Kawak's Truth

• Mia O'dea, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2015

A long way away, in a land of nothing, a small bird flies aimlessly, hoping to find more than dirt.
“Do you ever feel pointless?” asked the bird. As normal, nothing happened. According to his mother, who lost the bird a long time ago, Gaea, the earth mother, would speak to him if he pleaded enough. “Talk to me Gaea! Please! Help me find something beautiful, something other than nothingness!” The bird cried. For a couple moments, nothing happened, and the bird sighed with disappointment. Suddenly, a wise voice rang threw the air.
My young bird, do you ever dream of what lies beyond? Your name is Kawak, which means storm. You have power, young bird, Zeus, show him how.
“Zeus? Who is this? Am I a storm? I am so confused!” Kawak thought miraculously. Lightning thundered through the clouds, and Kawak could swear it said, Concentrate, son of the sky! It was a crazy idea, but Kawak concentrated anyway. A bright light nearly blinded him.
Supernova. You’re doing well, young Kawak. Fly lower, and you will see not dirt.
“Gaea, you have made my day!” Twittered Kawak. Taking Gaea’s advice, he flew down, and found dirt. When he swooped lower, he saw the dirt was only the top of trees! After long years dirt had formed on the tops of the wind-worn flat tops of the bushy trees and fungi. He slipped down a crevice and found himself in a gorgeous garden paradise. Other birds like him danced around the waterfalls and bushes, and some bathed in a clear pool. One bird looked particularly like him, and came near. “Kawak?” said the bird in a feminine voice, which sounded strangely like his mother’s voice. Mother had disappeared ages ago, but could she have disappeared down into this paradise? It was too good to be true. “Mum!” He cried, delighted. Kawak’s luck went downhill from there. The bird had red, fiery eyes, and long talons. “Since when did mother have talons?” wondered Kawak, with a slight fear building up in his stomache. He no longer felt hungry, or tired, but he felt scared, and like he should run.
Not as smart as you think, my prisoner?
The voice of Gaea rung threw the valley, which seemed to be collapsing on itself. The trees changed to tumbling columns of mud, and the waterfalls turned to sand. The birds all turned their heads, which similar fiery eyes and sharp talons. They swooped, and kawak tried to make another super-what-ever-its-called. The voice of Gaea laughed cruelly.
Still not realising? You cannot escape. That puny power was false.
Mother nature, with birds fluttering around her, and flowers in her hair, is the impression used by most people. Think again. Life is never perfect. The birds were coming closer, but the dirt closed in first.
I saw white. “Was that a dream?” The voice sounded familiar. It was a dream.
“BREAKFAST! COME HERE YOU NUTTER!” Wow. What a nice person.