Stage 3 has entered a writing competition run by Pens Against Poverty. The 2020 theme is ‘Lost and Found’ and is inspired by the book ‘The Lost Thing’ by Shaun Tan. 

The power of the pen to change the world .

PENS AGAINST POVERTY IS A UNIQUE WRITING COMPETITION. IT WAS CREATED ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG WRITERS IN NEW SOUTH WALES, WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND THE ACT.

The Pens Against Poverty Competition is founded on the belief that :

Young People want to make a difference

Young People have a unique voice

Creative writing powers the imagination

We are very excited to share some of our entries with you. 

The Unusual Creature

Cedric Villanueva

I was walking around my town doing my thing, I wasn’t really in the mood today, I felt depressed and lonely and lost. So I went to the office where my job was, and when I arrived my boss was giving me a look, it didn’t seem like he was happy so I knew I was in deep trouble. My boss said I haven’t been focusing on the building project he had given me and I didn’t do the project correctly to pass.  After that, my boss said I was a failure when he said that my mood was going even lower. So I walked down to the beach, and a few minutes later  I finally arrived there. But when I was about to sit down on the sand I bumped into an unusual creature, it seemed weird. It wasn’t any animal I’ve seen before it was robotic and ate different sorts of things, so then I decided to take it to the lost and found area where unusual stuff has been found. So when we arrived there the person who was at the reception said “Woah Woah Woah, what do we have here?” I replied back with “Uh, an unusual creature I found on the beach.” Then after that, he took the creature and placed it on the table. Then he said, “This creature is small.” After that, he told me “There was a person who came here with a creature similar to that creature you’ve got, but it's bigger.” I told him “Any chance you know where  that person went?” He said, “Yes, he lives at a restaurant which is across the road.” Then after that, I went across the street and found the restaurant. Then one random guy came up to me and said “What are you doing here? It’s not open, it's CLOSED. CAN'T YOU SEE? It’s CLOSED.” And thought to myself “That isn’t a good way to greet someone…” Then all of a sudden he said to me, “JUST GET OUT!” I replied, “I just need to talk to your friend about a robotic creature I found, and also your friend has a robotic creature too.” He replied “ALRIGHT! COME WITH ME.” Then he took me to his friend that had a similar creature like mine. His friend said, “Hey buddy whatcha doing here?” I told him that I needed to get information on how to take care of a robotic creature like his. He said, “Well these creatures are very rare to find, but I know a place far away from here that can put that creature back where it belongs.” I thought that was a good idea.”  It took us a long time to go to the place where the creature lives. But finally, we arrived and I took it to its home, I said goodbye to it and I felt sad. I missed that creature, I got over it and had a good life from now on. 

We are the lost

By Ciara Grove

We are the lost trying to find our way.

We are the hopeful waiting for our hero.

We are the lost waiting to be found. 

Still they are searching till the day they find us.

We trust in God who will save us and guide us.

We are happy our people didn’t abandon us.

We are thankful for the searches who never gave up on us.

We were the lost but now we are found.

Lost and Found

Emily Bowles

Hi I’m Jackie, over my time I have been lost many times, actually too many times that I can’t remember but I do remember that one time at the circus….

One day I was at a circus with my family we were looking at a guy named Jim balancing on a humongous unicycle I was so excited i was jumping up and down then my parents said “maybe when your older you could do that” and I said “no way, I would rather be a motorcyclist than a stupid circus person” and then I thought I saw my friend in the crowd so I ran towards him but then I got lost…… I could not find anything even my parents I was running around in all directions panicked and that was when I met it the tiger I bumped into a circus tiger on my search for mum and dad and I screamed scared of it but then i realised it wasn’t that bad I asked it if it was lost and it didn’t reply so we together tried looking for my parents it was getting dark and it started to rain so we were trying so hard to find them… but we couldn’t so we tried looking for the tiger’s parents because it seemed lost too, the circus closed so we started to knock on doors later we started to get tired and hungry luckily a lady was nice enough to give us two slices of bread and me and the tiger slept together out on the street giving each other warmth.

