Short Story Competition 2023 Schools Years 6 to 7 Runner-up Marco Charles Bossino ‘My Journey’

This is the exciting story of a travelling seed.

At the beginning the departure was a traumatic experience. I had got used to the comfort of being snuggled cosily deep inside the fruit of the tree; but the force of nature dictated that is was time to go. By some inexplicable but preordained force of nature I was spat out of my previous comfortable existence into the scary, unpredictable world out there.

There was a ferociously gusty easterly wind that day — it felt as if it was of hurricane proportions probably due to my miniscule measurements, as, I was only, after all, a small, tiny, insignificant seed, in this big, wide world.

In a flash - the winds were that strong- I was crossing blue and beautiful oceans with out any breaks

in my journey.

I quickly arrived at a yellowish green place where there was lots of plant life and it was very, but very

hot. At the beginning I was scared because everything was new for me. My neighbour was a palm tree boasting a radiant beauty and majesty, the likes of which I had only previously dreamed of. The tree's shadow alleviated somewhat the suffocating heat of the day, making my stay in that paradisical place that much easier and pleasant.

I began to notice changes in me, these strange things started to sprout quickly out of my tiny body. I soon learnt they enabled me to eat and drink making me stronger and stronger. These were what I was told later are called roots.

I noticed that the desert air, the warm and the beautiful sunsets made me feel stronger and more self-confident every day. I felt very good about myself.

Over time I realised that I had travelled to the wonderful African continent, and I would stay here forever. Soon my own fruit-seed would travel like I had done, helped by the wonderful force of nature to other continents where they would find their place in this miraculous circle that is life.

Judge Charlie Durante’s Comments:

Runner-up: Marco Charles Bossino with My Journey. Jesus’s parable of the sower who went to sow his seeds comes to mind when you read Marco’s story. The seeds grew or withered according to the nature of the soil. Here, the seed is variously treated: the gusty Levanter tosses the seed about; other winds send it flying across the ocean until it is lodged under a palm tree, which provides shelter from the stifling heat. Eventually, the seed sprouts roots which mean permanent residence in the ‘wonderful African continent.’

This is a very pleasant and engaging story-plants have their own adventures and Marco has provided us with an evocative picture of one of them.