Bailey Sings

• Madeleine Culwick, Grade 3, Guardian Angels Primary School
• Short Story
• 2022

Excellence Award in the 'Unleashed 2022' competition

Hi, I’m Bailey the Bent Wing Bat.
I love to sing, there’s no doubt about that.
This is a story that’s technically true,
With a couple of changes; but only a few.
Now I live in a colony of 36,
My mum, dad, cousins and my brother Chris.
I’m nice to them, they’re nice to me,
But there’s one small problem; They hate it when I sing!
I’ve tried to convince them that singing is good,
But they just won’t listen – I wish that they would!
OK, so now back to me.
One day I decided go on a journey.
A journey to the Crystal Caves,
It’s dangerous though; I’ve got to be brave!
At midday Bailey snuck out of the caves trying to be as quiet as possible. Suddenly he heard a sound echoing down the walls. Thank goodness, it was only his father sleep flying again!
Bailey couldn’t contain his excitement as he snuck past his sleeping father.
Bailey paused at the mouth of the cave wondering if he was doing the right thing, but the adventure was too tempting to miss. Out he went!
As he flew over his favourite perching tree he spotted something in the skies above. Bailey ducked down hoping it was just a weird looking cloud. For a moment he thought he was safe until he heard a loud SQUAWK!
A hawk sailed over him with a wicked look in its eyes. It swooped down at Bailey and the chase was on!
Bailey twisted and turned, the hawk turned and twisted. Bailey wasn’t looking where he was going and smacked into a tree. Fortunately, the hawk couldn’t see him falling through the bushes and it flew away.
Black, black, black, green!
Bailey could see again!
As he lay there wondering what to do, he heard someone singing…
“Bent wing bats so small
Eating mosquitoes all night
Sleeping all day long-…”
AHHHH!!!
“Oh look, a bat! What are you doing here little one?” Said Maddie, a wildlife carer.
Bailey clicked lightly; he had broken his wing.
Maddie scooped him up carefully and took him to the vets’ office to bandage up his wing.
“Actually, I know a cave nearby that will suit you perfectly after your wing has healed.”
After a few weeks of being cared for and sung to by Maddie (a fellow music lover), Bailey was strong enough to be released.
Maddie took him to the mouth of a cave and opened his crate.
As Bailey flitted inside, he gasped at what he saw! It was the Crystal Cave!
Crystal Cave was famous for its great acoustics and giant sparkling gems. Bailey was finally here! He could sing as much as he liked without other bats telling him to stop.
And there he lived near his friend Maddie forever.
The End