Lee House Stars
A Note From The Editors:
Welcome to the Lee House House Writing Magazine. We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who submitted pieces, and a massive well done to all of our superstar writers who have their submissions included. As you read through these pages, you will be able to feel the passion and energy within each work - and truly understand that Lee House is the house where we all have fun and enjoy serving our house. Additionally, on behalf of all of Lee House, we want to extend our thanks to Mrs Harris, who has helped us collect, refine, and finalise all of these amazing pieces from our Lee Legends.
As editors, we have had the privilege of reading through each and every piece - many of which we had to make difficult decisions to fit into the magazine as we thought 100 pieces seemed a bit excessive! We have collated a wide range of themes and contexts - from scientific studies of the stars above, interstellar adventures through the cosmos, or reading about the triumphs of the stars down here on Earth, reminding us of how much we have to offer - and to always reach for the stars!
Get ready to fly on your rocketship of the senses as you explore the pages below about the skies above. Thank you for dealing with our space puns that are out of this world, and enjoy reading!
Kind Regards,
The Lee House Editors:
Jaiden, Eric, Erick, Zaeem, Oliver, Oluwatomiwa, Gautham, Finley, Hansh
Contents:
Superstar Poets
1000 Days of Her - Oluwatomiwa.…………………………….............pg.4
The
Beacons
Der kleine Stern:
Es war einmal ein kleiner Stern
Es war auch einmal ein kleiner Junge
Der Junge schaute jeden klaren Tag aus dem Fenster zum Stern
Und wunderte sich, ob der Sterne ihn ansah
Jeden Tag am Fenster schaute er zum Stern
Niemals größer, niemals kleiner
Niemals etwas anderes als immer dasselbe
Aber er schaute zu dem Stern gern
Sogar seine Mutter wusste nicht
Warum er fasziniert war
Aber als er den Stern sah
Konnte er nicht wegschauen
Einmal hörte seine Mutter etwas
Der Junge sprach mit dem Himmel
“Warum hältst du den Stern gefangen?”
Aber er sagte nichts zurück
Zehn Minuten später kam er wieder herein
Er tat nichts anderes als weinen
Weil, als er mit dem Himmel argumentierte
Zogen die Wolken auf
Und der Stern verschwand
Er konnte nicht schlafen
Sein Stern war verschwunden
Aber in der nächsten Nacht schaute seine Mutter ihm etwas
Dort, am gleichen ort, war der Stern
Nicht größer, nicht kleiner
Derselbe wie immer
Sam - Lee 12
A Star of Sacrfice
Twinkle twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are, Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.
Oh father, martyred in the bazaar, towing my guilt just like a scar, I wish I had said goodbye, Just as your end was nigh.
Oh mother, I wish you well, We weren’t able to tell, We knew he had been gone for a while,
But we didn’t realise we saw his last smile.
As much as it makes my heart swell, War will take lives and silence their yell,
The new star will emit your light, A tribute to your sacrifice.
My brothers and sisters, Don't forget what he has done for you, Above the sky, into the night, He rests after showing his might,
Twinkle twinkle little star, I hope to see you even from afar, Light the might up and shine so bright, Twinkle twinkle little star.
Mushaf - Lee 9
The Stars in the Sky
I look at the stars in the sky, Gleaming with golden pride, I look at the stars in the sky, Telling me where to stride,
I look at the stars in the sky, As I seek strength to cope, I look at the stars in the sky, They whisper for me to hope,
I look at the stars in the sky, Their calm in endless supply, I look at the stars in the sky, And all my worries quietly die,
I look at the stars in the sky, Where all my dreams lit alive, I look at the stars in the sky, And let my imagination thrive,
I look at the stars in the sky, Signs from the One Most High, I look at the stars in the sky, And find my heart drawn to your light.
Yusuf - Lee 9
Beacons of the Night
What illuminates the endless night sky?
What brings restaurants to radical heights?
What is the luminous sphere of hot plasma that keeps us alive?
Stars, are what keep us alive
They allow people to feel proud and thrive
They are the sky’s diamonds
Glaring and shining on our every move
Like a sparkling silver hue
They are sparks of cosmic flames
Stuck in endless darkness, Only to let their glistening embers glow
To show a light path we don’t know
They have seen all the past
Scorching through space
To remind us and show us
We live in an exceptional place.
