'THE TEST' by Riley G

I have only five minutes to pack. I can choose only four items to take with me. I know not where I’m going, nor what dangers await me. I run to the pile of equipment and grab my favourite book, an inflatable raft, a ladder and a tent.

I am blindfolded during the helicopter journey. I have no idea where I am and I hear: ‘We are near our destination,' the pilot says I guess. I start wondering where we are.
‘Boss, where are we?' says a crew member.
‘I can’t say. He will hear. I’ll tell you when he exits.'

The helicopter hovers a meter or so above the ground and I am pushed out the door. I tumble onto the ground and tear my blindfold I see a small beach which I’m on and a thick vegetation of dense forest in front of me. I spot a crab on the ground not moving. I leap on it and catch it. I say, "That wasn’t too hard.” I start heading into the forest.

I come to a raging river. There is no way around, I must cross the treacherous water. I reach in my pack and grab my life raft. I start blowing up my raft. I pick up a stick and start paddling. At the half way point I get smashed by a big rapid from the right. As I get to the other side I deflate my raft and let it dry for ten minutes. I shove it in my pack and keep moving.

I turn to see a pack of ten killer sheep advancing towards me. I reach into my pack I pull out my favourite book, 'Bear Grylls, Born to Survive'. I throw it at the leader, it glides through the air. It hits the top of his head, the sheep stops and looks at their leader. I sadly couldn’t get my book back but I dash into the forest again.

I arrive at a vertical cliff. It seems impossible to ascend it. The cliff face is like glass, I cannot see any footholds. There is no way around, I must find a way to climb it, I reach into my pack and grab a ladder. I put the top of the ladder on a branch sticking out. I climb to the top of the ladder. I put my feet in a centimetre crack in the wall. I throw the ladder onto the top of the cliff. I climb to the top and pull myself up.

I am dive-bombed by a thousand giant mosquitoes… some look large enough to pick up a small child. The drone of wings is deafening as the venomous stingers charge towards me. I reach into my pack and grab... a camouflage tent. I set my tent up with seconds to spare. I zip my tent up and grab my ladder that had a bomb on it. I throw it out and they fly over. They’ve all fallen for my trap. I zip it back up. Suddenly, BANG!!! As loud as a gunshot. I open the zip. There are thousands of guts and bodies scattered over the ground. I pick my tent up, push it in my bag and keep going.

I come to a swamp and begin to make my way cautiously through it. Suddenly I lose my footing and find myself sinking… and realise I have stepped into QUICKSAND! I reach into my pack and grab… my raft that has saved my life twice. Now I hope it can do it a third time. My raft is battered. I cut my raft in half on a sharp branch. I put half of it over a branch and I pray to God it stays there. As I reach the top I jump like Lara Croft to the other side and say bye to my raft as it falls to the bottom. I climb out and start hearing the sound of a helicopter. I start waving my hand across the top of my head. It comes down and I jump in.
“You did well my son,” says my dad.
“Dad, you were the pilot?”
“Yes, my son.”
“Where was I?” I ask.
“The islands of Hawaii,” he says.