The Forgotten War

By Kittana, Stage 5

Art Write Light 2021 is a  creative writing project curated by Story Factory, in collaboration with visual artist Blak Douglas. During the program, students from Bonnyrigg High School and St Clair High School were introduced to the work of Blak Douglas, and created written and audio pieces responding to his artwork. The audio you’re about to listen to features a young writer from the program reading an extract from their work.

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO OF THE STORY

The Forgotten War

The rustling of animals walk over the land, living without the memory of war against my people. All I hear is screams at night. 

Monologue

“Why don’t you come to school anymore?”. That question keeps lingering in my head, repeating over and over again. It’s haunting me, making me feel out of control. Why didn’t I say the truth? I can’t believe I said that I was too busy walking my fish. The look on my old classmates’ faces, they looked confused but also…worried? They don’t need to be worried, I’m fine, I’m amazing, I’ve just been at home staring at my wall for hours. Listening to crows and other types of bird noises, I’ve also been gazing at clouds, figuring out the shape of them. Jesus, this sun is blinding me, I need to go home quickly before I see someone else from school. I hate how trapped I feel at home, just staring at my walls for hours really kills me. Everytime I go out I see people looking happy and living life like everything is OK when it isn’t. Throughout my life, I’ve only had one friend. They were my person, they were always there for me in my darkest times. I liked their company, just us against the world… until we met her. She was so kind. She made everyone feel warm whenever she was around. I felt thrilled having more than one friend in my life, I felt like we were all sharing our lives together. It felt like we were in a coming of age movie. We spent so much time together, it felt like I had a family once again. Then we had a fight. Me and my closest friend fought for the first time in our whole friendship. All my negative emotions came back and I started feeling useless.

I gaze at the glowing photo of me and my friend, having a picnic. I remember her asking me to come to Carne Park, the place where it all began. I look at this face and she seems so happy but in reality she really wasn’t. She was forced to leave us, now I believe it’s my time to leave too.

Much is Rife, Blak Douglas, 2021

Art Write Light is generously supported by the Balnaves Foundation.