Universal Edition 48: Short Stories

EDITION 48

FREE

S H O R T STO R I E S

UNIVERSAL

From The Editor

Acknowledgement of Country

Storytelling has existed among civilisations for millenia. Storytelling is a universal aspect of being human. From verbal, to visual, and of course written, narratives today are used by teachers, politicians, friends, and professionals.

National Geographic estimates that pictorial narratives date back as far as 30,000 years ago!

With technology now, we are able to access stories in so many exciting ways, such as through games, YouTube videos and podcasts.

We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this land on which Universal Magazine has been created, the Bunurong peoples of the Kulin nation.

We also acknowledge the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We encourage our readers to do some research and understand more about the land on which they live, work and socialise.

UNIVERSAL

EDITION 48

FREE

S H O RT STO R I E S

Stories can help us to empathise with those around us, by showing us a perspective that we weren’t aware of previously. They can educate us too, by providing us with an unforgettable image in our minds that we will never forget!

Have you ever heard of the story about the tortoise and the hare’s race? While the tortoise continued the race, slow and steady, the hare hurried ahead using all his energy at once. To the hare’s dismay, the tortoise beat him! This story shows the importance of going at your own pace, not comparing yourself to others, and how in the end, these qualities can help you in your endeavours. Stories like this are memorable and they help us to recall important messages throughout our lives.

Sovereignty was never ceded. This land was, is and always will be traditional Aboriginal land.

In this edition of Universal, the team utilised their creativity in a very special way, bringing you original short stories and reviews. From a young love story, to our favourite Disney shorts, plus some fun interactive games - this edition is jam packed with fun tales!

We thank you for taking the time to read this edition and can’t wait to create more magazines for you this year. Also, if you enjoy drawing, writing, designing or taking photos, we’d love to have you on the team so please reach out!

Until next time,

The Universal Team Interested in joining the team?

Or looking to submit some work?

Please contact Kingston Youth Services on P: 1300 369 436 E: youth.services@kingston.vic.gov.au

Read previous editions:

Available for your reading pleasure at any time! Send Youth Services an e-mail for more info at youth.services@kingston.vic.gov.au

Cover Design by Naketra Mendes The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, values and official position of the City of Kingston or any of its officials, representatives or employees Kingston Youth Services and the Universal team acknowledge the support of the Victorian Government

Contents

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Once The Most Beautiful Place

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The Wizarding Woods

Words by James Milnes Design by Sammar Bassal

Words by Adele D’Souza Design by Sammar Bassal

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8

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Hello

Shortlist of the best animated shorts

People I know

Words by Anne Liu Design by Sammar Bassal

Words by Anne Liu Illustration by Lila Ni

Words and Design by Naketra Mendes

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Brothers Grimm

Words and Design by Sammar Bassal

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The Traveler

Words and Design by Sammar Bassal

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Fleeting

Illustration by Lila Ni

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Universal: Join The Team!

Kingston Youth Services

By Bradluke22 - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10547331

Once The Most Beautiful Place WORDS BY ADELE D’SOUZA DESIGN BY SAMMAR BASSAL

Once, The Most Beautiful Place

perhaps from the photos

They cared enough to name me General Sherman.

They gave me accolades ‘The Tallest Tree’ They named my birthplace // Giant Forest // // Sequoia National Park //

but We will not breathe the same air Rainforest lungs Soil fingers Ocean hair

2,000 years living

breathing

existing

My birthplace made simply to protect me Not from myself Or from fellow forest beings ‘The first national park formed to protect a living organism: Sequoiadendron giganteum’ protect from what, questions arise I weep, the temperature climbs Snaking around my branches Leaves, blackened Enveloping me Suffocating The sap that leaks from my core drips like blood The humans turn Ignoring the fact that my blood is on their hands The very blood that is in their veins Capturing photos They immortalise me, their own selfish desires Will their children ever see me?

Will their great grandchildren gaze and wonder?

