Swan's Diary

• Serena George, Grade 4, Central Coast Grammar School
• Short Story
• 2017

Excellence Award in the 'Spread The Word 2017' competition

At the crack of dawn, a beautiful, white mare named Swan whinnied quietly as possible so that even the leaves under her feet didn’t rustle. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her master, mistress and their two little children. All the members of this family had blonde, shiny hair and usually every morning they used to make sure that Swan had been well fed and groomed by their three stable handlers. Bridget Nelligan was Swan’s favourite out of the three.
Every morning before the sun came up, Bridget always would whisper kindly into Swan’s ear and grooms so softly that Swan could hardly feel it. This morning, however, Bridget came and so too the family but they didn’t spend as much time as they used to.
Swan had heard from Bridget’s soft whisper that the family was going overseas because of the war starting to make its way to their hometown. Swan had also heard from her horse friends, Millie and Star next door that horses weren’t allowed overseas. Swan was now really worried, all sorts of questions floating in Swan's mind, where will Swan be going? Swan presumed that she might be sold at the market for a good price.
After one month, Swan was put in the market and got sold for a good price! Swan remembered what her loving Bridget had said, “I will definitely miss you Swan.” She had cried desperately, wishing that she didn’t have to leave her beloved Swan behind. Swan’s thoughts came back to the harsh reality of the present. She would have to face her unknown future on her own.
Swan was staying with Master and Mistress Douglass. At first, Swan had thought that her second family would be kind as her first but they weren’t! They made Swan carry loads of goods over endless roads and she only got fed on food scraps. Swan thought of them as the ‘Cruel Couple’. Day after day Swan became thinner and thinner until a person could count all of Swan’s bones! Swan always thought of her loving Bridget’s face and wished that Bridget would come and take her back.
Five years passed by…
One day as Swan was working, her nostrils were filled with a familiar scent of long ago. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Bridget! With leaps of joy in her heart, Swan trotted weakly towards Bridget. Bridget didn’t recognise Swan because of all her bones sticking out. Swan gave her a friendly whinny, the one that they used to communicate with each other. Suddenly Bridget’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh Swan, my darling…what has happened to you? She begged with Master Douglass to trade Swan with her only gold bracelet. In the end, he agreed reluctantly to give off Swan.
It was a dream come true for Swan. She spent the rest of her horse years with her loving, old caretaker…