Unexpected Casualty

• Lauren Darcy, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2017

“When will this day end?” June thought to herself and groaned inwardly. The first week of the school year was always the hardest. She was eager to get out on the field and snap a few photos with her brand new camera, which she received for her birthday. The teacher seemed to be talking nonsense as the time ticked on closer and closer to 3:00.
“Can’t you let us go early?” a kid sitting near June complained. The teacher looked down at the kid along her thin nose.
“Of course not. School goes for six hours, we will make it six hours. Not five hours and fifty-nine minutes!” June rested her head in her hands. As soon as she did that though, the bell rang and girls and boys alike rushed to the door as fast as possible.
June immediately ventured to her locker and put away books she wouldn’t need and pulled out her new camera. She ran outside to the field. Living in the country has its perks; the wheat tickled her exposed legs and the smell wafted through the air. Without realising it, she had walked all the way across the field and to the residential end of the farm. Farmhouses and barns were spread out like bad butter on some bread, and some farm animals were grazing on grass. The light clucking of chickens could be heard in the distance.
June headed to the first house and started taking pictures of the vintage and rusted woods and metals of the barn. The farmhouse next to it looked brand new, and an old lady was sitting on her porch knitting a pair of pants. She didn’t notice, but the old lady was picking up her telephone. June decided to avoid her and just move to the next house. This house wasn’t as new, but no one was on the porch so she could take a picture of the house. June walked to each house, and as June reached the last house, which was further away from the others than she expected, she gasped. It looked as old as the dinosaurs, with rotten wood falling from the overhang on the porch. June stepped onto the porch and a loud creak filled the air. The door swung wide open, attached to the house by a single screw. The windows seemed to be broken on every side of the house. Cautiously she stepped into the old house and was met with the most rotten smell you could think of. A trail of red stuff led from the door to the living room. June followed the trail with her camera at the ready, and almost dropped it in shock from what she saw.
“A DEAD BODY?” she shrieked. “Wha- why?”
The sound of tires on the dirt stopped June from doing anything.
“Stop! You’re under arrest!”
The Police. Along with that little old lady knitting some pants.