Writing Challenges:
On this page, you will find the third 100 pieces of creative writing (numbers 201 to 300) submitted to the amazing young writers challenge.
If you'd like to submit to the challenge and see your work published on this website, please visit the Amazing Young Writers page.
Here are the third 100 stories, poems and other pieces of creative writing submitted to the Amazing Young Writers Challenge.
Story 201
Fire on Fire
by Morgan Turner
Prologue:
Dark, thick blood dripped in front of his eyes. His heart pounded intensely, his claws clutching onto the rough, dry dirt beneath his paws. For once, he felt fear. His emotions seemed to find a way past the walls of the bravery everyone else saw in him. He could hear diminutive noises from his pack mates.
A deafening, threatening bang pierced through the air. He had heard it before. A gunshot.
The fur stood up on his back in pure fear. He turned to see something – someone – in the distance behind him. His vision was impaired and he felt delicate and weak.
*
Morgan is 11 and lives in the UK.
Story 202
Send Me Away
by Ainemukama Prosper
Let me off like a scape goat,
Though under my inequities I gloat,
Sands of time in my step will float,
Thirst will watch my weight like an oat,
Across the wilderness I will roam,
Mirage leaning cities my lot,
Send me away,
Faraway in fact,
Since my ways to you are misdeeds,
And when vultures conduct my burial,
In reanimation I will behold.
*
Ainemukama is 22 and lives in Uganda.
Story 203
Papa's Killer
by Johanna Ataman
I storm into my bedroom and shut the door angrily. Then, I hear a loud thud on the door, and a groan follows. He calls out my name, afraid to come in, and keeps begging, but I ignore him.
I can't believe the message I saw on his phone. How could he have done it? All these years, I thought papa had died a natural death, only to find out now that he was poisoned by Ebuka, my blood brother just for some stupid position in his university cult group!
*
Johanna is 14 and lives in Nigeria.
Story 204
Cowardly Man, Cowardly Dog
by Elvis
I used to never care.
Living, for me, was a constant state of existing, by choice or by force, with the status quo. But I think my cowardly dog saw things differently. It was always assertive about its love or territory, cowardly as it was.
One day, my dog fell sick and when I could have gotten it treated. I waited a day, and then another day. My dog died in my arms and, as I watched all its will and cowardice slowly seep away, I vowed to be more intentional about loving and living.
*
Elvis is 22 and lives in Nigeria.
Story 205
These Baneful Days
by Nwakpa Gilbert Arinze
These baneful days!
I have so pained
By the fatigues of unfaded fiends
Inside my vain soul they scatter
Griefful nights of unwashable memories
And their pangs, the altar of anthropians
Cluster and mingle my being on morning up
Our usurped days if I ever live
Shall bear a boneful hard like the Iroko
A tough mind if natives ever breathe like fowls
For nkeji of time I shall ever live
Shall reveal the creational beauty of my making
*
Nwakpa is 25 and lives in Nigeria.
Story 206
Nineteen
by Emily
The Autumn sky was dark and vengeful. Sonya’s silhouette was barely visible.
Spineless tentacles of fog enrobed her, churning grimly. Bruised and stabbed by the wind's merciless attacks, she stood with blood on her hands. She was stained with the blood of eighteen.
A flightless bird, she stepped off the crumbling edge of the cliff. The sea slapped her. Her body was pushed beneath the water. The bitter sting of salt choked her lungs.
Spluttering helplessly, her body curled in on itself. As she gave into the darkness, a single word reached out to her mind.
Nineteen.
*
Emily is 16 and lives in England.
Story 207
We Hope for Better Things
by Elayna Sherwood
Venturing to the city’s stretch,
Past the rapport of dead-eyed coffee shops,
And Motor-City, Motown blues,
I came across an angel-hair alleyway.
Dreams of distant lives,
Singeing through ice-brick walls.
The twin peak of a tin-tattered roof,
Caught my eye through the fray.
In front,
A sleepless widow perched,
And beckoned me forward.
