My Bush Adventure

• Hannah Slade, Grade 4, All Saints Primary School
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'Write As Rain 2014' competition

“HELP!” Oh, why did I get myself into this mess? Stuck in a tree, clinging to a slippery branch, too far away for anyone to hear my call.

This all started this morning when I decided I was bored at home on the farm, and needed some adventure. Mum and Dad were busy with the animals, and Joe, my big brother, was too attached to his computer, so off I went for a walk in the bush.

At first I wasn’t concerned at all. I was just enjoying looking at everything around me. Then I realised that I had not brought any food or water with me, and I didn’t know where I was.

Back at the farm, Mum and Dad noticed that I was missing and started to panic. “Joe, have you seen Izzy?” asked Mum. He hadn’t, so they all started looking for me.

By this time, I was really starting to worry and my stomach was telling me I was starving. To make things worse, it started to rain. I kept walking and searching for something that would lead me to home, but all the trees looked exactly the same.

Then I stumbled across a rocky cave. I was so relieved that I’d found shelter. Well at first anyway. Suddenly I heard a screeching noise. It got louder and louder and then I felt something brush my face. I went shrieking out of the cave with a swarm of bats just on my tail.

Then I saw a tree that I learned about in science. It is called the bat tree because bats don’t like it. It has leaves that are poisonous to bats. I dragged my body up through the branches of the tree until I found one that would hold my weight.

So that’s how I ended up here in a tree. I thought I was going to be stuck up here forever.

“WOOF, WOOF!’’ What’s that? Oh no! Not another wild animal! “Haoooooo!” “Aaaah!” I screamed. There it is! A shadow is approaching! “Woof!” Wait. Is that Rover? “Woof! Woof!” “Mum! Dad!” I yelled at the top of my voice. “Izzy!” I heard Mum call out. I climbed down and Mum gave me a big hug. So did Dad and Joe.

I’m so glad to be back on the farm. Having an adventure sounded like a lot of fun, but for the moment I think I’ll just stay home.