Bat

• Maddeson Howie, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2010

BAT
I was lying under the stars on a gorgeous summer night. Hi I'm Juliet O'neal and I am 12 years old. I have lived in this town since I was born in the back seat of our old van [my mum isn't good at planning]. As I starred up at the night sky studded with pinpoints of light, a bat passed over. It was a very small bat and I began to love it. Suddenly as though someone was switching off the light I was plunged into darness. At first I thought I had gone blind I tried to yell for my mum but all that came out was a series of clicks. I was a bat!!!!! A sense of freedom erupted over my fear; I could go ANYWHERE and no-one would know. I clicked a couple more times to pinpoint my location. I was just above the lake so I swooped until I touched the surface and I skimmed over, this was wonderful, this was FUN!!! I clicked a couple more times to let out the feeling and I became aware of the dark shape behind me, it was a hawk. I was Insantly pelting over the lake at top-speed to avoid those razor sharp tallons. As I headed for my former body sitting there like an empty shell I was ejected from my bat-body and I was sitting in my own once more. I instanty sat up in time to see a minute bat enter a tiny hollow at top speed. I gave a sigh of relief, it was OK.

I decided to keep my little adventure secret, lest I get carted off to the mad house! 6 years have past since that night and I still remember it as vividly as though it had just happened.