My New Pet

• Mitchell Coleman, Grade 6, Hawker Area School
• Short Story
• 2017

Excellence Award in the 'Spread The Word 2017' competition

My name is Mitchell and on one scorching summer’s day in Rawnsley Park, I awoke from my slumber at 4pm with the sound of fire crackling whizzing through my ears and I felt like it was 60 degrees or maybe even more! But it was still 59.5, degrees to be exact which is really, really hot. So I quickly sat up and looked out my window and saw a box that was big enough to fit the world’s biggest horse in it. So I jumped out of bed, got dressed as fast as I could and rushed out of the house to see what it was. But each step I slowed down because of the scorching heat, and each step also made me hotter by at least 10 degrees maximum. And when I got to just a foot away from the mysteries box, I stepped 0.5 feet, and when I did, I got hotter to about 80 degrees! I stepped back and walked around the box and looked for the latch to open it. As I came around the last corner, I found the latch. I unlocked it, and when I did I felt even hotter than ever. When I opened it I saw a fire! So I ran faster than I had ever ran before. I hurried towards the hose as fast as I could. I grabbed the hose and pulled and pulled and pulled as hard as I could! But then I ran out of hose and it wasn’t long enough! I pulled and pulled and pulled, but it was no use. It wasn’t long enough and I had to try and put out a fire. I could try and call the fire department, but they wouldn’t be fast enough and mum & dad were sick. Which left me one choice, I had to put out the fire by myself. Even though I was 20 meters away still holding the hose in my unbelievably sweaty hands. I turned the hose on full blast. And the high presser spraying water came spitting out like a rocket. I pointed the water towards the fire, and as soon as the fire went out completely, I heard a screech come from the box. Once the steam cleared, I saw a burnt bird. As I stepped closer to the strange box, it exploded into ashes. I felt sorry for that bird. But then the ashes imploded again and the bird was alive again, only younger. After about 5 seconds, the bird lit on fire! It only took me a few seconds to realise that it was a… Phoenix! I was the happiest kid to have ever lived! I was filled with so much happiness. But by the time I could let it free of the box, my alarm went off for bed time and I had to get to sleep before mum and dad notice I’m gone. So I went to sleep.