Washing Machine

• Cai Pitman, Grade 4, Mount Claremont Primary School
• Short Story
• 2013

2nd in the 'Summertime Fun 2013/2014' competition

This is it. The night. The night I do it. I’m hiding in the washing machine. Why? Because my babysitter, Tammy, specifically told me not to.
She didn’t say why. So I decided I would.
Suddenly someone opens the lid. The person chucked clothes in. Then I heard something that sounded like BEEP BEEP BOOP BEEP! I didn’t know what it was but I was certain R2-D2 wasn’t in my house.
Nothing happened for a second. Then suddenly the whole world was spinning around in circles. Jets of water started squirting all around me. I held the edge of the machine but it didn’t stop. I saw something. My pocket rug, my faithful rug which I’ve had since I was four. I grabbed him and curled up to him. The water was up to my knees. Now my mouth. Now my hair!
I’m going to drown. None of the clothes seem to care. I can feel it. I’m running out of air.
Suddenly, all of the water drains. I’m soaking. The person lifts the lid. It’s Tammy.
“I told you not to hide in there! C’mon, let’s get upstairs and have your shower,” she says.
“No need,” I say grinning. “I already have!”