Do Chocolate Shakes Cause Hallucinations?

• Madeline White, Grade 8, Sacred Heart College
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'Write As Rain 2014' competition

I was laughing, we all were. Tears building up in our eyes as we sat on the stuffy, crowded bus. Our bags threatening to fall off our laps. I stared out the window watching the cars rush past as my friends gossiped and joked all around me. They jostled my shoulder trying to divert my attention back to them. I kept up the pretence that I was overly interested in what they were saying and then minutes later I was back to observing the ongoing vehicles. The others were attempting to catch the attention of those around us where as I like to watch the strangers around me, guessing what is happening, comparing their lives with mine.
Faces and cars blurred past, a happy child, a concentrating driver, a panting dog, until the bus came to a halt. Students piled out onto the grey footpath in a sea of blue, going in separate directions. We headed to the local café in search of a cool drink to satisfy us on the hot, stifling day. As we sipped out frosty milkshakes we talked about the upcoming fancy dress party that was to be held by the school. The plan that day was to buy our costumes from random places around town. The others were non-stop chatting about who was going as what. Although their conversation was mildly interesting, something across the street had caught my eye.
A black car with dark, tinted windows had been hastily parked outside a surf shop and around the corner coming towards it was a young boy accompanied by two men. He looked to be about my brother’s age, 11, and appeared to be struggling. Eventually the boy attempted to cry out but a whack on the head by one of the men seemed to daze him. I rose, trying to alert someone to the situation but the straps of my bag stopped me. Pushing it to one side, I jumped up, only to see my friends’ faces questioning my sanity. I quickly descended back to my seat as they laughed at me, blood rising to my cheeks.
After my “sleepwalking” ordeal (a name later christened by the others) I re-joined the conversation, my attention only wavering at the sound of car doors slamming shut. I looked to my left and saw the black car driving away, the faint outline of a hand spread across the back window. As I turned back around I saw my friends getting ready to leave. I rose from my seat and hauled my school bag over my shoulder, discarding my half empty milkshake. As we walked down the hill my mind kept turning the same question over and over in my head.
What had I just seen?