Question
You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on the following topic:
The central character in a story realises that she has lost something vital. Write the next part of the story in which a sense of panic is built up.
Model Essay
Jessica had always been methodical, almost to a fault. Her day was planned down to the minute, each task neatly slotted into its allocated time. But as she stood in the middle of her living room, her heart pounding in her chest, her meticulous nature seemed like a distant memory. She had lost something vital: her grandmother’s locket.
The locket wasn’t just a piece of jewelry; it was an heirloom passed down through generations. It held a tiny, faded photograph of her grandparents on their wedding day and a lock of her grandmother’s hair. More than its material value, the locket was a tangible connection to her family’s history and her grandmother’s love.
Jessica’s mind raced as she tried to retrace her steps. She had worn the locket that morning, she was sure of it. Her hand instinctively reached for her neck, but the familiar weight was gone. Panic began to build in her chest, making it hard to breathe. She dropped to her knees, frantically patting the carpet in the hope that it had fallen somewhere close.
“No, no, no,” she muttered to herself, her voice shaking. She moved to the couch, lifting the cushions and peering into the crevices. Nothing. She tore through the coffee table, scattering magazines and remotes, her hands trembling. “It has to be here,” she thought, but each passing second without finding the locket made her desperation grow.
She ran to the kitchen, her eyes darting around the countertops and floor. Jessica opened every drawer and cabinet, her movements becoming more frantic and less precise. Dishes clattered, silverware rattled, and still, there was no sign of the locket. She checked the sink, the trash can, even the refrigerator, her mind grasping at straws.
Jessica’s phone buzzed, pulling her out of her frantic search for a moment. It was a text from her best friend, Lisa, asking if she was ready for their lunch date. Jessica’s eyes widened as she remembered – she had taken the locket off in the bathroom earlier, while she was getting ready. She dashed to the bathroom, her heart hammering in her chest.
The bathroom was small, and it didn’t take long to search, but the locket was nowhere to be found. Jessica’s pulse quickened as she tore through the linen closet and medicine cabinet, tossing towels and toiletries aside. She sank to the floor, tears welling in her eyes. The locket was gone, and she had no idea where it could be.
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As the reality of the loss began to set in, Jessica’s mind raced through the possibilities. Had she lost it outside? Had it slipped off when she was running errands earlier? She felt a lump form in her throat. The thought of the locket lying somewhere out there, lost and alone, was unbearable.
Jessica grabbed her coat and purse, determined to retrace her steps from the morning. She ran out of the house, her eyes scanning the ground as she hurried down the sidewalk. The world around her seemed to blur as her focus narrowed to the task at hand. She checked the coffee shop where she had picked up her morning latte, the pharmacy where she had stopped to pick up a prescription, and the park where she had taken a moment to sit and think. Everywhere she went, she asked if anyone had seen the locket, describing it in vivid detail to anyone who would listen.
But with each fruitless inquiry, the panic within her grew, a tight knot in her stomach that wouldn’t loosen. As the day wore on and the sun began to set, Jessica found herself standing at the edge of the park, the orange glow of the evening sky casting long shadows on the ground. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had lost something irreplaceable, and the sense of panic and loss threatened to overwhelm her.
In that moment of despair, Jessica made a silent vow. She would not give up. She would keep searching, keep hoping, until she found her grandmother’s locket. The connection to her past, the love and memories it held, were too precious to let go. And so, with renewed determination, she wiped her tears and set off once more, her heart resolute in the face of the daunting task ahead.
Word Count: 719