‘The Dino Surprise’ has really come as a BIG SURPRISE. By the by, I had least expected someone would go for this uphill task, that is, giving topic number 04 a try (from that list of 30 topics showing variety of prompts we’ve already published here). Not only Muhammad Abubakar Mian turned out to be the one who took the lead, but also (see for yourself) he has fully proven his imaginative ability. A touch of humour is already a regular characteristic of Abubakar’s writings. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this stuff.

The Dino Surprise

My alarm clock sprang to life exactly at 9:30 A.M. The previous night’s rest seemed to have done little for my body, as I was still feeling very lethargic. Shaking off the sleepiness, I crept out of my bed and headed for the bathroom.

I had gone just a few steps into the hallway, however, when a thunderous roar threw me against the wall. The entire house began to shake violently. Human instinct took over, and I braced myself for an earthquake. But that earthquake never came. The shaking subsided as quickly as it had started, and soon enough all was back to normal. With my heart still palpitating to a furious rhythm, I made my way to the living room. Anxiously walking past the fireplace, I peered out the window.

It was at this very moment that I had the surprise of my life.

Standing just a few feet from my window, there stood a dinosaur. I was flabbergasted. It took me quite a few seconds to get back to my senses. Taking note of its stout tail and extensive neck, coupled with the distinct shape of its head, I immediately recognized it as being a Brachiosaurus. Perplexed by the enormous beast and what it was doing in my time period, I knew I had to get a closer look. Without a second thought, I slipped into my sneakers and ran for the backyard.

The Brachiosaurus had a mesmerizing gray coat, something that I could not appreciate from behind a glass pane. Standing just a few feet away from it now, however, I began to question my lack of better judgment. Is it really safe to be standing next to an animal that weighed several tons more than me, and was considerably larger? The Brachiosaurus seemed to be mostly calm; it stood relatively still while scanning the horizon. But what was it looking for? Suddenly, the Brachiosaurus let out a piercing cry and ran right through the picket fence.

The Earth trembled under the beast’s heft, and tossed me to the ground. Laying on my back, I caught sight of a Tyrannosaurus Rex lurching towards me from across the street. I attempted to scramble back up onto my feet with as much vigor as my body could muster, but all efforts proved to be futile. The ground was now shaking with so much force that I couldn’t even maintain balance. Fear reached up from the darkest depths of my heart and began to cloud my mind. With no escape in sight, I had lost all hope. As the T-Rex grew closer and closer, my body folded into the fetal position and I closed my eyes.

When I opened them again, however, I did not find myself in the repulsive abyss that is the stomach of a T-Rex. In fact, I found myself in a much pleasanter place: home. Wrapped comfortably under layers of blankets, I was relieved to be far away from that nightmare. Who needs dinosaurs, anyway? Giraffes are so much cooler.

Muhammad Abubakar Mian

Class O’ Level-II

A Poem on “Peace” - First Position for Muhammed Ahmed Student of 8th Grade (Iqbal) at PakTurk Schools Islamabad Branch

A Poem on “Peace” - First Position for Muhammed Ahmed

Student of 8th Grade (Iqbal) 

 PakTurk Schools Islamabad Branch

1)

Long it has been,

For two friends to have never met,

But now they do,

And one is filled with the other,

I always wonder,

If this was another wonder,

Yes it is,

for Pakistan is finally filled with peace,

And now it's one of its piece

2)

Let the winds flow free,

The winds of peace,

Let them flow through Pakistan,

They bring promises,

Promises of prosperity,

Promises of achievement,

For so long,

I longed for them,

Now I feel them,

Thank You God,

For you let them blow free!                        

                

3)

Shattered along Pakistan,

Are the four carriers of peace,

Well connected they are,

Big they are,

I always wonder,

Why it's a wonder,

How Pakistan made a blunder,

Let's forget the past,

Let's start a new page,

And renew the strength that holds these pieces

Composed by:

Muhammed Ahmed

Student of 8th Grade (Iqbal)

Our Online Learning Resources for O' Level Students & Teachers

The following 08 websites stand in our online learning resources for O' Level Students & Teachers (For the subject of English) as per recommendation by The Cambridge University. (humayun)

1. http://www.edufind.com/
2. http://www.onestopenglish.com/
3. http://www.dawn.com/
4. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
5. www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
6. http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar
7. http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/longfellow.html
8. http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/

Creative Writing Prompts for Students

This long list of 30 topics comes from http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/. Keep picking them up as per time and mood, and sharing your essays, stories by droping them into my mail box. I'll go on uploading them here. Happy writing!

