In The Palms Of The World

• Ayla Williams, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2017

I'm sinking, falling into the deep, dark blue. It feels like I'm being dragged, ready to be eaten. I slowly close my eyes as I hit the hard, sandy bottom. Here I lay, dead, never to be seen again.

For the first time in I don't know how long, I feel hands thumping down like hammers on my chest. I take a long, deep breath and sit up, I flicker my eyes open seeing a scaly beast, she shoves me back to the ground and puts her hands over my eyes which makes me fall into a deep, dark sleep.

My mouth feels cracked and dry and my stomach has a sore, sickly pain. It feels like months since I have had food or water. I flash open my eyes and see the creature swimming ahead, holding me with one of its' pale hands. I look around me, I'm in the deep blue ocean and all around me is the sign of a bright and cheerful place. There are thousands of colourful fish around me swimming through the dancing coral. Wait. What, how is this possible, I'm no fish, this can't be. I rip the creatures' grip from my hand and swim so hard to reach the surface before I fall and drown. It's too late; the creature grabbed me and pulled me down, all the way back to the deep blue sea.

"Ouch, stop, leave me alone." I say as the creature is shoving me, waking me up. "We have arrived at your home dear." The creature says with a shy but confident voice. I stand and she dives into the water leaving me here alone on this island. I turn around and behind me is heaven, there are people around fires, there is food everywhere. I feel safe like I am at home.

Now I have a new family, we live near a lake and go fishing every morning I have two new brothers and a older sister I have lots of friends and we play every day. Thankyou god for giving me a true childhood life, you put me in the palms of the world. Amen.