Bad Move

• Madeline Zotter, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2010

Peter was terrified I could see it in the way he moved his arms around. Jessica was worried I noticed it in the way she frowned and her blue eyes narrowed.
I had never dealt with a child with aspergis before let alone lost in the bush. With my heart racing, I could not think of ways to calm peter down.
I was not the only one there Jessica, Hannah and Julia were there all freaking out just as much as I was.
Were in a small clearing looking around thinking how we had lost the track. All I could think about was what will happen if we never get out?
I was sweating from the heat. The sweat stung the cuts which covered my legs. We had been scrambling all over the side the mountain since Julia led us off track.
We had thrown away all our backpacks and equipment because it was too steep to carry then. Although we had kept our water, we were running out.
We had been following the track when Julia said “I’ve been on this track before come I’ll show you a shortcut!” We all followed joking that if we got lost we were going to her first.
As we walked on Julia soon realized we were lost but pretended to know what she was doing. When we passed the same termite for the third time I knew we were lost.
“Were lost aren’t we” said Peter. This is when peter started shaking and swearing at Julia.
I was worried and did not know what to do when Julia burst into tears. I watched as Hannah’s face grew bolder until she broke out into a very shaky scream. “Why are you crying you are the one who got us lost to start with” she screamed franticly.
As I looked around thinking of things we could do I noticed a very empty and bare creek which went in the direction on a distant clearing. I remember dad saying “ it is helpful to follow a creek when lost in the bush”.
As I told the group they decided to give it a go.
In my mind all I could think about was if something happened would it be my fault? After an hour of walking and arguing we saw a clearing and from the clearing we could the girl guides camp all we had to do now was get there.
One by one we walked in a single file line and were on flat ground but now what? There was a road on the outside of the grass and I could tell Peter really wanted to go home.
I was cut and bleeding and Julia was white and faint.
Just then a car came along the road, the man took the others but refused me cause I was bleeding .
What seemed like minutes a car came whizzing around the corner inside was Peter’s dad and my mum, I was so relieved!