The Great Game

NOTE BEFORE YOU READ: I WROTE THIS WHEN I WAS IN GRADE 3 AND DID NOT CHNAGE ANYTHING (INCLUDING THE TITLE AND DETAILS) AS I TYPED IT UP!!!!!!!


My heart beat pounded as if it was knocking to get out. Jonah was rewarding three out of the four of us who dared to play this game by giving us three simple words, “You're not it. You're not it,” It was down to Tony and I. Even though we were across from each other I could still hear his heart pound like a basketball on concrete. Jonah handed out his final reward, “Blue shoe, blue shoe, who's it yes... YOU!” His finger landed on Tony's bright red and black shoe and all of a sudden everyone including myself were running in the sweltering heat to a safe haven, somewhere we could hide and hopefully be the victorious winner. I was already sweating.

I breathlessly climbed the tallest oak tree and sat on a blazing hot branch like it was a wooden bench. As I clutched a small twig of my hiding place I heard Belle's childish giggles echo through the large forest. I knew at once that she was now sentenced to travel around in Haylow Forest until the remaining two survivors were found. I shook my T-shirt to try to cool myself. All of a sudden I heard Jonah's frantic cries as Tony laughed evilly, “You're it!”

I could smell victory. Belle and Tony were under me searching, never looking up and I knew Jonah was off somewhere obvious to look for where I wouldn't be. Belle called out into the woods, “Amy come on! We give up! Please, please come out!” I could see the honest, exasperated look on their faces so I thought for a few more minutes about how I should show up. I fixed my sweat-soaked chestnut hair as I planned to make my sudden emerge. Belle sat down on a flat, sparkling rock. She giggled and shivered.

“Ah... this rock is so nice and cold!” As she said that I could almost feel the cold, refreshing feeling of the rock shiver up my spine. I slowly and carefully climbed down the oak, making a sharp rustle in the leaves. Luckily no one noticed my flaw and I managed to sneak up behind Jonah. As I slid the rest of the way down, I caught my shirt on some bark; rrrip! I quietly gasped and hoped no one heard it.

“BOO!” I shouted. Jonah jumped so high that it looked like he was a huge bird who was coming to land. He screamed at me for doing that and Tony punched me hard in the elbow.

“Amy, where were you?” Belle asked curiously.

I sighed and pointed to the exact branch I had hidden on for half an hour, “I was up there. I heard Jonah's cry baby whine so I knew I won.” Jonah's face turned bright red and the rest of us laughed. Just then Tony's little sister Charla came happily skipping down the dark, dust path, acting as though she didn't notice the sweltering heat. She held an ice-cream cone in her right hand.

“Hi Tony! Hi Belle! Hi Jonah! Hi Amy!” she said, her voice no more than a squeak. The aroma of butterscotch filled the muggy air. “Mommy says that if you guys want to go swimming, daddy is pulling off the cover now.” We stared at each other for a moment and suddenly sprinted through the tree-filled forest to Tony's huge, cold pool.