WriteOn! 2024

9th Grade, 1st Place
Name: Xhes Baze
City: Lushnjë

I opened my eyes, but my vision was really blurry and I couldn’t see anything. Some weird metallic noises were coming from a place near me. I tried to move but my body felt so numb, I faited. After a few moments that felt like years, I was able to get up. I was in complete darkness. As I was trying to move, I touched something on the floor. It was a lighter. It was really small, but it still worked. I grabed it and started to explore. I didn’t remember why I was there in the first place. I climed up some stairs that led me to an old lady’s room. You could see that the lady who had lived there, didn’t have financial problems, because the room was decorated with expensive furnitures. As I was loking for clues, I came across some old photos. They seemed really familiar, but I couldn’t understand why. Then I started to have a terrible headache. I close my eyes and I tried to calm myself down. None of these things happened. Instead, I started to remember some small details ; my family, my high-school classroom, Lydia and john, my two best friends, some parties but nothing serious. Then I looked at the photos once again. The women in the picture looked terribly similar to me, but I could tell that I hadn’t seen her before. She had dark brow hair, full lips, brown eyes. She was stunning. She was smiling in the picture, while hugging a man, that looked like her boyfriend or fiancée. He was tall and wellbiult. They looked really happy. But, again, I had no idea who they were. I didn’t think much of it and I started too look for clues somewhere else. I climbed up some more stairs. A specific room caught my attention. I went inside and a lot a portraits were hanging on the walls. I was looking carefully at every one of them. Seemed like the family that had the house was filthy rich. Then I saw the woman and the man from the photos before. They were in one of the portraits. The woman was holding a small baby girl and the man was smiling at them. I looked closer so I could read their names. The first two names didn’t ring a bell, but the third one….. it was my name. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There had to be something wrong with the portrait. I started to panic. I was sheking and I tripped on something and I felt. Than another headache. Some more memories. A family fight. My father shouting loudly. My mother crying. Me running out of the house. Than it clicked. That night I found out that I was adopted-more like, my parents kidnaped me from my biological parents when I was a child. There excuse was that my biological parents were planning to live me but I didn’t believe a word coming out of their mouths. The same night, I decided to find my real parents. I searched for some documents and I found their names, photos and there address. Well there old one, because they had moved to another country five years ago. But I was determined to find out who they were. So I called my two best friends and we went to the house. Half way there, we realized that there were people following us. We split up and went inside the house, I fell and hit my head. That’s why I was at the house and the first place. I started sobbing and crying, realizing I was alone. I had no family, my friend were nowhere to be seen and I was trapped inside an old creepy building. I calmed myself down and I went on the first floor again. I was trying to open the door forcefully. I started to bleed but I was able to open it. I ran outside, even though I was pouring rain. I had to get out of that house. Something started ringing. I found where it was and I went to pick it up it was my phone. John was calling me I talk to him I told to come and get me. After a few minutes, I saw his car. I felt relieved, I went to his house and Lidia was there as well. After telling them what happened, I took a hot shower and reflected. I had no idea about I would do but I knew one thing: I had to be strong I had myself, my friends and that’s all I needed. Everything would be alright in the end.

9th Grade, 2nd Place
Name: Kiara Doma
City: Rrëshen

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I was walking alone on the city streets. I remember it was a really beautiful night. I kept walking without knowing where I was going. It didn’t matter anyway. It’s normal for people to walk without having a destination, right? I suddenly saw an old abandoned building right in front of me. It look so scary and mysterious at the same time, and these two things I really like. The building was huge. The windows were far away from each other, as if the people who lived in there didn’t wanted to see each other. There were 2 doors, an old and a new one. I thought it was a movie scene but in fact it was real and I was the only one who could see it. I felt really special. Something inside me told me to leave but in that moment I heard a voice from the inside. That voice I could never forget. It sounded desperated but happy at the same time. After the voice stoped, a light turned on, and I saw a shadow. Not scary at all, I almost thought it was me. It was laughing and saying: “I saw the eight! I swear I saw it!” and then it ended. My curious nature couldn’t resist the temptation, so I went in and I took my red rose with me. It was so dark in the inside, but I wasn’t scared.  The strong wind closed the door and the windows. I was alone in an old abandoned house. I was about to start screaming when suddenly I heard some steps.

They were so quiet, like the Balenimas steps. I started following them, but they were walking so fast that i lost it. I found myself in a little garden, full of roses, red and white ones.