Charlie - Lee 8
A Star so Far
Oh little star so far and so near, I have seen you have delight and fear,
Little star that you are so tame, I waved my hand but you never came,
Little star that you are flowing in the sky so quick and slow, You drift around just like snow, When rough days come like a rough tide,
There will always be another side,
Little star that you are, You’re so beautiful and far,
One night I will see you dazzle,
Like you’re just about to jazzle,
Beyond the blue where the stars are so gleam,
Lies the rest of the remain in a cosmic dream,
Endless galaxies, both far and close, You’re so sharp like you’re Pinocchio with a sharp nose,
You are the star that is shining like a light,
You are also the colour of white
Oh how the stars shine so bright,
In the dazzling moonlight in the night,
Mason - Lee 8 8
English
Stars that give us light,
Stars made of burning gases, Live millennia
Bright in space they are, Some far, some right next to earth, Shining bright in space
Can we see them though? Some die before we see them, But we still see them
They are burning hot, Incinerating when close, So keep a safe range Da’ud - Lee 7
Joining the Stars
A black canvas, sprinkled with white, Of endless depth, of endless height. But up there, among the stars, My brother, still gazing at Mars. He never went, but up there he lies, A bright new light among the skies.
When we were young, we used to play, In farmers fields and stacks of hay. We never got caught - not even once, Even on his never-ending hunts
We chased his hens and scared his sheep, But from the cows, we never heard a peep
As evening came and the lake gleamed We settled down under an oak tree and dreamed
Of long ago battles, of future wars
Of explorers, that once discovered these shores
But these childish fantasies, and hopeful dreams
Destined to fall apart, unravelling at the seams
Two different paths, to be walked alone Would we meet again? The answer unknown
As with my lengthening beard and aching bones
I now tell our stories while our family groans
But I yearn to leave, to join you once more And live the good old days just like before
A black canvas, sprinkled with white, Of endless depth, of endless height. But up there, among the stars, Us two brothers, still gazing at Mars. We never went, but up there we lie, Two bright new lights among the sky. No longer lonely but as each others stars And those childish dreams, finally ours
Oliver
- Lee 12
Stars
Stars are here in the Night, Shining fiercely - Oh so bright, Little beads of gleaming light, With shooting stars, it's a sight.
We are lucky to have a star, With perfect sight from afar, Our universe gave us life, With stars cutting the darkness like a knife, Stars align in a formation, So we can get a glimpse of a constellation, As galaxies are in constant rotation, Looking at them is a great sensation.
In the Night we stare at the Dark sky,
Wondering how the stars are so high,
The Stars glistens like tiny jewels, As they drift along the dark night sky.
Ashley - Lee 8
Bright in the Night
The star shines bright , Standing out in the dark night , But he is not scared , To be compared. His bright looks overpower the rest,
Yet no emotions are expressed. Everyone calls him the best, However he is not stressed, To hold up his reputation, Or to be overpowered by a new sensation. Why you may ask, Well for that you have to look deep back, Underneath his mask, You see his suffering , He has spent too much time worrying,
Now time has come scurrying, Knocking on his door step, Waiting for him to accept, That he has become nothing more than a wreck.
But he said let me shine one last time , Let this moment be mine.
The star shines bright, Standing out in the dark night.
Krishi - Lee 8
There once was a star
There once was a star That burned quite bright, A beacon of hope; Its light piercing the inky canvas of the sky at night, Where many extravagant stories can be told Of the stars that walk the existential tightrope, A brutal battle, greater than any on Earth, Between the two warlords of nuclear fusion and gravity, In an eternal dance Across a septillion battlefields.
There once was a star That for countless millenia had shared its light, Though with time it had grown weary And the fuel for its engine had almost emptied out. But a star of its magnitude shall never waver So like gasoline poured over a waning flame, It multiplies its greatness and eradicates doubt, With the brilliance and glory of newfound, searing heat Emblazoned into its core.
There was once a star That had blazed so magnificently, That even in death, dazzled onlookers. A climactic end to an ancient conflict And a victorious celebration of gravity’s defeat: A supernova, illuminating the many skies of many worlds Leaving behind a mighty cloud and the cycle complete.
There was once a star That was again born anew, Formed from the remnants of a legacy, Ready to begin its glorious endeavor, And observed eagerly by others painted too on the canvas it calls home, Destined for greatness and all that follows As a hero in a war that rages for all of time.