Please do something This foil dress is unnatural My bark, my skin I am not one of you I do not need clothes You protect me because I am the tallest But my brothers and sisters forgotten, sacrificed For your consumption Your greedy desires I wish I could scream, shriek, wail But all I do is exist frail and fragile instilling fear, reasoned with loss oh if the tallest tree eludes us! soon your photos only whimsical stories tinkerbell spiderwick red riding hood ... general sherman no one can decipher no one can remember a world destroyed a world that is dead no foil dresses will bring her back Mother Earth lamenting ‘Once, The Most Beautiful Place’

WORDS BY JAMES MILNES | ILLUSTRATION BY SAMMAR BASSAL

THE WIZARDING WOODS

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Leo had never been outside of Gonlock Woods; nobody had. The forest was haunted, but the people of the forest village got along with the ghosts and mythical beasts. In fact, it was being haunted that kept the village people safe, that and the vast magical border that let nothing penetrate nor leave the forest. You see, the forest was home to sorcerers from across the continents, providing sanctuary from purges or crusaders. Howbeit, Leo dreamt of seeing the outside world. He fantasised about seeing ancient pillars, vast magic rifts, and rolling hills that would keep rolling into the distant horizon, no matter how hard you squinted your eyes. Though, everyone else thought ill of his desire.

‘One of those then please!’ beamed Leo as though it was Christmas morning. It seemed as though Madame Gyber was as excited as he was about this potion! When she left out back to get some of the ingredients, Leo could not help but notice a jar on the overflowing shelf that read PASSING POTION, underneath the bold title read: allows one to bypass a spell or field of magic that blocks entry or exit. He read it again, then twice more, he leant closer, careful not to draw Madame Gyber’s attention, who he could hear humming cheerfully among the clanks and clinks of the bottles she was piling up in her arms. When he heard her approaching, he pulled back and sat in his seat innocently.

One foggy, dewy morning, Leo felt bright.

He walked down the twisty dirt path winding around large tree roots and enchanted rocks.

Leo followed the damp path past the many huts, burrows, and low stone towers that littered the village in such an unordinary fashion. It seemed like the path was an afterthought among the scattered abodes.

The sun was still low in the sky, and the village was still silent, except for the occasional whirring of a ghost and pattering steps of some mythical beast. The only other person awake, as far as Leo knew, was Madame Gyber.

She ran an apothecary and potions shop at the bottom of town, near the Pumpkin Brewery Pub and was known for her early opening hours. Leo arrived at Madame Gyber’s shop. When he walked into her abnormally cluttered shop, he was greeted with a smile from the potion prodigy’s young yet wrinkled face, ‘oh do come in!’ Leo was a regular at her shop. ‘Here have yourself a seat,’ she gestured to a seat in front of a leering open cupboard which was so loaded with potions the shelf curved in the middle. ‘What are you looking for today then?’ she asked playfully, oblivious to the cluttered floor. Before Leo even had the chance to return her morning greeting, she was already throwing obscure and enticing options at him. ‘A cheerfulness potion? How about one that makes steam come out of your nose?’ her smile growing with every suggestion.

Madame Gyber had reappeared cradling a whole stock of items, including water, a small (wizard version of a) Bunsen burner, a funny shaped beaker, and dozens of ingredients.

She dunked them all down on the already cluttered table and began making the potion.

But, the thought of the passing potion was still lingering in his mind, he could almost imagine the bottle looking down at him from the shelf, taunting him, tempting him to grab it. ‘Oh! I forgot the fly powder,’ she left for the back room again. Left alone, he hastily seized the passing potion and stuffed it in his leather satchel. After he had his fun with Madame Gyber’s potion which emitted steam from his facial features (which was quite pleasant actually), he set off for the forest edge to the magic barrier that had bested him so many times. He drank the potion and thought of all the stories and myths that he heard from the elders and storytellers. He was about to step forth when he realised what he was doing.

How immature of him, how silly of him to follow such a childish dream, to leave safety and his home. He trotted back up the dense forest hillside, disappointed by his loss, but also pleased with his maturity. He looked back at the empty potion bottle. Might Madame Gyber notice it was missing? At that moment, his foot slipped on a fallen pile of leaves. He slid back down the hill. When he woke up, he found himself looking at a wide-open sky, outside a forest.

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PEOPLE I KNOW

Words by Anne Liu | Design by Sammar Bassal People have stories.

You have a story.

I have a story.

Recently, I met a perfect person.

A year younger than myself.

She is mastering 2 instruments, fit and playing sports, acquiring straight A’s.

Still best friends with the same people of a decade and has her whole future ahead of her.

It was quite humbling.

And I knew then, I could not even begin to compete.

A while ago, I met a quiet person.

He Cared about His sister His hobbies His school His future.

He was Protective Patient Praiseworthy Peaceful.

And I knew then, you could care for people softly, almost silently, in the shadows.

Some time ago, I met an inspirational person.

He had a huge scar on his left leg from a sport injury.

