That's A Wrap

• Alexander Miles, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2015

Softly, silently, under cover of darkness, the gently lapping waters of the nearby, meandering stream, swelled. The level rapidly rising, its width, broadening. In blackened skies, only spears of moon beams pierced the gathering clouds. They bore witness to the rapidly increasing danger to those living in the isolated Mill cottage. Danny, his sister Hannah, dog Archie and their Mum had moved into their new home, a week earlier than planned. Mum said, she had made a helpful arrangement, we were too excited to ask what she meant. Semi-circular stone steps, which led to the front door, were hewn from the long since discarded Mill grinding stones. Double arched wooden front doors swung open on rusted, wrought iron, arrow shaped hinges. Beyond the mill house, were endless outbuildings. Some constructed from flint, others from wood. Most were in a seriously ramshackle or derelict state, now all held together by moss and a prayer! So much potential, thought Danny, to house all the pets he had longed to own. What better place for a budding Vet to start his menagerie of ducks, hens, lambs and ponies? This was their perfect ‘forever’ home. On a bright winter’s morning, the views from Danny’s window stretched over a rolling patchwork of farmland to the distant horizon. However, this night, as Danny closed his bedroom curtains, he could scarcely see the ground below there appeared a dark and unpredicted change in the weather. Jumping into bed, Danny pulled his duvet over his head, “a bad storm looming”, he thought as he snuggled down, eyes wide, ears listening hard. Rain and hail beat against the now rattling window panes. The aged wooden Mill wheel creaked and groaned and, after almost a century of turning, several loosened slats clattered loudly in the wild winds. Eventually, from staring into the blackness, his eyelids closed. Gusting, howling winds roared through every crevice of their house. Diagonally falling rain pounded the ground. Metal framed windows, long in need of repair, finally weakened by the relentless beating wind sent shards of glass across the room. Startled by the sound of breaking glass, Danny woke to his room filled with blue and white flashing lights. In panic, as he called for his mum, for Hannah, for anyone to help, he leapt from his bed, stumbling over his incomplete Lego models on the rug. His cries seemingly unheard, he peered through the broken window. A mix of rain and tears blurred his view. Above, a hovering helicopter turned away into the black night sky. Its bright searchlight diminished to a distant speck, its blue tail lights now barely visible. “and cut!”. The film crew gave a spontaneous round of applause. Hannah and Mum cheered, Archie bounded to smother his beloved friend in wet nosed kisses. “Brilliant job” boomed a commanding voice. It continued, “So glad your mum let us return to finish our filming Danny. We just needed that final rain scene. Hope you forgive us for not letting you in on our plan.”