An Award

As the morning sun filtered through the library windows, Charlotte nestled deeper into her favourite corner. Her eyes danced across the pages of a newly-discovered book when she noticed a set of footsteps approaching her. Mrs Lee, the school librarian, held out a flyer with a smile. “Annual Spelling Bee Competition,” it read.

Charlotte’s eyes widened and her heart fluttered at the thought, but her mind recoiled. She was not one to step into the spotlight. Yet, with the gentle nudge of her teachers and friends, Charlotte found herself penning down her name on the registration list.

The auditorium was abuzz with anticipation as Charlotte sat on stage among the other contestants in a neat row of chairs. She fiddled with her fingers as her eyes shifted to the standing microphone right in the middle of the stage, accentuated by numerous spotlights. A large audience sat waiting for the competition to start, and the soft murmur of the crowd intensified Charlotte’s anxiety. Her stomach began to tie itself in knots.

The competition soon began, and Charlotte watched as her peers took to the stage, their voices confident and clear. Each word spelled out brought them closer to victory or defeat. When her turn came, Charlotte approached the microphone with her knees trembling. Her soft voice barely rose above a whisper, but her spelling was flawless, each letter enunciated with surprising clarity.

The competition was fierce. Round after round, words were thrown like javelins, and one by one, the participants stumbled and fell. The number of competitors thinned and before long, Charlotte found herself standing on stage with only one other student. Her heart skipped a beat as her fellow speller stumbled, not out of competitiveness but out of empathy. She knew the courage it took to stand there, and how far along they had both come.

Finally, it was down to the last word. “Ephemeral,” the host read. Charlotte’s eyes lit up with recognition. Her mind raced back to the previous night, to the pages of her latest read where that very word had leaped out at her, its meaning striking a chord in her heart. “Lasting for a very short time,” she recalled. Taking a deep breath, Charlotte began, “E-p-h-e-m-e-r-a-l.”

Silence shattered into applause as the host confirmed Charlotte’s victory. She did it! The trophy gleamed in Charlotte’s arms as she cradled it close to her chest, a testament to her love for reading and a reward well-deserved for breaking out of her shell. At that moment, the sea of faces did not seem as daunting anymore, and Charlotte smiled as she basked in the spotlight of her victory.

Warm applause echoed through the auditorium as James stood on stage, a glossy trophy cradled in his hands. The moment felt surreal. James blinked against the bright stage lights as a policeman spoke of his heroic feat and invited him to recount the events of that fateful day. Trembling slightly, James stepped onto the podium and his mind drifted to that seemingly ordinary day and the extraordinary circumstances that led him to the Good Citizen Award.

It was a Tuesday afternoon. James had been on his way home from school when a burst of urgent shouts pierced the air. Two police officers were in hot pursuit of a man who weaved through the crowd with the desperation of a cornered animal. James looked on with a mix of curiosity and excitement. He realised that he was witnessing the chase of a pickpocket, an unmistakable brown wallet clutched tightly in the man’s hand as he made his escape.

The pickpocket, nimble and desperate, was heading straight towards James. His heart pounded in his chest as the man neared. Without a moment’s hesitation, James lunged at the man with a ferocity that he did not know he possessed. The world turned into a blur as the collision sent the both of them tumbling onto the ground in a tangle of limbs.

The crowd gasped. James’ split-second decision was all the policemen needed. Within moments, the officers were upon them, skilfully snapping a pair of handcuffs on the stunned pickpocket. The crowd erupted into cheers, a few stepping forward to help the boy to his feet and clapping him on the back. The policemen approached him after, thanking him for his assistance.

Back in the auditorium, James concluded his story to another round of applause. He stood on the stage with a bashful smile on his face and the weight of the Good Citizen Award in his hands. It was a token that he would cherish forever, a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary moments come out of the most ordinary days.