That Day

• Emily Brown, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2017

That day


September 2014,the 2-6 athletics carnival. One of the worst days I’ve had at school yet. With the surprising show of my father and his brother as well as his dad not long after Rosie Batty’s son’s death.


It all started as a normal day nothing out of the ordinary for my class. By the end of recess, our teacher thought it would be great idea to support the little kids while they participated in their athletic events.


I saw my eight year old brother from a distance and was slowly making my way over to him, to ask how he was going so far. I made it all but there then realised who he was talking to. I quickly turned hoping that my father didn’t realise it was me and try and talk to me. I quickly went back to my classroom and sat at my desk in fear, thinking of all the things he was capable of. As tears slowly poured down my face, with all the questions of what was wrong. Not long after I’d been sitting my dad’s creepy brother came in asking for a photo of me for my dad. I refused to let him ! As I started to shake and tell him to leave. The teacher rushed in, asking him to leave the classroom as he had no right to being there.


After I saw him leave I went back outside to check that my brother was still here and hadn’t been bribed of being taken home with our dad. My cousin told me that everything was okay, and that my brother was still here, but had photos taken by dad. I started to cry again still in fear of all the things he was capable of and all the things he had done to us in the pass. My cousin and I started to walk around the other side of the school out of view of my father and his brother. But it didn’t take long for them to realise and come searching for us.


We scrambled to the bathrooms and waited for him to pass. My cousin managed to ring home and ask for my mum to come and pick my younger siblings up.


I finally made it to the office, where I was told to see a social worker and talk about why I was upset. I don’t think she helped me very much.


She kept asking me what was wrong as i explained multiple times. I wish I had the courage to talk about why I was so concerned and how lucky we were to be alive after living with him for fourteen years.


As of today I still worry about sporting events that have been put on the billboard. To notify parents.Mum always supports us, and if we have a concern about him being there she will let us avoid that day. So far he has showed up at three sporting events.