A bone-thin twig retracting from the wind.
As I drew near, her hand unfolded.
A flower welcoming a bee.
And through her creaking smoker's cough,
She uttered the primordial phrase,
Time is a fly,
Centered on the palm of my hand,
And I have yet to grasp it.
*
Elayna is 22 and lives in the USA.
Story 208
The Personas
by Alissa Doustout
The personas
Yes they are all versions of me
But I hate every single one
Each meticulously crafted to fit the needs of others around me
Each one made for someone in my life
The fact that I have made so many and never forgotten how to be each one is cunning
I know just what to say, or how to look at them.
Do they not know?
Could they be doing the same crafting as I?
Each personality I've created is me, they are all me
But are they really?
*
Alissa is 16 and lives in the USA.
Story 209
The Lost Boy
by Joel Lesley
Screaming wind raced, as heavy tears of rain soaked into the towering trees. Trees that stood like bodyguards at the entrance of the intimidating forest aggressively howled my name.
The sinister figure enticed me into his captivating lair. I was nervous and shaking with fear. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as one petrified figure apprehensively crept closer and closer... Footsteps slowly approached my fragile and frightened self. Curtained by darkness engulfed with fear, bloodshot eyes brightened. Sharp and fatal claws scraped. Deafening silence approached me.
My pain blocked my voice. My chapter had been closed. Will I ever return?
*
Joel is 12 and lives in the UK.
Story 210
The True Calling
by Othniel Bentil
It was like any other day, until a member of the office came and said I needed to go to the head teacher's office. The colour from my face drained. I slowly stood up, with what seemed like a thousand little eyes from my classmates staring at me, wondering what I had done.
Although the walk took two minutes, it felt like two hours. As I plodded my way down the corridor of no return, detention students glared at me, some even laughing hysterically because soon I might be one of them.
Gradually, I mustered up the courage to turn that doorknob leading into the office of nightmares.
*
Othniel is 11 and lives in the UK.
Story 211
All in White
by Farah Karim
I saw you in a pearl-white dress,
No stains, or in a colossal mess.
Walls were milky just like snow,
All in blank-white is all I know.
Aren't so vivid, just cool and plain,
You are a colour on a candy-cane.
You're so rich in any type of place,
You're not often seen in outer space.
Show the way, guide the light,
I know you are all in pearl-white.
Speak only to me, I'll hear you out,
I know your soft and don't shout.
Blank like paper, elegant as a dove,
I'll see you in heaven in clouds above.
*
Farah is 9 and lives in the UK.
Story 212
The End: A New Beginning
by Smrithi Senthilnathan
I type 'The End' on my 200-page fantasy novel.
I release the breath I've been holding for a year.
"I did it," I whisper.
There's no dramatic fanfare. Nobody congratulates me.
My own fault. Nobody knows you write, nobody applauds you.
How do I say, though, when everyone judges?
I sigh.
This book is nowhere near finished. Weeks of editing await me, revising tales I created in a coffee-fueled delirium.
Not to discredit my achievement. I wrote a book!
And eventually I’ll release my masterpiece into the world.
Just need to persevere.
"I did it," I repeat. "And imma do it again."
*
Smrithi is 17 and lives in India.
Story 213
The Ward
by Katie England
Don’t worry, we’re here to help you.
The girl next door is screaming again.
She just does that.
I wait, and wait, staring into the white abyss that surrounds me. I wait for my turn. For my injection.
This will clear your depression in no time.
The door opens, and the white-coats stride in, needle raised high.
Just making sure you’re willing!
No, but what choice do I have?
The needle enters my arm. I refuse to scream. I refuse to give them the pleasure.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help you.
The white coats look on, as I black out.
*
Katie is 14 and lives in the UK.
Story 214
Horrid Haunted House
by Athena K
A bone-chilling silence was all around me. I crept into the dark, gloomy cave, looking at bats hanging and spell books scattered all around.
I sneezed. I stopped in my tracks. Had anyone heard me?
