WriteOn! 2025
Winning Essays 2015
6th Grade Form
Topics:
You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
You have a hat with strange powers. What happens when you put it on?
NATIONAL
1st Place, 6th Grade - Keidi Bilero, Fier
Topic: You have a hat with strange powers. What happens when you put it on?
If I would have a hat with strange powers, I am sure it would be a magicians hat, not a usual one. But you can’t find a magic hat in the market. You have to find it somewhere. But where? Well that’s what I was thinking before starting the story.
In our nighborhood, there is a strange house. No one lives there. People say that there are ghosts in that house. But the house is very beautiful in the outside. We moved here last year. I was new then and I didn’t know anything about the house. I was looking for a friend, you know, to pay football or basketball with, and I thought there was a boy living there with his mom and dad but he was a bit shy, and thats why he never cames out of the house. I mean, I’m a bit shy too so we would be perfect together. But there was no one in that house. I knocked in the door and it opened. The house was empty. All I could find was a hat. So, I took it. It wasn’t stealing. There was nobody in the house.
So that’s how I found the hat. But how and when did I discover it’s powers? For about one month later (I don’t know why but I never used the hat) we had a costume party in our school. I was wearing a zorro costume with a black jacket and a mask, and I put the hat in my head to make it look more realistic. I was late and my friends were waiting for me. I was going to the party and I said to myself “I wish I could fly.” At that moment I found out that my hat was magic! I couldn’t belive it. So, my hat could fly and thats all. I tlooks boring doesn’t it. Well it’s not. With that hat in my head I could also run faster and it made me stronger. So much stronger. But did I tell anyone my secret? Yes I did. Just kidding, I didn’t. I couldn’t. I loved that hat. I traveled to different countries by flying (by the way, flying is awesome. I wish I could be a bird) and I also won the race in my school. At the end of the season, in our school we do a race. The fastest boys of the school compete against each other and the winner gets a medal. The hat also helped me to copy tests, but let’s not talk about this. But I lost the hat. Well I didn’t loose it but it ran away. The hat needed a new owner. I don’t know where it is but I can tell you how to find it. Remember, I went in a place that everyone was scared to go and I found something no one else had. So always be brave and try new thing. Never be scared of what’s going to happend in the future. You never know! Maybe the hat is waiting for you!
2nd Place, 6th Grade - Joanis Sejdinaj, Fier
Topic: You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
I live in the “Purple Sea.” Its name is the Purple Sea cause the plants are purple and some sea animals are purple too. Or, wait! When I say purple, don’t think that the water is purple, it’s blue and shining, like in other seas. My favourite animal, is the sea horse. I’ve got a little friend who is a sea horse. His, I say “his” cause I think him like a human. Where was I, oh yes?! His name is Flash. OK, his name is Flash cause he’s very fast, like lightning. He isn’t purple, he’s red, but he’s my friend. In the surface, is a cursed island, The Mermaids Island. It’s cursed OK, but why? Zarnia, the witch of the sea, wait, she’s a witch, but she’s good. OK, she explained to me that years ago, in the coast of a small village, were three magical creatures, the mermaids. With the power of their song, they made all people, adored them. They were beautiful but bad. But, a wizard, banished them in an island, The Mermaids Island. And from that time, that island calls with his name. Let’s end this old story! I am going to tell you about my life. My house is a big shell, but it isn’t a wild shell. Near my house is a colourful named So-So. He thinks he’s a fortune teller, but I think he’s crazy. Somewhere, in a hidden place of the sea is the Rainbow Kingdom. There are the Rainbow Crystals, they save the harmony in the sea. There are very colourful animals and plants too. In our sea, we love music, but not silent music, but rock music. I, with my six friends, we have a band. I sing, Enea plays the tambourine, Julio plays in the guitar, Daniele bangs on the drums, John plays at keytar or piano, Christie picks up the bass and Dejri plays at mini-guitar. We’re crazy, do you think so? Our band’s name is The Lightnings. Are you thinking how do we eat under the sea? The Purple Sea is near Mexico, so we eat tacos, it is my favorite food, but I want to prove for just one time in my life pizza, and not a normal pizza, I want an Italian pizza, they’re masters for that kind of food. Wow, what’s the time?! I promised to Flash that I’m going to help him with his speed. I’m a good friend, so I’m going to help him. I hope that I’m not going to be late this time, again. So goodbye! I was very happy that I talked with you!
3rd Place, 6th Grade - Gabriel Vuksani, Shkodër
Topic: You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
I would live in a jungle for the rest of my life. My life will be full of danger and adventure. In the morning, I would wake up in a cave, shocked. Roar! What a terrible sound! Roar! What is happening. Is it a real lion? I don’t understand?! Roar! I can’t stand here anymore. I’m afraid of this sound! What should I do? Go and see what’s this noise, or to stay here? I went to see who’s making this noise. When… I saw a lion! OMG! I must run to save my life. But… wait the lion isn’t running after me. He is lying down. I don’t think that the scientists write on their books are right. I think he is sick. Is it real that the lions are “the kings of the animals?” I understood what I should do. Go and see why the lion is so weak. I went there when… some lions came after this weak lion. They all saw me very angry. I runned through the forest… Then late afternoon I went to a lake, to drink some water. When a crocodile came out of the lake. Is it sufficient the lions?? Now the crocodile?? I’m going to “kill” myself. Why did I choose this place, instead of peace, not danger. While I was thinking a snake came after me and poisoned me. I’m going to die. Bye MOM, by DAD, bye everyone. I couldn’t say goodbye to my brother. I’m sorry, for any bad thing that I did in my really short time. Even when I’m dying, I want to tell goodbye to my brother. I’m sorry for not saying to you goodbye. MAYBE someone will see this letter and will give it to my brother. MAYBE HE WILL CRY… MAYBE NOT…
Tirana
1st Place, 6th Grade - Valdrin Sufaj
Topic: You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
The Adopted Son of Poseidon
Everything was going smoothly in Marian Fall, the deepest pit in the Pacific Ocean. It was early in the morning when a triton woke me up yelling.
“What’s the matter?”
“Poseidon is missing! He’s not in his chamber!”
The whole place was under alert. The guardians surrounded the palace. Amfitrites was having a crisis. I put on my armor and went looking in all four oceans. Every single person in the world as looking for him. Even Zeus found out. “I don’t care if you have to move every single rock, but even if you burns all alges. I want Poseidon right here!”
Amfitrites was crying all the time.
“It’s been a week and you haven’t found him yet!”
“I promise we will sir.”
“Then do ittt!”
I couldn’t find any solution in the entire sea, so I asked for help from Zeus.
“I’m well aware about it. But don’t get sad. We will find my brother together!”
“Thanks uncle.”
So the time was running.
“ It’s been 14 months and we haven’t found him yet!”
“Don’t worry Amfitrites. We will find him. I’m determined, even if that’s the last thing I do!”
The years passed without Poseidon. The underwater realm couldn’t survive without a king, so I took Poseidon’s place and sit on the throne. The three bladed spear was given to me along with its powers. I was the ruler of the sea now. Exactly after 12 years I got warned of a huge army heading toward the palace, so I also prepared my army. After 2 weeks the invading army was at my palace gates. I exploded in anger and launched my army also.
It was a war of Titans. When I glimpsed at their leader, I got shocked! It was Poseidon! When we two went to head to head combat I asked him: “Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re my adopted, not my real, son!”
I got shocked and angry, so I launched an attack that penetrated his chest. The war was over. In the end I ruled a peaceful ocean world.
7th Grade Form
Topics:
You wake up one morning and realize that you grew wings overnight. What do you decide to do for the day?
Everything that you draw comes to life. What do you draw?
NATIONAL
1st Place, 7th Grade - Arbi Hyseni, Shkoder
Topic: Everything that you draw comes to life. What do you draw?
Everything that I draw becomes real. Well, the first thing that I draw is something which the world didn’t invent before. For example, I draw a machine that get you back in the time. But, wait, this machine gets you in the future too. So I used this machine to get in the future. I heard all the plans to robb a bank, a diamond, a shop etc. In 2023 I will be known as Mr. Hero. The second thing that I draw are my heroes when I was a little child. I thought one evening to invite all my heroes in one party. The guests were Naruto, Vegeta, Superman, Batman etc. The party started when my heroes arrived from the sky. Do you know Naruto is a very funny man and he decided to bully Batman because he is really shy. He already cried but Batman stopped when the catwoman arrived. He had fallen in love with her. Well, from a shy man, Batman started to be bossy. I , as a romantic guy, decided to play a tango for the loved birds. Batman and the catwoman decided to dance. In fact, they danced very well. I was surprised by the Batman when he kissed her and the other heroes applaused for them. Well, the party went on and we enjoyed it. The third thing I draw, are some animals that are called ostrasupiens, spapeziatto and codidianesess. The first animal that is ostrasupiens looks like cat with no legs and hands but with winx. The most beautiful thing in ostrasupiens are the eyes. They are black but in presence of sun, the eyes become violet with green and in presence of water they become a deep sea color. Another thing that ostrasupiens can do is to fly over 100m. It is incredible, right? They also can fight with lows because they are strong. Ostrasupiens are beautiful animals. The second animal that is called spapeziatto can do everything. They can dance, jump, sing and the most important thing in that they can change into spaghetti and I can it them all because they can regenerate themselves. The third animal that is called codidianesess is very cool animal. It likes to wear Gucci, Prada, Valentino and Victoria’s secret. So, this animal is a trendy animal. IF I draw everything and becomes real, it would be awesome.
2nd Place, 7th Grade - Arbri Kopliku, Shkodër
Prompt: Everything you draw comes to life. What do you draw?
With this ability, I became a magician and my pencil: my hat. I can create everything from there, but the actual problem is what to create?! I have to look thoughtfully at this prompt because if I make a mistake in choosing, it may take down the whole earth. So, there are many desires which I want to make them real, and this is my great chance.
