Waxing Gibbous

• Jason Dinh, Grade 7, Sefton High School
• Short Story
• 2017

Excellence Award in the 'Write Here Write Now 2017' competition

This land was home for us. The dazzling sun would always give the water its own unique glow. We would hunt in the water all day, the coastline was swarming with fish. The ice cold tides would sweep me off my feet and I'd often lose my meal. Brother would laugh at me whenever that happened. I was never frustrated with his attitude. How could I? If anything, I looked up to him. He would teach me new tips and we'd laugh all day. That was until the Wooden Hills came.
They approached slowly as they came near the shore. I took our ochre brown spears, while brother carried the food. We ran to the bushes to hide from possible danger. The Hills broke open and the ghosts came crowding like the waves of ocean, one on top of the other.
"Who do they think they are, they cannot just barge in like that. They are clearly a bad omen sent by the spirits. Run back to your homes in the Hills, strangers." I whispered, punching the ground.
Brother shook his head.
"I know how you feel, Brother, these strangers are invading our territory, however if we engage in war we will lose men. We must not lose men for such a rash decision," he replied. I was enraged that Brother went against me. They were damaging the land by pushing their Hills upon its shore. The thought of it made my blood curdle. However, Brother spoke the truth we were going to be easy prey for rival tribes, and yet the actions against nature made it impossible to forgive those imbeciles.
"Brother, look! I bet they're all smug finding our land and putting sticks in our grounds. Please, Brother, let me scare them away, they're disrespecting what we stand for." I pleaded.
We argued until the fiery orb sank beneath the horizon. Until threads of it lingered in the sky, mingling with the clouds, dyeing the heavens a chalky mauve. Until melting away as gloomy darkness took over the sky. Stars like the glowing embers of a dying fire winked down at me, illuminating the inky curtain of sky. It was an astonishing scene but it was too beautiful to give up. My determination escalated and I gave my brother pleading eyes, the ones that Aunty says will give a hard time for even trickster gods.
Finally, Brother spoke quietly and said "I will negotiate with them. Once they have what they desire they will leave, and if they don't, you will alert the tribe." I could tell Brother was having a hard time controlling his anger, but he was trying his best to look like a good role model. My frustration soon was extinguished and I nodded in agreement.
His plan was to calm everyone. And so Brother went first he emerged out of the bush. Then I ran out and alerted the tribe...
I didn't know it then but I would never see big brother, Bennelong again.