The next day we continued our search. But unfortunately, we couldn’t find anyone we were about to give up our search but then we saw it, my house! We ran to the doorsteps and knocked on the door and I had found my parents. But then I thought about that little tiger. I just couldn’t leave it there so I asked my parents if it could come in and to my surprise, they said yes!

“Mummy and daddy can the tiger please sleep here tonight” I pleaded but my parents said no! Because there was someone they wanted the tiger to meet, I was afraid it was someone who worked at the circus but it wasn’t. It was the tiger's parents! The tiger ran over and they hugged each other until we had to let them go back to the circus…

A couple of years later we returned back to the circus because I was thinking of joining but guess what we saw the tiger and they had, had a baby! So now I’m in the circus. We have adopted the little tiger until it’s old enough to learn circus tricks! 

To my surprise I am now getting sort of good at circus things so now I need to go on for my show now with the baby tiger because it now can do cool tricks with me, can you guess what he can juggle fire, bye!

The Silver Gate

Ethan Gately

Chapter 1

There was a girl named Fang who lived in a big city. Fang had two friends, their names were Serpon and Sunny. They all were abandoned by their parents and left to wander the

streets. One day, they heard an announcement come over the speakers, “The shield protecting the city is cracking, soon dangerous creatures will be able to invade and

destroy us. Lots of people are trying to fix it so just get ready to protect your homes,” yelled the concerned mayor.

Serpon and Snake knew about the secret area in the city, so they took Fang to it. There they found three: gates one Gold, one Silver and one Bronze. They all had keyholes; however, there was no key. They started looking for a key, but they couldn’t find it, so they looking in the city.

They started looking for the keys in a museum, but they couldn’t find anything. So they went back to the cave and after searching for a while, they randomly found all keys. picked up one of the keys and put it in the keyhole. After a while, the gate opened and they were all sucked in.

Chapter 2

They all fell to the ground.  ‘That hurt’ said Fang. “Where are we?” serpon shouted.

‘I don’t know, but we should look for some shelter then we will figure this out’ moaned Sunny.

They walked around in the warm forest. Then started to collect leaves and wood.

They started to build a shelter. Sunny went to collect wood and Serpon went to collect leaves. Fang stayed back and planned what it would look like. Once they returned, they

started building. The shelter was small; however, but they could all fit inside.

They had a rough sleep that night. In the morning it seemed like the shelter was falling apart. ‘Get outside, it is collapsing’ yelled Fang.

Chapter 3

‘Let’s get a move on!’ Fang exclaimed. They walked through the forest when suddenly a weird symbol appeared on the bottom of the mountain in front of them. They pressed the symbol and then a huge stone door opened up loudly as the dust settled everywhere. “Should we go in,” whispered Fang. “Sure let’s go,” said Sunny.

It was dark so Fang ran back into the forest and found some wood, then she made a torch and returned to the cave. When they went to the end they found 3 items that might be able to save the village. One was a golden glowing sword; one was a blue glowing bow and arrows and one was a silver glowing shield. They all picked up one of them, then the gates appeared. “I don’t have the keys,” said Fang. “I think we need to use the weapons,” exclaimed Sunny. So Serpon picked up the bow and arrow then shot the glowing arrow at the Gate. Suddenly they were sucked into the silver gate and returned home with their weapons.

To be continued...

Lost & Found

By Josie Abrahams 

Prologue 

“Nooooo, noooo, please don’t take her away. I’ll give you anything, anything for her to stay with me. Please?” My scream turned out higher pitched than I expected. “No, you horrible girl. Now that her parents have died she belongs to me.” Clarissa shouts in my face and she walks out the door pinching Lily. Worst day of my life!

 I haven’t seen Lily since the day her evil Aunt Clarissa took her somewhere. For all, I know they could be all the way over in America or in China. I’ll never see her again. I really want her back. 

“Emma, here, here, here, I’m free!” Katie says as she is driving towards me. We are playing against Birmingham Netball Association (AKA BNA) and we are winning comfortably. I pass to Katie, she shoots but she misses. !Beep! The siren ends the game. We shake hands with BNA then walk off the court. Lily was a great netball player. One of the best on the team.  

