List of Authors and Illustrators
Team: Kambala 7A
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Arabella Redhill
Ariana Mehrotra
Coco Welsh
Georgia Porteous
Jaimee Masnick
Lulu Miskin
Sarah Kanuk
Sonja Lin
Taylor Mason
Tomalin Jenner
Copyright
Published by Kambala Team 7A, 794 New South Head Road, Rose Bay,
NSW 2029.
Copyright © 2014 Kambala.
All rights reserved. This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing
for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as
permitted under Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any
process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the
publisher.
Parameters Given By KSPFBC
Primary character 1: Butcher
Primary character 2: Newspaper seller
Non-human character: Crocodile
Setting: Construction site
Issue: Bullying
Random Words: Hectic, Fascinating, Cantankerous, Furry, Curious
3
Dedication
This book is for all those who need their own Esperanza; you may not
realize it yet, but hope is always with you, you just have to believe in
yourself, and have hope.
4
Table of contents
List of authors ......................................................................................... 2
Parameters ............................................................................................... 3
Copyright ................................................................................................ 3
Acknowledgements ................................................................................ 4
Table of contents ..................................................................................... 5
Chapter 1 ................................................................................................. 6
Chapter 2 ................................................................................................. 9
Chapter 3 ................................................................................................. 11
Chapter 4 ................................................................................................. 13
Chapter 5 ................................................................................................. 15
Chapter 6 ................................................................................................. 17
Chapter 7 ................................................................................................. 19
Chapter 8 ................................................................................................. 21
Chapter 9 ................................................................................................. 23
Chapter 10 ............................................................................................... 25
5
Chapter 1
Alaska Leval hated school. She hated it with a passion. She was
spat on, teased and taunted. How can people be so heartless and
cruel?
Today her school “friends” had given her the gorgeous
arrangement of tousled hair, ripped clothes and a smile turned upside
down. Her pale face complemented her black eye by making it stand
out even more. One of her hazel eyes had swollen shut and her other
leaked tears. Her choppy black hair streamed out behind her as she
peddled on her cherry-red bicycle. She replayed the scene in her
head with distress.
Today at school was one of the worst. After second period she
had tried to stay near the teacher by asking about the lesson, but that
was unsuccessful as Miss had just brushed her off. After that, Alaska
had sprinted to the toilet block, hoping to avoid Riley, Elizabeth and
Melissa. She clambered into the toilet stall, slamming the door and
sliding the lock closed. She shut the toilet seat and sat on it, neatly
opening her lunch that her father had thoughtfully made. She had
tidily pulled out her sandwich - salami and lettuce - and tried to sigh
with relief. Instead what came out was a strangled sob. Alaska
leaned her head against the wall and wept silently, allowing her
sorrow to overcome her for a moment. Why must it be like this? She
had wondered. This had been happening for months.
6
Unfortunately,
the
bathroom
door
audibly creaked open and fear trembled through Alaska’s already
pale hands. The little colour, which was in her face, drained.
“Are you there, Ally?” Elizabeth’s voice rang out and echoed
through the bathroom, coaxing a sob from Alaska. She could almost
feel Elizabeth’s mouth twist into a sneer.
“Are you okay?” This was their routine. They would be “nice”
so that they would not get into too much trouble with the teachers,
especially when others could hear. Then they would attack. It would
be hectic.
“G-Go away!” Alaska had spluttered, terrified.
“Oh, Alaska.” The doors of the stalls either side of her groaned
as they opened slowly. Footsteps stepped onto the toilet seats.
Alaska was shaking now, frantically trying to put her meal away so
that she could run. “Boo.”
Elizabeth and Melissa’s heads popped up on either side of
Alaska, smiling viciously. Tears fell to the floor and Alaska had
shaken uncontrollably. Hands reached down and plucked Alaska’s
lunch from her lap. “A sandwich? What is this? Primary school?”
Cackling filled the air. Her meal fell to the floor; the food that
Alaska’s father could barely afford and had taken time to make.