The disgusting aroma of dust and rotten leather wafted up my nostrils. I shivered from the cold and fear. My brain was a beehive with all the things that might happen next.
Rough walls and peeling paint surrounded me. I could taste the fear and I felt like somebody was watching me…
*
Athena is 7 and lives in the UK.
Story 215
The Enchanted Crystal and the Boy Who Never Stopped Exploring!
by Ella
Once upon a time there was a young boy who loved exploring the outdoors. He spent his days trekking through forests, climbing mountains and swimming in lakes.
One sunny afternoon, he stumbled upon a mysterious cave hidden deep in the woods. With excitement pumping through his veins, he bravely stepped inside.
As he explored the dark and twisting passages, he discovered a glowing crystal that pulsed with a magical energy. With a rush of wonder, he knew that his life would never be the same again.
From that day on, he vowed to always follow his curiosity and explore the unknown.
*
Ella is 14 and lives in Ireland.
Story 216
Four Diamonds
by CJ The Tall Poet
As I hold the pickaxe
Sweat drips from my cheek
And lands on some diamonds
There were four in total
Apparently I was extremely lucky
No one else found any
My manager was completely surprised
But he was also kindhearted
"Those beautiful things are yours"
I wasn't expecting those words
I know what to do
After I finish my work
I'll use the first one
For a small lovely necklace
Then I'll use another one
And just bury it underground
Next I'll give the third
To some museum close by
And finally for the fourth
Will sit near a bonsai
*
CJ is 20 and lives in the USA.
Story 217
Pareidolia
by Dylan Furbay
It surged through me, that long shielded sensation
from among the clutter,
for faces to divulge themselves to me,
a man sand-covered on a crater in spotted blurs
of black and white who watches the Earth spin;
he who we say that we see,
a power roots splayed under trees,
a word the professionals call 'pareidolia',
and one I'd define by the cluster of countrymen
herding their sheep which I spot in clouds now and then,
or the concept of figuring faces in frenzy,
the feeling to find eyes back on the walls again,
and have them stare right back.
*
Dylan is 16 and lives in the USA.
Story 218
Oh Lighthouse
by Ariv Mistry
Lighthouse, Lighthouse
Shining in the atmosphere
It shines like a diamond
so there's no fear
Oh Lighthouse, Lighthouse
What a pity not to see you in reality
Oh Lighthouse, Lighthouse
Oh I wish I could see,
Oh I wish I could see.
*
Ariv is 6 and lives in the UK.
Story 219
The Smugglers Tunnel
by Laurie Waddingham
1715, and light appeared behind the wall. Suddenly, large rocks began to collapse. Men loaded crates onto boats and sailed away for mainland Europe.
Billy awoke and so did his sister, Tara. They went to the table where their grandmother had prepared breakfast. There had been a storm last night so Billy and Tara went out to check on the sheep and, to their surprise, the wall had collapsed, revealing a dark passageway. Billy and Tara went in and saw… old crates full of foreign notes.
Later that day, Billy and Tara went to see Professor Morling, a historian down the road, who confirmed it was a Smugglers Tunnel.
*
Laurie is 9 and lives in the UK.
Story 220
Spring Is Here
by Zachariah Plomer
There are flowers blooming,
There are more goldfinches,
More cherry blossoms,
New leaves grow.
People in Wales plant more trees,
There's less rain,
More people going on holiday,
Spring is here.
Birds are chittering more,
There's less shadow,
The sun is back!
*
Zachariah is 7 and lives in the UK.
Story 221
Little Sunbeams
by Claire Kroening
Close your eyes and clasp on tight
Little sunbeams bursting
Just believe in who you are
Alone among a sea splattered of stars
Trust in how your feelings weave
Free without sleepless nights
With you, I can never tell
Meet me in aster seas
Mend me in, reveal what’s real
Tracing the palm of my hands
A secure place to stand
Watch the stardust in your eyes
Technicolor shades citrus bright
*
Claire is 18 and lives in the USA.