After a talk with our coach Lisa, Mum, Katie and I  go to the shops to get our supplies for tonight’s sleepover. We love having sleepovers together, it’s always really fun. Mum drove Katie and I home and we set up my room with the things we bought. 

After the sleepover, we drop Katie home and Mum, Dad and I drive back to our house. It is a nice and sunny day today so I decided to ask Dad when we get home if I can go to the meadow next door to our house. He says yes so I go and sit in the treehouse that Lily and I made when we were 10. I sigh with good memories thinking about the time that we built this together. Of course, the Dads helped us build it and Mum and Lily’s Mum helped us decorate the inside. Lily’s Mum Jen was an interior designer so she knew what she was doing but only Lily and I are allowed in here. No one else, just us. It was our hangout place, even when it was raining we were out here. We used to take it in turns to push each other on the tyre swing and I remember sleeping out here many times with her. It was so fun!  

It was now Monday so it was school. Ergh it’s not the same without Lily here. Don’t get me wrong I still love having Katie around but it’s just simply not the same. After school, I walk back home and go to the meadow. I see something moving in the meadow. I walked over to it to see what it was. OMG, OMG, no way. It was from Lily. I hug her for what seems like forever. I’m lost for words. I thought I’d lost her forever but I guess I was wrong. I found her. I lost her and then I found her. My dream came true. I found her.

Lost and Found

Josie Murrell

Hello, everybody, my name is Emma, yes I might look like I am very poor because my clothes are ripped and dirty but in fact, I am so happy living out here in a bamboo forest and now I will tell you why…

One day me and my family were going to take a trip to a bamboo forest. When we got there we all went separate paths and promised to meet each other at the big fountain by 2:00 pm. I walked and walked deeper into the forest then I tripped over something black, white and fluffy. It was a poor baby panda all alone and lost. I knew what I had to do as soon as I saw her. I was on a mission to return her to her parents by 1:50 pm so I would still have time to go back to the fountain. We walked and walked through the bamboo forest then I saw them 2 concerned looking panda parents wandering around looking for their baby panda. I quickly put the baby panda down and she ran to her parents then I said goodbye to them and went back to the fountain.

The next year we went to that same bamboo forest again. We all went our separate ways again. I walked deeper and deeper into the forest. Suddenly it was 2:00 pm already and I looked all around me. I had forgotten which way I had come! My head was spinning. I was so overwhelmed I was starting to lose consciousness the world went blank all around me. When I gained consciousness again I felt a fluffy ball of fur cuddled on top of me then I heard my family’s concerned voices. I opened my eyes and found the panda family and my family huddled around me. I was so confused about what happened I tried to get up but my mum didn’t let me. She told me not to use my energy yet. Then I asked about how my family found me and my dad said that the panda family remembered me and wanted to return the favour. He said that the panda family saw me fall and came to find my family. I think that was so smart of the panda family and gave the baby panda a big hug. Then I told my parents that I didn’t want to go back to the city and wanted to live with the panda family in the bamboo forest. It took a while but they finally said yes. We built a treehouse or in other words a bamboo house and we have lived with the pandas ever since.

That’s why I said at the start of the story that I was so happy. Well, thanks for listening and don’t worry if you ever get lost me and my two families will be there to find you.

What Will I Do Now?

Kate Van der Plaat

A gloomy, dark, sad and cloudy day at work, seeming like no one is here today. Once again am I the only one that works here? I look down and I kick the dark rocks on the road that have set into the dark road yet, I see a small hand. It's like a child’s hand but it’s green, a lime green, a girl's green hand. I look up to see her face, a cute chubby little girl. She seems sad, a frown like someone has left her…. I look around no one is out everything is closed or shut down it’s just me picking up rubbish... “Hello?” I say with a frown on my face feeling upset for her, I bend down low and touch her shoulder, she jumps and looks at me… “I speak no English” she stutters. I pick her up by the stomach and pull her up. She seems to like it so I play with her, her frown slowly starts to turn into a smile. It’s getting late and no one has come to pick her up.. so I decided to take her on the bus. I try to get on well but I have no money, I can't impress her, she would think I'm a poor person.

