A Thunderstorm

• Nicholas Chao-hong, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2019

Hi there, I don’t we have met. My name is David and I am a pretty average kid born in Hong Kong now living in Sydney, Australia.
Expect I have a secret I have never told any one and that is my mother is the world's most angriest and short tempered mother.

Let me tell you a story.
It all started when I was walking home from school. It was really sunny and the clouds had basically disappeared from the sky.
Well at least that's I thought was happening. The moment I stepped out from the school gates, a storm erupted from nowhere and rain quickly rose and flood the pavement. A sudden bolt of lightning tore through the sky, the sound of thunder roared and boomed loud enough to make anyone wearing earmuffs deaf.
The side walk was so hard to walk on that it was like walking on a lake of ice with sandals on.
The rain was falling rapidly and the hail fell like bowling pins being knocked over. I could sense the clouds and rain ruining my day.
I tell you why; I was never a fan of storms before.

I began to tremble, not from the cold but because of the storm brewing and I truly fear storms. When I watch my favourite pirate movie I would bury my head into the couch as if Medusa herself was staring into my soul.

I sprinted as hard as I could back home. I ran so hard the soles of my shoes peeled off, scattering foam and bits of plastic over the sidewalk.
I left a personal trail of breadcrumbs leading straight to my impeding doom.

The moment I got home, I told my mother about the shoe situation. I would regret that immediately. "Why do you always stuff around and break everything I give you?" my mother yelled. "You know we are poor but still take advantage of everything I give you, such rude behaviour!"
I ignored her and peacefully went to bed that night. At 8am I was awaken by the ringing of my alarm clock. I got dressed as I usually would and I walked bare foot to school.

Every step hurt like the footpath was coated in nails. I tried to put some leaves on the bottom of my feet so it wouldn't hurt but all the nearby leaves were prickly. I walked to school leaving a trail of blood and peeling skin and I was 60 minutes late to school.

I remember slowly walking to the school reception to sign in late. The pain and embarrassment felt so real. In the back of my of my head I could hear the bell ring, which was so weird because school already started. Ring, ring, ring and it just kept on going. I heard a voice whisper “David if you don’t stop dreaming you’ll be late for school, hurry up because I need to get you a new pair of shoes today!”