There was once a star That observed its peers, Learned and readied itself, to be more spectacular and distinct Than all that preceded it. Could that star be you?
- Lee 9
She’s a Supernova
You entered my life the way a meteor strikes a world - quietly, then all at once.
Before you, a galaxy far far away was unexplored, a stretch of forbidden secretes, Devoid of promise, Devoid of pattern, light scattered with no name to guide it.
But loving you feels like the meeting of opposites, a slow reversal and an urgent pull
But you, you were a burning star, A supernova on a canvass of black. Some days you were the moon, others you were the north star, Guiding my way back to you always.
The normal night reorganises itself around your gravity,
Your laugh disperses like a meteor shower. The warmth from your soul, shifts the silence when you are near. That’s why when gravity chooses you, there’s an apparent feeling, even stronger than fear.
I orbit you, devoted to the pull of you,
You’re like the moon to my earth, The electric field to my magnetic one, You’re the one for me.
You are a distant supernova of feeling, that quietly expands through me, transforming emptiness into infinity.
If love is a universe, you are at the centre of mine.
I know a thing up in the sky Comes out in darkness
A very shy guy
A glow of the heavens
Beaming from above
But when the sun gleams He hides like a lost glove
The glow of the light Would poof in a flash
Nothing to help it
The sun a brash
A tear in the sky
Where darkness unfolds
A bright shine of hope
As beautiful as gold
I know a thing up in the sky Comes out in darkness
A very shy guy
A glow of the heavens
Beaming from above
But when the gleams He hides like a lost glove.
Thomas - Lee 7
Erick - Lee 12
Rising Stars
In the sixth form centre we found our flame,
Still not sure who we are yet to be, Our future right there to claim, And yet we struggle on.
In the centre time goes by hour after hour, Whilst laughter comes from downstairs, Climbing up those stairs to the top of the tower, And yet we struggle on.
Our blazers hung on growing frames, As we grow older our lives start to change, Waiting for the future to call out our names, And yet we struggle on.
Each day feels like a test, We find our way at different times and ways,
Trying to do well so that we can eventually rest, And yet we struggle on.
Stuck in between young and old, Want it all but unable to get it yet, Never knowing - always told, And yet we struggle on.
We aren’t quite there we are just a spark, Yet to live in adult life, Rising stars flickering in the dark, And yet we struggle on.
Joshua - Lee 12
City Of Stars
The picturesque perfect seas
Fabulous fluorescent lights
Exotic and extravagant lives
The City of Stars shines
Diamonds and diaries
Glitter and glamour
Grammys and galas
The City of Stars thrives
The wasteful and woeful Drugs and distress
Minds need a break
Extravagance and expense
The City of Stars lies
Plentiful and paranoid
Bruised and broken
Fabulous and famished
Exotic and empty
The City of Stars died
Finley - Lee 12
Striving for Greatness
Stars shine bright in the sky,
Glimpses of hope in a blanket of darkness,
Peering through the plain plane of endlessness up high,
The sky’s only thing preventing starkness,
Stars help guide us through tough times,
Role models leading by example,
And with their help we shall all climb,
For example at school, Mr Britain explaining random samples,
Stars are aspirations to aim for,
Reaching up hoping to touch them,
For some it is going to rich from poor,
Or achieve that grade 9 in chem,
Stars are accolades awarded to show excellence,
Starting in primary school with golden stars,
In the military to show rank and power,
They give us something to aim for from a far,
Stars keep us alive,
The sun shining bright and keeping us warm,
Like a big bee hive, It takes billions of years for the stars to be born.
Shining
Alexander - Lee 10
Bright, brilliant, blinding. The warmth glittering down upon us,
Something so deadly that gives us life,
Look up in awe at its majesty, Up there in the sky, Shining bright like a star.
Bright, brilliant, blinding; The cameras flicker, a constant stream of white lights; Blinding lights. All focused on you
The red carpet now a pink smudge in your eyes
They are all looking at you Shining bright like a star
Dark, frightening, glaring; The bell rings, the match begins
A red glove shoots to your face, you parry
You’re scared, shaking, terrified
But to someone else, you’re Shining bright like a star
Bored, exhausted, slouched; Lying down, looking back at your life,
Saddened but hopeful that one day you will be Shining bright like a star
Daniel - Lee 11
Gwiazda
Nad światem cichym, pogrążonym w snach,
Gwiazdy budzą się w nocnych mgłach—
Tysiąc latarenek jasno lśni, Ogrzewając noc w jej spokojnej chwili.
