A Brave Girl

• Nares Surubeng, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

Laying down in the bright blue bedroom in the beach house, Oakley’s father showed many spots on his arms and face. He told Oakley to go to the nearby Kingfruit Island and pick some remedial leaves and mentioned that if he did not eat the special leaves, then the spots would remain on his arms and face, and warned that he could die soon.
Feeling sad for her father’s illness, Oakley listened to her father request, went to the Kingfruit Island by riding a wooden boat by herself, walked to the top of the hill straight away, and climbed the trees and picked the green spiky oval leaves.
Walking down the hill, Oakley saw the red small crabs all over the white sand, realised that she only wore sandals and not shoes, ran as fast as she can to the beach, and stepped on the small red crabs.
Reaching the wooden boat on the beach, Oakley realised there were so many black ants on the other side of the green spiky oval leaves. She felt itchy because the black ants already bit her skin, she scratched her arms and legs severely. She put the green spiky oval leaves in the water to remove the black ants.
Rowing the wooden boat and landing safely at her father’s beach house, Oakley prepared a round pot filled the water and sugar, washed the green spiky oval leaves and cut them into small pieces, boiled the leaves until cooked and tender, and served them to her father.
Drinking warm water cooked with the remedial leaves, Oakley’s father felt much better on his arms and face. He proudly said that Oakley was a brave girl, and spread the stories in the neighbourhood.