Flood

• Natasha Tiet, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2022

Instead of books and cobwebs, your family is squashed in the attic. It’s suffocating but not as bad as the idea of drowning in water. You can already feel the water crawling all over your and you shiver at the thought.

Melanie, your sister, cries. She howls and it floods the room as Mum comforts her, trying to make her quiet. Crying isn’t going to make it any better.
"I don't want to leave Biscuit!" she yells, "Why can't we take her with us?" She doesn't know that we may not be able to save enough money in the next few days.

There is still one hour left. Water, radio, food, torches. Where are the torches?

“Mum, I’m going to get the torches.”
"Alright, make sure you come into the safety hatch soon. Be quick."
"I will."

You can hear the floorboards creak and water seeps through them. Water.

It all happens too fast. Water burst from the cracks in the door and the windows, seeping into anything it can. It’s early.

“Quick, get in!” you yell. Mum grab Melanie's hand and they scramble into the room, like sardines in a tin. It’s almost here.

"I'm sorry mum, there's no time," you say to her

You slam the door on your family, their eyes widening and brimming with tears before everything turns to black.