The doctor declared He would Never Walk Again.

Let alone play sport.

Yet I witnessed him Brutally defeat Everyone else on the court As if nothing had ever happened.

And I knew then, You must believe in yourself, especially, when nobody else does.

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Not long ago, I met a kind person.

She was lovely and sweet Standing up for what was right spreading love and compliments As easily as some spread hate.

She got along with everyone, Making people laugh While she cried.

And I knew then, Kindness means putting others before yourself sometimes.

Sometime before, I met an independent person She Rode the bus to school by herself In grade 5.

While the rest of us were complaining, She was working.

Everything went wrong for her, we could only do so much To support her.

But she was fine on her own And I knew then, That you are the only person who will always be there for yourself.

I have always known, This one person.

She is average sometimes, Incredible at other times, And infuriating occasionally She tries her best Most of the time.

She is confused Often.

She isn’t perfect.

But I look in the mirror, And I know, I’ve got this.

My story isn’t over yet, this is only the first chapter.

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Shortlist of the Best Animated Shorts Words and Design by Naketra Mendes

Stories help us to understand ourselves and others. They aid in conveying messages, morals and can inspire action and change. Stories can come in many forms, such as books, plays, music and movies, to name a few.

Shorts (also known as Disney Shorts or Pixar Shorts) are short animated films created by animation studios such as Disney and Sony, usually presented before a movie in the theatre. Some shorts are an extension of the film, whilst others are just short stories on their own. The shorts shown in this article can be found on Disney+ and/or YouTube, so do check them out.

Steamboat Willie (1928) Studio: Disney Duration: 7 mins About: This is one of the first cartoons featuring Mickey Mouse released by Disney, and was the first cartoon to be synchronised with sound. This short follows Mickey Mouse as a deckhand on a riverboat, as he gets up to mischief.

Fun fact: the opening scene of this short is of Mickey driving the steamboat. This scene is often used by Disney as part of their logo at the beginning of their movies.

Knick Knack (2003) Studio: Pixar Duration: 3 mins About: This story follows a snowman stuck in a snowglobe trying to escape to join the other knick knacks in sunnier locations.

Fun fact: Did you know this short was initially created in 1989, but was only released in 2003 when Toy Story was screened.

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Lifted (2006) Studio: Pixar Duration: 4 mins Awards: Nominated in the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2006.

About: A teen alien is trying to abduct a sleeping human under the eye of his instructor. Directed by Gary Rydstrom, this short is a playful spin on the experience of a teenager during their first driving test.

For the Birds (2000) Studio: Pixar Duration: 3 mins Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2001 About: Directed by Ralph Eggleston, this Pixar short is about a bunch of arrogant small birds that are resting on an electrical wire. They are approached by a larger awkward bird much to their disapproval.

In attempts to remove this bird from the wire they do not realise the consequences of their actions until it’s too late.

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Day & Night (2010) Studio: Pixar Duration: 7 mins Awards: Nominated in the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2010 About: This short follows Day and Night, two characters that view the same world either at night or in the day. Initially, they do not get along until they realise they both have unique qualities to offer and how truly similar they are.

Paperman (2012) Studio: Disney Duration: 6 mins Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2012 About: Directed

by John Kahrs, this story follows a lonely young man as he tries to gain the attention of a young woman he first met on his commute to work. With only a stack of papers and a bit of hope, will he meet the love of his life?

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Feast (2014) Studio: Disney Duration: 8 mins Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2014 About: The story follows a man's love life from the perspective of his dog, Winston, and his owner, as they navigate through life with food.

Get a Horse (2013) Studio: Disney Duration: 7 mins Awards: Nominated in the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2013 About: In trying to get Minnie Mouse back from the clutches of Peg-leg Pete, Mickey Mouse gets thrown out of the black and white screen into the CGI animated modern world. The story follows Mickey Mouse and his friends as they try to get back to save Minnie Mouse.

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Piper (2016) Studio: Pixar Duration: 6 mins Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2016 About: Known for its beautiful animation, this story follows a sandpiper hatchling as she ventures out of her nest to find food.

Bao (2018) Studio: Pixar Duration: 7 mins Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2019 About: Directed by Domee Shi, this story follows a Chinese mother as she comes to terms with her son growing up.

She gains another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life, but soon realises that nothing stays small forever.

