Rebellion
Category A: Highly Commended (2025) Monash Short Story Writing Competition
Author: Joshua Wong
“A small spark. That was it. However, the effects are so, so big. Morphing into a raging inferno, speeding across the earth and devouring everything in its path. Just that this time, I am the arsonist.”
A few years ago…
We lived a peaceful life. At least before they came. Arriving on one normal night, slashing gleaming weapons, throwing bombs, and shooting at us with large, terrifying guns. Nothing except destruction was left in their wake. Massacred bodies littered the streets, pools of shiny, red blood splattered everywhere. Limbs were lying on the ground, their parts so bloodied and broken, making them almost unrecognizable. Children were crying, both in terror and grieving for others. For their friends. For their family.
Meanwhile, I was frantically searching for the person that I loved the most: my sweet, innocent, little sister. Panic and terror gripped at my chest as I raced through the now eerily quiet streets, the occasional moan of agony or cry of grief filling the night sky. That was when I saw her. My sister’s ghostly pale face seemed to glow in the light of the many burning fires. An axe was embedded deep into her stomach, dark red blood oozing out. One of her arms was severed from her body, lying a few feet away, blood coating it. However, what filled me with sorrow and grief more than anything was the agonized expression that was etched onto her face. Tears stained her features just as they were doing to mine when my eyes captured her mangled body. I shook as heaving sobs made my chest shudder uncontrollably. However, one emotion managed to overpower this feeling of sorrow. Anger. A giant, fiery monster waiting, itching to burst out. To unleash its fury on everything that caused this gruesome death for my sister. Rising to my feet from where I was crouched at my sister’s side, I vowed that from this day, I would destroy every single person who dared destroy our home. Who dared kill innocent lives. Who dared to kill my poor, helpless sister. And when I get a hold of them, I will punish every single one of them for what they did.
The present…
The past few years have been agony. We were at the bottom of the food chain. An easy source of prey for the powerful. However, through all the pain and misery, my anger kept me going. I persisted, and eventually, I gained power. Now I am strong. Now I am powerful. And now I am deadly. I will light a spark of rebellion, and lead our people to birth the massive inferno that will destroy our enemies. We will avenge our town. Avenge our loved ones. And avenge my sister. We will rise to the top, and when we’re there, nothing will be spared from our wrath.
“We will enjoy watching our enemies burn in the unstoppable flames of rebellion, while we inhale the sweet, lovely scent of revenge.”