A major difference between the short story and other types of compositions is that a short story always carries a problem or “conflict” which the main character or “protagonist” must solve or overcome.
The highest point of the conflict is the point at which “things can’t get any worse.” This is called the “climax” of the story.
After the climax, the story works its way towards the resolution.
In this short story, the climax happens when the principal pulls a note out of her pocket and hands it to Floyd.
Instruction: Compose a short story based on the following:
You receive a note from the principal of your school.
How do you proceed to write a short story of this nature? Here’s an example.
At 9:00 a.m., I strolled into the school compound. There was nothing unusual about that Monday morning. The skies were blue, and the birds were chirping in the trees above. The Monday Morning Assembly had already concluded and the students were starting their first subject for the day.
I sauntered into the classroom and took my seat. Thankfully, there was no teacher in the classroom. I took out my book and got ready for mathematics. I knew that Sir Richard would show up at any moment around that time with his chalk, book and meter rule in his hands.
I was in the process of unzipping my backpack when, suddenly, the class grew deafeningly silent. All movements stopped. At that moment, the sound of a pin dropping to the floor would have made a loud noise.
I looked around me to try to come to grips with what was happening. Then my eyes glanced the doorway, and I saw that dreadful, ugly face that we all hated to see – the school’s principal.
And what’s worse was that she was staring at me with her big, horrible eyes! I turned away and glanced back, hoping that she would be gone. But when I looked up, her eyes and mine made four. They seemed like huge, burning balls of terror. I almost dropped dead.
I was about to faint. My vision blurred, and I felt my energy draining from my body. Then I felt my whole self collapsing backward onto the chair. I would surely have lost consciousness if that monstrous sound hadn’t brought me back to my senses.
“Floyd!” the HM shouted as she strolled towards me.
I wanted to scream, but the words wouldn’t leave my mouth. I was bound in terror.
The HM stopped in front of me. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a note. Smiling, she handed it to me and walked out of the classroom. I felt like the weight of ten thousand pounds had just been lifted off my chest. I could breathe again!
But this note in my hand! What could this mean? I was scared to open it. I tried, but I couldn’t. Was this the end of my school life? Am I being expelled from school? Did someone report that Friday afternoon when I had run away with my friends to the Blue Pond? Is this note a demand for my parents to come? Thoughts flew through my head like birds migrating south during the winter season.
I summoned every ounce of energy that I had within my being. Then a voice whispered from deep within me, “Floyd, face your fears. Open the paper.”
I pulled the paper open and read, “Floyd Williams, congratulations on being the chosen student to represent SISS in the United States of America….”
I folded the paper and breathed a sigh of relief. The entire class was staring at me. The broad smile on my face told them everything.
Rosemary, with her usual warmth, ran over to hug me. “Congratulations Floyd!” she said.
My friends clustered around me. They seemed genuinely happy for me. What started out as a horror story turned out to be one of the best days of my school life.
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