Saved

• Sofia Coughlan, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2021

From the age of 9, it was my unfortunate destiny to live in a boarding school. Epingdale Boarding School for girls was one that was all too familiar to me for I had been there verging on 6 years now. I am not allowed to go home during the holidays because my parents don’t care about me, or so I was informed.
I was feeling very dizzy because I banged my head on a door, so my teacher told me to walk out on the beach near our school for some fresh air. The smooth sand was in between my feet and the crushed seashells were prickling on my toes. I slowly walked closer to the water and the tiny fish were biting me. I went closer into the water and SPLASH!
An hour later I woke up to loud beeping noises and muffled voices. They told me that I was in the hospital. I fainted into the water, and I was unconscious.
The strange doctor was looking into my eyes and shining bright lights, into my face.
I questioned them, I asked, ‘What am I doing here?’
‘Go back to sleep darling, your parents will be here soon,’ said a faint voice.
‘They don't care about me,’ I replied quickly with tears rolling down my sullen cheeks.
‘They will be back here soon. Now go back to sleep,’ she said quietly.
There was a knock at the door of my hospital room.
‘Mum, Dad,’ I yelled as they walked through the door.
‘We heard what happened to you. We missed you so much,’ they cried together.
‘I missed you too,’ I blurted out.
At that moment I was flooded with emotions. To think that it took a near tragedy for my parents to realise just how much they loved me, loved me enough to save me from this emotional nightmare of boarding school.
“Your father and I have decided that you need to be close to home, home with us is where you belong.”