The Chronicle 2022

upon carcasses. The Commander barked more orders, sending two fighters towards the enemies, but the escort was no match for the superior interceptors. It wasn’t much of a battle. My escort fell quickly under the onslaught of enemy fire. In what seemed like only seconds, my sluggish cargo aircraft was alone, surrounded by a swarm of hostile forces. In a desperate attempt to keep the payload out of enemy hands, I sent myself into a plummeting dive towards the ocean of sand. The mission was highly classified, so much so that the transport squad had no idea what the payload was, only that they had to carry it across the desert to an airbase marked on our maps as “The Destination”. The payload resembled a large safe, albeit with no visible opening. A black steel cube that required a team of 15 men to roll into the aircraft. Despite my endless curiosity, The Commander had ordered that none of the squad members were to ask any questions, and I was forced to obey. All we knew was that this payload was more valuable than our lives, and under all costs, should not fall into enemy hands. It was this command that drove me to crash my aircraft before allowing it into enemy hands. The dive was not enough to stop the hunting fighters, with their nimble aircraft easily following my descent. A hail of bullet fire erupted around me, narrowly missing me, but destroying half the controls and instruments in the process. The power to the engines was severed, and I swore as the propellers spun to a halt. Content with their prey’s doomed fate, the enemy squadron let up their chase, melting into the clouds once more.

With the ground rapidly approaching, I pulled back on the yoke with all my strength, miraculously managing to level the plane out just above the dunes. Without many options, I resolved to slow the plane down through a series of collisions with the tallest dunes. With each skip and impact, the plane tore further apart, leaving a trail of littered scrap in its wake. With the last lurch, I flew through the shattered cockpit window, losing consciousness instantly. Hours passed before I finally woke to the dull throb of pain throughout my body. Fortunately, none of my injuries were severe, and I managed to stand and limp towards the wreckage. The somewhat-intact cockpit contained an emergency kit, which managed to dislodge and rip free during the crash. I resolved to climb the nearby dune in an attempt to survey the area in hopes of finding the emergency kit, as well as any hope of a rescue in the desolate sands. I stumbled up the dune, using a shorn-off piece of steel scrap as a makeshift crutch. After a few minutes of strained effort, I crested the dune and took in the view. Below me, in various scattered debris piles, lay the remains of my plane, which was in turn, surrounded by empty desert stretching away into the horizon. A dry wind swept over me, scattering sand and revealing the payload, half buried in the sand. I stumbled towards it. The steel cube was intact, save for one face which had been blasted open… from the inside. Whatever was being contained had been freed from its confinement. I stood alone on the high dune’s summit, but I feared something else was out there.

FRENCH

Head of Department: Ms Martine De Maroussem

DELF EXAMINATION The DELF examination sessions took place in May and October this year. A group of seven learners wrote the A2 examination, with a 100% pass rate. OUTINGS As per the tradition, various Blocks enjoyed lunch and a round of mini golf at Piggly Wiggly, this year. The D Block class enjoyed the traditional Grade 9 afternoon of fun activities at St Anne’s in July. Some activities that were practiced were Bingo and Pétanque among others.

T

he NSC 2022 examinations went well and the learners had the benefit of being able to write both papers early on, which remains an advantage as to being still into

class mode when dealing with a foreign language.

The oral moderation was conducted on line, and it went smoothly as well, despite the tribulation of those who had been chosen.

ISIZULU

he department has enjoyed another successful year. We continue to grow and our students are still the main priority. 2022 Brought about the introduction of conversational isiZulu which was well-received by the learners. The idea was to allow students who don’t take isiZulu as a subject an opportunity to learn the language. This T

Head of Department: Mr Linda Shezi Full-time Staff: Mr Sanele Zikhali Part-time Staff: Mr Rodney Zondi Interns: Mr Ayanda Duma, Mr Sihawu Dube and Mr Thabani Mchunu

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