WEST RAINTON PRIMARY SCHOOL 

NEVER MESS WITH RACHEL

14^th of January 1612. Thomas was a 28 year old farmer. He had 3 pigs, 4 cows and 2 chickens. His wife was 27 and was called Mary. They had a baby about 6 years ago she was called Rachel and she loved playing with the animals. But every month some Reivers took an animal. January, a pig, and in February, a cow, and March is a chicken, April used to be a sheep but Thomas ran out of them and now it’s just pig, cow, chicken, pig, cow, chicken, on repeat every month. This month was the pig so the Reivers came down and took Rachel’s favourite pig, Trudy. Rachel was upset but Mary said, ”it’s fine, dad’s got 2 new pigs.” Even after Mary said that, Rachel was still furious but Rachel had a plan. 

10th of February  1612, it was unpredictable when the Reivers would come 1^st to the 31^st. A few hours later, Rachel saw the Reivers coming down a tall mountain ready to take an animal, but Rachel thought of her plan. The Reivers finally came down to the farm and said 1 COW NOW! Thomas said “take this.”

“No!” shouted Rachel, “these are our animal not yours, we shouldn’t give you animals every month, no not even every month, never!” 

After she said that, the Reivers took 2 cows and everything went silent, the Reivers went back up the hill and Rachel can just feel the cry from HER COWS. 4 days later Rachel wasn’t going to let the Reivers do that so she went up that hill and went to get those cows, the cows knew Rachel’s smell so she put her hand out and saw 2 cows coming towards her. The Reivers were nowhere to be seen so Rachel led them down the mountain and got them home.

First, it all started by me meeting a beautiful young women. I loved her so much, she was so sweet but then her mother and father wouldn’t let her date me because she was a reiver. It worked for a while, but then her mother found out I’m a warden and told her farther so he forbade us from seeing each other again. Luckily, we had a backup plan. We were to run away because we really love each other. We really hoped they didn’t find us and they didn’t 

The reiver kid

Hi, I’m Lilly, a reiver kid living in the wild. Let me tell you how I got here. My parents were blackmailers. I did not know this until my parents went to the neighbours and said, ‘we will protect your sheep for a sheep a month.’

The neighbours agreed but I knew something was wrong. A year later, all the neighbours’ sheep had gone then I asked them why they did that and they said nothing now I have run away and have to survive. 20 years later, I lived in my own house had my own farm and no people came round until one day were people came round and said, “we will take one animal each month but protect your animals.”

It sounded familiar then I remembered and then I said, “Sorry but no.”

They were okay until the next day where I could not open my eyes. It was clear that my parents were blackmailers.

The Story of Blackmail

So, my master plan is I’m going to create a gang to take over this man for days or probably months, “ahahahah.” I’m going to steal his animals each month. He will have nothing not even a wife or his unborn baby – I’m going to steal his wife for myself. Then I’m going to use her for money then I will be rich forever because I will be farming their land. I want to do this to make their life worse than it already is. I am going to use them for money and use them for animals – this is the best plan ever!

The Farmer’s Wife!

One night after he sent me away, he started a gang with the neighbours. I think it’s an awful idea. Then, I heard he’s going to fight with the reivers. I didn’t know what was going on. The child has been born but he wasn’t here, only my father was. The child hasn’t seen their father. Most reivers have died, they started with 30 people and then ended with 15 because most of them ran away. Blood was scattered all over the place, from the gang and the reivers. The gang started with 20 and ended with 15 – only 5 people gone. I was surprised when he told me. They used swords, while the reivers were using daggers. They won because they had swords that are longer than the reivers’ daggers. They will have to throw and it might miss us and hit one of their team mates. The battle with the reivers band ended and he won! Some neighbours unfortunately died but they won. Now he’s coming home to see his child for the first time.

Blackmail

I got my neighbours in a group to go to battle with the reivers. The battle was brutal and 5 men were killed. My troops died in front of me. It was really bad all of my troops died. 5 men got stabbed in front of me and 3 men got shot in the head, all around me there was blood everywhere, even on my face. All I could see was 8 dead people. There were 10 reivers, who have now given up. We have won – I can’t believe it! I killed the last one, there was blood scattered everywhere – on my face and my troops had blood all over them. We won but some of my troops went down but I survived.

So, it was an early morning. As we went around the village we came across a house. It was made of wood, it was dirty. We decided to knock on the door. I politely asked him “can we please take a pig” he replied “NO!”. We beat him. After, I stabbed him. He just kept crying till he died. We had walked over his dead body knowing we thought we had won…We went to his wife’s house and told her of the accident. But she didn’t believe us because she knew the truth she was kicking and screaming until we eventually gave up, we battled for hours till we laid something out. We get 2 pigs a week in order to protect them and their animals.

It all starts with a fight *gun firing* 10 people died with stabs to the lung. One of our best warriors died with a shot and his spirit lies in that valley. Every time someone walks through the…. 

