The 'Broken' Drone

• Patrick Jirgens, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2022

It was a sunny day in the superb streets of Strathfield. Little Bobby was enthralled with his Christmas present, the PJ drone Model 2. It zoomed through the air like never before. All of a sudden… BANG! He frustratingly grasped the ladder from the garage and started rising up towards the top of the roof. His parents would’ve been fiercely furious if they’d found out that he’d damaged his toy. His plan was simple - retrieve the drone and hide the evidence. Mum and Dad would never find out. Right?
When Bobby reached the top step of the ladder, he stretched as long as he could, he was too short to reach the drone! The ladder wobbled back and forth and escaped from underneath his feet. Since Bobby didn’t know what to do, he jumped up as high as he could and clutched the tip of the gutter.
“Ah!” Bobby screamed as he gripped his hands tightly. He could no longer hold his weight, with two of Bobby’s fingers losing grip. He hung onto the gutter for dear life.
“Help!” Bobby shrieked.
He felt hopeless. He looked down and gulped with only five metres between him and the ground. If he fell it would result in many broken bones and possible death.
“Am I going to live?” Bobby questioned himself.
His heart hammered relentlessly like a wild animal trying to escape his chest. His face turned as pale as chalk, and glassy drops of perspiration beaded upon Bobby’s forehead. With all of his energy, he pushed himself up and struggled onto the roof.
Bobby was now stuck on the sizzling roof with his broken drone. No water. No hat. No way to get down. He was feeling hot and most of all, exhausted. What was he going to do? Trillions of thoughts ricocheted through Bobby’s head like a swarm of frenzied bees. He felt incredibly vulnerable. There was nothing he could think of.
Soon his parents came back and pulled up in the driveway.
“Oh no! I am dead meat if they find me!” Bobby yelled.
“Did you hear something? It sounded like Bobby was speaking,” Dad asked.
“No, I couldn’t hear anything. It was probably the wind. Why don’t we pack the groceries away?” Mum suggested.
A pit began to form in Bobby’s stomach. Now that his parents were home, there was very little chance he could make it out alive. Could he sleep on the roof tonight? He heard the front door shut and let out a big sigh. Just as he was about to get up, he heard the familiar patter of his mum’s shoes on the ground.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?”
“MUM! I’m so sorry!!! I didn’t mean to!! I was just playing and-”
“Quit being so loud before your Dad hears you!” she whispers whilst picking up the ladder.
Bobby felt a mixture of confusion and relief. How did she know? The drone lay flat on the floor, camera intact.