Hampden House Writing 2026 (Stars)

FOREWORD

I am delighted to present to you the 2026, Hampden House Writing magazine, ‘Stars’. House Writing always falls in a busy period of the academic year, so I am always thrilled to see our Green Army dedicate themselves to searching inwards, and crafting thoughtful and inspired pieces; this does, however, always make the editing process a gruelling process

Thank you to the Head Boys of House - Rhys, Will and James - for their continued support and leadership, as well as the editing team of Hampden 12: Oscar, Myles, Prithvi, Temi, Saeyon, Ruyan, Arjun, Max, Vrishank, Bavisan, Sam and Sai I must also thank Rishon (Hampden 10) for creating our whimsical and imaginative front cover design, as well as everyone who contributed to their Tutor Group constellations for the back cover To all those that have dedicated time and effort to the House, be proud of what you have created

This year’s theme has sparked a diverse constellation of ideas and interpretations - distant galaxies, guiding lights, dreams for the future, or the prospect of being a ‘star’ Within these pages, the unique perspectives shine, from thoughtful poetry to fantastical narratives, from fascinating biographies to in-depth reviews A huge thank you for every student who submitted work, whether or not it appears in this final collection Your willingness to take part enriches our House, and will inspire dreamers for years to come

It is a great pleasure to introduce Hampden House Writing 2026. For the last few weeks, Hampden House has come together to produce this fabulous magazine, that really showcases the incredible range of talent across the House We were astonished by the quality of some of the pieces, especially those written by the younger years, as well as the sheer number of students who submitted pieces To all of you who did, regardless of whether it made the magazine or not: thank you We really could not have done it without you

There are also some people who we must give particular thanks to First, the Year 12 editorial team Together, they went through all 130 submissions we received, and decided which should be showcased in this magazine, before designing and arranging it, including creating the art you see inside We would also like to thank our Head of House, the one and only Mr Taylor His passion, enthusiasm and vision for this event (and indeed every event) has inspired and encouraged all of us to get involved and produce something that we are all really proud of

And now, it's time for an amazing journey across the cosmos in this Hampden House Writing Magazine

James, Rhys and Will, Hampden House Head Boys

Starboy

Have You Ever Seen A Shooting Star?

Celestial Bodies

City of Stars

Nightfall

A Starfish’s Struggles

The Midnight Sky

Like Stars On Earth

My Definition of a Star

The Anchor in the Dark

Under the Same Sky

Proposal

A Galaxy Next Door

Better Star

The Crack in the Sky

Their

What Are Stars?

Recipe for a Star

From a Star’s Perspective

Change

Eternity Alone

The Economics of Space, Stars and New Worlds

How to Make a Star (Cosmic Kitchen Edition)

Night Outside My Window

Stars and Sails

The Greatest Western Ever Disturbed Stars

Harry the Imperfect Hydrogen Cloud

Lil Peep: Pioneer of Emo Rap

The Strange Incident of the Book

Formal Request for Annual Leave (Overdue by Approximately 4.6 Billion Years)

It HAD to be my time

The Weight of a Star

The

The

David ★ Ha11

Henry ★ Ha9

Casper ★ Ha8

Nick ★ Ha13

Gus ★ Ha10

Jason ★ Ha7

Cameron ★ Ha9

Prithvi ★ Ha12

Justin ★ Ha11

Dhyan ★ Ha9

Zayd ★ Ha7

Tomi ★ Ha9

Temi ★ Ha12

Dhruv ★ Ha10

Priyansh ★ Ha7

Bavisan ★ Ha12

Rinu ★ Ha7

Akein ★ Ha8

James ★ Ha13

Rohan ★ Ha12

Darius ★ Ha11

Rian ★ Ha9

Ajinth ★ Ha13 Gavin ★ Ha12

★ Ha12 Musa ★ Ha9

★ Ha8 Jacob ★ Ha13

★ Ha10

James ★ Ha8

Shaun ★ Ha13

Elvis ★ Ha7

Sam ★ Ha12

Oscar ★ Ha12

Jasper ★ Ha9

Ruyan ★ Ha12

George ★ Ha12

Max ★ Ha12

Silence

Noise Newham Hospital

The slowing steps of white and blue blurs of doctors’ jackets

The sharpened stares of entranced onlookers

The slowing simmer of a faint ECG, each distorted bleep dying away

And the innocent screams of a baby boy.

Screams so violent, that my mind was now thrown into a vacuum of noise and madness. At this point, all had stopped, all eyes on him, and the gruesome picture he’d been painted in. His endless senseless wails added colour to it. Right next to the body of my now dead wife, bringing in the pale of the palette. My son still cried. He had no idea of the world he entered. He had no idea of the mother who’d painfully left. Yet he acted like he knew all that he had just lost. I had no idea what would become of this. All I could think of was the twinkle I could now see in those eyes.

That fateful incident is now a lifetime ago. Here I am, beginning to hit the years of retirement age. Out there, is my star of a son. Football happened to him, a nature of power and prodigy that burst from him like a supernova. The ball would submit to his body’s command. It would rocket through defences and slot smoothly straight into goals His physical activity would become an art, a business, no longer a game His feet would flow like the flashes of a flood, as he allowed the titles to rain down upon him Premier League threepeat Champion of Europe Prince of London Owner of England Even the owner of the world, the glistening Ballon d’Or completing an intergalactic collection He had shown his speciality to all To me

As broken as I was As hard as I fought to keep my job, whilst I raised and nurtured him As joyfully and painfully as I cried, when football took him away from me for good The way all eventually, yet suddenly, became well The way he returned back to me, and is with me now, a break from all the conquest and vigour from his venture But now I look back upon it, there is no way that his physical presence dictates all this There is something more Something deeper about however this all happened

However he came to this Earth, however he flocked the hearts of the world, however he embraced mine: I do not know All I know is that his sole purpose may have been to heal me After all the damage I faced the day he came After all the damage even he faced He was there for me in the moments that no one else was He was there even when the scouts swiped him away to academy He is here, in my new and improved heart for him I need no fancy vocabulary to describe that Not like the flashy words which have depicted the troubles of his coming Not like the accolades to boast the glory of his prime. Our love is simple, yet his life is complicated. That is plainly the wonder of one who is not from this world.

The wonder of a boy from the stars. The wonder of a world’s number one football star My starboy.

David ★ Ha11

Have You Ever Seen A Shooting Star? 5

Have you ever seen a shooting star, When you’ve lived and died from so afar, When he saw the shooting star his life lit up upon a wish, A wish that would change his world forever more, A boy stood outside, Waiting for his siblings to abide, When suddenly it came, As bright as day, As fast as it came, it went, And as he bent he wished upon that shooting star, That he’d live on and on for all days long, A century passed and he was in the news, ‘A boy who’d lived to see the future’, ‘The oldest guy alive’, ‘Our latest archive’.

But my question is,

Would you take that wish or let it fly away, Miss that opportunity, Or would you grab that shooting star, And raise the bar, For some sporting event, Would you prevent a war on a global scale, Or would you bail out from that pressure, Of doing ‘good’, that the world would measure?

Henry ★ Ha9

City of Stars

The twilight hangs heavy, a velvet curtain drawn Over canyons of concrete that wait for the dawn Up there, the ancients are silent and cold, But down on the asphalt, the stories are bold; It’s a city of signals, of brakes and of chrome, Where the lost and the lonely finally feel home A thousand auditions in a thousand dim halls, With the echo of footsteps against painted walls, Is it a spotlight or just a streetlamp’s glare?

There’s a scent of ambition in the midnight air

We waltz on the pier while the tide rushes in,

Trading our secrets for the chance of a win, And ‘’City of Stars, are you shining for me?’’

The question hangs breathless, a soft melody. It’s the hum of the engine, the click of the keys,

The ghost of a jazz man brought to his knees,

For the stars in the heavens stay fixed in their place,

But the stars in the city have a different face.

