500 Words 2024/25: read a finalist's story from the 8-11 category

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This story was chosen as a top 50 finalist for 500 Words 2024/25.

Remember, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not taken into account for a 500 Words story, therefore all the top 50 stories have been published how they were submitted.

HERO FOR A DAY, PIGEON FOR ANOTHER by Samuel C.

There was tension in the build up to the cup final, Dave was supporting the local team, York City, who had made it to their first final in 63 years. Dave was no ordinary football fan; he was a racing pigeon. He had lived in a loft on a rooftop, overlooking the York City stadium. He'd been competing in Pigeon racing all his life, but his favourite sport was football. His owner would line his cage using all the sports papers, and he would sit and read them, learning about all the scores, fixtures and tables. I know what you're thinking, "what? pigeons can't read," but yes, they can.

That afternoon, as the game drew closer, Dave set off with his owner, Gerry Francis, towards the starting point of his race. "I'm going to fly as fast as I can," thought Dave, "The cup finals on in 2 hours."

"Come on then we better hurry up, I want to beat the traffic back so I can watch the match" Gerry said, echoing Dave's thoughts and they made their way towards the starting point. Lucky for Dave the race route would take him over the stand so if he was late, he could look at the score.

At the starting point, Gerry put Dave's tag on his legs and readied him for the race. "3 2 1 GO!!!" bellowed the official into his megaphone and they were off. As they set off, Dave stormed into the lead leaving his opponents in the dust, the will to get back in time for the match pushing him to flap even faster. At the halfway point Dave was still in first place, and he could see the dazzling silhouette of the York City in the distance, the stadium just beyond the buzz of the city.

After an age of furious flapping eventually Dave had made it to right above the stadium, his competitors way behind. Just when the end was in sight disaster struck. His tag, needed for finishing the race fell off, plummeting to the ground like a javelin. He dived for it, he spotted it on the ground, at the edge of the six-yard box. Just as he went to peck it up a ball smacked Dave on the head and deflected into the back of the net! At the burst of cheers from the crowd he looked up and spotted the scoreboard updating to 1-0. Only then did he realize he had just scored the winning goal. The final whistle blew. It was over and the crowds erupted again with cheers as Dave took flight.

The very next day, as Gerry was putting the newspapers in Dave's coop overlooking the stadium, there on the front page was the headline "The hero pigeon!" Gerry turned to Dave and grinned "Two wins in a day Dave, not bad going for a pigeon"

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