I loved Sunday morning because I got to spend quality time with my dad. We always got up at 8:30 and we were out of the house by 9 a.m. Off on our bikes, we would head towards Sandhurst Woods. This time it started out the same but ended differently. This is the story as it happens:
I feel great; I’m on my bike with Dad at my side. The sky is like a colossal, gleaming blue sapphire; no clouds. There is a slight breeze cooling the summer sun. I pass the trees either side of me, so straight – like toy soldiers! I hear the birds tweeting away and the distant sounds of the cadets shooting. Life’s great.
The best bit of our weekly bike ride is this: we go down a hill made entirely of stones (it’s really fun), but you feel a bit sick afterwards!!
We pass the landmark, which indicates only a few more metres to our hill. The landmark is a burnt car. I never understand it though; why would anyone want to burn a car? It looked like a skeleton; limp, dead and uncared for.
I came back to reality as I heard Dad’s voice, “Ems, get ready!!!”
I gripped the handlebars and the brakes, and stopped pedalling. I was just touching the brakes but I was going too fast, everything was blurred and out of focus. My first instinct took over, and I braked hard, sending myself flying over the handlebars.
The next thing I knew, I was lying in the middle of the hill with blood gushing out of my knee and elbow.
“Ahhhhhhhh!” I screamed as I held my hands on the sources of liquid rubies.
“It’s okay, Ems”, my dad said, “I have an idea.”
To my surprise, my Dad started taking off his shoes. “What are you doing?” I asked. He was now taking off his socks.
“I’m using my socks as bandages!”
Clever I thought. Dad wrapped the socks, one round my knee, and the other round my elbow. The pain was still excruciating though. Within a few minutes I was back on my bike, looking like a right wally – I was grateful though.
The smell of purity and freshness once again entered my nose, the trees and sky entered my eyes, and the warmth entered my skin as we cycled on through the forest.
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