The Aftermath

• Ruby Anderson, Grade 9, Ballarat High School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

I stand up; blinking the dust out of my eyes I look around at the destruction. Buildings are destroyed and rubble litters the streets around me. I gasp before finding my voice “Liam!” I yell my voice tearing at my throat. I strain my ears for a reply, but I hear nothing. “No” I sob; he has to be alright he’s the only family I have left. “Liam!” I yell again running down the street, dodging large bits of rubble. He can’t be that far, I was just with him “Liam!” I yell a third time. But this time I hear a reply “Angie!” my heart lifts at his voice “Liam! Where are you?” I yell hopefully. “I’m here” I see a waving arm protruding from a pile of rubble barely ten feet in front of me, I rush forward and begin to dig him out.
After what seems like hours he was free of the rubble, I push back his chocolate coloured curls so like mine. And look into his hazel eyes which are so different from mine (which are blue) and ask “Are you ok?” which is stupid, of course he isn’t ok, look what just happened. “Yeah, Ange I’m ok, are you?” he asks me his face concerned, “I’m fine” I reply “physically at least” he sighs, A tear slowly making its way down his cheek. I feel myself begin to tear up too; ‘no’ I tell myself mentally I vowed never to cry again after that day, I blink away the tears before they can spill.
Liam looks around at all the devastation and closing his eyes briefly, upon opening them he looks back at me and sighs “I want to help them” He says gesturing his hand to all the injured people around us. “I know you do, so do I but” I pause “You know we can’t, this place will be swarming with police soon and...” I leave the sentence hanging in the air because we both know how it ends. “I know, I know” he says, his eyes down cast. I swallow “we have to go, come on” I say grabbing his hand and leading him back towards the car I hoped was still there. We had only walked a little way when Liam stopped walking, I look at him and sigh I know what he’s about to say. He says it every time we have to run, “I don’t want to run anymore Ange” he says once again “I know that, I don’t either” I say. “Then why don’t we stop?” he asks, his eyes imploring “you know why” I say quietly “yeah” he sighs “yeah I know” he takes a deep breath “let’s go.” I nod and we set off again, always going, always
running, never looking back.