Ned Kelly's Assassination

• Marcus Orszaczki, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2014

He hides in the crevice of a large grey rock with a small tree consuming him in a dark shadow. His cloak is velvet black concealing his body down to his shins. He is short maybe 5:10 and very agile. If you looked closely you would see a scar partially concealed by shadow running from the right side of his mouth to his ear. He has two blades hidden in his sleeves. While he waits he twirls the blades around his fingers.
It was dark but the moon lit the clearing ahead with a pale luminescent. There was a layer of fog hovering above the clearing and some of the moisture had fallen upon the rocks.
The assassin lay in wait hidden by shadows. He was startled when he heard the sound of metal hitting metal and knew that Jim was nearby. Rustling in the bushes. Jim emerges limping and constantly looking behind him. He was wearing his armour but it had three distinct bullet holes evenly disturbed around his chest. Through the visor of his helmet you could see his eyes darting from side to side.
The assassin stands up swiftly and looks for weakness in Jim’s armour. The assassin sets his sights on a gap in the armour just above his shoulder. He jumps but slips at the last second due to the moisture on the rocks. He plummets down and hits the ground hard. He is startled but quick to react. He jumps back up. Jim, completely oblivious to his presence until now draws his gun and fires at the assassin’s chest. The assassin, still startled, dodges but the bullet just nicks his shoulder and pain surges through his whole body. The assassin now injured rolls directly at Jim breaking his defence. He quickly draws his hidden blade and swiftly plunges it into Jim’s flesh. As he pulls the blade out Jim slumps to the ground at the assassin’s feet. As he lay there, the life slowly draining out of him, Jim whispers one last sentence “She’ll get you”.
The assassin standing alone in the clearing with Jim’s dead body at his feet now wonders why Ned was running. Suddenly the silence is shattered by rustling in the bushes. A figure emerges from the bush dressed in white. They swiftly draw their gun and fire straight at the assassin’s head. BANG. Darkness...