Pandemonium At The Fair

• Max Gilmour, Grade 2, Wagga Wagga Christian College
• Short Story
• 2022

Excellence Award in the 'Unleashed 2022' competition

‘Oh no I’m going to be late for school!’ thought Zac, panicking as he turned right to take a shortcut. His plan was to stop the bus at the next intersection by waving his hands around like a mad octopus. Today was the wooooooooorst day to miss the bus because Zac’s class was going to the fair. Zac saw the speeding bus and leapt in front. The bus driver slammed on the brakes and all the kids fell out of their seat like ten pins. When Zac got on the bus the bus driver’s face was bright red. He yelled loudly at Zac all the way to the fair.
Zac and his friends nearly tripped down the stairs in excitement as they hopped off the bus. “Look at that game over there” said Zac grinning. “It says if you catch five ducks you can win a prize!” They went straight over to the game and grabbed a fishing rod so they could start catching. On Zac’s fifth duck something strange happened. He was about to get a prize when he saw a metal duck floating towards him. It said on the side, ‘worth six ducks’.
‘That means I get two prizes.’ thought Zac. He imagined himself getting two prizes. He would get the zombie and the dinosaur. As he caught the metal duck, Zac looked up at the prize toys only to notice the zombie toy wasn’t there anymore. Zac looked around and noticed his backpack was gone. Out of the corner of his eye, Zac saw the zombie running away with his backpack! At the same time the metal duck had jumped out of the water and tied Zac’s shoelaces together. “Ahhhhh,” screamed Zac as he fell over. He untied his shoelaces and started to run after the zombie. The metal duck shouted at Zac “Leave my friend alone!”
Zac didn’t listen to the metal duck, even though he thought it weird that it was talking. In all the commotion Zac didn’t realise he was running straight for an ice cream cart. He did not have time to stop and he slammed into the cart. It felt like he’d belly flopped into the pool. Ice cream went everywhere. The Zombie was climbing into one of the baskets on the Ferris Wheel. ‘Oh no, the Zombie is getting away!’ thought Zac.
“Hurry up Zac, we have to go now” yelled Mrs Brown, Zac’s teacher. “No Mrs Brown, the zombie has my backpack!” replied Zac. “Stop lying. Hurry up or you’ll be on detention for a week” Mrs Brown said angrily.
Zac didn’t listen to another word Mrs Brown said. This wasn’t a good strategy because Mrs Brown came over and grabbed Zac by the back of his shirt lifting him high into the air and carrying him all the way to the bus.
Zac was so annoyed. He spent a week in detention, the zombie had taken his backpack, and he didn’t get his dinosaur prize.