise was an accident, entirely my own fault, but I still like to blame Dad for it. And he feels really guilty too, he even bought me an icecream to make himself feel better. I was just turning to hand him the spanner when my chin crashed into the motorbike's handlebars. Dad had moved the bike while I was looking for the spanner and didn't tell me. Crash, wham, alakzam, the concrete floor just seemed to gobble me up, and then it spat me out with disgust.

Well done, Hayley.

The runners-up were Sarah Cartledge and Celine Chawner, who is just 4 1/2.

Sarah wrote a poem:
Purple aliens from outer space
think us humans know there case
purple aliens are trying to help
they gave us humans purple felt
But we just don't understand
they aren't made of sand.

Celine wrote:
Beneath the purple skin of Eeyore his tummy growled because he was hungry & he ate some purple thistles too!

May's brief was to write a Mother's Day haiku, and Jessica Blaney (10) from Frenchs Forest in NSW won a copy of Ichabod Hart & the Lighthouse Mystery for the following poem:

mother-love is mine
the love you show me each day
when you brush my hair

Well done, Jessica.

May's runners-up were David Grigg (11) from Taree, NSW and Ursula Hendry (9) from Geelong, Victoria.

David's haiku:
wake up my dear son
is how you greet me daily
I don't mind waking

Ursula wrote:
the boss of our home
the one who makes it run smooth
such a happy place

APRIL 2004
The task for April was to write a short passage based on the word SOFT.

A signed copy of A Boat For Bridget is heading off to Georgia French (11) from Ingleburn, NSW, who wrote this lovely passage:
Soft and low, soft and low, a quiet cat's footsteps on the boards of our veranda as he wanders from one end to the other. I don't know where he's going, maybe to catch a lizard, maybe to flop down in the sun. Maybe he doesn't even know himself, our lazy, lucky cat.
Well done, Georgia! I hope you enjoy the book.

The runners-up were Harry Tunstall (10) from Adelaide and Jamie de Groot (11) from Richmond, Vic.

Harry wrote:
Soft and light, floating over my head when I lie in my back yard, watching the clouds beyond the wires of the clothesline. There so high, up in the blueness of the sky, drifting along. It makes me feel so happy and sleepy, like I'm on one of those clouds.