Dreamy

• Jorja Wicks, Grade 6, Toowoomba East State School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Word Zone 2016' competition

As I sat at my desk writing out relatively easy maths problems and muttering the answers to myself, I wondered 'What would it be like to live in the past, or be a science chemical, or start life as an adult and work back in stages to become a baby?' Okay. That last one was a little weird, but I still thought it. I have to admit, I'm a really big day-dreamer during the boring classes - even though I love school. It's almost as if I'm asleep...
...I was startled by the sound of a loud, blaring bell. It was the school's fire bell! Mrs Wellg, a skinny, healthy-looking woman with a kind face and a kind heart, was trying to reassure everyone and assemble them into two straight lines, but because of the worry, the lines looked more like snakes. I was worried too, but I knew there was no point panicking - that would probably make things worse. Mrs Wellg would be pleased with me for that.
As teachers ushered their class members out and walked them towards the oval, classroom 5 was alight with bright, burning, red sparks all shimmering off the solitary building like fairy dust. So it wasn't a drill. I thought it might have been and I had missed the message. It was 2.45 - 15 minutes until home time. Mrs Wellg marked the roll. Megan Sunny was missing...
...This is bad. This is very bad. Megan's classroom was classroom 5 - the smouldering, ash-covered, wooden building.
The neon yellow clothed firemen finally arrived and rescued Megan. Her right leg and left arm were severely burnt and needed immediate attention. Her classroom was soaking wet with the normally light-coloured carpet now dark from the gushes of water and the pretty exterior now a pile of ashes. Concerned parents were beginning to arrive and soon the bell sounded.
Suddenly I'm looking at my maths problems.
Am I awake for real this time?
I am looking out at classroom 5, the building is burnt almost to the ground and Mrs Wellg is discussing the fete to raise money for the rebuilding of the school's eyesore. I am running my fingers over the raised scars covering my right leg and left arm.