I had never seen so many roses in my life, even though I love them. I tried taking one but it went away from me. I got scared and cried. When my tear felt down it touched a petal. They soon turned into white stairs leading me up. I was going up when I turned around and saw that all the roses has disappeared except for a white one. His petals started flying and went up. I followed them. They were staying in a fountain’s water and making small circles. There was this little gold light that I could see coming toward me. I saw a clear reflection of myself when I was little staying on a tree and seeing a beautiful bird flying. The fountain was releasing smokes and it broke taking me up to the East stop, A childs room, standing oposite an old library. The window opened and brought in the cold aor. There were 2 candles i could see. Again a red and a white one. I opened the library books and I saw that nothing was written in them. They all felt down exept one book. A very mysteryous one covered in gold and green petals. It opened. The words were going out of it as if they were released after a long time. Only three words stayed and there were: “Don’t hide”! I turned around and saw the little room changing into an empty one. I left my rose there     with a letter. In that letter I wrote down: “I won’t.” I run to the door but they were not opening. The walls were going down. I saw again that red rose and hold it tight into my arms. It took me out into the street before the building went down. I took me back place I bought that rose. I left the rose in there.  Since that day I have never seen that building again, it disappeared. But I still remember what it said to me.

It said “don’t hide.”

I always keep a rose with me since that day.

9th Grade, 3rd Place
Name: Freja Cini
City: Fier

Dark… Cold… Empty… Grimy walls… Dusty furniture. That’s what greeted my eyes when I woke up. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know who brought me here. Most importantly, I don’t know how to get out of here. Suddenly, flashbacks from last night come into my mind.

“Fire! Run!” – my mother screamed. We all got quickly outside. I honestly didn’t know how the fire had started. We all were very careful with electric appliances and stuff like that. Then it hit me… it was them… The people after my father… The ones who wanted his company. I couldn’t breathe. I had a really bad feelings about this whole situation. Then… then I heard a loud gunshot noises…. “NOOO! – I screamed – NO! Mommy Daddy! Jenny! They had been shot. They shot them. They reached their goal… Sick bastards… Then something hard hit my head and everything went black…”

So they must’ve brought me here – I though silently. Hot tears were now rolling down my cheeks. Within a few minutes my family was taken away from me forever and my whole life was destroyed in front of my eyes. I cried and cried for what seemed like hours. My hands reached for the necklace I always kept with me. Huh… At least I still had that… My parents had gifted my that necklace on my 5th birthday and I had never taken it off ever since. Now that precious silvery gift would be the only thing that held my memories with them… Unbelievable…

I must get out of this place – I said to myself. I couldn’t stay here any longer, or else I would explode. I felt vulnerable, but I still had the force to get up into my feet. My eyes were now red and puffy from crying, but I could still see everything clearly. I ealked into another room. It looked similar to the one I was in but this was bigger. It seemed like a bedroom but I wasn’t quite sure about it. I opened the doors of what looked like a closet and what I found inside terrified me… a breathtaking gown was inside the closet but it was full of blood strains. That poor bride… her dreams must’ve been take away from her, just like mine… I continued walking around the house. It was enormous and it definitely was just like a maze. Every room I stepped in was empty, dark and cold. I felt trapped and lost. I was starting to lose faith, but little did I know about the next room I’d enter. At first, it seemed just like every other room in the domned house. But, stupid me for thinking that. In one of the dark corners of the room, I noticed someone. A boy, around my age. He was well-built and had tanned, olive skin. He had piercing, deep blue eyes and he stood there, emotionless.  I was frozen in place and so was he. What should I do? Should I talk to him? Then he noticed me.

“What are you doing here?” – he asked me, his voice dull and thick.

I was locked up here, - I murmured, unsure of what to say.

Huh, so was I, but I don’t guess I’ll make it out alive

What are you saying?

What I’m saying is that there is only one way to get out and that’s impossible.

And that is?

A door on the first floor, but two bodyguards secure the door and won’t let anyone out. Believe me I’ve tried.

I see… - My voice came out weak but now that I found another human was locked up here I was determined to get out of here.

What’s your name? – I asked the boy – by the way I’m Alicia.

I’m Jason.

 Jason… will you help me get out?

I already told you it’s impossible.

Please, Jason… They killed my family. I still believe I can get out…

He was silent for a moment but then he spoke again.

They killed my parents too. I want revenge Alicia. But I can’t…

Revenge it’s best served by two.

Okay… - he said and I was surprised. – I have been studying this house for weeks. The bodyguards change their turns late at night. We may get out by then but it’s quite dangerous.

