In

The Hold
All I could see were shadows on the walls. Lashes are all I
could hear above the deck, with people screaming for their
lives. All I could smell was the foul smell of body odour. All I
ate was stale bread, soaked in expired milk. I smelt vomit and
urine on the floor in front of me. The water they brought me
was out of date. The only thing I could hear was creepy lashes
and people snoring. I was starting to get sick from the foul
smells all around me. Abbas Kazan 6H

In The Hold
Trapped in the pitch darkness of the hold. Survival is all I have in my head
and pain is all I feel. I see the shadows reflecting on the wall. Cramped
conditions, like being squashed in a box. Cracks of sunlight rarely creep in and
theres a foul smell of human waste. Lashes are all I hear above the deck from
the crazy marines and bleating of the animals. All Im praying for is food and
water. Blackness is the colour of my life. Ive got no friends to care for me, just
myself to care for.
Ali Samhat 6H

In the Hold
A dark, windy night... at four oclock in the
morning, I awake early. I was in the ship
called the Avatar. Everyone was sleeping. I
go upstairs just for fresh air. The salty, cold
seawater was splashing in my face and the
beautiful sea sound makes me crazy. A couple
of minutes later, Captain Chef came to me
and we talked about tomorrow.
Anu 6H


In The Hold
Trapped in this gloomy, dreadful ship.
A crack of sunlight is all I can see.
Pain is all I can feel.
Gloomy darkness is my life,
Hearing lashes on skin.
Sniffing bits of foul water combined with vomit and urine, sloshing on the bottom
of the hold.
Sleeping on my berth, thinking of survival while vermin crawl everywhere.
Cramped up with other convicts, all breathing the same putrid air in this tiny
over-crowded place.
Ayah Kordi 6H

In The Hold
Darkness engulfed me. It was as if
someone had covered my eyes with a
piece of black cloth. Survival was the
only thought I had in my mind. Every
shaft of sunlight that pierced
through the hatch door was a new hope for me.
The foul stench of human and animal waste filled my nostrils. Every breath of salt and
pure oxygen was a huge comfort. I try to block out the sound of the crashing waves
against the ship. The sound of animals wailing in their prisons tore through my heart. The
taste of rotten food and cracked lips from a few days without water, burned in my throat.
The hard touch of the squashed berths around me hurts my fingers.
I wonder what my future will be like. Maybe, if Im lucky enough, I might even get a ticket
home once my sentence of seven years is over. I think about the boy Rob and how lucky he
is. Although he has lost his mother, he still has his father to care for him. But I have
nothing. Pa died, Sam left too. They left me alone in this awful place. It would be nice to
join them, I thought. But I will not join them without making a dash for it. Whatever
happens, I know I will face it bravely, with my courage cloak, wrapped around me.
Carolyn Wei 6H

In The Hold
Trapped in a gloomy dark room. All I could see was the
infinite darkness and rare dots of light. Gasping breath by breath
,it was impossible to get any fresh air; the stench was poisoning, so
poisoning the rats didnt dare to come close.
Damian Lin 6H

In the hold

Its pitch black below in the

hold. Lashes were all I
could hear from the
drunk marines; the cries
and the screams. Marine by
marine, the sound of screaming as they all got lashed.
Sitting below the deck, seeing only one peek of light through the gaps
between the wood. The vermin were roaming around the hold, not
coming near us because of our disgusting smell.
No food, no water, no friends, no family. Just creepy strangers
wanting to attack me. There is a man in the corner of the ship getting
stabbed by pins in the back by young children, waiting for him to react
or move.
Deziah Lagatule 6H

In the hold
Trapped in a dark, terrible nightmare, I gasped to find
oxygen while the ship was hovering on top of the sea.
While the animals screeched in the other room, the
grease and mould was slithered all over the floor and
walls. We are all stuck like being in a jar of honey. My
lips are all cracked like a giant earthquake hit them. My
ears are hearing the lashes that are on the top of the
boat. My shirt is getting stuck to me, my skin stings like
burning hot lava. All I can think about is whether am I
going to stay alive.
Fatima Khoriazat - 6H

