Below are the winning entries for the Reading Week 'Push the Pen Short Story Competition.

Enjoy.

The land on Neptune

by Aajer-Josue Abuthahir - Year 7

One day on earth something happened to a group of humans called the Blue-re-on-tons that lived on a small island off the coast of Antarctica called Sub-Frozen but… It was on average 32 degrees every day.

There were only 2 seasons, the first one was called Floresta and the other season, the final season was called Disappearance-end. The thing was these humans were very smart. For their time they had already discovered ways to have 0 carbon emissions and they had even vehicles such as car that could fly. However, one day they all started developing gills, so they left earth -Yes, as they developed gills, understand that they could not breathe oxygen…so they decided to find a friendlier place for them, a great land and fled on a huge spacecraft with all their equipment leaving no trace behind. They decided to head to Neptune to settle in the best spot they could find. So, they took off and flew until they ran out of fuel and fell right into Neptune and splash, into the heart of a great land!

The Blue-re-on-tons were determined to succeed because they needed somewhere to live where they did not need to have a fish tank on their heads all the time for every day of their life. They had not been living in water on earth. After a precipitated landing, they all split up into different tribes.

Once they all settled down in the four corners of Neptune, they lost communication with each other. However, they had really turned Neptune into a beautiful looking place so beautiful, clean, and peaceful. The Blue-re-on-tons were living in harmony with nature and respectfully supporting and helping each other. They adapted to natural resources available to them and rejoiced from what Neptune was offering to them.

Suddenly one day, darkness fell onto Neptune, a threatening darkness from planet Earth …frightening and threatening Homo sapiens came into view. Of course, the Earth by that time had become a polluted and unlivable dreadful place and those awful Homo sapiens’ intentions were clear - to take over the beautiful Neptune which the Blue-re-on-tons had changed into a harmonious and delightful home. Therefore, the Blue-re-on-tons had to fight to protect and preserve Neptune. Nevertheless, the Blue-re-on-tons were a pacific, weapon free and peaceful people hence, they cast a spell by creating an illusion that would make Neptune a place that no-one wanted to go to.

Thus, a dark cloud covered Neptune, the perfect illusion taking place and making Neptune look deserted, hostile and inhabited and instead of water, lava well sprang out of the soil! Naturally, it was all fake, but it produced the desired effect and it worked! Alas, those Homo Sapiens were cleverer than thought and they saw the whole thing, smelling the rat! They had a Mage amongst them … The Mage instantly destroyed the illusion giving free access invading Neptune straightaway, ruining all the Blue-re-on-tons’ hard work and peaceful new way of life.

Nevertheless, the blue-re-on-tons having been foreseeing a possible invasion had planned for this and had been ready for it. They already had evacuated to the core of Neptune where they had a base called 8.D.W. Luckily down there the Blue-re-on-tons had hidden a big supply of plants and had stocked up plenty of water. There even had been a person who had maintained everything down there…in case…or until the I Day, the Invasion Day.

Clever as, the Blue-re-on-tons called their neighbors the Hyacinth-eons who lived on Orcus which is a good year away from Neptune to join them into their survival and to fight the invaders. Thanks to advanced technology, lucky for them, the Blue-re-on-tons had established a virtual portal at the center to teleport to Orcus to be used in case of emergency.

The Hyacinth-eons had very skilled armies, something that the Blue-re-on-tons lacked as they were people of peace and negotiation; Hence, the Blue-re-on-tons sent a message in a scroll that would reach instantly. The Hyacinth-eons agreed to help them as their own planet could be threatened in the future. A war could not be avoided unfortunately and so it began on I Day, the day after the scroll had come back from the Hyacinth-eon people.

Let me tell you, it wasn’t a pretty sight! Eventually, Neptune returned to its former glory and a new era started where Hyacinth-eons and Blue-re-on-tons lived harmoniously on Neptune and Orcus, two great lands joined together.

The Heart of this Land

by Jordyn Morton - Bridging Students' Category

Year 8 Bridging

(unedited)

The rangers bright orange, red like a rose blooming in the night sky the rangers are old as time, animals calmly living in dark mysterious caves up in the highest places were no other living creatures cannot be found. My favorite time of the day is when the sun starts to set and shines directly to the rangers to get that beautiful bright orange.

Every story tells the Hermannsburg ranger or the Alice Springs ranger I grow up learning about both cultural stories from my grandpa. He told me sorties around here in Alice Springs or back at Hermannsburg.

My grandpa he loves to tell stories and when he was a little boy his dad told him stories like what he is doing with me and sisters he told us how to eat the right bush tarcar and to stray save out bush.

My grandpa when he was a teenager he meet the love of he’s life her name was mary and they been together for 40 years had three kids there names was Nathen, taren, Cassandra. And he told them how the bush works and eat bush tucker.

uncle that passed, my aunty and my mum were still kids he told them all of the stories that he now. and he is 56 years old and was a really good storyteller now he is still telling more stories to me and my sisters,cousins too.

History Scholarship worth $1,000 for History students in Year 10 -12