Giraffe Antics!

The High Dive

“Can the giraffe high dive finalists please come down to take your first dive!” The man called over the loudspeaker. The sound of galloping hooves filled the silence of the pool. I was second in line to jump. Suddenly, the giraffe in front of me stopped, to lick the security camera. I stood there for a minute, but the giraffe wouldn’t budge. So I slid in front. I continued up the ramp, my ears twitching nervously all the way. Slowly, a giraffe called Bob got lowered from the ceiling, on a hanger. My nerves were unbearable. But, I didn’t let them get the better of me. I ran, grabbed onto Bob and flipped off. SPLASH! Water sprayed everywhere. It was amazing, I felt a rush of adrenaline. I was so relieved that I did it. The judges held up their paddles. 9,8,9! I darted out of the pool as proud as a peacock. I did it! I thought. But the worst was still to come. In a few short minutes, I would have to hang from the ceiling and flip other giraffes. I nervously waited on the bench, watching the other giraffes. Water was splashing everywhere. It was that time. The time to face the hanger. I was stressing out. Slowly, I walked up the tall, spiralling ramp, getting slower with each step. I gazed out the window at the stretching giraffes. It is a tradition for the finalists to drink from the pool. Some newbies to the finals (unlike me) clearly had no idea what they were doing. One, in particular, was totally clueless. He did the splits and fell head first into the pool. I sniffed out a little giggle. Time to get to work, I thought. I was nervous, would I drop anyone? What would happen if I did? I asked these questions to myself whilst I was walking up that long, tall, spiralling ramp. I was cold. I went from a warm chlorine pool to a cold glass and concrete ramp. I felt the cold concrete underneath my hooves. I shivered. I kept galloping slowly up the ramp. Finally, I had reached the top. My heart was beating out of my chest. The first giraffe came running off the diving board. Then the games had really began. One after the other, they kept on coming. CLIP,CLOP,CLIP,CLOP SPLASH!Over and over again. CLIPITY CLOCK, CLIPITY CLOCK SPLASH!It soon became easy, just as I got the hang of it, they stopped. Or so I thought. The last giraffe came running off the diving board. I wasn’t prepared. I saw it at the last second. Luckily, I caught him and flipped him into the deep, warm, chlorine water. It made the biggest splash by far. I even got splashed. It was sensational. I stared at the judges. 10,10,10! The highest score, the final score. I was relieved. After everyone left for the after party Bob and I just stayed hanging there. After a few minutes, we dived. We then joined everyone else at the after party.

THE END!! By Hope

“Oh no” I thought as Ali landed perfectly in the water. I knew that I had to be perfect too. I readied myself both physically and mentally for what I was about to do. What is the worst that could happen? I closed my eyes and imagined a worst case scenario. I ran way too fast and tripped off the edge of the board twisting my knee in the process bounced off all the lower boards and missed the pool entirely and the commentary going “woah”!!!!

I shook the image out of my mind and began to run. I was sprinting harder and harder adrenaline and confidence oozing through my veins. Suddenly I was leaping, soaring towards the heavens, everything felt like it was going in slow-motion it was the most beautiful feeling I had had in a long time. Then I began to show off my incredible diving expertise, ingenuity and skill. I started to twist and turn and somersault, and to my eternal smile a backflip. My arms at my sides and 30 centimetres to go I’m ready to plunge.

Aidan

SLAP, I wack on my skinny, slick speedos. Suddenly the changing rooms click, then the crisp white doors creep open. The other Giraffes GASPas I flash my new speedos in front of the security camera.

Clipity, cloppity the hooves slowly climb up the steep, spiral staircase and next thing I know, it's my turn. I look up at Alby dangling off a thin,crisp, shiny piece of metal with her knees shaking. Galloping frantically down the long, narrow board bouncing up and down, nek minute, Alby flings me up, down, side to side, I pike and gracefully slip into the Woah pool with a miniature splash. Ellie was next we all doubted her. She gallops with mighty speed and force but SNAP, BOOM, AHHHHHHHHH, SPLAT. My hooves instantly race up to my face. I peek out to only see Ellie drowning in pain. That belly flop must of hurt. I thought twice about saving her. PANT, PANT I grab her munted body to the side. I see a vibrant, bright, red coloured light with ultra loud sirens racing straight for me. Long lanky legs spread apart, a curve in the neck gently flings Ellie onto their back and trots away.

2 weeks later in hospital

Elle has left us forever. No giraffe should die from our famous sport. Remember kids always wear your speedos because if you don’t bad things come your way.

By Anabelle

Walking out of the empty changing rooms, the clop of hooves echoing through the menacing empty tunnels towards the diving boards. Walking up the dizzying spiral. Past the dizzying spiral towards the diving boards, past the three metre, five, seven and a half, eight metre, and onto the huge 10 metre expansion.

Slowly a giraffe was lowered from the ceiling on a half-broken crane that looked like it would snap without warning. The first giraffe launched from a standstill position and clattered across the diving board.

From an upside-down position she saw it coming towards her. When it was closed the gap she grabbed the giraffe violently by the neck and flipped it through the air and into the pool with a loud SPLASH! Slowly and nervously the fattest giraffe clip-clopped over the diving board. We all waited on the edge of the pool, flinching with every creak and shudder. Made under the huge weight of the huge giraffe. In the silence I heard a faint ring, almost inaudible, but there all the same.

Then all nightmares come at once. The boards collapsed onto themselves taking out the booth that operated the crane which shuddered and fell out of it’s pulleys. The giraffe disappeared under the water and the diving stand soon followed. Now let’s go home, slowly I turned and headed back down to the slope.

By Basu