Migoczą jak sny, co odeszły w cień, Spływając w srebrzysty, łagodny dzień.
Translation:
Stars
Over a silent world, immersed in dreams,
The stars wake up in the mists of the night—
A thousand lanterns shine brightly, Warming the night in her quiet moment.
They flicker like dreams that have gone into the shadows, Flowing down on a silvery, mild day.
Jan - Lee 10
One clear night, a curious girl named Luna sat by her window, gazing up at the sky. She loved watching the stars twinkle, but tonight she noticed something strange. There was a tiny, dim star that looked like it was about to disappear. Luna wondered why this star looked so sad and lonely.
Unable to sleep, Luna tiptoed outside. As soon as she stepped into the moonlight, something magical happened. The sad little star floated down and landed gently in her hands! “Please help me,” the star whispered. “I’m lost and far from my home in the sky.” Luna promised to help the star find its way home. Together, they set off on a nighttime adventure. They talked to wise old owls, who said the brightest stars always shine together. They asked the wind, who carried them up to the tallest tree in the neighborhood.
From the top of the tree, Luna and the star saw the whole night sky. The star glowed a little brighter, feeling closer to its home. Luna gently tossed the star up, and the wind helped it fly higher and higher until it joined its star friends once again. The next night, Luna looked up and saw the little star twinkling happily, no longer lonely or dim. Luna smiled, knowing she had made a new friend among the stars. And every time she looked up, the little star shone extra bright just for her.
In stars their formation, life cycles, and eventual deaths drive the shape of the universe. By studying stars, we not only unlock the secrets of space but also gain insight into our own origin.
Arjun - Lee 7
A Flame against the Void
The night sky radiates pure darkness. An ocean of seamless black. Yet only one thing dares to break the congruity. The star. It seeks the extraordinary, it doesn’t abide by the norm, it decides to be a complete contrast; a burning light in a vat of dark. It doesn’t care how others perceive it, it doesn’t care how out-standing it is, it only does how it wishes to do, carelessly wandering through the galaxies.
Around it, countless other stars shine. Some shine faint and some shine fierce. Some stay in tight clusters, sewn together by the unknown. Some stay alone and challenge the regulars.
But this star, especially, refuses quiet obedience.
It pulses brighter as the dark grows stronger, it flares stronger as the silence deepens. It blazes with intention against the others who flicker in hesitation, and when the star determines this boldness.
The other stars will notice.
The other stars will admire.
The other stars will be inspired.
Alvin - Lee 8
The Adventure of Luna and the Lost Star
no child should know. The darkness had swallowed every struggling every candle flame, every phone screen that families had been rationing for weeks.
And there they were.
Thousands of them, scattered like petals across the night sky. Her grandmother had told her about them, of course, but stories were nothing like this - the way that they seemed to breathe, the way that some trembled silver while others shone gold.
She thought about the trails she'd seen streak across other nights - red and furious, bringing fear instead of wonder. But these lights moved differently. Patient. Ancient. Following paths they'd traced long before borders, before wars, before anyone decided who belonged to which piece of earth.
Her little brother found her there, still shaking from the basement. She pulled him close and pointed upwards. “See? Those are ours. No one take those away.”
They sat together, two small figures under an endless sky, and for moment the stars made the world feel bigger than her fear. The stars reminded them that night always ends. That light returns.
When her brother smiled - just a little - Layla knew she’d remember moment forever. The war was finally over.
Zaeem - Lee 12
The stars
Not an object, a person. Two in fact. 2009, UCL final, barcelona versus man u, they first faced each other in the big stages, Lionel messi and cristiano ronaldo, 22 and 24 years old they are only young, starboys, one won the ballon d’or last season and one will eventually win it this season. 1,852 goals combined over their whole career, 600+ assists. Even if you have never ever even watched a football match you know who they are, whenever someone asks the biggest question in football, who is the best of all time 2 names come up. They are so good the media always says ‘who’s better’. But can we just appreciate what they gave to football, almost 20 years of their life, Ronaldo had to ignore a knee problem, that still haunts him to this day, in 2014 so he could win the champions league and play in the World Cup. Not only did they give themselves for their teams, they were magical to watch and produced brilliant moments. In the 2009 UCL, Ronaldo gets the ball from 40 yards out, shoots and scores and makes it look so easy that people brush past it. 2015, against Bilbao, Messi scores an almost scientifically impossible goal, getting the ball from the half way line, accelerates 19km/h in 3 seconds, dribbles past 5 defenders/midfielders and puts it past the keeper like he didn’t just run 50 yards around 7 people. That is just 2 of 100’s of moments, a whole generation started playing football because of them. They have shined brighter than any literal star, on the world's biggest stage.
