500 Word Challenge Winners

A couple of months ago we had a 500 word story competition. Our entries were sent off to Chris Evans and his team at Radio 2. Unfortunately we didn't get chosen as winners, but we thought it would be good to see the quality of the winning entries. The story below is from Daniel - who is 9 years old.

Lost Underground

Daniel was trapped between two commuters as his mummy and daddy jumped off the train and headed out of Piccadilly station. As the train pulled away, Daniel felt terrified that he was now alone on the tube train. Amidst his panic he tried to remember his mummy’s advice but he simply couldn’t remember if he was meant to stay on the train or get off at the next station. People began to barge past him as the train entered the next station. Some got off and some got on but Daniel remained motionless.

He needed to make a decision and made a run for the doors. He swiftly jumped onto the platform and looked around for his parents. He recognized no one. He made his way to the escalator and looked up at the people who were rushing towards him. It was so busy he could hardly breathe.
Daniel began to run blindly back towards the station. He had to get away from these crowds. As a train sped away from him he found an empty seat and sat down. He plunged his hand into his pocket and found a packet of fruit polos. He unwrapped the silver foil carefully and discovered, to his delight, that the top sweet was an orange one. This was his favourite colour and he hoped it was a good omen. He popped the sweet in his mouth and began to think. He felt very alone and he missed his parents. They nagged a lot but he loved them. He began to look at photographs that he had taken that weekend in London. His dad standing outside Buckingham Place pretending to be one of the guards. His mum , slightly out of focus, looking up at Big Ben. The final picture had been taken by a Japanese tourist of all three of them. They were huddled together against the cold and the wind of Tower Bridge. Daniel felt sad and turned away from the picture.

The next train entered the station. A mass of people were pushing to get off the train. Then he saw them. His mum and dad were propelling themselves towards him. They had come back for him. He jumped out of his seat overwhelmed with relief. But they paid no attention to him. And then he saw him. A little boy was standing with his parents looking exactly like he did. He wore the same coat, the same shoes and he was offering fruit polo to his dad. Who was this strange little boy who had taken over Daniel’s life? Now he was very afraid as he watched his family walk away from him. He called out to his mummy but she appeared to hear nothing. How could she ignore him? The little boy smiled a strange, eerie smile at Daniel and then they were gone. He was alone.