John-stone River

• Grace Ogomeni, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2020

I expanded my eyes as I saw the stunning, cascading waters of John-stone River to my left. The beautiful site compels my body further along the track. I race forward in exceeding paces, eager to reach the next viewpoint. Crack! Looking back in shock, my breath loses its pattern. Seeing me foot push a rock into the river, my weight gets pulled down with it as if someone had yanked it down with a strong force. Fear scrambles through my body as my heart pounds like a million wild stallions. My body quivers, as I wait for the pain to come. I reach feebly for the railing but miss miserably. Then impact. My bones clashed against the rough surfaces. Tears fill my eyes. Seeing the blood seep from my skin and mix with the muddy water, my head pushes through the water trying to get a single breath before going under again. Grasping another gulp of air, my hair gets plastered to my face and my nose stings with the pain of water up my nose. Getting dragged on by the current, I have no control of my body hurtling around. With my head underwater, I open my eyes. My heart stopped. My eyes widened. I meet the eyes, yellow like the prowling of a cat, of a scaled, long-tailed water creature. My eyes, automatically zooming upon its teeth, I see the knife-edged, executing, razor-like killers. Screaming in the water, a large gulp of water chokes me, until, after struggling, I get my head above the water for a second. My toes clenched together, I feel a strong push of water sweep my feet following the light scratch of the tail of this monster. Snap! I hear the loud crunch echo through the water. After a few seconds, pain. Pain so bad, my fingers dug deep into my palms adding more blood to the water. My leg, dead but still in aggravating agony felt nothing but more fear. Suddenly everything went black as if there were no walls and an invisible floor I was now running on. I was no longer in John-stone River, no longer hurtling around, no longer seeing my blood surround me. I take a step in this dark, mysterious world. "ahhhh!" I scream in suffering pain. Looking at my leg, I see the scars of each tooth deeply engraved in my skin forever. It looked completely healed, but the pain was still there. My head replaying the scenes over and over creates tears that gradually roll down my now trembling chin. I fall to my knees, as I see my family scream my name. New scenes play through my head, scenes I had not seen. "Ahhhh!"I scream, traumatized, as I see the monstrous, evil alligator dig its teeth in several parts of my body. I felt sick to my stomach, my tears were uncontrollable at this stage. Where was I? was this the end? I lay my head into my knees, sobbing and praying for anything, anyone. Regretting my every move since that slip, a blinding light makes my eyes squint until everything is an illuminating light. I had forgotten what happened next, but all I knew was that my prayers, my wishes, my cries worked. I woke up, adjusting my eyes, to the uncomfortable medical bed. My body sore in every place, I feel the soft hand of my mother. Her head laying on the side of the bed. I look around, still a bit confused, but realised the miracle that had happened. "Mum," I say in a soft, wispy voice. Her head lifted in hope and her eyes filled with grateful tears as she squeezed my hand harder than ever before.