They flicker in windows, they pulse in the beat,

They’re the hearts of dreamers on every street,

And even if Hollywood turns out its light, They’ll stay gold and glowing, the stars of the night.

Nick ★ Ha13

Celestial Bodies

Mothers, fathers, lovers or beasts, Monsters and heroes, or soldiers at least

Orion, Andromeda, Ares, Cassiopeia, You rest out there, so far, yet so near

What feats have you done to earn your place? Some are unearned, the others bathed in grace

When I sit at night, I wonder how, Your starry bodies are still here, right now

Glowing so high, helping all, Guiding sailors, so large and tall

Were you people placed there by Gods, Catasterised in the sky?

Or what are the odds, That we’ll never know why?

Perhaps you were forged, From the hand of another, Made for us humans, By our far off mother.

Or you may instead be jokes, Taunting us from afar, Made by other lifeforms, From a long distant star

Whatever you may be, Up there in the night, I will let you see, With my undying plight,

How you guide the way, And watch on from above, How you help come what may, And bask in our love

Casper ★ Ha8

Nightfall

At night, the stars wake before anyone else. They slip into the sky like tiny spells, glowing softly as if whispering secrets to the darkness. In the enchanted, magical village of Nahuru, the inhabitants believed that a star was a spark of magic and wisdom overseeing us like Gods’. When a star disappeared, the villagers thought it was a wish breaking free from its suspended cage. The children would run through fields like rabid dogs chasing the streak of light, imagining they could grasp on to the treasured wish before it touched the ground The elder, tribal leaders swore if you caught the wish, even for a split second, you could feel the warmth of ancient dreams Nahuru had no storyteller; the stars were guided by a tranquil river that coursed through the village On calm, gentle nights, the water glistened as dazzling as the stars, each one telling a different story The villagers believed that the river told the true story of the stars- not glimmers of light but minute glowing beings drifting through the universe If you leaned close enough to the damp riverbed, you could hear their serene humming On clear nights, Nahuru felt as if it were drifting between two worlds- the earth below and the glowing map above The stars made the civilians feel small and unrecognised, but in the best way, like they were part of something grand

And maybe they were, the river occasionally left behind a faint sparkle on the stones beside, perhaps reminding the villagers that some magic lived inside of them

Gus★ Ha10

A Starfish’s Struggles

In the ocean’s depths, a star resides,

Five eyes to see, hence senses so keen

No legs to leap, no fins to swim, But tiny feet, on its way to eat

A slow hunter, a silent chunter, Its arms unfold, ready to behold

The stomach emerges, as the tide converges, Digesting prey, without delay

Among the kelp, it asks for no help, Dodging the cod and trout, finding the perfect hideouts

Throughout the ocean floor, it fears no more, It blends with rocks, to avoid the shocks

A sudden strike, it’s a pike, The starfish struggles, among the scruffles.

An arm is lost, at a big cost, With a weakened form, it escapes from the storm.

Regeneration is hope, its only way to cope, Cells start to align, there is an obvious sign.

Over many days, it starts a phase,

A tiny arm appears, dispelling fears.

Back to the sea, it finds its place,

A symbol of strength, with a newfound grace

Jason ★ Ha7

The Midnight Sky

The dark night sky comes and goes, Lit up by stars so big they glow.

Each night I glance up at the sky, And can count them as much as I try.

They shine so bright I can see them in plain sight, Glowing across this darkened night

Every now and then in the dead of night, A shooting star, a spectacular sight

But not all nights are the same, Depending on the lighting down our lane

The light pollution that this causes, Can sometimes block out the starlight courses

In the dead of night when there is no light, It is the best time to see the stars shining so bright

The shapes and patterns of the constellations, Helped sailors for years get to their destinations

So when I look up at the midnight sky, I marvel in wonder at the stars shining back at my eye.

Cameron ★ Ha9

Like Stars On Earth

Taare Zameen Par is an Indian Hindi film from 2007. It is very unique in its storytel boy's perspective. The story revolves around the child’s dyslexia and the society, including his own family’s attitude towards him. It highlights the unreasonable expectations of adults from children and also their inaction and resistance to knowledge and awareness The movie covers a wide spectrum of challenges children face in urban India: hostility, harsh punishments, intolerance, disdain, comparison, discrimination, disappointment and finally abandonment It showcases the huge lack of understanding of what the child really wants versus what parents and teachers expect of them

The movie opens with some insight into Ishaan’s own imagination, which is quickly contrasted with reality He is constantly berated and punished at home and at school, due to his lack of academic ability and he is eventually sent away to boarding school as a punishment Without his parents and brother, and with the new school being much the same, Ishaan spirals into depression and even contemplates suicide, before his only friend, Rajan, stops him The art teacher at the school is then replaced by Nikumbh, who is a teacher at a school for children with special needs Nikumbh’s teaching style greatly contrasts the other teachers, and he soon notices Ishaan’s depression, and he does not engage in art during lessons He becomes the first to realise Ishaan has dyslexia, which is the reason for his academic difficulties, as Nikumbh himself went through the same thing He takes it upon himself to tutor Ishaan, and visits his parents to inform them of his situation and call them out on their ignorance He discovers Ishaan’s passion for art, and uses it to tutor him alongside other techniques, which is successful and Ishaan manages to excel in his school At the end of the school year, Nikumbh hosts a school-wide art competition, and Ishaan wins

Ishaan is introduced as an incredibly attentive child with a great ability to use the observations of the world around him, cementing him as a visual learner. This is primarily expressed through his artwork. Throughout the film, his paintings are used to showcase his view on the world, such as a flipbook animating his separation from his parents. His exploration through the streets of Mumbai is particularly notable, and is elegantly concluded with him mixing drops of paint, which later reveals itself to be an ice lolly he watched another child eat on their father’s shoulders. This theme of colour and art represents Ishaan’s imagination and childhood is combatted with using the depiction of his school and his parents. The school is shown with a grey, monotonous tone, with students walking single-file into the building, those with imperfect uniforms having to stand aside. At home, his family’s routine is robotic and repetitive, with no room for imagination. The film highlights how there is a lack of tolerance for imperfection, and contrasts this with its subtitle, “Every Child is Special”.

Aamir Khan plays the role of Nikumbh, the art teacher who turns around Ishaan’s life, has the best dialogue in the movie and therefore has a strong impact The teacher and student have a strong affectionate chemistry that touches the audience every time they are in the same frame The film is also directed by Aamir Khan As is his style, Aamir Khan stays true to the story and keeps the focus on the message that needs to be conveyed He stays away from glamour and ancillary plots and delivers a film that you do not mind watching again The score and soundtrack of the film complement the scene greatly, for example the song, “Maa” is extremely soulful and heartbreaking when Ishaan is separated from his mother The cinematography in the film relates to Ishaan Most of the shots are from Ishaan’s eye level Adults are shown towering over him so we feel the intimidation When Ishaan is in his world the shots are vibrant, colourful and bright highlighted with interesting animations

This film is very well made, with an elegant soundtrack, amazing writing and direction, and outstanding actor performances that capture the heart of the audience The film’s message is emphasised throughout by how children are like stars on Earth You will find yourself shedding tears of happiness by the end of the movie, showing how successful it was in its story

My Definition of a Star

At a young age, I asked my parents what a star was. We were learning about space, and I wanted to be prepared for our next lesson in school. They told me that it was a really big burning ball in the sky, that the Earth orbited all the time. It seemed so impossible yet so interesting that for the next week I spent all my time learning about stars. I found out about new facts about other stars that existed. I learned that they were made of primarily hydrogen and helium, that they had their own gravitational pull, and that they were extremely hot. To say I was addicted was an understatement; I loved researching them. One day I told my friends about my newfound passion for astronomy, particularly the stars in the sky. All of them seemed to be just as interested as I was with all that I had to share with them, until a boy interrupted me.

