Please enjoy a piece of writing by one of our Lower III students.

“Welcome to the Swimming Gala!  We have 4 contestants that are racing to win the gold cup! Are you ready? I hope you are! Take your marks, go! Madeline is in the lead, but what is that! Lina is catching up! Only 17 metres left to go, who will it be to take home the gold cup? Lisa is first, Madeline second, Elena third and Leliana’s fourth! 4 metres left! Wait, what’s that? Leliana has won!”

The referee blows the whistle and the contestants line up along the podium. 

“And the winner taking the golden trophy home is….Leliana!” The crowd goes wild as she shakes the referee’s hand.

“Leliana!” mama weakly says. 

“Yes?”

“I’ve been calling you for ages! I have told you and will tell you again, stop dreaming darling. If the siren goes off, God knows where you will end up if you won’t be paying attention! I won’t always be by your side to help you. Someday you will grow into a strong, independent woman who will change the world. I believe in you, and I always will. You remember that, okay?” mama frailly speaks. 

“Go sleep, rest yourself, mama. It’s only a matter of time before the siren sounds and we have to find a place to refuge again.”

Kaimana and Kane both start crying, and I sigh. 

Bang! “The bombs are here! Quick! We need to find shelter, and fast!” mama speaks rapidly, and I only understand a word or two under the ear-splitting blare of danger. Mama gestured towards the twins, Kane and Kaimana and I nod, running the fastest I ever have.

Leliana, it’s your time to make mama proud! Imagine your swimming, feel the water ripple across your body! Go, go, go!

I grasp them in my arms, holding them tight as they stare around.

“Quick, mama, come on! We need to find safety!” 

Only to realise that I was talking to myself. 

I glance across the grubby room, trying to find mama next to the remains of all the bricks that have gathered there. I stop. My eyes are twitching, my body shaking. 

“Noooo!”, I scream as my eyes well up with water.

I place the twins down and I run to the frail body of my mama, and shriek in desperation of a miracle. She coughs lightly, and I shudder back. 

“Lilliana, I love you, and I love the twins.”

“Mama, no! Please!”, I say.

“There’s nothing we can do now. I believe in you, and I always will. You just remember that.”

She slowly closes her eyes as I stare at her with emotion. Jumping up, I turn around and grab the twins, and I start to race against the wind. A few minutes later, I crawl into a tent, and rummage in my scruffy backpack, taking an apple out and sharing it with the twins. We eat slowly.

“Mama?” Kane asks me.

“Ye-Yes, present.” I say.

I know I’m not their mama, but from now, I have to be.

Margaret, Lower III