A wonderful experience
I crouch down, careful to keep my right foot just before the white starting line. I look at the girls to my right, all of whom look nervous. My confidence shoots up a few levels.
This is the competition that will show the world who we are. This is when we get to display our amazing talent. This is something we will take pride in. Most of all, this is the moment that you can make stories about to annoy your brother later.
I smile, wiping the sweat off my hands.
A shout is heard.
“Ready?”
My fingers touch the ground lightly.
“Set?”
I take a deep breath.
“Go!” A loud clap resonates through the crowded school grounds. I start at full blast.
The brash wind blows in my ears, the wizened leaves of the trees rustle noisily, the crows seem to chatter incessantly, and there’s a salty taste in mouth that just won’t go away. None of this distracts me. Now I’m in my world and in my world, I’m always focused.
The blue cone falls on its side just as I reach it, but I slow down a little as I turn around. While running back, the wind is on my side. I run with all my heart, and soon my feet are in sync with the girl in the lane next to me. The competition is between the two of us now. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. This is the moment dedicated to the expectant audience.
The last few metres are the most important. I take three large leaps, and a second later: deafening applause.
I put my hands on my knees and drop my head down to catch my breath. I hear something which sounds like the banging of a drum again and again. Is that my heart beating for the whole world to hear?
I stand up straight. A truly pure smile eases out of my lips and a layer of contentment swells around my heart. I don’t care if I win because what I gave was my very best and there is no better achievement than that.
Puja Solaiappan,
Class VIII, Primrose Schools, Injambakkam, Chennai
***
My favourite book
Each of us has our own favourite storybook. There’s something special, creative, or imaginative about a story that attracts us to it. Sometimes, stories leave a deep impression on us without our knowledge. My favourite book is The Witches written by Roald Dahl.
The story revolves around a grandmother who explains to her grandson what a witch looks like, what her tastes are, and what makes her peculiar and different from other women. This book made me believe that witches are not a mere superstition and that they exist in the real world. Every line of the story gave me the impression that I was surrounded by witches too!
S.S.Jansi Rani,
Class VIII, Corpus Christi School, Peruvilai, Nagercoil
The best thing that happened to me this week
We had an inter-school drama festival at the auditorium of our CBSE School earlier.
The hall was packed. My school staged a play titled “The Making of Taj Mahal” which explains the life history of Emperor Shah Jahan. I essayed the role of the king. Being a girl, I had to paint a moustache and wear my classmate’s sherwani (I loved it!) to look the part. Many of my friends said that I looked gorgeous and smart.
The funniest part was that several boys from the other participating schools mistook me for a boy. They sat next to me and started a conversation. As soon as I started to speak, they exchanged shocked glances and left hastily. I sat in my seat, quietly laughing to myself.
When it was time for me to go on stage, I gave it my best and left the rest to god. As soon as I got down, my teachers and principal congratulated me. A bunch of students whom I had never met before, appreciated my performance. Only after I returned, did I know that we won the first prize and the jury made a special mention about my acting.
S Bhavadharini,
Class XI, Mahatma Montessori Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madurai
