Heatwave

• Mark Bautista, Grade 9, Bremer State High School
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

This was hell. School was hell, the heat was hell, everything was hell. It was absolutely the worst school day, ever. Five kids suffered heat strokes and not even a single water tap in the whole stupid school! To make matters even worse, bullies made it even more unbearable.
After I escaped my first agonizing day in "Happy High School", I glanced at the sizzling pavement awaiting me. This was going to be the longest walk I took, in my entire life.
Each step, more painful than the last, made me exhausted. Salty sweat, trickled down my cheek and splattered on the cracked pathway, like a dripping shower. My throat, desperately crying for refreshing water, was like the "Sahara Desert" in summer. The blistering sun lashed its immense UV rays, cooking me alive.
I trudged along the withered grass, victims of the boiling air. I reached for my fluorescent green bottle. Expecting ice-cold water, I received a dried up plastic container, not even a drop of liquid. My tongue searched for fluids in the dried up bowels of my mouth. When everything was just terrible, it became horrific.
"Hey loser!" called out Buster. It was the filthy "Buster's trio." He and his comrades (Mercury and Fred), had spotted me here. The demons swiftly jogged up to me, as I nervously and cowardly shook. Thoughts rushed through my brain about how this situation might end up. Buster confidently went face to face with me. He was so close, I could smell his sour breath.
"What's in your pocket, dweeb?" he jeered, as his sidekicks chuckled. I grasped the contents of my pockets. I had such a rough day, I had forgotten about my spare change.
"Look Buster! It's moolah ! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Mercury queried hauntingly.
They all nodded their heads, and stretched out their arms. They demanded me to pay up as I backed off. Then my saviour arrived. An ice-cream truck.
With every ounce of energy I had left, I dashed towards the vehicle. The tyrants chasing after me tripped over, cursing and yelling in pain.
The gentle tune of "London Bridge" played as I ordered vanilla ice-cream. I licked the soft cream. A tidal wave of relief, satisfaction and dopamine flooded my brain. A sweet sensation.
The walk was over, I finally arrived home. I enjoyed the comforts of the modern life. The cooling air of the air-con, the refrigerated water and the smoothness of the sofa, just delighted me. As I tucked into another episode of "The Simpsons", Dad came home.
He inquired,"You up for another walk tomorrow?" I fainted.