Paradise

• Chiedza Mashongaika, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2013

It was late in the summer holidays when I went to take my dog out for a walk. My older sister Becky and I went to the park as it’s not far from our house, it’s just down the road. When we got there the park was not as normal as it should be, so I went down to the twirly slide and once I was at the bottom I realised I was somewhere different.

I landed in the middle of paradise and there was a sign that said, ‘Bali, come and join the feast’ I saw some footprints and started following until I got to a feast of food. It was crowded with people so I went to get some food from this table and I ate this pancake, but it’s not the type of one you have for breakfast, it’s this sort of plain one. When I took a bite I saw someone and the face looked familiar from somewhere. That person was following me so I quickly put my pancake in my mouth and started running as fast as I could, luckily I was a really good runner and I was in the school cross country team.

I ran as fast as I could until I reached this Tuk tuk, I climbed in but I remembered that I needed money so I looked in my pocket and saw some but it had changed, I thought it is the money they use in this country. So as soon as we were at a roundabout I landed back at the park that I always walk my dog on.

My sister was there looking for me, as soon as she found me she said she was sick of me. I told her to tell mum that we were at the shop buying some breakfast. So I did as I was told and we went home. As soon as I was home I went in my room and wrote my story in my diary.
When I arrived at school the next day Mrs Rover asked if there was any one who wanted to do show and tell. I said, “Yes!” and I told my class about my adventure. They did not believe me so when it was lunch some people in my class were gossiping about me. Oh well, do you believe me?