Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition: Silver Award Winner by Aadya,11, Bangalore

We are delighted to share that 11-year old Aadya from Bangalore, a published writer at Bookosmia has won a Silver Award in the Junior category (for age Under 14) at the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition for 2024, conducted by the Royal Commonwealth Society. The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools, started in 1883 and sees thousands of participants across 55+countries every year. Last year 34,000 entries were received and hundreds of judges took 2-3 months to select a handful of winners across Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes. Aadya was mentored at Bookosmia under our Sprouts program to mentor young people with ideas into published authors, run by award-winning author Archana Mohan.

Topic– You are taking part in a beach clean-up and discover that you can speak to sea creatures. What are they saying, and how do you respond?

Title- Sassy Octopi And How I (Almost) Got Killed!

Clean + Green = Perfect scene

I am no maths genius. But even I, the girl who struggles in maths, knows this formula.

Do not think I am a goody goody person coming to lecture you because you threw a fizz bottle in the sea or something. I am simply going to tell you what happened when I was in your place and how the sea creatures nearly murdered me.

My name is Aadya. I am nearly eleven and am now going to narrate to you what happened on the day my whole perspective of the world changed. On a hot summer day, I was walking my dog, Coco, by the beach in Chennai when I saw a poster saying that all children who knew how to swim and were under twelve were allowed to take part in a beach clean up contest.

Frankly, I have no interest in cleaning. I am the kid who would prefer to skate on the road rather than skate near a place where kids talk about cleaning and all. However, a competition always interests me. I usually compete hard and mostly end up in the top three (ahem). So, after debating the pros and cons I decided to participate in it. After depositing Coco on the couch, I informed my parents, pulled on my swimsuit and flip flops and ran to the beach.

The instructor over there smiled at my not-so-much enthusiasm and told me to take a garbage bag. A few other kids my age came up and introduced themselves. I smiled and introduced myself to Sara, Avani, and Asha. Instructor Maya assigned each of us to one part of the beach. I got the part next to Sara’s and holding hands we jumped into the sea. I swam to the part further in the sea, assigned to me.

Upon reaching my destination, I jumped in headfirst to see if anything needed my help. Shortly after, a little octopus swam into my hands! Sensing movement behind me, I whipped myself around. Staring in my face, were three giant octopi. I gulped hard, grateful for the oxygen mask I had on. Octopus Number 1 muttered a curse I really shouldn’t have understood, but, unfortunately, I did. Growling softly, he motioned the fry (Newly hatched octopi larvae develop into hatchlings or fry), whose name was Reed, by the way, to back off saying another curse and told me that he’d kill me. I’d always found octopi to be sensible creatures.

Slowly his tentacles moved towards my neck. I thought it would be a lame way to die, after all my accomplishments. I turned to Reed, expecting help, but the octopus was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, the octopus appeared, holding a knife. He tossed it to me and I caught it. Octopus Number 2 howled, “Go away, slime of a suckerfish. How dare you take our little fry! Go back to your excuse of a land. Shoo, shoo!”

Now, if you were in my place, you would do what naturally came to me, yell at the octopus. And I assure you, it is much harder while trying not to cut your throat. I replied, sarcastically, “Oh I’m so sorry. Naturally, like the dunderheads’ we humans are, we didn’t realise that cleaning the sea would affect you poor little things in your sweet seaweed bed.”

The octopus paused, “Wait a second. That was sarcasm!”

I said, “Once again, your wisdom brings light to the darkness. Of course it was sarcasm. You octopi really need some English lessons, I’m thinking.”

The octopus continued smoothly, “What I want to know is, why are you here?” Now, octopi are the dumbest creatures on Earth, but because of my vast kindness I explained why I was there.

Octopus Number 3: “These fries don’t know anything. Just throw it on land and make sure it doesn’t bother us again. It should also give us English lessons every day and then, when too much garbage comes in our oceans, then we shall kill it. Any questions?”

Octopus Numbers 1 and 2: “No, Your Highness. Very well get lost, fry.”

I turned to say goodbye to Reed and found him busy throwing garbage in my bag. As I swam up, Reed waved goodbye to me. On land, I thought of my new friend, and decided, on no account, should he be killed. Thus, I am here telling my story to you, hoping that you will understand and pass on the message.

One does not expect to find new land without losing sight of shore.

Word count- 760

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