A Bittersweet Drop

• Madi Pavlovic, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2016

The blinding sun burnt the soil beneath my toes. The soil made my shoes burn and my toes sweaty. It seemed impossible to find a creature not known to mankind.
“It seems for hours we have been exploring for this creature in this forest,” whined Georgia. “This is possibly an endangered species! Of course it is going to be hard. Just keep hydrated and stop whining!” I yelled.
We kept walking slowly for another two hours under the burning sun.
“Let’s go home. It’s been an exhausting day!” I whispered.
We walked another kilometer until we reached home.
“Mmm. I can smell a roast.” I said after a while.
“Can’t wait.” Georgia said with delight.
The roast was chicken. The aroma made me starving and made my tummy rumble like thunder. The taste was sweet, with thick and smooth gravy in my mouth.
“Mama, great roast. Ten out often,” I announced to the dinner table.
I lay peacefully in my bed looking up at the bland white ceiling. My peaceful thoughts drifting me into a dream. I close my eyelids. I fall into a forest with trees as high as my house. With a trickling river leading to a huge and colourful waterfall. Grasslands at the bottom of the waterfall with a swing, hung by a huge bumpy tree. I shuffled to the swing. Though, as I got closer, two piercing eyes were staring into mine, it charged at me! I stayed still not knowing what to do and...
“Madi. Wake up. Wake up!” Georgia said in a peaceful voice. “Quickly, there is a bushfire!” “The animals. We must save them... and bring the hose!” I replied in an apprehensive voice. We raced into the forest. I was sweating, like a waterfall.
“Look there’s a koala and a brown snake. Quickly, call wildlife!” I screech.
Then I see two piercing eyes gazing into mine. It had three short legs with black fur. It had beautiful brown eyes. It was injured and dripping blood like a flowing waterfall.
I walk up to the creature. I reach my hand out. It’s shaking with goose bumps. I am as pale as icy snow. I touch its soft cloud like fur. It hesitates but it lets me continue rubbing. He takes Georgia and I further into the forest.
“Madi, should we be following this creature or stay back?” asked Georgia.
“Yes, let’s follow it. We might find a way to save the animals,” I replied.
Everything in my dream comes true. A swing hung by a bumpy tree! I don’t know what to think. I run like a rippling river back to the house for the hose. Someone had forgotten it! I carried its heavy weight back into the forest. The wildlife arrives to help us put out the fire.
A bittersweet miracle happens. Big, fat raindrops fall and put the fire out. All the animals run back into the forest, all except the creature. It died. I cry fat tears. I will call the creature a Calapho.