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The Drought
beside him. Patrick lowered his head into his hands.
‘You know,’ said Tea, ‘it won’t be so bad.’
‘I just can’t leave.’
‘Dad would want us to go. We can’t stay here.’
‘How would you know?’ Patrick screamed. ‘You didn’t even know
him!’
Tea turned away.
‘I’m sorry,’ Patrick sighed.
They sat in silence, looking out across the barren land. Large
cracks had formed over the years, scarring the earth as if sliced by a
knife. A sudden jolt disturbed their thoughts, and the children
remembered where they were. Patrick jumped up, looking across the
empty space between them and the spacecraft’s gates. They had
started to close. He grabbed Tea’s hand and dragged her to her feet.
They began to run. But Patrick’s legs were longer and he could
run faster than Tea. He looked behind him, only to see Tea struggling
to keep up. He raced back to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her
along as they moved towards the closing gates. They could not be
left behind. They were so close, Patrick knew they could make it…
‘Paddy!’
Patrick felt her hand slip out of his as Tea stumbled and fell on the
hard pavement. He lifted her up, trickles of blood dribbling down
her knees. The children were desperate. With one last effort, they
lunged though the small opening, the gates closing with a sigh
behind them.
It took a moment for the children to regain their breath, as they
stood in the entrance of the spacecraft. They made it. The floors
began to shake; it was time to leave.
Patrick hugged his body. He felt sick. He didn’t want to leave, but
it was either that or stay and die. A sudden thumping on the gates
made him jump.
‘Is anybody there? Please, help me!’ The voice, although muffled,
was one that the children knew.
‘Mum!’ they screamed, ‘Mum!’
The children pounded on the gates, ‘Please somebody help! Mum,
please, Mum!’
But there was no one to hear their cries.
‘Tea, Paddy!’ cried the muffled voice, ‘Oh, thank God you’re okay.
I… I was so worried. One minute you were there and then… then… I
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