Pebble-Personification!

 In class we have been learning about personification (as well as many other language features).

One of our tasks was to write a story from the perspective of a pebble on the beach in the Normandy Landing.

It needed to have descriptive text, it must be present tense and we had to write in first person.

Here is my story...

"It is cold and dark, the sun has not yet risen.

The sky is flecked with glittering, white stars. I can smell the salty waves, hugging the shoreline as the tide surges. I lay here, still as always, awaiting the arrival of the soldiers. Hours go by as I patiently sit, in hope of being unharmed.

At last, in the distance I see a congregation of boats, surpassing the horizon with the golden sun at their back. I can hear the “Crashing” of the waves against the armoured ships.

Before I knew it, the war was beginning...

The loud foghorns are ear-piercing in the misty morning haze. It would be hard to miss them. I can see a funny looking man with a strange hat leading the ships into battle. I feel remorse for those who had no choice but to serve, lives at stake. I can do nothing but watch on as young, innocent men lose their lives at the hand of war.

I see the tall figures disembarking from their comrades, eager to achieve victory. They sprint towards me, almost like they know I'm here. My life is portrayed in slow-mo as a soldier lifts his dark-grey boot in front of me. He plants his foot, taking me with it. I have been stomped into the cold, wet sand. I see nothing but darkness. When suddenly, I hear a loud “Boom!”. I am instantly flung out, back into the open beach. Once again I am hit by a passing soldier, this time I was only kicked.

I can see the flaming boats in the distance, oil leaking into the water. A Sharp flash caught my eye as an attacking soldier fell to the ground. His dog tag was flashing in the steely glare of the sun. His lifeless hand drops to the floor in front of my very eyes.

Shock fills my entire body. Blood is seeping into the soft sand beneath me.

That is a moment I will never forget...

The stars begin to conquer the night sky as the sound of gunshots slowly nullify. The soldiers have made a valiant effort, and from my perspective, it looks like they have won! The now empty beach reeks of victory. Once again, I lay here in hope of salvation. I see the flames of fallen ships, contrasting against the jet-black night sky. The smell of salt is no longer as the tide grows further and further away from my inanimate body.

Here I lay for all of eternity..."

I enjoyed this task because it was fun to think about the perspective of a pebble in the middle of a war.