Firstly, I would draw a bacteria (the ugliest one) and I would put a giant red cross over it.
Secondly, I would draw a teleporter, like the ones I have played with. With this teleporter (I hope it is very big), I would put all the trash of our universe in there and I would select the destination “nowhere.” Then I would click, “Return when finish teleportation” and would press (very, very, but very thankfully) “Start.”
Of course, I would draw a portable commander of the teleporter, which would take me everywhere.
Thirdly, I would draw a machine (in the size of a matchbox) that can move things only by “rays” without touching them. With this “portable healer,” I would help a lot in surgery. There, I would use it to catch the sun and to make it stay all the time very close to the earth. (Of course, this would result in a forever summer! Cool, huh?)
Then, I would draw the galaxy organized as a city with rockets as cars and the planets, as buildings. Creating this would be great fun, because I could spend my summer in Jupiter, make a visit in Pluto, stop for a drink in the sun and come back to earth.
After all these drawings, I will keep drawing. I would draw a giant table with a lot of chairs around it. There would be seated the presidents of every country in the Earth. Also, there would be seated all the delegates of every planet in the universe. With this table, of course, there would be peace forever.
I would draw a jar, which gets always filled with money. I would draw a button over it with which I can make it invisible. (Of corse, I would always protect the jar, especially from politicians!) With this jar, I would help every poor person in our planet.
After all these drawings, I would have made a whole (even though very big) drawing. It would express something like this:
I would put all the illness and trash of the earth in my teleporter, and send them to nowhere. I would help the poor with my money after our universal meeting for dividing the budget. I would transport some of it securely by my matchbox to some places in the galaxy (besides the earth).
Thank you for your time,
By someone with a lot of dreams.
3rd Place, 7th Grade - Olta Shehu, Peshkopi
Prompt: Everything you draw comes to life. What do you draw?
One day, when I was just six, I was controlling my grandparents’ box. For them it was like a treasure. Suddenly I found a pencil. It was strange. It changed its colour. First it was black like the night sky. Then it was brown like the bear’s fur. And then it was orange like carrots colour. In the garden was a big wall where I could draw everything that my heart wanted. I started to draw. I loved cats, so I drew a black cat in the wall. I also drew a flying carpet. I dreamt to fly with a flying carpet. I felt myself tired, so I went to home.
Tomorrow I tried to found the pencil to drew another animal or thing, but unfortunately I couldn’t found it. I went to garden to look for it, but what to saw? Instead of the black cat, and carpet, on the wall there was nothing. I felt a little bit scared. I couldn’t understood what was happening, so I think that the pencil was just a great dream.
When I went inside of the house, I heard something, a voice that comes from the kitchen. I went there to find out what was happening, but what to saw: the black cat that I drew yesterday was looking for food in the fridge. I was so happy because finally I would have a cat as a friend. In the same time, I felt a little bit shocked. Suddenly, I heard a voice: “Is there some milk? I can’t live without it. Hey, you have got some milk for me?” –said the cat.
“Youuuu! You can speak. Oh my God. I must tell to many” – said I.
“Oh, my honey! She can’t see me, and also she can’t hear me. You are the one, because you give me here: in “Humans World!”
“What do you mean?” – asked I.
“Come on. Give me some milk, please, and then I will show you my planet. So give some milk, pleaseee!!!!” said the cat while her eyes took white color, like the moon.
“Of course!” – said I.
When the cat drunk all the milk started presenting: “Firstly, thanks so much for milk, Olta. Ok. I’m Catherine. I came from ‘Sandici.’ I’m sure that you haven’t heard about it, but you can visit it. With me and Candy. Oh, sorry. I forgotten to present Candy, the flying carpet that you drew yesterday. Oh, she can’t speak.” – said cat. “Hi! Can we go to ‘Sandici?” I can’t wait!” said I.
“OK. Come here Candy. Come here Olta and give me your hand. To Sandici!”
We traveled with a very big speed. Suddenly, Candy stopped. I opened my eyes. I saw an unusual place. Instead of houses, were sweets. Sugar and Ice-cream, was everywhere. Instead of peoples were animals that could speak. “Wow. I can’t believe it. It’s, it’s like a dream where you don’t want to wake up.” – said I.
We went into a big ice cream. It was Catherine’s house.
“This is my house. That house over there is Dincy’s house!” – said Catherine. “Would you like to meet him?”
“Sure!”
When Dincy saw me, smiled and summoned Catherine to told to her something. Catherine’s face was whiter as stars.
“Okkk!” – said she scared, “but why?”
“Because she is a human and our queen love to eat them. So, from this way we can be her loyal servant.
“I can’t she’s my friend. The queen will kill her” – said Catherine.
“The queen will kill you too!” – said he.
“So, Olta would you like to meet the greatest of our world, Sabrina, our queen.” – said Dincy.
“Ok” – said I. I didn’t know but I wasn’t sure to follow them or not. I felt scared. I run away from them and tried to find the door to go to my world.
“Hey, where is she going. Spdiatrium!” said Dincy and from his hand came trap nets, which catched me.
“Let me go home. I’m not here to punish you. I just came to visit you” I said.
“Hey the queen is coming.” – said he. Suddenly, Candy came here with a very big speed and cut the nets. I boarded on him. We started flying to went far, far way from them.
“Nooo! You can’t leave from there! Destroidum!” – said the queen. Candy destroyed instead of her were just some fiber thread.
“Oh no Candy” – said I and my eyes were full of tears.
Sabrina chased me and puted me in a cage.
“Oh no I’m gona die now!” – said I and started crying.
Suddenly something appeared on my mind. It was an idea.
“Hey, Catherine! Catherine please, answer me! I think we were friends. Why?! Why do you do that?!” – said I.
“Olta I haven’t got another chance. They will kill me.” – said she.
“They also will killed me.” – said I.
“Olta, please. If I save you, the will call me ‘traitors.’ They will cremated alive.”
“Please, help me to get out from that cage and I will promise you, that I’ll take you to live with me in my world! I promise! Please, help me Catherine! I need your help.”
“Really? Oh, I mean, what can I do to help you?” – said the cat.
“With your claws, you can catch the key. The key, that the queen has on her pocket. If you catch it you can help me to get out from that cage. Then I will scream “To Earth” and we will be safe.” – said I.
“Oh that is so easy. I can make a magic! Wait, how does it call hmm… Oh yeah. I remember it. So: ‘Sebetumium!’” – said Catherine. Suddenly I see only white everywhere. I closed my eyes, I saw myself in front of a big door.
“Now, Olta. Open the door and let’s go to earth.” –said Catherine.
“Of course! To- AAA. What is happening?”
“You can’t leave Catherine. Adagiuom!” – said the queen.
“What? No!” – said Catherine.
“Catherine! Nooooo!” – said I.
“Olta go! Save yourself. Forget me. I’ll be right there.” – said Catherine.
“Come on! You can do it! Make a magic. Whatever you want! Just save yourself!” – said I.
“Don’t over do vain! They catched me! Come on! You must save yourself! Goodbye, Olta. Goodbye, my friend” – said she.
“To Earth!” – said I. Opened my eyes. I was home.
“I’m home now! I’m home! Yeahhhh! Oh, Catherine! Where are you?” – said I. I remembered what had happened. “Oh, I’m sorry!” – said I.
I needed some time to understood that Catherine couldn’t be with me anymore. However, I bought another cat, but she couldn’t be like Catherine. I didn’t stop drawing on the wall, but the pencil wasn’t magic anymore! I can’t believe that she isn’t with me anymore. I really want to meet Catherine, just once. Who knows? Maybe I will meet her one day, but I’m sure, not today.
That’s all, guys. I really hope that you like it!!!!!!!!
Tirana
1st Place, 7th Grade - Albi Tushaj
Topic: Everything that you draw comes to life. What do you draw?
The world has a lot of questions to many people that are gone or live and so do I. First I would start with the people that I have questions for. The first will be the Macedonian king and Illyrian king, Alexander the Great and King Genti. The question that I have is are the mythological creatures real? The second person is Skenderbeg or Gjergj Kastrioti. My question would be what were the Albanian people like in the medieval era? The third and the last person would be At Gjergj Fishta, the person who inspires me. No question for him. It’s just my dream to meet him.
Then after these people I would draw a giant hawk so that I can fly on it and see the wonders of my state—to fly so that I can taste the freedom that spreads on my body like a horse when it is freed from its owner. I want to go from one side of the world to another seeing the world’s most beautiful natural creations and human creations; to learn from other cultures, find other people and myself around the world from above. Then my dream will be completed.
Then I will point a submarine to explore the secrets that the mighty seven seas hold for us. Even though there is no light, it doesn’t mean that the beauty won’t be there. A rocket ship to explore the cosmos; to see a star dying, a nebula cloud, the biggest galaxy that has five black holes slowly eating it, just like the ice melts into the water. To se new planets and go far away until I miss home like a baby misses its mother.
I will return to my painting gear and make another painting: a machine that makes me into the size of an atom so I can see the fabric that made us and holds us together. I will see how strange yet meaningful is the human body and everything else in the world.
Then at the end of the day I will sharpen my pencil and water my colors for the last painting that will leave a mark on my life and maybe others. Here stands the beauty of the painting, a key that opens the doors to anything you can create. It starts from the edge of the table and never stops, because the mind of a human has an infinite imagination. This painting won’t make just itself alive but even me. It will be a painting that will bring joy, questions, sadness; and so it will it will make us feel everything that we can. That painting will stand tall and mighty for years. You are wondering what that painting is; well it is a blank paper. For those who do not understand why it is blank, it is because you have to fill it in yourself side-by-side with your imagination, your wishes and dream that haunt you and make you happy. So I have a question for you. What will you paint? Now I will rest knowing that I started the engine for you. Drive by yourself. I will sit in my chair, watch the sun go down, and shut my eyes slowly.
