Violent Waves

• Sandali Wijekoon, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2008

Name: Sandali Wijekoon
Age: 12 years
Address: #20 Arthur Philip Way, Mill Park 3082, Melbourne.
Grade Level: Year 7
School: Mill Park Secondary College (junior school)




The deck swayed underfoot as Harrison squinted ahead. His shoulders were tensed up as if he was awaiting something bad. Harrison then raised his head to the clear night sky releasing all his thoughts to whoever was up there to catch them. His curly red locks swayed with the wind, constantly brushing the edge of his eyes. The salty ocean spray rushed past him, as if trying to get away from the thunderous waves that came crashing down onto the deck.
The stars above were bright; the moon hung from the sky illuminating with its milky glow the face of a man. That man was tall and muscular; he clenched the side of the ship with strong fists, while his feet were planted firmly on the ground. He wore a torn t-shirt and pants that reached under his knees. He was gazing into the violent waves beneath him wondering what might lie deep down beneath the rushing waves. The water was a dark grey and blue mixed, even though the colours weren’t attractive it still caught any sailors’ attention. The colour usually meant a storm was on its way, but otherwise a sign of bad luck.
Watching the waves kept him in a trance, he couldn’t look away from the churning waters. Every bad memory, every disturbing thoughts, flooded his eyes. He remembered awaiting a father who never came, how many times he had an argument with his mother and stormed out of the room leaving her heart broken.
He finally turned away from the waves with a heavy heart and searing eyes. He started at the scene that unfolded before him. For some reason he knew exactly what would happen next but didn’t realise this after it happened. He was already running to Harrison when Harrison turned around. Evidently he didn’t know what was going to happen. The man screamed out what sounded like “Move Away”, but Harrison didn’t know what from. He looked around him then over his shoulder, his eyes widened and from there everything went in a slower pace. Footsteps thundered up the ladder, sounding like a dozen drum beats. The bellowing of the wind around him in creased clearly eager of what would happen next. The earth seemed to tilt away from him, the deep blue sky rushing away from him faster and faster. His arms and legs were no use, and so he shut his eyes tight, waiting for what would happen next. Suddenly he was engulfed by the rushing water, the coldness seeped through him seeping into his skins. He gasped out but instead swallowed a lot of salty water, he searched for the ship but it wasn’t there, he looked above him and saw it. He knew there was no use so watched as a figure leaned against the edge, and then there were other arms which dragged him back.
He let himself go and switched himself off. For a minute he felt himself tumbling through the water…………and then………………..black.