What a scare!

I LIKE to go out with my friends. We love nature. There is a nice spot near the river which is great for a picnic. We often cycle to the riverbank for a refreshing dip in the river. The water is crystal clear.

During the recent school break, my friends and I had a picnic by a river in our village. The river was just a stone’s throw from Mr Tan’s orchard. After cycling for about half an hour, we finally arrived at our destination. We looked for a nice spot to spread our mat. We had brought a lot of food and drinks prepared by our mums.

Without wasting any time, we changed into our swimwear and jumped into the water. We were in seventh heaven as we played and swam in the river.

Suddenly, I noticed something floating in the water. It was heading towards us. I thought it was a crocodile. I was terrified and screamed my lungs out.

Everyone panicked and scrambled out of the water as fast as they could. We ran for our lives. One of my friends, John, climbed up a coconut tree. We waited anxiously for someone to come and save us.

As the object floated by, I braved myself to take a good look. It was not a crocodile; it was a piece of driftwood. I told my friends about it. We were relieved and burst out laughing. – By Hamsaraja Muniandy, 12

Write away!

We welcome original contributions (of not more than 600 words) from children aged 12 and below. The topic can be anything you fancy. Please include your full name, age, gender, address and phone number. E-mail your letters to star2@thestar.com.my.

We have two books – Usborne 10 More Ten-Minute Stories (RM54.90) and Pax by Sara Pennypacker (RM39.90) – for the writer who sends in the best contribution for February. Prizes are sponsored by MPH Distributors.