St Johns Ravenscourt School - Eagle Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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THE FIGHT The arena was filled with a thick, heavy smoke that made you want to cough. The fighters had not yet put in an appearance, and the officials were going through the formalities of welcoming the audience. Suddenly a roar filled the hot dusty air as the fighters entered the ring. After being introduced, they went to their respective corners and silence prevailed. The train¬ ers were giving last minute instructions while the only noise was the cry of a boy going up and down the aisles selling refreshments. The bell sounded; the fight was under way. The champion was a sturdy type about six feet tall, while the challenger was a good three inches smaller and many pounds lighter. The first three rounds were gruelling tests of the endurance and neither fighter gave way. People began thinking it would go the whole ten rounds. The fourth, however, was different. In no time the champ had found the challenger’s weakness, had drawn blood from his opponent’s mouth and nose, and had opened up a gash over his left eye so that he could hardly see. The challenger wildly cut through the smoke in the air, hoping one would land, but the champ easily eluded his weak attempts and repeatedly fired crushing blows, working on the gash over the challenger’s eye. With twenty-two seconds left in the fourth round, the challenger slowly slumped to the ground after an ex¬ cessive beating at the hands of the champ. However, he struggled to his feet and lasted the round. The fifth, sixth and seventh rounds were pitiful. The champ knocked the challenger down at will and by the eighth round the challenger’s face was a sea of blood, cuts and sweat. Between the fifth and sixth rounds, they put tape over his left eye, to keep the eye¬ lid closed and to prevent blood from pouring in. Then came the eighth round. Even his manager had given up hope for the challenger. His eyes were blurred with sweat and blood, and they stung which tortured him unmercifully. Still he went on, practically standing still, and being pounded with an unjust barrage of punches to the head. People started urging him on, praying that somehow he could fight back. Some others yelled to the referee to stop the fight. Again he slumped to the ropes and limply fell to the canvas, but once more he struggled to his feet and hung on for another round. Then it happened. I wondered how he kept going. In the ninth round the champ strolled up to him ready to beat him, when the challenger lashed out with a terrific right to the head. The champ was caught com¬ pletely by surprise and was stunned for a moment. A A large roar went through the crowd. Again the chal¬ lenger lashed out with another blow to the head. Blood poured out of the champ’s nose and mouth. He stag¬ gered against the ropes. Another blow lashed into the mid-section and he was down on the canvas completely stunned. You couldn’t hear the referee’s count above the uproar and confusion, and the crowd pounding its feet. Six, seven, eight went the count. He was up again. The crowd quietened down when the champ let loose another ferocious attack. Suddenly the bell sounded and the crowd stood up to cheer on the challenger. Finally the tenth round. The fighters met in the centre. Crushing blows landed agains and again until finally the challenger spotted a hole and plunged with his fist. Another blow, the taller opponent wavered, caught another blow on the chin and that was it. He immediately fell to the canvas. The crowd roared while the count went to ten. The champ remained still. The referee threw the new champ’s arm up in the air. He almost collapsed from exhaustion. The crowd went hysterical. Some made it to the ring as the fighters went to their dressing rooms. I could breath a little easier after I left. That was the greatest fight I had ever seen. JOHN BARNES - GRADE 7EW A CRIPPLED AIRCRAFT One afternoon I was resting in the luxury of a T.C.A. plane from Winnipeg to Prestwick. Suddenly there was a bang, someone screamed and everyone started running hither and thither trying in vain to find parachutes and the like. Stewardesses were going about trying to calm everybody, but all control was lost. The plane lurched and swayed, and I hoped it was just a nightmare. Then somehow, somebody got out the words: Fire in the cockpit!” This sent a chill running down my back. I was not only sick with the movement of the craft, but also with fear, for a mighty tongue ripped out of the cockpit. The plane plummeted vertiginously down. This is the end,” I thought, and began regretting all the bad things I had ever done. However, I then remembered that I was high in the air. I tore the life-jacket from under the seat. Finding the automatic pump out of order, I filled it from the air tank in the empty seat beside me. After doing this, I proceded to get out my own supply, and clap it to my nose and mouth. This was just in time, for at the moment, a great gash appeared in the side of the craft and I was sucked out before I fully understood the situation, but, as I hurtled down, I could not think of anything but the bottom of my fall. Suddenly I felt the mixture of a cold pang and a stinging pain. I floundered about until I was numbed, for I had fallen into the sea. I took one look at the fiery plane and turned away. Very luckily a ship had spotted the aircraft and had come to pick up survivors. When on board I was horrified to see that five others and I were the only ones saved. Afterwards, whenever I was in danger, I thought of that afternoon. PATRICK TRUELOVE - GRADE REMOVE

