Short Story - Amelie, Michelle and Gracie - Day Two

It's day two on the 'film set' and things aren't exactly going to plan. Gracie has gone off with the other girls for a morning of arts and crafts because she says yesterday was too overwhelming for her. I think what she means is that Michelle was too overwhelming. This means we can't get started until the afternoon when I will have to try and persuade her to help us for just a little bit longer. Michelle has, inevitably, flounced off and I've been left to come up with ideas for today's clip. We have to show the camp off in its best light but it's a little difficult when everyone is either off making their own short films or arguing with each other. My only idea so far is that I could pretend to teach some French to a group of younger girls so that the camp is not only fun but educational too. The only problem with that is that I don't think I would get much further than "Bonjour" before they all got bored and moved on to something else.


"Amelie? Are you in here?" Gracie pops her head round the door to our dormitory.
"Yeah, over here. I thought you were doing arts and crafts?" I look quizzically at her but she isn't giving anything away. I'm usually good at reading people's facial expressions, but Gracie has the knack of hiding her feelings under layers of shyness and anxiety.
"I was," she ventures a little further into the room, "but then I felt bad for leaving you with Michelle, so I decided to come back and help with the film."
"Oh thank you Gracie! I really appreciate this. I know it must have taken a lot of courage to come back to Michelle's team."
"Yeah, well." She shifts from foot to foot, clearly apprehensive of what she has let herself in for.
"So, have you got any ideas for the next instalment of Michelle's Masterpiece?" I say with a grin. I'm trying to make her feel less nervous about the whole filming thing. Hopefully if she is allowed to choose what we do then she will be more prepared to take part.
"Actually I have." I'm taken quite by surprise with this confident remark and encourage her to go on. "Well," She begins, "I thought instead of having long clips which all have to be perfectly captured and directed by you-know-who, we could just walk around the campsite and take little videos of anything interesting or fun that is going on. They can be edited together later and with a bit of music over the top, it could make quite a good advertisement for 'prospective parents' as Michelle calls them." It's a great idea and I'm so pleased Gracie is finally coming out of her shell.
"Yes, what a fabulous idea!" I enthuse, "We could get some filming done now whilst Michelle is off in a huff so there will be less for her to interfere with." Gracie seems relieved that she won't have to see Michelle for a little while and truth be told, I'm quite glad too.

All morning Gracie and I walk around the camp, taking short videos here and there of people
chatting, playing and having fun. It's so much more relaxing when Michelle isn't around. We can just talk to each other normally, without having to shout or dismiss each other's ideas. If only Michelle could just learn to be a bit more tolerant of other people, she could be a great friend.


Just as I spot another place where we could get a good shot I hear the familiar cry of somebody I was
hoping we wouldn't see until this afternoon. "What are you doing with my camera?" Michelle flicks her hair over her shoulders as she walks towards us. She would make a good teacher I think. She has the right sort of accusatory attitude that seems to be necessary around children.
"We were just getting some clips for the film whilst you were away doing ... " I pause to allow Michelle to explain herself, but she ignores me and turns to face Gracie instead.
"I thought you were doing some other kind of morning activity. Colouring-in wasn't it?"
"Um, arts and crafts." Gracie has retreated back into her shell and all because of stupid Michelle. "Actually," I interject, "Gracie has been really helpful this morning and came up with a great idea for the film."
"What sort of idea?" Michelle practically barks at me. No wonder Gracie is afraid of her.
"We've been taking short clips of people enjoying themselves and we thought they could be edited together this afternoon with a bit of music put over them. It will be easier for us to film and nicer for the prospective parents to watch too." I try to smile at Michelle but she puts her hands on her hips and starts yelling at Gracie and I.
"This is my film and we will do what I say! I don't want short clips like in a movie trailer, we are going to have to start all over again tomorrow with films of people doing real activities. You two clearly can't be trusted." I am furious that Michelle has just dismissed a whole morning's work and I'm not going to stand for it.
"We have worked on this all morning for you and I will not let it be pushed aside once more because 'Michelle had other ideas'. For your information there are clips of people doing 'real activities', it just won't get boring because our clips aren't ten minutes long like yours. Our work is going into the film and if you don't like it, you're going to have to put in a separate entry of your own. But good luck with that because we're not helping." And with that, I take hold of Gracie's arm and pull her away towards the dormitories where I can get some time to think away from Michelle.

"Wow. You were amazing. Thanks for standing up for me." Gracie sounds truly grateful, if not a little shaken by the argument, but I am in too much of a rage to think clearly enough to say anything back. I can't believe Michelle would be so hurtful after all we've done for her. She keeps saying she wants to make her dad proud, but I don't think she realises that this is not what he would have wanted. It doesn't matter how good the film is. If you've got no friends because you were too horrible to them all then you haven't really succeeded. Even though I'm angry with her, I also feel a bit sad that she is so blind to the fact that she is chasing everyone away. Unless she apologises properly and tries to change her ways, I don't think we can be friends any more.

