ARABELLA CHAPMAN took third place in the 2024 Wangaratta Young Writers Award year 5/6 story category with this piece. The competition was jointly run by the Rotary Club of Wangaratta, and the Rotary Club of Appin Park Wangaratta. ooo SMOKE filled the air, screams echoed across the campground. The sky turned red, the beast was coming. Ashes landed on faces they couldn’t hide, it was time to run. The beast grew bigger, it got closer and closer. Sweat dripped off the campers' faces as they moved quickly through the haze. The young girl could feel her ponytail whacking her face as she was quickly bundled into the car to evacuate. The bird cries added to the chaos, they were loud and constant as they flew in flocks from the treetops to find a new safe place to perch. Perhaps it was a flicker of lightning from the distant storm that had rolled through earlier, or a careless spark from a nearby campfire. Whatever it was, the result was the same. The orange and red glow spread out like the fingers of a giant hand, casting eerie shadows across the campground. Smoke billowed up; a thick, choking cloud that hung over the town like a warning. The fire’s glow could be seen from miles away, and soon, the peaceful quiet of the evening was shattered by the wail of sirens. In minutes, the town’s small volunteer fire department was on the scene. Men and women, faces grim with determination, jumped from the trucks, hoses in hand. "Let's get to work!" the fire chief barked as he surveyed the scene. The flames were intense, the heat radiating off in waves that could be felt even from a distance. The firemen moved quickly, unravelling hoses, directing powerful jets of water onto the fire, but the cabins and trees had already become a towering inferno. The blaze was relentless, devouring everything in its path. Hours passed, and though the firefighters fought valiantly, it became clear that it couldn’t be saved. The fire had burned too hot, too fast. All they could do was contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby trees, buildings and towns. By the time dawn broke, all that remained of the land was a smouldering pile of ash and blackened smoke. The fire was out, but town and community would feel its loss for a long time. As the firemen packed up their gear and the last wisps of smoke curled into the brightening sky, the people came together. Plans for rebuilding began almost immediately. The thriving holiday destination might be gone, but the spirit of the community was as strong as ever, ready to rise from the ashes.
