Author Archives: KW
Alternative ending to ‘The Little Freak’ by Jaguar19
Darkness… until his proud, but poor, dad came in, “Here you go lad.” He put the wood down. The youngster watched the wood. There was something different about it… very different: it was as dark as the night sky but with a few purple particles floating above the abnormal, barkless wood. Once he had laid his hands on it, he could feel the immense power racing up his arms.
After slicing a small piece of it off the end, he spotted a hypnotic spiral inside the magical stump. He knew he had to make the most of this one. A few minutes later, he had made his decision: he would carve a mask.
Taking his time, he measured his face then began to carve. Secretively, he continued working for the rest of the day.
After dinner (a bread roll), he let it come out…
Unfortunately, his ‘caring’ but cruel father did not mishear him.
“So, what is this mask you are talking about?” asked his dad curiously. Guilty and worried, the boy knew that he had to tell the truth.
“I am making a mask to cover up this monstrosity,” he replied.
“Where is this mask?” said his dad.
“Next door.”
Swiftly, his father moved towards the room. Knowing what he was going to do, the youth rushed protectively towards his masterpiece. His dad got there first.
“Dad! Stop! Please; please!” With no mercy, his angered father tossed the mask into the glowing fireplace.
“Nooooo!” yelled the boy.
However, to the surprise of them both, it did not burn. Before the boy could reach it, his dad snatched it from the burning flames and lobbed it to the other side of the room.
Without warning, the flame grabbed onto his father’s jumper. As quick as a flash, he whipped it off and threw it on the floor. A huge flame jumped up from the wooden planks like a jack-in-the-box. The caravan was up in flames. Shaking and sweating, the boy snatched the mask and ran outside. They had nothing. There was only one place to go: Grandma’s.
Miserable and ominous, the rain battered the boy as if they were wrestling each other. There was only a small spark of hope: the mask was in his hand.
Before he could become even more drenched than he already was, he began the walk. But, the boy was forgetting something. He was outside. He was astounded by the amazing scenery: trees, brick-built houses and open space! He was free!
By 9:00 pm, he had arrived. He rang the doorbell. Ding Dong! The house was exquisite. A black metal fence surrounded a beautiful blue pool in the centre of what he had heard was called a garden. With a creak, the door opened.
“Oh hello there,” said the posh lady.
“Hi Gran,” he replied.
With a deep breath, his Gran exclaimed, “Oh my gosh! After all these years, I’ve found you! Come on in.”
“Thank you,” he replied politely.
Almost as soon as he entered the grand house, he was bombarded with new clothes and gifts.
“Wow!” He hardly dared to think how much his life had changed.
A brilliant year of freedom and happiness had passed and, to his surprise, he was actually not struggling to live any more. But there was something more important. The mask. It was time to take it off… 3…2…1..0…
Times Tables Shift Game
Here’s the link to the Times Tables Shift challenge on NRICH that we played the other day. Click the link to play. Start at Level 1 to learn the game and see if you can get to Level 4.
Liz Kessler, The Tail of Emily Windsnap, A book review by Otter16
The Wish (Little Freak) by Puma36
Stop! Dad, please can you respect me and let me live a normal life? Why can’t you ever not get money from my body? It just isn’t fair. When people come to see me, it makes me feel so upset and humiliated due to my body. Nobody sees my soul; they can only see my swellings. Where is my mother? I bet she wouldn’t do this to me.
Please can you just let me live a normal life with wood and not you? No normal person would abuse children in this way because of their disabilities. It’s my life, not yours. Let me have a normal life; let me see the real world. Could you just give me freedom? I just wish to have a life as a sculptor and I could get us so much more than we have now. Could I just see any other colour apart from black? Let me see outside.
Please, I know that my body is misshapen but can’t I just have friends? Why won’t anyone understand the bulges on my face. Can nobody see how gentle I am? If you look hard, then you will understand me more.
Where did my mother go? Did you do the same to my mother? But then how did she go? Why would you do it to me? I am your only child. WHY?
LET ME GO! LET ME BE FREE!
The Wish (Little Freak) by Octopus34
Father, please listen. I feel trapped in a cave, in chains. I want to be free. I want some wishes – one is fine. Please give me a chance. Don’t hurt me! I can wish. I’m not a monster. I have a heart and I’m not what you think I am; I’m more. Our shack you call home is a prison: you never let me out at all. Although you feed me and you give me a place to live, I would rather lie on the streets than get whacked, punched and shouted at.
If I had a wish, I would wish to be another person. You treat me like rubbish. You shouldn’t be a father. Mum would have been better than you. Anyone would. I wish for a proper face so no-one would make fun of me or call me names because I would be normal. If I was normal, no-one would complain. I would make things different in my new body. I would not isolated; I would be free. I want to break free!
