That Summer

• Isabelle Wyatt, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2022

Screaming and splashing. Laughing and squealing. They couldn’t get enough of the clear blue water below. The sun lightly pierced their skin as they took turns leaping off the small kayak. 4 best friends, crammed into 1 small kayak. They knew this summer would be one to remember.
Humidity took over and clouds filled the sky. Dark and gloomy. Summer storms were Jamie’s favourite. The 4 friends rushed inside and sat in Anna’s bedroom laughing. Anna curled on her bed watching the rain and biting her nails.
“You know there are ghosts around here Anna.” joked Lucas laughing.
Anna shoved him as if to say be quiet. They sat in silence for a minute. The quiet was deafening. Bang! They jolted and turned around frightened.
The door had slammed shut suddenly. Their screams could be heard from a mile away. Parents came rushing upstairs to see what had happened and if anyone was hurt. Footsteps raced. Ava and Anna both hid in a corner of the room together in a ball. The doors burst open and their parents discover the 2 girls huddled in the corner.
Ava shot up and questioned suspiciously, “Where’s Lucas and Jamie?”
Jamie jumped out cackling. His mum threw a stern look towards him and rolled her eyes. Their footsteps receded downstairs, but everyone still wondered, where was Lucas?
They all ran through the house, searching, but Lucas was nowhere to be seen. Fear started to creep over their bodies. Was Lucas okay? A tear rolled down Anna’s face and she quickly rubbed it away. Ava and Jamie heard screaming coming from the kitchen and scrambled downstairs quickly, only to find a note sitting on the bench…
The note said in bold letters, you’ve found your first clue! Find me where the ocean meets the land.
“Well, what does that mean!?” cried Anna.
Jamie rolled his eyes and said, “The beach, Anna!”
Footsteps raced along the path. Shoes were thrown off and they searched the sandy shoreline for signs of life, but there was nothing. Something unusual, a large X, was laying out of place in the middle of the sand.
“Hey Jamie come check this out,” Ava called.
Sand was being thrown everywhere as the group dug a deep hole. There it was. A chest. They opened it up to find 2 gold pieces, which they later found out were fake. Another clue and a banana? What was the banana doing in there?
The clue read, find me where you find your food. They thought long and hard about this they had already searched the kitchen. Anna’s face lit up. She threw her shoes on and started running towards the bananas growing behind their property. The others followed. They weaved in and out searching around the trees.
After what seemed an eternity, they were about to give up, when Jamie shrieked. The girls ran over to him. In the distance, lying motionless on his side was Lucas. Approaching slowly, the smirk gave it all away.