In the April/May issue of Writing Magazine, we published the picture below and asked you to write a story about it. The following is one of the many 1,000 Word interpretations we received. Enjoy!

The Journey
- Allison Bowling, Grade 7

As the turtle slowly pulled its body over the wet sand, seagulls circled above, ready to swoop in. The small creature struggled to reach the safety of the sand dunes where the woods left the vast sea behind, a memory soon to be forgotten.

For hundreds of years turtles have crossed this path hoping to make the journey across the isolated island. But crabs and seagulls swarm the path knowing that the unlucky turtles will come this way. Few ever leave the island.

As the small turtle slowly crawled across the beach, sand sticking to his shell, crabs began to gather preparing for an easy meal. When the turtle realized that his end was near, he gathered up his last bit of energy and safely made it to the forest.

He slowly made his way through the short patch of trees, leaving the sand behind. Over the next three hours the turtle covered the distance of the land. At once when coming to the end of the stretch of trees he stopped to ponder whether he should leave the safety of trees where the predators dare not enter.

Reluctantly but steadily the small creature pulled himself onto the sand and across the beach. As the seagulls began to swarm and crabs began to gather, the turtle pushed himself on, soon reaching the wet, foamy sand.

As the tide slowly carried the turtle back to sea, other turtles began their journey, hopeful they could make it too.