Kathlyn And The Koalas

• Sylvia Zhang, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2016

There lived an eleven-year-old girl named Kathlyn-Rose Sanders. Kathlyn absolutely loved koalas. She had koala duvet covers, koala pencil cases, eucalyptus-scented perfume, and even a koala-ear headband! You name it, Kathlyn had it.

Kathlyn’s family ran an Australian wildlife hospital. This led to Kathlyn’s love for koalas. Mr Sanders often took Kathlyn and her identical twin sister, Kathryn-Anne, with him to help.

One morning, the phone started ringing. It wouldn't stop, so Mrs Sanders picked it up. She was alerted that koalas were in danger in bush areas. Mr Sanders summoned his daughters and drove off in their rescue van.

The Sanders soon reached their destination, and all of them, especially Kathlyn, were shocked! A man was shooting koalas with a bow and arrow! Mr Sanders called the wildlife police immediately.

“Stop right there, you big meanie!” shrieked Kathlyn. The man whipped around, glaring at her. Kathlyn took no notice. “Koalas, koalas, come down. We will take you to a safer habitat,” Kathlyn soothed the koalas while Kathryn kept the man busy, preventing him from harming more koalas. As if they understood her, the frightened koalas scrambled down from the tree and into the crates lined with eucalyptus leaves that Kathlyn was holding out.

Since the koalas needed special care at the wildlife hospital, Mr Sanders briskly loaded the crates into the van. Many koalas were severely injured and quickly had to be treated medically.

The wildlife police arrived soon, and they spotted Kathlyn, who explained, “The man harming koalas is there.” She pointed at him. Straight away, the police started questioning him.

Afterwards, the man was handcuffed and in the back of the police car. The koalas squealed in pain in the crates. “We’d better take them back to the hospital,” Kathryn frowned. “Mum’s waiting.”

Back at home, Mr Sanders noted, “Eight injured koalas and two sick ones, Rosa.”

“Okay Michael, let me see,” replied Mrs Sanders. “Mmm… anything else?”

“No, Mum,” called the twins in unison.

“You’re so identical,” smiled Mrs Sanders.

The family carried the ten scared koalas into the koala nursery. Kathlyn and Kathryn ensured they were not worried of the other koalas. The nurses and veterinarians there would care for the koalas until they were healthy enough to be released back into the Australian bush.

“Our adventure was totally awesome!” Kathlyn grinned afterwards at her mother. “We saved many koalas from certain death and the culprit was captured. What more could a girl ask for?”