Gets attacked by a powerful force. Something is there, it has killed 10 people without a trace… somehow. No one knows and people try, even their team, but he hadn’t remembered anything, apart from murder, but why? Another strong warrior tries to pass… Bang!

The Bravery Of A Girl (Chapter 1)

My husband and I were arguing so others complained so I got sent away from my husband on a horse. My baby was scared so I isolated her for safety. I kept my baby isolated while I was going to my dad’s to spend time with him as he was ill. It was cold as I was shivering, but it was quiet and quite calm. I couldn’t sleep through the dark stormy night so I was wide awake. The next morning, I helped my dad get food from the farm as we passed through our pigs. I felt sad and bad after leaving my husband. I decided to visit him. On my wat to see him, a Reiver man approached me. He was muddy and dirty, and his breath also didn’t smell good. He tried to kiss me while leaning forward, but I pushed him away from me as his dirty looks were not my type. He pulled my hair so I scratched his face and pushed him into the mud. More Reivers came and I saw the Reivers kill my husband. I ran away and hid with my dad and baby. Now this has left me heartbroken.

The Bravery Of A Girl (Chapter 2)

One day, when I was out I bumped into the most handsome and strong man I have ever seen. I apologised to him as I looked away so flustered my face went red like a tomato. He smiled at me and told me “It’s ok. It happens quite a lot.” I looked at him quite calmly, starting to maintain my peaceful emotions. He walked off as I went home. My dad was crying. “What’s wrong?” I asked him. “The Reivers came and took our animals!” I paused. I filled with boiling hot rage as my body started to heat up and steam. I stomped out into the village. Everyone comforted me as I told them what happened. We all made a plan. The Reivers came as I stepped out. “Hello dear warriors. I wish to join your group and take what we want.” They stared at me and decided to give in, falling for my trick. After a week, I stole all the animals and gave them back to the villagers. “What are you doing!? You’re being a traitor!” “That’s because I am,” I answered. The Reivers headed towards me to attack but everyone in the village came out their hiding spots, just as we had planned. The battle ended after many deaths but I was safe and the Reivers lost. After some weeks, the boy I bumped into became a good friend of mine. After more weeks, turning into months, we both fell in love and got married. My baby has a stepfather and my dad is over the moon. But little did we know… another Reiver was watching us wanting revenge!

Revenge 

Once there was a farmer. One day he woke up and there was something wrong with the fields. There were no sheep so the farmer went to look for his sheep so he went to Scotland. There they were, the sheep! The farmer went and got a friend to round the sheep up and then the ‘owner’ came out and said, “what are you doing with my sheep?”

The farmer said, “don’t you mean my sheep? You took them from me!”

Then the thief pulled out a sword and swung it at the farmer, but luckily the farmer dodged it. Then the farmer pulled out a sword as well and cut him. Slash! Ching! Then the farmer and his friend left him, but one night the farmer went to sleep and the thief came back in the farmer’s home and stabbed him. There was blood everywhere – it was on the walls and the floor. Suddenly, the farmer’s wife came home and she found him dying on the bed, she sighed, “why him?”

I have got my neighbours here to help me to win the battle. All of my friends have got our weapons, then we made a plan – a brutal plan. The plan is to sneak on them, then we will attack. When the Reivers arrive, we will throw our spears, then they will spot us when we attack. My first kill was when someone tried to stab one of my friends, but my friend and I worked together to kill him – there was blood all over my hands. Half way through the battle, 5 of my friends have died because of me. I shouted to my friends to stay back because there was one more Reiver left. I went to kill him myself. I charged at him and he killed me instead…

REIVERS

While I was feeding my cows and pigs, all of a sudden, this idiot was stealing my expensive pig so I don’t let him continue. Before I could come any closer, I was flung to the floor. Suddenly, we are fighting and the fights going back and forth until he tries…

One week later, I woke up from a coma and I decided to catch up with some old friends. Two years later, we confront him and before I know he has his own gang. There are people dying all around… Before I know it, I’m up charging at him with all I’ve got then I’m getting beat until my friends come and we win with blood splattered on all of us. 

THE REIVER

Everybody, you won’t believe this, I have been blackmailing this man to get an animal every month and the best thing is that I am protecting him, isn’t that pathetic? I am going to get my gang to have a battle and he won’t have a battle because he is too weak and he won’t have a gang because he is too filthy. I am going to fight – clang! I am going to tell them. I am going to ask for a truce but I am going to ask people in my gang to go and find other people to get in my gang so I can tell my gang to ATTACK then just I can blackmail him even more!!!!! I am going to ask for a fight but I won’t take no for an answer. I am just going to run away like nothing ever happened they will NEVER FIND ME!!! When I run away, I am going to get my gang, if there are any still alive, which I don’t doubt with that filthy boy. I will get my gang together to hurt that boy, maybe even kill him, so let go and say bye to him!!!! 