Story 222
Planetarium
by Blanka Pillár
The world went quieter than three thousand lonely nights. Above me, beside me, beneath me and behind me, the hum of nothingness pulsed. I could not see with my eyes, or feel with my heart. I was a speck of dust in the scratchy breeze of cool air, unable to speak or think.
Just when I was about to embrace the suffocating web of the bitter taste of helplessness, something happened. I couldn't tell if it was a release or a curse, but I knew my heart was beating, my body was breathing, and somehow it was enough.
*
Blanka is 16 and lives in Hungary.
Story 223
Timeless Speakers
by Selene Vina
Golden blue wires wrapped around a silver moon
The very moon entwined with my heart
My heart's little solitaire deck
With each castle reflecting off lakes and seas
Only to channel me
To encompass me
To hold me
My winter chariot that I rode through those saltwater nights where my pillows remained frozen and my memories locked away from my unconscious
And my crafty pigeons playfully cooing near my windowsill as I sleep that fateful night
Free of my christenings as a child
The riddles of adulthood do not surprise me
The laughter of children faraway seem perturbed
My quill glides across the parchment
A new sketch is underway
One only my seventeen-year-old self can answer
*
Selene is 17 and lives in the United Arab Emirates.
Story 224
Penelope
by Sarah
I lie on the grass – the viridescent grass, in which the butterflies dance like a lustrous myriad. The velvet blades glide across my exposed back, and I laugh. Thrushes swoon across the blush Empyrean above, their soft trilling ricocheting through the dense sycamores, and she giggles with me. Her honey eyes crease slightly, and her transient dimples show on her bronzed cheeks. Gracefully, she grasps my hand in hers, and soon we are gazing in awe at the marshmallow clouds, although I am mainly marvelling at her. Marvelling at the girl I have created in my strange and lonely mind.
*
Sarah is 14 and lives in the UK.
Story 225
Living
by Tabitha Sikora
Living
Dancing in the rain
without a care
Running into the ocean
fully clothed
Reciting poetry
to an empty theatre
Eating bread
in front of pigeons
Leaning over the edge
of the Statue of Liberty
Rolling down
a grassy hill
Laughing so hard
I lose my breath
Crying so hard
my eyes get puffy
Screaming
in the middle of nowhere
Fully living
in the moment
*
Tabitha is 15 and lives in the USA.
Story 226
Short Rhythm
by Azmain Sarwar
Hi, I'm Azmain,
Doing my homework in maths, English and science.
Exploring some promises of giants just like planets and animals.
I created a picture of my work and placed it there.
Finding most difficult to find easily as well.
I can feel very smooth and cold.
What I can hear mumbling.
Where I can see lots of jiggly jelly beans on the plate.
How I can taste very sweet, buttery and tasteless.
Finally the end of the rhythm.
The End!
*
Azmain is 13 and lives in England.
Story 227
The Say I Saved the World
by Charlotte Griffiths
One day in my town, the ground shook violently making my phone vibrate and cracks appear on the tarmac beneath me. The lush vines on the tropical trees were hanging limply. I couldn't just leave the ground to be split open! I knew I had to do something, but what?
It suddenly hit me. I could sprint to my house and get my transformer ring to keep the ground together and save my town! I did that and basked in words of praise all day long and celebrated with a massive feast afterwards.
*
Charlotte lives in Scotland.
Story 228
Rain
by Dark Lynx
Cold, dark rain, pouring from the night sky. Pouring like the tears down my cheek and onto the hard pavement, hard like my heart. The thunder, roaring like my cries of grief. When people say that they’re feeling the weather, who knew that it could feel… so real? The lightning, blinding, just like my judgement. I sat with my anger long enough, until I realised it’s real name was grief.
People will never understand something until it happens to them.
*
Dark Lynx is 16 and lives in England.
Story 229
Life Without Plastic
by Aariya Tirahan
Life without plastic,
Just wouldn't it be fantastic?
Colourful coral swaying from side to side,
Curious clownfish playing in low tide.
