Views From The Antique Window

• Leah Bell, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2009

As I make my way over to the antique window, I can hear people laughing, yelling and crying. A party, perhaps? I open the old window and the rusty, brass handles squeak like a petrified mouse about to be eaten by a hungry cat. I gasp as a dark-green creature flashes across the window ledge. I look very closely to see that it is a tiny lizard. Out of the corner of my right eye I notice something else on the window ledge. Two dusty, used, white candles that are put together to make the number ‘22’. They look like they stood on a birthday cake many years ago.

I go back to what I was here for in the first place, to see what is going on outside. A pale bride with long, wavy, brown hair is standing hand in hand with a groom who has bright red flames for hair. The bride’s dress is simple, just plain white and long. The wedding is simple, too. Just a garden wedding in a backyard. There are young children climbing the old tree that has been there forever.

As I watch them climbing, I notice a spooky-looking cat with fur as black as a night sky without stars. It is sitting in the long window of one of the ancient apartments across the road. Its beady, bright emerald eyes are staring at me, not blinking for a second. I feel a shiver move down my spine as I try to pull my eyes away from the strange cat, who seems to be watching my every move. I look closely at one man wearing a thick, black cloak at the wedding. He must be boiling wearing that cloak. I feel warm in my shorts and t-shirt just looking at him in the hot sun.

The beach that is about 200 metres away looks so inviting today. The crystal blue water sparkles as the sun beats down on it. A bit further away from the beach are the tall, grey skyscrapers of the busy city. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have an office so high up from the ground. The view from one of the many windows would be amazing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash. There is a photographer at the wedding, snapping away at the overjoyed newlyweds. There’s a table with delicious on it at the back. I suddenly feel hungry as I look at the carefully decorated cakes, the chocolate biscuits and the fruit in the colours of the rainbow.

All of that heavy rain over the weekend has made the front garden healthy again. There are bright pink, red and purple flowers blooming everywhere. The little pond has a bit more water in it too. The brilliantly coloured birds who like to sit in the bushes are back as well.

I feel like going outside on such a beautiful day, so I walk away happily from the antique window.