Bruny Youth Story Prize

Turbo

“Guys, I can hear one coming!” Billy squawked, his red eyes wide.

“No, you can’t!” argued his sister, Betty, flapping her wings in annoyance. But then she tilted her head. “Actually, I can hear it!”

“Quick!” Bobby chirped, “we have to line up!”

They raced to their positions on the edge of the gravel road and stood there waiting, rustling their olive, brown, and grey feathers in suspense.

“How many times have I told you not to run across the road when there’s a car coming?” their mum shrieked as she came running up behind them. She stopped in front of them and pecked all their heads with her sharp, yellow beak.

“Ow! Mum!” they chorused in annoyance.

“You could get run over!” she trilled and flapped her wings.

“But you did it all the time when you were younger,” Betty piped up. “Why can’t we?”

“Because now I know better,” she said. She lowered her head and added in a quiet croak: “And you haven’t seen one of your brothers get killed by one of those death machines.”

Billy stepped forward and nudged his mum with his head. “Don’t worry, we won’t get squashed,” he cawed comfortingly. Then he perked up. “And I got to at least 40km/h last time so there’s no way they can run me over!”

“Hey!” Betty honked. “I beat you last time!”

“No you didn’t!” squawked Billy.

“Yes I did!” Betty squawked back.

“Guys, stop it!” Bobby honked. “I beat both of you last time!” He paused and tilted his head. “It’s coming closer!”

“Come on mum!” Betty wheedled. “Just this once?”

Their mum honked in annoyance. “Fine! But this is the last one!”

“Thank you, Mum!” they chorused.

The rumble of the car drew closer, and eventually they could hear the crackle of pebbles against the rubber of the tyres.

“Steady,” Billy cautioned. “On one.”

“Three,” Betty started.

“Two,” Billy and Bobby joined in as the blue contraption came careening around the corner.

“One!” they squawked.

They sprinted across the gravel road, their black fluffy tails high, and their wings outstretched for balance and in case they needed to turn quickly.

Betty started overtaking her brothers and their red eyes glared at her. She lowered her head and picked up the speed, determined to win this time. And not to get squashed.

The blue car drew closer, not yet slowing down like they normally did. They pumped their legs faster. It still didn’t slow down.

Betty looked back at her brothers in alarm, and saw the black wheel of death bearing down on Billy.

“Billy!” she squawked.

It was no use, he couldn’t hear her over the noise of the car.

“BILLY!” she squealed.

That time he heard her.

But too late.

The car bore down on him and passed over him, leaving him lying on the road, his wings bent at unnatural angles. Betty ran over to him.

“Billy?” She asked tentatively.

He gave a quiet honk. “Again!”

Betty laughed.

- By Ella Martin Howard

Winners of the Bruny Youth Story Prize will be announced at The Bruny Island Bird Festival on Sunday, the 22nd of March at 12 pm in the Adventure Bay hall. This prize is proudly brought to you by The Bruny Kids and Nature Project, led by Claire Boost and the Tasmanian Community Fund.