Seeing turtles, whales and jellyfish too,
Swimming without any worries, if only that was true.
If our oceans finally became clean,
This poem would no longer be a dream.
*
Aariya is 9 and lives in the UK.
Story 230
Never Made My Mark in Life
by Carina Araujo
My name was Mark. Maybe from this story, you will learn not to make the same mistakes that I made.
When I started school, I couldn’t answer any questions. People would laugh at me. I was afraid of asking for help.
As I grew older, I couldn’t find any jobs. I had no friends, no home, no family. I had no self-confidence. I felt depressed.
As time went by, I became a lonely old man. On my deathbed, the last words I uttered were, "Mark never made a mark in life."
I cried, then closed my eyes.
*
Carina is 10 and lives in the USA.
Story 231
The Brave Warriors
by Charlotte Yeuk Hei Siu
Once upon a time, in the ocean lived two brave warriors: Chrissy and her dog Puckey!
One day, they both explored the ocean and found a dark path. They went inside to explore but Puckey got taken away by Mia, the daughter of the evil Scarlett Witch!
Chrissy heard the bark, so she went after them but found Puckey trapped in a rundown house! Then Chrissy took out her sword and fought Scarlett and Mia. She took the release button away and had Puckey released! Puckey was happy to see Chrissy and together they lived happily ever after!
*
Charlotte is 7 and lives in Hong Kong.
Story 232
Beauty
by Seren Hurd
Wherever I step,
Wherever I tread,
Beauty is always in my head.
Wherever I go,
Whatever I see,
Beauty is always surrounding me.
Wherever I go,
Wherever I stare,
Beauty is always waiting there.
*
Seren is 6 and lives in Britain.
Story 233
Eternal Influence
by Brandon Na
From the first breath we take to the steps we tread,
our environments shape us, where we're bred.
Rooted in landscapes of love or pain,
they mold our perspectives, shaping our brain.
Inheritors of traditions, customs, and lore,
yet, we possess the power to seek something more.
Our growth knows no bounds,
for we all hold our own crowns.
For in this grand day, unique and filled with computers,
we're products of our past, but inputs for the future.
*
Brandon is 17 and lives in the USA.
Story 234
apology fruit
by Robina Nguyen
her pruned hands tremble,
milky, salt tears curdling and
dampening the crushed
blood oranges
beneath her stained fingertips
with calloused,
weathered fingers
she offers
me cold-cut
plums from
the cracked, plastic
cooler
they're her
apologies i think, as
i squeeze the
plump, purpled flesh
until juice slicks
my pink palms
and
when the refrigerator lights
flicker on, i taste
the dampness of her
regret
it's my mother's
language,
the clean slice of
her kitchen knife
filling the
silent spaces within
my ribcage
but the ripe
fruits of remorse do
not fill the sweet void of
"i'm sorry" (xin lôi, con)
*
Robina is 15 and lives in Canada.
Story 235
The Warrior's Heart
by Evie Ansell-Rodgers
A warrior fearless, with a sword in hand,
fought bravely for his land.
But when he met the villain’s gaze,
he was lost in a love-filled haze.
Her eyes were dim, her smile sly,
but he couldn’t help but sigh.
He knew he should fight, should resist,
but the villain’s love he couldn’t dismiss.
So he laid down his sword and took her hand,
and together they ruled the land.
For love had vanquished all, you see,
and the warrior and villain were meant to be.
*
Evie is 14 and lives in the UK.
Story 236
The Unbelievable Rescue
by Ella
I was lost, wandering around a forest. Had I been gone for hours? Days? I couldn't tell.
I had been hiking with my mother when I got lost. My leg was trapped under a rock and I couldn't move it. Then, as I was sitting there giving up hope, something unexpected happened. A bear roared, approaching me.
I was sure I was done for now, but no. It moved the rock off my leg before throwing me on its back. Then, it ran towards the cabin my mother and I had, to safety. I had been saved by a bear.
*
Ella is 12 and lives in the USA.