Short Story - Amelie, Michelle and Gracie - Day One

"Hi, my name is Amelie, I'm twelve years old and I like swimming, playing the flute and sending postcards to my grandparents in France. I live with my parents and little brother and sister. We-"
"No! You have to remember the people watching this film know nothing about you. Why are you called Amelie and not Amelia? Why do your grandparents live in France? Look INTO, not around the camera. Come on, this isn't difficult!" I give Michelle a withering look and try again.
"Hi! My name is Amelie, and before you ask 'why not Amelia?' I will explain. My parents are French and came to England for work which is why I was born here. They wanted to bring a bit of our family history with them, so what better way than to confuse every school teacher I will ever have by calling me, a girl who looks and sounds English, a French name? Anyway, I'm Amelie, I'm twelve years old and I like swimming, playing the flute and sending postcards to my grandparents in France. We visit them every Christmas, but they like to stay updated and they live too far out in the countryside to have a working phone. My little brother and sister draw pictures on the postcards because they can't write properly yet. Me, my parents and my siblings all live together in one happy household and I can't wait to tell them about all the fun I'm having at summer camp!" Michelle looks relieved, if not slightly annoyed that I didn't say that on the first take. "Yes, better." She forces a smile, "Just say it once more with a smile and look INTO THE CAMERA." Smoothing out her dress, she tries to compose herself but I can tell she is flustered. I don't know why I agreed to do this.

After about ten more tries, Michelle seems satisfied. I feel sorry for Gracie who is up next. She is quiet, shy and although the same age as me, everyone always thinks she is younger. We have become good friends since we came to camp this summer and I really hope Michelle gives her a bit of leeway. I don't think Gracie has it in her to stand up for herself.

"Off you go then Gracie, you only have to speak for half a minute, there's no need to be shy." Michelle is trying to be nice but she doesn't get it. Gracie doesn't choose to be timid, she just is. "Hello, I'm Gracie. Um, I'm twelve and I have three brothers. They're at university though, so I don't really see them that much. I live with my parents but my mum's away a lot for work and, er, she has to go and look after my Grandma. My dad's parents lived in Africa but I never met them. Mum says they would have liked my singing. I don't usually let anyone listen, only if they stand in another room, but I think she must have heard me when I thought no one was around. Yeah, so, that's it."

"Gracie, I'm afraid you're going to have to do that again." I can tell Michelle is really holding back from yelling at Gracie. "I'm really sorry, did I do something wrong?" Gracie looks so vulnerable stood up there, in front of the white paper which has been taped together to get as close to the 'professional background' as possible which Michelle wanted for her film. I know what is coming and I really wish it wasn't. "DID YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG?" Michelle screams, astounded that Gracie can't see what everyone else can. "You mumbled, stumbled and blundered your way through that like a blind man trying to find a coin in a fountain the size of North America. I don't know what you think you did RIGHT." I can see that Gracie is on the verge of tears and Michelle's analogies are only going to get worse. I think it's time for me to step in, "What Michelle means is that it would be great if you could cut out the ums and ers and just pause if you don't know what to say. We can always edit out the mistakes later, right Michelle?" I turn to face the now trembling Michelle and hope to God that she agrees with me for once. Luckily I think she is in too much of a state to retaliate and just points to the camera. I hit record once more and Gracie tries again. And again. And again. It must have taken just over an hour to get her section looking presentable, but somehow we managed it without either of them bursting into tears and storming out. At least that's the talking part over with. Now Gracie and I can just appear in the other clips without having to address the audience.

I realise I haven't explained what's going on. Our time at summer camp is almost over. In fact, we only have one week left. In this last week, we have all been set the challenge to create a film, showcasing the camp, so that it can be put on the website to attract new people for next year. However, obviously there can only be one film and it's not feasible for 100 girls to all work together, so it is a competition instead and the best film will be put on the website. Michelle is clearly desperate to win and as we are friends (ish) I agreed to help her.

Michelle did introduce herself for the film but I think my analysis of her might be slightly more enlightening and truthful. She is thirteen years old and won't let any of us younger girls forget it. According to her, because she is older, she has a bigger brain, and therefore gets to make any decisions which may arise. This is fine by Gracie seeing as she is so indecisive, but I have other ideas and we often lock horns over Michelle's mantra "I am the Director. What I say goes." This is not only a saying she uses for the film, but for life in general. Appearance-wise, she is tall and a little overweight, nothing much, but she is very self-conscious about it. She tries to compensate for her figure by straightening her extremely curly hair and pasting gooey liquid stuff over her freckles. She calls it 'foundation' but I've never used it. I think she looks nicer how she is naturally, but if it makes her feel confident then I suppose it's worth it.