1. Imagine you had a hundred dollars, but you couldn't keep it. You had to give it away to a person or charity. Who would you give it to? What would you want them to do with it?

2. Describe one time when you were brave.

3. If you could cook any meal for your family, what would you cook? Describe the meal and tell how you would make it.

4. Imagine you woke up and saw a dinosaur in your backyard. Write a story telling what you see and do.

5. Imagine you opened your own restaurant. Tell the name of your restaurant. Explain what the restaurant looks like, who works there, and what you serve.

6. Describe your favorite character from a book, a movie, or television.

7. Write a story titled, "My Journey on a Pirate Ship." You and your friends can star in the story.

8. If you could have any animal for a pet, what would it be? Describe the pet and how you would take care of it.

9. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If you do, tell what they're like. If not, tell whether or not you would like to have a brother or sister.

10. If you could have lunch with any famous person who would it be? What would you talk about with this person?

11. Write a story titled, "The Bat Who Couldn't Fly."

12. Imagine you were a wonderful painter and your parents would let you paint anything you wanted on your bedroom walls. What would you paint? Use lots of details to describe your artwork.

13. Describe the oldest person you know.

14. Describe the youngest person you know.

15. Do you think a monkey would make a good pet? Explain why or why not.

16. How old were you four years ago? Describe some things you can do now that you could not do then.

17. Imagine you worked at a football stadium. What would your job be? (examples: quarterback, cheerleader, coach, referee, ticket seller) Describe what you would do while you were on the job.

18. What do you like best about your home?

19. If you could be on any game show, what would it be? Describe what happens when you're on the show.

20. Describe your favorite season (fall, spring, summer, or winter). Tell what kinds of things you like to do during that season.

21. Write a story titled, "The Baby Dragon."

22. Describe several ways a person your age can earn money.

23. Would you want to visit the moon? Why or why not?

24. If you could spend an afternoon with one member of your extended family, who would it be? Tell why you chose this person and tell what you do together.

25. Which superpower would you most like to have-- invisibility, super strength, or the ability to fly? Describe what kids of things you would do with your powers.

26. Think of a time when you've won something. Tell what you won and how you won it.

27. Invent a new kind of sandwich. Describe what is on it and how you would make it.

28. Describe one thing you're really good at.

29. Imagine you were twenty feet tall. Describe what life would be like.

30. If you were a doctor, what kind of doctor would you be? (examples: children's doctor, veterinarian, eye doctor, dentist) Tell what your job would be like.

Yet another MARVEL by our writing genius, Usama Gohar, of class AS Level. A touching story that would keep your minds hooked up till the end. That’s what you call ‘suspense’. The topic was originally meant for O’ level boys, yet Usama Gohar was dragged in just to be ‘a minaret of light’ for his juniors. I believe he’s done full justice to this situational topic. Enjoy! (Humayun)

Despite my devoted care, I could not save that boy from dying.

I was drenched in blood, most of which was not my own. Amidst the storm, nothing could be seen. Maybe that’s why our cars had collided with an ear-splitting bang. I had been quick to jump out in time. I kneeled and gazed around; nothing could be made out amidst the hail storm, apart from the three – presumably lifeless – figures. 

It took me a minute to realize that my left leg had been shattered. Relentlessly, I stood up and limped all the way to where the other three bodies lay – which wasn’t very far but still took a lot of effort on my part.

It took me some time to realize that there were two bodies when I could clearly recall seeing three figures inside the car just before our cars had had a collision. It was then that my ears made out the hushed breathes mixed with the slow breeze. I stumbled to the side of the road where the ground gave way to a deep valley. 

There before me, partially hidden by the leaves was a little boy: “Hold on!” I managed to call. The boy looked up, his eyes filled with tears – now glistening with hope. It's strange, I thought, how one word from a stranger can fill us with hope. I tried to lower hand towards him as I balanced myself at the edge of the road.

