Creative Writing

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DRUMLANRIG CREATIVE WRITING MASTER CLASS
The pieces of writing shown below are ‘works in progress’ developed from exercises in Creative Writing at the Master Class this week

Castle Stories
Students were asked consider a situation for a short story or ‘flash fiction’. They were asked to consider the setting of a castle, not necessarily Drumlanrig, and a conflict arising between parent and child. The students were encouraged to think about their surroundings and find inspiration from the tour, reflecting the benefits of research based storytelling. They were encouraged to think about how their experience affected all their senses. The pieces below were written following their tour of the castle.

Cassandra Casson Kirkcudbright Academy
“Will both of you stand still!” Charlie and his twin sister Gemma reluctantly came to a slow walk. “Can’t we go and explore” asked Gemma. “Yeah, who needs a tour guide” added Charlie. The air was damp and had the sort of chill that clings to your clothes no matter how much warmer you tried to get. “Walking slowly is not standing still” said their mother in exasperation. Angrily they came to a complete halt while their mother buried her nose in a guide book. For a moment all the children could do was watch a rain cloud coming threateningly nearer. “This way”, she announced. “You got any wise ideas?”, asked Charlie. He didn’t think he could endure a guided tour. “I have a sparkler in my pocket”, said Gemma. The twins looked at each other and grinned. “One guided tour coming up”, Charlie exclaimed. Their tour guide was an elderly man who seemed to be more of a machine than a human being. “In 1883 this furniture was restored to its original appearance. The man that chose the blue velvet was the man in the painting above the fireplace who……”. “Died of boredom before he reached fifty”, said Gemma in the same dead-pan voice as the guide.

Castle Stories continued...
Brian Wield Maxwelltown High School
“And in this next room you will see a lovely painting of the first King and just underneath a bust made to celebrate his birthday”. Jake let out a small sigh, how much longer could this possibly go on? He looked down at his watch that informed him it was only 12 o’clock and he had only been here five minutes. As he let his arm drop to his side the small golden clock that sat above the beautifully hand painted fireplace chimed quietly. He felt his mother tap his arm and he looked at her blankly. “Jake, don’t just stand there, move”. The group had moved further into the room. “This bust was originally kept in another castle” the tour guide continued in his dull, dreary voice, he didn’t even try to seem excited. “Did you hear that Jake?” his mother was annoyed. “Ermm…yeah, sure Mum”, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand which only made her more angry. She whispered in his ear, “We are spending time together, I’m sorry you would rather be at the cinema or the arcade with your friends, but you are here”, her voice changed, pleading with Jake, “please just try and enjoy yourself”. Jake turned from his mother and the bust once again caught his eye. He smiled and looked at the rope that separated the fancy old French furniture with the slight musty smell from him. “What is the rope for? he asked. The tour guide finished whatever he was saying and turned to him, “It’s where you’re not allowed to cross boy”, he then turned his back to Jake. “Boy?”, thought Jake, “I’m sixteen”. He sneered at the guide’s back and sneaked over the rope, he quietly walked over to the bust and in one quick movement slapped it with the palm of his hand and rushed back to where he originally stood. The bust hit the ground with a loud thud but did not break. The group spun around and saw the bust lying there. The tour guide, in shock, just stood there. Jake’s mum met his eyes as he laughed to himself. She steamed towards him, grabbed his arm and stormed back the way they came. Once outside she stopped, her face scarlet red, and began to shout, “How could you have done that, what if it broke?” “Did what? I was standing behind the rope” “I know you did it somehow Jake, what an embarrassment”. “Yeah, well so is being seen with you”. Her eyes gleamed, the fury burning brightly. She looked at him and then suddenly the anger was overtaken by defeat, “Get in the car”. Jake opened the door, sat down and buckled his seat belt, smiling as the car drove off.

Castle Stories continued...
Dan Annison Maxwelltown High School
“As you may have noticed, on these walls there are some symbols. These symbols are the magnificent coat of arms…”. ‘Boy, this guide could talk’, thought Eddie. ‘Here’s me on a hot summer’s day, stuck in a boring old castle’. He let loose a fake yawn. What felt like a million pairs of disapproving eyes stared in his direction, his mum included. “What do you think you are doing?” hissed his mother through clenched teeth. “Do you want us thrown out?” ‘Preferably’, Eddie thought. “I can’t help it that I’m bored, ancient pictures of ancient people aren’t exactly interesting”. “…and legend says that a yellow monkey is said to roam these corridors. However, if you see it, don’t feed it. We have been trying to get rid of it for years”. A ripple of laughter came from the audience. ‘A yellow monkey’, thought Eddie, ‘interesting’. “Mum, Mum, look! The yellow monkey! I see it!” exclaimed Eddie. “Don’t be silly, it’s not true”. “There, there, can’t you see it? By the window, look”. “Eddie, I’ve told you before, it’s not true. Now shut up, you’re embarrassing me”. This is what Eddie wanted. His mum was getting angry. ‘Just a bit more and we’ll be gone’ he thought. By now a few of the audience were starting to mutter among themselves. “Kids these days”, one said, “they treat everywhere as a playground”. “You can’t blame the kid, his mother is just allowing him”, another mumbled. ‘And now for the grand finale’, thought Eddie. “Mum, Mum, look over there. It’s pointing at me and laughing”, shouted Eddie. With that he tore around the room, chasing the imaginary monkey and hurling dire threats at it. “Come here, you hairy creature! I’ll teach you to laugh at me”. Eddie then launched himself off a sofa but misjudged the landing. He clattered into the chest of drawers, scattering priceless heirlooms onto the floor. He picked himself up, rubbed the dirt off his clothes and looked at his mum. He ran back. “Mum, mum, can we stay for longer? This place is fun!” His mum’s shocked expression turned to one of embarrassment then anger. She stormed out, dragging Eddie with her. “But Mum, I want to stay longer!” His mum glowered at him, “this is the last time we are ever coming back”. Eddie grinned, ‘Result!’

