War & Weddings

• Lara Campbell, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2012

Once, a little girl Hedwig Yop was as scared as a mouse. She was petrified. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Then she looked out her window. Her neighbourhood was gone, all gone.
In the year 1939, there was a war. A big war. Everyone was scared, especially Hedwig. One night she got ready for bed. She said her goodnights and she tiredly climbed into bed and very slowly Hedwig fell asleep. She was dreaming of nice things but then she was rudely interrupted by the loudest bang she had ever heard. She screamed and screamed until her mother rushed in to comfort her. The two ladies took a walk and Hedwig’s mother explained about how they would have to go and live in the woods for a while. “If we stay here, people will come and hurt you and that’s the last thing I want.” She had said. “Go back to bed. Goodnight Hedwig.”
The next morning, her big family packed their bags for the journey ahead of them. Hedwig the youngest of them all was very scared but in those days children weren’t allowed to be scared. Hedwig kissed her house goodbye and they set off on their journey.
They walked and walked and finally they got to the woods. They set up camp and slowly it became dark. Hedwig lay there all night thinking what would happen the next day.
A couple of weeks past and it was time to go home. She was so happy to leave that horrible, dirty place. As she waked home, she and her family began to realise that their neighbourhood was gone, all gone. Hedwig’s friends that she had played with on the street had disappeared, her house was gone and even some of her family had disappeared and she never saw them again.
Year passed and the war had ended. Hedwig was much happier with her life at this stage. She was engaged to an English soldier named Arthur Edwards. Her family was safe and she just had her birthday.
Finally, her wedding day came and she put on her wedding dress which was made out of Arthur’s war parachute. She walked down the aisle with her father. They said their vows and there and then they knew they were meant to be together forever.
I am the great granddaughter of this Hedwig Yop and I’m proud to know her.