Omar Mohammed Aged: 14
Centre: Sutton NumberWorks’nWords

Lost At Land
The calm, cool breeze caressed my hair as I woke; welcomed by the clear blue sky. I started to feel my fingers again, but they didn’t feel quite right- like when you get pins and needles, except this was on my hand and not on my feet. As the awkward sensation started to lift, I noticed the feel of some kind of grain like substance; covering the palm and the bottom of my fingers.
Still staring at the sky, I tried to turn my head towards the sensation which was starting to appear to be more noticeable on both of my hands. I felt pain surge up my neck as I slowly turned my head. Once I saw my hand, it became apparent that my hands had submerged within the hot sand, fuelled by the sun.
My neck started to become more and more flexible, now I was able to turn and tilt my head very easily. As I practised turning my head, something red caught my eye. It was a trail of blood. Leading towards the beautiful sapphire pool of liquid- which seemed to be the best way to describe how attractive the sea was. From the sea I followed the red stain with my eyes, which was heading straight towards me- the ruby stain was mine.
I decided it was time to sit up and let all the thoughts be absorbed by my mind. I groaned at the effort but eventually managed to sit straight. As I did, I became entranced by the blood trail and remained completely oblivious to the sea; the tide had started coming in.
While I was staring at the red path, I felt a shot of pain flow through my veins of my legs. I looked down at my feet and realised that my legs-and the rest of my body- was in a bad state. This led me to the conclusion that I had been attacked with sharp objects due to the slits and cuts, and that the sea was rich in salt, causing the sudden pain, I examined my wound further and found Poseidon’s salt sizzling, getting deeper into my wounds, as if the meat of my legs were being barbecued by the sun and seasoned by the sea.
As I was going through all of my thought, another eight legged crawler of pain was sent surging through my legs; I screamed, thinking it would give me some relief, but it failed to do so.
I decided it was time to move-either that or dig my grave, and since I was in no mood to die a slow and painful death, I decided to shift. Subsequently, I commanded my legs to move, but they would not budge!
Panic started to take over, had I lost my legs? Would I be able to walk again? As panic started to flow through my body, my mind was being fuelled by anger and confusion-that was not going to improve my predicament. I felt disappointed. How could I let myself get into such harm, and how could… no, there was no time for thinking, I have to move, try to ignore the fact that my heart was racing faster than cheetah and that my breathing was getting heavier and louder. I had to survive; even though deep down, I knew my death was inevitable.
I tried again, but this time I tried to flex my toes, and for the second time, my legs would not move. Between my efforts of moving my legs, I remained completely oblivious to the innocent but now, dangerous sea- approaching closer as if it were a stealthy ninja, ready to capture its next victim.
I started to feel faint, partly because of the heat, and partly because I couldn’t bear to go through the hellish torture of my open wounds being submitted to burn slowly and painfully from the salt. It was then I decided to try harder-my life depended on it.
While my efforts of moving were still coming to no use, my mind hit my face into the memories wall. I started to remember my sweet yet firm parents, who’d provided everything for a normal life; and my dear sweet sisters, who’d try to make my life hell, but when I truly was in need, she’d pull through. All those things I would miss made me even more determined to escape the death trap I was in; and by some supernatural miracle, my legs started to move again!
I commanded my legs to raise me up, my muscles started to groan with the enormous pressure of my body and I was sweating more and more, taking deep breathes, step by step, my feet began to submerge within the sand. Without any warning, my feet suddenly collapsed from my weight and I fell- face first into the grains of the sand-fuelled by the sweltering ball of death. Next thing I remember, my eyes felt bloodshot and then, everything went black…