Alaska stood up suddenly and unlatched the door, swinging it open
and running straight into Riley. He wrapped his arms around her,
trapping her. Elizabeth and Melissa quickly joined him and he
pushed her into the door behind her. Elizabeth’s pink skin and
bleached hair contrasted to Riley’s dark skin and black hair. Melissa
had a tanned complexion and her brown hair framed the evil look on
her face.
Alaska backed away in a hurry, hit her head on the wall behind
her and tripped over the toilet, haunting laughter was coming from
the people in front of her. Tears flowed freely. Fists crashed and
blood was shed. Crimson and salty liquid mixed together on the
floor of the tiled bathroom.
Alaska had fled. She had grabbed her bicycle and left. Chortling
about horrible actions echoed in her head and ears as she left.
“Coward, coward, coward,” Alaska kept telling herself. She thought
7
that she was a coward for leaving and not fighting, but that never
could have ended well.
So here she was, peddling through the town on her bicycle. She
started her work early. She savagely threw her newspapers onto the
doorsteps of all the houses in the suburb. She then felt that she did
not want company, or rather, she did not want to face rejection or
neglect.
Alaska rode to an abandoned construction site and passed the
bridge leading to the city. Her father had warned her not to cross that
bridge. But a temptation was pulling her across. A woman, with
similar features as herself, beckoned.
“Mum?” She smiled. Perhaps this is my mother, the girl
thought, Perhaps she has returned. Alaska’s mother had left when
she was a child. Alaska steered onto the bridge. About halfway
across, she stumbled.
A loose nail had popped her tire. Upon examining the problem,
the woman disappeared. Alaska stood up. She screamed, partly
because of the loss of the woman and partly because of the physical
pain caused to her already injured form. The old wood had given
way to the weight of Alaska’s body as she fell through the bridge.
8
Chapter 2
Alaska was scared. She had fallen in a heap on the floor of a
dark cave that smelled stale and musty. A creek with a dismal
amount of water ran through the center of the cave. Sunlight shone
through cracks in the crumbly, coal black walls. On the other side of
the cave was a ladder leading back to where she had come from.
The stone of the cave was wet and slippery. Furry moss grew in
cracks of the wall. Faint sounds of water dripping on stone echoed
through the dusty cavern. Pushing up from the cold ground, she
noticed a few cuts on her arms and legs from her fall from the
bridge. She continued to the ladder, but as she came closer, she felt
her pendant heat up against her chest. Confused, she pulled the
golden pendent out of her top, and stared at it. The pendent had her
family’s symbol on it - a triangle within another triangle, with a line
coming out of each side - and was glowing a faint green. It was
warm to the touch, and as she looked at it, she thought she saw a
flash of green somewhere to her left. Her eyes were drawn to the
flash, and becoming curious, she walked towards it.
Her curiosity led her to a stone room that held beautiful stone
paintings on its ancient walls. They were fascinating, eerie and
symbolic, but their meaning was unknown to Alaska. Some of the
paintings resembled scarred eyes and silhouettes. She ran her hands
along the walls, letting her fingers get caught in the wall’s cracks.
She looked at the paint and wondered how old the paintings might
be. It made her feel insignificant, and wonder if she would ever be
important to anyone. Then her eyes set on the glow that had
originally caught her eye, and was astonished to find that it was her
family symbol.
9
Gasping, she attempted (unsuccessfully) to yank her pendant off
of her neck. Furiously, she unclipped the rusty clasp. She held the
golden chain in her bruised hand, and shaking, held it against the
painting. The drawing was the exact size of her pendant. How is this
possible? She thought to herself. We are just a small family from
outside of Darwin…
She moved the pendant so it rested directly overtop of the
drawing. Suddenly she heard a screeching noise, and her pendant
sank into the wall.
