THE PAPER WORLD
The Paper World by Ria Rosa Q, written on ??/08/05

I was walking up the stairway that led to a tiny beam of light near the ceiling. It was always up, and there were no handrails on each side. Everytime I step up the last step always diminished into the void of the unkown below. There was no way but up

I guess I've been walking here for the past hour or so, with the square of light growing larger in minute ways. Even though my limbs were aching, an indescribable will to finish what was started coursed through my veins.

Finally, the doorway of light was right in front of me, so close it ached both my heart and eyes. The open doorway led to a world of paper shadows and light no amount of words could describe.

The paper sun was fleetingly blotted out by cotton clouds, while a paper plane tried to battle out the turbulence of wind that I could clearly see.

It was a fascinating world. It was a world void of people, but it was also a world of origami shapes so intricate and fragile that a single, corrupted breath could collapse the entire universe.

Praying that I would not be the one to bring this innocent world into ruins, I stepped down the crinkled stairway and ran to pick frail, paper daisies from the ground. Paper cranes gracing the waters took notice of me and bowed their heads in silent recognition. I nodded in their direction in return.

I discovered wonderful schools of fish no man could buy nor imagine in the real world. Fish as translucent as foil braving the clear blue ocean glittering from the ever present moon and sun.

I then climbed up a cardboard palm tree and jumped in a paper airplane flying lazily past. I steered the plane higher, higher... until finally I could kiss the moon's velvety face and pick the stars off their satin dome.

These simple souvenirs that I plan to bring back, I know I will keep with me forever.

I let the wind take the plane to wherever it pleased. It took both of us over kingdoms of legends and sunken treasure. I understood then that the world of the impossible becomes the everyday in this paper-thin world.

Midnight and midday are always one in this world, as the paper plane floated down in a town of bright lights and paper shadows. Not a person was there, yet this world had enough riches to fill a king's royal chambers ten times over.

I gingerly close the book of my youth, holding this imaginary world close to my soul. In my heart I know that the discoveries I made during my voyage around that paper world was as real as it could be. The paper daisies and the paper stars I picked during my stay will remain in my soul's pocket, never dwindling in the wind to fade into a memory.

    Author's notes: 2005 Australian HSC Trials. It was planned and writted in just over 30 mins. Got a 12/15, losing that 3 marks because it was too short (It only took up 1 3/4 pages) and because I didn't incorporate other concepts of journeys (no challenges and risks, but it HAS self-discovery, a change in self, and time limit). That's silly... Grr... I didn't have enough time!