Lola's Award Short Story

Lola was placed second in a short story writing competition for the William Pike Challenge Award. She shared it with the class and it was thought a good idea for others to read it as well.

Congratulations Lola on your efforts. You certainly have a way with words.

Lola   Havelock North Intermediate School, Short story competition

The Climb

I'm Lola and I hate heights, with a passion. But I had signed up for the William Pike Challenge Award and there I was driving to one of our compulsory activities, The high ropes course. The drive was one of the worst I’d ever experienced nerves running through my body, a butterfly in my stomach flying around at supersonic speed. It felt like eons had passed before we arrived.

The sky was bright blue above me and the sun was glaring down on the group. The encouraging instructor did nothing to calm my nerves. By this stage my hands were shaking and clammy and I had already taken off my jacket. The group moved sluggishly off to the activity. Most of the group were fizzing like pop rocks. I looked around anxiously hoping the vibe would rub off on me.

The ominously tall wooden structures were looming ahead of me, The instructor asked for volunteers and a friend behind me grabbed my wrist and yanked it up. The result being that I was chosen. Slowly I stepped out of the crowd towards the challenge that lay ahead of me. My heart was thumping as I got clipped onto the climbing rope, almost puking as I made my first steps up the pole gripping tightly to every hand hold.

From the top of the pole I could see a colony of ants which I soon realised were my classmates. Wobbly legs led me along the narrow pole my hands grabbing for things that weren't there, a breeze playing with my hair. I was swaying slightly, my foot was slipping off the side of the pole. Lurching forward I grabbed the pole at the other side a sigh of relief, thinking this was the end. But no, a voice from below called out "Lola, walk backwards to the centre of the pole" Cautiously I inched my way across the bar, at the middle I was met with yet another instruction "Lola" he yelled "Do some Star jumps" Then for the first time since I had climbed up, I looked down. My breath was knocked from me as he yelled the final command. “Jump off” Closing my eyes and began counting down. 3… 2… 1... Slowly I fell backwards, wind rushing past my face I sighed with relief. I had done it.