IGCSE narrative essay | 2004 Oct-Nov | 'As he sketched three faces on the back page of



Question

You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on the following topic:

‘As he sketched three faces on the back page of the tattered notebook, he swore that he would find them, no matter what …’ Continue the story.

Model Essay

As he sketched three faces on the back page of the tattered notebook, his determination burned like a flame within him. The faces stared back at him, their expressions frozen in time—two boys and a girl, their features etched in his memory like lines on a map.

For years, he had searched for them, following every lead and chasing every rumor, but they had always remained just out of reach. They were his siblings, lost to him when they were separated by the harsh realities of life. But now, armed with nothing but a handful of faded memories and a burning desire to reunite his family, he vowed to find them, no matter what.

With renewed determination, he set out on his journey, traveling from town to town, city to city, searching for any trace of his lost siblings. He spoke to strangers and scoured archives, piecing together fragments of information like a detective unraveling a mystery.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, but still, he refused to give up hope. He knew that somewhere out there, his siblings were waiting for him, longing for the same sense of belonging that he felt deep within his heart.

Then, one fateful day, as he sat alone in a dingy café on the outskirts of town, he overheard a conversation that sent shivers down his spine. Two men were discussing a recent string of robberies in the area, mentioning names that sent alarm bells ringing in his mind.

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The names were familiar—too familiar. They were the names of his siblings, the same faces he had sketched in his notebook so many times before. But why would they be involved in such criminal activities? And what had driven them to a life of desperation and crime?

Determined to find answers, he followed the men to a run-down apartment building on the edge of town. With bated breath, he climbed the creaky staircase and knocked on the door, his heart pounding in his chest.

The door swung open to reveal a familiar face—a face he had not seen in years, yet one that he recognized instantly. It was his brother, his eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

“Is it really you?” his brother whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he embraced his brother, feeling a flood of emotions wash over him. And as he looked into his brother’s eyes, he knew that he had finally found what he had been searching for all along—his family, reunited at last.

Word Count: 427