The Search

• Sam Pridham, Grade 7, Frances Primary School
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Write Along 2018' competition

Crash!!! The sound of the waves crashed against the beach as we arrived at Townsville. It was the year 1942 when Henry and I were about to go on a fighter plane to bomb the Japanese out of this world for good.
Our troops got out of the ships and set up our camp at the army camp. It felt weird and nerve racking as we found our beds and unpacked our bags just as Henry said “We set out in the morning in the old birds, it’ll be a four hour trip so you better get a good night of sleep.”
The morning came surprisingly fast but I didn’t hope it would. Another twenty minutes later I turned around to find Henry awake and getting ready for the suicidal trip. I quickly got ready and prayed I wouldn’t die. I made sure I packed plenty of food and water just in case something happened.
Another half an hour passed and I found myself sitting in a fighter jet with my best friend alongside me in the other jet. I felt pain, afraid and nervous at the same time. Before I took off I whispered “Let’s do this” to myself, WHOOSH!! I took off and my guts dropped. Just then I heard the sound of a jet engine behind me, it was Henry.
My voice echoed through the UHF “Yeah!” And there we were flying together on a cloudless day about to bomb the Japanese and save Australia. A couple of hours later and I felt a tingly sensation on my legs and arms that usually means something is about to happen.
Just then the navigation system beeped we were close, only 20km away. Suddenly the skies turned black with smoke as if other planes had been shot down. BANG!!! I saw the wing float down into the ocean. “Mayday, mayday!” I screamed through the UHF. Just then I glimpsed at the island of Papua New Guinea, I thought to myself… ‘This is it.’ I closed my eyes; I couldn’t get out, the door had been jammed because the piercing bullets skimmed across the steel of the plane and combined with the door. I went down, “Goodbye world,” I whispered.
I woke up, plane destroyed, me destroyed, a short metal pole wedged in my leg, it had gone straight through and come out the other side. I couldn’t bear to look but I did anyway, as soon as I looked, I fainted. Once again I woke up and tried to stand up, but I was too weak. I heard muttering in the distance, I crawled and whimpered at the same time I saw a bush the size of me. I quickly used my instincts and hopped into the bush. I shivered as they walked past; I had to kill them. I crawled over but they saw me and killed me. That day I learned not to trust my instincts but sadly it was a bit too late.