IGCSE Paper 2 Writing Practices

The Nest (Descriptive)

Write a descriptive with a title "nest."

Amidst the bustling streets of Shanghai rose a brand new creative hub. Beside the busy cross-sectional roads, the cylindrical glass building proudly towers over the surrounding city, shining majestically in reflection of the evening sunlight. The building is crowned with newly painted strands of beige cement weaved together like a round basket; resembling a nest.

Beyond the automatic glass doors, a grand, round hall came into sight. Dim, warm lights carefully designed like intertwining patterns of honeycombs hung above, illuminating the hall into a peaceful hue of orange. Under the lights lay a massive artistic showcase, where nicely-dressed people (mostly) circled the white walls of the hall to be mesmerised by the exquisite paintings, sculptures, crafts, videos of performance art and much more. A gigantic tree rose from the centre. Like exciting flocks of birds, I followed the crowd towards it, discovering a large basket overflowing with paper notes inside the tree hole; each of them left with a paper in hand.

I pulled out a paper note, written: "write something nice and give it to Mr Fatwig at The Home Nest." As confusion struck me, a floorplan, hanging from the branches, caught my attention.

"1st floor – Figure Drawing, 2nd floor – Fine Arts...." I murmured as my eyes widened as I gaze towards to the top, "10th Floor – The Home Nest."

With a written note I entered the elevator; I watch as people exit one by one at different floors, until the screen finally hits 10th.

The elevator doors swung open like curtains. A vibrant shade of green flooded my vision as a strong scent of earth rushed through. The greenhouse of a forest lay magnificently before my eyes. Upon rocky and muddy paths so woven with tree roots came a light, incongruous with the artificial lights before, filtered by the bonquet of foliage above like dotted sprinkles. I can feel it kissed my face; so gentle, so soft, so warm. A choir of joyful chirps from birds echoed as they soar across freely, as I spotted a unique, red parrot clumsily landing on a small birdhouse nearby; named with a signboard: "Mr. Fatwig's Home."

In a split second, Mr Fatwig made a dive and snatched away the note in my hand. He glided merrily towards a girl, so surprised, and dropped it into her hands. She smiled. I never knew a simple note could catalyse such a beautiful smile.

Night fell very quickly. The forest silenced the clock. It feels like eternal here, where I sat on the grass, watching a starlit performance above with the trees and birds. This is The Nest.

(434 words)