Adventure

• Meg Dempsey, Grade 4, Mt Evelyn Christian School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

“Everyone evacuate tsunami!” I ran to the lighthouse where everyone else was. Suddenly, the lighthouse faded out of view as the water flooded over my head.
I awoke to find myself lying on a moist, grassy ground surrounded by dingoes! Was this a dream?

The dingoes were closing in on me, then they stopped. These weren’t dangerous creatures, but kind, gentle and harmless ones. I stood up. All the dingoes vanished without a trace. Except for one. He came closer to me and I let him sniff my hand. I don’t know why I then patted him, but he seemed to like it.
“You like that huh? “I said. Now I knew this was no dream, but an adventure.

Me and Dusty (my Dingo) roamed around the bush searching for food. We stopped for the night. I made a fire and a hammock. I woke up to the smell of bacon ‘n’ eggs. I looked up and saw a teenage boy. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “The question is, what are YOU doing here?” he answered.
“I got swept away by a tsunami.” I explained.
“No way!” he said, “I did too, but 5 years ago.” Dusty was up and wagging his tail beside me staring longingly at the bacon.
“Go on Dusty, I don’t like bacon anyway.”

The next month was full of getting to know Tom in the bush. Dusty absolutely loved Tom because he made amazing bacon, apparently. We tried to find our way back to the lighthouse but it was no use. At least that’s what I thought. Tom said “don’t give up hope, um er; I’m sure we’ll find our, ah, your home.”
“What did you say?” I questioned.
“Oh, nothing just don’t give up hope.” He answered back.

Suddenly, I saw the lighthouse towering over the trees. “Look Tom! The lighthouse!” I shouted. Tom looked up; I started running to the edge of the bush. There, there was my beloved home. I ran to the lighthouse. Was this a dream? I thought. My mother saw me from her bedroom and raced down. My father was there too. I ran into my parents arms.
“We were so worried,” my mother explained.
“We even called the cops!” my father added on.
“It was all thanks to Tom.” I told them.
“Tom?” My mother looked up with a puzzled expression. “Could it be?”
“Yes mum, it’s me.” Tom replied. My mother let go of me and ran towards Tom.
“Mum?! Tom’s my brother!” I exclaimed. By then my father was over there too. I ran over.
“You didn’t tell me I had a brother!” I cried, with feelings of overwhelming happiness and surprise.
“Now we can be a family!” said my father. So we all went inside. Dusty too, and Tom and I told our mother and father all about our magnificent ADVENTURE.