8th Grade Form
Topics:
You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
If you could be famous for one thing, what would you be famous for? Why?
NATIONAL
1st Place, 8th Grade - Sindi Vrenozi, Fier
Topic: If you could be famous for one thing, what would you be famous for? Why do you want to be famous for that?
The first thing that comes in my mind for this subject is being a famous architect. Maybe somebody else would say they would want to be a famous actor or singer, but I chose this profession. Even if it would be just one thing I would be famous for, I just want everybody to know me for centuries, because I feel pride for a thing that I do best. It's not like I want to show off for my creation, it's a feeling that I can't deny. I think that being an architect is a great and beautiful thing. You see miracles in different places, because its those buildings that amaze you, that make you feel special that you saw that building. Maybe your name won't be remembered for centuries, but the buildings, the creations, they live forever. I have seen a lot of, churches, towers, and I see that ancient buildings are the most amazing ones, because they have different styles like baroque, gothic, art deco, etc. These styles make you think more about them. You want to see more architecture because these creations of architecture are breathtaking. They kind of make your day. It's not like other famous people have made boring stuff, because everyone is special in their way, it's just that architecture makes you have interest in it. Everyone has heard of the 7 miracles of the world and they are not scientific stuff, it's just the imagination of big architects. There are tons of reasons why I want to be and architect and famous for this thing. I think that if I had made an amazing building, I would feel like I had everything in the world, everything I need. Architecture takes you to the world of imagination and creation. My favorite architect is Antoni Gaudi because he has done big creations that you could not even imagine. I hope you know the church Sagrada Familia in Barcelona in Spain. This is a big church, amazing, interesting, breathtaking that for my own surprise isn't finished yet. I can't even describe its beauty with words. It makes you go deep down into your thoughts. Every time I see creations like this I say to myself that how did he do this or how amazing he is or how great it would be to make something like that. Going on, my message is: "If you want to be famous, you gotta make something big, something interesting, something creative, something ever lasting." This is what I want to say, I don't want my name to be remembered, I want my creations to be remembered. I'm sorry if you don't think that ancient architecture is more beautiful than modern architecture, but this is my thought and nobody can change it. Ancient architecture is more ever lasting than modern architecture. Of course, modern architecture has its own crazy stuff, but I just love these ancient buildings like Colosseum, the pyramids in Egypt, they have their own special thing, like a different style, different materials, everything is different. That's why I want to be a famous architect. I just want everyone to say have you seen this building or this building is crazy. You know stuff like that. In no way, I want my name to be remembered. I just want my creation, my building, which is different from the others, would last forever as an image, a building that will live for centuries, an honored building. So when people would honor and respect my creation, I know that people really respect me, honor me for my creation: If I do something big, I swear I thank everybody for honoring my creation. So, it's an honor to do something interesting, breathtaking. This is the only thing I want to be famous for. The thing I would die for. So, yeah, that's all!
2nd Place, 8th Grade - Xhenisa Harlicaj, Shkoder
Prompt: If you could be famous for one thing, what would you be famous for? Why do you want to be famous for that?
I’ve always wanted to be famous. I think about this even in nighttime. As some persons say, “Dream isn’t what you see when you’re sleeping, dream is what doesn’t allow you to sleep”…I want to be a scientist in the future. I love mathematics, phsyics and biology and I also spend much time with history lessons. The reason why I told this, has to do with my extraordinary invention. I want to be the inventer of a “Time Machine.” I get excited every time I say this… I imagine how good it can be if you could be back in the past or come back to the future whenever you want. Nowadays there are many questions that can’t be answered. If we look back in the past, we might understand almost everything. Always there are questions coming into my mind. “How did people live in the past? How were the heavy stones of the Egyptian pyramids carried? How was Stonehenge built? What is special in Da Vinci’s masterpiece? How was Einstein’s life?, etc” It would be a big honor to me if I invented this time machine. I know it will be hard, nearly impossible, but I can do everything if I have a big desire. You might think that a dream without a plan is just a wish, but in my case it’s different. Edison failed a thousand times trying to build the lamp, but he said he would do it… and he did it.
3rd Place - Ana Gjini, Fier
Prompt: One of your senses increases to be ten times stronger. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
On a subject like this, it really depends on which sense would increase. If I were to choose, I would prefer if my sense of sight increased by ten times. That would not only be incredibly helpful, but it would also benefit me in a lot of ways that no person ever thinks about. Just think about how that one simple extension would change the was someone looks at the world. We always think about how awful it must be to be colorblind, or even just blind. That’s because we compare our knowledge about colors or actually looking at things as clearly as we do, but, what we don’t understand is that those people have never experienced this, and have absolutely no idea of what they’re missing out on.
Think about this, then tell me, do we know what we are missing out on? Science has already discovered other beings’ advanced sight. I’m not talking about dogs, they have it worse than we do, what I’m talking about are creatures like owls, with their ability to actually see ultra violet rays. I’m talking about bees, that are able to identify the different types of flowers by just the way they look because of some extra ability that somehow makes them see colors we can’t even think of! That last one, however, it’s probably because it is physically impossible to imagine colors you’ve never seen… All these creatures see the world in such incredible ways and here we are feeling sorry about what beings with less developed sight are missing out on. Just like those beings, we don’t know what we are missing out on either. Unfortunately, there is no device or scientific solution to increase our sense of sight in such a way, but if there was even the slightest change, it would seem like the biggest difference to our eyes. Besides colors, there are many different ways that increased sight would benefit us, or benefit me, seeing as the theme of this essay depends on my opinion. People say that it’s the little things that count, right? The little things are the details, and this saying couldn’t be more right.
Have you ever thought about how it would be to have eyes as sharp as an eagles? It is a very interesting thought. Eagles are known to have what most humans refer to as “an eye for details.” Unlike humans, eagles aren’t only able to identify something if it does a movement big enough for them to notice. Their eyes are sharp enough to capture every single detail. Everyone knows how even the slightest movement can alert them. We’ve all seen documentaries where an eagle is hunting for its prey, and it seems like the little thing is just about to escape… but NO, it just moved enough for them to notice and the little guy is a goner. As we knew eagles, or birds in general are not known to have good hearing, so how did it detect the animal that quickly? Exactly how anyone would if their sight increased by ten times. An eye that sharp can capture any sort of movement, no matter how sharp. No more questioning if you have a creepy stalker, cause you’ll actually be able to notice them, right? I’m going to stop with the animal comparisons before this becomes more like animal planet than it already has. The point of having your sight become ten times stronger than it already is to have all these little perks and improvements, but we’re not only talking about advantages now are we?
Science has proved that people whose senses increase experience a decrease on one other sense (or just a little in all of them). Can you imagine having sight that good, but being unable to hear? Simply horrible. Sight that good would also mean that you get alarmed by every single little thing, and with your decreased hearing, how would you be able to hear those girls talking about how weird your head looks, popping out every second. With the increased ability to see colors it would also be terrifying trying to adapt to so many changes. Think about all the colors and constant movement that would forever be there. Just thinking about it makes my head ache. To close this too long essay who might have incredibly unexpected animal comparisons, I’m going to say that increased ability at sight would benefit us just as much is it would cause us problems, so find peace in your balance, and be happy with what you have.
Tirana
1st Place, 8th Grade - Darla Krashiqi
Topic: If you could be famous for one thing, what would you be famous for? Why do you want to be famous for that?
I think in my opinion fame or money or something else similar I don’t know, is for selfish people. People who are afraid to be themselves and pretend to be somebody else that doesn’t even fit. I don’t want to be like those kind of people. I want to be so bad a writer. How did that St What made me think of being a writer and not a famous actor or singer? Let me tell you why is that. I got hurt. People were pushing me to do things I was scared about. I saw things that only happend in movies and I didn’t couldn’t find a song that express me and my mind. My mind is a mess. So I started writing. I don’t know if what I’m doing or what is going to do is good but I’ll try because that’s who I am. That’s where I belong. I don’t feel safe in my own home or even in my own arms. I’m so homesick of that. I don’t want to be a poet. I want to be the poem. I think that is so great to be a creature who can save minds our souls and have the power to fight the darkest past on everybody’s mind. I want to meet the dark in people, I’m gonna ask the dark for a coffee. I’m gonna take the dark out for a dinner or a movie. I’m gonna tell the dark that I feel so comfortable with our bind of “love”. Then when dark trust me I’m gonna left. I’m gonna make dark to cry so hard that it hurts and it sucks to have feelings. I’m gonna make the dark to go away from peple and move on, or ever to start a new life. That’s the power of a writer. They can change people and take their sadness away only by writing a book. How ironic isn’t it? Isn’t everything we do a way to be loved more? I wanna fix people but not myself. If I fix myself than I’m gonna stop writing! People write when they’re lonley. What’s the point if lonley goes away? I don’t say I’m a weak human. I don’t know if I’m a human anymore. I’m all stress and pain. But it’s good I guess because I can turn my sadness to something beautiful, so I think I know how to sak for help without sounding desperate. You may think that I’m just a kid who is dying for some attention. Yes, I want your attention. I want all of yours. I want to tell people that is okay to be sad it’s okay to cry about thing that aren’t even important. You know how bad you are when you just get comfortable with silence because I think that silence is the most powerful scream. That’s why animals have less fear because they live without words. When I get older and I start publishing books, I don’t you to just throw them in your bed and say “Why I’m doing here what is this book?” I want that book to be a ghost that can haunt you for the rest of your life. A book is worth than a thousand therapisy. The book will learn you that you need to be something who can make you belive that you are better than you thought. Don’t stress over people because one day you’re going to wake up and realize and realize that you don’t need them in your life. Be your own anchor. Who got you? You got you. Keep it that way. That’s the power of a writer.
9th Grade Form
Topics:
A beautifully wrapped package is at your door with the message, "Guard this with your life." What's in it and how do you protect it?
You have a time machine that will only work once. What will you do with it?
