I Remember

• Nikita Jarosinski, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2011

I REMEMBER
One morning when the ocean was gentle and the seagulls were chattering, there was I, Jude, sitting on my bed looking dreadfully sad, eating some toast, watching the poppies sway in the wind, on the cliff in Flanders Field. I’m remembering my grandpa who died in World War II. He was the captain. I have to say, he was one of the best, one of the greats. Well, that’s what everyone says. I never knew him. Before the war, he saved a woman from falling off a building and a 3 year old from drowning. He received the gold medal for courage. He was the towns’ hero, even before the war.
So I finished my toast and got changed. With my hands in my pockets I started the walk to the milk bar, kicking pebbles along the way, saying hello to neighbours, they all loved my grandpa. On the way back I stopped and went into Flanders Field. Here we built a memorial for the soldiers who died at war. I stared at my grandpa’s poppy, tears streamed from my eyes, down my cheek and fell onto the poppy.
Suddenly I saw sparkles in the air, I turned to my left and saw a bunch of teenagers lighting firecrackers. I blocked my ears.....”BANG” it shot up in the air...”BANG” again it blew up. My mother came running out and chased them away, “are you OK?”...I replied “I guess so”. She went back inside. One of the teenagers returned, yelled “SOOK”! and ran away. I froze. I was mad. My face turned red. I started yelling and shouting “why me? Why did my grandpa have to die? You don’t know how it feels, my grandpa saved your life”. I ran back inside and slumped on my bed.
The next morning when I awoke, it was Anzac Day April 26th. The whole town was heading to Flanders Field, where we will show remembrance and give thanks to the soldiers who died at war. This was my first year that I get to march holding my grandpa’s war medals. I think my grandpa would be proud.