Jack Rice, age 10, Co. Fermanagh
It was a normal day, or at least I thought it was. I had arrived at school and I really wasn't looking forward to it as we had a maths test. I reluctantly got out of the car and trudged up the steps to my classroom.
After our teacher Mr Strict called out the register, he told us to take out our reading books and read silently whilst he got our exam papers ready. I thought to myself, “Phew I'll take anything to delay this stupid maths test.” After reading a few pages of my copy of The Christmas Carol, it made me think of the excellent Christmas I had last year.
Suddenly, the book began to glow in a golden light and the pages began to feel as if they were on fire in my hands. Before I knew it, I felt myself being sucked into the book and into a portal! When I emerged, I fell into a chair in what seemed to be my granny's house. I could hear Jingle Bells playing in the kitchen and I could smell the delicious aroma of turkey cooking in the oven. I looked at my phone and it confirmed the inevitable, the fact that it was Christmas Eve, 2019! I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Yep it really did say 2019. I was overjoyed because Christmas Eve is the best night of the year and certainly a million times better than algebra and long division.
"Food's ready everyone!” Granny shouted.
"Oh yes," I replied.
As I walked into the kitchen, the smell overwhelmed me, and I could see a feast fit for a king on the table. I took my seat and tucked in. Everything l ate tasted like a delicacy, especially Granny's ‘piece de resistance’ of sticky toffee pudding for dessert. When the meal was over, I was completely stuffed and desperate to open the Christmas presents from my family.
We all dashed into the living room where my and my sister's presents were arranged in two exceptional piles underneath the twinkling Christmas tree. I thought to myself, “Which one should I open first?” One of the presents was wrapped to perfection in silver wrapping paper with a green bow. It may have been the smallest of the gifts, but it really caught my eye. I knew immediately that I was opening it first. I slowly unwrapped it and I was more than a little disappointed to see that it was the same book that had got me into this situation, The Christmas Carol. As I opened the pages, I experienced the exact same sensation, as I found myself sucked back into the book and hurtling through time again.
I found myself back in the classroom to my teacher's voice saying, "Pack up everyone, enjoy the Christmas holidays".
I thought to myself, “Yes, I missed the test. Wonder will I get any books for Christmas this year? Who knows where I'll end up?”
