Left Behind

• Chloe Verdaas, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2019

I dashed across the flat, grassy field reaching for the ladder but every step I took, it floated higher and higher into the cloudless sky. "Wait for me!" I shouted. The colourful hot air balloon was ascending into the heavens. Hot, salty tears flowed down my sorrowful face and I screamed "Please, wait!" hoping my best friend Addison would hear me. Addison turned around in the woven basket, looked me in the eyes and shrieked "Alice!" Like me, she was also crying. Her hand reached out for me but of course it didn't reach. The only hope I had to escape the giant island had vanished. Addison undid her pony tail, took her scarlet ribbon out of her chestnut brown hair and tossed it over the side of the basket. I ran, trying to catch the ribbon until it finally floated gracefully into my hands. The magical hot air balloon was out of my sight. I stopped running and knelt down on to the lush, green grass. Wailing loudly, I grasped my heart. I was hysterical. "Why me?" I questioned. My delicate white dress was covered in tears. I then realised that Addison would be safe and sound after all these years, knowing that she would never forget me. The glowing sun started to set and it was illuminating the field, casting a smoky orange hue over the whole island. At this point all I could do was smile even though I was crumbling on the inside. "Addison is safe" I thought. My tears stopped gushing out of my eyes and I stood back up. I clenched my fist containing the scarlet ribbon. "I will find a way off the dreadful island...” I sniffed.

2 years later
I tied my hair golden hair up with Addison's ribbon, meaning I was ready to leave, leave this awful island. I got into my hot air balloon. Its basket was made of palm leaves and the actual balloon itself, it was made of well-worn, ageing cloth. "I'm coming world, I'm coming Addison" I exclaimed. My smile beamed. I took the stake out of the ground and the balloon started rising as the flame got bigger and bigger. I thought excitedly to myself "I don't really know where I'm going, but were ever I am going, I just know it's going to be an adventure!"