10
Chapter 3
The pendent clicked into place. The outline of the symbol
glowed a vivid green, and there was a quick flash of light. Alaska
covered her eyes, startled, before the bright light died down. She
peered anxiously at the pendent. It was still locked in place, glowing
eerily in the darkness of the cave. Alaska looked around anxiously,
looking for anything that had changed while the strange light was
flashing. But there was nothing. She prodded the shining necklace,
and it clattered to the ground. As she bent down to pick it up, she
noticed a quiet growling sound. Alaska’s blood froze. She knew that
sound. Her father, who was a butcher, had warned her many times
about the deadly creatures. One had nearly killed him, anyway. After
going fishing in a small dingy, the mighty beast had dragged his boat
under the water and taken all his fish. He was lucky to survive, and
came back with a massive scar down his thigh.
Alaska took a shaky breath, turning around to face the crocodile.
She stood as still as a statue, her hands shaking. If she could just take
two steps towards the ladder, she could make a run for it. As she
lifted her foot, the crocodile growled louder. She couldn’t see the
crocodile very well, but she could just make out deadly teeth poking
out from its’ powerful jaws, the sharp claws digging to the damp
soil. A colossal scar was scraping down his left eye, as if it was
crying, but the worst part was the eyes. Its scarlet-red eyes shot
daggers that penetrated her strength. Her heart thrashed in her chest,
and every muscle and bone in her body gave one word to her: run.
She lowered her foot to the ground, not caring what small insects she
may have squashed. The beast groaned again, this time louder. He
took a step towards her. Alaska would almost rather have the whole
11
school bullying her than be standing in that very spot. Almost. She
reached backwards with her hand, trying to touch the rusty ladder
leading to safety. As Alaska's hand closed around the metal, relief
washed over her, and she had a glimpse of hope that she might get
out alive. But that thought disappeared as soon as the crocodile
charged straight at her. Alaska cried out and raced up the greasy
ladder. When she got to the top, the bright daylight blinded her, and
she squinted.
She stumbled across the rickety bridge, her heart still beating
wildly in her chest. The crocodile was nowhere in sight, but Alaska
could still hear the low growling of the monster. That was close. As
Alaska staggered towards her rusty bike, she looked into the murky
water of the angry river. She saw a glimpse of a bleached tail, and
realized that the crocodile was pure white. It was an albino
crocodile.
Alaska stuck a Band-Aid against the punctured wheel as a
make-shift patch, and stood it up, looking back at the river. As the
creature slid into the depths of the water, Alaska knew that she
would see it again. And next time, she would not be afraid.
12
Chapter 4
Alaska pedaled furiously on her rickety bike. The sun was
almost down, and she still had four newspapers to deliver. The trees
rustled in the gentle summer breeze, and kookaburras laughed on the
silhouettes of gum trees. As Alaska turned the corner of the gravel
path, Elizabeth’s house came into view. Alaska ducked her head, but
it didn’t work.
“Hey, Ally!” shrieked Elizabeth. Alaska kept pedaling.
“Do you want to come to Alaska with me and Riley!” she
cackled. Alaska ignored her, and chucked the newspaper into the
three remaining houses.
“Or are you too busy lurking in the toilet cubicles?” Alaska
ignored the nasty comments and focused on the road in front of her.
She pedaled her bike around the last corner, still listening to the
shrieks of laughter from the bullies. She jumped off her bike and
wheeled it inside their shop and home. The sign read ‘Leval
Butchery.’ Alaska walked through the front door of her house and
rested her bike against the wall. Her dad was busy inside selling
meat to a customer. He was wearing a pale blue apron. His shaggy
black hair was falling into his face, and his bright green eyes were
concentrated on he fresh meat he was wrapping. When he was
finished serving, he came over to his daughter and sat down.
“Hey, Alaska! How was school?” Steven asked cheerfully. He
had sold a lot of meat that day, and he was in a very good mood.
Alaska nodded her head slowly.
13
“It was alright, I guess,” she sighed, wishing that it were true.
Her dad nodded, sensing her sadness.
“Well, I’m making honey-soy-chicken tonight, your favourite!”
he declared. The bell on the door rang and some customers entered,
chatting merrily to each other.
“Well, I better get back to work,” said Steven, before getting up
to serve the customers.