Morgan McQueen Maxwelltown High School ‘Man Down’
“No, Henry, no!" It fell with a crash! The tin man was no longer present. Instead there lay a pile of metal mess. Henry looked at what he had created. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him now. All pointing to him like daggers. He felt like a mouse, so small and timid. Everyone had seen it happen, even his mum. She stood there with a bright red face, about to explode, she looked like a beetroot. She too felt his embarrassment. People who worked for the castle scrambled in, attempting to fix the explosion on the floor. Henry’s mum grabbed him, dragging his whole body towards a corner in the room. A big painting was there, hanging on the wall. It was dark; but its face beamed out like a candle in the dark. It scared Henry very much. His mum looked at him in disgust. The crowd across the room were all talking about them, sneering and exchanging looks. He didn’t even want to be here. It smelt like a room of dead dogs; his Gran’s house sprang to

Lenny Greatorex Wallace Hall
Matt slouches forward as he follows the guide through several sets of identical rooms as Sam runs ahead of him and, at times, ahead of the artificially charismatic commentator. Matt was only putting up with this because Sam seemed so fond of castles but rarely had a chance to visit them. Matt’s patience was wearing thin. By now the tour was lasting longer than it was supposed to. Sam turned to Matt, he was smiling widely, with no other option Matt returned the smile. More than boredom, anxiety began to plague Matt. Since he was small castles had frightened him. More than the darkness between the walls, the faint light from the slits in the sleeping blackness had always intimidated him. As a child he hated every moment and if it were up to him he would never have returned to one of these old castles in his lifetime. He remained calm enough to appear to those around him as if only frustrated and Sam was enjoying himself too much to take in Matt’s concealed stress. The end was in sight though and so Matt decided to persevere a little longer...

Meghan Hughes Maxwelltown High School
“Tommy!” screeched the woman as she glanced quickly at her six year old son running behind the windows dragging behind him a seventeenth century sword. The entire group stopped to gaze upon this boy. Tommy caught sight of his mother and quickly turned, running back down the hall, dragging the sword with him. The blade snagged on the carpet ripping apart the insignia on the coat of arms embroidered onto it. The woman dashed to the nearest door, down a flight of stairs and along the corridor. Finally, catching sight of him, she headed through a small passage to cut him off. Tommy, still running, kept looking behind him to be sure no-one was following. He turned round, straight into the arms of his mother. Her face was red and her eyes glowered down at him. He quickly dropped the sword, shooting a nervous smile at his mother. She grabbed Tommy’s hand, looking up she saw the trail of destruction the sword had caused. There before her was the Lord of the castle, he strode up towards them chuckling. Laying his hand on her shoulder he simply said, “Boys will be boys!”

Monologues
The students randomly picked an opening line from a ‘lucky dip’ and were asked to write a monologue using this line. They were encouraged to think about their character’s ‘voice’. Cassandra Casson Kirkcudbright Academy
I just got that feeling, you know, the one where you feel like you’ve been here before. Maybe it’s the way the shadow is falling on the floorboards or the echoes of the room. How many times have I moved house now? Well, it’s at the point where if I go in to a carpet shop it smells like a second home. “Which room would you like”? asks my mum. “I like this one”. The floor is just bare boards and the walls still have traces of paint from the previous owner. I don’t mind moving house. It’s fun, just as much as it is sad. The reason we move house so much isn’t because my Dad’s in the Navy or something like that. When we feel like we have outgrown somewhere, we move somewhere new. It reminds me of painting new paintings – you start with a blank canvas which you can make your own...

Dan Annison Maxwelltown High School
I could feel everything falling apart. Everything I had done, said and felt was now just crumbling away like a ruined castle. I had tried so hard to get here and now I was left clutching nothing. How could he, why would he do that? He knew how much it meant to me and now he had just turned his back and walked away. So much time, money and effort had been used, I felt it had all been in vain. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. I would carry on myself, showing him and the rest of the world I could do something with my life, that I wasn’t a waste of space. A ruined castle is not a ruin if it is repaired. I will repair my life and come back stronger than ever. I will succeed, or die trying.

