Come tell us a story

Dear readers, we hope you have sent in your stories to education@gulfnews.com using the writing ideas in the pages of the December 30, 2007, issue.

Sometimes it is not enough just to think coolly and calmly; you need to get more involved in what you write. Try and get 'into' your story, become a part of it; write not merely from your head, but from your heart as well. 'Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart' — William Wordsworth.

— The writer is a freelancer based in Hyderabad, India

We hope you are keeping track of Segax's adventures and you will try and get him out of his troubles and help him solve the disappearance of so many valuable items from the museum where he works.

Read the first three chapters again from Notes, issues of October 7, 2007, November 18, 2007, and December 16, 2007, to refresh your memory about what happened earlier. (Weblinks: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles
/07/10/06/10158539.html, http://www.gulfnews.com
/notesstory and http://www.gulfnews.com/notes/
Project/10175013.html).

Now read Chapter 4, given below.

Egaz and the Mystery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun
Chapter 4

Axel and Haven ran to the door and banged on it, but Segax didn't bother. He was trying his best to see what was stored in the room. The light from the floor was faint and he realised that it came from the bottom of the shelves that lined the walls. Most of the shelves were empty.

"I can't believe we let that monster lead us here of our own free will!" cried Haven.

"Like sheep, that's what we were!" raged Axel.

"Ssh, guys! There's bound to be a way out from here," said Segax, tapping the shelves and trying to see if they would move. For what seemed like hours, he moved around, inch by inch, until at last, one shelf seemed to give a bit. He ran his fingers up and down the wood, then long the inner side of the shelves until, quite by accident, he pressed a hidden lever and heard a soft, whirring sound and one of the columns began to slide inward, revealing an entrance to another room. Axel and Haven, who until then had been mumbling and muttering to themselves as they sat dejectedly on the floor, jumped up and crowded around Segax.

When their eyes grew accustomed to the darkness of the hidden room, they realised that there were several steps that went down into a kind of store-room filled with artifacts. In fact, there were so many things lying around that it was difficult to move without bumping into something.

"Watch it, guys," whispered Segax. "You never know which one of these is priceless — irreplaceable!"

Haven snorted derisively. "Right now, I'm the only irreplaceable one, pal! Get me out of here, even if you have to smash a few hundred of these priceless treasures!"

Segax moved slowly around the room, trying to see if there was a way out from there. Suddenly, he heard a sound from the corner. A moan.

The three of them froze, expecting to see a mummy rise up and swallow them or blow them to dust or throw a cloud of scarab beetles at them to eat them alive! Haven clutched Axel's arm and Axel caught hold of Segax. In a line, the three of them inched forward reluctantly.

They could see more clearly now — someone was lying on the floor! The 'someone' moved and moaned and tried to sit up, but couldn't make it. He flopped back on the floor. "Mr Kruger!" exclaimed Segax, bounding forward and bumping into a large urn that almost rolled over! "Mr Kruger! What happened? What are you doing here?"

He sat down and tried to lift the curator. There was a dazed look on Mr. Kruger's face. "What? … How? … Segax? …Is that you?"

"Are you hurt? Can you sit up?" babbled Segax, lifting Mr Kruger as much as he could.

"Oh – oh – that hurts," he moaned. "I think I've broken something!"

The three of them surrounded Mr. Segax and they could now see that his ankle was swollen grotesquely, like he had fractured it.

"I came in to check on something and I fell," said Mr Kruger. "And then I couldn't get out…"

"We need to get medical help," whispered Haven.

"How do we do that when that villainous giant is wandering around outside?"

"Mr Kruger, Mr Kruger, wake up … tell us if there is a way out of here from the other side. We need to get you to a doctor and we need to get out without anyone in the museum seeing us."

"The tops of the steps …the lever…"

Axel looked around. There were two sets of steps in the room. They had come in via one. Facing it was another. He climbed them gingerly and felt around for a lever. Yes, there it was. He pulled it down and slowly, a door was revealed. He returned to Segax's side and the three of them lifted Mr. Kruger and managed to carry him out. The room was bright and seemed to be an office.

"What next?" asked Axel. "How do we get out of the museum without being seen and how do we get Mr. Kruger to a doctor?"

"Call Zeke…he'll know…" whispered Mr. Kruger.

"Zeke's the one who imprisoned us!" exclaimed Haven. "We've got to get away from him!"

"But…but…" murmured Mr. Kruger, confusedly.

"No Zeke," said Segax quite firmly. "We'll get you out, and then we'll try and figure out what's going on."

"My car is at the back entrance… You can drive me to the hospital."

A bit of colour had returned to Mr. Kruger's face and he no longer looked like he was going to pass out. "I came in here to check something before I left work," he repeated, "and I fell down the stairs in the store-room. I don't know how long it's been. They'll be worried at home. I need to tell them I'm okay."