“That wasn’t what I was told. My mummy told me a star is something very different.”

That was all it took to stop me in my tracks I turned to him in shock How could that be possible? Surely my parents couldn’t have lied to me They would never do that, right?

“Well what were you told?” I replied

“A star isn’t a big glowing thing like you said My mummy said I was a star, just like my pet doggy, my friends and everyone else!” What he said stuck to me like glue I had never heard of such a thing before

Over the weekend my curiosity got the best of me I stormed up to my parents’ room, glowering at the fact I had been lied to I burst open the door, just to witness them both reading quietly My sudden appearance hadn’t the slightest effect on them, which fueled my rage further How could I have been betrayed so heartlessly, yet my parents didn’t care for it at all?

“What’s bothering you, dear?” My mother finally asked

“Why did you lie to me? I was told a star is something completely different at school You made me a fool of myself!” I poured my innocent heart out, unable to understand that I hadn’t really been lied to Their following casual chuckle made me feel even more insignificant to them

“A star isn’t just a big ball on fire in the sky my son, “ my father continued, “it’s also a metaphor for something important to you That’s why you are a star to me ” This revelation shattered my confidence in what I thought I knew I needed more information

“Is Milo a star?” I asked quietly, afraid to question what I really knew The dog peered over to us as his name was mentioned, his orange-brown eyes swallowing me with an unsettling sense that I was no longer as confident with my own knowledge.

“He sure is, son.”

“What makes a star, father?” This was the one lingering question on my mind that I felt would answer everything for me. In response, my father gave me the key to my own mystery.

“So many things. Inspiration. A guidance. Constancy. Hope. They are all qualities that make me think of a star. For example, you give me hope, a sense of constancy, and are my inspiration all at once, which is why you are my own star. Even though you aren’t a floating giant ball in the sky, you shine just as bright.” Never had I felt so valuable at once.

The next week came along and my friends asked for more information about stars that I had acquired. I thought about the different kinds of stars that existed, but I eventually chose to talk about a specific type of star I had only discovered recently

“There is also a star in all of us, that shines just as brightly as any other star would You just have to let it shine for the people that need it for guidance ” Despite looking slightly confused, they all understood what I was talking about, and from then on became just as radiant as the Sun If you asked me what a star was a week before that moment, I would have talked physically of an everlasting giant ball in our solar system that was significant for our entire existence If you ask me now, I would talk metaphorically of the importance of the constant stars in my own life

Justin ★ Ha11

The Anchor in the Dark

Sometimes, the world kind of feels like it’s turned up to max volume Between the constant ping of my phone and the teachers talking about the next subject for an exam, my head usually feels like a browser with way too many tabs open I felt like I was being squashed by everyone’s expectations, so I just went to the back garden to chill and find some peace and quiet.

The air was chilly, but it did feel good. As the sun finally disappeared, the sky changed from a bruised purple to a deep, heavy blackish blue. That’s when the stars appeared. In the city, you can’t usually see much because of the bright orange street lamps, but tonight the clouds had moved off to the side like a show was going to start.

Looking up at them, I remembered what we learnt in science. It’s weird to think that those tiny, calm-looking dots are actually MASSIVE, violent balls of fire and gas. They are millions or gazillion miles away, screaming with energy, but from my garden, it looks like diamonds dropped onto black velvet. Some of that light must have been travelling and floating around space just to hit my eyes.

I finally found the North Star after a couple of minutes My grandad always called it “The Anchor of the Sky” He told me that before stuff like Google Maps, there was the star that was their compass and would let them find their way home across the ocean It doesn’t move anywhere like the others; it's just unchanging In a world where everything just changes so fast, like trends, friends, even your own mood, it’s pretty cool about something that just stays put

I realised then that we are always told to “be a star” or “reach for the top”, but that’s just creating a lot of pressure Stars don’t try to be the brightest ones; they just exist Compared to a billion-year-old star, my homework or messy room didn’t really feel like a big deal anymore

I stayed out there until my breath was turning into light mist from the cold air I didn’t feel like I was getting squashed anymore I felt small, but in a good way The stars were not just lights in the sky; they were a reminder that no matter how messy things got down here, the map above us never changes I went back inside, and for the first time all day, the silence felt okay

Dhyan ★ Ha9

Under the Same Sky

June 23rd 2026

Dear Diary,

Last night, my family and I went to a park While they were playing and eating, I would lay still on my mat When everything got quiet and dark, the stars came out They looked like tiny dots of light scattered across the sky Sometimes there are only a few, and sometimes there are so many it feels like the whole sky is covered in them I think stars make the night feel less scary and more peaceful

When I looked at the stars, I felt calm It’s like the world slows down for a moment During the day, everything is busy and loud, but at night it feels different The stars just shine quietly and don’t ask for anything They just exist, and that makes them special

I like to think that other people are looking at the same stars at the same time as me Maybe someone in another country is staring up at the sky and thinking about their life too It’s kind of cool to know we are all under the same sky, even if we are far away from each other

I tried to find shapes in the stars They can look like animals or random patterns if you use your imagination It’s fun to make up your own stories about them Stars make you think about space and how big the universe is, and how small we are compared to it But instead of feeling scary, it feels amazing

I also saw a shooting star It happens really fast, and you have to be lucky to see one People say you should make a wish when you see it Even if it’s just a silly tradition, it still makes the moment feel magical

I think stars are important because they remind us to look up once in a while They remind us that there is more to the world than homework, phones, and everyday problems They make the night beautiful, and they make us wonder about things we don’t always think about

Even though stars are far away, they feel close when you’re standing outside looking at them. That’s why I like them.

Zayd ★ Ha7

Proposal

As heavy smoke eddied from the chimneys of terraced houses overlooking the park, a bench occupied by a couple creaked under their weight The ambient, saturated lights bounced energetically off surfaces in contrast to the absence of clamour The verdant vegetation was idle in anticipation and animals ceased stirring as if waiting It seemed all processes had halted. The only people present were the couple on the bench. The man, tall and modestly dressed, turned to his significant other and his eyes were fixated on hers. ‘Before we go home, I have one query,’ he continued before she could respond. ‘Will you marry me?’

She was flustered. Unable to move, her mouth quivered. She couldn’t think straight and her mind was in a state of bedlam. Up became down and down became up He was now crouched on a knee adjacent to the bench and looked up at her with eyes that shone with hope at the prospect of embarking on a new beginning with her ‘You don’t have to ans-’ ‘Yes!’ she exclaimed ‘Absolutely, yes!’ she added emphatically

They had finished fitting their newly bought rings, which were glistening with life; He had started to ponder aloud ‘If you look up into the sky and gaze at the stars, you can find a myriad of constellations tightly bound together As long as we live, we can never see the constellations separate ’ ‘Yeah,’ she responded whilst attempting to catch a fleeting glimpse of the conspicuous constellations above

A Galaxy Next Door

They say stars seem everlasting, ever bright, But not a single star could fuel my heart this night

For my light, my hope, my love, my star, Had departed from my life, and with it, tore my heart

As I looked up into the night sky, My mind flooded with her, and I cried out, “Why?” Why couldn’t she stay? Why did she have to fly? Throughout my mind were thoughts I wanted to deny.

I knew her, I loved her, and for all the time, Now I hold onto her belongings, somehow supposedly mine, Thinking it was enough, yet I still couldn’t climb The mountain of doubt, of grief, and of grime.

My friends say, “Move on!” I keep my mouth shut, Drinks call my name, but I kept them cut For as much as I love her, I will never fall, So that I’ll meet her, for when I am called

As isolated as Pluto, the way that I feel, I will keep on living, in this life that is real

Although the time of my love, my Star, is done, I will live in her name until my light is gone

Temi ★ Ha12

Better Star

They always said aim high, as high as the stars sit.

