Safe And Sound

• Antonio Gonzalez, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

As I open my eyes, I notice I’m not where I feel asleep. It’s dark and stormy, I feel wet and hear the sound of rain and cars; I begin to feel cold and scared.

As my eyes adjust, I see light shining down from above me. My body hidden in the shadows, I reach out towards the light and realize how close the wall is as my fingers graze over damp concrete.

I start to feel claustrophobic, I’m surrounded by tall grey walls, I feel water rising up to my chest, I look up and soon realize where I am…… I’m in a storm drain.

Thoughts of fear overwhelm me. “What am I doing here? How did I get here? What’s going on?

HELP!?! MUM? MUM?” I scream as loud as I can, but the sound of cars passing above me drowns out my cries for help.

Suddenly I hear a voice. “Hey Sarge, the father confessed; said his son is in a drain along this road. You know it’s been raining heavily for hours, these drains are going to fill up; if he’s down here he’s going to drown! We better move quickly”.

I continue to scream out as the policemen walked by, their footsteps were so close and the light from their torches glistened off the drainage gate.

“HELP ME! I’M DOWN HERE!” I scream in desperation, coughing as water begins to fill into my mouth. The policeman lifted the grate above me and I managed to pull myself up and out of the drain.

“Sarge? Is tha-…” the officers’ voice fades away.

“Oh Doug....it is……the poor kid; he didn’t stand a chance”.

Horror coursed through my body. I’m standing next to the policemen looking down into the drain and
see MYSELF!! My body is swollen and bruised. There is a huge gash on my forehead and my eyes, puffy and black are closed – am I…..DEAD??!

The ambulance arrived, its headlights blinding my sight. Two people came towards me and I could hear
their voices in my head telling me they are Angels; before I know it, they’re holding my hand and I’m rising into the air. “You are going to Heaven”, the Angels say, “but we must enter through the gates first.”

A feeling of relief and happiness fills my entire body; did they just say Heaven?!?

The figure of a man approaches me, “you are safe my son”, his voice so soft and calming; He reaches to take my hand, “You will never have to fear anything again”.

I was looking into the eyes of Jesus as I see my whole life flash by me, right up until the moment my dad beat me…to death. But standing before Jesus there was not a bruise on me; my skin was clean and pure; I was in white robes just like Jesus was wearing. I never felt more safe and unafraid in my entire life as I walked with Him through the gates of Heaven.