Dangerous

• Rachael Knowles, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2011

It’s dangerous on this island. However, right now everything is calm. As I lay and watch the sun disappear like a child pulling the covers over their head trying to sleep, I sigh. The warm breeze, the soft melody of birds, the rolling waves washing ashore, the feeling of the cool sand on my tail. I close my eyes and roll over. This is home.
Something rattled in the bushes behind me. My eyes flew open. A loud noise split the silence, someone yelling in a language I couldn’t understand. Flipping onto my feet, I growled and backed away slowly. Four tall shadows leapt from the dense forest. In their hands they held long metal pipes. One lifted its tube to their eye. My mind went blank; my only thought was one word...Run.

I bolted through the forest, pushing through the thick undergrowth. I could hear their heavy footsteps slamming onto the ground. I couldn’t tell how close they were. There was no time to turn around, no time to stop. I flew through the forest. What did they want? Why are they after me? What are they?

I dug my claws into the trunk of home tree; the largest tree at the heart of the island. Slinking along a branch, I could see them. They had stopped. They searched and searched, their eyes pierced the forest. One moved closer towards home tree, I crept forward to see him. He had spotted my claw marks. I leaned closer; a leaf fell and drifted slowly towards the ground. They saw the leaf and quietly pointed their pipes up into the canopy of home tree, trying to find me. I ran and leapt into another tree, scrambling down it, I catapulted myself through the forest desperate to escape.

I slid to a stop, the hunters’ only metres behind. I was leading them to my home, to my cubs. My heart was thumping in my chest, I could hear them gaining on me. I changed direction and ran for my life.
I could see a clearing up ahead. It was a tribe ground, I had heard of native tribes that inhabit the island but I had never once come across one. The wild screams of the hunters were coming closer. I had no choice but to hide.


“IDIOTS!” I screamed my face bright red
“Sorry boss.”
“That jaguar would’ve made me rich and you lost it! You imbeciles WILL find it or I’ll feed you to it and it’s little family!” Furiously I turned and strode into my tent.
As I entered, I heard a growl. I tiptoed to the gun cabinet and looked behind it. She was stunning, a fully gown female. My lips curled upwards and I smiled for the first time since 1985.
She stopped growling, leaned back and...Pounced.