Landing At Gallipoli

• Jake Roberts, Grade 6C
• Short Story
• 2011

The sirens screeched as I lay unconscious on the ground. I was then awoken by the sound of gun shots in my ears as body’s drop beside me . I managed to struggle to get to my feet. The sea breeze blew from the ocean but the bullet fire made smoke from the dirt around me. My body was propelled backwards into the water. A sharp pain ran through my chest as I lay in the water unable to move. Paralysed from pain. My vision began to blur and my lungs lost the air they once possessed and where filled with water. I could see a faint figure approaching me reaching down at me. The silhouettes hand broke through the thin sheet of water above me. I felt its hand grasp around my shirt and pulled me up. My lungs were filling with air and the water splattered out of my mouth and trickled down my chin. My vision began to clear and I could identify my saviour from the shallow depths of the ocean but there was no time for thanks we were standing in a battlefield and were being attacked by enemy fire. The dust swarmed up from the ground and surrounded me from the bullets hitting ground. I could barely see a metre in front of me in any direction. I turned to the left and ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I burst through the barrier of dust and ran towards my brothers in arms. A couple of them had taken cover behind an overhanging rock from the side of the mountain. I ran towards them. Struggling to safety. My face began to change and I began to smile, for I was not expecting to survive this battle. but I wasn’t at safety yet. My legs began to tire and my feet were overheating. The rock was further away than I had planned. I almost collapsed but I urged myself to continue running. The Turkish fire did not stop or even slow. It was as if they had an endless supply of ammo. I felt a sharp pain run through my body then I dropped to the ground struggling on the ground unable to get back up. My pack was to heavy and my wound hurt greatly every time I moved. I held my hands over my wound and kept pressure on it. My vision began to blur. This time no one came to help me this time. I lay there waiting for my eyes to close. I turned my head to watch my fellow comrades collapse to the ground under enemy fire. I closed my eyes and dreamt of back home on the farm and working on the trains. My vision began to fade and I was surrounded by darkness………