The rush of adrenaline subsided and with a sudden jerk I felt all the physical pains that had previously been held back by my adrenaline. My legs started aching, my head started spinning and I felt my forehead dampen with perspiration. The little boy clutched my hand with both of his little hands and I started to pull him up. As I was pulling him up, a dark, thick droplet landed between his eyes. Only then did I realize that my skull had been cracked open and it was only the adrenaline holding back my bleeding.

Everything before me went dark for a while until a loud crack brought me back to my senses. The piece of road on which I lay had torn itself apart and would soon fall into the valley underneath. 

I pulled the boy up and grabbed him by the shoulder just before another grumble filled the still air. I flung my body just in time to grab the edge of the still attached road with my free hand. I tried to pull myself up but the pain was excruciating.

I looked down at the boy, still clutching my ATM and found him looking at me. His dark eyes showed no sign of fear. If anything I saw in them was a mature courage. As I looked at him in awe, he spoke – his mouth still closed. His mouth was closed but his eyes spoke up, something the ancient people called “the spirit” and which psychics today call “telepathy”. “Don't worry,” his eyes seemed to say, “I know you tried.”

Before I could say or do anything else, he let go of my arm. The gruesome blizzard swallowed his little farm.  I watched him vanish into the white haze. 

He had left the night as dead as ever and me once more alone.

Authored by:
Usama Gohar
AS Level (Cambridge Section)
PakTurk Schools
Chak Shahzad
Islamabad

"Being a seasoned doctor, it took me a few seconds to perceive what had caused Angeline’s death." - A topic that I introduced in our O' Level final year class last Friday. The story being featured here was authored by Ahmed Ali, a brilliant soul who most certainly is --- our HOPE. A compellingly believable story, indeed. Let me call it a 'mind-blowing stuff', isn't it? See for yourself.

Being a seasoned doctor, it took me a few seconds to perceive what had caused Angeline’s death.

But once I was a very famous forensic officer in the Police.

At the apex of my career, I was being sought for the most complex cases. I was even awarded the prestigious Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civil award in Pakistan, for my immaculate work in a high-profile murder case in which I steered the whole investigation away from the erroneous path leading it most audaciously to seizing justice for the victim in the long run.

Here, I quote the details of that case to the best of my memory, though pretty tough job for me now as my memory has slightly weakened over the years.

********

It was December 1974, if I am getting it right. On a chilly, overcast morning, I was struggling to drive through the thick fog as manifestly prevalent all around. The guards at the entrance of the Diplomatic Enclave promptly allowed me in. As I parked in front of the USSR Embassy, I noticed a crowd of journalists; some covering the story live, others scribbling notes on the tear pads.

“Angeline Mikhailovic, the eldest child of the Soviet Ambassador, Miss Alexei Mikhailovic had committed suicide last night. Her close friends had stated that she was bearing the trauma of being rejected by her boyfriend, who is also......”, a reporter was hastily blurting out, on the camera. I tried to shake this reckless commentary out of my mind, so I could look at the case from no-man’s-land.

On seeing my ID, a constable escorted me in, to the crime scene. Members of my forensic team were already busy taking fingerprints. From the ceiling fan, a female body hung with a rope noose around her neck. I motioned a constable to get her down onto the bed, to which he complied immediately. As the body was kept untouched until now, I was content that no evidence had been destroyed. Quite fleetingly, the ASI, who was responsible for the investigation approached me.

“Sir, it is a clear case of suicide. I suggest you kindly fulfil the formalities quickly. Mr. Mikhailovic wants the body buried in an hour. It has really brought disgrace upon him”, he apprised me with a sad shake of the head.

“Let me do my work first, and I would appreciate your silence while I work” I replied in a stern sounding tone.

“Sure sir, sure”, he stuttered, and then fidgeted aside.

I started examining the body. It was obvious to me that she had died somewhere around midnight while all others were fast asleep. Ever since I had seen her facial expression, I had developed a pinch of suspicion in my sceptic mind. It looked as if she was protesting frantically at the time of her death. The bulging, horrified eyes, the mottled face, the fresh scar on her right cheek, messed up hair --- it just didn’t seem right. Together these evidences gave an impression of something very fishy that needed to be dug out with all our professional earnestness.

