by Daniel Lumsden-Smee, Year 2 (Gold Award recipient for 2021 WriteOn Competition)
The abandoned town had many roads leading into places with deadly animals and danger around every turn. But he was ready.
The threatening clouds were swarming. The wind dangerously whipped at his legs. The air smelt like burning ash. It was evening and anything could be out there in the wilderness.
He is a young boy with a reckless attitude. He has been abandoned for several long years, standing on a road seeming to lead on forever. His eyes red hot from the miles gained. He was burning. Hot. His skin tanned like a fried pancake. His hands were loosely holding the handle bars on his red fire ignited bike, his dad had painted many years before. He felt ready. For anything.
A dark shape moved in the shadows. He stood frozen. He was scared of this. The huge creature stared. Teeth as big as swords. It’s eyes appeared to be lit by matches. The wolf froze. He ran. He wasn’t keen to look back at that horrifying sight. Not at all.
But he had forgotten about his rusty old bike. He felt it. Loneliness spread around his body like a whip. Then. Silence. Struck.
He wearily opened his eyes. Cold air swirled around his body. Pain throbbed through him. Beneath him was hard grey tar. It was as spikey as a porcupine’s quills. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but it was too hard. Darkness engulfed him.
Drops of rain rushed down, dancing on the road. The boy opened his mouth. Refreshing coolness. Then he realised he felt warm despite the rain.
He felt a salivary tongue licking at his cut. Warm air wafted on his face. Pain pulsed through the boy like a beating drum. Burning. Hot.
Suddenly the boy sat bolt upright. It was the wolf. Not snarling at him like before. Calm and gently licking his face. Confused thoughts rushed through his head. He gradually reached out his shaking hand and softly touched the wolf’s grey slightly smelly hair. To his surprise the wolf stood completely still.
He had never felt so much happiness. It just felt brilliant having someone there with him. The boy dug his face into the wolf’s elegant coat of grey fur and smiled.
The boy rested on his bike at the crossroads. It was evening and anything could be out there in the wilderness. The pale silvery moon shone faintly in the sky. But now things were different. He watched with hope in his heart because he was not alone anymore. He reached down and patted the wolf, his new friend.