Hi everyone!

Welcome to another of our competition series’ blog posts! This week’s featured writer is Violet Dixon, from Campbell’s Bay School, who received a very special prize for her incredible creative story: ‘Our Escape Through the Ceiling’. This young writer received the ‘Distinguished Writer Award’ for a truly amazing piece of writing – our favourite of all the Year 4-8 entries! Violet was awarded a a year-long subscription to National Geographic for her amazing achievement.

Now, put your hands together for this talented young writer and have a read of ‘Our Escape Through the Ceiling’ below!

Our Escape Through the Ceiling

“It was the ship of dreams,” they say. Well let me tell you something: This was NOT and never will be the ship of dreams. In fact it was the ship of nightmares.

I slumped against the wall, with my wetsuit scraping against rough barnacles. Evil laughter croaked through the thin strips of battered wood and then slowly faded away. My pet Octopus, Jax gilded closer and curled up on my lap. We were alone, stuck and abandoned. Birds in a cage.

Jax slapped his tentacle on my scuba gear. “What is it Jax?” He raised his tentacle and directed it towards the door. “No Jax, that won’t work. I’m sorry but we are locked in.” He nuzzled his head into me like a young foal. “I wish I’d never gotten myself into this mess, “ I grumbled gruffly. Then I gazed at the ceiling. I saw it!

A loose board rattled in the ceiling. Jax, seeing my expression, curled his slimy, scarlet arm around me and raised my body up to the roof in a rush. I peeled away loose wood and heaved myself up, through the ceiling. Diving off the boat, past dancing coral, Jax was close behind.