Friendship and Sacrifice

Friendship and Sacrifice based on the Australian Bushfire

 Once upon a time there lived a Koala bear - Dave and a Kangaroo – Luke, who were friends and brother since childhood. Since the koala bear was an orphan, the Mother Kangaroo brought them up together and this is how the koala bear and the kangaroo became best of friends.

The kangaroo’s house was near a lake called Lake Barlee. Luke – the kangaroo and Dave – the koala bear played and spent quality time with each other almost every day. Mother kangaroo treated Dave as her own son. But sadly on that fateful day a tragic incident struck, the day that family was playing ‘Blind Man’s Bluff’ when suddenly Mother Kangaroo let out a piercing scream and shouted, “Run-Run! Fire-Fire!”, and Mother and Luke hopped quickly towards their house but as koalas cannot run, Dave was trying hard to run, but just could not. On sensing the plight of danger, Luke ran towards Dave as quickly as he could, picked him up and threw him with all his might towards home.

Dave was safe but not Luke as he got engulfed in the flame badly, though he was trying to scamper away but fire reached him and burnt him alive. Deeply saddened the family mourned for his death. Mother Kangaroo was inconsolable.

But looking at Dave and many days of starvation, dehydration and helplessness made them move out of the house in search of food and water. Meanwhile, the smoldering flames had subsided a few hours ago and the land was still hot. With great difficulty, Mother and Dave wandered around tirelessly like nomads. Then suddenly, they heard some humans talking with each other saying that this was a bushfire that is raging around entire Australia. He also blames certain human activities resulting to such devastating fire.

Now the remaining two animals are probably saying, “Only if the human race could get over their selfish desires, our Luke would have been alive and amongst us. But, if this continues, we are sure that someday this bushfire will happen again and reduce everything to ashes.

This story is all about a Kangaroo’s love, friendship, and sacrifices towards his friends-cum-foster brother till eternity.