NATIONAL
1st Place, 9th Grade - Livia Toti, Delvine
Topic: You have a time machine that will only work once. What will you do with it?
It was almost midnight, when I heard a loud knock at my front door. I slipped on my socks and walked out of the bedroom. “Who could possibly be in this hour?” I thought. I hesitantly opened the door, just a little bit so I could peer outside. No one was there. After that I opened and as I was going to take a step outside, I something hit my foot, I looked down, surprised to find a black package with a shiny red ribbon on it. I lifted it up and went inside to the living room. I carefully placed it on the coffee table and unwrapped the ribbon. A note fell on the floor. I picked it up and read the calligraphic letters: “Guard this with your life.” Curiosity took over and I opened the box to find a weird wooden machine wrapped with some red velvet piece of cloth. I raised it from the box and placed it on my legs. It was heavy, almost 2 kg or so. On the machine were 12 big precious stones and dwarfs. There were also an eagle and a huge Chinese dragon. “Who could let that to me, what it is?”
A week or so passed and I took a better that the only thing that had inside was an airport ticket to London. Ok, now I was even more confused than before. Even though I went there.
At the airport a man in mid-thirties was waiting for me, his name was Paul De Villers. He was quite handsome for his age with his raven black hair and amber eyes. He took me and drove me to what he so called “The Temple.” The only thing was that this thing was not actually a temple it was rather a building with beautifully and expensively decorated rooms. For conferences or meetings. This building or mansion was huge you could easily get lost. I don’t understand how he could remember all the way to the underground library.
It passed almost an hour after he explained me everything and I was still shocked. This thing or machine was a time traveler machine that only 12 people could travel with it. Tha was what the stones resembled. I was chosen to guard it because this little tiny thing could destroy everything if it fell on the wrong hands.
After I heard everything, I locked it inside a truck and then I thrown it in Thames. I hoped that one day I wouldn’t see it again but I was wrong. One year after that some truck was still outside my house. Since that moment, I vowed my life that I would protect not matter what and even take it with me when I died.
2nd Place, 9th Grade - Oriola Biba, Lezhe
Prompt: A beautifully wrapped package is at your door with the message, "Guard this with your life." What's in it and how do you protect it?
One day, I opened my window to see the sunshine while I got off to bed, and a very strange noise was heard and it looked like a car crash but very weirdly! It was the knock on my door. I got scared and terrified because I could have never thinked of what was going to happen with my life. I went slowly, opened the door with my heart beating so badly and when I opened my eyes too, I saw a really tiny package, wrapped on a beautiful silk cloak. My heart said not to open it, but my curiosity healed my fright to death. When I opened it very slowly a bunch of ideas came into my mind, but none of them was close enough to what it really was. It was a pink, small, magical, sparkling, tiny, brand new, unbelievable to be from earth pen. First of all I thought it would have been a joke from the naughty children, but I still took it, and put it in my bag. I never imagined for what was it for or for what the note said to save it with my life. Luckily, I got the little box, and while wanting to trash it, I quickly read another note in a small square, “Use it wisely, it is limited.”
I thought it was a pen that was a product that would never be produced again so I didn’t pay a lot of attention. But it all started one day at school. I had to write a creative essay, about how would the world be happy, perfect, and peaceful. I looked in my bag and I could find no pen or pencil but I remembered myself that I had that weird beautiful pen in one of my back pockets. I didn’t have time, so I used it, without thinking of any of the notes that was written on the box. I wrote my long creative essay, and the next day, happened the most wow thing in internal history, I bet you are thinking that the pen was my lucky one and that I got good grade for that, but NO. It was our lucky pen, our changer, our happiness. You may call me crazy, but it was the world’s lucky pen. It was a marked day, event or even more important than the birthday of each of us. Whatever thing I had written in those pages came true.
When I turned the TV on, all I could see was good news as people hugging, helping each-other, or as NO CRISES, no accidents, no deaths, no problems. I thought I was in a dream, but all I could see was, my divorced parents were living happy together, we had a lot of food, when I went to look for the bus which I usually feel and smell the disgusting gas coming. I couldn’t because every machine was with water use to not effect the pollution. The river was so clean. The sky was a blue as I had never seen it before. I stopped to a shop to buy some lunch to get at school, I checked my pockets and there was no money. I felt embarrassed when I asked if I could pay for it on weekend, she didn’t even know what the word pay or money meant. Everything was with sharing, and giving for free. I felt so awkward.
Where have I been living before. When I went to school I saw no students with glasses because there was no way they would have eye problems. The neighbor next door was not sick anymore, deaf people were normal now. Everything was a full dream, but what have happened. When I opened my books, the essay paper fell on the floor and I read it, everything, every change I had written came true. That pen was magic. I wish I had a doll, or I wish I could speak all the languages in the world and the next day I would wake up with the doll or whatever I asked for. But I never paid attention to the words that were written on the box. I never did. One day I saw some animals suffering and trying be understood by the people but they never did and I decided to write on a paper that wish, but all I could write was: I wish all the… and it didn’t write anymore. I tried and tried but never wrote anymore.
I tried the next day and the next week, but still it was over. I didn’t pay attention to the instructions, the pen’s ink was over. No other wishes. I hated myself for wasting my wishes with stupid stuff like dolls, languages, etc. And I feel so selfish now. When I see everything, everything so happy, no problem, but the animals suffer when no help offers from the people. I am happy for that little weird box on my door that scary morning that changed everyone’s life. Changed the world… Even though I feel sorry for the animals I feel so proud for my essay that without purpose changed everything by turning the bad stuff around.
3rd Place, 9th Grade - Joana Maluta, Lezhe
Prompt: You have a time machine that will only work once. What will you do with it?
I wake up in the morning then I go to the balcony of my room to enjoy the wonderful view from my room and then I suddenly see a big, very big golden machine. It’s oval with small round windows. “What’s that?” I ask myself. “Is it an alien disc?” I have never seen something like that, it is beautiful but it is weird in the same time. Who has brought this in my garden? But there is no more time for questions. I go downstairs and even though I’m afraid of it, I take the courage to go inside of it. The door opens automatically and a robot voice says: Welcome to the Time Machine, Ms. Maluta. Are you ready for the journey? “A journey? Me? Wow! I didn’t expect this, Mr. Robot, but I’m coming with you.” In fact, I didn’t expect me to accept that offer that easily, but sometimes we need to stop everything else, forgot the world and the people for a while, and take an adventure, experience something new. Well, I have always wanted to travel through time, so this is my only opportunity and I have to live it. It’s time to have some fun. Everything inside the machine is so mechanical. There are computers everywhere and things like that, that I’ve never seen or heard about them. So it’s hard for me to describe all the technology that is used for this machine.
I’m sitting in a gold sofa, it is so comfortable and soft, and there is a big table in the middle full of chocolates, sweets, drinks, and big televisions all around me. Wow, somebody made my day! And he or she has thought of the perfect way to make me happy. Who is this person? Why did he do this to me? What is going to happen next? Where am I going? All these questions are driving me crazy! You need to relax Joana, everything is going to be alright. Somebody had a plan for you. Enjoy it.
Mr. Robot says: Where do you to go Ms. Maluta?
-I have no idea.
-You have two opportunities: the past, or the future.
-What if I choose both of them?
-You can’t. Only one of them.
I don’t know which one to choose. Mr. Robot keeps saying that I need to decide quickly. There are only 24 hours left. The past or the future? So this is my logic: I have heard, read, and watched on TV a lot about the past, the wars, famous people, inventions… And the future? Nothing about it. The only reason I want to be immortal is to live in the future, but this is impossible. Somebody knew about this and here I am, ready to live in the future. Only for one day. It is going to be the perfect day.
The machine set off and after about 5 seconds. I can’t see my house anymore. I can see lots of stars, planets, the sun is far away, I’m leaving our galaxy, but I don’t know where I am going. Then I see some small buildings, close to each other. Everything was green. But where were the people? There were no people, or at least I can’t see any of them. We landed and for the first time in my life, for the first time in history, somebody is living in the future. These is weird. There are no people, no animals only machines, robots. This is out of my imagination. This place is so empty. I can’t hear the voice of the children. I can’t feel their happiness and harmony. Only some computers, some robots that have the power and control the whole world. But a world without people is nothing! Robots are over humans! There are trying to live the life like us but there is no way to be like us humans. They have no feelings, no brain. How can they live though? If I were them, I would find a way to kill myself and not live in a world without happiness, without pain. I’m really disappointed. This is not the future I’ve been wishing for. I have been thinking of a world where people live in peace, in harmony with each other, love each other and people that are more sensible and more respectful to each other and nature. But not robots. I know these are going to be the longest and most terrible 24 hours in history! I am happy because my dream came true. But sometimes, we need to live for now and just forget what is impossible. You perhaps will get disappointed, just like me. And now I’m hoping this is just a dream, but it’s not. Whatever! Maybe I will make some new friends, robots of course.
Tirana
1st Place, 9th Grade - Vjola Shtishi
Prompt: A beautifully wrapped package is at your door with the message, "Guard this with your life." What's in it and how do you protect it?
I cannot recall when exactly was it that I recieved this divine gift. It must have been ages ago since it is hidden deep within my consciousness. It was at that time when I started despising the oh so hateful crowd.
Nighttime. I lie in my bed, awake. I am trying to fight off this sinister feeling that something obscure will happen. The thoughts that a nocturnal being will approach me and sevair me without giving it a second though petrify me…And here it comes! The doorbell rings soundly. I eagerly run towards the door, totally captivated by the urge to break the unbearable silence. I can no longer take it. It’s too much. I am tired of giving into sloth.
Embracing the darkness and burying myself in it. And now that I am standing in front of the door everything sounds meaningless. I no longer care if something is amiss or that I can be slaughtered. The temptation is immense.
