Water

• Raphael Roache , Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2015

Water

Adrenaline rushed through my veins. I cleared my mind of all doubts I had about this. “We’re here.” announced the pilot. “Cool!” I said. “Okay, stand up,” the microphone blared “Get ready.” The pilot put the helicopter into hover mode. “Where’s my parachu-“I mumbled, “Think fast?” He answered gleefully. He shoved backwards and out of the open door my life flashed before me but before it finished I slammed into the ground. CRUNCH! “Oooh” I whispered. Slumping on my side, I blanked out.

My instinct when I woke up was to find water instantly, but when I moved, cold water slid over my back. But something deep down was growing. Pain. “ARGH!” The sound came out of my mouth instantly. I realised that the water I fell broke my fall, and my back. I drifted through the water silently, listening to the birds chirp. I saw a bank nearby. I doggy paddled towards it. Suddenly the world around grew with strength. Something reared up behind me. I turned around as an instinct. Stupid me, I thought. I turned back before I got a chance to see what it was. I struggled to the shore, but not stopping at all. Whatever chased had stopped because it probably would have caught me. I heaved myself to the shore, sighing with pain, I slept.

I got up the next day, and crawled to the water and slurped as much up as I could hold. I spotted a small bush; I rushed to it, plucked off a berry and popped in my mouth. Strawberry, I thought. For the next while I sat picking them and chomping them. While I was sitting there, I was struggling to remember how long it takes to heal a broken back. Then it hit me. 8 to 10 weeks with a brace. “N-n-n-no.” I stammered. I shuffled into a sleep.

When I woke I heard voices coming through the forest. I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I stretched out and crawled to try and hear them. Then someone broke into the clearing behind me. “I’ve found him!” the young man shouted behind him. “What’s happened?” I said. He looked at me and said; “You’ve been lost for ten days, son, the whole world is looking.”