“Oh, and hopefully I will be able to have dinner with you
tonight.” he added with a smile. He walked away, leaving Alaska
with her thoughts. She didn’t bother telling him about her encounter
with the crocodile. Alaska pulled out her Spanish workbook and
started to do her homework. But she couldn’t stop thinking about
that mysterious crocodile. She actually hoped she would see it again.
Hope. Alaska liked that word. She started copying the text in the
booklet. ‘Espero que el mundo sea algún día un mejor lugar,’ she
copied. ‘I hope that someday the world will be a better place.’ There
it is again. That word, ‘hope’. What was that word for hope in
Spanish? Esperanza, that was it. Alaska smiled happily, knowing
what to call the creature. ‘Esperanza’, meaning hope.
14
Chapter 5
Alaska’s encounter with Esperanza had boosted her confidence
but not by much. After dropping off the morning papers, she cycled
to school at a lazy pace. She even considered stopping to smell to
flowers that she passed to fulfill the famous saying, but then realized
how impractical that was as she would then be late for her classes.
When she reached the school gates, she tied up her bike at the
metal with her special lock and walked through the archway, and
straight into Elizabeth. Alaska peered over her shoulder, saw Miss
and smiled sincerely at the bully in front of her.
“How are you, Lizzy?” She asked, being over-the-top. Alaska
knew that either Elizabeth would not hurt her, or would and get in
trouble.
Elizabeth glanced at what, or rather who, Alaska was looking at.
She smiled and waved to Riley who immediately distracted the
teacher as Melissa, who was posed behind Alaska, yanked her short
hair and Elizabeth punched her in the face. Onlookers either gazed
pitifully at Alaska, or snickered. Nobody stopped to help. Alaska
crashed against the gate and watched as Riley and the hope of help
entered the school building. Fists and feet collided with her body.
She felt the pain and curled into ball, protecting her head with her
arms. Between her fingers she saw caught a glimpse of white,
reptilian skin. Alaska’s eyes widened in surprise; she uncovered
them. There, a few meters from her was her beloved Esperanza. A
feeling of confidence pumped through her veins. A need to reinforce
her dignity surged into her mind. Hope was eminent within Alaska.
She stood up and punched Elizabeth with a fistful of words. She
sprinted into the building and into the nurse’s office, claiming to
15
have the flu. Alaska was
the grasps of school
16
allowed to escape
with a sick leave.
Chapter 6
Alaska rode her bike to Leval Butchery, reminiscing about the
day. She could not believe she had had the courage to say what she
had said to Elizabeth. She laughed out loud; the wind on her black
eye felt good for once.
She reached the butchery, and threw her duck-taped bicycle in
the back of the shop.
“Hi dad,” she said as she reached the front of the store.
“How was school?” he asked gruffly. She knew he expected her
to lie, but for once she spoke the truth.
“It was interesting,” she said. Her dad looked surprised but
didn’t say anything. Until he saw her swollen eye.
“What happened?” he demanded, pointing his latex-gloved
finger near her eye.
“Oh, that? I just … er … I … um … fell?” she said eloquently.
“In that case, put on some latex gloves and help me start this
order,” he replied. Alaska silently thanked him for not being able to
detect lies.
Alaska did as he asked, and joined him in the back of the shop.
She decided then that she would talk to her father about what had
been on her mind since the first time she had encountered the
abandoned construction site - her mother.
“Dad,” she began, “I was just wondering … could you tell me
anything about … my, er … mum?”
Her dad put down his knife and stared blankly at the wall.
Alaska knew it wasn’t the best decision to ask; it was obvious that
this question had struck a nerve.
“Your mother was a very beautiful and rich woman,” he started,
blankly, “She left me after you were born. She had been wonderful,
until the time she left, when she became cantankerous and selfabsorbed.”
17
Alaska didn’t know what to think. This was the first bit of
information she had ever learned about her mother, but she didn’t
exactly like what she heard. Her dad was still staring blankly at the
wall, reflecting on his memories of her.
“What was her name?” she asked quietly.
“Dora Mocoso,” he whispered back, “She was Spanish. I’m
sorry, I can’t talk about her, but I think it’s time you learned more
about her. Her diary is in the attic.”