The door opens with a creaking sound. I look around. No one is there. Nevertheless, there is a package. A black box, that is. I smirk. Holding the box firmly, I return to my room. I do not intend to turn on the lights. The crimson moonlight is more than enough. Time to see what lies in there. A ruthless prank? May be so. A wrong delivery? Who knows? All I can do is find out by myself. With trembling hands I bring myself to open it…oh my! The voices in my head are driving me crazy. I need to get a hold of myself or I will sink into insanity. The malicious chorus is trying to tell me something. I, by all means have to protect and cherish the sacred light. What are they blabbering? Pointless drivel. Nonsense. What do they mean by “sacred light”. Religion is not my thing. Where are these voices coming from, echoing in my head? I must be going mad. Even so, their proposal is luring me. I ought to focus on the package. I ought to see what it contains.
I lower my head to get a better view. Abruptly, a powerful light bursts from the box. My eyes aren’t used to light. It hurts so much that I might get blind. It’s overwhelming. I cannot cover my eyes. My eyesight…It is gradually getting better and better whereas the light blooms fiercely. I would normally curl my lips in disdain but that is not the cane anymore. I now understand. The sacred light. It is my one and only salvation. I shall protect it no matter what. I need to become worthy of it. I shall dedicate my being to it, bow my head and hoil it through eternity. My top priority, my adoration, my mighty God. There’s yet to come. I need to secure the light, make a vow and obtain it. Taking it in, accepting it, I am already prepared. Watching it entwine with my soul, having it deep within me while being surrounded by darkness. It is a decision I will never regret. Even though I might break. Even though, I might fall hard…I am not willing to give up. That’s a given…
So, that’s what happened. I still bear the light inside me. It is the best thing that could ever happen to me. It indeed has brought me sorrow, pain, and suffering. “I am a lowlife, a nuisonce, I will never achieve anything.” Yet I keep fighting. Even if my path is long. I continuously have to bind myself so that I don’t get full of myself. Still, I continue walking in a daze in pursuit of my ideal.
The alluring song of the syrens is now my anthem.
10th Grade Form
Topics:
A beautifully wrapped package is at your door with the message, "Guard this with your life." What's in it and how do you protect it?
You invent a new kind of medicine. What does it cure? What are the side effects?
NATIONAL
1st Place, 10th Grade - Agi Kristo, Gjirokastër
Topic: You wake up to find a key under your pillow. What does it unlock?
The stars were shining bright in the sky. They were really beautiful and it looked like they smiled at me. But, I wasn’t really happy though. I was sad and my heard was broken. I was sick of this world filled with dirty cheats, liars, shallow people and the mean ones. I was sad, because I didn’t seem to find my place in this world. I was tired of all the people pretending to be nice to me. I’m a shy person, I don’t have many friends and sometimes I like being alone. But, this was too much. I was feeling really lonely and my only best friend in that moment was pain. Black was the brightest color for me. As I was watching the sky, I saw a shooting star. Actually, I don’t believe that a shooting star can make your wishes come true, but I was desperate in that moment, so I thought of giving it a try. I wished for a better world, for a better life. I wished to have the key to solution of all my problems. After I watched the stars a little bit more, I went to sleep. The next day, I woke up at around eight o’clock in the morning. And I was feeling empty. It was like someone had took everything inside of me and I was only left with my skin and bones. I got up from bed and after that I started to fix my bed. At that moment, when I raised my pillow I saw something that really surprised me. It looked like a key. It had a really strange form and it wasn’t like all the ordinary keys. This key had the form of a music note and then it continued with another form that looked like the number three. After the number three, there were three letters: F, H, L. I was really confused. First of all, I didn’t even knew how the key got under my pillow and second, I was trying to guess what those letters meant. Then, I thought of the night before, when I made the wish.
I remembered that my wish was to find the key to the solutions of my problems. Was this really happening? Can a shooting star make your wishes come true? This was the moment, that I started to believe that maybe magic really is true. Maybe, magic is everywhere, but we should know the right place, where to look for it. I started thinking of the three letters; F, H, and L. I didn’t have any idea what those letters meant. I didn’t know what to do with the key. Then, I remembered that I had seen those three letters somewhere else. Yes, they were at a box that belonged to my great-grandfather and it was in the basement. I went there right away and after I searched the place for a little while, I managed to find it. I put my to the letters in the box. They were a perfect match. The box opened. Nobody had managed to open that box until now. My great-grandfather was a really mysterious man and he didn’t share a lot of things with the family. Inside the box, there was a sentence written in a piece of paper that said: “Open the smoll door in the basement with form of the key shaped like a music note. I went to that door right away and managed to open it. When, I opened the door a bright light “hit” my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw a place that was really unusual. This place looked like a garden actually and it had big trees, green grass and beautiful, little flowers. As I was watching this, as little boy come to me. He even knew my name and told me that he had been waiting for me for a long time. He took my hand and started to show me different places. He showed me some of his friends. They were really nice and I started talking to them. We couldn’t stop. They were really smart and it looked like finally I had found my perfect match. The little boy’s friends were really intelligent and had the same interests and hobbies as me. They loved chemitry and biology and they were really crazy about music. I hadn’t felt this happy, since I don’t know when. I was having fun. Later, the little boy come to me and said: “This is the last time that you’ll ever come to this place.” I couldn’t believe it. I really needed to stay in that place. I was feeling like myself there. The little boy told me: “It’s all up to you. You have the power to make yourself feel sad or happy. The secret stands in those three letters. When, you understand what they stand for, then you’ll be free.” I started feeling sad again and after I said goodbye t the little boy and I closed the door forever, I thought about the letters F, H, and L…I was really stupid, how I couldn’t realize it before. Those letters stand for Faith, Hope, and Love. Now, I understood what the little boy said. It doesn’t matter how the place is around you, it only matters how you make yourself feel about it and how you see it.
3rd Place, 10th Grade - Anxhela Beharaj, Fier
Prompt: You invent a new kind of medicine. What does it cure? What are the side effects?
War was everywhere! So many deaths, so many blood. Families were separated, brother against brother, father against son. Humanity was coming to an end…but let’s go back to where it all started.
Now, you ask yourselves, what terrible thing happened that caused such a destruction, this chaos, this hell that people were living in?
It was ME! It was all my fault.
My mother was on drugs and my father was alcoholic. The only person that was there my whole life was my grandmother, that’s why I was nothing like my parents. She grew me up to be a good child. I did well on school too, I loved science. But my grandmother wasn’t going to stay with me all my life, and one day, she went to heaven. My parents sometimes forgot I existed, I was all alone.
That was when I decided to work on this special medicine. I was so fed up with people’s behavior that I wanted so badly to invent something that would fix their character. That medicine took ten years of my life, my days and nights, but I finally succeeded. There it was, the medicine that would change my world, the whole world!
So, what I did next was presenting my medicine to a company so they would decide if it was worth selling it or not after they had tested it. They took some volunteers to test the medicine and after that they decided to support me. My medicine was called “The Change” and it became very famous. Everyone was buying it. Everyone was changing.
Of course, I hadn’t thought of the effects. What happened was that people were not becoming better, but worse than they were. Liars only told the truth, frightened people became so brave they weren’t afraid of anything, not of the government or law. Kind people became so selfish that they wanted to take control of everything, and so on. Then the war started. People had nothing good on them anymore. They were killing each other, their friends, their family, and oh, the little kids…
They seeked for power, it was terrible! My medicine did that… I did that! I wanted to fix it, I wanted to make things right. I asked the company to help me financially for my antidote’s research, but the answer wasn’t what I wanted. I tried to convince them, I did everything I could, fighting to make things right, but they… they weren’t people aymore, they were all animals, they had no reason…
I ended up in prison. I still am in prison, looking at the sky from my small window. But they sky it’s not blue anymore… it’s red, because of all the blood and fires that light him up. They forgot about me, I haven’t eaten for days… I’m dying… and so is the world out there. The window keeps becoming smaller…
Dear world, I’m sorry!
I’m sitting in a gold sofa, it is so comfortable and soft, and there is a big table in the middle full of chocolates, sweets, drinks, and big televisions all around me. Wow, somebody made my day! And he or she has thought of the perfect way to make me happy. Who is this person? Why did he do this to me? What is going to happen next? Where am I going? All these questions are driving me crazy! You need to relax Joana, everything is going to be alright. Somebody had a plan for you. Enjoy it.
Mr. Robot says: Where do you to go Ms. Maluta?
-I have no idea.
-You have two opportunities: the past, or the future.
-What if I choose both of them?
-You can’t. Only one of them.
I don’t know which one to choose. Mr. Robot keeps saying that I need to decide quickly. There are only 24 hours left. The past or the future? So this is my logic: I have heard, read, and watched on TV a lot about the past, the wars, famous people, inventions… And the future? Nothing about it. The only reason I want to be immortal is to live in the future, but this is impossible. Somebody knew about this and here I am, ready to live in the future. Only for one day. It is going to be the perfect day.
The machine set off and after about 5 seconds. I can’t see my house anymore. I can see lots of stars, planets, the sun is far away, I’m leaving our galaxy, but I don’t know where I am going. Then I see some small buildings, close to each other. Everything was green. But where were the people? There were no people, or at least I can’t see any of them. We landed and for the first time in my life, for the first time in history, somebody is living in the future. These is weird. There are no people, no animals only machines, robots. This is out of my imagination. This place is so empty. I can’t hear the voice of the children. I can’t feel their happiness and harmony. Only some computers, some robots that have the power and control the whole world. But a world without people is nothing! Robots are over humans! There are trying to live the life like us but there is no way to be like us humans. They have no feelings, no brain. How can they live though? If I were them, I would find a way to kill myself and not live in a world without happiness, without pain. I’m really disappointed. This is not the future I’ve been wishing for. I have been thinking of a world where people live in peace, in harmony with each other, love each other and people that are more sensible and more respectful to each other and nature. But not robots. I know these are going to be the longest and most terrible 24 hours in history! I am happy because my dream came true. But sometimes, we need to live for now and just forget what is impossible. You perhaps will get disappointed, just like me. And now I’m hoping this is just a dream, but it’s not. Whatever! Maybe I will make some new friends, robots of course.
