Family From Afar
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Chelsea Wardley, Grade 6
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Short Story
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2015
About 20 years ago at 11:27am on the 8th of August 1995, Rose my wife and Carry my daughter, left to go to the shop to get some lunch and never returned.
I was looking after my 5 month old granddaughter, Susie then the ground started violently shaking. I try to call Rose and Carry, but there was no answer. I realize I can do nothing until the earthquake is over. I wait, anxiously holding Susie. I go outside to see if any damage has been done I freeze with confusion as everything is ruined except my old wooden cottage.
I walk in and sit down and think to myself there is no way Rose and Carrey have survived. I suddenly start to feel sick as my worst nightmare has come true.
I put Susie in her cot and have a lie down .Then someone knocks at the door it is my friends Earl and Nancy. Nancy was screaming in agony because she had shards of glass in her arm. I run and get my first aid kit while Earl sits down on the couch with her. Earl calms her down and fixes her up until a professional comes.
Susie started crying so I went and picked her up and rocked her, she fell back asleep, I laid her back down. Someone knocked at the door, it was a police officer, he said I had to go with him to the city to identify 2 bodies, that are believed to be Rose and Carrey.
I went In and grabbed Susie. I told Nancy and Earl they could stay. then the police drove me to the city. When I got there they put me in a waiting room with Susie next to me in her pram. They called my name. I walk down a long corridor. They pointed to a room I wheeled Susie into the room and all I can hear is the squeak of Susie’s pram wheel. I look at the bodies and burst into tears. A woman comes in and said they were found under the shop roof.
I fell to the ground crying thinking my life will never be the same. The nurses helped me up and took me to a hospital bed. They gave me a check-up to make sure I was ok after the earthquake. I was fine but to make sure they gave me a blood test about 2 hours later a nurse came in and said I’m fine then she said the police are going to take me home. Earl and Nancy were still there.
Nancy had her arm bandaged up, a doctor from the city came and did it. Earl asked me if it was Rose and Carry I said in a depressed voice “Yes.” I went and put Susie down for a nap then I told Earl and Nancy the whole story.
6 Years Later
It was time for Susie to start school, I took her to class and met her teacher. She seemed very understanding about how Susie is sensitive about talking about mums. Susie got home at 4:05 off the bus stop. She sat on the couch and turned her favourite TV show on and fell asleep.
2 Years Later
I started to get very sick and found out I have cancer.
Susie
12 years later on my 20th birthday granddad fainted and got rushed to hospital in an ambulance, I followed. When I got there he told me there’s a present under his bed. Then I hear an ongoing beeping sound nurses run in and try to resuscitate him. But he didn’t make it. I cried myself to sleep that night .The next day I looked at the book and realized my life will never be the same again.