IGCSE narrative essay | 2010 May-Jun | 'Everyone was talking about the new teacher at school. There



Question

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

‘Everyone was talking about the new teacher at school. There was something different about her, something strange about her eyes that frightened people…’. Use this to begin your story.

Model Essay

Everyone was talking about the new teacher at school. There was something different about her, something strange about her eyes that frightened people. It wasn’t just their piercing blue color or the way they seemed to bore into you, but the fact that they sometimes seemed to glow with an eerie light, especially when the room dimmed.

Ms. Everly arrived one crisp autumn morning, her presence announced by a hush that fell over the schoolyard as she walked by. Tall and slender, she moved with a grace that was almost supernatural. Her first class was with us, and we all sat in nervous anticipation, whispering amongst ourselves about the rumors that had already begun to spread.

When she entered the classroom, the temperature seemed to drop. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Good morning, class,” she said in a voice that was smooth yet somehow unsettling. We mumbled our responses, eyes wide with curiosity and trepidation.

As the days passed, Ms. Everly’s reputation grew. She had a way of knowing things she shouldn’t. She would call on students to answer questions they hadn’t even raised their hands for, and she always seemed to be aware of any mischief, even when her back was turned. The most unnerving thing was her eyes. They would flash with an unnatural light whenever she was angry or particularly focused, and more than one student had sworn they saw her pupils change shape, becoming slitted like a cat’s.

One afternoon, I was staying late to finish a project. The school was eerily quiet, and the shadows in the hallways seemed longer than usual. I made my way to the art room, where I hoped to find some materials. As I rounded the corner, I saw Ms. Everly standing by the window, her back to me. I froze, not wanting to disturb her, but something compelled me to stay and watch.

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She raised her hand, and a small, glowing orb appeared, floating above her palm. Her eyes were glowing again, brighter than I had ever seen. The orb pulsed with light, casting strange shadows on the walls. She seemed to be whispering to it, but the words were in a language I couldn’t understand.

I must have made a noise, because she suddenly turned around, the orb disappearing in an instant. “Who’s there?” she demanded, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my blood run cold. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. All I could do was stare back, terrified and mesmerized.

She walked towards me, her eyes never leaving mine. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said softly, but there was no kindness in her tone. “Go home, and forget what you saw.”

I nodded, backing away slowly before turning and running down the hall. My heart was pounding, and my mind was racing. What had I just witnessed? And what was Ms. Everly?

The next day, I tried to avoid her, but it was impossible. She seemed to be everywhere, her eyes always watching. I couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew what I had seen, that she was waiting for the right moment to confront me again.

As the weeks went by, the rumors about Ms. Everly only grew wilder. Some said she was a witch, others a spy with advanced technology. But I knew the truth was something even stranger, something that defied explanation.

One thing was certain: Ms. Everly was not just an ordinary teacher. And whatever her true nature, her presence had changed our school forever.

Word Count: 589