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Purl (2018) Studio: Sparkshorts/ Pixar Duration: 12 mins About: Directed by Kristen Lester, the story follows a ball of wool by the name of Purl starting a new job in a male-dominated, fast-paced industry. In order to fit in, she adapts herself and her approach, but at what cost?

Hair Love (2019) Studio: Sony Duration: 6 mins Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 2020 About: This story is about a father trying to tie his daughter’s hair for the first time, before meeting her mother.

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Her. Who could ever have imagined that a simple hello would change your life?

I stood there stupidly; my legs fixed to the ground; my eyes fixed on him as he advanced closer.

He had changed, or matured, you could say.

His hair slightly longer and curlier, shoulders a little broader, and he held himself with a little more confidence. His brown eyes as sweet as chocolate and as solid as an old oak tree, with flecks of deep brown mingled with lighter hues.

Hello Words by Anne Liu | Illustration by Lila Ni

I didn’t falter under his intense stare, it only bestowed a sense of calm, belonging, familiarity.

I smiled slightly, watching a lopsided grin replicated on his sculpted face, deep dimples revealing themselves.

Soon enough, he closed the distance between us.

I gently closed my eyes, if only for a second, to steady myself.

I almost saw the world in slow motion as I watched his lips part to say, “Hello.”

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Him. “Hello.”

I took a deep breath, feeling more at ease by her natural sweet scent emanating into the atmosphere.

She had straight black hair that cascaded down her back, a shy smile, and warm hazel eyes that looked me up and down curiously.

I narrowed the gap between us while she stayed rooted to the ground, still, motionless, her eyes fixated on me.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I felt heat rising to my cheeks.

I never believed in love at first sight, but I had a feeling this was going to be something massive, something life changing.

Who could ever have imagined that a simple hello would change your entire life?

Him and Her. There they stood, staring into each other’s eyes, searching for something unspoken in one another’s faces.

It had been five years. Five miserable, silent, agonizing years without each other.

Right person, wrong time, people would say.

They had agreed and said if it was meant to be, it would be.

Here they were now, both slightly in disbelief at seeing one another in person again.

“Hello,” she whispered, choking on the word.

For this time, it meant new beginnings and another chance at him and her; another chance at them.

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WORDS AND DESIGN BY SAMMAR BASSAL

BROTHERS GRIMM Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are the brother duo responsible for the preservation of many childhood favourites.

The brothers spent majority of their time in research, both being librarians and university professors.

Their compilation of stories known as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, or Kinder-und Hausmärchen in German, include familiar titles such as Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin and Snow White.

ILH ELM GRIM

M

W

JA COB GRIMM

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THE FROG KING

CINDERELLA

THE GNOME

RUMPELSTILTSKIN

THE SEVEN RAVENS

SNOW WHITE

RAPUNZEL

RED RIDING HOOD

THE MOON

HANSEL AND GRETEL

SLEEPING BEAUTY

BEARSKIN

THE WHITE SNAKE

THE QUEEN BEE

DR KNOW ALL

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20 Lila Ni Title -END-

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WORDS & DESIGN BY SAMMAR BASSAL

T H E

T R A V E L E R One day my journey began. I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going, but onward I went. My initial guides helped me to get dressed, go to the bathroom and understand right from wrong. From there others started appearing, old and young. Some helped my language and arithmetic.

Others demonstrated the best way to eat or brush your teeth. The ones closer to my age would show me new tricks, new tv shows or youtube videos and new ways to do things that differed from how I did them already.

At that point, if what they did was not what I did then there was a high chance they could be wrong.

My journey continued. I kept learning something new everyday, yet the more I learnt, the more confused I got. I become more conscious of the journey I am on, but had no clue of the destination. The ones older than you tell you ‘there’s nothing to worry about,’ ‘just find something you like,’ ‘you’ll find your path.’ The ones closer in age seem just as confused but not all of them. Some seem to have found their path and they go forth in a single direction. Others, also closer in age, have their paths created by their initial guides. They have direction but not all seem satisfied.

At some point on this journey it feels like I’m going down the wrong path, ‘this isn’t right,’ ‘I should be somewhere else’. But the thoughts bring no benefit. However, at this point I realise I have more power over where I can go and what I can do. I’m still not able to control everything.

Surprises come and go. People come and go, whether you want them to stay or not. Everything continues to move and I will do the same. Keep moving and see what awaits, because this is not yet the end of the journey.

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Universal is a quarterly youth magazine created and developed by local youth.

We need writers, artists, photographers and graphic designers! youth.services@kingston.vic.gov.au 1300 369 436

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