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DREAMLAND THE ESCAPE As I lie in bed each night, I dream of knights all dressed in white. The fort is won, the victors raised. It is the knight who wins the praise. His shining armour, dirty grey Will see him through another day. On other nights I dream of days When Vikings’ ships come through the haze. The Vikings land. The Saxons fight. The Vikings win by strength and might. Another village is lost they say The Vikings will soon be here to stay. I sometimes dream of sailing on An old time ship in days far gone. A pirate ship,” the crew all shout Anchors up and all sails out.” The pirate ship’s soon out of sight. We rejoice and sing with faces bright. I oft times picture being on An old time plane in days far gone With flimsy wings and small motor My little plane goes off to war. These nights I need not hero be For I will sleep, to dream, as thee. JOHN BEECH - GRADE 7EW. THE SNOW Here I sit, looking out at the snow, Florida is the place I want to go. I’d swim in the sea and play under the sun Until the perfect day was done. But here I’m stuck at forty below, Wondering how to get away from the snow. Snow and ice, that’s all I see. Twould fill an Eskimos eyes with glee. Florida is still the place I’d rather be. Florida is all green, Winnipeg white It looks as if we were hit by a blight. But here I sit at fifty below Wondering how to get away from the snow. This is all I can write about snow, Because I’m freezing. It’s sixty below! JOHN SAUNDERS - GRADE 7EW. As the dreadful giddiness left me, I began to sweat, although it was cool. It seemed like hours before I could move. Finally I looked up and saw Elzevir wait¬ ing patiently so I asked him to let me up, telling him that I was well enough to go on. Once more we crawled along the narrow path, but my leg did not pain me; it just felt numb. There were now only fifteen feet to go before we reached the last turn and freedom, so with renewed vigour I pushed on behind Elzevir. It was getting dark and we hurried because we didn’t want to try going around that final bend in darkness. Suddenly it was dark and night had fallen, but we were close enough to the turn to see that it was the narrowest ledge yet. I couldn’t see a thing now, and there was an uncanny air of silence about. Then Elzevir’s voice broke it. John, my lad, there’s a storm brewing, and if we don’t make our move now, we never will.” I saw w hat he meant about the storm, for in the near distance thunder began to roll, lightning flashed, and a light rain began to fall, accompanied by a brisk breeze. My heart started to pound fiercely for I knew it was do or die. Again Elzevir spoke, Hug the cliff wall as closely as possible until I tell you it’s all right and that we’re safe.” Then we started and made our way at a snail’s pace. Now the wind was howling and the rain coming down in torrents, and consequently I couldn’t see Elzevir, so I called him, but there was no answer. Then a dreadful fear seized me. Had he fallen or had he made it? If he had fallen I would too, for he was the better at climb¬ ing. I pushed on and for an instant a flash of lightning illuminated the scene. I was only ten feet from the top. And Elzevir was there on his knee with his arm out¬ stretched towards me. The storm raged fiercely now, but I was overjoyed and scrambled quickly towards the top. It was then that something gave way underneath me and in one dreadful instant I realized what was happening. The cliff was giving way. I grabbed at Elzevir’s extended arm and clasped it desperately. The whole of the cliff gave way and I was dangling on the edge of eternity. All the time the storm raged fiercely. Elzevir’s giant strength was slowly pulling me up, but my hand was slowly slipping from his grasp. Elzevir perceived the danger, and, with a superhuman effort, yanked me up to the top, with such force that it toppled us both. We were wet, and we were cold. But we were safe. MICHEAL MENZIES - GRADE 7EW

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THE FIRE Once on a tranquil summer day, As I sat ’neath a tree watching squirrels at play, An unseen enemy struck my nose. I heard a crackling — then I froze. Fire! In an instant all was ablaze. The woods were filled with a smokey haze And, as I dodged between the crashing trees, I noticed a hive of terrorized Bees, Flying out of the flames. — Forever! The bigger and stronger animals followed, But those who were weak were already swallowed, By the all-consuming fire, And little by little, bit by bit, a crash And all was lifeless — With no desire! All that remains are burnt cinders of wood, A dry creek here, a dead branch there, And if the animals had later returned, They’d have found no trace of living — As all was burned! JIM SHORE - GRADE 6 THE SECRET TUNNEL While hiking through the woods one day, we dis¬ covered a tunnel hidden by a clump of bushes. We all agreed that we should explore it. As we went through the tunnel, its dampness and frigid air seemed to chill our entire bodies. The tunnel was very narrow and its roof was low in places. The tunnel must have been nearly a mile and a half long with frequent turns. It was very rocky for I cut my knee three or four times. Suddenly the tunnel came to an abrupt end. We tried in vain to get through the barrier of rocks and were just about to give up when Jack dislodged a key stone and the rocks came tumbling down. Beyond the tunnel lay an immense cavern. We heard a man just around the corner from us saying: Joe, what are you going to use the money for when we get it from the boss?” Well, I think I’ll buy a brand new car with a radio and a television set in it, replied Joe. Before we had realized it we had rounded the corner and we were taken prisoner and locked in a small adjacent cave which had been changed into a room. Since the men had tied us up they did not bother to lock the door. In the room we saw stacks of counter¬ feit bills. Michael managed to free himself from his bonds. He then swiftly untied our ropes. We slipped past the sentry whom the criminals had posted. In about half an hour we arrived at the entrance to the tunnel. It took us another hour to reach the police station. The sergeant said that he would send several men with us to the entrance of the tunnel. He warned us that if we were wrong we would be in seri¬ ous trouble. We then drove to the entrance of the tunnel, but the policeman said that we could not enter because there might be shooting. The policeman told us afterwards that they had easily taken the criminals by surprise and they had made no effort to escape. The next day a parcel arrived at Mike’s house. Mike phoned and told us to come over. The parcel turned out to be a miniature crime detection set. STUART GUEST - GRADE 5 A SUMMER MORNING Tis a wonderful thing To be up with the sun, When the dew is still hanging On grasses. What fun! The beautiful birds Fly up to the sky While the squirrel sits, wondering Why he cannot fly. The brook ripples by With a wonderful sound As my dog jumps across With a leap and a bound. Why not try it just once When the sun is just up? To get out of bed With your comrade, the pup. STEPHAN KRUEGAR - GRADE 6