BANG

• Kaitlyn Allan, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2017

The first bomb struck. The ground shook louder than thunder. We were all sitting at the table. Mother and I dived straight under the kitchen table. Father pushed himself off his chair and stood up. Father takes 5 strides to the door then he opens it slowly. It squeals like the demons my father had told me about. “BANG!” Father fell right backwards onto his back. I knew father was strong and would stand back up, but he didn’t. He was lifeless, he was dead. I could see in mother eyes that she knew that too. After that it was bomb after bomb. I couldn’t stand the noise any more. I remember the last bomb the most. I felt a wave of relief wash over my body. I wasn’t so frightened anymore. We waited five or so minutes until mother thought it was safe. I stood up while mother walked to the lounge room. She didn't know any english so I had to speak in my native language and ignore what my teacher had said. I told her “I love you and planes had probably just flown past the village and we were safe now.” I was wrong. Right then and there mother had let her guard down. These people in black clothes came rushing in to our home. I was still in front of the table so I quickly ducked back under. I suspect they didn’t see me, but they saw mother. They grabbed mother and took her away without a care. The rest of the hour was mainly a blur. I remember mother screaming and crying as they dragged her out of the house. I was sure they were going to kill her. I cried for the next hour. But I knew I had to make a choice. To go and risk being killed or stay here with my dead father and wrecked village. I knew which one was right. Most people would be dead so I was no use to them. I decided I had to sleep on it. They probably thought that no-one was left in this house. I snuck up the old broken down staircase I jumped in bed. I tossed and turned for hours, I ended up crying myself to sleep that night.
I woke up around noon, I couldn’t hear the birds chirping like I usually could. I slowly pulled myself out of bed. I snuck out to the kitchen. I grabbed my bag and stuffed: clean clothes, food, water and some soap in it too. I was ready for my journey. I was scared, but excited. I never had been away from home before. I opened the door slowly. No-one was there. I crawled out of the doorway and then went behind a bush. I stood up and started to walk, still alert. I saw a bunch of people in black clothes over near a campfire.
“What's that over there? In the bushes?” one of them yelled.
I was in the bushes!