Jaxton - Lee 9
The first thing that died was the hum. Every rocket has a voice, you know, a low, reassuring vibration beneath your feet, like a little bit of white noise to keep you company. Mine had been talking back to me for weeks. Then, without warning, it choked, spitted, gurgled
The lights snapped off.
For a moment I thought I’d gone blind. The observation deck dissolved into pitch black, thick and suffocating darkness. My own breathing sounded alien inside the helmet, sharp and shallow. Warning systems should have screamed. Emergency lights should have flashed red. Nothing. It was as if the ship itself had died. Then the stars began to bend, bleeding and disfiguring.
Outside the window, the universe twisted.
At first I thought it was a glitch in the glass ; a fracture crawling across the surface. But the lines weren’t cracks. They were stars, stretching like molten threads pulled by invisible fingers. Entire constellations curved inward, curving toward something, ahead of us. The darkness there wasn’t empty. It was wrong.
The black hole.
The black hole did not rage. It didn’t roar. It just waited.
And as the final few lights flickered and died, engulfing me into total darkness. The room dimly lit up with red-orange light, eerily creeping in from the black hole’s 2 spinning, burning discs.
The Halo burnt and flared brighter, whipping and twisting around absolute nothingness. The light leaked like rivers into the black hole, stretching thin and dark. Nothing came back out. No debris, no rocks. Nothing ever came out.
Space bent. Light died. Time twisted. And I drifted helplessly toward that unnatural absence. I felt smaller than I had ever felt. I felt more scared than I ever had felt. I felt death, waiting, waiting. The nothingness grew like a parasite, swallowing the stars one by one, until the universe itself narrowed down into that single, unreal void.
I felt nervousness, then fear, then cold, then nothing at all.
Divit - Lee 9
shattered into fragments of debris floating off. In the end, greed could not contend with beliefs that had stood the test of time, and less than 0.01% of the population was left. Power over the fractured civilisation was left in the hands of the extreme Starrists. Their message was simple: humanity had gone too far.
The final vestiges were close to crumbling, and the remaining fanatic leaders spurred on the faithful and culled the unfaithful while calling for one final act of devotion - The Odyssey. The devoted entered the ships and set off for the stars, hoping for holy revelation. The ships burnt as they drew closer, metal glowing and burning under unbearable radiance. But still they stared. The Sun did not judge or bless. It simply burned eternally and was indifferent to worship. Even as the ships vanished into the light, as a race was wiped out due to a sentence, the star burned on.
Eric - Lee 12
“I wish for peace,” and yet no peace had come. He would still wake up struggle to get out of bed. “I wish for happiness,” and yet no happiness had still did not find anyone to call ‘friend’, nor reason to come out of his wish for the truth and your ear”, and this time the world felt slower. “I wish he asked once again.
Peace came at John’s expense. He passed away in his sleep.
