Kangaroo Catapult

• Elijah Coppola, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2015

Hunter’s feet crunched as he ran through the dirt of the park. Anne took her hat off. “Hunter can you slow down its 2:00pm and its boiling!” Hunter, Anne and their dad stopped at a tall fence. “Look at this!” Hunter said pointing to the kangaroos lazing about in the hot sun. “Kangaroos!” Hunter started to mount the fence but his dad stopped him. “Come on dad, I want to touch them!” Hunter complained sulkily. Dad shook his head “They could be dangerous” Hunter sat down on the dirt. He wished he never showed them the kangaroos. That was, until he saw a hole in the gate. Hunter smiled to himself. Maybe He could touch the kangaroos.
As Anne and dad walked away. Hunter smirked to himself; finally it was just he and the kangaroos. Hunter squeezed through the small hole. He saw a light brown kangaroo sitting under an oak tree. Hunter excitedly began walking up to the kangaroo. As he was walking he saw another kangaroo that was sleeping. He chuckled to himself and jumped on the kangaroos tail. Suddenly the kangaroo’s eyes snapped open and kicked his back legs. Unfortunately Hunter was behind the kangaroo, he went flying up in the air and hit the tree the other kangaroo was lying on. THUDD! Hunter screeched in pain. He clung onto the tree as tight as he could. Under him was a kangaroo! Hunter suddenly got a splinter and let go of the tree, he dropped on the Kangaroo. The kangaroo hopped around the tall green grass with Hunter clinging to him. Hunter closed his eyes tightly. He didn't dare open them. “HEELLPPP MEEEEEEE” He shrieked. But no one was around.
Hunter was bumping up and down wildly ‘I can’t hold on much longer, He worried. The kangaroo suddenly stopped, Hunter hurls forward and went flying through the air. BANG! He hit the ground with a thud. Hunter looked around but he couldn't find Anne or dad anywhere! As he slowly stood up he realised he was face to face with a kangaroo! The kangaroo stared at him, dazed. Hunter took a few steps back the kangaroo jumped closer. Hunter froze. He held his breath and closed his eyes tightly. Fear slithered through Hunter like a boa constrictor, winding its way around his heart until he could no longer move... no longer breathe. The kangaroo came right up nose to nose then quickly jumped away. He breathed a sigh of relief, with tears in his eyes hunter painfully began to trudge back to the gate and collapsed.
Hunter woke up to his dad shaking him "are you ok? Hunter suddenly remembered what happened. "Yeah " he muttered through a weak smile. On the way home dad started to say," I forgot to tell you, I spoke to someone who works here... " Anne interrupted him " THEY SAID WE CAN MEET KANGAROOS!" She screamed excitedly "Do you want to, do you want to?" Hunters face dropped "NO!"