When I get home my parents are confused. They give me a weird look. I mean I get it. I brought home a little girl. I mean she’s green and it looks like she’s mine but she’s not. I walk to my room and make her a bed. She snuggles up and falls asleep. I see if my parents are asleep, they are. I fall asleep in my cozy bed, small but cozy.

I wake up, I’m very tired, my eyes are slim, I can barely see. ”Good morning little one time to find you a home,” I say tiredly in my voice. She gets up and says “enoy” (means please no in alien language) I look at her confused and she looks at me with puppy eyes I ignore it she’s just getting attention like all kids do. I go on my broken down  and horribly old phone “Hey Siri, tell me how to get rid of weird kids.” I say to the phone it doesn’t reply so I go for a walk with her. I see more kids with orange skin, pink skin, red skin and blue skin. I feel bad they are tiny compared to the others I arrive at the weird kid’s place. They say “Get Out.” She looks down and seems very sad so I take her to a back alleyway to calm her down. I see a door, I open with curiosity I look in. A pink place with all these little creatures the same as her I put her in. I say bye and frown. I question myself, what would I do now?... 

Lost in the Sunshine

By Lucy Buitendam

It was simple before. I was just a normal man, working at the office, having dinner in the diner and living in my usually small townhouse. Every night I look out into the horizon of the diner. But then. On the 5th of November, Monday night. I saw it. Before I tell you about the very moment that I saw the light into my life, I must tell you about me. I am Simon Row, 25 years old with no companion or lover. That moment that I glanced down at her, I was sceptical. I

thought “ Why is it looking at me? Why is it looking at me, not anyone

else?”. Its name was Sunshine. Sunshine was not a person, but a Golden Retriever. The term “Golden Retriever” was strange for Sunshine. She was extremely dirty, cuts on her nose and paws. But Sunshine wasn’t in pain. It was just there smiling at me. She had no food or water bowls, but I didn’t notice a garbage can. It had old scraps of food and an old water bottle, I am surprised she’s surviving.

I still stared at the poor thing. After around 10 minutes after finishing my delicious burger and chips, I decided to go outside and see her. My mind reconsidered. Should I just forget the dog and leave? But the way it looked at me, l can’t leave her.

I went outside to the dog. I instantly wagged its tail. I kneeled and looked

at the collar. It said SUNSHINE (if lost bring back to Newhild, Rielsdale)

When reading I started smiling. I petted the dog for a while. My hands stroked her coat and she grinned. I decided to take Sunshine back to my house for tonight. Tomorrow I am going to take her to the owner. The next day Sunshine and I walked over to the owner’s house.

I knocked on the door and it swiftly opened. “ Hi my name is Sim-” I say politely but then quickly interrupted. A man with a grimy beard opened the door. “ Ahh you stupid mut, get inside!” The man says to Sunshine, ignoring me completely. Sunshine doesn’t move but whimpers. “Get inside I said!” The man says and stomps on her paw. Sunshine is in unbearable pain. I felt my temper rising. “Hey Mate, Can’t treat a dog like that!” I say, now I am angry. “Again you stupid mut of a dog, GET INSIDE!” The man says kicking Sunshine. Sunshine is so injured she runs away into the distance. “AH, Fine, didn’t want you anyway, Now get off my property, NOW! He yells at me. I race to find Sunshine.

After a long time of thinking, I adopted Sunshine. The thing was I wasn’t allowed in my townhouse because of Sunshine. I got kicked out of my house. I live on the streets of the town but hey, Man's best friend right.