We can try though… - I  said quietly.

Yeah, yeah we can. – he said – so here’s a plan. We wait ‘till midnight and then escape. Okay?

Okay – I said, this time more determined.

We waited patiently until it got dark outside. We could clearly hear footsteps near the front door…

Now it’s our chance. – Jason said determindedily –

Run Alicia!

We both ran. Fast. We got through the door without being noticed and I couldn’t believe it.

We did it! – Jason and I said in unison.

I don’t know what will happen next but right now it’s important that we are alive.

11th Grade, 1st place
Name:Gentiana Deda
City: Tirana

31/06/2058 12:08

Dear E-diary,

It’s finally done! It’s finally here! All the scientific research, all the experimental processes, all the all nighters in the Vancouver Observatory, all the astrophysical hypothesis, all the impromptu stargazing, all the fears and anxiety and doubt and media and society and pressure…It has all come to an end! I am happy to announce that the most evolutionary scientific project of our time, an interdisciplinary scientific approach to meteoritical and astronomic phenomenon, “TIS’ THE SEASON 58”, was finally conclude yesterday. I and my international, multiracial team, the top-10 brightest scientists of our age, have successfully managed to fit the solution to all of humankind’s problems into one single 3-inch capsule! And tomorrow, at 5:00 AM, GTM: 0, the environmentally-troublesome planet we live in will be more than happy to welcome “UTOPIA58”, the very first lab-produced season in the history of humanity.

              God damn, I’m super hungover from last night’s party! I’ve never been this intoxicated in beeranium in my life, but Pritya (the super well behaved lab assistant) insisted that after 3 months of exhausting work, a party to “Moonatics” (the fanciest bar her in Vancouver, or, at least, the fanciest we can afford!), was a much deserved reward. I’m quite dizzy, I can hardly type, but I’ll manage to elaborate as well as I possibly can. Imagine, I even have to write the speech for tomorrows global conference, “PLANETARS.” Gotta get my shit together real quick! I’ll order a Franciumaccino later, when Pritya shows up.

              But, let’s get to the important part! I’m kinda gonna use this E-diary page to brainstorm and have a sketch in mind for tomorrow’s speech. And I know, one day, probably even in 2058, when science has evolved even more rapidly, this moment will be remembered and probably 2158’s scholars will read this hungover scientist’s E-diary page with the same curiosity as tomorrow’s historical speech.

              So, for all the morons out there “UTOPIA58” is a lab-produced season, consisting of 33 days, taking up the entire month of July and 2 days of august. It’s reusable, which means the season capsule will be opened every year on July 1st and closed on August 2nd.

              How? The 2-inch bullet-shaped quartz sealed capsule will be bombarded by a specific amount of UV and gamma radiation, for a required amount of time, until It’s divided into 2 halves. Then, the fun stuff happens! The capsule will send a cryptographic signal to all of our ready-to-use, perfectly-positioned satellites simultaneously, at the exact same frequency and put them to work. The satellites will then emit some form of unknown radiation, that we call “UTOPIA ∞”, consisting on a combination between gamma and UV radiation) to the centre of Earth and to the nearest star (apart from the sun) Proxima Centaur at the same time. It would take me 10 E-assisted lives to explain to everyone what happens then in a mathematical way, and nobody would quite understand (like, at all), but let me just get to the main point; a new season will be “installed” on Earth. Our lovely mother Earth that we managed to gradually ruin over the course of 5 decades! Why in July though? Simple! Because this is the month when we feel the consequences of global warming (floods, droughts, diseases, sea-level rise, tsunamis etc.…) at the largest spread and largest scale. We aim to minimize them.

              For all the way-too-hopeful fellow humans and scientists out there! This won’t help us end global warming out there. Global warming is a disturbing environmental problem that took time to even be considered a problem! We didn’t listen to AL Gore in 2008, we didn’t listen to Maya deBrasca in 2038, we didn’t listen to Nellys O’Brian in 2049 (the latter graduated in Moonarward!), We listened to none of these celebrated scientists over the course of the years. Instead, we listened to politicans’ propaganda about “the myth of global warming.” Now that we’re facing the reality of it, we blame our previous generations. We blame the 2018’s Millennials, the 2038’s skeptics, the 2050’s douschbags that  assassinated O’Brian for having the courage to speak up against the propagandistic regime of the infamous Drac de Mort and, announcing in his famous speech “The problem is we deny that global warming is a real issue, or as I like to quote from his mind-bogging speech, “We don’t see reality. We don’t want to see it. But mother nature doesn’t consider nihilism to be a virtue!” But indeed, everyone is to blame! Everyone is guilty.

