The Last Hope

• Eve Quinlan, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2021

Epilogue:
The winds used to dance in the sky and the clouds used to hold them up higher,
The corals used to brighten the sea and the powerful waves would conquer its sands.
Now there are only so many words to describe the scare plain we call home,
Empty.Alienated.Ravaged.Threatened. Hateful
Welcome to Earth

The Last Hope:
When I awoke it returned….

The lonely melancholy feeling in my aching heart that engulfs me each day.
I am released by this cloud of deep depression only when I sleep
It is replaced by nightmarish terror and horrible dreams of death and destruction. Nothing gives me hope these days, except for birds.
The majestic creatures that sore above it all without a doubt in their minds,
Making the impossible…
POSSIBLE

Today the blazing merciless sun rose once again.
I rose groggily, The strong sense of depression weighing me down significantly,
I handle my shoulder satchel and venture out into the wilderness as I do every day, searching for some food.

I am strolling along a narrow trail and I stop as I do every day, in this exact spot. In a small clearing were the narrow trail wides ever so slightly. My brain says that this is stupid and that I should just give up. But it’s not that simple, I can’t give up no matter how much I want to. Jack would never give up, “Meet me at the river,” he said to me “the birds will show you”.

As I ponder on his words a flash of colour zooms across the open sky. “A bird!” I screech, instantly sprinting in its direction. Its light blue and lavender wings are absolutely angelic. A warm, happy feeling spreads across my chest as I chase after the bird that will lead me to my brother and I immediately recognise the feeling, HOPE!

The bird is fast and I have been running for around fifty minutes now, but I am far from tired. “I’m coming, Jack!” I shout aloud with overwhelming joy. I follow and follow the magic bird for days on end. Until…

The endless woods open up to a beautiful, luscious and shining lake with fruit trees of all shapes and sizes surrounding it. I stand frozen but manage to mutter “paradise”. I quit my trance after a few minutes of taking it all in. The captivating, divine elegance of it all making me blink. The warm feeling keeps growing and I am filled completely with joy and not only hope but a sense of certainty that I will find Jack.

As soon as I stumbled onto the bank of the lake, I hear a loud rustling in the bushes, adrenaline and fear pumping through my veins I wonder what I should do but my actions are cut short when a tall, long-haired teenager steps through the bushes. We both stare at the other for a while before he vocalises...

“I missed you, Athena, it’s been too long, but I never lost hope in you”.