KS3 SHORT STORIES

KEY STAGE 3 SHORT STORIES

EXCERPTS FROM ‘ANTIQUES’

Gently the snow fell, like little cotton balls, on a small, deserted village. Just yesterday the sun was shining and robins were sat on branches tweeting harmoniously. However, today the river was a sheet of twinkling diamonds, the bridge became a slide of ice and the local park was a winter wonderland. A bright white sky was laid out above the quaint houses, which were wrapped up in a cold blanket of snow. Very few people were out, except for the joyful children who laughed and played in the snow together. … Everyday Asher would take the same route to school: down the cobbled street, across the bridge and up the small hill. Today, was the same as any other day, but when she’d reached the hill, Asher noticed a new shop. It was never there yesterday, how could it have opened so quickly? Curiously, Asher walked up to the mysterious store. Above the shop a discoloured sign creaked on the posts which held it up, it read ‘Antiques.’ Clearing her icy breath on the window so she could peer in, Asher pressed her face against the frosty glass. The shelves appeared dusty and old, filled with second-hand antiques. Asher looked up at the town bell, there was still 15 minutes until school, she’d have time to briefly look around and return on her way to school.

Apprehensively Asher approached the shop door, cautiously she pushed the heavy wooden door, but to her surprise it gave away easily. Ding! Looking up, Asher saw a rusty, golden bell shaking above her. As her gaze turned to the counter, she realized there was no one there, no shopkeeper? Steadily, she walked around the different shelves. Some had clay ornaments and vases, some had good-luck charms and others had ticking clocks. One shelf however caught Asher’s attention; it was a very peculiar shelf indeed. Creepy miniature Russian dolls were stacked upon the chalky shelf. Each one was different from the other, but they were all neatly placed like a lifeless collection of children.

© Ummay-Habeeba Mushtaq Key Stage 3 Short Story

EXCERPT FROM ‘FRIENDLY GHOST’

One dark spooky night, mist and fog hung over the haunted castle. In the castle there was a ghost who lived there by himself. He was lonely and had no one came to the castle for him to scare. He was unemployed with nothing to do. He needed people to come to the haunted castle, so he had to devise a plan to bring people in.

All night and all day, the ghost did brainstorms and mind maps to come up with a plan. Then one day he decided to have an open day at the haunted castle. He decided to invite the whole community. He organised a tour of the haunted castle and a barbeque. He started making the castle scarier hoping the people would be impressed. In the evening he made lots of invites and went and gave them to all the houses.

© Alayna Parvez Key Stage 3 Short Story

EXCERPT FROM ‘NOBODY NOTICED’

This time it was Angela’s turn to interrupt in the sarcastic mock tone she uses much too often, “Miss Abbot, obviously that simply sounds positively unbearable… to listen to for any longer which, lucky for me, doesn’t need to happen because there goes the clock. Good Riddance!”

And with that she hung up, collected her purse and phone, and signed out for the shift.

Her reflection in the murky, rain drenched window almost shocked her- sunken brown eyes, unruly hair increasingly becoming greyer- she wasn’t her anymore.

The sun had set hours prior, due to come back up in a short while yet the only guidance Angela’s Ford Fiesta had were the dim cat eyes of the A-fifty whatever. Obsessively, she’d tell herself she hadn’t a clue why she was going where she was, other than the fact it beat driving the dodgy streets near work, but she knew, deep down that her desire to look around in the higher-class estates wasn’t to ridicule but to gawk in vain. She forced herself to believe poking fun at all the overly excessive riches the aristocrats flaunted was completely fine. Besides, it’s not as if an office worker selling counterfeit pills to the elderly is going to be able to afford any of those luxuries, so why not make them seem undesirable?

But it was dreadfully desirable, and Angela wanted the huge houses, the fast cars. She wanted the feeling of stability. To be secure, even if it was just once.

© Alisha Ahmed Key Stage 3 Short Story

EXCERPTS FROM ‘THE JOURNEY HOME’

Ray’s head was spinning. She felt like she was going to throw up. Her stomach churned and her legs turned to jelly. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen. It felt like the slap had struck her. She felt like the cold winter wind had stolen her breath. She felt weak but forced herself to stumble away from her friend’s house. She pressed her hand against her mouth, desperately trying to stop the flood of tears that threatened to explode. The journey home seemed to take forever.

… A few hours later she woke up feeling exhausted and drained. She thought of how Kaz must be feeling and this galvanised her into action. She had to get to school to talk to her friend. To comfort her. To help her. Breakfast was a blur and she slipped out of the door and headed to school. It was a crisp, cold morning and she could see the strands of her breath curling out in front of her. A coat of white frost covered the grass, glinting in the sunlight. As she walked she began to have doubts. What am I going to say to Kaz?

When she got to the school gates her knees shook slightly but she took a deep breath and then her resolve returned. She steadied her knees and marched towards her locker in the corridor of D-block.

She put her books in the locker and closed it. She turned and saw Kaz approaching. Their eyes met. Kaz attempted a half-hearted smile. Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to read the expression on Ray’s face. All the indecision and fear that Ray had been experiencing was written all over her face.

At that moment there seemed to be an electric current that passed through their gaze. A transfer of knowledge. Then Kaz understood. She realised that Ray knew. And then she melted into her arms and began to sob.

© Muhammed Amin Key Stage 3 Short Story

EXCERPT FROM ‘THE WORLD IS WAKING UP’

My legs ache and instantly the treehouse appears before my eyes. Sighing with relief, I close my eyes and set Cayden down on the crackling ground. The hollow entrance of the trunk rattles as I knock the hidden door open and reach in with a frail brown hand, which comes back out grasping a large tin of pineapple. I hammer the lid open with a blunt rock and pour the juice into Cayden’s mouth, then mine. I lift out a ring and the sweetness clashes with the salty blandness I have gotten used to. I shut my eyes and sink my teeth into the soft yellow flesh. Cayden grabs a handful from the tin then scampers up the tree, his hands grazing as they are scratched against the thick bark. I watched him climb as sure footed as a monkey, instantly overwhelmed with wonder and pride, the first time he had ever climbed.

I grin apologetically and then lie down, shut my eyes and almost fade out of this world with relaxation. My brother runs about and then finally sits beside me, his fingers drumming constantly on his thighs. We sit for half an hour of peace, my brother occasionally getting up. I lift open my heavy eyelids when my brother slaps me in the face, hard. I turn on him, my face a painting of fury and annoyance until an eerie, cooing whisper reached my ears. “Upppppppp.” it purrs softly. Taking the hint, I squint up. In the sky, miles away, a colossal, frothing wall of white and blue appears. My mind doesn’t process it at first, and every part of my body freezes.

“Cayden! Get out of the tree!” He looks at me confused, looks up and freezes, his jaw dropping wide open and his knees knocking together with terror. I knock him out of the tree and jump out myself, moving at a speed I would have normally thought impossible. Cayden lands with one foot twisted at an awful angle and a dull crack rings though my ears as Cayden’s face is warped with agonising pain. I lift him up, screaming, trying to release the fear and pain for my brother.

© Aleena Rafi Key Stage 3 Short Story