The flowers blooming around Betty’s cottage reminded her of the field of cornflowers she used to live in. Betty sighed. She had loved that field, but eventually old age caught up with her and she could no longer keep up with the housework. In the end it became so over grown, she was forced to sell it. Betty turned around and headed back up the gravel path towards the house. Pushing open the door, she sighed again. Those were the days.
– Freya, Auckland
I am about to turn 13 years old. My parents split up 2 years ago and now they are fighting for custody over my sister and I. I know what I want. I want to live with my Mum, the person who understands me, who loves me, who looks after me. But how can I say that without hurting my father, the man who doesn’t know me, who loves his girlfriend more than me, who scares me. I am writing this because there is no one I can tell, no one I can go to, and I need to tell someone.
Whenever someone complains about how strict their parents are, or how embarrassing they are, I just want to scream at them “At least they live together! At least you are not stuck in the middle of a constant battle! At least you know that your dad loves you!”
Occasionally it all overwhelms me and I cry. I know that I’m not the only one with split parents, but whenever I see a happy family with two parents at the park, or the museum, or the beach, a jolt of jealousy runs through me, and I resent them and their happiness. Because it just doesn’t seem fair. Why my parents, why my family? Why not theirs? And then I feel ashamed. It’s not their fault my parents don’t love each other. It’s not their fault I come from a split household. It’s not their fault my dad doesn’t want me.
– C.A.T, Cristchurch
Once upon a time there was a little unicorn called Angelica who lived in the land of Shimmervile she adored paining, her mother said she should like more unicorn-y things but Angelica didn’t want to give up painting so she built herself an shed were she could do her art, to make her mother happy she painted it rainbow tow weeks later she sold one of her painting for 1,000 gems and donated it all to charity which made her mother very proud and they lived happily ever after.
– Matilda, Auckland
One day it me and my sisters wanted to make brownies (we were about 9, 8 and 7 so our mom was outside talking to her friend that was dropping something off so we went outside and asked her if we can make some brownies she said yea and to wait for me we waited about 5 minutes so we were impatient so we read the instructions and we had the right amount of ingredients but we didn’t have the right pan the pan was to big so we thought it would be a good idea to add chocolate syrup to the pan we cooked them and they were alright.
– Natali, Lorain
“But mum do I HAVE to go to school today! It is so rainy, what happens if i get wet and turn into a mermaid!” I said.
“What are you talking about Aaliyah! Its not like your a real mermaid, what have you done to become a mermaid anyway? Uuuuh.” Replied mum.
“Well I may have come across this certain Volcano thing and I found a r to get in so i got in and tripped into a pool and my legs turned into a tail! Pour water on me mum I’m not lying!”
Mum rolled her eyes and poured water on me. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“But when did this happen?”
“Well a few weeks ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about it”
“I thought you were going to get mad at me”
“Don’t worry you will always be my Mermaid!”
“Oh thanks mum”
– Fateecka Farook, Auckland
I love you said mom. I love you said Blyer. I love you said Sam. I love you said Daddy.
These toddlers and adults had exhausting, exhilarating, combative, beautiful, loving days that found their way through language barriers, tears, humor and giggles.
It is all worth so much and more. Remind me of this Monday morning. You wont have to she said.
I love you said mommy. How much? Too much to measure.
– Hillary Black, New York
Once upon a time in the winds, in the wilds. and in the snowy feather she was standing there all alone. She had absolutely no idea where to go, If she goes north people are going to murder her, if she goes south burglars looking for her, if she goes west her mum and dad are looking for her and if she goes east her worst enemies are looking for her. Where would she go? Where? The stress was getting worse tiny drops of sweat was twisting down her cheeks. She glared all the people who are coming close to her. From every direction people were coming. She didn’t know what to do, she had two options . WHAM!!! She was gone in a second. Rest In Peace cried everyone!
– Vidhi, Auckland
One rainy day, Otto found a rather delightful teapot in his rubbish dump. It had a turquoise glaze and was covered in tiny cherry blossoms. Delighted, he quickly dug down to his immense burrow, eager to show off his treasure. He burst through a wall, scaring his poor mother half to death, and ruining the vegetable stew that she had been making. Embarrassed, Otto apologized . . . in fact he was so embarrassed he forgot all about his wonderful teapot. He left it on the kitchen table, where his mother found it. She too was delighted by it, and thinking that Otto had been going to surprise her with it, immediately forgave him. And they lived happily ever after!
– Freya, Auckland
N：“I would like to sing a beautiful song for you. So… please don’t eat me.”
I：“Try me.”
N：“Oh Danny boy
The pipes the pipes are calling
From glen to glen
And down the mountain side
The summer’s gone
And all the flowers are falling
‘Tis you, ’tis you must go
And I must bide
————————-
But come ye back
When summer’s in the meadow
Or when the valley’s hushed
And white with snow
‘Tis I’ll be there
In Sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy oh Danny boy
I love you so”
I: “Boring… Just shut up and now your time is up!”
N：“Wait a minute! I’ve prepared a dance for you. here we go!”
I: “Boring！Boring!”
N：“I… I have a… I have a….”
I: “You have nothing special ! Boring! Boring as usual! I’ve let you go. How dare you come to knock on my door again? Don’t you know I am a vicious carnivore？Aren’t you afraid of me?”
N：“I know you might eat me… But I am more afraid of having no chance to tell you that I love you. I just want to make you happy, even if it’s not the way you want it be…”
– Nicolefantasy, Beijing
I’m sorry, but there is no worse look! The sweatshirt with the heart is awful and does not go at all with the skirt and shoes, as to brown bag it goes with nohnitg! It should have been wearing the black skirt with pea with white shirt, remove the horrible gray sweatshirt with this hideous blue heart (it’s a trick to make the gymn, that’s all), the shoes are perfect, I love the heels! He recalls the white of the shirt and the skirt with white polka dots! And take a bag BLACK! Not brown, it’s horrible! I am French, I hope I was clear. And I have a frank temperament I say what I think about.
– Choi
