Caged Freedom

• Erin Cadogan-cowper, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2018

There had been a time where life was good. The sun would shine, the grass would grow and beautiful flowers would bloom. The morning breeze was like god himself was wrapping his long, outstretched arms around you. You were safe, happy.

I sometimes wonder if I will ever see the sun shine, the moon glow, the grass grow or those beautiful blue flowers bloom ever again. It seems that the only relief or happiness I will ever feel for the rest of my life is knowing that in this lifetime, things cannot get any worse.
I sometimes look up to smoky brown sky, and think "Maybe just beyond the horizon, over the bombed hills, the men with guns, the planes that drop bombs, away from all this misery, I will find happiness."

"We will be leaving on a boat soon. We will be free once more." says father.

But how can I be happy or feel free when I have to leave my house, my home, my friends, and my family all behind. I peer out of the smashed front window. Women with bruised faces and children with sad faces walk past and dare not speak any words. There are no words left to speak.

My sore face leans against the dirty blankets. The persistent voice in my head chants the same sentence over and over: "we will be free soon. We will be free soon. We WILL be free soon."

The next morning I am awakened by mother. The sun is only just beginning to rise, but we have to leave before the men with guns see us. I gather my only worldly possession. A doll made from dried grass.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Father ushers us into a car. I don't know the man driving us. He looks scary. But he is helping us, I hope. The road below is dirt and gravel. This makes for a very bumpy trip. After many hours of driving we arrive next to a pier. Hundreds of men, women and children alike scream and yell. A woman is pried apart from her baby. I want to cry. I don't want to be on that ship but I have no choice.

I felt lost and confused. The endless sea of people on this horrible boat, circling like sharks. We've been on the boat for ages. Weeks. I saw the boat men throw children off. They dangled a baby over the side and only gave it back after the father agreed to pay more.

Finally! An island! Is this Australia? Is this home? Is this freedom? I get excited. Some white men in uniform put us on a different boat. I don't know what is happening. I see a sign as we step foot onto the island.

Manus island

This can't be freedom. Cages everywhere. Fences and barbed wire. I thought we were going to be free. Does nobody care? Is nowhere safe? My eyes close.

"I want to go home. I want to go home!"