Story 237
Not Again
by Grace Seto
It’s that time again. Stone-cold bleakness invades the once warmly-lit empyrean. Unsatiated, your orbs wander. Desperate for refuge in something warm– anything warm.
Crimson creeps into your peripheral.
You spin around, appreciative of the cherry-coloured chevron that should placate your soul temporarily, but delight soon turns into consternation when it dawns on you what those crimson stripes entail.
Red scribbles on your calendar scream BLOODY MURDER.
You see red. You despondently bury your face into the curvature of your palms, attempting to fathom the ferocious chanting in your head.
Over and over again. "Not again. Not again. Not again…"
*
Grace is 15 and lives in Hong Kong, China.
Story 238
A Day at the Beach
by Tanara Curran
Oh, the sun-kissed shores and sandy bliss,
A day the beach, what pure joy it is!
With seagulls soaring high above,
And waves that beckon with a gentle shove.
Bearfoot adventures along the shore,
As laughter and happiness forever pour.
Building castles with dreams and sand,
Creating memories, hand in hand.
The salty breeze caresses your face,
As you soak up the warmth in this magical place.
Splashing in sapphire waters, so clear,
A symphony of laughter fills the atmosphere.
Collecting seashells, treasures to find,
Leaving footprints behind, a memory to bind.
With every wave that kisses the shore,
You feel alive, forever wanting more.
As day turns to dusk, the sky painted gold,
You’ll cherish these moments when you grow old.
For a day at the beach is a timeless retreat,
Where happiness and serenity always meet.
*
Tanara is 12 and lives in the UK.
Story 239
In My Mind
by Victoria
I am blind, yet I can see. I am a criminal, but I have a family. I make mistakes, as do you, but do I deserve a second chance?
As I waited for my verdict, the memory of blood, daggers and one sinful mind overwhelmed me. I know they'll question me, and as much as I want to know what's happening to me, I can't. When I feel love, it's hatred. When I see tears, a smile enlivens my face. When I receive compliments, I see them as criticism.
In a cell, shall I be, waiting for my lifetime penalty.
*
Victoria is 12 and lives in China.
Story 240
.
by Keshika
The ideas were rushing in like a gushing rainbow of a waterfall,
Everything around me is an inspiration,
Thoughts, colours, images start flooding my brain,
I sit down,
My pen meets the paper,
And all I'm left with is a single dot at the top of the page.
*
Keshika is 12 and lives in the UK.
Story 241
My Seaside Resort in Winter
by Ebunoluwa Adeosun
"Oh, how horrid it is being in this grotesque, deserted place…"
The deafening screech of the mighty seagulls woke me abruptly. I found myself in an old-fashioned room with dangling Earl Grey chandelier and burgundy, velvet carpets – as soft as a pillow, ornate with the most majestic, magenta roses with an outline of the darkest shade of blue.
It didn't take me a long time to realise where I was – a seaside resort!
I looked out of the clear, pristine window and could see the high rocky cliffs! Metres beneath, was the fine, white sand, gently colliding with the glimmering emerald sea.
*
Ebun is 9 and lives in the UK.
Story 242
Gasping for Air
by Olivia Buvanova
You seem determined
to drown me, so I will survive you.
The way I learned to
from playing in the water as a child,
holding contests to see
who could last longer under the surface.
I will draw life into my lungs,
letting your waves
crash over me,
holding my breath.
*
Oliva is 15 and lives in the USA.
Story 243
Ultragood
by Aiden Cornwall
Hovering past the bodies of his fallen allies – Misty, Hijinx and Granite Man – Ultragood used his super vision to locate his nemesis and former friend, D-koy.
Spied cowering behind the mass of shredded armour previously worn by the Robotic Ronin was the one whose inventions had disarmed and deceased most of the Power Troop.
'Ultragood, feeling an unusual wave of rage, lunged forward and punched through the chest of D-koy, stopping his heart while giving just moments before brain death.
"You made me do this, friend," he said and dropped the lifeless body down next to the body-swap device.
*
Aiden is 12 and lives in the UK.
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