An excerpt
Adelaide was hit by a severe earthquake during a warm summer’s night.
‘What’s that noise? Teddy … hold me tight. The bed’s moving,’ I told Teddy in a frightened panicky whisper.
We could hear dishes rattling, falling out of the cupboard and smashing.
The blind flew up and kept rolling around and around. The window fell down with a huge bang.
A door slammed.
‘I love you Teddy, you’re my best friend,’ I whispered in Teddy’s ear.
I could hear my father and mother walking around and talking.
‘It’s an earthquake, Millie. We could get some more. Everything looks alright.’
‘I’ll put the kettle on and wait to see if there are any more tremors,’ suggested my mother.
‘Use the electric jug. I’m going to turn the gas off,’ my father called out to my mother as he was going outside. My father was gone for some time.
‘Millie, all the neighbours have switched on their lights. Most of them are outside talking to each other.’
‘I’ll go and see what they have to say. Perhaps this is normal here,’ my mother suggested.
‘No, it’s not wise to get familiar with the neighbours. Let’s have our cuppa and we’ll listen to the radio,’ my father sternly suggested.
Teddy and I cuddled tighter. His heart was pounding faster than mine. Poor Teddy. He was so scared. I patted his back. I kept whispering into his ear that I loved him but his heart kept beating so hard, so fast.
‘Teddy, I think it’s Jesus coming back. He’s getting rid of all the naughty people,’ I assured him. But then, I wondered, would I go to heaven or hell?
My parents were now whispering and I could barely hear the radio. I could not hear what was being discussed but I knew that something terrible had transpired and it might recur at any time. I wanted to take Teddy back to Maryborough.
As Teddy and I waited for another shaking we drifted off on floating clouds with angels singing to us…
‘Quick!’ the people next door called out. ‘Have a look!’ There before our eyes a mountain had magically appeared from the earth shaking in their backyard. It kept rising higher and higher as we watched until it became taller than the tallest trees in the yard. I rubbed my eyes to see more clearly as it kept rising, and rising up to meet the stars.
‘Look!’ shouted Oliver, the boy next door.
‘Let’s go,’ said my sister.
I held Teddy very tightly. We climbed over the fence to have a closer look at this colossal magical mountain. It was covered in yellow daisies swaying in the gentle breeze like ballerinas in-between rocks. The rocks, covered in thick velvety green moss, shine reflected the flickering silvery moon.
Oliver started to climb over the rocks but slipped at each attempt as if he was playing snakes and ladders.
‘Look!’ gasped Teddy, as a rope ladder suddenly appeared as mysteriously as the mountain.
Oliver’s eyes beamed with joy and wonderment as he proceeded to climb the rope. Soon he was sitting on top of the mountain. He yelled out to me, ‘Come up, it’s so big and warm and beautiful.’
Teddy and I started to climb the ladder. My sister went home to tell my parents about the miracle mountain. Arriving on top of the mountain, we could hear music. Angels fluttered around the clouds, encircling the garden, playing piano accordions and singing.
‘Make a wish, make a wish,
just one wish for good little girls,
Make a wish, make a wish,
just one wish for good little boys
Make a wish, make a wish,
two wishes for special Teddies,’
Their voices surrounded the top of the magical mountain.
Suddenly the mist disappeared.
The angels gathered together and left in pairs singing and dancing.
We sadly watched the angels disappear playing piano accordions and singing.
The moon lit up their path.
We followed the path.
Suddenly, facing us was Maryborough.
‘Teddy, did you wish for Maryborough?’
‘Yes, Sweet Pea. Maryborough is better; it’s safer. We can spend every day together,’ Teddy quietly but very earnestly admitted from the bottom of his heart, a tear in his eye and his gentle loving smile.
Sitting on top of the mountain with the silvery moon beaming at us we could see the warm sun shining on Maryborough. The climb up the mountain was so difficult it made us all very sleepy. We all fell asleep looking at Maryborough. While we slept, unbeknown to us, the mountain continually inched away from Maryborough, bit by bit. We were unaware of the mountain changing and a river flowing around the mountain.
‘Wake up!’ Teddy suddenly pleaded in a panicky voice with tears in his eyes.
‘Look, we’re floating,’ exclaimed Oliver with enthusiasm.
‘But… we’re floating away on the clouds with the angels, away from Maryborough,’ I replied.
‘Oliver, where are you going?’ I asked.
‘I think I can hear Rusty barking…and that’s my parents calling me,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Oliver’s parents had been searching everywhere for him. We could hear them in the distance calling out, ‘Oliver, Oliver, where are you, Oliver are you all right. Oliver please answer us.’
Oliver tried yelling back but they could not hear him.
Teddy and I tried yelling with Oliver but, still, they could not hear us.
We were floating faster and faster, higher and higher.
Oliver’s dog, Rusty, was the cleverest dog ever. He heard Oliver’s voice and he huffed and puffed at the mountain and all of a sudden, as suddenly as it appeared, it crumbled with each huff and puff from Rusty. We floated down on beds of daisies and landed right next to Rusty who licked us all over as if he needed to give us a bath.
‘Stop licking,’ cried Teddy while brushing his golden fur frantically, ‘I’m not dirty. Leave me alone.’
Oliver laughed and gave Teddy a big hug, saying, ‘Rusty is just pleased that you’re okay. He likes you, just like I do.’
Oliver’s mother came rushing over to us. She gave us hugs and kisses.
‘Sit down on the lounge and tell me all about what happened while you drink some hot chocolate. Do you want some biscuits?’ Oliver’s mother said.
After telling her everything that happened we fell asleep curled up on the lounge listening to her sing a lullaby…
Early next morning my parents explained that Adelaide had experienced an earthquake and there was no real damage. I told my parents that I thought it was Jesus coming back to get rid of all the naughty people. They laughed at me.
‘Teddy, why did they laugh at me? I was really scared,’ I asked Teddy on returning to my room.
‘I was really scared too, Sweet Pea,’ Teddy replied.
Over the next few weeks I heard my parents telling people that I believed the earthquake was Jesus coming back to get rid of the bad people. Other people laughed too. I could not understand why it was so funny.
At school Mrs. Nelson talked about earthquakes. I listened very carefully and thought, the devil must cause them as they come from the centre of the earth where hell is. No wonder Teddy was so scared. I felt sad and tears filled my eyes because I had left Teddy home alone. What if there was another earthquake and I was not there to hug and protect him. Maybe they only happen at night, I hoped. The devil sneaks around at night. It must be my sister’s fault for storming off and getting cross with my father over the piano accordion. Yes, it’s her fault. She slept through it. Only the good people woke up. They have to pray and ask God to control the devil. Therefore, I must be good girl, I decided.
© Shirley May 2008