Tirana
1st Place, 10th Grade - Agi Kristo, Gjirokastër
Prompt: You invent a new kind of medicine. What does it cure? What are the side effects?
As I was working in my laboratory for inventing new medicines something didn’t go well. I felt so scared. Everything was foggy. I couldn’t see anything. After some minutes everything was clear. I went back to my inventor room and saw there was something on the table. It was a medicine … maybe. Who knows? I thought that it will be good if I try it on myself, but I didn’t want to risk my life, so I tried it on a big plant. I tried it and immediately the plant turned into a little plant. It was so beautiful. I could transform big things into little things. I tried it on other plants and the result was the same. I just can’t believe; it was miraculous. I tried it on my desk and I thought it would transform, but nothing happened. I couldn’t believe it—The plant was transformed but the desk not. Is there anything with the desk? Then I got an idea. Maybe this medicine it is used just for things that are alive.
I tried it on my older cat to verify the results. I needed only a little and the old cat transformed into a little, cute kitty. So my invention was transforming the older animals and plants into little animals and plants. I wanted to try this medicine on humans, but I was so scared to try it on myself. So I thought that it would be good to share my medicine with people so that they could live again their lives when they were young. First I tried this medicine on an old man that was in the street. He drank the medicine and turned into a young boy. He was so happy for this.
People in the street saw everything and they ran after me to buy the incredible medicine. First I thought it was a very good idea. I earned a lot of money and people were happy with their lives. But some people started to use much more of the medicine and they were transformed into kids. It was terrible. All the city was surrounded with kids. They were destroying everything, and all the fault was on me. I closed the door of my laboratory, and I will never open it until I create a cure for the people and for this.
I tried hard to do this, but no results. I was scared, staying in there, alone, with no hope. My cat came to me, but I pushed her away because I didn’t want to play. She fell into some of my ingredients and there was a mixture, but that mixture turned my cat into an old cat. I couldn’t believe it was a very beautiful miracle. I kissed my cat and hugged her for this beautiful thing that she had done. I got up and took the medicine. I opened the door. Finally I could get fresh air; I could see nature; I could breathe fine.I left my laboratory and I was not lonely any more.
As soon as possible, I went to the town and transformed all the kids into older people. I returned them to their own lives. It was a very good thing that they don’t remember anything about my medicine. They all restarted their lives in peace, harmony, and in reality. One part of my mind said to destroy the medicine, but the other part said to keep it for myself. I know that it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I kept it all for myself. Every day I use a little amount of it, and every day I get younger. I will never die; I will never have a normal life. I’m special from the others. I can live forever…. This sounds selfish, but I really like this thing being selfish.
11th Grade Form
Topics:
You snap your fingers once and your best friend appears beside you. You snap your fingers again and you are both transported to your favorite place. What happens when you snap your fingers again?
What would the world be like if the sun was always shining and there was no night?
NATIONAL
1st Place, 11th Grade - Blendi Osmani, Peshkopi
Topic: You snap your fingers once and your best friend appears beside you. You snap your fingers again and you are both transported to your favorite place. What happens when you snap your fingers again?
Here I am. Laying on my bed. It’s almost twelve o’clock and I’m just staying in my room, crying about last night, convincing myself that my actions were right and that I am more than a big sock full of nothing.
Many times, I tried to pick up the phone and call my friend, Tommy to apologize. All those times, I stopped myself. Praying to God that Tommy will be the one who’d take the first step. I was hoping for a miracle to happen, when suddenly I hear a strange voice saying, “Snap your fingers.” Am I going insane?? I need to see a doctor. Those were the thoughts that were wondering through my head. During my insanity, I decided to snap my fingers and then immediately my friend shows up out of nowhere. I’m shocked. I was just staring at him. I decide to take the first step and apologize to him. He was already smiling. It’s like he was reading my mind. We both smile to each other without saying a word. The silence was too loud so I decide to talk. What’s that letter?
He had no idea. We decided to open it together. “Snap again and you and your friend will go to your favorite place.” We look at each other and shake our heads simultaneously. I snap again and some magical force took us to the most amazing place ever. Again, I was shocked. The trees were so high, it seemed as if they were trying to grab the sun. The place underneath would be dark, but somehow the sunlight had managed to go as if it wanted us to see everything. Amazed by the extraordinary view, we had missed the most important thing.
I was holding a letter I had no idea where it came from. I tear the envelope apart and quickly read the letter. FRIENDSHIP TEST. Those words scared me, but the next words terrified me.
“Within ten minutes you have to write on the letter, the name of the person that survives. It’s going to be you or your friend. Once you write the name, snap your fingers.”
Impossible!! I could not be the cause of Tommy’s death. I look straight up, but my eyes are looking at nothing. 8 minutes I keep thinking. I’m not able to kill anybody so I start writing my name, scared by the tiger that was staring at both of us. I write my name and I snap my fingers. Tom disappears. The tiger starts running towards me. I close my eyes and wait for the tiger to swallow me.
I opened my eyes. I’m on my bed, crying. I knew that Tom was one of the most important persons of my life. I realized that until then, I was just dreaming. I had to apologize. I pick up the phone, and just as I’m dialing his number, it rang. It was Tom apologizing and telling me that he had that dream that was the same as mine, and he sacrificed himself for me.
They say there is no greater power then love, but I say that friendship is even greater than that. Personally I think that friendship is the most powerful force in the universe.
2nd Place - Alba Verushi, Gramsh
Topic: You snap your fingers once and your best friend appears beside you. You snap your fingers again and you are both transported to your favorite place. What happens when you snap your fingers again?
So, I had just finished my homework and I was going to watch my favorite cartoons, Dora the Explorator. It was the favorite moment of the day for me when little Dora appeared on the TV and ruled us to do senseless things such as clapping hands, snapping fingers, answering crazy questions and things like this. This days theme of the cartoons was about Machu Pichu, my favorite place in the world. Like always, Dora said to snap your fingers if you liked Machu Pichu. I snapped my fingers hard when suddenly my best friend appeared standing on the couch beside me. Wow, I thought I was going crazy and this was the effect of my brain for watching Dora everyday. I closed my eyes, hoping that when I open them again my friend won’t be there and I will realize that I’m totally out of my mind. But…my friend was still there, doing all the things that Dora continued to say from the TV. Yes, we are both crazy for Dora, and don’t feel ashamed for that. Nevermind. I was too busy watching Dora so I didn’t continue thinking about why my friend was there and how did she come there. Obviously, Dora was more important than this abnormal thing that happened. We continued watching Dora. ‘Snap your fingers again if you want to go to Machu Pichu.’ – Dora said, and voila, me and my friend were in Machu Pichu, dressed with strange clothes. Something wrong is going on, I thought this doesn’t happen everyday. For one moment, you are in your house standing in your lovely couch watching Dora the Exlporator, you snap your fingers and your friend appears there, you snap your fingers again and you are in Machu Pichu, your favorite place in the world. This doesn’t happen every day, does it? I was thinking what will happen if I snap my fingers again. The curiosity of knowing what happens next was tempting, but will save that for later. First, I have to explore Machu Pichu. Machu Pichu wasn’t like I had imagined it. It was a small village with a small house (when I say small, I mean it) inside of which lived liliputes. We seemed like giants in front of them. Even that they had small bodies their heart was large and generous. They invited us at their house to try traditional food. We accepted with pleasure. Now that I think it, we shouldn’t have accepted their offer. So their traditional food was a plate full of ants with burning spices. My mouth still burns from all that spice. In revenge, me and my friend took all the liliputes and put them inside of a jar. This is going to be our house decorations, we will put the jar on top of the TV so every time we watch Dora, we will remember what the Machu Pichu inhabitants did to us. Once that we put the liliputes into the jar, I remembered that I had to discover what happens if I snap my fingers for a third time.
So, without hesitation, I snapped my fingers again. I shouldn’t do that. The next moment, I find myself inside the TV. Dora was standing next to me. I was transformed into Dora’s monkey. Yeah, that was disappointing… I always thought I looked like a monkey, but being a monkey is totally a different thing. Now I have to spend the rest of my life being a monkey. This is not a good thing, believe me. So don’t ever snap your fingers three times, don’t do what a stranger says to you, especially if that stranger is Dora the Explorator.
3rd Place - Romela Qytyky, Prrenjas
Prompt: What would the world be like if the sun was always shining and there was no night?
I’m the sun. I’m always there shining and smiling to the world. I always give you positive thoughts. I have never given up and I have always been shining and giving my love to the people.
One day I gave up and the sky cried for me. Everything got dark. There was dark everywhere. The world was a disaster. Everyone was sad and they had lot of work. If I hadn’t given up these sadness wouldn’t happen. Then I realized and I said: “Wait a minute, what am I doing? Why did I leave my friends?” Friends don’t leave each other. I sent my friend “cloud” to see my friends and he said, “Sun, go there, they need you. They look terrible.” Then I thought that the dark was giving them the loneliness. They need my shine, they need my love and my care. I realized that I should never give up. Flowers miss me. They need me to be happy and healthy. People would have less work and more creativity. But if I would be always there shining and there was no night, people wouldn’t have time to sleep or to do “Girls night” (pillow fights), parties, or they wouldn’t see fireworks. They would be always there working and having no time for sleep and dreams. I want to be with them, but I can’t be selfish. I should think about their dreams and their relax time. I can’t stop New Years Eve and the countdown or fireworks because if I shine all the time, people wouldn’t have these wonderful things.
But be sure that I’ll be there shining in the morning and giving you my last kiss in the evening. “Be happy as me and don’t think negative as they.”
