A Change Of Imagination

• Chloe Brown, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2017

Hi, let me introduce myself. I’m Helen and I am elev- KNOCK, KNOCK! What’s that? An alien octopus from space, a giant pirate wearing underpants, an evil maths book coming for me? No, just my MEAN and EVIL principal. We have to call him Principal Smith, but I call him Smelly Socks Smith. That probably explains why I’m on detention everyday. I call him this because, oh boy his feet stink!
“Helen Scottish-Kilt, get here right now!” screeches Smith. As I walk over his red face reminds me of the juicy red tomato I ate this morning.
“Wearing odd socks again I see,” says Smith. I look down at my feet. One pink, one orange. I can’t help myself from doing these things, I just have a wild imagination. I sit down at Smith’s desk.
“Congratulations, perfection, brilliance is sitting right in front of me!” says Smelly Socks, as he shakes my hand. I was sort of expecting a really crossface like usual, but okay I’m fine with this.
“But what have I done that is so brilliant?” I ask Smith.
“Your essay Helen, you received an A+!” he replies. I start to feel sick, now I can’t draw pictures of tyrannosaurus Rex’s playing soccer, or flying pancake pigs in class time.
“Nooooooooooo!” I scream in my head. Smith sends me back to class. I know I should feel as happy as a dog when it receives a bone, but I earn E’s not A+’s.
When school finishes, I walk home sadly with my head hung low. There is no way I’m telling my parents about this. I run to my bedroom to draw in my book, but suddenly I don’t feel interested.
“I’m sure playing with Thomas will cheer me up,” I say. We play clash of the African flying animals, but I can’t think of any good names.
“Shaved neck bird,” says Thomas.
“Ferocious lion,” I reply. What am I saying? I run away embarrassed and go to sleep that night.
When I wake up, mum asks me what I would like for breakfast. “Bacon and eggs,” I reply. Mum looks surprised. Wait, bacon and eggs? That’s what the royals eat! I force my food down that tastes like fart and burnt bark.
“Remember, your essay is due today,” says mum.
“Oh yeah,” I reply.
I arrive at school to find everything looking simple and normal. My teacher hands me my essay sheet.
“I’m expecting big things from you Helen,” says Miss Jordan with an eyebrow raised. As the timer starts, I think about what Miss Jordan said. I write down some stupid story I read a couple of years ago, and draw a beast reading a comic over it. I hand my writing to Miss Jordan who takes it to Principal Smith. Three seconds after I hear,
“Heleeeeen Scottish- Kiiiiilt!” I think I just earned myself an E!