              We won’t have the green grass, the fresh air, the birds chirping and the parks and the mountains and the drizzle and the rainbow! We won’t have them for a long time “UTOPIA58”, believe it or not, won’t change our sad reality but temporarily. May it serve at least as a reminder of what we could have if we payed attention before we were left with a destroyed planet!

11th Grade, 2nd Place
Name: Loren Ormënaj
City: Vlora

My favorite season lasts only one week and it lies between spring and summer. It starts 4 days before the summer equinox and ends shortly, only seven days after. I believe it is because of this, that this season is not mentioned at all on the school books, or anywhere for that matter, but this gets me very agitated. It is after all a miracle of the nature, quite difficult to even comprehend.

              The universe is an always moving reality that consists of millions of galaxies, and this, of millions of solar systems. On the course of movement these solar systems get very close to each other once a year. Scientifically it is described as the shrinking of galaxies which results in planets and stars coming closer to each other. This way, the Earth is enlightened not only by our own sun, but by thousands of other stars, which results in a week of permanent light and many many other unbelievable events.

              People started to doubt that “The Season of 1001 Suns”, as it was later called, had extraordinary effects on every species, when they realized its connection to humankind’s greatest achievements. For thousands of years people thought the Pyramids an unexplainable mystery and Einstein a gifted genius. It took a lot of time for them to look deeper into the matter and the answer once discovered was difficult to look past: it all lead back to The Season of 1001 Suns. We all know that the sun is our life source, the provider of all energy on Earth. Through this energy the plants photosynthesize, the solar energy transforms into chemical energy and the later into mechanical energy in our bodies. Now imagine the sort of energy that our world gains in the presence of thousands of suns. It doesn’t double, it doesn’t triple, it multiplies by thousands. It goes to the plants, up through the food chain, and leaves human beings bursting with energy. More energy for the body, more for the mind and people are deemed to achieve extraordinary things. The slave in Ancient Egypt lifted the huge stones to build the Pyramids during this week, for years in a row. The apple hit Newton in the head the day after the Summer Equinox and Dante would have never thought to write the Divine Comedy, were it not for that hot afternoon of June the 20th.

              And even if people don’t make some great discovery each year during this time, it still affects them, for they are more lively, more energetic, and more happy. Festivals, parties, and carnivals are organized. It is a time of joy.

              But then time passes and on the seventh day the sun finally sets on our beautiful world who was for a whole week embellished with all that extra energy, joy and work. It is sad, especially for those who had planned to reach some incredible goal that week. But the cycle goes on, and who knows, maybe the next time the season comes will be your turn to shine and ingrave your name in the walls of outrrich history.

11th Grade, 3rd Place
Name: Saramontela Ferizolli
City: Kruma

A new season has appeared in Earth. This is a punishment that the “Nature” gives to people because of destroying her. The season is called the black and white season, but not everything is black and white, everything is gray. This is a season full of sadness, full of misunderstanding and angry faces. This new season will be the longest season of the year. Almost 2/3 of the year will be black and white season. The other parts will be spring, summer, autumn and winter.

              One day the “mother nature” felt a lot of angry to people, because they didn’t stop destroying the beautiful monuments she was creating for spring. They couldn’t stop setting of fires on summer, they don’t stop cutting trees on autumn and on winter, people didn’t help endangered species to survive during winter. So, the black and white season was the human’s punishment to them by nature.

              The black and white season will be the most sad season because of the missing of nature, flowers and green. Without that the world was too unhealthy, to misunderstood people fight with each-other all day, everyday kids were so sad. They couldn’t smile, couldn’t play, couldn’t spent time outside, videogames and smartphones don’t impress them. They’re all alive without living. They’re all breathing without oxygen and they’re all being humans without humanity. During black and white season, the weather is as cold as peoples spirits, the sky were as gray as peoples mind and the life were just boring. To remove and end this punishment that started destroying the world and peoples., we should try to bring colors to the world, painting with the color called “Love of Nature”, planting trees, stop hunting, protecting forest and environments. Growing flowers in our homes for as much as we could, and if “mother nature” notices that we learned by the mistake, and we will do the most for the nature to keep the life alive, she will stop the boringness, sadness, and hate, will bring back the happiness and humanity in world. People will be happy and the world normal. In the earth there will be back four seasons and by all of this, people hopefully will start taking care to the nature and loving her.