Winner
New Tales of the Gobi Desert
Clearwater Bay School, Trinity Ro, Fiction: Group 5
S
ometimes I wonder how I got myself into this mess, it was such a long time ago. I wonder
if I have been forgotten by my family like any sign of human life here is long since
forgotten, swept away by the wind that seems to always be blowing. Maybe they think
I am dead. Maybe I soon will be dead. I only have a small chance of getting out of here
alive. It feels like I’ve been wandering around here for years. I don’t know how many years, I lost
track of the time, that always dragged along with me, minute by minute, second by second. I have
no companion, only the never-ending mountains of sand all around me wherever I look.
When our plane crashed, I thought somebody would help me and my mates. But when no help
came, our hopes died and so did my friends. It was hard to see them go when we stuck together
bravely through the war and made it through together, as a team. But they each died and I was
left alone. Sometimes, I wished I were gone with them and that I wasn’t a survivor. But each time
I reminded myself that I was the lucky one, the one that could make it through.That always gave
me strength to make it through the empty, silent days. I have tried fixing the plane but it was no
use, I would have to find another way of getting out of the Gobi desert.
When the plane first crashed, we had a huge stock of food and water that filled up almost half
the plane for eating and drinking during war. But I soon noticed that I only had half a bag of food
left and only one jug of water. Soon, I had thought, I will need to find my food by myself, maybe
try to hunt for animals.
I remembered my first go at hunting. I had kept running around, looking for animals while all
along I should have not wasted so much energy. The sun was blazing, burning me. I was trapped
in the heat of the sun, my feet dragging across the roasting-hot sand like two lumps of concrete. I
had hunted, and failed. My energy was drained, my urging thirst and hunger couldn’t be resisted
because I wasted all my energy. I wanted to be back home with my family, playing with my kids
or just lying around in a shady corner. But my family was long gone and until then, I never let
myself think that. I was lost in the darkness of a nightmare, one that would never end unless I
could make it out of here. But I finally understood , there is no way out. What goes into the Gobi
Desert, stays in the Gobi Desert.
I remember how I thought that it was my own fault. I had thought that I was stupid enough to
think that I was doing something good for my family and me when I left to join the army. Then
thought of them pierced my heart. They are probably hating me now. I have left my kids, Michael
and Lucy, so suddenly, without warning. I heard their cries of sorrow and my wife weeping as I
strode out the door.
“Sorry,” I whispered out loud, “Sorry for everything”.
Even though I knew that whatever I said, nothing would be able to help them, it helped me to
regain my strength and my courage. I swallowed hard and began walking towards the opposite
direction. As I walked I thought of how happy my family would be if I were able to be with them
and my stride became stronger, I was filled up with determination. My pace became faster and
I felt a feeling bubbling inside me. It was energy. I greeted it like an old friend. I walked and
walked until I could not take another step. But I kept on going. I heard a little hissing sound. My
ears sharpened. What was it ?
