No Escape

• Kiara Liyanage, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

Footsteps in perfect sync echo in the distance. Verdant grass grows freely all around the valley, luscious ruby red flowers dotting the valley sway in the wind. Animals are perking up with upturned ears, curious about the ominous sound. The crescendo of synchronised marching keeps on getting louder. If only they knew what was coming. As I huddle into a hole in the hill, dirt caking my hands and knees, I take my final glances at the valley. Soon it’ll be destroyed. Animals scatter as the hoofbeats, and footsteps come closer. As the armies near the hills there is a deafening silence as they face off. Eyes narrowed, backs upright. Even the horses seem to be giving each other stifling glares. Holding my breath, I watch the general of the red army twirling his long moustache between his fingers, eyeing the enemy cruelly, maliciously, almost… confidently. As if the battle is already won. The blue leader returns it with an almighty glower, as if he was the hero here. As if it’s good versus evil. Both sides thinking that they were wronged by the enemy, too obtuse to see the bigger picture. Typical. No one here is innocent. “Charge!” yells a voice, breaking me out of my thoughts. As the ground shakes I bury my head in my arms as dirt rains down on me while thunderous charging sounds across the countryside. Horrendous howls erupt as swords and shields clash. Men fight and scream, slashing and brawling at each other. I watch as one man gets his moustache cut off, before screaming to avenge the crime and another gets stabbed in his chest, blood spurting everywhere before he slowly crumples to his knees. This isn’t a battle, it’s a war. Within minutes I can no longer even tell who is red and blue anymore, only mindless warriors ruthlessly beating at the closest person they can grab. There are going to be a lot of orphans and widows after today. Cringing away from the fight I soon realise that it is time. Feeling magic bubbling inside me I slowly stand up, brushing the dirt off me. After all, I need to make a good image for my first appearance, don’t I? Smiling, I calmly skip to the top of the hill, unnoticed by the soldiers. Well, they’ll notice me soon. Slowly the sky starts to cloud over, rumbling, and grumbling, yet no rain. I never was fond of water. And that’s when it screams. Finally. A flash of lightning, so bright and loud that even the war is paused. They all slowly turn to me, eyes widened with shock. No doubt they were confused to have just seen a young woman appear out of nowhere in the middle of a raging battle standing at the top of a hill, smiling as she got struck by lightning. Sadly, for them I am no average person, for little do these twits not realise that they've been fighting the wrong enemy this whole time.