Question
You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on the following topic:
‘Nothing could have survived that explosion, so what on earth is that climbing out of the …!’ Use this sentence at an important point in your story.
Model Essay
The sun was setting behind the rugged mountains, casting long shadows across the deserted landscape. Captain Emma Harris and her team had been dispatched to investigate an abandoned research facility nestled deep within the rocky terrain. The mission was shrouded in mystery, with rumors of classified experiments gone awry. As they approached the entrance, a tense silence hung in the air, broken only by the crunch of gravel under their boots.
Inside the facility, the air was stale and heavy with the scent of metal and chemicals. The corridors were dimly lit, flickering with the occasional overhead bulb. Captain Harris led the team cautiously, their footsteps echoing off the sterile walls. They passed empty laboratories strewn with broken equipment and hastily abandoned notes, hinting at the chaos that had unfolded here.
Suddenly, a distant rumble reverberated through the facility, followed by a deafening explosion that shook the ground beneath their feet. The team stumbled and braced themselves against the walls as debris rained down around them. Smoke and dust billowed through the corridors, obscuring their vision.
As the dust settled, Captain Harris cautiously approached the epicenter of the explosion. The once secure blast door lay twisted and mangled, blown apart by the force of the detonation. Beyond it, a gaping hole revealed a cavernous chamber that had been sealed off from the rest of the facility.
“Careful,” she warned her team, signaling them to stay alert. They cautiously entered the chamber, their flashlights cutting through the darkness. The air was thick with an acrid smell, and the walls were scorched black from the blast. Amidst the rubble and debris, strange and unfamiliar equipment lay scattered about, sparking with residual energy.
“Nothing could have survived that explosion,” one of the team members muttered, voicing the disbelief that echoed in everyone’s mind.
ADVERTISEMENT
Captain Harris stepped forward, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of life or answers to the mystery. Suddenly, a movement caught her attention. At the far corner of the chamber, a figure emerged from the shadows, staggering towards them. It was humanoid in shape, its movements jerky and unsteady.
“What on earth is that climbing out of the wreckage?” one of the team members exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice.
The figure stumbled closer, revealing a gaunt and pallid face, its eyes wide with confusion and fear. It was dressed in tattered remnants of a lab coat, stained with grime and blood. As it approached, Captain Harris noticed intricate markings on its skin, glowing faintly in the dim light.
“Identify yourself!” she commanded, her hand instinctively reaching for her sidearm.
The figure halted, its gaze shifting between Captain Harris and her team. It opened its mouth as if to speak, but only a hoarse whisper escaped its lips.
“I… I don’t know,” it croaked, voice trembling with uncertainty. “I don’t remember.”
Captain Harris exchanged a glance with her team, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. They had stumbled upon something far beyond their mission parameters—a survivor of the explosion, but one with no memory of who or what it was.
As they stood in the chamber, surrounded by the remnants of the unknown experiment, Captain Harris realized that their mission had taken an unexpected turn. The mystery of the research facility was far from over, and they now faced a new challenge: uncovering the truth behind the enigmatic figure before them and the secrets it held within its fractured memories.
Word Count: 571