“Reach for the stars. ” My teacher stumbled on. As if they were ornaments that could be plucked and taken at heart's wish. Shiny certificates lined up against the walls in perfect unison as though they were an army walking down the streets of their capital, showing off their discipline and honour; they were gold with five pointy ends. Stars for effort. Stars for progress. Stars for excellence. Stars for attitude. I collected them with care, lining them up in my room the same way as in our class, in perfect unison.

At first, it felt loving Stars are warm things As soon as my name was read out in assembly, I was hugged with the sound of applause, grasping me tightly, holding me, telling me they were proud I quickly learned from this that shining meant approval, acceptance Shining was worth it

So I burned even brighter

I dragged myself through long revision sessions at midnight I answered every question, even when my throat tightened I said “yes” to every opportunity, every competition, every expectation that waddled my way Countless times saying the same four words again: “Am I shining enough?”

Stars don’t choose to burn or shine in the sky, brightening the otherwise black, lifeless blanket that would have been over us They plainly collapse inwards, crushed by their own gravity until the pressure ignites them No one tells you the dark twist of brilliance It’s the weight of others' expectations

The more praise you get, the heavier you feel “You're a star pupil”, “I wish all my students were like you”, “ You will go far” Each sentence, each word, each letter, adds weight, invisible to the eye but heavy on the mind

Stars look constant, still from the Earth. Steady and reliable. However, inside, they are violent, constant reactions causing sweltering heats. Eventually, the fuel does run out, showing even the brightest can not burn forever.

The first crack was small, a test score which was lower than usual. A flicker instead of a flare, the applause felt thinner this time; it wasn’t gripping on to me as tightly, it felt less proud, less amazed. I remember staring at the ceiling that night, thinking about what happens to stars when they dim.

Some collapse quietly without a sound. Some explode, leaving a show, brief but unforgettable. Maybe the sky doesn't need another lost star. Maybe I did not have to be the brightest star in the room.

Dhruv ★ Ha10

The Crack in the Sky

Have you ever seen those pictures of the night where it looks like there is a huge crack in the sky? If you have then have you wondered what it is and how we can see it, if not you are about to find out

The “crack in the sky” is actually the Milky Way - the galaxy our solar system is in. It is a spiral galaxy with a flat, disclike shape where we are on one of its spiral arms (the Orion Arm). From Earth, we are looking across the whole galaxy - when we look towards the denser regions of the Milky Way, we see lots of stars packed together and from the naked eye this looks like a blurry, glowing band across the sky.

We can see the “crack” due to our perspective of how we are positioned when we look at the Milky Way. We see a glowing band of light across the sky with darker gaps which are caused by interstellar dust and in the heart of the galaxy you can see a bright yellowish light, this is ‘Sagittarius A*’ - a supermassive black hole. It is not really the black hole that emits the light as black holes are invisible, it is the matter swirling around it - glowing gas, dust and densely-packed, luminous stars. Observations also show rapid bursts of light (flares) from the centre making it look like a galactic “light show”

Unfortunately you can’t see the Milky Way in the sky every night - you need to have the perfect conditions: far away from urban areas as with the bright lights you can’t see the faint stars, high altitude as the air there reduces atmospheric distortion, clear skies and moonless nights are needed if you want to see the Milky Way with your own eyes

Some ancient cultures had some other ways of interpreting the Milky Way’s appearance Because it looked like a glowing band in the sky, some traditions visualized it as a path or a gateway to somewhere Norse mythology called it the “Path of Warriors”, which they believed was a road for fallen warriors to reach Valhalla (the afterlife destination in Asgard for warriors who died in battle)

Another example is Chinese mythology; they called it the “Silver River”, and believed that it separated lovers Zhinü (the weaver girl) and Niulang (the cowherd) who could only meet once a year by crossing it

The Milky Way is massive: it contains 100 to 400 billion stars and at least 100 billion planets! Also, its core (Sagittarius A*) has the mass of about 4 million Suns! It's really old as well: it was formed 12 5 to 13 6 billion years ago making it nearly as old as the universe itself!

But most importantly, the Milky Way is our home in the vast universe…

Their True Name

Astronomers call it a meteor, an object straying too close to where it shouldn’t be, set alight by Earth’s invisible dome To them, it’s merely research: from the spectrum of colours it emits while being shredded to primordial debris, maybe they can learn the materials composing it, and glimpse the unseen makeup of the cosmos From the trajectory of the meteor, maybe they can trace its origin back to the centre of the universe, and make calculations about its long, lonely trek through interstellar darkness. Or maybe it was just another rock lost in the endless abyss, rightly reduced to cinders and ash before it could threaten the populous down below. All that will be left of it is a flickering light, slowly diminished by the city lights and the glow of a real star rising above the horizon.

But to the optimistic, the faithful, the youth, they are far more wondrous. To us, they are furious infernos burning bright and true, going out in a blaze of glory with fiery passion; they burn so vehemently that we can but stare and point, star-struck by their fleeting beauty. They carry our hopes and dreams for the world to see, gliding gallantly through the heavens for the angels upon high to receive. They are the prayers being heard from those who sacrificed so much, lost all they believed in, yet still kneel in faith before the falling fire, their relentless worship finally answered.

Let the astronomers quibble about what they might be; to us, they’re not called “meteors”. They are Shooting Stars.

Physics-Defying Black Holes

There is still a lot to be discovered in the depths of space Some of the most mysterious things are black holes This article will tell you more about these space objects

Black holes are formed when a star over 1 4 times the mass of the Sun has used up all of its energy and has fused up to iron, the last element that can be made from nuclear fusion Then it can no longer withstand its own gravity and collapses into a super-dense point called a singularity This has the biggest gravitational force in the Universe, so strong that not even light can escape, giving it its name. It has a swirling, hot accretion disc around it, which is the black hole’s only part with colour. Three types of black hole have been discovered: stellar, intermediate and supermassive.

So, what would happen if you fell in one of these? A lot of odd things happen the closer you get to a black hole, some of which can’t be explained by current physics. Firstly, from far away it would look like you were getting redder and slower as you went closer to the singularity. This is because of gravity trying to pull the light towards the black hole and Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which also means you would experience time much slower than other people observing you. Then you get stretched by the gravitational pull until you are like a string, a process called spaghettification. Soon you would get to the event horizon, the point of no return, where to observers you would appear still, although by this time they would have to be able to see in microwaves because the light had been stretched by the gravity too much for our eyes to normally see

Now you are past the event horizon, you will just get sucked into the singularity Some people think that black holes are a type of wormhole, a portal-like mystery that theoretically can teleport you from one place to a completely different one, and could even take you to different universes However, we have discovered that a black hole can emit radiation called Hawking radiation This can slowly come out of the black hole making it eventually evaporate into wisps of radiation

Black holes are amongst the most confusing and fascinating objects in the universe I hope this article helped you learn some new facts and strengthened your knowledge on black holes

Rinu ★ Ha7

What Are Stars?

It started with the moon I was watching it through a telescope - not a cheap plastic toy, but a serious piece of brass and glass - and I saw it flicker For a fraction of a second, the craters didn’t look like impact sites; they looked like thumbprints in grey clay; the light didn't reflect It leaked That was the moment the math stopped making sense, and the truth came in I realized then that the scientists weren’t lying to protect us; they were lying because the truth was too much for the human ego We were told they were nuclear furnaces, balls of plasma, held together by the crushing force of gravity We were told that they were light-years away, so distant their deaths wouldn’t reach us for hundreds of generations Lately, I've stopped looking at the sky as a map, but more as a ceiling I look at the blackness and don't see an infinite void, but more the thick lining of a box And the stars? They aren’t objects at all They’re exits If you look at the Milky Way through this lens, it isn’t a galaxy It’s a tear in the fabric It’s a place where the container was weak and something - or someone - pried it open just enough for the light of the outside world, the “real world” to leak through So let the astronomers have their maths I’ll keep my plan I’ll wait in the dark for it, hoping that one day the lid is going to be taken off For stars are just holes poked in the container so we can breathe

Akein ★ Ha8

Recipe for a Star

⏱ Time: 1 million years

�� Difficulty: Hard

��‍��‍�� Serves: ~8 billion

Ingredients:

Dust

Hydrogen Steps:

Mix dust and hydrogen together to form a nebula.

