Opal

• Greta Grant, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

Beads of sweat dripped off my forehead, the sun was glaring in my face. I had decided to take the dogs for a walk, but stuck to the creek side because it was shadier.
Creeeeeak, I opened the gate slowly as I was already exhausted from the sun. Ten minutes into the walk, the dogs were panting, their tongues lolling out the side of their mouth.
There was a rustle in the big, dead, brown bush across from me. Suddenly, a cute fluffy, white bunny hopped past us.
"Grrrr," the dogs snarled as they chased the bunny across the paddock. I couldn't believe that they had the energy to chase it that far! After the dogs realised they weren't going to catch the bunny and had stopped, I began the treacherous walk to them. They were so full of adrenaline that they were digging up the hard dry earth. As I advanced towards the dogs, I heard a clinking noise. When I reached them, I saw glass gleaning in the afternoon sun. I picked up the dusty glass bottle. I tried to uncork it but the cork wouldn't budge. I tried and tried then finally, pop! The cork came out. I reached inside the bottle and pulled out an old and brown piece of paper. I unravelled it slowly...
"X marks the spot. Jock, Spencer we should be here." "Woof," grunted Jock.
"What is it buddy?" I asked him as I wandered over to investigate what he was barking at. There was a hole there, bigger than a wombat hole much bigger. It was large enough to fit a fully grown adult. Then I remembered Grandpa telling all of us grandkids about the old opal mine that was on this farm, but he never told us where it was and now I think I found it. I decided I would have to go down it, even though I really didn't want to. I slid down the scorching, hot hole. Wham! My feet hit the bottom. I looked around; it was a relief to be in the cool, damp earth down here. I heard a whimper from above and I realised that I had left the dogs in the sweltering, hot sun. I clambered back up the hole, picked up both dogs and sild back down the hole, only to be relieved by the cool air again.
There was a shovel leaning against the damp soil wall. I looked at the puppies, they looked at me, I knew that I would have to dig. I picked up the shovel and started. Eventually the dogs started to as well. After a while of the two dogs and me digging, I heard the same clinking noise of the dog's paws on glass, stone, concrete and wood. I went over to inspect and saw a beautiful violet opal. I was over the moon because it would be able to buy food and water for my family and the animal stock because we had the biggest drought in 15 years.