Land At Last.

• Piper Needham, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2019

Land at last

The boisterous wind howled heavily. Her heart felt as if it was going to beat out of her chest. The relentless ocean heaved her to and fro. As she tried to regain her balance the wild ocean threw her outrigger canoe beneath her now-frozen feet. Her screams for help were whispers compared to the booming thunder and the crashing waves. “Help is on its way,” she whispered to herself reassuringly. She curled up into a ball trying to keep warm. Her salty tears flooded her eyes.

She missed her family, she missed her friends, she missed her dog, she missed them all very much, but it wasn’t safe back home. Her memories were all slightly faded, but one was running through her head every second; it was her mum’s final words. With a dramatic tone in her voice, she rushed her off to the canoe and said, “Stay strong and don’t let anything stop you from finding a safe home.” Her mother’s words said little, but meant a lot.

She looked up. Land! Land at last.
As she guided her canoe up the river she listened out for the sounds of shotguns; the sound that created tears and made her heart beat one thousand miles an hour. But the only sounds that rang in her ears were her own heavy breathing and the birds chirping. No longer would she have to face the horrible, murderous acts of war. This was a place to call home.