Morgan McQueen Maxwelltown High School
What would you have done? Try putting yourself in my shoes. I really didn’t mean to harm anyone. Just a few beers, that was all, just a few. I didn’t think anything of it when I stepped in to the driver’s seat. Everything after that moment is a blur. I remember everyone singing in the back and having a really good time. I wanted it to be a special night for everyone since it was Jenny’s birthday, something we would all remember and laugh about. The corner came too fast and…and… what would you have done?

Monologues continued...
Nicola Irvine Maxwelltown High School
What more could I have done? The end was inevitable. He had it coming and I was glad. I wouldn’t change the way I went about it for the world. It was an average day. I hadn’t planned a single thing but I knew my main objective. It was the day of the premiere of the long awaited ‘opera fever’. The people who worked at the theatre were busy setting it up, placing lights and handing out leaflets to passers-by. The time was coming. I had decided to hide behind a single booth at the top of the theatre where I knew no-one would go. It looked down upon my victim. I had the skills, the equipment and the time to carry out a successful mission. The opera was beginning, the sweet chime of female voices echoed throughout the large room. I lay in wait for the perfect time to attack. I felt it. A pulse inside me told me to act quickly. I tilted the barrel of the gun and positioned it to fire. One, two, three, Bang! My mission was complete. I had killed Mr Lincoln.

Meghan Hughes Maxwelltown High School
I just didn’t think. I could have stopped. Oh, why didn’t I? He was right there, in front of me. I could have pressed the brake. I could have saved his life. I was doing nineteen, under the speed limit. He just ran out. He stopped. Still. Right there in front of me. He just stood there. By the time I hit the break he had crashed into my bonnet and over the windshield. I should have been more aware. I should have stopped at the crossing. I just didn’t think.

Landscapes
The students were asked to think of five words to describe a landscape. Using these words they undertook an exercise in ‘free writing’ whereby they wrote continuously for five minutes. Cassandra Casson Kirkcudbright Academy
Italian Village - The vineyards are emerald green and I can just see the red grapes beginning to ripen under the leaves. The road is dusty and I can feel the heat of the sun coming off the saddle and the sunlight reflecting off the metal rings of the bridle. Up ahead, buildings of pale stone crown the top of a hill. As I pass the vineyards and fields of cattle other horses pass with the rhythmical clopping sound of hooves. I reach the wall that surrounds the historic town. It is thick and worn down from centuries of wind and rain. Inside the gates a market is underway. The town square is alive with shoppers and the constant call of the stall holders echoes among the stone walls. It’s a sea of colour, yellow bananas, green apples and peas, shining black olives glint in the sun and freshly picked grapes are clustered together in wooden crates lined with brown paper...

Brian Wield Maxwelltown High School
The water is reflective. It reflects my world back at me with a tint of black as I continue down the coast on this dark and gloomy night. I see the waves begin rising again and again, like the chest of a man as he sleeps. I am riding through the night, finding it hard to see in this stormy weather as the mist creeps over the sea and climbs at the cliff face, threatening to capture and swallow me whole. I am riding through the thunder and lightening. I follow the path so close to the edge of the cliff with the blue tinted world now gone, swallowed by the night and the now crashing waves. I am riding towards a town I have only ever been to once, hoping I am going the right way as the mist begins to form some sort of veil over my eyes. I feel as if there is a presence, a dark presence. I wonder if all is okay in the world. I am riding to the town that has seen much devastation and I can’t help but feel this place is an omen of some kind. As I arrive at a jet black castle my fear and anxiety does not fade.

Landscapes continued...
Dan Annison Maxwelltown High School
Highland Landscape - It’s so deserted I feel as though I am the only living thing for miles around. The feel of the place is wild, a primeval place that hasn’t changed for millions of years. The tops of the hills reach high into the sky, shrouded in mist. I stand on top of one looking across this windswept place. It is sparse. The things that live here among the craggy hills are mostly trees, creaking in the wind. They resent your presence, as though this treacherous place is theirs. Their branches claw at you, their leaves rustle….

Nicola Irvine Maxwelltown High School
The cool wind blows through my hair. By the side of one lake edge each blue wave tumbles over the other. The lush green grass and hills surround me like a fortress. The fog seeps in and surrounds the water’s edge, similar to some treacherous presence. The air encourages leaves to fall to the ground creating a carpet of different shades. Old Nessie lies asleep…..

Meghan Hughes Maxwelltown High School
Stranded, a thousand miles from anywhere. I left Thebes on my camel over three days ago in search of Hamanapatra, the city of the dead. Yes, at this point I wish I was! Untold treasures, my backside! The camel’s gone for five days without water, the sun beats down on my back, the nights chill me to the bone. The only nourishment I’ve had is, by chance, catching a cobra. And let me tell you, they may be a delicacy here, but they taste foul! Sometimes I think I am near water but it is only ever a mirage or, once, a group of Scarabs. They looked so much like water with the sun glistening off their shells. My only comfort is the soft sand beneath my feet which I fear will soon become my tomb.

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