Stegosaurus Star

• Sanuli Vinara Hirimuthugoda, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2022

“Do it everyone” Mr. Rex yelled from backstage as the students did their roles.
From the back of his mind, Rex meant it to Steg. Steg was an average and shy stegosaurus yet, no one knew that. These days when kids returned home they were so tired they slept like bats. Since the first term, they were working hard on practicing their play. Usually, the rehearsal went for two hours. “Ouch! Sorry, I rolled my ankle, we have to stop now” Mr. Rex yelped as children raced out of the door.
Steg waited for his mum near the Ferntree Garage car park. The car park was as filled as a bus going to the beach on a summer holiday. ‘Honk!’ He heard his mum's car and ran over to hug her. “Rex wants you to be the star of the play tomorrow!” Steg's mum blurted. “I will do fine,” Steg said. Rex was always thinking Steg could do it but it seems impossible to him. ‘Hmm, how would I get rid of this before it pounds on my shoulders?’ Steg thought. Tomorrow nothing could stop it.
The next morning he was late. When Steg finished his morning chores he sprinted to the bus. He felt it was a long journey that day. “Steg, you pest! Wake up!” Mr. Bon the bus driver screamed as he tried to wake Steg up. “Huh?” Steg awoke. “Get off this bus! You are making everyone late!” he exclaimed. Unaware of what was happening, Steg wearily got out of the bus. He tried his best to run but he could only walk.
Steg arrived to find everyone on stage. “I am so late!” he yelled so loud that the kids on stage turned a quivering glare. “No, Steg you are early.” It was just Barbie Bon. She's adding finishing touches to the backdrops with the art crew. The curtains opened bit by bit. Steg's heart pounded, when it was his turn, it was doing a marathon on the longest track ever. “Ti Ti Ti Ti Ti Ti Ti Th Th!” Steg's voice was numb as the spotlight flicked on him with the all eyes of the audience upon him.
‘Oh, have I gone dumb?’ Steg thought. He looked at himself in a puddle of water. “Wait a sec, that's not water, that's the shiny stage floor!” Steg whispered to himself. He took deep breaths and saw Mr. Rex waiting patiently for him. Then, shouted out his lines, words streamed out clearly like a river flowing smoothly over rock beds. As Steg and the other kids bowed, applause rumbled like thunder.
“Steg, what made you the star today?” asked a local news reporter. “Well, it's the self-confidence which gets you through everything” Steg replied with a beaming face.