A Close Call

• Evan Tan, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2018

Creak! The noise of the unstable wooden plank beneath me groaned. I looked at all the paths, confused. Which path should I take? What if I choose the wrong one? “Woof… Woof!” the sound of the ten dogs were getting closer! Drenching with sweat, I decided I would take the second path and get deep into the forest so that the dogs would not find me. If I chose the wrong path, I would be in deep trouble since the dogs were snapping their jaws at me before I came up the hill.
My thoughts got the best of me as I tripped on a piercing rock and fallen over and I found myself rolling down a hill into the deep dark forest……
Two hours later…
Slowly opening my eyes, I realised I had been sleeping all that time! Standing up still yawning, I looked around me. Trees surrounded me as I stared at the trees in awe. This was an attractive place. Bark!
The sound disturbed my thoughts. Was that the dogs? Boom! I noticed that sound was not dogs. It was rocks falling! I climbed onto a palm tree while it shook. My hands were losing grip but I held on for my life! Rocks, boulders, pebbles and stones were all falling down from the rock arch. The shaking stopped suddenly and the arch did not crumble down anymore!
Slowly moving down the tree, my warm bed was all I could think of. I wanted to get back home. Now! How could I find my way out?
As I jumped onto my feet, I noticed this man wearing a backpack coming up to me. He had short black hair. He looked puzzled.
“You look like a brave boy. Not many people venture into the deep parts of the forest, alone!” The bush ranger exclaimed. That was when I knew I had to get a map. “Do you have a map of the forest?” I asked. The bush ranger handed me a wrinkly tattered map. Then I remembered how big the forest was. I ogled up at the towering trees above me. Glancing at the map, I made out a blue and red path. Finally, I breathe a sigh of relief. Phew! I had taken the short trail! As both of us tracked along the rocky path, the distinct sound of the city came back to life. My racing heart finally subsided when we came across a sign reading ‘CITY 500m AHEAD’.
Something startled me. The barking of……………… dogs! I turned around to see that the bush-ranger was tracking down the same dogs that were chasing me up the hill! The dogs had escaped from their cages. They were now friendly and tamed in the cages.

One hour later…
I pulled on the metal handle, feeling like this was where I belong, my cosy and warm home. Grabbing my hot chocolate, I slipped into my toasty bed thinking about my mysterious adventure. What a close call!