The Old Run Down Barn

I am a country farm girl, as I was raised on and around the farm

When I say raised, I didn’t actually live full time on the land,

We really lived in a house in town, where I could attend school

But we would stay on the farm as much as we could withstand.

***

See there was no real abode or modern amenities, just an old tin shack

Inside this tin shack, there was only enough space for a large dining table,

An old three seater bench car seat, a wood stove and a kerosene fridge

In the evening a mattress was placed on the table so sleep was enabled.

***

About 100 metres away was another, larger structure build on this land

An old run down barn, full of nothing but junk, that shouldn’t be standing,

A structure that was dubiously built about 100 years ago, at the very least

With it’s red paint peeling, timber doors buckled and missing some cladding.

***

We were forbidden from investigating or playing in or around this old barn

As my parents knew it was not safe and expected it to collapse years ago,

But that old run down barn stubbornly held on, just waiting for the time

When, it would decide to give up the ghost, we just don’t know.

***

I remember a bright sunny summer day, my sister and I were on the farm

Of course, we weren’t alone, but with both my father and grandfather,

Dad had decided it was time some things were removed from the old barn

He knew they were way too dangerous to be stored under the rafters.

***

They were both aware, that inside there was a box of old gelignite stored

The box had been fully exposed to the elements and severely sweating,

Whereas sweating gelignite was known to be extremely unstable at best

And at worst, when moved, it was also terribly dangerous and threatening.

***

Knowing all that, they still decided that it would be best for my sister and I

To enter the old run down barn alone, without them, as they were too scared,

Too terrified and knowledgeable to risk their own lives but happy to risk ours

So they sent us in to scout out the old barn completely and totally unprepared.

***

We felt their fear, so we entered very warily, egged on by both adults

As there were roofing sheets missing in places, it was not dark inside,

But, it was unbelievable, there was junk everywhere you looked, an old bed

The body of a rusted out pick up truck and old horse tackle off to the side.

***

We had no idea how we were to find that one old box of sweating gelignite

As kids, with little experience, we had no idea of what dynamite looked like,

And to make it harder, there were cardboard boxes everywhere you looked

There were also other delightful treasures to be seen, things that would excite.

***

We were taking our time looking, when Dad yelled at us, “get a move on you two,

We haven’t all day”, the old barn took offence to the noise, starting to creak,

The entire structure was so fragile that even the sound of dad’s raised voice

Or if we were to suddenly shriek or scream, it’d be all it took and we freaked.

***

Moving forward from that time on we never raised our voices above a whisper

While we continued to search high and low for this blasted sweating box,

Rummaging through old bicycle parts, solid timber fence posts, nothing

Until finally my sister spied it, while lifting a stack of newspapers full of rot.

***

There it lay, wet from the crystallisation of some sort of chemical compound

We were left with very little doubt that we had definitely found our prize,

But no easy going as it’s stacked right at the very back of all the junk

Somehow we were to gain access, but to do so we’d have to improvise.

***

The initial idea, the adults had, was for us to remove the dangerous goods

Carry them, very carefully, without dropping, as we could see they had corroded,

We would walk very slowly, without sudden movement, to a large field

Whereby granddad would sight his rifle and shoot until they exploded.

***

So there we were, trying to calculate a plan to gain access to the box

Having to move aside motor engine parts, mechanical gear and tools,

Old chicken feed that had fermented and gave off a horrid odour

Until I was able to crawl in and reach where the chemicals pooled.

***

As I was reaching slowly for the box of dynamite, a snake struck my arm

Oh no, I’d just been bitten by a large black dugite, a venomous snake

I forgot and gave out an unholy scream, as I jerked my arm back in shock

Causing that old run down barn to creak, groan and start to shake.

***

I yelled back to my sister and screamed at her so she could run to safety

As that old run down barn was beginning to implode around me,

Timber started falling, slowly at first like it was a mild rain sprinkling

Then it began to pick up the pace, until there was nothing left but debris.

***

I had managed to scoot back, away from the dynamite and snake

I wasn’t sure how far I’d moved until there was a huge explosion,

Well that was one way of dealing with both the dynamite and snake

Thankfully I was not close as nothing nearby, survived that implosion.

***

However I had other concerns, as I was fully trapped with no way out

I also had very limited time to be rescued due to the venom in my veins,

I was convinced my time was up, only praying my sister got out alive

My family would attempt to rescue me but they’d only find my remains.

***

So here I was, 13 years of age, contemplating my memories of my short life

Wondering if my father and grandfather would be consumed with remorse,

It was they who put my life in danger, knowing the risks they made me take

I lay paralysed from the venom, barely breathing, forgiveness my last thought.

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