Ned Kelly's Last Stand

• Steven Hallman, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2009

Ned Kelly’s Last Stand

by Steven Hallman


Ned crouched in the bushes, watching the Glenrowan Hotel burn to the ground. Fury raged inside him. How could they? How could they burn down that building with all those innocent civilians inside? He saw Joe crawl out of the Hotel and immediately get gunned down. Grief replaced the anger. He could take no more. With a roar he leapt out of the shrubbery and shot the chief policeman in the wrist. The others instantly turned and fired. Ned shot a constable in the chest and felt a searing pain in his arm, telling him that he had been shot. He would be dead by now if it wasn't for his armour. He'd been hit about twenty-sevven times. Or twenty-nine? It was hard to tell. Finally the loss of blood was too much. He collapsed. The crowd of policemen, reporters, photographers and by-standers zoomed in to see the bushranger they'd heard so much about. He handed over his revolver and allowed himself to be brought to justice.