Katie

• Ivy Quinlivan, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2022

“Katie!” Margarita screamed, “we’ll be late.”
“OK, OK, I'm coming!”
My name is Katie and I am 11 years old. I have long silvery blue hair and my attitude to my stepmother, is like the Grinch’s to the Whos down in Whoville. My skin is tanned, unlike my sisters and mother who have pale white skin.
We were in the car about three minutes from our driveway. My stepsister asked, “Isn’t it swimming for your year today?”
“Oh yes…”
Across the driveway I ran as soon as the car screeched to a hard halt. I flew into the house and grabbed my stuff. And then my mom literally floored it... It was so weird. We were flying. Almost! I screamed. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhh” at the top of my lungs.
Car sick my stomach lurched after we got out of the car, I ran into the girl's bathroom and chucked.
I hate my life.
Finally, I got through the day and when I was back home I found a piece of rope with two sticks on the end. I remember making it when I was younger. It was meant to be a swing. I hooked one end up to a V like branch in the tree. At the other end I put the stick between my legs and started to swing. It was fun. Higher and higher and faster and faster, until splat!
I hit the ground hard. My eyes watered, but I blinked back my tears. My legs were numb. My arms were aching. The nice old lady next door rushed over and told me not to move. She called the ambulance.
The next thing I knew, I was in hospital. And the doctor was talking to my step mum.
Through my daze I tried to wake up. My stepmum said that I had broken the nerves that lead to my legs. I wouldn't walk ever again.
As the days passed I was restricted to a wheelchair. To make matters worse I had to stay in hospital until I could use a banana boat. That’s a curved device that moves me from my bed into my wheelchair.
But let's skip ahead a few years.
I am now 16 years old. I’m ancient.
“Katie?” once more Margarita yelled. Once more I was late. I was used to my wheelchair and today I was in a good mood. My dare devil days were not over, today we were going to the skate park. I snatched my helmet off the dresser imagining the roller-coaster ride ahead.
I heard my heart thumping in my chest as I wheeled my way up to the top of the concrete bank. A sudden thought, was this to be my doom? I can’t think like that. The wind was sweeping the leaves around and around.
And then “WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE,” I squealed as I flew through the skate park like I was on a roller-coaster. Free at last!