The Height Fright

• Rhianna McIntyre, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2018

“Help!” I scream I can see my caramel hair drifting off in the breeze. My palms are sweating and I have no grip. My mint green glasses are falling off my face, I’m going to faint. I can hear my teachers at the school camp screaming “Don’t let go Phoebe” but suddenly something catches my eye. I forget about everything then let go.
I was at camp and we were playing a nice game of Truth or Dare. Did I say nice, I mean dangerous game of Truth or Dare? It was my turn so I said “Dare” but I had forgotten that the mean girl in the school was playing. Ella had a mischievous glint in her eye before she said, “I dare you to climb up that huge oak tree.” I looked at it and said “That’s not that big” but secretly inside me was terrified so we walked over to the tree. Then I started climbing and climbing and climbing I was getting scratched by the nearly old branches and I could feel Ella’s eyes burning into my back as I got more tangled in the tree then I got to the top. That’s when I fall, I come crashing down screaming my head off.
Then I made it to the ground, thud! Then I hear a crack, I am in so much pain I can’t speak. My teacher Mrs Weiss hurries to ring 000. I can hear the sirens ringing as they get closer and closer. I get rushed off to hospital to get plaster. For weeks I can’t run, I can’t do PE or play and it’s all Ella’s fault.
5 years later
Yes, it’s finally Sunday. I get into my clothes at the speed of lightning then grab my plane and my control then run outside. I start to fly my plane that my great grandmother gave to my mum then my mum gave to me then I nearly get it stuck in my big oak tree that is in the back yard. Just after that I really do get it stuck. If mum sees this I will be in trouble for sure. What am I going to do? Finally, I figure it out I will climb the huge oak tree in the back yard. I climb and climb and climb until I reach my plane. As I am jumping down, I scream “Yes!” My mum Kelly comes running out and says “What?” I replied, “I am not scared of heights anymore.” Then at the same time we scream “Hooray.”