Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Abundance (06/08/06)
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TITLE: Two Children, Two Countries, One Friday. | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rachel Larkin
06/14/06 -
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BANG!
Michael, still in bed, stretched out his arms and legs. He had been dreaming about his birthday but thanks to his brother, John, slamming the bedroom door; he was now awake. He was seven years old today and he was expecting a large turnout of friends to his party that afternoon. He also knew what awaited him in the lounge room.
Presents! Michael got dressed and ran down to the lounge room. His eyes immediately rested on the mound of presents on the coffee table. Michael quickly counted them.
‘Oh man, there are only ten, John got twelve presents on his birthday’ Michael whispered under his breath.
He started to rip off the wrappings. He didn’t do too badly; there was a pair of Nike trainers; a pile of clothes; games for his X-Box; books; more cars for his collection and money from Nana and Poppa.
‘JOHN! THAT’S MINE!’ screamed Michael.
‘I’M JUST LOOKING!’ shouted back John.
‘John, leave your brother to have a play; I am sure he will share with you later’ Kathy the boys’ mother, interjected.
‘Mum, are we going to Dennys like we always do for our birthdays?’ asked John.
‘Nah, I don’t want to go, we just went there the other day. I want to go somewhere special, because it is my birthday’ pouted Michael.
‘Well, there was a time, boys, when you thought Dennys was a treat’ Kathy replied. ‘What do you think Rodney?’ .Kathy turned to face the boys’ father.
Rodney was buried behind the morning newspaper; he didn’t really want to have to think. Thinking was done between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 pm not first thing in the morning while he was having breakfast. “what were they talking about?’ thought Rodney ‘ah The Birthday Dinner, well why not? During the week he received news of a substantial pay rise, so an upgrade of the birthday restaurant would be just the ticket.
‘Rodney, what do you think?’ Kathy asked again.
‘Yeah why not, I’m a bit tired of Dennys as well. Let’s try somewhere more upmarket. It is Michael’s birthday after all.’ replied Rodney.
Abundance.
Friday 9th June 2006, Gaza Strip
The day was very warm, summer had definitely arrived. Hadeel was very excited. It was her seventh birthday and her whole family, eight brothers and sisters, were going to the beach.
‘It will be the best birthday ever’ Hadeel thought.
Her mum had spent all morning preparing the picnic lunch. She could smell the aromas coming from the kitchen. Hadeel was surprised that her father agreed to the birthday picnic idea. The beach was reopening for the first time this summer and most of her friends were going for a swim despite the dangers. The children hadn’t been allowed to venture outside for a couple of weeks, it wasn’t safe. There were reports of gunfire and major bombing in neighbouring areas.
‘Those Infidels! this was our land!. Just wait until I am old enough to fight! Take that!’ yelled Hadeel as she kicked the pile of rubbish on the street.
‘Hadeel, Hadeel. Time to go’
The water felt so relaxing and cooling. It had been hot stuck inside; it felt so good to spread out like a starfish and feel the current bring her back to the shore. She could hear her brothers fighting over the sandcastle design and the adults sharing a joke together. She hadn’t heard laughter for such a long time.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Silence.
‘AAARH!’ ‘ AARH!’ ‘AARH!’
Hadeels heart started to race; she could hear sickening screams coming from everywhere. She raced out of the water; the air was thick with sand.
She stood still; water still dripping from her skin, waiting for the sand to settle. Her eyes were frantically searching through the debris for her family. She was swimming right in front of their picnic mat but nothing she saw now resembled a family picnic.
Then her eyes focused on a pile of mutilated bloody bodies. She slowly walked up the beach towards them. Screams still filled the air; they were now mixed in with the shouts of the local guards. She recognised her family’s’ picnic mat.
There was nothing she could do.
She had to turn away.
Survival.
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