War

• Ella Hawes, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2016

I woke up with a tingly feeling. Was something wrong? I started walking down the hallway. But something didn’t seem right. I walked out to the kitchen trying to stay calm. Then I saw mum standing there with her head drooped like a dead flower. I felt like running and hiding under the bed covers but I knew I had to stay. There was dead silence for about 5 minutes until mum could get the courage to speak. “Your brothers gone to war” mum’s voice trembled. “He left last night when you were in bed”. I felt like I was drowning. But I knew he would be ok.
Every day I would get a letter from Nicholas. He would say that he missed us. I miss him to. It’s a lot quieter now. It feels like we are missing something. Something that is in my heart. But at that moment I got the thought. The thought that no one wants to think. What if he didn’t come back? I would be broken. I really don’t want him to get hurt.
As the days drew closer, Nic was due any day now. I was buzzing with excitement. Ding dong. “Mum, his here” I screamed. He was finally back. After 2 months without my brother I have to say I love him even if I don’t show it. With no doubt in my mind, I answered the door. Standing there was someone who looked nothing like my brother. I let him in. He sat himself down on the couch. I got mum. When we had all settled down, he started to speak.
“I bring bad news. I am afraid your brother died”.
My heart sank. I started to cry. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be without him.
Every time I went outside, I could hear his voice saying something but I couldn’t understand him. Instead I counted every drop from the leaking tap. I would always read the letters that Nic use to send me. Then I had a thought. What if he is actually not dead? At that very moment the doorbell rang. So I went to answer the door. When I answered the door, I saw my brother standing there. I thought I was imagining stuff but he was actually real. I let him in and asked what was going on.
“I survived. They all told you I was dead but that is just lies. I almost got killed yes but I hung in there just for you,” he said.
The next week, we had a dinner with the whole family to celebrate. We had roast chicken and potato bake. We ended with the best chocolate mousse. After dinner, Nic had to take a phone call and I followed him but he didn’t know. I listened very carefully.
“Nic you are required here for war again we need you. Do you accept?"