The star did not grant. It was simply a ritual for John to cave in to surrender. for he let go of resistance to exhaustion, and found peace because he, in for the absence of pressure; gravity over fusion. Gravity always
Codie - Lee 10
Okay, these stars are definitely scamming me; Orion is missing constellation looks like a cheap knock-off bracelet. While I was north is these weird, tiny lights started zipping around outside, some normal space dust. They look like hyperactive fireflies that and they are certainly circling the ship (if you can even call it feel like prey in a very expensive, very broken Entry: 37 - Ship Commander The fireflies have stopped buzzing around and are now forming around the stardust, blocking out all the familiar stars. It's either have to go to Specsavers. They are gently nudging me into this of darkness that looks like the universe sneezed. One of these window and my god, when I say they are ugly, worse Entry: 38 - Ship Commander
So, the giant space predator thing outside just tapped on the glass and I swear I saw it wink. I think this whole situation has officially and landed squarely in ‘absurd horror movie territory’. communicate by flashing the emergency beacon in morse code, NO LEAVE ME ALONE” just in case they have a Entry: 39 - Ship Commander
So I can now confirm they definitely winked at me and I'm telling hungry. I then prepare myself a sandwich and crisps and start which, to my complete and utter surprise, they didn't like and glass which I responded by holding a sign saying “SORRY ABOUT honesty if you’re about to eat someone at least let them eat before or am I right? I can't wait to be devoured by this colossal entity,
To whoever finds this, I hope this gives you insightful information though it probably won't if you want to ask any questions you can't be in the stomach of a space entity. Anyways, goodbye
Kian - Lee 8
Jaiden - Lee 12
New Mexico, 1870
The stars shone bright in the cloudless night sky. The wind howled as it swept through the cactus-laden countryside and into the sleeping town. Just past the old water tower, on top of a red, sandy hill, a faded wooden building stood, watching silently. Its roof slanted uncertainly and its windows had been half-heartedly boarded up. The dark and uninviting entrance was flanked by chipped wooden planks that, with great effort, held up a once bold sign that had long since lost its colour. On it, the words ‘Old Betty’s Saloon’ could just about be made out. Old Betty herself had died some 20 years ago, but even before that the place had closed itself to customers. Some of the townsfolk had reported men seen entering and leaving the saloon late at night, but no one thought anything of it.
That night, as the cool evening wind danced through the canyons, the sound of sweet piano tunes and drunken laughter drifted hazily down the hill and into the town. It seemed the derelict saloon had come alive. A single rusted lantern hung by a chain from the cobwebbed ceiling in the middle of the room, glowing dimly. Below it stood a broad, circular table. Around this table, half a dozen men sat sipping whiskey and playing cards. A small group of smugglers stood in a shadowy corner, talking in hushed voices and glancing around haughtily. In another corner, the bartender had sat down and begun to play a sweet melody on a rickety piano and sing an old tune. A group of men sat around him, singing along joyfully and loudly. At the card table it seemed that an argument had broken out: someone had slammed his hand down on the table in frustration, causing another man to spill his whisky. The men stood up and began cursing one another. Quickly, the shouts grew louder and drowned out the music; the two began hurling slurred profanities at each other and gesturing wildly. The other drunkards at the table eagerly joined in, rolling up their sleeves before kicking their chairs aside. Punches were thrown and glasses were smashed. Those sitting around the piano were swept into the brawl as the bartender tried desperately to settle them down. In all the commotion, no one saw the shabby saloon doors creak open.
A gun fired. Twice. The room was now dead silent. All heads turned to look at the shadowy figure standing in the doorway. Against the darkness of the night, the men were blinded by the glimmering white star pinned to his breast pocket, which cast a sharp beam of light across the room. As the man walked forward, the spurs on his boots clicked and clacked rhythmically. The men flinched as he stepped. The top half of his face was concealed by a wide-brimmed hat, pulled down past his eyes. A brown cigar hung lazily out the corner of his mouth. One hand was firmly in the pocket of his dark cloak, the other held a silver pistol aloft. The man did not speak. He simply stood still and let the cold wind tug at his cloak.
The room looked up at him in silence. Their guns were in the storage cupboard out back; they had all drunk themselves senseless. They looked at one another, as if hoping that anyone had an excuse, but no one dared to speak.
The man took a long draw from the cigar between his fingers, and slowly let the smoke spill out of his mouth. He grasped the rim of his hat and tilted it upwards, before gesturing with his cigar and slowly tapping the star on his lapel. He sighed, and cocked his gun.
George - Lee 10
A Star in a Cage
From the moment Julian was born, the world had their eyes on him. A star before he could even speak, cameras tracked his every move, reporters wrote down every word, and his face filled screens across the world. Privacy was a myth, as his life was like an animal in a zoodisplayed for all to see. Wherever he went, a trail of cameras followed. Whatever he did, even quietly, was published in the following morning’s Daily Newspaper.
He learnt early that resistance was useless. Movements had to be precise, words carefully though and smiles perfectly timed. It was the right thing to do, his parents had told him.
“Smile for the camera, answer with integrity and do your very best to protect your reputation.” they had said.
One day, a social media account was created, in hopes to boost his online presence. Everything seemed fine at first. The average comment praising him, the new follower that filled his notifications to the brim. Then gradually, beginning to notice it only subtly, his social interactions began to feel almost scripted. Realising this phenomenon, Julian began to question his life. Why couldn’t he live a life, free from restrictions and free from the burdens?
