A Black Day

• Omar Khouta, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2010

The smoke is intense, the fire is raging, I am hoping not to burn my coat like fur. The fire is now slowly heading towards me, I feel helpless towards it as I lay upon the branch of the eucalyptus. I’ve lain on this eucalyptus since the day I was born. Its branches, a beautiful shade of tan and green together with the richness of the juicy leaves. It is like heaven, could it be lost? The air is heavy I am finding it very hard to breathe, is my life at the pinnacle of ending? What is that sound, it doesn’t sound familiar. Could it be others screaming and yelling. Could this be affecting others? My eyes feel heavy, the heat is too intense, my breath is fading, am I destined to die now…..?
Where am I? I can feel tubes running down my body, a…am I blind, I fail to see anything, could this be it. I closed my eyes in dismay. I can feel water in my eyes. Could eucalyptus that I’ve lived on for all of my life been turned to ashes? From a shade of tan and green, to absolute black? I want my home…..


Max, the koala.