Sculptures of the imagination,
Hanging in the sky,
Floating, flying, flinging onwards,
But staying side by side.
Dancing with the breeze,
Forming shapes at ease,
Almost as though saying;
Come with me, please!
When I look up to the sky,
This is what I see,
I see that this is,
What clouds are to me.

“The fire began shortly before 9am yesterday in the bedroom of the house in Kauika Rd, Whangarei, and may have started by the two boys playing with matches, said police.

The name of the dead child, a five-year-old, had yet to be released. His three-year-old brother was in a critical condition in Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital.

The two men carried both to the front lawn where an attempt was made to revive the older child and the younger boy was given first aid.

The occupants were alerted by a passer-by who saw smoke pouring from the eaves.

One of the people living in the house and the boys’ stepfather ran to the bedroom but burnt their hands on the door handle and had to kick down the door.

Northland police said “initial indications” showed the fire began in the children’s bedroom and matches were found in the room.

All four smoke alarms in the house had no batteries.” -stuff.co.nz

I think the two men should be given an award for doing this. I mean, it’s not every day that your house catches on fire, and you save a life. I’ve also read different stories where people doing great deeds like this got a medal.

I don’t think it was a very smart idea to play with matches. Maybe the boys’ parents should have realised what the two were doing, so the tragedy never had to happen. At my old school, people came in to talk to us about fire dangers- they mentioned never playing with matches. But the two young boys might not have been to school yet, so they wouldn’t have learnt about fire safety.

The men were very courageous, considering the situation. I can only hope that if anything similar happens at my house, I can be as heroic as them.

I was getting ready for school this morning and I happened to glance at The New Zealand Herald newspaper on my way past the kitchen bench. My eyes fell upon an article about this, and I had a quick read. The newspaper’s title on the story shocked me, so I was eager to find out more.

An outbreak of Staphylococcus Aureus (a deadly bacteria) has infected at least 21 babies at Auckland’s City Hospital. This bacteria can cause diseases such as Meningitis, Pneumonia, Septicemia and Toxic Shock Syndrome for babies. It isn’t so bad for the rest of us though, usually producing only boils. But the bacteria is one of the top three fatal infections for newborn babies. All of the babies are being tested for the infection, and some of them are already seriously ill. But the hospital staff aren’t entirely sure if this is because of Staphylococcus Aureus or not.

I was pretty gutted when I read the article about this, because I thought of the babies’ mothers and/or fathers, and how it must have affected them. I mean, how would you feel if you had just gotten a new pet or something, and then you found out that they may be about to die? Yeah. Pretty disappointed. I wish that there was some way we could help the babies and their families, but for now all we can do is hope that they get better.

The lights were starting to darken, but my feelings of excitement were starting to lighten! I was sitting in our town Woolshed theatre, and the musical ‘Blood Brothers’ was just about to start. Me, my mum, and a ‘couple’ of her work friends were all there. Mum and her friends had planned to go the week before, but I had persuaded her to let me come too, because I absolutely love drama, and going to musicals. She agreed, seeing as it was the night of my birthday anyway!

The performance started off with a choir-like song, behind an eerie clear curtain. Then the narrator appeared up in a window, and told us in his poetic, booming voice, an insight into the tale we were about to experience. The story starts with a pregnant Mrs Johnstone singing of her problems, including having 5 kids, no husband, and very little money. The woman she works for, Mrs Lyons, convinces Mrs Johnstone to give her one of the not-yet-born twins. Mrs Johnstone gives in, and they swear over the bible. Within the month, the twins are born. Even though she is doubtful, Mrs Johnstone passes on a twin to Mrs Lyons. (Eddie)

Mrs Lyons fires Mrs Johnstone, in fear that she is getting too close to her son. The two brothers, now named Mickey and Eddie, are brought up in different life styles. Mickey lives in a poor, undisciplined world with 5 siblings, while Eddie is showered with anything he desires, and is an only child. The boys end up meeting each other, and forming a special bond. They call themselves ‘Blood Brothers’, but are still unaware of their real connection. The mothers found out, and are furious at first. But kind hearted Mrs Johnstone finds it hard to not like Eddie, and grants him a special locket.
Mrs Lyons is trying to avoid the past, as the narrator keeps reminding her, and so moves away with Eddie, and her husband, up into the hills. Mrs Johnstone, without realising, follows her. The boys grow up some more, but then find each other again. Mickey’s girlfriend Linda starts to accompany them on their little adventures as they develop into young men. Meanwhile, Mrs Lyons discovers that Mrs Johnstone is living near her, and attempts to murder her, but fails and goes mad.

One day Eddie announces that he is headed to college/university. While he is gone, everything changes. Mickey and Linda become engaged, and Linda discovers that she is pregnant. Mickey gets caught up in an attempted robbery and murder with his brother Sammy, and is sentenced to 7 years in jail. He gets addicted to anti-depressant pills. Eddie then arrives back from college, and admits to Linda that he has always loved her. Linda realises that Eddie is the only person she has to turn to. Mickey finds out about them, and goes on a rampage to find Eddie. He does, and threatens to shoot him. Then Mrs Johnstone appears and begs Mickey to stop. And she finally confesses the truth about the twins’ connection. Mickey realises that Linda was all he had left, and that now she had been taken from him. He shoots Eddie, and the police shoot Mickey.

I really enjoyed this musical. My favourite character was by far the narrator. The poetic way he spoke really drew in the audience. So did the way he loomed over some particular scenes, just watching the characters talk.

I also liked the actual storyline. The overall plot isn’t very realistic, but it gets a little more so towards the end. The deliberate lack of props in some scenes left a lot of room for acting, and for imagination. For instance, instead of having a bus, there would just be a steering wheel. Or, instead of a fence, there would only be a climbing block. If this musical opens again somewhere for show, I would definitely recommend it!

It was interval, and my friends and I were sitting around talking and eating. One of my friends said that she had seen a dead ginger cat on our street. The words hit me like a bomb. I pestered her for more information, and the description she gave me sounded just like my cat. She said that it was after I had left to go on the bus. I could picture my cat chasing a stray pet across the road without checking for cars. All day these horrible thoughts ran through my mind and I found it hard to concentrate on any of my school work. All I wanted to do was go home and check if it was my cat who had been hit by a car. On the bus ride home, I started to feel sick. We were nearing my house and I would be getting off soon. The girls next to me started talking about their pet cats, and I felt like crying. We turned on to my road, and I scanned the ground outside my house for a trace of ginger fur. There was nothing. I got off the bus and looked down the whole street – there was no fur or anything. I couldn’t find any cat at all! I walked up our driveway and went into our house. I looked around, and I found my cat, alive and well, outside on the deck! I gave her a huge hug, and texted my best friend; ‘SHES ALIVE!!!’

This just goes to show that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear, and that you shouldn’t take anything for granted. After this happened, I gave my cat, Jaffa, so much attention that she ended up getting a bit frustrated with me. So when your mum, or dad, or dog, or someone, gives you a hug in the morning before school, don’t brush it off, hug them back because it just might be the last time you see them.