 The Lost thing

Luqman Ogunbawno

     It was a cold night in the darkness

     The dark was one of my weakness

      Then I hit something unusually big

       I knew it was way bigger than a fig

       Then I saw a computer with wings

        I  surely didn’t know its offerings 

        So I ran to my home

         My home was a dome

         Then I saw the thing come

         I knew I was done 

          But It hugged me

         Then I realised we were meant to be

         We played games

         And got warmth from the flames

         But then I heard a knock on the door

         So I hid the thing in a basement under the floor

         Then the police came in

          I knew they were going to throw the thing in the bin

          Then the left 

           I was so distressed

            I had to find a place for the thing

           So it let out its wing

            And carried me

             The thing was free

              Then we saw it

               It looked a little bit

                Like the things home

                 It was Rome

                 So I said bye

                 I was about to cry

                Then I went back to my place 

                 Then looked at the things face

Lost in space 

By Maya Wong 

Hi i'm liieir and this is my story of how I got lost in space 

“Mummy mummy” I shouted CLASH I heard my mum rushing up the stairs “ what happened!” Dad called out from the living room at the fairest corner “ AHHH” I cried as my dad zoomed up across the house passing mum and that was the last thing I heard, I woke up in hospital the next day I was sitting in this room. I could hear this sound. It was like a beep . My mum was the only person there with a doctor and my dad was an inventor so he was at work and I asked “what happened?” My mum replied “when you were working on the jet pack it exploded” the next week I got to go home my mum had to go to work my dad to I got to pick who I got to go with I said in my head

Mhhh inventor or office person “inventor” I said “so me” asked my dad  “yeah” I replied I went to my dad's red car when I got to the lab there was a machine. It was a weird one after a few hours of being really bored. When I got there there we a futuristic building in, in the building there was a extremely round machine everybody there was where this this winter outfit my dad told me to go in the black room a stay there “ 4, 3, 2, 1 go” when I heard the word go I thought it was for me so I left the room I felt like I was getting pulled back my dad was scream no police came in the room to hold my dad back I could no move I could not talk I could not do anything except heard I watch as my dad got worried everyday my dad was getting older everyday till years passed on and on and on till on day he passed after they found out away to free me I got left on the street begging for money everybody that walked passed just stared at me think I was the girl who was lost in space and I was till an old lady walk passed “you must be the boy” she asked “follow me, I will find you a home give you a job till you get enough money” I follow her she looked like I knew her in some way she put food at the table when I got there I got everything I needed till one day she dumb me after a few week in front of her house in looked liked 

She was getting arrested. I went to her and said “why?” And the police said “you must be the boy, this lady has killed lots of people she tried to do it to you so that is why we put you back on the street” “What” I said in despair.

There’s a Place Where You Fit

By Mirella Carbone 

Lost, how can one describe it?

Numb all numb, 

The warm candle inside isn’t lit.

The knot inside grows tighter with each struggling wheeze, 

And nothing anybody says can stop it,

It sits there purely for worry and to tease.

But oh the joy when your are found,

Sweet, bubbly, light music swimming all around,

Filling you up with it’s loving sound.

Warm arms hug you and the candle inside is lit. 

When you’ve been thrown out, neglected, told to run,

There is at least one home where you fit!

Lost and Found

Some things are lost, some things are found,

Some things you can find all around.

Some things are sparkly, some things are bare,

Some things you can find everywhere.

Some things are old, some things are new,

Some things you can even renew.

No matter what these things are,

They can all be lost, and they can all be found.

Lost in a war, lost in a fight,

Your lost thing might take off into flight.

Lost in a cupboard, lost in a drawer,

Your lost thing might be covered in colour.Your lost thing could be beautiful, 

and it could also be plain.

But no matter what they are,

they all have a name. 

Lost and Found

Oscar Webb

One day while walking on the beach I heard a stump then I saw a thing that was 5 m long and 5 m high. It was red and white and its favourite food was sand. It was eating a lot of sand and has a long tail with a big spike on it. It looked at me with that one hi then a person walked past and said “hi” but paid no attention to the big thing. When I walked away from it just followed me. I decided to take it to my house when I went through the door it could not come through. But then it saw a light and it went to the beach so I followed it. Then it walked through a basketball field then it walked through a big soccer field then it for a couple of minutes and soon we reached a big door. And a sign said Lost things here. But then it opened with a loud click. The thing wanted me to go first so I did then I saw a big person. He said with a loud voice “Is this thing yours” “ no” I replied. “I just found it on the beach” “I’ll take it,” said the man. Then he pressed a button and behind him, a big door opened. Then straightaway the thing ran past me and the man to a big meadow. The men told me “that you can go”. So I went back to my normal day.

