Victory Against The Odds

• Anna Butler, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

In a town called Starkville, Mickey Reid lives with her dad,her pet pug Darcey ,50 chickens,10 cows,15 pigs,80 sheep's,20 goats, 3 ducks and 1 rooster named Banjo. They live on a farm 15 kilometres outside of town.

Today is the 28th of January which is the first day of year 5. Mickey is very excited because she loves school, Mickey also loves gymnastics but unfortunately since her mum passed away her dad has not been able to pay to go.

My name is Anna and Mickey and I are best friends. I live next door and every school morning I wait outside Mickey’s front porch and we walk to the bus stop together. I knock on her door and Mickey comes out with a piece of toast in her mouth and says goodbye to her dad and Darcey who is wagging her tail in the doorway.

We walk to the bus stop and talk about school and which teacher’s we might have and in no time we have arrived at school.My first class is Music and Drama and as I walk in I see Mickey smiling at me and I sit at the desk next to her after doing our secret handshake both of us being excited to be in the same class together.We are both happy to see that we have Mrs Waters as our teacher again.

Mrs Waters takes roll and then tells us we are going to head to the gym and practice for rolls in the school production of Annie.We are both excited because we both love Annie.Mrs Waters has us perform a few dance moves and notices Mickey is very good.She remembers that Mickey was taking gymnastics lesson last year and asks her if she is doing it this year and Mickey tells her that her dad can’t afford to enroll her this year because her mum isn’t there anymore to help on the farm.At the end of class Mrs Waters asks me to stay back and she suggests we help Mickey continue gymnastics.

During lunch Mrs Waters and I meet with Father Tim we tell him about Mickey’s situation and how she was the best in her gymnastics team and Father Tim suggest starting a collection.By the end of the month we had collected 8000 dollars . The school arranged a special assembly a week later and to the surprise of Micky her name was called to the front where I, the Principal,Mrs Waters, Father Tim stood, and I handed Micky a check for the 8000 dollars to help her continue her gymnastics career. Mickey began to cry and gave us all hugs and said it was the best day of her life.

Today Mickey is competing to qualify for the Australian Olympic team and I know she is going to make it.

With a little help from your friends you can overcome any obstacles in your life.