Unexpected Encounter

• Presley Liauw, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2014

The feeling of pain and anguish clawed at my heels as I ran out of the house towards the bush. Who knew that words on a computer screen could bring so much sorrow? I had been humiliated almost all of my life, but I had never been so affected by the words I found on my Facebook page that morning. I couldn’t believe that someone so cruel existed in this world. How could they do this to someone? For me to be strong then seemed impossible. Those harsh words seemed to follow me like a heavy chain wrapped around my ankle, labelling me for everyone to see.

The night passed me slowly as the bush engulfed me in isolation. I felt breathless as I kept sprinting across the rocky ground. Even though I knew that running away from my problems wouldn’t help, it still felt good to be alone for a while. Time seemed to stop as I stood silently, surrounded by nature.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there in the middle of the bush, so I turned to leave. But I stopped when I saw a cliff overlooking a rushing river. The thought of standing above the Earth somehow appealed to me, so I slowly walked over to the edge.

As I got closer the wind blew at my hair, fresh air rushing into my lungs. I stopped and I imagined myself flying over the cliff. Falling weightless over the cliff would bring a welcome nothingness that I longed for. I walked over to the cliff as if in a trance. But suddenly I stopped.

Right in my path were a mother koala and her baby on her back. The mother’s fur looked singed at the edges, as if it had survived the recent bushfires. She seemed thin and emaciated, and yet her baby appeared healthy.

As the koalas looked fearfully into my eyes, a tear fell down my face. What was I thinking? The thought of throwing my life away, as I had only been contemplating a mere five minutes ago, suddenly disgusted me. How could I put that onto my family? The thought of my little sister suddenly flashed in my mind. How would she cope without me? I couldn’t just give up on her like that.

The sight of those koalas was an unexpected encounter. Who knew what else I might encounter in the days and years ahead? The unforeseen and mysterious encounters that combine to make up the essence of our lives.

I suddenly realised all the beauty this world had to offer. Nothingness couldn’t give me that, but life could. There was so much to see, and so much to do. Was I going to allow those bullies to take that all away from me?

As the sun rose up into the sky, I turned and walked towards the life that awaited me. I would go back and deal with my problems. I would face those bullies and call them out for what they did. If the koalas could survive, then so could I.

An unexpected encounter had saved my life.