Dad's Death

• Aakriti Malhotra, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2016

As I step onto the war battlefield, dirt is smothered into dust. Today’s the day. If I do die in this very battle field today, I know I will have died a hero’s death, a warrior’s death, but most of all, I will have died a dad’s death. As I look up to the clouds, they take form of my son’s face. ‘I will be with you soon, James.’ I think.

Awakening me from pondering, my mate Steve yells, “Pay attention Ben!” Everyone is tense today, especially me. Everyone knows how I feel about James. I also especially hate how he relies on me, and if I do die, he will have no one to talk to. No one to be happy with. No dad to rely on.

I should have listened to Steve. Here I stand, like a fool, still loading my gun, while the enemy force is charging at us. But now…

I’m ready.

I charge at the enemy with all my might. The field is slippery, but I keep running. Nothing is going to stop me now. But something does. I stop short, only to see. To see that a huge bullet has been released. Not at me but to my left. I watch. My lips are pressed tightly together. I watch as Steve falls to the ground in pain. As the earth around him turns into a river of blood. My mind comes back like a shock. I quickly run to him. But I slip and fall. The pain is unbearable. But not anymore important than Steve.
I grab him. “P - P - Please t - t - tell my w - wife, I- I - I’m s - s - sor- sorry.” At that moment, Steve lets out his last breath.
‘I will,” I think. ‘I will, buddy, I will.’

I’m certain nothing is going to defeat me now. Because I will surrender, and the harm coming my way will be demolished. As I walk further on forward, my brain says yes. But my heart says no. The words ring in my head. “Die! Die a hero’s death! Die a warrior’s death! Die a dad’s death! Die! Die! Die!”

“Die a hero’s death!” I repeat. “Die a warrior’s death! Die a dad’s death! Die! Die! Die!”

This time there is no obstacle in my way. I’m no coward to surrender or an unorganised fool. I’m a warrior, a hero and … a dad.

I’m about to fire, when BOOM! Another bullet is released. Not the one from my gun. This time, at me. And before I know it, I’m falling to the ground, a sharp, spiky pain, spreading in my chest, withering in pain. I have to let go, though in my mind, I know that I have died a hero’s death, and a warrior’s death. But most of all… I have died a dad’s death… Before I take my last breath, I look up at the clouds and see James. “Good bye… forever.”