Farm Fiasco

• Tarini Samarasinghe, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2014

It was the school holidays and Tarini Samarasinghe’s family had decided to go to Walksbury Farm. They would stay there for a week as it was a colossal mass of land. It had a nature reserve and a tour program for children. Tarini and her sisters, Jade and Cass, had enrolled themselves into the tour.
“Oh my gosh!” exclaimed Jade excitedly. “I’ve never been on a tour before!” Jade was only seven years old but quite enthusiastic. Twelve year old Cass warned her. “We must be careful. I’ll bring the first-aid kit.” As soon as they finished packing their bags, the family hurried to the stocked SUV.
Finally, the girls’ dad parked the car and shouted, “We’re here!” The girls piled out of the car like the copycats that jumped blindly into the water. But instead of drowning, Tarini cut her leg on a sharp stick. “Ooowww!” she wailed. Blood flowed in every direction. “Good thing I brought the first-aid kit” smiled Cass as she bandaged up the wound. “Come on, don’t waste time” urged her mum.
So the girls ran to the farm and into the rabbit house. A sign read: 8 rabbits, 2 months old. They were born on the 16th of January 2014. But there were only seven! Tarini had a strange feeling and she was usually right about her strange feelings.
The next day, the tour took them to the rabbits. The guide read the sign with a confused look. Tarini and some of the other kids counted the rabbits, but there were six. “Something strange is going on,” whispered Tarini to Cass. “I smell a rat,” she agreed.

After the tour, Tarini and her sisters decided to play. They were euphoric when they saw a dancing peacock. Next they played tips. But when Cass was ‘it’ she said “Sshh, I hear fire.” But when they peeked behind a tree, there was a man, in fact, a tramp. He had a stick and bundle. He looked rather famished. Tarini saw a tangled rabbit beside the fire. Without warning, she walked out from behind the tree to introduce herself.
“Hello. My name is Tarini. I am pleased to meet you…” “Billy” replied the tramp. What would happen next? Jade and Cass held their breath like football supporters when their team was about to score. “What’s cooking? asked Tarini, pointing to the fire. “None of your business” snapped the man angrily. But Jade crept behind the tramp and peered into the fire. They’re rabbits she thought.
When Tarini walked to her sisters behind the tree, they held a meeting. “The same rabbit that is missing from the rabbit house is in the fire!” said Jade. “The man didn’t seem polite. He didn’t want us around.” muttered Tarini. “He must be eating the rabbits. He did look quite ravenous.” suggested Cass. “I’ll call the police.”
The police gave the man a chicken salad and took the un-eaten rabbit to the rabbit house. The farmer was very pleased.