Sid Chaplin Writing Competition

[7upromana01]

OMG Poppy I am so happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eddie Muir]

I look forward to reading it, Poppy.

[Poppy]

Thanks Eddie and Abi!

[Loony the Dog]

Congratulations, Poppy! Can't wait to read it!

[Francis]

Thanks Poppy - would love to read it!

[Poppy]

Thanks Loony and Francis!!

[Rebeccadanielle]

That's wonderful news, congratulations on your story.

[shadow]

Congratulations, looking forward to reading the story.

[Poppy]

Thanks Shadow and Rebeccadanielle!

Here is my story:
_________________________________________________________________________________
MATCHSTICKS AND GOBLINS
Darkness began to fall on Gorse Village. Mr Bidgins watched the first stars open their sleepy eyelids and twinkle merrily in the vast puddle of black ink. His eyelids almost dropped, but he shook himself sternly. “No, you mustn’t fall asleep at work… Not at work.” but two minutes later, he was fast asleep, snoring with his mouth wide open.
Now this wouldn’t have mattered any other night. Mr Bidgins rarely got any customers in his little matchstick shop. In fact, he hadn’t had a customer or taken in penny for the last two weeks! But tonight, his shop would come alive…
Just ten minutes after he had fallen asleep, two goblins walked by, by chance. They heard Mr Bidgins snoring and smiled to each other. They nodded. The first one pushed open the little door and a bell tingled softly. Still Mr Bidgins did not wake. Rapidly, they each chanted into each and every match stick box before slipping out again.
Ring! Ring! Mr Bidgins opened his drowsy eyes to see Mrs Dale ringing to bell on the desk valiantly. “Sorry Mrs Dale, is it just one box you want?”
Mrs Dale bought the matches and Mr Bidgins sighed heavily. “Our first sell of the month.” he moaned to himself. He locked up the shop and went home.
The next day, as Mr Bidgins sat in his shop, Mrs Dale bustled in. “I’ll have another box of those matches, Mr Bidgins, please!” she said excitedly. “You didn’t tell me they were magic!”
“What?” Mr Bidgins inquired, “Magic?”
“Yes, magic, you stupid man! The magic you put in the matches.” she said pulling some money from her purse. “When I lit the match, the flame was a beautiful purple, and then from the flame, jumped all sorts of magical shapes - and aeroplane, aman riding a horse, a bird, it was magnificent!” Mr Bidgins listened in amazement.
He quickly lit a match and watched the shapes dance round the shop. He blew it out and the purple flame vanished. Mr Bidgins stared at Mrs Dale. “Well I never!” he breathed.
Before anything else could be said, a volley of shouts and cries erupted outside. Soon after, the shop door was pushed open, and Mr Hail stumbled in, carrying to goblins, one in each hand. They were shouting, struggling, kicking and lashing their hands about.
“These goblins broke into your shop last night, Bidgins.” he snarled, “They came out giggling like anything, and ran off. I caught them wandering by this morning. So, you going to tell old Bidgins what yer’ did?” The goblins shook uncomfortably.
“They chanted a spell into each of your matchstick boxes, so they would have powers.” Mr Hail bellowed. Everything was silent for a moment and then, to the intense surprise of Mr Hail, Mr Bidgins hugged the two goblins!
“Thank you! Thank you!” he cried. “Now you can come and work with me, make magical matchsticks! We’ll make a fortune, your wages will be hundreds!” he cried. The goblins were glad of this opportunity and took it proudly. Most of the time, they were very bored (this is partly why they were always up to naughty tricks).
They both got on very well with Mr Bidgins and were honoured to make magical matchsticks for him. And the little matchstick shop was always full of customers!

[Eddie Muir]

Excellent, Poppy. I enjoyed reading your story.

[Julie2owlsdene]

A nice little story, Poppy.

[Poppy]

Thanks, Julie and Eddie! Glad you liked it!

[Anita Bensoussane]

A nicely written story, Poppy. It flows well and contains some good descriptive words and phrases, e.g. the part about the stars opening their sleepy eyelids.

[Poppy]

Thanks Anita!
Yes, everyone who has read my story has mentioned about that sentence! Glad you like it!

[7upromana01]

Well done Poppy!