Bushfire lookout – a story Ch 4

Chapter Four

The next morning Bill woke up as usual, for he was usually a very well behaved boy. Notice how I said ‘usually’. That might give you a clue about what might happen next.
He had his breakfast – as usual.
He packed his school bag with his books and his lunch – as usual.
He made sure his walkie-talkie was in his bag – as usual.
And…..as usual, he kissed his mother goodbye.
And he kissed his dad goodbye, which was not usual because his dad was usually up in the watch tree at this time.
And he set of on his bike to ride down the small winding track to the little school in the little village at the bottom of the valley that I have told you of before.
BUT…on this morning Bill did something very, very unusual.
When he had gone down the small winding track a little way he stopped and got of his bike and hid it in some thick bushes.
He crept into the trees and found a small path that he often used to do his rounds when he was checking up on his animals.

Bill followed the path as it wound round through the forest until it ended up at the top of the big hill at the top of the big range and he arrived at the bottom of the big tree.
Bill looked up at the all the one hundred and twenty seven steps and a cold chill came over him. He shivered.
Bill had never climbed the one hundred and twenty seven steps He heard his father’s words in his head. “No, Bill. It’s too dangerous. Maybe when you are a bit older.”
But it was too late to be worried. Bill knew he had to climb the tree. He had to watch out for all his animals. He has to keep watch over his forest.
He looked up again. He shivered again. And he put his foot on the first step.
Carefully, ever so carefully, he climbed.
And when he had climbed ten steps he stopped and looked down. He was already a long way up. “No, Bill. It’s too dangerous. Maybe when you are a bit older.” He heard the words again.
He looked up. Another ten steps and he stopped again.
“If I climb up seven more steps I’ll have only one hundred to go. This time I’ll do twenty and I won’t stop ‘til then.”
He climbed. He stopped counting. He climbed some more. He didn’t look down anymore. He just climbed one step after the other.

It took ages.
And ages.
And ages.
And his legs were tired and sore and he looked up. Nearly there. Just a few more steps.

 

His head bumped on something It was a little trap door and he pushed with all his might and climbed into the hut.
It was bigger inside than he had ever imagined.
He walked around and looked at everything.
There was a radio with knobs and dials and switches.
There were some books and papers in plastic folders.
There was a big pair of binoculars.
And a compass. The compass had a little telescope thing on it and Bill looked through it.
Bill looked over the side and jumped back. It was miles down to the ground!
He stepped back to the edge and held very tightly to the rail. He looked out.

He could see to the end of the world!
Way, way over to the south he could see the ocean.
He started to look around and there were paddocks and cows and sheep. Tiny little animals in tiny little paddocks.

And roads and cars. Tiny little cars.
Further around he could see the little village at the bottom of the valley.
Bill picked up the binoculars and put the strap around his neck. He looked at the village again.
He could see the school.

 

There were his friends. They were in the yard playing. It must be recess time now. It had taken such a long time to climb the tree.
Bill started to worry.