‘The Freak’ character description by Otter16
Dim lights lit up the small boy’s face revealing the grotesque growths planted beside his nose. His body was covered in scars and boils making him a ‘freak’. Swelling day by day, his large, bulbous nose, dominated over all his facial features. Despite his huge nose, his nostrils were smaller than a baby’s fingernail making it difficult for him to breathe.
Despite his facial features, his hands were slender and gentle, carving slowly into a piece of wood to create elephants and birds and all things beautiful. He was more of an artist than a ‘freak’. The tips of his fingers traced the bark like he had been doing this his whole life. He was no ‘freak’.
‘Little Freak’ character description by Meerkat34
Sitting beside the ancient table, a small boy could just be made out with a knife and wood 
in his hands. Twisted and misshapen, his small body shivered in the cold night air. Lying on the table, beside the rather grotesque figure, were three intricate wooden carvings: a woman, a boy and a man. On his partially bald head was an old, peaked hat. Below his hat was a large, bulbous growth, which closed his left eye. His nose dominated his face but irregular nostrils made it hard for the ‘little freak’ to breathe.
Although his face and most of his body was hideous, the boy’s hands were perfect. Careful as ever, his gentle fingers let the knife slip along the beech wood carving a baby in a crib to complete his beautiful collection. Despite the pouring rain outside, he was calm – nothing like the dreadful posters on the trees outside.
Creating a description for a setting (Little Freak) by Flamingo14
The thunder crackled ominously as the rain lashed down with great force. Trees swayed side to side with the help of the mighty push of the intense wind. In the centre of the dark, stormy forest glowed a weak, misty light. It looked so lonely and sad. The sombre light was coming from a battered and dull caravan. With the strength of the storm, the dirty, wooden caravan rocked violently along with the trees surrounding it.
With windows so dusty it was impossible to see through to wood which was rotten, this caravan looked older than you could imagine. The door-handle was just clinging onto the door. A wheel was missing making the caravan sway slowly, but dangerously, from side to side. There was a tiny hole in the roof and a bucket sat in the corner, catching the wet drops of rain. Wallpaper was slowly peeling off the damp walls of the cramped vehicle. Surely, no human being could possibly be living in such a place?
Describing a setting for ‘Little Freak’ by Tapir17
The lightning crashed down like small meteors. Swaying dangerously, the trees cracked together in the strong wind. The small light (the only one for miles) of the caravan stood out in the pouring rain, vibrating and shaking under its curse. The black wall surrounding the shack of a house was dripping as if it had jumped into a swimming pool.
Rotting from its age, the wood on the balcony was rocking back and forth like a haunted swing. The once beautiful home now had paint chipped off and wet from the rage of God’s weather. The only window on the caravan was cracked and grimy, letting out the smallest of light. A cage of death surrounded the caravan, letting no happiness out… or in…
The sinking of The Quetta by Lemur15
I had been on boats many times before. I had even been on this boat a few times before, but it had never been this bad. Captain Brown called me Penny the boat cat. I was his favourite and he took me aboard The Quetta. Many times before I have crossed oceans but I will never again board a boat! This is why…
Lying happily on a large bed of straw in the livestock room, I was looking forward to a nice bit of lamb. At the back of the room, I could see some weak lambs and I thought I could eat one without anyone noticing. I found my chance, leapt off my ledge and ran to the door then stopped. Among the ship’s crew, who all knew never to pick me up, was a young child. This playful boy was skipping towards me, his arms spread out, ready to hug me. Then, something awful happened: he picked me up! I ran out onto the deck and hid behind a barrel of whisky at the stern of the boat.
Suddenly, a jolt flung me out of my hiding place! Digging my claws into the deck (so I wasn’t flung overboard), I wailed. Water flew up against my face as The Quetta lurched forward, the bow singing further and further into the ocean. Cries for help shot up all around me but I had no way of asking for help. Another huge jolt shook me out of position and I crashed against the side of the boat, falling into the frothing water. In a panic, I tried to swim away but I didn’t know how to swim. Water went everywhere as I struggled to stay afloat. Looking up, I realised that a large black boot was falling towards my head! Without even thinking, I grabbed hold!
Under water! This boot was pushing me further and further under water like the hull of The Quetta. I dug my claws into the leather (I was coming up). Finally, I could breathe clear from the water. I gasped for breath. The cold air flowing through me felt so good! Two huge hands grasped my sides. Feeling too weak to do anything about it, I let them curl me around a sweating neck.
Hours later, we were drifting through the water, the man beneath me becoming weak and tired. He was sinking: he was too tired to carry on. In a desperate urge to save me, he laid me in a box nearby, “You save yourself cat!”
To this day, I still feel guilty. He died trying to save me. If I hadn’t have grabbed him, he would have got onto the lifeboat and lived. Instead, I had to go and be selfish. I’m glad I’ve got it known though. I will never go on board a boat again. Not even for Captain Brown or lamb! Never again!