Frantic

• Alyssa Smith, Grade 4, Cardross Primary School
• Short Story
• 2021

Finalist in the 'The Write Note 2021' competition

Tossing...turning...trying to get to sleep. So uncomfortable in my bed. I tried to get up, however I felt as though the gravity was pinning me down. I tried calling, somehow my voice was too weak, getting weaker by the second. Slowly, I started to lose control of my body, pain streamed through my hand. My legs were so numb, like they had evaporated. At last, my mum heard my rustling as I tried to toss and turn. As she came into my bedroom it was then that she realized my hand, and the funnel web spider perched upon it.
She gasped with horror and ran to the phone. Shivering with fear, the buttons 000 were pounded on the screen. Her mouth quivered as she tried to make the words that needed to be said, but only little balls of spit emerged. Eventually, the words escaped her lips and sirens filled the air. When she came back the spider was gone. She was terrified.
My head hurt terribly. I was in a serious condition. I knew my mum was there, although where? I wanted her hand to squeeze mine like she always did. I wanted her to know I love her like I say every day. I wanted her finger to run down my cheek to assure me that I was going to be okay. I wanted her by my side like when we walk on the beach. I wanted her, for the most part, to kiss me on the forehead seeing as I’d never need a reason to ask for it. I knew my mum would have said soft words that I know were meant to help me, however words can’t change the fact that I’m in terrorising pain.
Desperately, I tried to move my hand although I think I made it worse seeing as my mum screamed harder than I have ever heard her before. It scared me. It was too late to ask what was wrong. Everything went black as I had a vision, of my dad. A scar on my leg was the clear reminder of his accident.
“Don’t worry, I’m with you,” he said as gentle as he always did. I ran to him with my arms open wide. It was then that I fell into darkness.
“Don’t leave me! Come back!” I yelled. My eyes opened as I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Dad!”
Mum ran in. She pressed a button. Everything looked so fast with all the people hovering around me.
Mum squeezed my other hand really tight. Finally, I had calmed down. I remembered what Dad said. And I believed him. There were no more words, just silence. I thought of my dad. I thought of him kneeling right beside me with a smile.
“I’m with you.”
“Yeah Dad. I know.”