Santina and Sophia and the Stolen Book

by Santina Portolesi 

Once upon a time Santina went to the shops to buy a book, it was called billy b brown. Santina walked into the book store and found the book, she was very excited to read it. Santina pulled out her white and gold wallet and paid for the book and then went to go buy herself a hot chocolate. She found a spot to sit down, on an armchair in the back of the coffee shop. After A couple of sips Santina spilt her hot chocolate on the ground ,it went everywhere. While she was cleaning it up, a black evil vampire snuck up behind her and stole her book. Before she could turn around the vampire had already ran away. Santina looked around and her book wasn’t there, her face went red and her mouth opened. Santina started to cry, “my book is gone, l just bought it! Santina started to cry then Sophia came into the coffee shop and heard someone crying. Sohpia went to comfort the person crying and when she went over she was so surprised to find it was her friend Santina crying “hi Santina are you ok?” said Sophia. “ No l am not ok, I lost my brand new book!” said Santina. Sophia gave Santina a big hug “ that’s okay Santina, l will help you find it.” 

The girls searched everywhere for the book. They searched the whole coffee shop, the entire book store and even another coffee shop. Santina and Sophia felt so upset and heartbroken, the book had vanished into thin air! Just when the girls were about to give up and go home, Sophia saw something out of the corner of her eye, it was Santina’s book! The black vampire with evil, red eyes was reading her book in the Halloween costume store. Santina went to yell at the vampire but Sophia stopped her before she could “don’t yell at him, he will just run away!”

“Good idea Sophia, let’s sneak up on him instead!”

The girls tiptoed into the store and put on some scary costumes as a disguise. The girls saw the book, it was in his bag. The girls crept up behind the vampire and carefully took the book out of the bag, he didn’t notice a thing. The girls slowly removed the book and RAN. The vampire turned around and hissed “Get back here right NOW you silly girls!” 

The girls screamed and ran out of the store, taking off the costumes they borrowed. The girls ran as fast as they could out of the shopping centre and jumped onto the bus. The vampire was too slow, he missed the bus! The girls were puffed and exhausted, but they were safe. Santina thanked Sophia for helping her find the book and put it safely in her bag. When she got home, she put it in her room so one could ever steal it again.

Lost & Found 

Tareq Aloraifan

Lost in a forest nowhere to go,

you could go high or stay a little low.

Look through the forest for a little light,

scavenge for a place to sleep for the night.

When you wake up in the lighted day,

you look for some food to eat for the day.

The way I got here is very very sad, 

I lost my home and now my dad.

And when I find him I’ll be so very glad.

Lost and Found

William Adams

This story starts a long time ago in a town far far away from here called  Strive town.

It is a quiet  little town and not much happened in this town but it all changed when Oliver went for a walk.

Oliver works at the bank and it is a very boring job.  He counted money. His boss gave Oliver the day off for lots of hard work.

He went down to the river to swim but just as he got in a massive monster rose it’s head and tried to bite Oliver but half an inch away something saved him and fought the monster. Oliver ran home but the thing followed him Home. you see this thing did not have a home.  

So Oliver made him one in his backyard, he made it out of some old bed and lots of rags. This thing was not too big but not small.

He was about 3.meters high and 1. Metre wide.

The next day Oliver went to work.  The thing followed him to his work 

and just sat in the corner of the room looking very sad. So Oliver got the toy. The toy was Oliver’s old toy from when he was a kid.

That night Oliver went and put up posters  with a picture of the thing on it. 

Oliver stayed up all night putting posters in the street.

After 2 weeks  of no one calling to get the thing Oliver was so mad because he had no where to put the thing. 

But one day when Oliver was making his way home he Saw a bus with a poster on it and it said if you have something that does not fit  in call 04191XX4XX. 

So Oliver called the number, it was a robot speaking and they said to go to Malcolm Avenue. Oliver and the thing went there and there were so Many things that did not have a home but they did now.

 The thing was happy and it lived happily ever after.