Lost | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Lost | Previous Challenge Entry
By Robyn Harbour
06/11/15
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'Mummy! Mummy! Mummy where are you?’ called David as he ran this way and that in panic. David had spent the afternoon wandering in the bush, following the kangaroos as they grazed on the mountain grasses, their joeys climbing in and out of their mother’s pouch. He searched for fresh poo under trees, daddy told him if he found some to look up and he would see a koala eating gum leaves. He counted four koalas. One koala had a baby on its back. He watched the undergrowth carefully for movement indicating that an echidna was underneath, he would disturb the leaves so that the echidna would start walking. He was too afraid to touch its spiky back. He was so fascinated by the animals he had not been aware of the passing of time or the distance he had travelled. He had left the main track hours earlier.
The extended Smith family had been on a picnic to one of their favourite spots in the mountains. The adults were deep in conversation when David wandered off from the group of older cousins he had been playing with. They had been totally absorbed in their argument and not noticed him wandering off.
It was twilight and the mountain air was becoming chilly when David realised his predicament. He was tired, hungry, thirsty and cold, wearing only a T shirt and shorts. At four years of age he did not fully grasp the seriousness of the situation, he just knew that he wanted his Mummy.
He threw himself on the ground beneath a tall tree, sobbing. Darkness descended quickly and David became frightened. The birds had all roosted for the night; it was very quiet except for the scurrying of bush rats, possums, wombats and other night animals. An owl hooted every now and then in the distance. A pair of eyes shone in the darkness, a mother fox was curious and slunk closer, David shivered with fear. ‘Go away doggie’ he yelled at the top of his voice, the fox turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Once when the moon came out from behind the clouds he saw a wombat lumbering close by and he screamed, the frightened wombat ran away. David was too tired to sleep, the fear kept him awake. He shivered both with fear and the cold. All he wanted was his mummy and wondered why she had not come to get him and take him home.
Mummy had often told him that Jesus loved him and would always take care of him. David, closed his eyes and clasped his hands together, just like he did at home when daddy said grace. ‘Jesus,’ he shouted as loud as he could so that Jesus would hear him, ‘ I am scared and I don’t know where my mummy is.’
Just then a lovely lady in white came out of the darkness and stood in front of him. ‘David, don’t be afraid’ she said, ‘Jesus sent me to take care of you, I will sit beside you and keep you warm and safe.’ David reached out to her and she lifted him up in her arms and cuddled him close. She asked him what animals he had seen and taught him more about God’s creation. Slowly the fear left him and he drifted into a deep sleep.

At first light the loud laughing of the kookaburras rang out in the valley waking David. A cacophony of birdsong joined the kookaburra. The lady was still cuddling him tightly. ‘David’ she said ‘I must go now, your family will find you soon, just stay where you are and don’t move.’
It seemed no time at all before two men in orange SES uniforms arrived with his father. There were tears in their eyes as David’s father swooped him up in his arms and held him tight.
‘I’m OK dad’ he said, ‘a pretty lady looked after me all night, she said the Jesus had sent her to look after me.’

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