Segax didn't reply. He couldn't see a phone or a cellular anywhere. He went to the door and peeped out. There was no one about. To his left was a large door, probably the back entrance Mr. Kruger was referring to. It would only take them a few minutes to get Mr. Kruger out. Quickly, the three of them half-carried half-dragged him out to his car, then Segax got in to drive to the nearest emergency room. The effort of getting out had exhausted Mr Kruger and he was in a daze again. "You're a good boy, Segax," he murmured, "like your father…"

Segax was puzzled. How did Mr Kruger know his father? Before he could ask, they heard the sound of sirens and two police cars drew up and blocked the road. As the policemen got out and confronted them, the door through which they had exited flew open and Zeke rushed out.

Now continue the adventures of Segax and his friends in Chapter five of the serial. Bring in some more action. Build up the suspense and end the next chapter on a high point, opening up possibilities for Chapter 6. Send in your entries by January 27, 2008.

Writing Tips: Mood and Atmosphere

Creating the mood or the atmosphere for a special type of story is important. This is especially true for a ghost story or horror story, where the intention is to keep the reader on the edge of the seat while all kinds of frightening things happen to your characters.

My First Horror Underwater Trip

Last week, we celebrated a fun day at Dubai's Wild Wadi Water Park. I was too shy and embarrassed to wear my brand new two-piece swimsuit. My shyness and fear were soon forgotten after observing all kinds of countless friendly folk there.

Our first screaming ride was an 80-kilometres-per-hour downhill trip hurtling from the 33-meter-high Jumeirah Sceirah after a long tiring climb up. My petrified heart was thumping very fast after seeing the great soaring slide.

Without the aid of Harry Potter's magic wand, I was transformed quickly into a pretty mermaid as soon as I dived into the huge splash of cool water!

My first reaction was sheer bafflement. Boy, this was some modification! Secondly, I was continually swimming underwater like a newborn fish, as if I had always been doing so. I realised that I had a pair of invisible gills behind my small ears and a powerful tail fin to help me steer my way.

All these encouraged me to effortlessly submerge my heavy body and glide smoothly under water. My brown plaited hair burst open into long silky hair covering my bare upper chest! I was a mermaid, after all. No sooner than I dove deep, I encountered my first sleeping octopus. It was weird and enormous with four deadly pairs of tentacles. Carefully, I propelled my way out, all the while ensuring I didn't disturb this queer and stinky sea creature from its deep slumber.

Next, I did see the famous ruined "Titanic." I was thrilled to bits, getting to see every minute part of the great sunken cruiser. There were no distressed humans but piles of fragments everywhere. I was speechless when I found beautiful Rosy's priceless green emerald necklace and slipped it onto my very own neck. I rubbed my eyes hard to be sure this was the very same luxurious jewel piece that I had seen in the same Titanic movie many years back.

Ultimately, I grew very weary and weak; my current power was slowly diminishing. I was struggling hard, gasping for fresh air above the water. Immediately, I was dragged up hard but safely by three skillful lifeguards.

My brave little brother comforted my worried parents, who were in tears, thinking I was drowned, since I was deep inside the water for more than fifteen minutes!

Finally, I was taken to Emirates Hospital for an emergency medical check-up. After many hours, I got up from my deep slumber; I searched very hard for my own emerald necklace. Alas, it was transformed into mini fish skulls! Thank God, it was hanging as a decorative wind chime, quite far away from me!
Alina Z. Sajan
Grade 8, International School of Choueifat , Sharjah

Complete this story:
In the story that has been started below by Christine Varghese, an atmosphere has been built up, the title is indicative of where she wants to go, and there are some clues that she has put in: "a football jock, suicide point, unfortunate but sacrificial story, hoping to stop someone's suicide attempt, fantasy of mine to become someone extraordinary, someone supernatural…"

The Wanna-be Vampire

I am so scared that I don't know what to do and how to start of this unfortunate but sacrificial story of mine, actually I don't think that I'm even scared it's probably just the fact I don't know where to start of my story. I think I'd better start at the beginning.

It all started a few months back on a romantic autumn evening. My boyfriend and I were out on a date. Lance was the guy of every girl's dream; okay, maybe not every girl's, but at least girls like me. He was also the usual football jock and I mean football as in soccer for the Americans who are reading this. I have always loved football and I probably date football players because I love football. I used to be a rough housing tomboy, maybe I still am, but just don't show it that much. Anyway, as I was saying, Lance was the football jock type; he was everything a high school student could be in football, the top scorer and the best forward, even though he played well in any position. I can't believe how good I am at straying away from the main topic.

Okay, well, that evening Lance and I decided to go do some peaceful star gazing at the local suicide point. I don't know why we went there; maybe deep down in our subconscious we were hoping to stop someone's suicide attempt. It was then as we were quietly gazing at the stars, that the thought of how wonderful it would be to become a creature of the dark, crept up to me. It was nothing new to me since I've always loved the dark, I always spent my spare time either reading books or watching movies on Vampires, werewolves, ghosts etc. It had always been a fantasy of mine to become someone extraordinary, someone supernatural.
Christine Varghese

Complete the story in another 500-600 words using the clues she has given you.

Remember: