A Short Childrens' Story
The fourth form were going to the Welsh mountains on a field trip. They were going to an area of Snowdonia that included disused gold mines and ruins of an old castle. The kids were hurrying to get the best seats on the coach, and pairing off with their friends for the journey. Ben had his eye on Mona, and spoke to her hesitantly.
“Can I sit next to you Mona?
“Sorry Ben, Mike asked me to keep the seat for him.” Mike was every girl’s favourite, tall and handsome and the captain of the football team. Ben took the seat behind and resigned himself to the two, talking and laughing.
"We're going to look for gold!" He heard Mike say. "We'll leave the others behind."
“You really think that there's gold there?” Mona didn't sound convinced.
“My dad says, people still go there hoping to find the odd nugget. Who knows? I feel lucky today.
When they got to the hills, Mr. Jenkins their teacher, led them up to the top, explaining the history of the castle ruins and the mines. Most children were kept busy with so much to see and explore. Meanwhile, Mike and Mona had slipped away, gone to explore the caves on their own.
“Let's try this one. The entrance is well hidden, no one will see us.”
"I don't know if it's such a good idea," Mona said, having second thoughts about going into such a dark place. She thought of the creepy crawlies that might be hiding inside. "Maybe we should join the others. This place is weird. We won’t find anything worth having other than empty cans."
"Nah, let's just go behind the boulders and see what it's like. I'm a big boy, I can look after you." It wasn't only the gold that interested him. She went along reluctantly and they slowly advanced till the passage became narrower.
"That's far enough," Mona said and as she spoke, she heard a slow rambling noise which frightened her. "Please, let's get out of here before it’s too late," she pleaded.
Mike had started inspecting the surface of the walls with his torch. The idea of finding a shiny peace of rock excited him and he took no notice of Mona.
“You’re not listening to me, I’ll never talk to you again after this. Please God that we come out of it unharmed.”The noise and rumbling that she'd heard before had moved closer and the passage became very dark.
"All right, all right, I made a mistake you don’t have to go on about it,” There was now little light from the entrance, and he turned to go back. The rumbling became louder. To their horror, they saw the rocks falling and the entrance closed up. In their effort to get out, Mona tripped and hurt her foot. More stones came tumbling down till there was hardly any light coming in.
“Oh my God, we'll be buried alive," Mona cried, unable to walk fast. She hung on to Mike, gripping his arm for support. "We’ve got to get out before the rest of the tunnel collapses but I can’t go any faster," she cried.
"Calm down, we’ll be all right. Here, take my torch. Mr. Jenkins will soon come looking for us." Mike tried to reassure Mona.
“Well, if you think so, but how will he know where to look? We crept away from the others remember?” Mr. Jenkins had already missed them. The rest of the group had assembled as expected but Mike and Mona weren't there.
“Where could they be, has anyone seen them?” Mr. Jenkins asked.
"Please sir," Ben said, "I saw them earlier. They went into a mine entrance behind some rocks. I didn't want to say anything, not to get Mona into any trouble." The group descended to where Ben had seen them. Now, the entrance was closed. There was no time to lose. The whole group got to work shifting stones. Their hands were bleeding.
When a gap was finally opened Ben saw the torch light that Mona was pointing towards the exit. He slid through. Mike and Mona were overwhelmed with joy.
"Oh Ben, I’m so happy to see you! for a while I thought I’d never see any one again,” Mona cried with joy, as she embraced him and kissed him. Ben was now beside himself; here was the girl of his dreams with her hands around him! He savoured the moment.
“I couldn't let anything happen to you Mona,” Ben felt ten foot tall as he also glanced at Mike who had shrunk in stature. The three of them crawled out, happy to be with the others.
Mona changed seats for the return trip; Ben was now her new hero!
The fourth form were going to the Welsh mountains on a field trip. They were going to an area of Snowdonia that included disused gold mines and ruins of an old castle. The kids were hurrying to get the best seats on the coach, and pairing off with their friends for the journey. Ben had his eye on Mona, and spoke to her hesitantly.
“Can I sit next to you Mona?
“Sorry Ben, Mike asked me to keep the seat for him.” Mike was every girl’s favourite, tall and handsome and the captain of the football team. Ben took the seat behind and resigned himself to the two, talking and laughing.
"We're going to look for gold!" He heard Mike say. "We'll leave the others behind."
“You really think that there's gold there?” Mona didn't sound convinced.
“My dad says, people still go there hoping to find the odd nugget. Who knows? I feel lucky today.
When they got to the hills, Mr. Jenkins their teacher, led them up to the top, explaining the history of the castle ruins and the mines. Most children were kept busy with so much to see and explore. Meanwhile, Mike and Mona had slipped away, gone to explore the caves on their own.
“Let's try this one. The entrance is well hidden, no one will see us.”
"I don't know if it's such a good idea," Mona said, having second thoughts about going into such a dark place. She thought of the creepy crawlies that might be hiding inside. "Maybe we should join the others. This place is weird. We won’t find anything worth having other than empty cans."
"Nah, let's just go behind the boulders and see what it's like. I'm a big boy, I can look after you." It wasn't only the gold that interested him. She went along reluctantly and they slowly advanced till the passage became narrower.
"That's far enough," Mona said and as she spoke, she heard a slow rambling noise which frightened her. "Please, let's get out of here before it’s too late," she pleaded.
Mike had started inspecting the surface of the walls with his torch. The idea of finding a shiny peace of rock excited him and he took no notice of Mona.
“You’re not listening to me, I’ll never talk to you again after this. Please God that we come out of it unharmed.”The noise and rumbling that she'd heard before had moved closer and the passage became very dark.
"All right, all right, I made a mistake you don’t have to go on about it,” There was now little light from the entrance, and he turned to go back. The rumbling became louder. To their horror, they saw the rocks falling and the entrance closed up. In their effort to get out, Mona tripped and hurt her foot. More stones came tumbling down till there was hardly any light coming in.
“Oh my God, we'll be buried alive," Mona cried, unable to walk fast. She hung on to Mike, gripping his arm for support. "We’ve got to get out before the rest of the tunnel collapses but I can’t go any faster," she cried.
"Calm down, we’ll be all right. Here, take my torch. Mr. Jenkins will soon come looking for us." Mike tried to reassure Mona.
“Well, if you think so, but how will he know where to look? We crept away from the others remember?” Mr. Jenkins had already missed them. The rest of the group had assembled as expected but Mike and Mona weren't there.
“Where could they be, has anyone seen them?” Mr. Jenkins asked.
"Please sir," Ben said, "I saw them earlier. They went into a mine entrance behind some rocks. I didn't want to say anything, not to get Mona into any trouble." The group descended to where Ben had seen them. Now, the entrance was closed. There was no time to lose. The whole group got to work shifting stones. Their hands were bleeding.
When a gap was finally opened Ben saw the torch light that Mona was pointing towards the exit. He slid through. Mike and Mona were overwhelmed with joy.
"Oh Ben, I’m so happy to see you! for a while I thought I’d never see any one again,” Mona cried with joy, as she embraced him and kissed him. Ben was now beside himself; here was the girl of his dreams with her hands around him! He savoured the moment.
“I couldn't let anything happen to you Mona,” Ben felt ten foot tall as he also glanced at Mike who had shrunk in stature. The three of them crawled out, happy to be with the others.
Mona changed seats for the return trip; Ben was now her new hero!
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