In The Hold
Dappling light filters though the darkness. Day by day in this
horrible ship where human waste slops on the floor and with an
unbearable numbness in my toes.
My lips like dry leaves crunching, my legs drag across the floor
with the heavy weight of the steel chains behind me.
My hands and feet bleed, drop by drop. The blood staining my
clothes, smelling like rust. The lower deck was a scene of
carnage.
The beds squeak as if in pain when I try to sleep, while the ship
rocks side to side like a sea saw. The mouldy, wet wood groaning
under the weight of the crashing waves.
No mercy! I say to myself or to any person who may be
listening.
Hussein Jay 6H

In the hold
All I could see was darkness. I feel cracks on the wall. All I
smell is human waste and I hear lots of screaming from the
captain when I go to sleep. I pray for water. The captains
voice is in my head, his annoying screaming.

Ali Khalil 6H

In the Hold
Imprisoned in the hold with smothering darkness and little
glimpses of light is the worst thing on earth. I breathe heavily to
steal everyones oxygen.
The sound of people swearing, cursing and throwing nasty
tantrums.
Pain is all that is left in my body. Nothing left to hold onto, no
family, no friends, nothing except for my painful body. No one
to care for beside myself.
The ungrateful stench of urine, vomit and nasty men and
women, the taste of cracked lips and blood. I feel the torn rags
beside my berth but if I am lucky enough I will run away and
start a new life.
Iopu Loua 6H

In The Hold
Pitch black is the colour of my life. Suffering from the smell
that is twitching my nose and annoying me so much I
cough. Gasping for air is hard. Cramped in the darkness was
even harder.
My mouth is as dry as autumn leaves. I need water. My legs
cant move. Nothing is going to help me now.
Pain is all I can think of.
Jeffrey Guan 6H

In The Hold
As the stormy night began, darkness came lurking
through the air. I was falling asleep while the powerful
waves shook me back and forward. Then suddenly, I
awoke to the screams of the marines getting whipped. I
was in shock! As the little door opened, I wondered who
it was. I was furious and nervous trying to contain
my scream. Death was now hanging in the air.
Jessyka 6H

IN THE HOLD
All I could see was a crack of light in the darkness, feeling scared.
Survival was stuck at the top of my head. I could barely breathe
from the air in the Scarbrough. All I could hear was the drunken
men attacking each other. The smell was of vomit. I could taste what
I could smell. I was seeing weevils, vermin and lice. The peoples faces
were all filthy and full of disease.
Kassim 6H

In the Hold
Trapped on a ship under the deck as I struggle to take every
breath. Day and night, thinking about survival. Pain is all
I feel and pitch black is all I see. Suffocating as the smell of
foul breath fills the air. Hearing the marines fighting and
the captain screaming. Human waste is like mud on the
floor. Food is what I wish for but all I get is a handful of
disgusting, soggy slosh. Marines screaming from lashings,
they seem to get twenty four hours a day. I wish to be on top
of the deck for just one breath of fresh air. Desperate to step
on land and to start fresh again.
Nour Mousselamani 6H

In the hold
Imprisoned in the darkness
seeking light. We all gasp for
fresh air and live with the
revolting stench of human waste
constantly with us. Everyone
fighting for their food while the rest of us too weak to fight, rot away.
As the days go past, the strong over-power the weak and many days
pass with no food and water. My lips start to bleed and go rock
hard. I look for water but find a liquid on the floor that is unknown.
I was desperate, I said to myself. I put my cracked lips to the hard
floor and drank. It tasted like the foul smells of the hold but I didnt
care and nobody could see me in the darkness. I lay on my berth
wondering if Ill see light again soon and everything replayed in my
mind. How I have been separated from my family with disgrace. I
know I will never forget that day when I was taken away from my
loved ones. For now and maybe forever; Ill be a convict and an
Australian. P eka