Tirana
1st Place, 11th Grade - Kliti Lofca
Prompt: What would the world be like if the sun was always shining and there was no night?
An oasis! A rare sight indeed. The tall leafy trees provided much sought after shade by the edge of the pool. I dropped from the back of my companion and proceeded to make my way towards the water.
A fine beast she was, never doubted me a single time as I took us on this long journey for the acquisition of knowledge. Ancient knowledge on the starbound race of dieties. Legend says they were once like us, born of the Earth, yet their civilization flourished. I find it hard to believe anything could thrive on these lands, except perhaps the lizard men—they adored the harsh sun, worshipped it even.
At that moment as I took my last sip of water and filled my flasks, the thought downed on me. “Why was this watering hole uninhabited?” My question was soon answered. I looked about and dozens of scaly mounds peppered with sand. I knew better than to wait around until they woke, and yet my attention was caught by a strange shape jutting from the ground. A bank of knowledge! These contraptions held vast amounts of information despite their size and if I could bring it to the capital we may be able to decipher the data held inside.
The only real problem was extracting it from this place without waking the dumb beasts. All I could do was try my luck at sneaking past them. My mount waited patiently a little ways away. I could hear them breath at my feet as I knelt dawn and picked up the device. It fit perfectly in my hand.
I made my way towards her only to trip over a tail that swung at me out of nowhere. The sound woke several of them, as far as I could tell from the ground. I felt a familiar set of teeth pull me onto my feet. The reptiles were still groggy and we were able to get away without so much a scratch but that groginess would quickly subside and be replaced with bloodlust. This area is no longer safe, and I feel sorry far any neighbouring camps or villages.
Either way I got what I came for, my flasks are full, my thirst sated. So I make my way home with knowledge in hand. I hope this aids us in our goal to join the starbound one day, and leave this scorched Earth for good.
12th Grade Form
Topics:
You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
You have a hat with strange powers. What happens when you put it on?
NATIONAL
1st Place - Iris Dyrmishi, Çorovodë
Topic: Describe what it feels like to be a raindrop falling in a thunderstorm.
My name is Pika. I am not a human but I do have a job. I am a raindrop. I do the same process everyday. I travel back and forth from the sky to the soil/sea. My job is very interesting and unique. I must tell you, I love what I do. In situations like this they always ask what my biggest adventure is. Well, I am going to tell you without being asked about it. I am younger than my friends. I’m the only teenager among them. Once my boss told my I had to be a raindrop during a thunderstorm and so it begins. The lightening was our starting sign, as soon as I saw it I jumped from the cloud. As I mentioned before I was young and some things were unknown to me. That day the sky was darker than ever before and the earth seemed messy from above. The winds were furious and for the first time in my life I was afraid. I had always loved flying, floating in the sky and then falling down but this time it was different. My shoulders were hurting, to be honest I don’t know why. My heart was pounding like crazy and I couldn’t control my actions. Suddenly a lightening hit the earth and I suddenly fell in love with the first sight. The lightning was so perfect, so fast that made me hypnotized. I decided to follow it. It was crazy but that was what my watery heart was saying or better ordering me to do, and so the adventure began. That was the best moment of my life, my body felt lighter and I would fly faster. The light from the lightening lit my way in that dark day and I followed the path the lightening aka my love opened for me. That day I wanted to quit my job and follow her forever. I didn’t know if that happened because I was a teen but the feeling was amazing. I tried to tough the lightening but it was faster than me, I just couldn’t reach it. We were getting closer and closer to the Earth. The views were amazing. I could see the trees kneel in front of the houses from the wild winds, the rivers were flowing faster like they were mad at something, there were no humans to be seen. I am sure my love could see the same sights as I did, but she was determined to finish her job. I was amazed because I would see these amazing things and be with the lightening at the same time. But, every beautiful thing has an end, we both hit the ground. I was okay but my love shouted. I think she got hurt somewhere. The thing I regret the most in my life is that I couldn’t help her heal, that happened because she disappeared. I could just hear her suffer. It was an amazing adventure but with a sad ending. I am trying to locate her but I find it impossible. If you ask me about my life status, I will say “Looking for her desperately.”
2nd Place - Fabiola Nexhipi, Lezhe
Topic: Describe what it feels like to be a falling raindrop in a thunderstorm.
My name is Miu.
I am a raindrop. Or at least I was one. I was one until few minutes ago. Now I am part of a huge puddle. We raindrops are not a pacific kind of nature because we get mad really quickly especially when we see injustices being made to people we care about. I am like all the others.
Everything started when I was a part of a huge massive bundle of air. I liked this one little girl with two little ponytails and with a shining smile. I went wherever she went enjoying the company she gave me. She would sing to her friend and me and my fellow air friend found an indescribable pleasure in listening her song.
One day when I was stretching and yawning, I saw a little man talking to the girl. I was worried. The man shouted at her and the girl started crying. I got really mad. The girl wouldn’t stop crying and irritated by it, the man hit her really hard.
I couldn’t stand it. I got furious. My friends did too. How dare he?! My friend, the wind started blowing in despair, wanting to finish the man. The sky became so cold that he became shooting lightnings at the man. But he didn’t care.
Then me and my friends compacted and formed a huge cloud. We went down and touched temperatures below zero. Suddenly, we were all falling as raindrops. I was so angry I wanted to splash the man and drown him. The wind was so strong it was pulling the trees out their place, and the sky grieved so much that it became grey.
I hit the man as hard as I could. But he didn’t feel it. I slided down his coat to the ground and became one with the puddle.
My name is Miu.
I was a raindrop. Raindrops get angry.
And if next time a thunderstorm occurs in your town, think what have you done to anger us.
3rd Place - Heder Ceni, Lezhe
Prompt: If you were given the opportunity to travel the rest of your life, but under the condition that you cannot return to your home, would you take it? Why?
Home represents safety, security, warmth, a place to go to when the world seems just wrong. A place you know nothing bad can happen to you. A place where you’re surrounded by your loved ones and think that you have everything you need. What can one ask for more?
But is this the life you were meant to live for? Where nothing new happens and strong emotions like adrenaline, fear, insanity, etc. are rarely present? Do you want to wake up from the exact same bed everyday, watch the exact same streets as you go out, do the exact same activities, deal with the exact same bullsh*t? Don’t get me wrong. Your life will get boring, you will get tired. You will constantly feel the need to end up your life cause that is the human soul. It was meant for danger, adventure! Your eyes were meant to see, there’s a whole world out there full of miracle and surprises waiting for you to happen and you choose to refuse just for the sake of those childhood memories you’ve built in your homeland and the fear of losing your loved ones? C’mon! You can find and love people everywhere! Better ones actually, because you will grow up, you will understand things. You will educate yourself in a way you can’t do in your place where things never change. Life is about leaving everything behind and facing with the world. I want to give my life meaning and I can only reach that by filling my soul with the sense of beauty that can be found in the face of the earth. In the hights of the mountains, in the depths of the seas, in the hearts of the people, who’ve come of different cultures. I need to educate myself and and I can’t do that right here by only reading stuff or surfing on the internet. The human heart needs to communicate by touching, hearing, seeing, by being! It is true that you will never have the same home, but what’s wrong with having none? What if the stars become your home? You will become infinite, just as the universe if you lose touch with the past. And I want that. I want my soul to be as beautiful as the galaxies, as the stars, as the sun, as the earth, as the trees, as the smile of a child. Educating yourself is the key to self-understanding, and yes I would take it! I’d never come home because I want to be homeless, but built a big universal home for my universal soul. I need to breathe a different air every day on different cities. I want to try everything. I want to have a problem and on the other day to forget about it and have a new one. I want it new. I want to be new.
Tirana
1st Place - Megi Hamza
Prompt: Describe what it feels like to be a raindrop falling in a thunderstorm.
A circle. That’s all there is to life. Yesterday I was holding hands with my kind on the Atlantic Ocean and now I’m here, but at the same time I am not. As long as time exists, there can be no forever. There can be no certain moment, just a series of blurry instants …
And I am falling. I feel extremely irrelevant. But I am still here and my being collides with that of the others and together we are strong. Together we are powerful. I am fuzzy and light, but at the same time I feel crushing heaviness. It’s like that feeling you humans experience when you see a beautiful girl, that never ending warmth in the pit of your stomach when you fall in love. That’s how it’s like. That’s how being free is like.
I look around. We are all dressed the same. We have all been taught to act the same and follow a certain endless path. And here we are tonight individually united, falling as the gods dance to our music. And as they have wine and share a joke or two, they release their power. They want everyone to know how loud their thunder can be. And we try to dodge. Now we are dancing.
Me and my fellow raindrops, we have been through different things. As our infinite fall drags on and on, we share stories of our own. One of them was in a boiling can. The owner of this boiling can was making soup. Another one was in a lake, and a little boy threw a plastic bag on it. We don’t take it personally though; it’s just how humans are. They are so unpredictable.
My journey to the ground seems indeed an adventurous voyage. I meet birds and insects, but they are too shy to share anything. Out of the blue I sense that freedom feeling bottling up. The feeling of the crash collides in me. But it doesn’t hurt. It never does. The crushing sense breaks into a million tiny copies of me. Now they are my friends that have been through different things. I don’t feel protective of them. They were never mine. I am part of the circle and so is every inch of me. So are they.
The loud roars of the gods don’t come to a stop. The lying yellowish light in them going on and off as if it’s supposed to frighten anybody. As if it’s something more than electricity.
Although I am a tiny puzzle in a never ending jigsaw mosaic, I do not belong. I am in a circle. There is no forever. I did not choose this. Tomorrow I might be in a steaming river or in someone’s toilet. Wherever the circle takes me. I might even be in your soup! But don’t worry. I will not go away; I never do. I will be part of another thunderstorm. When I think about it-because the circle does give me a freedom to think-humans are not that different. That’s for you to reread and figure out. Maybe everything in this universe is a damned never ending cycle. I am tired.
