Death Mountains

• Courtney Hutchinson, Grade 7
• Poetry
• 2007

Emily was waling along the river when she heard a loud bang. Her father and Emily stopped; all of a sudden a man appeared, dressed in black, a balaclava covering his face. “Get out of here Emily” her father roared. “But dad” she questioned. He roared again.
Emily darted behind some bushes and waited, listening to the quiet murmuring of the two men, BANG! Shots were fired, Emily waited until the strange man had run past then she hurried over to her father. “Dad, are you okay?” She asked but he didn’t reply. “Dad” she whispered. “Call an ambulance” he gasped.
Emily and her mother waited in the dull waiting room at the hospital hopeful the doctor would bring them some good news. Her mother hadn’t spoken to her, the silence was indicating she blamed Emily for what had happened. Emily was still puzzled about her mother’s thoughts when the doctor walked in. “Mrs Montana” he called. “Your husband is extremely ill and needs the rare afalafical flower.” “We’ll get it,” Emily’s mother told him. “Uh see that’s the problem, the last flower is locked in the tomb at the top of the mountains” he explained.
Emily’s realisation of the situation had suddenly sunk in; the doctors long white coat and the crisp smell of sterile mixed in with the sweet smell of jelly beans given out to the younger children to ease the pain.
Once Emily was home and in bed she dazed into a dream like state. It seemed like god was telling her to get the flower and it completely freaked her out! Should she do it? It was kind of insane but she felt the strong urge to save her father.
Crikey! It was seven in the morning and already the pressure was mounting up, she had to remain calm. She took a deep breath and climbed out of bed as she hurriedly got ready for school.
At the end of her school day Emily was dashing at the door when she bumped into her mother. “What are you doing here?” they both shouted at the same time. “I’m going up to the mountains” Emily immediately blurted out. For some strange reason Emily knew that in her heart she had to pursue this.
“What?” her mother questioned. “I’m going to the ….” “I heard you the first time,” she retorted. “Then why did you say what for?” Emily asked. “Don’t be cheeky” her mother insisted. “Fine!” I sulked, “But I’m still going.” “No you’re not!” her mother demanded as she stormed away.
Later that night as the sun set and the stars had littered the night sky, Emily hurried passed the snoring green eyed monster (her mother) and dashed out the door. Thankfully the mountains were just at the end of her road and Emily had no trouble in reaching her destination. She pulled on a set of woolly black gloves and began to hike up the mountain. She was almost up the mountain when she collapsed groaning in agony on the hard icy snow. Her vision blurred and silhouettes of her father came flooding back. She opened her eyes, her vision still blurry, but it was the snow that was making her vision blurry. Or was she going crazy? The colour from her face began to slowly drain as her father walked up to her then slowly faded into the distance leaving Emily to freeze in the mountains.