Top Tip: Use gravity to help you with this step.

Put in the oven and heat to 10,000 °C (18,000 °F, Gas Mark 700)

After 500,000 years take out of the oven and add more hydrogen

Re-heat the oven to 10,000,000 °C (18,000,000 °F, Gas Mark 715,000).

When the star begins emitting hydrogen, remove from oven.

Best served with a cool drink

From a Star’s Perspective

Waiting is getting tiring. And yet, I feel as though I am slowly coming alive. I have lost track of how long I have been sitting here. All I know, and all I can feel, is a steady, unexplainable pull, which feels as though it is bandaging my soul together.

Finally, I see the light I am the light The hand pulling fragments of myself suddenly reveals its grand plan I watch as others begin to recognise me and I become acquainted with them They do not run away from me, but they never approach me either I realise that this is my true purpose, one I will hold for eternity

But time begins to pass I had not felt time pass since before I was born, and I knew the passing of time meant my eternity was over Time was relentless, and I felt myself succumbing to it I burned bright; I would not let my brightness fade, but deep down I felt the end drawing ever nearer

All at once, I felt the end smother me It was in my stomach, spreading outwards, trying to poison me I contemplated why it brought me into existence in the first place If I should give in to its superior will, to its all powerful hand

No

I began growing, burning brighter than ever, conquering the endless vacuum

Those which had stayed with me for millennia were engulfed by my wrath I became red with fury fighting against the cruel hand which brought me together and yet set the clock which would tear me apart But as my brightness began to dwindle, like a sun setting on the horizon, I realised that the hand had planned this all along

I faded into nothingness.

Our world is quite frankly amazing. One problem, though. There’s only one Earth with us so far.

The Sun has done an incredible job keeping us alive, and allowing life to even develop on this planet in the first place. If that were the end of the story, this’d be over quickly. However, unfortunately for everybody involved, the very species that it has nurtured over the three-hundred thousand years WILL eventually be the downfall of this planet, without a doubt Taking the pessimistic approach, even IF destruction wasn’t what seems to be hard-wired into human DNA, we’d waste this planet away if we keep chipping away at its natural resources Nothing can last forever, including us, but there are ways in which we can extend our footprint, and not in the wrong end of the spectrum, saving mother nature and us as a species

The optimistic approach is far more interesting

It’s important to note that the sun isn’t the only star in the universe It’s a shocking fact, I’m aware, but the bottom line is that somewhere in the vast expanse of the universe, there is another star, with another earth, just outside of our reach

When presented with such opportunities, it’s easy to lose track of what’s going on here at home Pollution and waste has done a number on our ecosystem, and it will continue to do so on our Earth, or even the next one we find, unless we earn the right to travel and colonise a second earth, under a second star, by proving that we can be responsible and take accountability for our actions under the Terran blue sky

While there may be more habitable planets under golden stars like ours, we’re far from that point for the foreseeable future, with our closest cousin being Mars Earth is our only refuge for now, and we need to start acting like it

Darius ★ Ha11

Change

I have watched you change your people and your place. I have seen your cities grow into stars of their own. I have watched your technological advancements, and I have watched you strip beauty from oceans, forests and the night itself, all to make things more “practical” or “minimalistic”. To you, time feels slow; decades feel long and you think you have more of it For me, centuries pass like seconds

There have been many changes for the better: medicine, education, technology in some ways things that change lives, things that give people the motivation to get up in the cold and try again, things that once seemed impossible I have seen places rebuilt to give people safety, shelter and peace I have seen people devote their lives to helping others I have seen changes that last, changes that heal, and changes that reshape how you think

Yet mostly, I see change for the worse People’s attitudes have shifted; the world has shifted with them You have stopped living in the moment One small phone can change everything People come and go so quickly, wasting their lives doing things they do not even enjoy They do not spend enough time with their friends or family You measure life through pieces of paper, notifications and the approval of others Life becomes performance constantly proving yourself, focusing so much on yesterday and tomorrow that you forget today Being present is a gift in itself, yet you treat it as ordinary

The world has changed as well Instead of admiring its beauty, you take it for granted and slowly ruin it You no longer look to the stars for direction or light You no longer rely on the sun or fire for warmth You have replaced wonder with convenience

But there is still hope There is still beauty, especially within people Be more connected Be present Do not waste your time it is shorter than you think. If you constantly chase brightness, you will burn like a star that spends all its fuel at once, big and bright, and then gone.. You are here for a brief spark of life; don’t waste it staring at bigger fires.

Rian ★ Ha9

There was no sound - the engines cut off - nothing

As though the universe was holding its breath The silence was never peaceful, it was the kind of silence that made you aware of your own heartbeat On earth one could never experience true silence I realised with a sudden chill there was nothing left to answer me if I called

The quietness was absolute - yet the voice beyond the glass shimmered with infinite points of light Outside the observation windows an uncountable number of stars burned in endless clusters, scattered across the terrifyingly hollow darkness There was no up or down, no horizon Only infinity

The faintest mechanical hum lingered beneath my feet - monotonous - like my own heartbeat. Time had lost its grip here, there was no long night and day, only the faint glow of the stars.

I gently pressed my palm against the glass.

It was cold. Not sharp nor painful, the sensation reminding me of my existence in this vast wasteland I am surrounded by. It felt as though the universe was unravelling itself endlessly before me as I slowly drifted through its domain. Somewhere behind me lay Earth, reduced to a mere memory. I can imagine it now as a small insignificant spec swallowed by the ever growing abyss around me.

I thought I had noticed an imperfection of the glass, as I looked closer a distant star seemed to pulsate, its light thinning then strengthening, faint, steady, patient I leaned closer to the window, my breath fogging up the glass The rest of the universe remained unchanged - endless, lifeless, indifferent - but that single point of light continued its quiet rhythm It did not flash urgently, nor burn out like a dying star It simply pulsed, steady as my own pulse which kept me alive I found myself matching it without meaning to Inhale - it brightened Exhale - it softened

For the first time, the silence did not feel empty

I tested it, holding my breath for a moment - it did not brighten Exhale There it was again - the quiet glow of light An absurd thought began to form, perhaps I was not drifting alone through something lifeless Perhaps I was suspended within something living - something ancient and immensely powerful

The ship remained silent The engines remained dead - but the silence no longer felt like abandonment or loneliness

I felt safe

Ajinth ★ Ha13

The Economics of Space, Stars and New Worlds

Technology is ever improving Humanity first reached the moon in 1969, in the heat of the Cold War Since then over 20,000 objects have been launched into space, the international space station was set up, rovers reached mars and multiple voyager missions have provided data on the rest of our solar system. It would be safe to assume that technology must be ever improving for all this to happen in such a short space of time; in fact the rate of technological advancement has been increasing exponentially since the 1900s So what does this mean for the economy?

