Falling

• Max Westwood, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2016

There he was. Up high above the ground. Climbing, scaling the building. Mum calling, he didn’t even blink it’s like he couldn’t hear us or anyone. It’s like he was being called to do it. My brother, my identical twin brother. I can’t believe it. Well it’s sort of like him to do something like this. Going out of his way to cause trouble. It’s unfair so unfair all the attention was on him. No not his top of the class twin brother. It’s always him. Just last week he got five detentions and I couldn’t join the school council because they thought I was my brother, I hate looking alike.

Next move mum was staring through me as if I was supposed to do something. Move------ you got an A in physical education. She wanted me to risk my life for him. In my head I questioned why you didn’t call the fire brigade. I knew the answer. You see we weren’t the richest people in the world but it meant we could enjoy the little things in life rather than wanting everything that ever existed. Mum couldn’t afford a phone ever since dad left and now James my identical twin brother was worse than ever because dad always new a way to calm him down.

So after twenty minutes of arguing I gave in and started the long journey high into the sky, never ending step after step. As I climbed I called up to James. This time he answered. “Stay back, go home”. “Not without you,” I insisted. As I reached James he shouted, “This is where I want to be with no problems at all”, and he slammed his heel into my hand. Now I’m hanging by a thread, gripping on to my life with one hand until the blisters prove too much for me, it felt like my hand was going to fall off. I let go. It was too much pain to hold on. Then blackness.

The blackness faded, I was in a bed rushing somewhere. I tried to read the signs but my eyelids were heavily weighted. But I did managed to read one sign, the one that I wanted to read as I dashed through the most humongous doors I had ever seen. The sign read EMERGENCY ROOM.

Now only now did I feel the pain in my arms, legs and head, everywhere hurt as the pain was as severe as you could imagine. My eyes still heavy however I managed to open them and see James standing in the corner of the room and mum and dad standing leaning over me. Dad is here, he sees me open my eyes. Thank you I said painfully to him. I will stay here or go whatever you want. It was then that I realized no matter who it is we should show respect and be grateful for what we have.