Balmoral Hall School - Optima Anni Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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15 father, Oupec, had given him a team of dogs, and for the past two weeks he had been making a komatic. The next morning before sunrise Amak don- ned his two deerskin outfits, iced his komatic runner, hitched up his dogs, loaded his komatic, and left. Very soon the family igloo disap- peared and all was quiet except for the sound of the komatic sliding over the crispy snow. He set a few traps, for a few fox furs meant much tea and flour at the trading post. Later that day Ouk, the lead dog, smelled a seal's breathing hole under the snow. Amak waited and after about twenty-five minutes a seal poked its nose up through the hole. Quicker than lightning, Amak had shot it and was hauling it onto the ice. First he skinned it, then gave some meat to the dogs, ate some himself, and loaded the remainder on the komatic. Hunting went very well, and when Amak finally had all the meat and skins and foxes his komatic could hold, he turned toward the direc- tion where the sun rose, for that was the way home. On the second day of his journey home he spotted Pauka's komatic. After a few miles of travelling together, Pauka, the more experienced hunter, suggested they take the shorter route over land. The last day of their travel was nearing, and it was already dusk when Pauka just slipped from view. Amak looked behind him where Pauka had been travelling and he was no longer there. Panic swept Amak's mind. Then he heard a faint cry and rushed in its direction. There he saw Pauka hanging onto some jutting ice in a hidden crevice. Pauka's dogs and komatic were no longer to be seen. Amak quickly took his dogs' harnesses, made of strong sealskin, lowered them into the crevice, and hauled Pauka to safety. When they arrived at the village, Amak was a hero for he had saved the son of the agnako, or witch doctor. A black curse would hover over the village if anything were to happen to the eldest son of the witch doctor. This was the greatest moment in Amak's life. Later that evening in the igloo, Amak's parents proudly watched him rub noses with Toushi. LILY Swiu-'FIELD-Grade IX It's All Over So Quickly It is Sunday night. Jan has all her home- work done for Monday. Her clothes are laid out, and she knows exactly what she is going to wear to school in the morning. It is a warm spring evening, almost ten o'clock. Time for bed now, Jan, her mother called from the top of the basement stairs. That was a phrase Jan used to hate the sound of, but now it was different. Sleep was a friend. One could just slip into a nice warm bed and forget all problems and troubles. Sleep was another world for Jan. Jan slowly dragged herself up to her bedroom. Sleeping is so nice, she mused. It's too bad I can't be awake to enjoy it. She stood up and threw her nightgown over her head, letting the cool silk float down. Jan went into the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned on the sink and gazed into the mirror. A young girl with blonde hair and freckles stared back at her. They both washed and brushed their hair. Then Jan went back to her bedroom alone. She jumped into her bed, and cuddled down, pulling the covers around her neck. She curled up like a squirrel to get warm. Then she relaxed with one arm around Wuzzie, the big furry dog that her brother, Mark, had given her last Christmas. Mark's a nice brother, she said to herself. I'm lucky to have an older brother. When I get married all my children are going to have -yawn- older brothers' Jani Wake up, Lazy! It's after eight o'clock, called Mark, her dear brother, right in her ear. Impossible, muttered Jan. But Mark was opening the curtains and the bright morning sun leaped upon her and told her it was really morning. She sat up on her bed, rubbing her eyes. It's not fair, mumbled Jan. It's all over so quickly! She glared at Mark. Murderer of sleep! What? questioned Mark. Never mind! You wouldn't understand. Mark walked out of the room. Jan smiled. That's why it's so nice! It's all over so quickly! JILL PLAXTON-Grade IX A Winter Day A few brave cars Crept on the glassy lanes, while Frosted figures Plodded along the treacherous walks. The bright, cold sun Shone on the brick buildings, while Shadows of the bare-limbed trees Stretched their netted fingers across the window panes. Across the crusted snow Skimmed a newspaper page. But, cars and people Passed without seeing the Beauty in common things. GLORIA GRAHAM-Grade XI

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14 A New Day The moon has left a silver trail Across the midnight sky. The stars are quickly growing dim Now that the dawn is nigh. Then gradually the stars grow dim And seem to take their fiight, In other distant lands to shine- The watchers of the night. And now the sun is springing up, A glory in the east. As though it had been fastened there Then suddenly released. Then birds begin to sing their songs, And trees begin to sway, For they are now all heralding God's gift-a brand new day! BRENDA SIMMIE-Grade IX Prize-winning Poem- Intermediate Literary Competition Unexpected Visitor The wind seemed to assault the trees on the boulevard. The base of the houses seemed to be torn apart by the onrushing violence. The hail- stones tapped against the window pane and fell on the ground like beads of a broken necklace. Sandy Anderson tried to read to forget the wild storm. The reckless wind howled through the fireplace and made her shudder. Although she had a sweater on and a woollen blanket around her legs, her blood seemed to freeze within her veins. The swaying limbs of the trees outside made shadows on the wall which moved like dancing monsters, making Sandy cringe with fear. She heard a noise and raced to the window to see what it was. It was only the neighbour's cat mewing pitifully at its mis- fortune in being left out in the rain. She went back and sank down on the sofa, wrapped the blanket more firmly around her legs, and settled down to read. Wild monsters with orange faces and green hair kept creeping through her mind. The book she was reading had gradually lost its interest ever since her parents went out. Impatiently she slammed the book closed and threw it into the darkness of the corner. Her dog was lying in that unfortunate corner and yelped at being maltreated in that way. Sandy fairly flew to the unlucky spot to seek forgiveness from her playfellow. He wagged his tail furiously and licked her hand sympathetically. With a reassuring pat, Sandy sauntered out to the kitchen and left him to his nap. Silently, she ransacked the cupboards and made the most mouth-watering jam sandwich imaginable. Just as she was sinking her teeth into a sweet, moist Hood of jam and bread, she heard a gentle knock on the door. With her mouth full, she muttered that it was completely her imagination. A few moments later, a second knock was heard, but this time more impatient and abrupt. The knife she was holding clattered to the floor. An icy hand seemed to clutch the pit of her stomach. More monsters drifted and danced through her mind. Cautiously she picked up a metal tray which was lying near her shaking hand. She crept silently to the door. Her dog whined and whimpered as if in fear for his mistress's safety. On the way to the door she glanced at her face in a mirror. It looked like a fresh bank of snow. She swallowed uncomfortably when she heard the knock again. She slowly directed her shaking hand to the doorknob. She found courage and flung open the door, ready to hit the unlucky night- caller over the head with the tray. The tray slid from her hands. Through wind and rain I come! proclaimed the visitor, to help you with the mathematics you had trouble with this morning, laughingly ended Sandy's friend, Judy, as she stepped inside. PAMELLA KAYsER-Grade VIII ONE fvfouh' 0OfV6, ,-:vue -ro 60 f 9 if Qx V n fre?-X J fi i 1 Kgli Q'Q'o',j j., 1' N4g A Q 1 Q ,. . if -m SUZANNE EVANS-GRADE XI The Great Moment Amak was now seventeen and had reached manhood according to the ways of the Eskimos. Tomorrow he would start off on his first seal hunt unaccompanied by his father. When he returned, he would marry Toushi, the girl with whom he had been paired since her birth. His

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