Kentworth And The Bushfires

• Ryan Kelleway, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2021

The sky was filled with ash, everyone struggling to breathe, my heroes fighting but also dropping like flies.
***
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
Ughhhhh. I raised my exhausted hand to hit the snooze button.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
It goes again “come on Billy time to go to school” I ignore mum and press the snooze button again
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
Sleepily I feel this throbbing pain in my head going down to my throat, as I started to remember what happened a few years ago when the Bushfires hit Kentworth, the small town I live in. I love my town, it is made up of a row of heritage convenience stores, and the best bakery in the world. My most vivid memory of this day was when a bold, blaring, booming alarm sounded through the house, leading to my mum coming in yelling for me to evacuate with Joey. It only took me a split second to realise that I needed to act fast, which resulted in me grabbing Joey and bolting out the door. Thankfully, these horrifying memories only lasted for a minute and I'm in my newly built bedroom. It is neat and tidy, painted a calming bluey grey, making me feel as safe as a tortoise under its shell. When the bushfires damaged our house, the fires burnt down my room. Suddenly I check what time it is and I'm late! This means I need to act fast and get ready for school.

My name is Billy Smith. I'm a 13-year-old Australian boy who loves to help mum out around the house and on the farm. We own quite a few animals, mostly cattle. Every morning if I have time before I go to school I chase the cattle around with my dog Joey. I enjoy Australian foods like Vegemite, pavlova, fish and chips, and barbeques. I am enthusiastic to go to school because I like hanging with my mates and learning more about agriculture. Alice Smith, my mum is 47 years old and she loves looking after Joey and I. She also loves cooking a storm, she is my number one chef, and my sunshine. Mum is a widow as my father John Smith passed away a few years ago trying to save our house from the bushfires. My dad was great, he was always happy and looked after Mum and I. He was my rock.

I have my weet-bix for breakfast and I'm off to school. I can walk to school as it is close by. I love going to school on Tuesday’s, because at Kentworth Public School the whole school has a sensational sausage sizzle. Shortly lunch comes around and I'm looking forward to a sausage sanga with my mates. The sausages are sizzling and smelling delicious but all of a sudden I develop the pain that I was feeling this morning. I start to remember some sounds that I don’t want to suffer through again. The sizzling has jogged my memory as it brings back the sound of the animals dying, koalas burning alive, kangaroos frying in the flames, it just rattles me thinking of this. I know the bush can be cruel but this is what it is like living in Australia, and it is where I want to live.