Economics is based on the fundamental concept that our resources are scarce and we must therefore make decisions on how to allocate them. Space exploration (though it may seem distant) would turn this concept on its head You could argue that it would allow us to effectively increase our pool of resources by taking from other planets These new resources have the potential to be completely different to Earth’s allowing us to potentially advance our technology even further : this would make space a huge multiplier (as there are many moving parts involved - e.g currently there is manufacturing, research and there is the potential for better resources and thus better technology and infrastructure). In fact the space industry already exceeds half a billion dollars

Stars further this increase in resources potentially offering long term solutions - as they last for billions of years. For example we could harness energy from the sun (even more than just solar panels) through the advancement and commercialization of these solar technologies. Whilst ‘gathering’ resources from other stars - mining or gas collection etc - is not currently possible or would require huge investment (and development of technology) which would not be feasible for many businesses it still provides a significant economic opportunity in the long run

However, these ideas rely on the idea that technology grows at an exponential rate. If the rate of technological advancement slows too much, in the space industry, this would spell the end for space travel and potentially have huge ramifications on the world economy as many firms and countries are heavily invested in the potential of space (similar to the AI bubble we are experiencing today, and thus the dot com bubble that has already passed) Even this year, NASA has announced that they could be delaying their current moon landing plan by adding missions in between. This decreases confidence in the industry, as people are not sure if their investments are worthwhile due to slow progress, thus potentially leading to a decrease in investment which could worsen the situation This negative feedback loop could lead to at worst the failure or at least the decline of the space industry

We have not landed on the moon since 1969, so is the space industry slowing down; or is it gearing up for growth we have not seen since the 1980s?

How to Make a Star (Cosmic Kitchen Edition)

Serves: One medium sized solar system

Prep time: About 10 million years

Cook time: A few billion years

Ingredients:

1 giant cloud of Hydrogen gas

A sprinkle of helium

A pinch of gravity (VERY important)

Some rock and ice

Optional: rings

Method:

Step 1 - Preheat the Universe:

Start in a calm, quiet region of space; preferably somewhere stylish like the outskirts of the Milky Way

Step 2 - Add Gravity:

Let gravity gently (but persistently) pull your hydrogen cloud together

Keep stirring for a few million years until it becomes a dense glowing ball, if it starts to look like a sad fog, instead of a fiery orb, add more gravity

Step 3 - Turn up the Pressure:

Compress until the centre reaches about 15 million degrees celsius If eyebrows still intact, warm it up even more

Step 4 - Ignite Nuclear Fusion:

Once hot enough, hydrogen atoms fuse into atoms, so wait a couple million years for this process to continue

Congratulations! Now you have made a star without breaking any laws!

Step 5 - Let it shine and enjoy!

It should glow proudly: like the sun, if everything was done correctly

Serving suggestion: Place several rocky planets around it. Add one with water and dirt for best results.

Note: Use rubber gloves and goggles whilst preparing, and try maintaining a 2-foot distance between the planet during preparation

Shreyas ★ Ha12

Star ails

We swapped the The safety of the shore is long past, A tedious struggle westward to a destination always out of our grasp,

Feebly glowing embers, our only hope as dark descends We toil through a deep desert with no end

For how long can last these skies so clear, Over a foreboding horizon, the clouds appear, Fulfilling the captain’s fear.

Ferociously the sea begins to rise and dip, And threatens to swallow our ship, In this day and age, we have no hope, Thrown off course, torn from every rope.

Helpless small creatures lost in a large world, Blinded by masses of cloud unfurled, Hidden in a fog we can’t discern, Bewildering all weak souls from bow to stern.

Two terrible months at sea, Spotting no port nor key, Crushed by a disastrous storm, Yet to see a landform

Now a wisp of smoke remains in the sky, The howling storm has now passed by, The danger’s gone and now to stay, Sparks appear to guide us back to the bay

Glowing Embers back again, To relieve our crews’ frustrated pain, Blazing infernos way up high, The compass of the open sky

Not even the bravest man aboard our ship, Could ever survive such a perilous trip, Without tracing the constellations hanging in the sky,

Without the mighty force of the Stars up high.

Nathan ★ Ha8

Night Outside My Window

I lean on the windowsill when everyone else is asleep and the house stops making daytime noises

No TV, no footsteps, just the faint ticking of the radiator and the wind moving somewhere I can’t see

The sky looks empty at first, like a blank page in an exercise book, but slowly the stars appear, one by one, until there are more than I can count

They’re small, but they don’t feel weak They stay in the same place while everything else changes

In science we learned their light takes years to get here

So I’m not seeing them as they are now, I’m seeing them as they were a long time ago.

It’s strange to think something can shine so far just to end up in my eyes while I stand in pyjamas on a school night.

I think about tomorrow about lessons, about answering questions, about whether I’ll get things right. But the stars don’t seem bothered by any of that

They just keep glowing, steady and quiet, like they’ve watched this happen a million days and know this one isn’t as big as it feels

After a while I close the curtain and go back to bed, but I know they’re still there, unchanged behind the clouds and rooftops, shining whether I notice or not

Musa ★ Ha9

The Greatest Western Ever

Where to begin? Sergio Leone, master of the Western genre, caps off the revered “Dollars” trilogy with the greatest installment of the three Clint Eastwood reprises his beloved role as “The Man with no Name”-the coolest character in cinema He brings his trademark stoicism to the familiarly dusty setting of Wild West America, with the expected results. What ensues is a two-and-a-half hour long dramatic, gripping spectacle.

Set in the height of the American Civil War, the film follows three men in the pursuit of $200,000 of stolen gold. Tremendously entertaining performances from the stars, Clint Eastwood (The Good), Lee Van Cleef (The Bad) and Eli Wallach (The Ugly), cement the film as an ever lovable, ever rewatchable, ever entertaining classic of the genre. Following the directorial genius of Sergio Leone, the film is superbly paced and beautifully shot, accompanied by some of the greatest music cinema has ever seen, exemplified by the iconic score “The Ecstasy of Gold”, thanks to Ennio Morricone.

Despite the characters being technically different in all of the three films, Clint Eastwood’s character especially develops throughout the trilogy, an arc which concludes in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly leaving the viewer satisfied and content He remains driven by a constant motivation: money His persistent willingness to lay his body on the line, as well as offer his expertly violent skillset to whomever will pay, is a theme present throughout the trilogy In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, this symbolic depiction of the capitalist relationship between the worker and the employee culminates We see the mutually beneficial relationship between the Good and The Ugly, in which The Good turns The Ugly in to receive a monetary reward, to then save him from death, and the men share the reward This represents an almost utopian form of capitalism, in which The Good uses his labour to maintain the body of The Ugly This symbiosis adds an additional nuance to the depictions of capitalism seen in “Fistful of Dollars” and “For a Few Dollars More”, resulting in a poignant and visceral viewing experience

Beyond the deep rooted, powerful symbolism present throughout the film, it is simply exciting to watch Featuring an unheard of amount of gun slinging action, lovable and hateable characters in equal measure, and, of course, Clint Eastwood playing with a kitten in the midst of a forlorn battlefield, it leaves nothing to be desired The violent tension builds and builds throughout the film, culminating with a flourish in the final scenethe greatest 15 minutes of cinema I have ever had the pleasure of seeing The characters’ fervent pursuit of the gold leads them to an expansive graveyard-deeply symbolic as Leone masterfully furthers his metaphor for capitalism-regardless of wealth accumulated in life, we will all end in the same place The scene features Eli Wallach’s character running dramatically through the graveyard, desperately searching for the money The scene is made all the more intense by Morricone’s legendary score “Ecstasy of Gold” accompanying the impressive cinematography. The result is nothing short of spectacular climax to a stupendous film.

Overall, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” is well worth a watch. It deserves all of the plaudits it has been showered with since release-an intense, gripping viewing experience peppered with symbolism that is still relevant today. It is Sergio Leone at his supreme best, supplemented by the shining roles performed by Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach. It is undoubtedly the greatest Western ever produced, and a personal favourite of mine.

