The Paper Trees

The Paper Trees

Jump ropes spun around and around as the big kids jumped over them. The only thing left for us to play with  was the concrete foursquare and the old metal bars that are so small that my feet touch the ground. Why do they get all of the cool things in the playground? None of them look like they weren't getting enough food. Just as I was thinking how much better life would be if I was older, it started.

Everyones faces went pale as they clung to one anothers arms.The big concrete play area turned into great big waves, rising and crashing as we all ran the other way in terror. All of the food that I had eaten in the last week threatened to make a reappearance. Trees toppled over as though they were made of paper and the too-short monkey bars almost fell onto the ones who didn't run fast enough. A concrete wave toppled me over. Petrified, I clung to the ground as if it was rescue rope.

Suddenly, it all stopped. I tried to stand but even though the ground had stopped shaking, my knees hadn’t. In place of the raging waves lay the concrete, all ripped and cracked. Trees lay lifeless on the piles of muddy grass. The useless metal bars lay still on their sides. Rubble from the school buildings was scattered throughout the playground. I immediately thought of my house and my family. If this was what it did to school then what would it do to our house. Everything was going to be ruined.

Ringing eerily through the silence, the bell dismissed us from under a pile of bricks.We all moved slowly towards the gates. No one bothered to try and retrieve their bags from the rubble that used to be our school. When I got home, there was no home. Our tiny brick house was reduced to rubble.Ours was the worst on our street. Most of the other houses were only half destroyed or missing a wall. My eyes scanned the rubble and I saw a fluffy pink ear. Carefully negotiating my way through the debris, I retrieved my soft toy Bunny. Overflowing with joy, I hardly noticed the cloud of black smoke that was coming from town.  I hugged Bunny closely. He smelt of dirt, ash and smoke. Someone had their radio turned up to full noise. “Napier has just experienced one of the biggest earthquakes recorded in New Zealand history. Measuring at a magnitude of 7.8, it's surprising the city is still standing.” I had no idea what 7.8 meant but it sounded big, scary and destructive.

My friend, Sarah, lived down the road and her parents were waving at us from the half of their balcony that was still intact. Smiling back at them, Mum and Dad made their way down to greet them. They were already halfway there by the time I had gotten out of the rubble. Racing ahead, I reached them about two steps from where Sarah’s fence should have been. Once we got inside, I made to go into her room but stopped,  just in time to keep myself from falling out of the house.  In place of Sarah’s room  was a big gap between the exterior side of the wall and the garden. Measuring about a two metre drop. I stood there, staring until Mum pulled me into the sitting room with Sarah and the other three adults. “Sarah's parents have just asked us if we would like to come and live with them. Would you like that?” I smiled and nodded my head vigorously.

By Alex McCarty,

Clyde Quay School, Year 8

alex@clydequay.school.nz