This is a scene-writing assignment in class. Students were instructed to write one short scene about a group of friends being stranded in the desert. The students needed to quickly show their main character and their problem in one scene.

Faith clutched Liam’s arm tightly and screamed fearfully, ‘What’s this? I’m so scared!’

Liam put a warm hand on Faith’s arm to give her comfort and protection, but he did not answer.

Fern wailed dismally, ‘Nooo! This stupid sand is ruining my beauty! When will it stop?’ Nobody answered the last question. There was no answer to give.

‘I’m fed up with this journey! I’m going back home by myself, ’ said Nacrissa scornfully, so suddenly that made Faith faint, who thought that it was a monster who made this sudden outburst.

Nacrissa continued hotly, ‘I didn’t want to come at first! It was just because Dad said I can have anything I want if I complete this mission!’

Then she stormed off without another word. Everyone stared after her in utter disbelief : How can she find the path back home in such a massive chaos? Sure, Nacrissa can certainly get really crazy ideas sometimes, but even the feather-headed Fern knew that it was impossible to get back home in such a big mess!

As the sand raged in the strong wind, Phobos, who was a person who could hide well, hid behind a huge rock and called his friends to him. They all hid with Phobos.

‘Does anyone have a plan?’ asked Liam. Everyone shook their heads without hesitation. Only Ruby remained thoughtful, and everybody was aware that a plan was coming up inside her head. Ruby, like Fern, was a beautiful girl, but unlike Fern, she was very smart and sensible and it was she who often thought of clever plans that always succeeded.

Now, there was a twinkle in Ruby’s emerald eyes. Slowly and carefully, she told them about her plan.

‘Now don’t all of you get too excited. Liam? You’ve got the gas masks right?’ At Liam’s nod, Ruby said even more slowly that they can dig a tunnel and find a way out of the sandstorm. Besides Fern, who moaned that the sticky underground sand will ruin her beauty again and again, everyone cheered and agreed that Ruby’s plan was great.

So they wore their gas masks, tied them onto their head firmly, and started to get ready to go underground.

Stranded in the Desert