Immediately she took off her gloves and ran up the stairs, two at
time. When she reached the top, she opened the attic door, and
peered inside. She stood in the doorway and pulled the cord that
turned on the light. She slowly walked towards the back of the room,
where she assumed her mother’s diary would be. She found a box
labeled “Dora,” and opened it as if it were a bomb. Inside it was
empty, except for a framed photograph and a diary. Alaska pulled
the diary out of the box and handled the book with a delicate touch.
It was fascinating to her. She opened the diary and began to read…
18
Chapter 7
January 14, 1984
Dear Diary
I have just moved to Australia. It is a terrible country, not
even half as good as Spain. I am positive that I will hate it
with a passion. My parents insisted that moving would be
good for me, and that I would make wonderful new friends,
and have a great life in a new country, but I believed
otherwise. I don’t know why I have moved, though my
parents say it is because Australia is a wonderful place, full
of opportunities. I have just turned 15, and I was looking
forward to becoming a woman in Spain, and getting
married. My life was full of possibilities, and I am angry
that I may never get to experience them.
~Dora
As Alaska read, she realized that her dad had been right about
her - her mother had always been rude just like he said. She had
hoped that her mother would be kind and gentle, but she was happy
to have a mother at all. Alaska hoped that she could find her mother
19
and talk to her about her life. She could tell her about her dad, the
bullies at school, and everything else. Alaska was determined to look
for her mother as soon as she had finished reading this diary. As she
read on, she found a letter to her father.
22 Solomon Avenue
August 22, 2000
Dear Steven,
This is our daughter, Alaska. She was born last year. I’m
sorry I had to send her back to you, but when she came, I
just couldn’t handle it. I ran away to the city, and just last
month, I had another child with another man. But this time,
I had a son, named Kevin. I was overjoyed, and I love him
so much. I wonder what is happening to my daughter now?
It hasn’t even been a year, and I hope that you haven’t told
her the truth yet. She wouldn’t understand, anyway. She’s
only a child. But I now live in a beautiful house with a
beautiful child. I have all that I need. So when you read this
letter, do not be mournful, but look forward to the future, as
I will be looking forward to mine. Maybe we will cross
paths one day, but until then, goodbye.
Regards,
Dora Mocoso
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Chapter 8
Alaska slipped her mother's diary into her basket, arranging the
newspaper rolls so they would hide the diary from sight. It was
finally the weekend, and she could go to the city to find out about
her mother. The diary had been helpful, and Alaska was determined
to find her mother. As she pedaled across the bumpy dirt track, the
sky swirled into purple mass, and lightning speared the plump, fluffy
clouds. Cold, heavy rain started to tumble down, like shining
diamonds dropping from the heavens.
Alaska rode her bike in the rain until she came to the deserted
construction site. She rode across the old bridge that led her to the
city. This time, Alaska was careful to dodge any sharp nails that
might puncture her wheels, and avoided any weak wooden boards.
She glanced at the river, swirling furiously in the stormy weather.
There was her friend, Esperanza, slithering through the gloomy
water, not bothered by the angry waves. Alaska smiled to herself.
She had grown to like the crocodile, and she was happy to see him.
She hopped off her bike and dragged it across the rest of the way,
finally coming to the end of the bridge. She looked one last time at
the river, just in time to see Esperanza slip beneath the water. Alaska
walked through the umbrella of trees, which revealed the loud and
frightening city.
Cars and buses swerved past her, and Alaska stumbled off the
busy road. People in business suits walked past her seriously, with
their phones firmly pressed to their ears. Alaska reached into her
basket and pulled out the diary. She flipped through the stained
21
pages until she found the address, 22 Solomon Avenue, scribbled
into the last couple of pages. She looked up at the street signs, and
saw that the sign read, Solomon Avenue. This was it. Alaska was
finally going to meet her mother.
22
Chapter 9
Here it is.
Alaska gazed
at a small blue
house
with
yellow trim. It had
a
welltrimmed garden. It
was cute and
pretty. It looked
expensive and
furnished. It was
so different to
Alaska’s style of living. This excited her, though. She thought that
perhaps this was how she would be living soon enough. She, her
mother and just maybe her father would live happily in this
expensive house, free of Riley, Elizabeth and Melissa.