I had seen other suicidal cases in which the deceased had a sort of peace and calmness on their faces, as if everything had happened according to their will. But Angeline’s expressions were different. My instinct, my sixth sense whispered to me it was not suicide, but a murder.

On a closer examination, the remaining jigsaw started unfolding further. I successfully spotted grooves on her throat caused by forceful pressing of hands. Being a seasoned doctor, it took me a few seconds to perceive what had caused Angeline’s death. More than obviously, the poor girl had been slain by blockage of the windpipe with none other than human hands, and was then hanged to the ceiling as an effort to deceiving the investigators in thinking it was a suicide.

I ordered my forensic colleagues to collect fingerprints from her throat, and told the ASI to unearth who they belonged to. I quickly made a comprehensive report including all the evidences of murder, submitted that with my superiors and drove back home to enjoy an exhilarating cricket match between India and Pakistan. The whole affair was four hours long.

The following day saw it all over the news. I was being acknowledged everywhere and as I realized had become a VIP figure overnight.

Sooner than later, the murderer was identified. It was none other than Gul Khan, the steward of the house.

Gul Khan was a substantially educated man belonging to the tribal areas. He told the press that he had done so to exact revenge for the killing of his whole family in Afghanistan at the hands of Soviets. He had no regrets. The killer was sentenced to death the very following week.

By:
Ahmed Ali
O' level Final Year
PakTurk Schools Islamabad Branch

Ahmed Ali

"Better to have older siblings or the young ones?" - Let’s enjoy reading the saga of a saddened, disillusioned soul who’d prefer to have younger siblings rather than older ones. It’s by Hassan Bukhari of class O’ Level Final Year at PakTurk Schools Islamabad Branch

Better to have older siblings or the young ones?

You are one bad boy! How many times do I have to remind you to behave yourself! whopped mum.

Why can’t you be more like your brothers and Alina? She shrieked.

 -------------------------------

 People keep telling me how lucky I was to have older siblings, that they would always help me in my studies; caress me, love me and a hundred other things. But I wouldn’t agree, for the world I would not! Such people are not likely to have experienced the situations, for example when parents demand of you too much, just because an elder sibling was able to reach their expectations or the other way around.

But I know how it actually feels to be bossed around the house, to be commanded like a slave, treated as an unworthy child. I’d say breathing in this situation is one hell of a big challenge --- at least enough to get on your nerves.

I’m the fourth offspring after the two elder brothers and a sis, Alina. The legitimate brothers as I refer to them, study at a fancy university with humongous building and classy events, and the best part is, it doesn’t cost my parents a damned penny.

Oh yes, they’re smart, quite intelligent book nerds they are. They earn their scholarships, no doubt to that. My sister, Alina, studies at a post graduate medical college and she’s got the charm too. In conclusion, I’m the only child studying at the precious expenses of my father. Sure, they spend a lot at me, since they don’t have to finance the educational expenses of the other three. But unlike my siblings I’m not a bright “nerd”. My parents on the other hand expect a lot. They ask too much of me. They want me to be a braniac such as my brothers.

Sometimes, I just wish I were dead. All day long Ali and Sami command me like lords

“Hey, bring me a glass of water, and I want it chilled” Sami would shriek.

And the hard part is, I can’t refuse! Or else there’s a case of tardiness put upon the unfair court of my parents.

Why don’t you just mind your business? But I can’t use that expression, not for me. I’d get a good whipping for that. All they do is sit around and interfere in my matters. I mean no such element of personal life exists in my world. After a heavy duty of “do this, do that” they sit around discussing my life and issues as if they have nothing to do of their own, “you shouldn’t be doing this” it’s not good for you” advising me like nannies. I wish I didn’t exist at all.

On the contrary, I pray to the havens I had younger siblings. I wouldn’t bother them of course, I’d ask them to do things but they would be favors, not commands! I would train them, help them and do everything I am kept as isolated from. In the long run, it seems there’s a lot to be in favor of being the eldest, a well mannered elder, most certainly. Hence, there is nothing to gain from being the youngest.

Authored by:

Hassan Bukhari

of class O’ Level Final Year 

at PakTurk Schools Islamabad Branch

Hassan Bukhari