Saving Mary-Ann

• Georgia Braam , Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

I wake up to the screaming of my baby brother Arthur , my back aches with pain,stabbing me in my spine. I get up from the rough, rock-ribbed ground, I hadn't slept all night, I check on Arthur I think he is hungry, I tell Mother I'm going to the village to fetch some food. I start walking, I look down at my feet, filthy with dirt and mud. I hadn't had a good wash in years, or another change of clothes. I get to the village market, I slip a bread stick and some barely for Arthur. I start racing home, but trip on a lifted piece of concrete. I look up and see a tall shadow beaming over my body, my bread rolls out of my pocket of my coat.


I feel his strong hand grab hold of my arm, I kick and scream "Mum,Mum!!!" tears run down my face. " You know what happens when you steal, you suffer the consequences, Move it kid" He leads me threw the village, and the untouched forest to the Kings castle. I enter threw the wooden doors. I see a long line of people young and old waiting to be executed. I see a young mother waiting with her two children, the knight pushes me into the line, "Wait there,'and when you're called upon walk up to the blocks." I didn't know how but I wasn't going to die like this, I looked
for any doors that weren't being guarded by the guards but nothing. The only option for my family was to steal otherwise we would starve, but Ive never been caught.



Out of the corner of my eye I see a young knight that I recognised, he looked like a boy I used to play with when I was younger, he makes his way threw the crowd of people "Hello there you wouldn't happen to be Mary-Ann would you?" It was him I couldn't quit remember his name, "Um yes that's me" I say, " Ive never known of a peasant boy who had become a knight before."
"Well when my father died I had nobody, I ran away and found the King, he raised me as one of his own he said I reminded him of his son who died from the flu." He continued "My dream had always been to become a knight and so I did with a little bit of help"
"Well that's a great story but I'm about to loose my life, could you help me get out of here"
He took my hand, "Walk with me" we walked to the front gate past the guards with no harm, "Now run home quickly!" He says "Thank you" I say. I run past the castle walls and threw the Forrest, I come home to my family and give her a big hug, " I was so worried" she burst into tears. If only he knew how thankful I was.