New Life

• William Sala Tenna, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2015

The train thundered down the old, rickety railway tracks into the darkness. The cabin was filled with sleeping passengers, not knowing where their destiny lay. One sleepless passenger, however, lay thinking about the past. He was restless and had not slept in days. One memory haunted him. He feared his new country but desperately needed to leave. His new life was just beginning.
As the night faded into day, excited passengers rose to a lovely breakfast. This one man, however was far too apprehensive to eat. As the train sped towards his new life, he withdrew his forged passport from his black bag, which was filled with the pitiful few things he managed to grab before they came.

The train station was vast; bigger than anything he had seen. The arrogant officer at the gate grabbed his passport and studied it closely. He spoke rapidly to a fellow guard. The fugitive didn’t understand and nervously awaited the guard’s decision. He would be jailed if they discovered it was a forgery. He knew the consequences, but had no choice but to flee.

This man that he fled; well, he was a terrible man. He terrorised the life of many people. Friends, family and workmates. He did awful things to people. Even though he was hundreds miles away, the fugitive knew that he would find him. He felt very insecure.
This man was rich. He would send men to kill him.

He fought painfully not to think of his past. His house bombed. His village just disappearing overnight. All his family was killed. But all they really wanted was his death. His whole family died just for his error he made, even before he met them. He could hardly bear to think about this without crushing sadness washing over his body. Every day he looked at the burnt picture of his family, struggling to comprehend what had happened.

He didn’t dare stay in one place too long, but couldn’t spare the money to buy a room to sleep. These new narrow streets would have to become his new home, his new life. Every day a new street.
There was only one good thing to come out of this.

He was free.

For now.

And so his new life began. Each day was grey and depressing. Trying to hide, not knowing who his friends and foe were. He could talk to no one. He trusted no one. His life was nothing anymore.

But gradually, he began to feel safer. He began to feel a ray of hope deep within him. Months passed. No one came after him. Maybe I can start a real life here. For the first time in ages he began to smile.

Walking and dreaming hopeful thoughts, he almost didn’t feel the sharp pinprick in his arm.

‘Did you really think I’d let you go?’ whispered softly in his ear.

He didn’t have time to cry out before falling into darkness.