Once Upon A Time...I Think?
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Elsie Giddings , Grade 7, Redbank Plains State High School
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Short Story
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2016
Excellence Award in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition
I sit in my big chair reading my book and think of John, my big brother who is really strong and tall, he's outside herding all the animals into the barn. My mummy is in the kitchen cooking tea and daddy might never come home. I know mummy is breaking inside although she holds it together for us. It's not fair that daddy has to go to war over someone else's problem. Oh, the year is 1916.
Mummy and I are setting the table as John walks in the door holding this strange girls arm, I think to myself why is this girl in our house? She's wearing some really strange clothes so I don't think she's from around here. Before I can think again, mummy has taken John into the other room to talk to him, presumably about the girl. I can see she is trying to listen in, that's so rude! Mummy and John emerge from the parlour and mummy says that she can stay the night, which surprises me.
After tea, I decided to talk to the girl so I lead her into the lounge room, which is more comfortable. I try to put her at ease but I'm pretty nervous myself.
"Umm...hi, I'm Melissa," I say as calmly as I can.
"Okay sweet, I'm Victoria Stewart," she says with a warm smile.
"What are you doing?" Victoria asks.
"I'm just writing in my diary," I reply.
Suddenly there is a loud wailing noise and I know the sound. I wish I didn't but I do and my heart plummets, the shrill sound hurts my ears. Immediately we quickly run for the back door to the air raid shelter at the bottom of the garden. I remember daddy building it a couple of years ago, although he hoped we never need to use it. I glance over to my disbelief John is helping Victoria to the shelter leaving me to trip over the stone son the ground. I throw my diary into the air so I can catch my fall, I wish I didn't because that. Was the last thing daddy gave me. I see that Victoria catches it and runs into the shelter. I feel terrible but John runs back to help me. I grab his hand then I feel a harsh push of force hit over me and instantly my back is burning and I fall to the ground. From the corner of my eye, I see mummy running towards us and the shelter.
I feel cold and empty. The last thing I see is the sky and stars, it's peaceful as all my pain has gone away. I can't see her, but I can hear mummy screaming then everything goes black and I feel so alone. I don't know what happened to John but I'm pretty sure mummy will be okay. The question running through my mind is, will I ever be okay again?