Over The Victorian Hills

• Lachlan McMackin, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2009

It had been so hot the past few days. Even the cool breeze felt hot. But under Matthew’s favourite shady tree was a nice soft patch of grass for him and his brother John to lie on.
The sliding door on the back of the house opened. Matthew’s mother came out, she was sweating heavily and she looked exhausted. In her left hand she held a glass of water. Matthew and John watched her sit down on one of the chairs on the back patio. She sighed, without looking up she said, “If you want lunch, go make it yourself.”
Matthew groaned. He looked over to his little brother who was trying his best ‘puppy dog’ face at him, begging for Matthew to make him lunch. Matthew groaned again, even louder this time.
“Stop your complaining. I let you stay home from school because it was so hot and now you can’t even make John a sandwich...” his mother exclaimed.
“But I always make him lunch.” Matthew lifted a hand, gesturing at John.
“…and the last you did so was…” Matthew’s mother looked at him without blinking, inviting him to finish the sentence. Matthew opened his mouth to speak but he was stuck for words.
Eventually he gave up, dropping his head so that he looked straight at his toes and walked inside to make his brother and himself some lunch.
His mum’s scream seemed so loud against the quiet, “Quick! Grab anything inside that’s alive, valuable or easy to carry! Then go put it into the car!”
Matthew was confused. He panicked, “Mum! What’s wrong?!”
She whipped around almost knocking Matthew over. She grabbed him by the shoulders and held him still. “Listen to me,” she was calm yet it was easy to see worry in her eyes, “There is smoke over the hills, your father called and there are fireman and fires all over the place. You must get John and yourself out the front and wait for me.”
When their mother came out of the house the fires were roughly half a kilometre away from their home. Her arms were full with memories and jewellery. She was sweating more than before and she stumbled and tripped as she ran.
When they got into the car Matthew’s mother turned the key, but it didn’t start. All of the sudden the shed exploded into flames, warming their faces, even from inside the car.
Matthew looked at the upturned dingy in the front yard.
“Mum! Under the boat!” Matthew yelled.
Matthew and his family ran down the driveway to the dingy. Matthew heard the back patio collapse. In panic he screamed and yanked John under the upturned boat. He and his mother then rolled underneath.
The only noises they heard for the rest of that day was the roar of flames and explosions. It grew extremely hot under the small boat but it kept Matthew’s family alive.
They lost everything in the fire; except for their selves and memories.