The Eye of the Wolf – creative writing by Labibah

Labibah in Year 6 has a special talent for writing. She has been working very hard all year to achieve the almost impossible goal of a level 6 in her writing. However, due to the fact that Labibah has used her talent to the very best of her capability she has been successful. Read her story below. It is truly excellent and shows what can be achieved when you put talent and hard work together.

It is a rewrite of part of a story called the Eye of the Wolf from the character Toa’s point of view.

The Eye of the Wolf

It was a dark, dead night in a deserted town in Africa. The whistling sound of the descending bombs echoed through the air, as Toa sat agitated on his dromedary, uselessly trying to escape from the chaotic area. He was absolutely furious and had no time for the animal’s annoying antics. Chunks of rubble rolled on to the floor, mixing into the grainy sand. Toa kicked its chops, startling it, but not enough to get it to move. As he cursed under his breath, a woman holding a bundle in his arms rushed up to him; fear was swirling in her eyes, along with panic.

“Please keep this boy safe, Toa. He has no family and I cannot keep him. I will give you all my money and everything else I can offer. All I ask is to keep him safe,” the woman begged and pleaded.

Toa sat as straight as a bolt; conflicted as to whether he should be on his way or keep the child in exchange for the money. The flames from the burning houses and grass danced brightly as he snatched the money and the baby, before leaving the woman stranded alone in the burning town. She glanced at the baby pitifully, before taking off in the opposite direction. Although Toa had no intention of properly taking care of the baby, he was greedy for wealth, so he would bear the abomination for as long as he could.

The years passed by and the boy grew into a great storyteller, but Toa didn’t let his talent fool him. To him, the boy was dead weight on his shoulders – one that he was determined to get rid of. They would travel through the dry, empty desert, riding on the hump of the dromedary and every time Toa

would try to abandon the boy, the pathetic creature would stay firm on his toes and would refuse to budge. Toa despised Africa, he despised his job and he most definitely despised the boy. The thick, humid air was suffocating to Toa and he longed to be out of the roasting oven of a desert. He didn’t understand how the nomads found the boy’s stories interesting. Despite that, Toa didn’t care how good his stories were, he only cared about the money he earned. He really was a selfish, old man.

A day had come when they were trading in the great plains of Grey Africa and Toa was given the opportunity to separate himself from the dromedary and the boy. He was offered a deal he could not refuse. The wild thorn bushes camouflaged the grey rocks with the lifeless, dull leaves. Toa strictly advised the boy to stay behind as he entered the market place.

The warm sun beat down on the town as Toa dragged his dromedary through the market. A man with dark red blood stains and the pungent smell of raw meat emitting off him slowly trod over to Toa, staring intently at the dromedary.

“May I ask if you are selling this beautiful creature? I’m a local butcher and because of the dry sand and bushes, haven’t had a thick slice of juicy meat in ages,” his voice was husky and strong, smelling of dead meat.

Toa had no patience for pleasantries. Instead, he merely grunted and offered his hand whilst pushing the animal towards his new owner. The strange smelling man handed over a large bag of gold and Toa’s eyes brightened. Without acknowledging the animal in despair, Toa avariciously scrabbled for every penny and turned towards his next customer, eager to gain more money.

The customer was an old shepherd, slowly hobbling towards Toa with an old timber stick. His croaky voice called out to Toa, “Do you, sir, by any chance own a young shepherd boy who would be good for attending my flock? I have been searching for ages now and have grown tired. I’m willing to give

you everything.”

His broken voice coughed with every few words, but Toa heard him as clear as day.

“Well, it happens that I do. Now, before I consider anything, how much money will you pay for him?”

Toa put on the best smile he could muster, which was quite difficult for a grumpy old man like him.

“Everything I have,” the desperation in the man’s voice seemed to allure Toa even more.

“Well then, he now belongs to you.”

With a mischievous smirk on his wicked face, Toa snatched the man’s money before promising to return with the boy. Toa could feel an evil presence within him…and he loved it.

The mushy, mouldy smell of Grey Africa became somewhat pleasant to Toa as he returned to the boy. There was finally a way to get rid of the burden Toa had carried for the last few years of his life.

 By Labiba Y6