A MONK'S TALE

 

 

This tale is part of a project we did at school after studying the importance of monasteries in the middle ages, the rule of St Benedict and monastic life, including the history of the Benedectine monasteries we have in our hometown, Subiaco. Divided in groups, one of our tasks was to write a story in English about monastic life,  set in the past, present or future,  with fantasy elements of our choice. 

The following story was written by Eleonora Campi with the support and help of Alexandru Balan, Christian Micozzi, Federico Mosetti, Riccardo Rossi. They also designed a pop-up book to illustrate the  story as well as a video in which they read it. We really hope you'll enjoy reading it!

STORY WRITING - RAVENOUS

Hello guys! This month  I’d like to share with you a story I’ve had some fun writing. Let me know what you think!

Yuri

I’ve always wondered if there’s a God, if there’s someone out there who watches us, who guards us. Even now, I haven’t found an answer yet. The universe is huge, enormous, full of different planets and populations, too big for a human-being with a limited mind like me to comprehend. Yeah. Far too big. But if there’s something that I can comprehend is that my people, my species, we, are different. Different from each other. Or, at least, from the majority of them.

VEROLD ENDIR'S BESTIARY 3 - KINDERFANGER

(an original series by Simone Ciucci) 

It was a couple of months ago, I remember those days well, because they changed my life forever.

It all began on a rainy day in fall, not many beasts were showing up and the ones that did were easily eliminated before they got to hurt anyone.

It is unusual for us hunters to have such an easy season. Everyone was feeling great, though I did not

I knew, I felt it, something somewhere was bound to happen, something bigger than usual.

Then, they gave me a job. I wished it was less complicated then the “Wendigo case”.

VEROLD ENDIR'S BESTIARY - 2 - SHUB-NIGGURATH

(an original series by Simone Ciucci)

After my adventurous encounter with the wendigos I am finally back home.

Well back to our hideout to be honest, but is the closest thing to a home I have.

When I enter the main hall I start hearing the voices of my comrades, they are good fellows, always respecting each other and helping if needed, that is the way of us hunters. We are just humans, only together we are stronger than the beasts.

After the compliments of my friends for the good job on my… let us say … misadventure, which I cut short, I have still things to do before I can consider that story over.

So I begin my research, our library is huge, filled with esoteric books and guides to the unknown, it would be hell if I did not know who to ask.

Image 1

“Good evening m’lady” I say

She turns around facing me,  as she sees me her expression changes from a focused stare to a happy and warm smile.

“Oh oh! Look who’s back” she says “how was your camping experience”

“I found it quite uncomfortable, I didn’t know deer could be so mean!”

She loughs lively as she comes closer and gives me a hug.

“I’ve come to ask you something”,  I say as she embraces me.

“Yeah, like always…you sure you don’t wanna rest a bit though?” She says as she raises one of her eyebrows slightly concerned.

VEROLD ENDIR'S BESTIARY - 1 - WENDIGOS

(an original series by Simone Ciucci) 

Hello to everyone who is reading this.  My name will remain anonymous to defend my identity in case this journal falls into wrong hands.

If you are reading it, know that what you will discover may seem strange or even impossible, but many things in this world have been hidden from your eyes.

I was hired to investigate and write about strange events taking place in the dark of our forest,   in our town: Verold Endir.

They wanted me to understand if something mysterious and inexplicable was happening and that was one of my first encounters with the supernatural.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A FAN OF VAMPIRES TO LOVE TWILIGHT

The Twilight Saga

The first time I heard about it, I was studying at home with a friend of mine, who told me about this saga, Twilight.  I couldn’t wait to see the films so I started asking her questions about it. “You don’t have to be a fan of vampire stories to  like these films”, she said. “The Twilight saga talks about a girl, Bella Swan, who fell in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. From the day she saw him, everything changed”. That was enough, I saw the films and … here I am! I am a huge fan now.

This saga is made up of 5 films: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn part 1 and Breaking Dawn part 2.  My favourite ones are Breaking Dawn part 1 and 2 because Bella is transformed into a vampire by Edward after nearly dying living birth to Renesme, Bella and Edward’s daughter.

MERLIN

We have decided to talk about this popular BBC TV series because we are studying the Arthurian cycle in our English lessons. 

Merlin is a British adventure and fantasy TV series broadcast on BBC One. It focuses on the adventures of a young wizard, Merlin, and King Arthur Pendragon, describing their first meeting and the evolution of their relationship.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

The adventures of Newt Scamander in 1926 New York City Merlin’s beard! Harry Potter’s world has returned with a new saga: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! We have already watched the first movie at the cinema. It was an incredible emotion to live through the magic again! Newt Scamander is the hero of a new era of magic!

TIME FOR A STORY: OBERON AND THE DRAGON EGG

The story in Federica's handwriting + cute kitty

Once upon a time there was a boy called Oberon. He lived in a big Guild with other children. One day he decided to go out for a walk. He loved walking because, when he walked, he thought about his father, who had disappeared as if by magic. 

Oberon loved remembering the moments with him. 

While he was going towards the oak wood, he saw a big egg near a tree. He thought the egg was a dragon egg, but given that dragon eggs were very rare in the wizarding world too, he believed that was impossible. Oberon was a wizard but not an expert one.  

So he took the egg and brought it to his Guild. Oberon called a girl, one of his friends,  Titania. She was so intelligent, Oberon believed she might know how to look after that egg. 

Titania told Oberon that the egg needed a warm place but they couldn’t keep it in the Guild because the master wouldn't allow that. In fact according to the rules the children weren't allowed to have a pet nor in this specific instance  a pet egg. 

They settled it in a small cavern in the wood on a bed of leaves. They lay down on the ground near the egg,  keeping it wrapped  in their arms in a warm loving embrace. Would it work? Would it be enough to make it open?

WHAT WOULD YOU ASK HARRY POTTER?

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is the stage script of 8th Harry Potter’s story. The main characters are Albus Severus Potter, Harry’s son, and Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s son. They go back in time thanks to a Time-Turner and change the past. But changing the past they also change the present. So, the two boys are in a new era where Harry Potter is dead and Voldemort won the Hogwarts Battle. Will our heroes be able to prevent such tragic end? Meanwhile we interviewed our dearest friend, Harry Potter.

THE WALKING DEAD ARE BACK!

The Plot

The world we knew is gone. An epidemic has hit USA : It transforms everybody into zombies. A therapy hasn’t been discovered yet.

In this apocalyptic scenario people who are still alive have to survive escaping from zombies and killing them. But there is also another enemy: other survivors who kill people to protect themselves and their primary goods because they are lacking.

The main character is Rick Grimes, a former policeman who, after waking up from a coma caused by a gunshot wound, is forced to live in this unthinkable situation.

After finding his son Carl and his wife Lori, he cooperates with a group  of people to survive. But even collaboration is hard in this situation…

The Walking Dead  is back!