New Things

• Stephanie Valler, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2013

I’m sick or at least that what it feels like. It’s like I can’t even breath, I want to cry , yet jump up with joy at the same time ,but I don’t because it feels like I’ve got a heart in my head and every time it beats it feels like a fist of pain pounding me in the head. I know it’s only a headache but that’s what it feels like, and now it’s going to get even worse if I don’t tell mum and then she’ll get angry of course but I really don’t care because it’s starting to go away now, but I know it’ll be back.
I want to die, yet I know I’m just tired. You know when you’re really tired, but you just can’t go to sleep yet even though your Mum has told you ten times to go to bed and turn off your light but you have to keep it on just so you can think. That’s what’s happening to me right now.
It’s like I’m in another world when I think or when I’m reading or writing. When I read I am the character even if it is a boy. I feel like I instantly know everything about them because I am them. I wish sometimes that my life was like the characters but then I realise sometimes its better to be me.
I’m running for my life just to get away from the Nazis I grab the syringes from Barney’s pocket and stab them into the Nazis I’m the hero of the town... “Grace! Get down here this instant!” “Coming Mum” “Oh Mum, just when I was getting to the good part, I was reading “Once” by Morris Gleitzman with a few adjustments of my own. “Grace!” “I’m coming Mum” “Now”
I race down the stairs. Why is Mum so angry? The only time that she has gotten this angry is when I have refused to do something and had a tantrum, but I haven’t even done anything close to it. I’ve only just come home and gone straight up to my room and started reading. I didn’t even nag her for some extra food. Things race through my mind. There is only two things I don’t understand, one – why is she so angry and two why is it so urgent?
It all doesn’t make sense. I reach Mum. Phew! false alarm. “Grace” Mum points to my school bag and jacket that are lying on the floor. “We moved to Australia to start a new life and we are not starting this again. You will from now on pick up your bag and jacket and take them up to your room and unpack your bag. I take the bag and jacket from Mum’s hand and walk back up to my room and do what Mum said, there’s no point in arguing with her when she is in that kind of mood. I decide not to go back to my book. Instead I lay on the bed thinking. Why did we have to move to Australia, I know Dad and Mum have work to do here but all my friends and relatives’ were back in England. I loved our little town just on the edge of Manchester and the weather there gave me more time to stay inside and lay on my bed and just think and be in my place, where I could just be me and spend time in my own head. I shake my head. No point in getting emotional over things that have already happened. It’s time to move on. I think of a new way to get friends and make good of my time. I decide to ask Mum to see if that nice girl, Sally would like to come to the park to play. We could become friends. After all she was the one who offered to show me around and be my friend for the week when I started school.
We slide down the slide together. Sally has already asked if I could come over later on Saturday and play. Finally things are turning out the way I hoped they would. Maybe I don’t have to visit “my Place” anymore.