  Blackmail

… I can’t believe this man won’t let me take his wife. I mean I’m not a pig, am I?  I try to lean in for a smooch and she said NO! No? I just don’t believe it so just like any other man, I hurt her. Then when I finally left, it got me thinking I want to battle him. As I’m walking to his house, I see his animals and of course, I take them, but he’s there and pounces on me so we battle but who wins this fight …… 

Well, he had won and as I’m reading this over, I’m in prison. I know I’m under arrest but to be honest, I myself, don’t believe it. Me in prison? 

Anyway, back to the story, as I’m lying on the floor, his wife came outside and I said (in pain)” hello beautiful.” The next thing I know, I’m getting pulled away by the law men and then the man had said take him away boys. Now there baby has been born and I’m stuck with these losers ..but what will happen next, we just don’t know………

FORBIDDEN LOVE [ PART 1] 

In 1601, I met a girl called Elizabeth. She was a part of the Reiver family. When we saw each other, I instantly fell in love. Her eyes were like a blue ocean. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, my heart was skipping a beat. We talked about our life, it lasted hours and a spark appeared in my heart. We instantly made a connection, I could tell she was getting a spark. The next day, I knocked on their door, Elizabeth’s father answered, but he said, “get lost! You can’t be with my daughter, you’re an Armstrong, while we are Bells so don’t come back!” “Can I at least see her one last time?” I pleaded …. He said, “get lost!”

He pushed me and he said, “if you don’t go there will be consequences.”

I snuck around behind the house and Elizabeth came out and she said, “I can’t be with you anymore.”

I said, “I have a plan. Tonight, I’ll climb up a tree and I’ll knock on your window and you’ll come out and we’ll run away and not care what anyone thinks.”

She agreed and we arranged to meet at dusk. 

The next night, I knocked on the window and Elizabeth climbed out and we carefully got down and then we rode away into the sunset ….. 

FORBIDDEN LOVE [ PART 2 ] 

7 Years later, Elizabeth and I had 2 children called William, who is 4 years old and we had Beatrice, who is 1 year old. We lived near a lake and a farm, we had 3 neighbours so the population was 27 people. We were quite wealthy like everyone else around the area so we had loads of animals – sometimes William likes to play with the dogs. One day, on March 4^th 1608, we got a letter. We all thought it was a good letter until we read it, apparently another family wants to take our land! Over my dead body! When we were reading it more, I realized it was Elizabeth’s family. They want more land, power and people. But I will not let them do that, unless we make an alliance with them. Quickly, I sent them a letter:

Dear Elizabeth’s family, I would like to make an alliance with you. Please send a letter back with your opinion and answer. 1week later… I got a letter from Elizabeth’s family and I opened up the letter and they said… YES! As soon as they said yes, our territory would merge to this.

4 months later…

Our alliance started to crumble                                                                             so at dawn, we planned a murder. 

Scheming at midnight, we decided we would kill the leader of the other people then we shall take all of the resources ….. 

The next night, we sneaked in and got ready to kill. Blood was everywhere and he was pale like the moon, his flesh was everywhere and his blood smothered on all of our faces.

Ollie

In Northumberland, there once lived a man who was a farmer. He lived a happy life with his wife and unborn baby. Every day was great until today. I’m the neighbour who is going to find out what is going on with the man. The man was farming, when one day when all of a sudden, a filthy, unhygienic man with piggy eyes came to him and said, “who are you?”

“None of your business, all you need to know is that I’m here to take one of your animals every month and I will take care of them. If you refuse we will burn your house down.”

“Fine,” said the man. “Good you better have one every month.”

The man didn’t understand what happened but he knows that he will be in danger. After the filthy person, who is known to be a reiver told his wife. The wife said, “what on earth are you talking about? I don’t know myself but I know that we are in danger.”

A few months passed since the reiver encounter. Me and the man and the other neighbours are not doing well because we only have a few animals left each. The wife’s man went to buy some bread when she ran into the reiver. The reiver went up to her and tried to kiss her. The wife pushed him into the mud. She got hurt by the reiver’s crew. She came home shaking and crying. “What is wrong?” panicked the man. 

“Him,” she said, “he hurt me.”

The man already knew who it was so she sent her away to go live with her dad to keep her safe. The man teamed up with the neighbours including me to fight the reviers. “How are we going to do that?” I said. “We are going to steal from them,” said the man. 

“I doubt that. Now stop trying to do the impossible things in the world. You’re just desperate to get your animals back,” I said.

“You do know that your house will get burn down if you stay,” he replied.

“Fine, let’s do it. Are you sure this will work?” I said. 

“Of course,” he replied confidently.

We arrived at the camps and we stole long swords, pistols, axes, every thing and we were ready for battle. Blood scattered everywhere. Piles of bodies everywhere. Fighting everywhere. Headless bodies were spread all around the field. Hardly any green grass, no blue sky, just smoke and fire. During the battle, I died as a hero. We won but I was buried 2 weeks later. The man saw his son for the first time. 

400 years later, I’m still here watching over the world, watching the people who are just like the reivers.