He screamed for help.(Heidi, 05/03/1999)

Slowly, every so slightly, the cradle began to creak. The weak upper branches of the old oak tree could not withstand the weight of the cradle, and began to give way. (Lingkang, 19/03/99)

After the creaking sound of the bough and the scream echoing off into the distance, there was sudden silence. The cradle, displacing the air ever so swiftly, was however seemingly caught in mid-air, hovering amongst the falling leaves that it garnered in its wake. They revolved around the baby, who gurgled in wonder at those quivering, shining objects in constant motion, never comprehending why those transparent teardrop-shaped entities could fly from the leaves to gently kiss his face. The sun shone, the rain fell, and so did the cradle and the leaves. (Jingyang, 16/03/1999)

And the cradle landed with a 'boom'. And the baby inside died. No one knew that he died. No one knew what the cradle was doing in the middle of a forest in the first place. The pitiful creature lied there underneath the dust and branches and leaves, a secret waiting to be revealed. And my heart ached for it. (Derrick, 19/03/1999)

Through the woods, soft footsteps were heard. Gently, repetitively, rhythmatically, the footsteps got louder. All this while, a lady dressed in a faded brown dress was searching away in the forest. Weeping. Crying. Tears running down her cheeks. Her pain and sorrow got worse and worse, deeper and deeper, cutting her very heart. And the baby, was still dead, in the basket. (Alex, 21/03/1999)

As the lady departed, she was replaced almost immediately. A pair of gleaming yellow eyes flashed in the darkness as a dark, stealthy figure stole in and out of the undergrowth. Coming up next to the cradle, the black wolf opened its slobbery jaws slightly, revealing rows of bloody, razor teeth fresh from a meal, and let out a low growl. Lowering its snout, it sniffed around the motionless baby. Suddenly, the muscles and sinews in its neck tensed as it arched its head backwards and let out a single, heart-wrenching howl into the silent night. (Winston, 22/03/1999)

The wolf was thrown back, almost dead, lying in the cold moist soil. The weeping lady was seen around the corner again, but as before, her face covered. She searched the forest, but seemed blind to the rotting pile of flesh, next to the dying wolf. Suddenly, the lady takes quick steps which break into a run towards the already dead wolf and steps on his decomposing flesh. Stepping with all her might, stabbing through his stone-cold body with her shoe. She throws back her hair and it reveals the most beautiful girl the earth has ever seen, although her face was covered in tears. And a man's voice called out... (Alex, 28/03/99)

"Bianca!" The voice hollers. "Bianca! We have to move quick! The townsmen are closing down on us!" She dashes away, in tears, from the disintergrated corpse to her lover's arms. Out of a sudden, her teargates open, the tears raging down her face like a raging waterfall, the flow aided by her motherly sorrow, rage, and pain of losing such a cherished and beloved one to the imcomprehensible forces of circumstance... Soon after, only the soft, rampaging clip clops of a running horse can be heard... (Harvey, 28/03/99)

Leaving the baby behind. The baby, who never lived a life, who never dreamed a dream. The little one, who never loved another person, who never shared its little heart with another. The babe, who died so young, just like a Holy Innocent, only slaughtered by Nature. By Nature's hand. Sometimes the world can be a cruel place. (Peter, 31/03/99)

And then, a figure clad in a brown robe stepped out from the shadows, the shadows of a clearing filled with death. Slowly, purposefully, the figure walked towards the two lifeless bodies, his head hanging as if in defeat. Then suddenly, with a swift jerk of motion, he knelt down beside the cradle, and kneeled there for a long time, his face clouded with anguish and pain. A single tear ran down the side of his face, and dropped into the cradle. (Jeremy, 01/04/99)

The tear flaked the dead skin, the lonely tear penetrating through to the bottom of the cradle. Slowly, he rose up, and pushed the wolf corpse into the thick undergrowth all around him. He worked swiftly, and placed the cradle into the pure, unscarred earth, taking care not to jitter the bones inside it. Brandishing a metal cross, praying that the baby would enjoy his new life, over the nearly non-exsistant one in the real world. He pushed a little grey tombstone onto the dark red earth, and water sprung forth from his eyes... Stifling his tears, he walked towards the fast disappearing horizon. (Harvey, 06/04/99)

In the distance, an inquisitive pair of eyes watch. A young girl in a simple white dress stands, alone and yet unafraid, innocently gazing into the basket that once held life so beautiful. Taking care not to disturb the serenity, she steps slowly towards the man and tugs at his sleeve. Their eyes lock. Momentarily, hearts meet, and pain vaporises as a smile spreads across his face, smoothing away the wrinkles of years past. He takes her hand, letting go of all his hurt, and brings himself to his feet. (Rachel, 11/04/99)

As the pair walked away quietly into the woods, hand in hand, the clearing was once again left empty. The tiny tombstone lay silent, and the trees whispered comforting words to each other in the wind. The boy was never forgotten, by either the old man or the young lady. Even though the sorrow eventually faded away, the impact he had made on their lives never faded. He had made a difference. Fallen leaves do make a difference. (Jeremy, 20/04/99)