The Floods In The Wheatbelt

• Emma Wilkinson, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2019

Whoosh I hear, as the water comes flooding down the road, leaving deep holes. I see all the rain covering the paddocks of wheat. The floods have the worst thing that has ever happened to me because I hate frogs, they are everywhere I look now. They always make sudden appearances out of nowhere which gives me fright, it’s just as scary as free falling from an airplane.

I don’t like Dad’s job as it’s too dangerous, he’s a Royal Life Saver. He tells me that he will be fine, but I don’t think so. Soon he will have to go on the night shifts, which will be even worse. And my Mum works as a doctor two hours away from home. In my spare time I usually like drawing people that mean a lot to me. So, I have many drawings hanging up around my room.

“Exclusive news, exclusive news, flood report coming up in two minutes on GWNS!” Exclaims the news reporter. My family and I are on the edge of our seats eager to hear what they have to say. I feel like there’s a spider on my head, I’m that nervous. Have the floods stopped or are they going to get worse?
“We’re back here on GWNS at 7pm.” Wow, we're about to hear about the issue destroying my family. I was so excited until…
“Are you actually kidding me?!” Mum and Dad both yells angrily.
“No Way!” I complain. “What’s happened with the power now!”
“Well I can’t seem to find the problem, unless the water has knocked over the power poles. That would take a few weeks to replace, so it looks like we won’t have any power until then,” Dad informs us before dinner.

I couldn’t get to sleep but I hear voices downstairs in the kitchen. I sneak down there as quiet as I could be, trying to hear what was going on. I manage to hear ‘move countries’, and ‘what about our jobs.’ As I sprint back up to room in shock, I feel a slight tear run down my face.

Mum asks me to come downstairs in the morning and I see them both sitting down at the table with my younger sister.
“What’s going on?” I sarcastically ask.
“Well, your father and I have decided to move countries to get away from the flooding,” Mum explains. I can see the disappointment in my sisters face and the relief in my parents faces. I sit there quietly and listen to what everyone says. There’s silence at the table for a minute so I ask silently where we will be moving to.
“New Zealand, Uncle Bob offered for us to stay with him for now.” Dad says. I can’t believe Mum and Dad actually just said that, we are officially moving in with my cousins! I will be waking up to the view of mountains in Queenstown and no frogs will ever jump on me again.