The Storm

• Mitchell Russell, Grade 4, Jamieson Primary School
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'Write As Rain 2014' competition

The Storm By Mitchell Russell

BOOM! The thunder rumbled all around me. Water was rushing down the hill. The heavy rain poured down. Suddenly it was black…… what happened? I realized the power had gone out.
I grabbed a torch and ran out to Mum. She was standing by some candles lighting them. I walked over to the window and shone the torch out. The ground was all muddy, sticks and leaves were everywhere. I GASPED as I saw that the bottom of the hill was flooded. More and more water was making it come higher and higher up the hill! I knew that it would never reach us, but the houses at the bottom of the hill would be under water.
Suddenly there was a great bang as a tree beside our house fell over and bounced down the hill splashing into the mucky water!
What could we do, our road was flooded and dad had the boat up in Shepparton. We turned on the battery radio to hear the storm reports. That’s when I looked out the window and saw an orange flashing light. As it came into the dim light of the house I realized it was an SES boat. Mum and I hurried into the bedroom of my little brother and sister. I woke up Tom while mum picked up Lisa and carried her to the door. I was feeling scared but excited as well.
Two days later I was sitting in front of a small heater next to my brother and sister, feeling safe inside the refuge centre. I was beginning to get hungry so walked over to a small table with fruit and grabbed a small red apple. I sadly looked around at all the traumatised people. It was hard to see, because of the power cut.
Suddenly there was a flash and all the lights turned on and a radio crackled to life. It was the weather report!
“Residents of Jamieson, you are now lucky because your storm has just about past.” I couldn’t believe it, we had survived the worst of it. Soon we would be at home and safe.
The next morning we woke to the sound of birds chirping their happy songs. Tom was already up and eating brekkie, Lisa was sitting on mums lap. People were coughing and everyone was huddled up in blankets. I hurried over to the big doors and went outside to get some fresh air. I gasped as I saw the amount of damage there was, rooves were caved in and upturned cars lay over the cracked, filthy road! Shredded trees covered the dirty ground!
Nature at her worst!