Hvass 6H

Prison, I was in prison. Trapped in the old, wooden ship, with a

horrible stench that filled my lungs. I was gasping for air
through the broken wooden slats. All of us were kept in
darkness away from the nice, warm sun. At least I was small
enough to wriggle through peoples legs to get some of the food.
I knew the place very well. All of us cramped like a sack of
potatoes in the darkness. It felt like the darkness was going to
last for the rest of my life. Everyone swearing and fighting for
food as I look for crumbs falling and a few drops of water just
for myself. I had to make it through this daily challenge to stay
alive. Peni Ratu 6H

In The Hold
Darkness is all around me, but now and then a
flash of light appears. The foul stench is
everywhere. There is vomit and urine all
around the sides of the hold and lots of vermin.
All I can hear are marines screaming in pain
from the lashes. You can see the blood dripping
down the gaps in the deck. The smell of the
other convicts breath is foul. But nothing is
worse than all the urine in the buckets - that
smell, so bad! I wish I wasnt here, but I
guess my dream is never going to come true.
Porsha 6H

In The Hold
Pitch black was all around me. I was struggling to get away from the
foul, awful stench. Vermin crawling everywhere, sniffing the bits of
filthy water mixed with vomit and urine that sloshed against the
edges of the hold. Cracks of light now and then and mouldy,
disgusting food that I need to eat because it may be the only food I
will get. Cramped up with other convicts all breathing the same air in
the small crowded place, sleeping on berths that feel like concrete. I
think of the future if I make it to Botany Bay and I dream of smelling
the fresh, clean air.
Ripeka Gear 6H

In The Hold
Trapped! Thats what I am. Stuck on this hideous ship! Darkness - dont
know if I am stepping in mucky urine or not. Half asleep, half-awake;
trying to find a berth to sleep on. Breathing this rancid air, I feel Im
going to suffocate.
Suddenly, I feel something! I take a step closer, then BAM! Face first into
wooden boards. The sting, the agony! Its like a bunch of wasps stinging
my face. Splinters in my face and another bruise to add to the collection.
Sarah Khodier 6H

In the hold
Trapped in the hold, I see lots of starving faces,
surrounded by human waste. The rancid smell of
vomit and rotten food filled the air. The hatch opened.
The guard threw down some old food. Everyone dived
for it. No luck. How could a little boy like me fight
with all those men? I could hope to get a drop of
water and a spoon of food. My lips are cracked and
burn like the sun. My body is filled with pain. All I
can think about is land and breathing some fresh air.
Fear takes over my body as I hear the whip hit the
marine and I hear him screaming as loud as his
lungs can scream. Sarah Mouhana 6H

In The Hold
Pain is all I feel as we walk around on the upper deck.
The sun is burning at my skin because it is cracked
and sensitive. The air smells of urine and vomit,
especially on the lower deck. When we are back on the
lower deck, I think about what this unknown land is
like. Is it big or is it filled with bushes and trees? Who
cares anyway, as long as it`s a better future.
Seth Farrell 6H

In The Hold
Im feeling trapped! Theres nothing to see! Its all pitch black.
People are wailing, crying and screaming with pain. Im scared!
Why shouldnt I be? I might be stepping on spoilt wine. Im
trying to sleep but theres nowhere clean. As I walk, I slip and
fall. There are splinters everywhere. But its normal here. My
hands feel bumpy as I touch them.
Tara Milosevic 6H

In the hold
Lashing marines was what I could hear on the deck of the ship.
Waves pounding against the side of the ship causing sudden
movements.
Light coming through the cracks of the floorboards, not
managing to see a thing.
Pitch black wraps around me as I try to take a breath in the
foul air.
Tasting the vomit with every breath I take.
Vermin crawling around, me biting my nails and skin.
I could see the shadowy figures from other people in the hold.
Eating my bread, I heard the quiet crunch of weevils.

Zeinab Hamad 6H