I do pity the humans though-at least for them it stops.
Today I was a falling raindrop in a thunderstorm. Tomorrow ….
1st Year University Form
Topics:
You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
You have a hat with strange powers. What happens when you put it on?
Read the winning essays here:
1st Place: Ermalinda Gjeci, Tirana
1st Year University Winners
1st Place - Ermalinda Gjeci, Tirana
Prompt: You enter a world where all the lies you’ve ever told are true. Describe the world.
I expected to meet them at home by 12:30, and I was hardly waiting. That day was exhausted and the only good thing was to meet with them. After all they were my family that I hadn’t seen for twelve years. And here I am waiting as I hear the clock noise tik tok tik tok. Everything seemed so beautiful! Yes it seemed…
It passed one hour and they weren’t coming. I tried to call but they responded with one message: “Don’t wait for us, we are gone…We hope your lies as well.”
I was shocked. My heart was beating fast and I was thinking about the lies I told them and how unforgettable they were. How could I turn my time back and change the situation. I thought I would call my best friend and talk to her about all the situation. I called her and as soon as she picked up the phone she started yelling at me as her voice shaked.
“I believed you. I told you all my deep secrets and loved you as my sister. What did I get in return?? A big lie that hurted me so much? Thank you my liar friend, you tough me so many things…and please don’t call me again.” And she turned off her phone.
My world was falling. I was falling to pieces. My heart was stoping and I felt like I was lost. I felt like that little turtle that doesn’t want to come out from her shell. I felt embarresed, alone. As I screamed and cried out I was thinking of how much I have hurted my family, my friend. I hurted them because I wasn’t courage enough to tell the truth, and I knew that I didn’t deserve forgiveness, so I curled up and closed my eyes to go away life had no meaning now!!! I was alone and a liar that hurts people who love her.
As I opened my eyes I saw the sun that hurted my eyes. It was a new day, but I realised that nothing changed. The sun was shining and the world was beautiful but not my own world. My own world was full of lias, tears and dissapointments. I was thinking that everyone deserves a second chance so I woke up and went to tell my family and to my friend that I was sorry. At least I tried…
2nd Grade University Form
Topics:
If you were given the opportunity to travel the rest of your life, but under the condition that you cannot return to your home, would you take it? Why?
Describe what it feels like to be a falling raindrop in a thunderstorm.
Read the winning essays here:
1st Place: Endrisa Loli, Saranda
2nd Place: Aurela Mehmeti, Sarandë
2nd Year University Winners
1st Place - Endrisa Loli, Saranda
Topic: You are alone on a hike in the woods. You come across a 374 year old woman. What do you learn from her?
Last year I went in camping with my friends in the woods. You now, I am scared from the night, but I was happy because I was with my friend. The comping was for three days.
The first day we went on the river near our camping to look the creatures and the nature there. The river was beautiful and it was with blue color, like the sea. The nature around there was also beautiful with long trees the green color was everywere. It was beautiful like the blue color of the river get’s insane with the green color of the nature.
We went to explore everything in that pleace and there begin my terrible story! The third day I want to talk with my parents in the phone, but it was late and it darkness to. So you imagine I get lost, because I went a little for from the camping so, it happend what it happend.
It was terrible, the noise of the animal, the night, the moon everything, I hope I died there. But when I was crying someone came on me. There was an old women. I thought it was a dream, but now, it was really a women. The women come and told me to not be scarry. She was a women that lived alone in a house to far from the city, and from reality I could say. I told to her my story, that I get lost. She offerd me to go with her , in her house. In begining I don’t now what to do, but I woldn’t stay there with that terrible noise. So I went in her house.
It was a beautiful house, small but lovely. There she talk with me about her story. She was 374 year old, and she had lived alone since her parents, her family died. Klara, was her name. Klara told me that she lived so far because she doesn’t like the huams. She think that the animals are better. I was surprised but, I understood the reason when she told me that her family died because some friky people killed them, without a reason. She was a little child and rememberd everything of that day. The story was that the people that killed her family were drunk, and they didn’t now because, were in the effect of alchol. Since that day she lived in the house in that wood. And she gets food from there. No one now me, told she, and I don’t want you to talk with anyone about this. She told also that when she saw me crying, remember herself that day, and that’s why she helped me.
The other day my friends was looking me, but I haven’t told them anything. That was a secret about me and Klara. So there is an advice, don’t go to far from your family, and peopled don’t drink anymore. Since that day I and Klara become friend. I went in Klara’s house and she talk with me about different things and story. She is a lovely women. Is a fact, that the life wasn’t good with her, but in other or another way she was happy.
2nd Place - Aurela Mehmeti, Sarandë
Topic: You are alone on a hike in the woods. You come across a 374 year old woman. What do you learn from her?
A 374 year old woman has a lot to say about her life and things she has experienced. She would tell me about her difficulties and what she has done to face with them. It is very important for one person to know how to overcome problems and a 374 year old woman can tell a lot about this. Her life has learnt her that seeing the positive sides of everything you face with will help you to be a stronger person. I asked her what if you are having a difficult choice. She answered that you shouldn’t let any opportunities without taking into consideration. And what do you mean, I asked again. Every choice you make can affect your life, so be careful, she replied.
3rd Year University Form Group
Topics:
You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
You have a hat with strange powers. What happens when you put it on?
Read the winning essays here:
1st Place: Eralda Isufaj, Tirana
2nd Place: Ermal Maldi, Saranda
3rd Place: Denisa Cuni, Tirana
3rd Year University Winners
2nd Place - Ermal Mateli, Sarandë
Topic: You are the only librarian in a secret underground library used by the most important people in the world. Who are they? What do they read? How do you interact with them?
Another busy day at the library. The gates close for the public and only one visitor remains inside. He is staring at the midnight sky and his eyes shine like the stars as he waits to be accepted.
I go to my post at the office and nod him to approach.
“Good evening, Mr. Truman. May I ask who are you?” I pose the initiation signal.
“I am a child, born in the cave. I heard from a mad man about the right and wish to see and unchain myself.”
I slightly smile. “Very well, Mr. Truman. Now follow me please.”
He doesn’t even look at the shelves as we pass through the corridors, he seems consumed by his expectations, expectations of what he will see and learn tonight. We arrive at a small section of the library, that has classic children’s tales.
Truman is patient, even though a bit confused. I pick the book, Alice in Wonderland. I text the words marked in the intro of the book in my cell phone. After a few seconds of silence, the bookshelf along with Alice descends in a secret floor and a gate opens!
We approach. Truman follows obediently. I pull out a lighter and light the torch, that seemed invisible in the dark.
The staircase appears.
“Stay close to me and watch your step please,” I advise him.
As we descend, he notices that the walls and stairs are made of ancient stones.
“Are these from the original library of Alexandria?”
“Yes they are. Very receptive, Mr. Truman.”
After a few minutes we reach the gate. The floor in front of it is made in new architectural fashion. Next to the gate is a retinal scanner. I put my eye in it and the black figureless steel door opens.
“We have provided you with enough knowledge and hospitality…”
“Enough,” he interrupted me.
“How can you keep this secret?”
“Mr. Truman…”
“The world must know, it has to know…”
“You cannot take any any of these books outside the library or make our existence public.”
“Who is going to stop me, you?” He was scruffy looking and hadn’t had enough sleep.
“No, Jack, I will help you.”
“…really”
“Yes, for years I wanted to talk to someone and share this secret. Now please go to your hotel and I will contact you.”
“OK, but I am taking this with me!” He took some books and left. I made a call. “He is a mad man and needs to be put back in the chains in the cave.”
Mr. Truman woke up in a hospital after an “accident.” I couldn’t remember anything.
“Alice doesn’t remember,” said the message in my cell.
And we continue to provide our services in high ranking people in quiet.
Profession Form Group
Topics:
You can live under the sea, in the jungle or on a cloud for the rest of your life. Which place do you choose to live and what's your life like?
You have a hat with strange powers. What happens when you put it on?
Read the winning essays here:
1st Place: Brunilda Kondi, Tirana
2nd Place: Silvana Daja, Tirana
3rd Place: Mimoza Nogu, Tirana
1st Place - Brunilda Kondi, Tirana
Topic: A scientist shows you his latest invention: a machine that lets you create your own dream world. If you are hooked up to the machine, you will fall asleep and dream that you are in your ideal world, but you will never wake up. The scientist gives you the chance to use his machine. Do you use it? Why or why not?
I challenge the scientist to come out of the lab, forget the dream world, and join my ideal world, unhooked.
Follow me; you don’t need to close you eyes—my ideal world guarantees living, feeling, giving (make sure you are open to receiving). Let’s wake up on our own planet earth, whether it is in the most developed city or a remote place in my Albania. We only need to make sure we wake up grateful to have been given another day to live. Living in my real-ideal world has colors, smells, sounds, shapes, patterns. We need to go down a flight of stairs. Knowing we can; we need to make sure we greet all the people realizing they’re there, living their ideal worlds.
Hey, scientist, did you make that phonecall to your family? Did you tell your neighbor you’ll be there for that collecting the elevator contribution? Have you planned time for a chat with your cousin who just got out of the hospital? And, your best friend’s father’s funeral is at 4 p.m. My real-ideal day has 24 hours that can fit all you want. Take the challenge, you should know how. You can only follow if you truly, deeply feel you can smile, laugh, cry, weep, sob, hug, be there and then move on.
Almost done: find a flaw in my real-ideal world. Next, think about how it can be fixed. Make a pitch—what is it you’re giving to get it straight? Does it come from the heart? Can you prove it? How? This is a common day in my ideal world, the one I have: I live, feel, try to give. Did you do that? What did you receive (remember I told you to be open to receiving?!) How can you measure that?
Now, can you go back to your lab and invent a machine that measures how one lives, feels, gives and balance that with what has been received? Until then, no thank you; I have already invented my ideal world! It is the quotidien!