I Miss The Noise

• D'arcy Lowther, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2014

I miss the noise. The lights and cars. How could we move to such a small place? I’m not a farmer boy like these kids. I will never fit in. Dad says I’m just going to have to learn to cope.My name is Jordan and I come from Sydney. And now I’m living in this rusty tin shed. My dad never should have gone gambling that night. We lost everything. The farmer that owns it doesn't know we are here yet. I am sure he will find out soon though. The noise Beth is making could bring a house down. Beth is my little sister. She is still only 13 months old. She cries because she's hungry. In fact none of us have had food for a while now. Mum is getting particularly frail.
Dad has a plan. He is going to have to catch and kill the farmers flock. We are squatting on his property and he mustn't know we are here. So at midnight dad and I will go hunting. I am quite scared but I must be brave. “It'll be fine” whispers dad.

“Are you ready?” I ask Dad nervously. “No Jords, there is no such thing as ready anymore” Dad replies. This shocks me. Usually dad is an incredibly positive man. I guess this whole going broke situation doesn't help his attitude. “I can see the flock ahead!” I shout to dad. I slowly crawl through the grass trying not to make any noise. Dad has different plans though. He runs at the sheep trying to separate the lamb from their mothers. The lambs run towards me and I manage to grab two of them by the leg. “QUICK” he yells. I chase after him in the direction of the tin shed.

When I finally arrive at the hut I notice mum crying. “What’s wrong mum? We have food” I say. “Ahhh, Jords you see..... Beth has been mauled by a fox” he replies solemnly. “The fox *sniff* got in, whilst *weep* I was asleep” Mum says through sniffs. Tears start running down my eyes. It suddenly hits me. All this has happened due to the bush! I hate it! I miss the city. I miss my sister.
“Oi, what are you lot do’n on ma property?!?” a man screams. He steps out from the shadows. It’s the farmer! He sees the two lambs. But then he notices my sister. “What happened to youse?” he says sympathetically.

I run through the whole story and the farmer decides only to caution us. He and his wife house us for 2 months until dad has the self-esteem to get a job. The farmers loan us some money for a proper funeral for Beth. They have shown that bush people have hearts. I think I like the bush more than before. The people. The silence. And the serenity. The bush is now my home.