I Am For You

• Sachin Kubsad, Grade 8, Corinda State High School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Word Zone 2016' competition

Ty moved like a hawk scavenging for food through the streets. He caught a glimpse of a scrapped piece of paper nearly torn off a metal rod by the sundering breeze. Scrawled on the charred scraps was a message so concerning that Ty barely breathed through reading it. Ty scooped up the sign and his eyes welled in tears. He left the sign and wandered towards home.
Rain pounded the hut. The hut roof was imbued with water and still leaking in a few places. “Time for dinner Ty,” called Al pulling out leftovers. Ty came rushing forward but approached reluctantly. “Father, you have to eat with me”.
“No, no I’m not hungry,” Al replied. The well-built, strong and caring Ty wondered why they had to live like this. He thought about the sign and his eyes welled in tears once more. He knew it was the only way. It had to be done he thought. It had to be done. It was hope. It burned in him, a wild and infuriated blaze etching each calligraphy letter in his mind. Visible outside, very far away, was the glinting tooth of the pole offering its scrapped notice to passers-by and there also, was the bold figure of Ty drawing towards it.
Al ambled ardently awaiting Ty. Suddenly, a note pinned under the straw ceiling caught his attention. He skimmed the note with Ty’s simple words and shock and horror came flooding through him. Perturbed thoughts danced in his vision, “Why, oh why!” Al cried to the world. He crashed to the floor spilling out countless emotions which had erupted from within.
Somewhere in a foreign land valiant Ty trudged up the horizon, alienated by his surroundings. Cascading from the sky were explosions and smoke from gunfire seemed to shroud the world. Knowing only that his beloved Al was distant, Ty strode as a soldier seeing other’s fate and his own, before his very eyes.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Al aroused to the rattling noise radiating through the hut; he swallowed hard, ignoring the knot in his stomach as he reluctantly forced himself to move. Scared of what he might find, Al peered through the ajar door to find Ty. “Ty, Ty!” Al exclaimed but to his horror he found Ty badly wounded in blood and soot before him. The sky started to cry and in moments it was heavily showering in tears. Ty stumbled and faltered, falling to the floor. The tears were washing the blood and cleansing the wounds. “Father, you must go on without me…” Ty rasped as Al wept over him clutching his hands.
Soon the rain began to lift, sweeping up the pain and revealing a beautiful orange streaked sky. In Ty’s hands were riches left for Al. Al noted the sign once more: Call to army, reward - $10000 to recruits. With this Al received the bag and seemed to melt away into the light simmering over the vast horizon.