They would live in a beautiful harmony. Alaska would live in
the loving embrace of her mother and father’s arms. She would be
forever joyful and forever loved.
With this image shining in her mind, Alaska skipped up the
stairs like she was a little girl again. All she wanted was to see and
feel her mother. To hear a soothing voice and smell a motherly
smell, whatever that might be.
She knocked on the door with a cheerful pattern. She
straightened her dress, wanting to be looking her best for her mother.
A boy about her age answered the door.
“Could I please see Dora Mocoso?” she asked
He nodded and soon a middle-aged woman answered the door.
She had black hair, pale skin and was tall and lanky. She had no
motherly cookies waiting. No apron. She had no smile to match
Alaska’s. She had no excited gleam in her eye. No tears of
unbelieving joy. Instead she wore a crisply ironed business suit,
accompanied with an impatient frown. Alaska had apparently stared
in disappointment too long, for the woman, Dora, broke the silence.
“Hello.” The word was as crisp and sharp as her suit. It reflected
her obvious agitation.
Alaska cleared her throat, “Uh… Hi. I’m Alaska.”
23
A flash of fear rang across her face, before quickly being
covered up. This made Alaska very confused. This was not apart of
the scene she had created in her mind a thousand times before.
“I-I’m your daughter.” She checked the address and nodded to
herself. “I am.”
“I h-have no daughter.” Dora Mosoco was not a good liar. Heat
rushed to both of their faces. Alaska tried extremely hard not to cry,
but a lump settled in the back of her throat.
“You do, though!” she nearly shouted, “I’m here!”
The woman clearly knew that her lie did not work. “Look
sweetie, I do not want a daughter. I never did.”
The lump broke, making tears flow into her eyes and down her
cheeks.
“Why don’t you go home now? Hmm?”
Alaska nodded and took a step backwards, tripping over the few
stairs, landing on her back. The woman took steps forward to assist,
but Alaska was already running.
She ran straight into Esperanza. She wasn’t even surprised. She
slid to the ground next to the crocodile, not acknowledging the
bizarre fact that an albino crocodile was in the middle of the city of
Darwin, and allowed herself to sob and weep in despair.
24
Chapter 10
Alaska rode her bike home in a sorrowful silence. Her mother
had rejected her. It felt like a she had been stabbed in the heart; her
dreams had been crushed. Her imaginative scene had not coexisted
with reality. Everything had gone wrong. She might have even
destroyed the relationship she had with her father. She had
mistreated such a delicate connection.
As Alaska rode back, she listened to the rattle of the bicycle
chain. Her tears had dried out but the lump in her throat rebuilt itself.
The city’s scares no longer frightened her. This was mostly because
her mind had travelled to other places. Places, for example, like her
disappointing mother. Places like her father. Places like Esperanza.
As she rolled in front of her father’s shop, Steven ran out and
stared at her. No words were exchanged as Alaska ran to her father’s
open embrace. Neither person wanted to ever let go. Steve closed the
shop early and the rest of the afternoon was spent in the company of
the two Levals. They had all that they needed right then and there.
The next morning, Alaska decided that she would visit
Esperanza again, after, of course, she dropped off the morning
papers. She hurriedly finished her job, collected her salary and was
on her way.
She reached the opening to the cave and climbed into the space,
known only to her and Esperanza. She stood and waited for the pale
body to break to surface of the gleaming black water, and thought
about how the albino animal had helped her, comforted her, and
given her hope.
Esperanza was never seen again, not in all the days Alaska
waited, but he lingered with Alaska forever, in her mind, as he
always had. He existed, in fact, only in her mind; no one knew of the
25
beautiful animal Alaska had come to know. She knew that because
of him, she would always have hope. She would always have her
Esperanza.
26
“This is a sad story
that follows the tale
of a young girl desperate to find her mother. It is a story filled
with hope and Esperanza!” – Ms O’Rouke
27