LES is proud to announce Archer Ward is the winner of Grades 3-4 for the county Young Writers Contest! Archer's writing will be submitted for the state judging to take place in March. We are pleased to share his work, "Angels of the Night", with you below.
Angels of the Night
Archer Ward
Ever since Dad moved away, I haven't had a decent sleep for a long time. Every time I close my eyes, I hear someone calling my name. I recognize the voice...but I don't know who is saying it. I can't sleep without hearing the voice, without pondering the question-who's calling my name?
It is January the eighth, and still, I am cursed by the wretched voice, always there whenever I close my eyes. There was something different about the voice this time, though. It seemed closer than before. I sat up out of bed and stared at where I had heard the noise coming from.
"The lighthouse," I said. "It's coming from the lighthouse!" I jumped out of bed and leaped for the door. I opened it just a crack, so I could slip through the door unnoticed. Mom lay on the couch, tired from the constant bickering between her and Dad. I turned the knob on the door leading outside, and silently shut it once I had left the house, locking the door. I slipped the key into my robe's pocket and headed towards The Portland Head Light.
The night was dead silent, almost like a funeral. The air tastes salty, kind of like vinegar. The Portland Head Light was only about 36 meters from my house, so it didn't take long for me to arrive.
The staircase creaked with every step I took. Inside the lighthouse, it was even brisker than outside! It took me several long minutes to reach the top. I could hear the voice only a short distance away by now. My curiosity grew as I walked closer to the voice. It was coming from a closet next to the huge light bulb.
I grasped the side of the door and opened it. My hands were almost frozen by the frigid cold. In the closet was a little girl, barely eight years old.
"What are you doing here, little girl?" I asked. She looked up at me, her eyes glistening in the moonlight.
"I am an angel of the night. I've always been here. I have descended from the clouds to deliver a message to you," the angel said. I was neither fearful or overjoyed by the strange presence of the angel.
"My time grows short. I must give the message to you now, with no further delay. Things in the past must be left behind-live your life and look towards the future."
And with that, the angel started to fade into an ominous mist. The mist then floated back into the sky, where it would stay for a while.
After I crept back into my bedroom. I pulled my body under the covers and closed my eyes. The voices had left my mind, and I was free to go to sleep. Before I went to sleep, though, I told myself one thing-I will live my life looking towards the future, like the angel said!
With that being said, I fell asleep