Her and her mum live together in a little flat because her dad was killed a few years ago when he was reporting for the news in a war zone and a bomb went off. Everyone was so shocked and even now I don't think any of us can quite comprehend what has happened. It was just all too awful. Michelle tries to stay strong but she has only recently begun talking about her dad again. She says part of the reason she wants to win this competition is because he used to make short films for her to watch on the weekend and she wants to do him proud. I know that life must be very difficult for her and that's mainly why I'm helping out with the film. If this is her way to connect to her dad, then she should definitely get the chance to do it.

Poem - You

Like a flowing river or a drop of rain,
Not one piece of you is ever the same.

Like the roar of a lion or the call of a cuckoo,
Nobody could ever say that you

Had only one purpose.

People's love for you is infinite,
You bring such joy to the little bit we get

Of life. And those of us who embrace you in full,
Are probably the ones who see the world for how beautiful

It really is.

There is an abundance, a plethora
It would be impossible to count you in number.

And yet, people will keep insisting
On listening, playing and composing

You.

Music.

A Monologue - Inspired by 'The Woman in Black'

Recently I read 'The Woman in Black' and I decided to do a monologue from her point of view as if she was nine years old.

Today started so well. Alice and I were on the beach collecting shells like the sisters in story books do, but then the stupid sea mists came and spoiled the fun. We were forced inside and our Governess told me to “Play nicely Jennet” but I don’t want to be nice to Alice. She’s just jealous of me because she used to be the centre of attention until I came along. I can make anyone think that I’m a good girl and that Alice is naughty, sometimes it surprises me how much power I have over the grown-ups. Even when I tore the ruffles on the dress I wear to Sunday school, everyone believed me when I said Alice had done it.

We have never loved each other like true sisters. The only thing Alice has done to be like a big sister is to boss me about. When we were sent inside today, we decided to play with our dolls even though the Governess says girls of our age shouldn’t still be playing with children’s toys. I’m only nine; I wish people would stop forcing me to grow up. Alice said I wasn’t holding the doll in the right way, but I didn’t want her to think she could tell me what to do, so I held on tight to it. She tried to snatch it off me, but the doll’s head got ripped off instead and I was left holding the limp body. I didn’t want to, but I started crying and Alice said I would never make a good mother. When I grow up, I’ll show her, I’m going to have a child of my own and there will be nothing she can do about it.

But now, I am stuck in my bedroom until morning with no supper because my parents are fed up with Alice and I fighting. Sometimes when we go for a walk along the cliffs, Alice goes right up to the edge and looks over. Mummy says she mustn’t, but I dare her to. I wonder to myself what would happen if I just gave her a little push. No, I wouldn’t. But I like to think about it.

Book Review - The Diary of a Young Girl

This book, which is more commonly know as The Diary of Anne Frank, is something I think everyone should read at some point in their lives. Whether you love fiction or non-fiction, call yourself a bookworm, or prefer the telly really, you MUST read this book. It is not just the way it is written or the 'storyline', but the pure emotion and raw feelings which are so well captured.

For those of you who don't know, Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who lived at the time of World War Two. Her family were forced into hiding because of the Nazis' attitude towards Jewish people and her diary documents the time they spent, constantly in fear of what might happen to them, from 1942 to 1944. When they were eventually betrayed and found, they were taken to concentration camps and Anne died in 1945, just before the end of the war.

I have not given this book a rating because I think it would be disrespectful. It is most certainly one of the most touching and thought-provoking tales I have ever come across and it is even written very well for someone so young.

I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 10 because it is a story which would be too upsetting for young children, but I think everyone should know that when life seems hopeless, happiness can be found, even if it is just for a few moments.

Short Story - 'Earth 2' - Part Two

This is the second part of 'Earth 2'. If you missed part one, you can scroll down as it will be the post below this or click 'Older Posts'. 

“Daniel, switch to manual control. Adam, enter code 090800. Keaton, notify ground control, over.” In desperation I attempt to code a new route, but the system is malfunctioning. It has reset the password and none of us can access anything. Tears begin blurring my eyes, my whole body is shaking, rocking to and fro, there is nothing we can do to save ourselves, to save my daughter from a life without her mother. I start to scream, a piercing, blood-curdling scream. Please God, save me, I cannot die, plea-

On ‘Earth 2’, Lyra is showing her granddaughter the stars.

“Grandma, what’s that in the sky?” The little girl asks her in wonder.

“That, my dear, is an exploding star.”

“Wow, it’s amazing!”

Lyra’s eyes fill with tears as she remembers the night the failure of Earth 2’s mission was announced, and she wonders whether they have just seen her mother’s star.