The Night that Changed New Landia
Written by the
Polliwog Pages Rockland Library Students
(Oliver, Dominic, Gabriel, Gloria, Elizabeth, Sena,
Genevieve, Sadie, Jacinta, Evelyn, Eliot)
(Parts between # are exact quotes of students' writing.)
Part Six
Safe Haven
On the other side of New
Landia, Grampa Don and I were zig-zagging down off the mountain as fast as we
could through the smoke, ash, and sizzling embers falling around us. Suddenly
the road collapsed and flowed in an avalanche, carrying my mail truck with it.
There was no way to steer it – only to hang on and hope we survived.
We finally stopped at the
bottom. I looked around and realized that we were only a few miles from Megers’
Island! We’d be safe there – I hoped – at least, safer than we were now. I
raced over the dirt roads as fast as I could.
Poor Emily yelped occasionally when her broken foot was jostled. I
sighed with relief to see Mike Meger waiting for us. He knew we would need him
and had his ferry ready.
“Sam,” Mike said, “I’m sure
those in the city must be having more than their share of troubles. I’ll keep running
the ferry until no more come. Go send the word to everyone you see.”
I left Grampa Don and the
kids in Mike’s care and headed my mail truck toward Colson City. I told the
Winchester and the West families and kept going to the city. It wasn’t easy navigating
through the dark streets and crumbling buildings, but whenever I saw anyone, I
directed them to Meger’s Ferry. I finally found the crowd on the verge of
rioting outside of the safety shelter.
The residents of the city
grabbed at my message like it was a life-ring. They filled buses and trucks
with people and followed my truck, which I also filled to capacity, out of
town. I made the trip seven times – each time more treacherous than the one
before. I could see the glowing river of lava coming closer and closer.
In my last trip, I carried a
young man, a blind boy, and two young women in the cab with me. The older of
the women seemed to be a nurse who did all she could to calm the others. The
man held his hands over his ears and ducked his face into his lap. The nurse
rubbed his back and talked to him, asked him questions, anything to distract
his mind.
All of a sudden, she clapped
her hands and laughed. She turned to the other young lady. “I don’t believe it!
It couldn’t have happened more perfectly!” We all stared at her, as if she had
gone crazy. She laughed again. “Maxwell, meet your sister. Shirley, meet your
brother.” We were all laughing then.
What a night! No one slept –
especially Mike Meger. His island was full to bursting, but it had brought us
together. By morning, Mt. Terra finally finished snorting and shaking. People
returned to the mainland – a different mainland. A thick coating of gray ash
covered everything. The earthquake made new valleys and rivers. The city was
buried in lava, extending hundreds of feet into the ocean.
The people would have to
relocate and rebuild. Some families weren’t brave enough to stay and decided to
immigrate back to the old lands. Others began planning a new city. No one would
forget the night Mt. Terra changed New Landia.
THE END
If you are between the ages of 4-12,
(or know someone who likes to write stories)
I would like to post your story here.
Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!
Signed,
Wiggles the Polliwog
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