I CAN DO IT

• Grace Terpstra, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2016

It all started one morning, I was lying in bed, listening to the traffic outside and trying to avoid school. Like a typical eleven year old. But as usual mum cam and knocked on the door and yelled “Get up Lily it’s time for school”.
So like a typical eleven year old I ever-so-slowly dragged myself out of bed. I threw on my school uniform, grabbed my bag and ran downstairs for breakfast. Although I was a bit late to catch the bus, I didn’t miss it. I sat next to my best friend Skyla. I sat next to her all day through school since we’re lucky enough to have the same classes.
When it was time to catch the bus home, I noticed that my little sister Carrie was also about to catch the bus. “Hi Carrie, did ya have fun at school today?” I asked giving her a hug. “Nope, we had sports” Carrie mumbled. I laughed, sports is my favourite, I play soccer and I love it, in fact I want to play for the Olympic team! The wind started getting stronger and all of a sudden Carrie’s hat flew off her head and got hurtled through the air and it landed on the road. Carrie ran to get it, but a car was coming right at her. “CARRIE WATCH OUT!” I scream, running into the middle of the road, I give her a big push, and luckily she didn’t get hit. But I had a different story. The car hit me, and then I was out cold.

I woke up in the hospital, my family was standing, crying around me and it wasn’t when I asked to leave the hospital when I realised what had happened. I lost my left leg to save my sister.
When I found out I stared going into deep depression I would barley eat, and I didn’t want to go outside. Outside where kids play soccer and run around on their own two legs. I never really was that grateful for my body parts, but now that I’ve lost one of them I know what it’s like to be without one. But my whole attitude changed when I was sitting, depressed on the couch watching a cooking show, when I accidentally knocked the remote for the tv. It changed channels to the Olympics, but everyone on the tv had missing body parts. Leaping over hurdles riding their bikes, doing things with ease. And that’s when my whole attitude changed. I went to school for the first time since the accident, and whenever I felt like I couldn’t do something I just said firmly to myself, “I can do it”! And I could.
To this day I still dream of being an Olympic player, because I know I can do it. And I play soccer outside with the other kids at my school, weaving in and out of them, with my new fake leg. Why? Because I CAN DO IT!