The A Secret Side Of The Olympics

• Megan Delaney , Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2016

The news came as a shock to all of us, but then again, no one was really surprised at the announcement. A year after the London Olympics we were awaiting the news of the next host nation, Brazil however, was the last one on everybody's minds. This wasn't something my family was overly pleased with. Actually, that is some what of an extreme understatement. My family were not the richest in the town, however, we weren't the poorest, for that we were thankful. We were educated well, we had a good family and we as children did our best to help out around the house but our parents still struggled financially. The news of multi-million dollar stadiums being erected all over Rio didn't go down well in our house. Then the news of more debt on the horizon destroyed my mother. She was usually good at handling stress, but this was different somehow, and everyone could sense it. Even the two little ones Clara and Anna.
" It's ridiculous!" I heard my mother say. " We are here clutching at straws to survive, working two jobs each, constantly living off donations, doing our best for this country and for what? So the government can blow all their cash on some stadium! It's utter madness!". My sister Clara and I tried to console our parents out of their anger and frustration but to no avail, for it soon became apparent that it wasn't just our family that's was in disagreement with the news.
Out on the streets we heard some sort of commotion, not uncommon however, but soon we heard the sounds of screaming, load chants and violence scenes were occurring down the small passage ways. Suddenly our house seemed to be a place of haven. This combustion of people was soon to be brought to a halt when the police arrived. Following the announcement of the next host city, reporters had arrived in the favela of Brazil which was something the authorities do not want them to see. The sooner this excitement was under control the better.
The police arrived at the scene but the commotion failed to halt. The violence increased and it was becoming unsafe in our own home. This was not a one off event, however. Run ins with the police were not uncommon in these parts, but they never go for this length of time. We began to worry. With another three years until the games commencement, the violence was sure to grow. With every second that passed we grew more and more concerned, worried, afraid. Something we were sure to be for a while to come.