“It was like I made the earth quake!!”-Gabby, 10, Emmanuel Christian School
When the earth Quake struck I was running through the corridor at school to get my hat because it was lunch.And the milli second I stepped into the class room all my friends jumped under a desk then I found myself diving under a desk too. It was like I made the earth quake!!
Then we all started screaming our heads off.There were 6 of us in the room at the time.And as soon as the earthquake was over I didn’t bother getting my hat instead I just raced outside to see if everybody was ok.And at that time I didn’t know how bad it was. So our school had a head count then went out side onto the part of the field with no liquefaction because there was liquefaction comming up all over the fields and through the cracks that were made by the 7.1 and made worse by the 6.3.Our classes were on the other side of the liquefaction so we had to walk through to have the head count first then go to the field.When we were at the field we sang songs till our parents came to pick us up.Sadly my parents didn’t come so my best friends mum picked me up with my sister.When we got to their place we waited about an hour and a half mabey even 2 hours for my dad to come and pick me up.And finally he came. So then we waited 4 and a half hours for my mum.We waited soo long because she works in town.I was sooo freaked she wouldn’t come home I saw on the news that some peaple died and some were traped and i thought mum was traped but then we got a text from mum to say that she was ok and that it took too long to drive to my best friends house that she parked the car and walked then dad thought it was to long to walk so he went in his car and found her and drove her back to where we were. And finally the family was back together again!
Not The End
Kia ora Gabby
I think your piece of writing is amazing, you have captured some humour in it at a difficult time when you said “It was like I made the earth quake!!” and then not bothering with your hat either. I think I would have left mine behind too.
The liquefaction is quite a phenomena, I had never heard of it until recently, it sounds a pretty big nuisance.
What a good idea to sing songs until parents and friends arrived to pick you up, it is very uplifting to do that.
I can understand your worry about the long wait for your parents but terribly relieved for you that they are there now, and you are all together.
I do hope this is the end. No more earthquakes!
Thinking of you lots from Auckland.
Ella
Dear Gabby
I’m so sorry you have been through such a scarey thing – especially waiting to find out about your Mum. I grew up in Napier and know how really scarey it is when you hear the rumble and everything starts to move. My heart goes out to you all. I now live a long way away from NZ and sometimes forget that that is where I am from – but seeing the news about the earthquake and feeling my own heart break to see my own people go through this has reminded me just how much of a Kiwi I am. All of my relatives are in Christchurch and it took a few days to find them all. My Nana is 92 and in a rest home so I was most worried about her.
My children are aged 9 and 11 and go to Cornerstone Christian College in Busselton, Western Australia. They have been following the news at school and praying for you all.
We know the ground will eventually stop shaking and you can rebuild everything that got broken.
You have written such a beautiful story and described everything so well. You must be very clever.
God bless you and know that many people all around the world are praying for you.
Love Sharon
Gabby! It’s wonderful to see your story in print. I do feel proud of you.
I loved the bit where you said it was like you made the earth quake. As if!!!!
And you left your hat behind. Wise move. I’m sure you were not made to sit out the lunch time in the shade. Just this once though!!
Poor Mum she must have been very tired and scared too. Did I hear that she walked with Ashley-Mae’s Mum?
Hopefully writing about the experience of writing will help you to deal with your fears and feelings.
Much love, hugs and prayers, my young friend.
Mrs G
Dear Gabby.
That story is very scary. We do not live near Christchurch. Up here in Motueka near Nelson all people are grieving for everyone in Christchurch. Lucky you and your family are still alive. We live in Kaiteriteri and Riwaka. We both go to school in Riwaka. Riwaka is about 1 hours drive from Nelson. That was one big disaster and we hope you do not have to go through that again.
From Emily and Morag