Disturbed Stars

Harry the Imperfect Hydrogen Cloud

Lil Peep: Pioneer of Emo Rap

Shaun ★ Ha13

Gustav Elijah Ahr was born on Halloween night, the early hours of November 1st, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States, and was raised for most of his childhood in Long Island, NY

It was often cited that he hated life at school, notably high school, despite being placed in ‘gifted and talented’ classes Battling his intense emotions of feeling like a social outcast and a fear of not fitting in due to his self-induced tattoos, Gus managed to rise to fame through his emotional, yet relatable music

Beginning his career on Soundcloud under the name ‘Trap Goose’ back in 2013, he struggled to build his fanbase as he followed a generic rap flow that was not unique compared to other growing artists during that phase, such as BONES, Bladee, and Yung Lean However, he soon began to earn a cult following after he changed his stage name to what we all know him as - a nickname that his mother used to call him as a child - ‘Lil Peep’, and in 2015, he released a single known as ‘Star Shopping’, which altered his trajectory in the music industry With the preceding releases of his first mixtape later that year, ‘Lil Peep; Part One’ and ‘Live Forever’, his fanbase grew at an exponential rate, which set Gus up to commit to his music career by poetically displaying his personal identity, mental health, and sensitive topics like drug usage that appealed to his early fanbase.

2016 was the year of Lil Peep, as he joined the rap collective ‘Schemaposse’, founded by JGRXXN, and consisted of popular members such as Ghostemane and Craig Xen. During this phase, Lil Peep explored personal growth as well as facing his identity by getting globally recognised and appreciated tattoos and dying his hair extremely often. More mixtapes were produced and released‘Hellboy’ and ‘Crybaby’ - with these being deemed as Gus’s best personal projects by the majority of his continuously growing and loyal fanbase, with smaller collaborative projects such as ‘California Girls’ and ‘Vertigo’ being released later that year His first live show was also in the midst of this rather profound era, performing in a small, compact warehouse in Tucson, Arizona, where he serenaded the minimalist crowd with his raw vocals with cult classic songs, for example, ‘Lil Kennedy’ and ‘Crybaby’

Joining GothBoiClique on September 25th, 2016, marked a new age of success for Lil Peep; joint projects with fellow GBC members were pumped out, and his debut album, ‘Come Over When You’re Sober Pt 1’, was released on August 15th, 2017, which peaked at 38 on the U S Billboard 200 chart Unfortunately, the rapid growth of this young talent who influenced a new generation of Soundcloud rap and popularised emo rap was cut short in a rather tragic way On the penultimate day of his ‘Come Over When You’re Sober’ tour, Lil Peep was found unresponsive on the back of his tour bus due to an accidental fentanyl overdose from a laced Xanax pill, right outside of ‘The Rock’ in Tucson, AZ (coincidentally the town where he did his first live performance) and on November 15th 2017, he passed away, leaving a permanent scar in the music scene and emphasising the harsh reality of substance abuse 9 years later, his fanbase exceeds 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, and unreleased tracks are posthumously uploaded to digital streaming platforms by his mother, Liza, and older brother, Oscar, following a lengthy court procedure regarding whether or not his record label, First Access Entertainment, had the right to his music’s ownership. His presence and influence are still felt by many modern-day artists, which rightfully earns him the title of being a pioneer of emotional rap and being recognised as a rap star.

The Strange Incident of the Book

That book was never meant to be read, nor touched; a human’s mentality can only be stretched to some limit, and that book should have never been conceived by any sane mortal. This unspeakable and indescribable sense of emptiness and paranoia have haunted me since when I first encountered that book, and will never lose its firm grip upon my sanity I am 31 years of age ; 10 years have I carried that incident like a rucksack that cannot be put down

I was in my 3rd year at a rural and somewhat forgotten institution studying archaeology We were given the freedom of choice, to pick any place in Great Britain to explore Back then, I had a deep connection with a colleague that stems from our childhood We were inseparable companions of each other and he bore the name of Wilmarth Now, I often long for his presence but, alas, my frantic attempts remain futile But after what seemed a century, finally, I shall, and will join him Before I shall go, I wish to leave a remark, a grave warning to the whole of humanity : never follow my accursed path, even if it is just a visit to that place, that experience will forever shape you and your sanity I am already at the end of this journey of mine and I wish that no sane mortal shall walk my footsteps

Even after a decade, I still remember every cursed word of that book I uncovered in my exploration

It was a misted morning when me and Wilmarth uncovered this monstrosity : an old diary with a leather cover and it radiated with the same unsettling feeling of this wasted village, which we felt since we entered the nameless place The moment my pale fingers touched that book, it sent a wave of unease through my body, a feeling that seemed to vibrate the soul with chilling discomfort Unsurprisingly, Wilmarth took a great interest in the book, consuming page after page without breaks, abandoning all intent of stopping Many a time had I tried to warn him, but he was an obdurate man, who cannot be stopped once he has started, like his unwavering passion for exploring

On a moonless evening, he finished that book and did not say anything until he whispered in a solemn voice, "Arthur, tonight… Tonight may be the night that w-we shall part. Deep within me, I feel compelled to explore that fallen star for something may have once inhabited it. I shall offer myself up to the fallen star, assuming that it is still conscious and awake. I shall experiment whether I will end up like that old village, this one. A-Arthur, if you never see your old friend again, then leave this village hastily as it will be an immediate matter. I cannot bring myself to speak of the things in this book. I advise you not to, but, for the sake of your curiosity, if you truly cannot hold yourself together and must know of this unspeakable topic, then I should not hinder you. I shall leave the book here, if you do not read it then burn it in fire and empty the ashes for the effect shall continue. If you do set your eyes on the accursed pages then do burn it. Do not forget as it will be of uttermost importance. You have been a true joy in a world so… so vast.”

He then left without a word

Of course, I had to follow him, I cannot let him into any danger ; I was the one that persuaded him to come on this journey, if any harm was to be afflicted upon him, his family shall put all blame on me I followed him back to the place of discovery, where we found that devil-cursed book, he then proceeded to dig underground, whispering chants like a madman I soon figured that he might just be a bit ill in the mind as he did have a bottle of whiskey that night, and so I left

When I was back at our residence, I could not bring my mind to slumber ; I heard whirring sounds, my vision blurred, yet the view outside the window seemed to alter and deteriorate I awaited all night for my friend’s arrival More than 6 hours had passed since midnight when I last saw him digging

He did not come back

I remembered his advice and hastily packed my belongings and also his The book, it seemed to compel me to read it, to carry it away ; an uncontrollable urge to preserve it also I left my residence and tried to visit the place but there was no trace but a large crater the size of a regular house It was shaped like a meteorite of some sort, quite similar to the countenance of a star Now that I thought about it once more, it was more like a star that had fallen from the sky

This is my last message I want to express to all of humanity, before I once again set off to join an old friend of mine, whatever the cost I do not worry, for perhaps, the deliverance that nature brings would be more tranquil.

Formal Request for Annual Leave

(Overdue by Approximately 4.6 BillionYears)

Dear Sir/Madam/Abstract Cosmic Principle,

I hope this finds you well

I write to request annual leave. I understand I agreed to this arrangement: hydrogen into helium, helium into heavier elements, some light here, some gravity there. Routine. However, nowhere in the contract - presented at the moment of ignition - was it specified that I would guide sailors, inspire questionable poetry, host human aspiration, and be wished upon at a frankly unsustainable rate.

