Under The Haystack

• Hayley Smith, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2007

“Mum,” called Anna, “I’m going to see Grandma.” Tammy didn’t have time to say yes, because Anna was out the door in a flash. Tammy was busy cleaning the house while Anna’s dad Mark was out on the farm.
When Anna arrived at her Grandma’s she said to her Grandma, “can you take me to the farm? Mum is busy cleaning the house.” Anna’s Grandma replied, “well I suppose so, but ring your mother and tell her.” So Anna did as she was told. Anna called out to her Grandma, “mum said yes we can go.” Grandma yelled out to Anna from the back room, “go and jump in the car love, I will be there shortly.
Later when they arrived at the farm, Anna and her Grandma met Mark, Anna’s dad. Mark said, “do you two want to feed the cows? The haystack is over there in that old brown rusty shed.” Anna replied, “yes, can we feed the cows Grandma?” Anna’s Grandma said, “if you like sweetheart,” so off they went.
As Anna and her Grandma arrived at the old brown rusty shed in the old tractor, Anna’s Grandma slowly adjusted the hayforks on the tractor to pick up the hay bail. As they picked it up, they saw a dull, blue scary mask lying on the ground. Anna screamed, “what, what is that, is that what I think it is?” It is a mask. Anna’s Grandma got out of the tractor and picked it up. When she picked it up, she noticed that it began to quiver. Anna’s Grandma screamed and jumped back into the tractor, and called the Police, the Police turned up in a flash. The Police said, “we will have to take it back and run some tests and just for the record who owns this farm?” Anna said, “my dad, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” The Police said, “its okay we just need it for our records.” Anna was relieved.
When Mark, Anna’s dad turned up they told him what had happened. He was so surprised that they had found a mask in the old brown rusty shed. “Well we had better go home,” said dad. Mark dropped Anna’s Grandma off, and then he drove them back to their house.
Half an hour later the Police arrived and said, “we are offering you $3000 for finding the mask that was stolen from the museum. People have been looking for this mask for over 20 years. Mark and Tammy were so pleased to know where the mask had come from. Tammy said, “We will donate the mask and money back to the museum.” The officer said, “that would be great.”
From that day on, Anna loved going to the farm with her Grandma and wondering whether they would ever find something as mysterious as the mask.