The Tides Of Time

• Jessica Walker, Grade 5, Wellers Hill State School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Read Write Repeat 2015' competition

Water streams past my eyes, trickles down the side of my nose and rests on my chin for a moment, before dropping to the ground beside my feet. I love the water. I smile and stare off into the distance where the waves leap up like dolphins before crashing back into the sparkling blue surf, creating white puffy clouds of foam that are taken with the tide until they reach the soft golden sand just meters away from my sinking feet. The beach is my absolute favourite place in the world.

Everything I love most is at the beach. The warm rays of the sun, the fresh salty air, the cheeky seagulls that steal your chips and the interesting sea shells that constantly wash up on the shore line. Surrounded by nothing but beauty, I lose all track of time at beach, or that’s what my mother says anyway.

“Race you to the water’s edge!” I call to my brother. I am not the fastest runner, but this time I will surely win because of my head start. But moments later, a cackling blue blur shoots past me. It is my older brother, in skin tight blue trunks, racing to beat me. He always needs to win everything. He reaches the shore before I can shout, “Cheater!”

Sighing, I slowly walk over to the sparkling water where Harry stands patting himself on his back with pride. “Who cares?” I think. I jump into the crashing waves protecting my eyes from the beaming sun I. I hear a second splash behind me as Harry tumbles into the surf. I start swimming, this race not over yet, I think to myself. Now I’m in with a chance. Unlike running, I am a faster swimmer than my brother. I swim out so far that the people on the beach look like tiny little barnacles on one giant humpback whale. I pull myself up to the surface and gulp a big breath of air into my throbbing lungs.

I wait for my brother’s call, but it doesn't come. I start to become worried. He isn’t able to be seen anywhere, as the waves pull me away from the shore, drowning every last grain of hope inside me. I start to panic. I can’t see my brother and the life guards are too far away to notice such a small, helpless child.

Just as I am losing hope of finding Harry, a loud penetrating voice breaks the silence. “Anna Eliza Wormwood! You have been in that shower for 25 minutes. What on earth are you doing?”

My mother’s words jolt me back into reality. What time is it? The bus! Oh no, not late for school again!