Evening came and Julian opened his laptop, with tomorrow’s draft reflecting off his eyes. Words stared back at him on the screen, like a quiet question waiting to be asked. Driven by curiosity, he slowly began to structure his question: What is life like not being famous? Almost instantly, likes and comments flooded his screen, all mocking him for complaining. After all, he was what many aspired to be. However, for the first time, Julian felt a flicker of hope. He had spoken for himself, free and uncontrollable.
Lucas - Lee 11
Beyond Our World
Scene:
(Jack and Philip are laying on top of a grass hill looking up at the stars at dark)
Jack: Look, did you see that shooting star?
Philip: Where?
Jack: Right there.
(Jack pointing at the shooting star)
Philip: Wow, I wonder what shooting stars actually are.
Jack: Maybe they're secret flying saucers that are travelling to different homes.
Philip: Aliens! Are we being serious, Jack? Stars are just giant balls of hot gas.
Jack: Don’t be so silly. You have to believe that there is more out there.
Philip: Think about it, we are the tiniest speck in this giant universe. What evidence is there that there is more out there than space?
Jack: Exactly! The aliens are all invisible
Philip: Or they don't exist
Jack: You always have no fun
Philip: It is just simple science
Jack: Science this science that just stop talking
(They both stare up at the sky. Another shooting star streaks across.)
Philip: Wow its another one of your taxis
Jack: Don’t take the mick
Philip: Ok I'm sorry I will try to believe there is something greater.
Jack: That’s the spirit
Philip: You know shooting stars aren’t actually stars. They’re tiny rocks burning up in the atmosphere.
Jack: so the family in the flying saucer didn’t get home safe
Philip: Pretty much.
Jack: aw man
(They both laugh.)
Gautham - Lee 12
How
Ingredients
1 large nebula cloud (must be dusty)
2 cups of gravity (freshly squeezed)
A pinch of stellar nucleosynthesis (the cosmic process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing protons and neutrons)
A sprinkle of helium
500,000 light-years of patience
A dash of dark matter (optional, for extra flavor)
A celestial spoon/mit
A heatproof cosmic mixing bowl (also known as space)
Instructions
Gather: In a large, empty void (your mixing bowl) and gently pour in the nebula cloud.
Compress: Slowly add the gravity. If it doesn't form a ball, add more gravity until it does.
Heat: Once you have a dense ball, increase the pressure and temperature in the centre until it becomes 2500 °C.
Bake: Sprinkle in your pinch of hydrogen, helium and stellar nucleosynthesis.Let it simmer for approximately 10 million years, or until it glows brightly. When simmering please stay 3 million miles away or you will burn to death. Avoid overcooking unless you are aiming to destroy the universe.
Serve: Carefully remove your star using the celestial mitt.
Garnish: Sprinkle with dark matter for that extra universal flair.
Chef’s Tips: It’s best served light-years away from any living things, due to the chance of death. Add orbiting planets for decoration. If your star turns blue, then run.
Stellar Appétit!
Aiden - Lee 10
But it gets stranger: after analysing the supernova’s spectrum, the astrologists discovered that the star was evolving 10 times slower than other stars. This means an appearance of a star 10 times younger than it actually was.
Furthermore, the actual age of the supernova is not known, as astrologists had discovered a supernova in the same spot in the sky in 1954; 60 years before it rediscovered. This had never been seen before.
Overall the supernova’s eruption continued for 1000 days, 10 times longer than usual 100 days. This combined with the other strange feature of coming back to meant this star broke all theoretical expectations.
If you were looking for a reason for its unique behavior then I’m sorry to say that is no suggestion that accounts for all its peculiar features.
I think it’s safe to say that iPFT14hls is one of the strangest and most interesting ever discovered.
Mateusz - Lee 12
Discover the secrets of the universe as you visit different solar systems, planets, and galaxies not so far away. Let the light of creativity burn as bright as the stars as Lee shares our passion for writing with you, and enlightening you as you understand deeping meanings behind each line. Discover more about what it means to reach for the stars by reading about famous stars of Hollywood and the athletic stars of sports. Discover the inner workings of how the stars themselves work as you learn about the science behind these burning spheres of energy.
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars." - Les Brown