Vengeance.

• Amy Taylor, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2012

As I watched the lone figure on the castle rooftop, I wondered, how did it come to this? Then I remembered. They ruined my childhood. I used to love working in the fields with my brothers and sisters, my mum inside cooking and my dad looking after the livestock. They were good times.
Determination clenches my heart. I feel like shouting, YOU, YOU killed my family and now I am coming. But for now I stay silent, strengthening my resolve by remembering The Day. The Day my old life disappeared forever. The Day the soldiers on the king’s orders, ransacked my village.
It all began as usual. I was woken up at the crack of dawn and had a quick breakfast of half a piece of bread. As I started to head out to the fields, my mum called out and told me I was cooking with her today. I was pleasantly surprised as usually my two older sisters were with her.
By the time the sun was high in the sky I had made five loaves of bread and mum had made eight. Unfortunately we had to sell twelve so we could buy other things we needed like knives and string at the market.
The market was the centre of activity on Saturdays, for the rest of the week it was more like a ghost town. ‘Hey sharp shooter.’ someone yelled. I grimaced. My reputation as the best archer in town was well deserved, as a few years ago a soldier came to our village and challenged us to an archery competition. I only won because my dad made brilliant bows and I practised whenever I had spare time.
As we were walking home from the market I sensed something was wrong. No one ran out to greet us as we neared our house and opened the door. What happened next will haunt me forever.
I heard the whistle of ban arrow flying past and the dull thunk as it hit my mum in the back. I ran outside and climbed the nearest tree as quickly as I could. I watched with horror as my mum’s body was dragged out of our house and tossed onto a cart with the bodies of the rest of my family. Then they raised the king’s flag, stuck it in the ground and started to head out towards the rest of the village.
I don’t know how long I waited in that old, oak tree, but I didn’t come down until it started raining. I got my bow and with the thunder in my ears, vowed revenge on the king who murdered my family.
Three years later, here I am about to take revenge. My bow is aimed at the man I hate so much. ‘Do I really have what it takes?’ I asked myself quietly. I thought once more of my family’s early death. Yes. I drew back the bow and fired.