During our Home Learning English lessons, via live online teaching, Year 6 have written our very own horror stories.
Our aim was to include a balance of setting description and narrative, incorporating figurative language such as high-level metaphors and personification.
We focused on manipulating grammar and punctuation in order to create variety in our sentence structures and keep the readers engaged. We wanted to create both tension and suspense and we are extremely proud of our final drafts!
Here are just some of our super scary narratives… read our starting paragraphs and continue on if you dare…
Underground is where nightmares begin, where lives end and where all hope is taken away. For Penelope, this was the exact same. Gradually her eyes opened, exposing her to the gruesome habitat; around her were innocent bodies, their faces gaunt and speechless. One seemed to stare at her, warning her to escape from death himself. The air was cold sending a shiver down her spine, making her turn around with anticipation and fear… yr6-horror-stories (ESB)
“Come on guys! Don’t be wimps!” Alexa and Justin yelled to their friends, almost simultaneously. The day had vanished, leaving Maine covered by a wave of darkness. The sun bid farewell to the gloomy forest, as the pearl of the night shimmered in the sky. Whispering willows and silent sugar maples watched as seven teenagers wandered through the thickets of Waterbel Woods. Wind whistled through the forest and crept around the trees, observing the behaviour of the young children… yr6-horror-stories (EM)
Dusk had long since swallowed the blood-smeared, crimson sunset – mist eclipsed the moon, watching the little boy among the limbs of trees, feverishly hunting for the non-existent exit. Deceased leaves lay scattered, scarred and scrambled along the winding alleyways, between the ribbons of trees. Seeking shelter amongst the thorny brambles, of the endless crescendo of undergrowth, the young boy stopped paralysed in mid step… yr6-horror-stories (ML)
The innocent trees howled in pain as the wind tortured them mercilessly – clearing a path for the vile beast that had suddenly awoken from its slumber. Cautiously, the curious girl walked through the great forest, that was home to the vicious creatures who were silently watching her. Whilst wandering across the field of strong oak trees, an uncanny feeling engulfed Lily, almost as if she was disturbing the silence… yr6-horror-stories (CC)
As the silhouette of everlasting trees entered the forest, the moon evicted the sun out of the sky – covering the world in a blanket of stars. Coming to a halt, the young boy leaned on a lone tree in a clearing. With the sun disappearing, a chorus of creatures glistened in the dark with deadly surveilling eyes, that were the cameras to the woods and had seen Matt in the labyrinth of trees. His surroundings confused him, making him go deeper into the woods where taller trees, that were watchtowers for the animals of the sky, towered over Matt. The home of the clouds was still covered in stars while the boy, who continued venturing into the woods, heard a cacophony of crunching leaves and snapping sticks growing louder and louder as it drifted closer and closer. He was not alone… yr6-horror-stories (DV)
I can’t believe how well you have evoked feelings in your horror stories. The descriptions and methods you used to heighten a sense of fear in your readers staggers me and I would put your efforts right up there with professional writers. One of the hardest tasks for any writer is to keep the reader wanting more and you certainly accomplished that with me.
I am amazed at your use of a variety of literary skills and the maturity of your writing. I know your teachers must take some of the credit, but you have obviously paid attention and put into practice the rules of good writing. By the time you read this you’ll have forgotten your project on horror stories, but the praise I offer still applies and is ongoing because I can see already some of you will become very accomplished writers in the future. I’m sure you all remember, the only way to become a good writer is to ‘write;write;write. Congratulations on tremendous efforts. Mrs. B xxx