Fastest Shopper Ever

• George Abou-Sleiman, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

Tommie was running. Why was he running you ask? It started with a barbecue. Not a normal barbecue. A barbecue perfectly planned for his father to impress his new boss. This morning his father had told him that they needed a new gas canister for the barbecue today and he would be the one to fetch it from the shop down the road while his father was at work. Tommie had been foolish, he had let his laziness consume him and stated to himself that he would rest for five minutes before going. But by the time five minutes had passed he was fast asleep. Only to be awoken by the flailing form of his sister, who angrily informed him that he had ten minutes to get the canister before his father would return. So that's why his feet were tearing up the grass as houses blurred around him. He had to be back in time. He forbid himself to think of the alternative.
Half way down his lungs started to complain to him, but he ignored them. He could see the road now, he thought of stopping to check if there were any cars, but he didn't have the time. His feet hit the pavement. Before long he had reached the other side of the road, he quickly slammed the shop doors open as he entered.
He found the canister and saw the price, 25 dollars, he dug like a wombat into his pocket and saw how much money he had in his possession. Yes! He had 30 dollars.
Tommie emptied his pockets onto the nearest counter, not caring that he over paid. He then started running once more. He closed his eyes as he crossed the road, and mentally sighed when he reached the other side. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw his father's car turning up the street. With a car behind it which would be his dad's boss's. He ducked under a bush and waited. Once the cars were gone, he went to get up, but nothing happened. His legs were tired. He considered giving up, he could apologise later. He would rest for five minutes.
NO. He mentally slapped himself. He was Aussie, and while Aussies are lazy, they still stand up for what matters. What matters now is getting this canister back in time. He quickly stood up and ran. He was surprised when his house was coming into view. He ran through the garage and heard Ezar yell, "What's that over there?" While his pop and his pop’s boss were distracted, he slid to a stop right next to the barbecue and put the canister down on the ground. He'd done it. The impossible.
Hours later, his father pulled him aside for a word, "Just looked in the cupboard and saw that we did have a spare canister, guess ya went to the shop for nothing."
Tommie did nothing, except let out a big, heavy sigh.