That’s very nice of him, giving a country kid a thrill, but I’m not a country kid. I’m a town kid and I need to get home urgently.
‘Please,’ I yell.
This truck doesn’t slow down either. As it passes it hits a hole in the road and all the soldiers bounce up into the air. Suddenly there’s a loud bang. I fall back into the long grass.
I’m stunned with shock. I’ve been shot at. The soldier shot at me. The bullet whizzed so close to my head I can still hear it buzzing in my ear.
I roll over and lie as flat as I can in case any of the other solders have a go. None of them does. I start to breathe again. It must have been an accident. The bounce of the truck must have made the gun go off.
I have another thought.
That poor soldier. Tonight in the barracks he’ll hardly be able to swallow his dinner he’ll be so upset. All he wanted to do was play a little trick and now he thinks he’s shot an innocent kid.
I scramble to my feet and wave at the truck, which is disappearing down the road.
‘Don’t worry,’ I yell. ‘I’m alright.’
But the truck has vanished into the dust cloud from the first truck, so the soldier doesn’t see me and they don’t give me a ride.
What bad luck. For me and him.
COMMUNICATION After Reading MANAGING MYSELF
Check your understanding 1. What does Felix find strange about the animal truck? How does he explain it to himself?
LITERACY R E E L
2. Explain, in your own words and quoting from the text, Felix’s interaction with the soldiers on the truck.
BEING CREATIVE R E E L
3. Identify and explain two moments that show us that Felix is innocent and unaware of the seriousness of his surroundings.
MANAGING INFORMATION AND THINKING R E E L
4. Based on what you have read, would you be interested in knowing how this story develops? Explain your answer with reference to the extract.
