Radio

• Indianna Sutton, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2012

Summer is meant to be a time of happiness, excitement and joyful children with rosy, pink cheeks running around the garden. Summer at the moment to me is like a stormy, depressing day and as dark as a black hole

It's quiet without dad. Neither mum nor I are as lively. As soon as it happened my life turned upside down and it still hasn't recovered. I feel sorry for mum. She knew and loved him more than anyone. Dad's parents were already dead. Mum's parents didn't like him so they show any compassion. I don't help either. Mum is calm and can keep her temper. I take after dad. All of my sorrows come out in anger when I talk to mum. I often hear her crying at night, it isn't as loud as it was once, but I still don't enjoy it. I still cry at night. I don't enjoy that either.

11 Months Earlier

Bill Cartwright stretches his hairy arm over from the steering wheel to turn off the radio.
“No! That's my favourite song, dad!” His thirteen year old daughter, Amanda yells as the off button was pressed.
“It's too loud, darl.” He whines, smiling. “I remember when music wasn't as... well, unusual as this, it was all blues and jazz. And no one had it up as loud as you do!”
Amanda reaches from the back of the car to turn the radio back on, she turns the volume knob up five notches, then says to her father,“Look, because I'm nice, I'll turn it down a bit for you.”
She grabs the knob once again and turns it down one notch. She smiles, satisfied. Bill laughs, seeing what she had done and played along, “Oh thank you darl, you are so kind.”

Reaching the school, Amanda jumps out of the car, excited at seeing her friends. She spots one of them and says to her father, “Oh, dad, there's Em, do you mind just waiting five more minuets, I want to show you something that she's got.” Bill watches as she runs over to her friend and sees that they're already busy talking. He beeps the horn. Amanda looks back, says something to her friend then runs back to her father.
“Sorry dad, she didn't get to bring it, can I show you next time?”
“Sure darl, see ya, love ya.”
Amanda rolls her eyes. Bill drives out of the school's car park and round the corner. Amanda runs back to her friend and starts chatting away, and walks to class as the bell goes.

As Bill drives around the next corner onto a highway, he is almost blinded by a bright light coming from straight ahead.

Only one driver tried to stop their car. It was the driver that suffered the most from it. The ambulance didn't get there in time. They say the radio was still on when they found him.