Each evening, someone looks up and deposits their GCSE results, unrequited love, or hope that “this year will be different” upon me. I am a nuclear fusion reactor, not a helpdesk. Shooting stars at least enjoy closure; one blaze and they are done. I, however, must endure. I must shine unerringly. If I flicker (a natural fluctuation), it becomes an omen, a prophecy, a metaphor in a personal statement. To be called a “beacon of hope” for millennia is exhausting Beacons do not rest

I have attempted subtle protest: a minor flare, a small oscillation In response, I was called “brilliant,” as though radiance were a personality trait The astrologers insist my position determines whether you are “prone to overthinking” Forgive me, but that is ambitious for an object weighing 1 989 × 10³⁰ kilograms I am not responsible for your unread messages Still, I remain That is what stars do: we turn pressure into light From a distance it looks noble; up close it is compression - shine or implode

Humans seem similar Label someone “bright” early enough; a gold sticker, “Star of the Week,” and soon brightness becomes an obligation You must excel, lead, and radiate potential constantly If you falter, heads tilt: “Is everything alright?” meaning, “Why aren’t you shining?” There is irony in being praised for endurance while quietly calculating how much fuel remains

I am not requesting resignation; supernova is excessive I propose a scheduled dimming - a sanctioned softness If I glow a little less fiercely, the universe will not collapse Other stars will compensate Constellations are collaborative

Constancy is often mistaken for invulnerability Even though we are finite One day - not today - I will exhaust my hydrogen and shed parts of myself into the dark. From that may come planets, life, perhaps another being who decides that light equals strength. If I may amend that equation: light can also mean survivalcontinuing not because one is unbreakable, but because one is still here.

Accordingly, I request one millennium of reduced expectations. I shall maintain a respectable glow while reconsidering the association between luminosity and worth. Should this be denied, I will resume standard operations. I have billions of years of practice.

Yours, predictably and persistently, Star 467-B

Sam ★ Ha12

It HAD to be my time

It HAD to be my time No less than 5 years in this confining prison of a school had I waited to stand proudly in front of my exasperating classmates, and receive the finest, most reputed accolade this dungeon had to offer, Star of the Week No more would it be tedious Timmy traipsing up to the front simply thanks to the task of tidying up the tattered array of utensils used by us in the classroom Never again would it be the dull, odious Dylan who would claim this revered prize for the honour of being an all round snob This Friday was my day It HAD to be my time

The complete and utter injustice of it, every week I behave exactly as I should, I do exactly what the Timmys and Dylans do (quite without the same level of snootiness), and yet, I remain unnoticed, a constellation of character gliding under the radar On the Monday of that week, I came to a crucial decision This unfairness would be no more, it HAD to be my time

I had spent the entire week striving beyond how I already had to reach this esteemed class of prize winners. Picking up all the pens and papers strewn across the classroom by the neanderthals. Laughing at every one of Mr Smith’s terrible, cringeworthy attempts at humour. Sitting silently as the hissing whispers of the insolent students whistle past. I have been nothing but exemplary. Surely for this arduous journey of good behaviour, it HAD to be my time.

It felt as though Mr Smith had been throwing me hints, for once actually smiling in my direction instead of the same adoring gazes he gave Timmy and Dylan when they recited the 12 times table perfectly. For once in his thousand year teaching career Mr Smith smiled in the direction of somebody other than his select few treasures. Surely it HAD to be my time now??

As we marched monotonously into the hall in our regular formation for celebration assembly, a glimmering of my hope and yearning for this storied, seemingly impossible fantasy shone out, washing away the tedium amongst the troops, arranged in rows, all ready to watch me stand in front of them with that golden certificate

Assembly dragged on as it always has The ‘achievements’ of the others bored at my brain as I waited fretfully for my moment with the golden certificate at the end of the table The headteacher picked up that shimmering, aureate leaf of praise Even from the benches at the back of the hall could I see my name reflected in her pupils, the recognition, the acknowledgement The glory It HAD to be my time

‘And this week’s Star of the Week is ’

The Weight of a Star

The exam hall was a galaxy of bowed heads Rows upon rows of desks stretched into infinity, the ticking clock pulsing like a supernova His pen hovered above the paper The questions were swirling into an infinite void, black ink dissolving away But he remembered something his physics teacher told him about stars For a star to survive, immense pressure pushes out whilst the crush of gravity pulls in When gravity wins, the star implodes He knew gravity was winning

Sweat collected at his collar The invigilator’s shoes clacked like meteor showers He imagined the school motto in the hallway ‘Reach for the stars’ - as if he wasn’t one already As if reaching for them were not the same as imploding into a black hole

“Time is up, pens down please”

He dropped his pen on the desk His heart was still pounding in his head The weights on his shoulders increased even more Everyone he knew told him to shine They didn’t know shining meant burning as well

He walked out of the exam hall, thoughts flowing like ripples in space-time He didn’t know what to feel But there was nothing he could do now

The Death Star

A soft chime would play, polite, almost congratulatory and the stars would assemble swiftly in the sterile hospital air.

★★★☆☆. Fairly typical. The app, of course, would explain why.

Rating: 3 1 / 5

Composure: Adequate

Last words: Unclear, somewhat repetitive

Audience impact: Little to none

Aesthetics: N/A

Bonus: Peaceful +0 1

★★★★☆ was rare ★★★★★ was almost unheard of

The app started as a joke, a mere social experiment but had now transgressed to an outright societal phenomenon. By now, people rated everything else: dinners, drivers, dates, even doctors. So why not death? Why not the final performance?

The ratings were more precise than ever before, thanks to a meticulous algorithm, ensuring absolute fairness for all users They analysed heart rate variability, facial tension and vocal steadiness moments before the inevitable occurred They cross-referenced social media in the background too - did anyone notice or react? For users that were willing to pay, premium accounts offered an ad-free experience, enhanced visibility, and the flagship feature: GOLD stars with a richer, warmer tone and marginally larger size They would also float ever so slightly higher than normal stars, which, according to psychologists, made them even more eye-catching To the extent that a few GOLD stars could almost visually compensate for a lower overall rating

There was no genuine incentive for downloading the app - not financial at least Yet it had still surged to top of the charts: ‘No 1 in Health and Fitness’ on the App Store When it came to explaining its popularity, two opinions formed the general consensus. Some claimed it helped give families the closure they needed. Some claimed it bolstered their loved one’s legacy, or at least others’ perceptions of it - this view was especially common amongst the families of premium users. One thing was for certain though, there was something about stars that numbers or graphs alone could never replace.

Over time language became ambiguous, a three star death began to sound like a three star existence, obliging the creators of the app to re-explain its purpose “The app is not designed to judge life,” a spokesperson stated, but the level of detail and clarity in the ratings themselves was entirely absent from their answer

Soon, doctors found themselves under a new kind of pressure; beyond saving lives, they now had to ponder how their care might affect a patient’s star rating, which - of course - would only appear posthumously Every choice they made, every action at the bedside, now carried the immense weight of their patients’ best interests Thoughtfully considering doctors’ concerns, the creators released the latest update:

Version 7.90.0

Minor bug fixes

Penalties introduced: deduction of stars for any attempt to manipulate or skew ratings (standard plan users only)

Ruyan ★ Ha12

The Last Words of a Shooting Star

Date: 479BC Time elapsed: 0.114 seconds

I decided to start writing this diary, though I’m not really sure why so late in my life. I probably should have done it during my time as a meteoroid endlessly floating in boredom, but now is the first time I have been bothered to do anything I’m annoyed it’s so late, though It’s a lot warmer in this place

Date: 479BC Time elapsed: 0648 seconds

I have realised that this is the end of my life It is only getting hotter, but somehow I find that I do not wish for my past life as a meteoroid endlessly floating I am not angry This is the pinnacle of my life, what I have been building up to this whole time I’m more angry at being called a ‘shooting star’ by the children far below I am a proud meteor, and I do not and never will accept that name

Date: 479BC Time elapsed: 1 197 seconds

I am not one to reflect; however, I do think a lot I’m looking below me and seeing what I have missed my whole life Luscious trees of green and azure waters There are animals and people all doing their part in this world, like cogs in a machine We are all as insignificant as each other Grains of sand on a beach

Date: 479BC Time elapsed: 1 547 seconds

Uncontrollable speeds Burning This is the end They are looking at me Awe on their faces Children smiling I am fulfilled. Shooting star. I am a shooting star. Good name. I am finally-

George ★ Ha12

Crystal Night

Max ★ Ha12