1) ​You wouldn’t have expected an ordinary teenager from
the isolated town of Wirrawee to become the devil itself. I
mean how could me, Ellie be anything but hell itself. Hell
was what caused this madness, this calamity... In a sense,
Wirrawee was sacred ground to me, it was eccentric, vivid
and teaming with vibrancy. The numerous times I gazed
into the sky, mesmerized by its beauty and the friendly
community I had grown accustomed, however that
experience was nothing more than a past event, and now
I’m fighting for the sake of my life, friends and family. The
place I once called home, had become an infestation of
soldiers and war...
3) *From my experiences I’ve learned that war can happen
at any time and any place, it’s not secluded to poor
countries but at any given moment you could be the victim.
It’s ungiven how criminating war is, I considered it gruelly
and unnatured as I recounted the moment when I saw the
“merciless slaughters of people I knew and grew with”, I
fell into a vat of trauma and cowardness. I mean how
would it feel if the people you knew and grew up with,
suddenly died you wouldn’t have anticipated it, this
destructive capability war wields.
*It's a matter of choosing between life or death, blowing up
the bridge while getting shot and narrowingly escaping
death was just the many encounters of war/conflict, it
resonates with us now, trying to forget it would be
impossible.
2) *​War and conflict consumed the natures of our lives,
I can visually recount the moment we arrived back to
town after the trip to Tailor’s Stitch, the unpleasant
feeling of unease was noticeable as the atmosphere
was still, almost empty but I could never forget that
horrifying moment when I realised we were on our
own… The town of Wirrawee was invaded, our
hometown and lives shattered in an instant. War was
the invaders and us teenagers must fight to save our
families and home, who’ve been taken hostage.
*I remember Corrie telling me “Ellie, I just can’t believe
this is happening. Invasions only happen in other
countries and on TV. Even if we survive this, I know I’ll
never feel safe again.”
4) *The invasion proved to take a toll on my mindset ,as
I wanted to crowd into an empty corner and wait it out, I
was a coward. Had it not been for my friends, I doubt
any confidence I had now would have disintegrated.
Robyn, Corrie, Fi, Kevin, Lee and Homer gave me
reasoning to move on, before I knew it, it had become
the source of fuel driving my motivation. Homer
reassured any displeasure when he said “everyone
calm down, stay calm or we’ll get nowhere. My friends
comforted any displeasing events and nullified fits of
anger,​*Pause​ ‘they were family to me’.
*We were able to accomplish success through our
cooperative thinking, blowing up the bridge was
impossible for an individual but we pulled it off, stopping
the supplies of weapons entering Wirrawee.
5) *Or when Lee took a bullet for Robyn saving her.
These unanimous feats proved the value of friendship,
friendship is everlasting and soars above the rest, it was
worthwhile to have such loyal companions. I would’ve
taken a bullet for any of my friends, endure mental
strains or forceful trauma, whatever it was in order to
keep them safe. Friendship can accomplish anything...
*Coping with the war without basic knowledge of the
environment would prove to be lethal, survival was a key
element I learned carefully. I thought I knew what
survival meant, having spent a week in Tailor’s Stitch
brightened my view of surviving but never did I think it
would play a much prominent role than ever.
6) ​Living in a town like Wirrawee, gave even the most
introverts methods on coping the with the dry terrain.
Once war broke out, we grabbed the essentials and
memorials to aid in our survival.
*We were able to feign off the invaders and survive in
barren conditions, while cultivating crops and tending to
newly born chooks. Survival meant sacrifices, we couldn’t
eat hot meals everyday nor have an everflowing supply of
water. Could you imagine only indulging in wheaty
biscuits and powdered milk, you’ld likely grow lethargic
within a few days.

7) ​Facing death meant survival, on one occasion our

group was ambushed, being pebbled by bullets we
utilized the trees for cover, therefore surviving. This
matter proved the difference between life or death,
survival was the deciding factor.

Tomorrow, When The War Began taught me the many

aspects contradicting with war, friendship and survival.
To survives means to face death face to face, without
friendship nothing would be worthwhile and war/conflict
shaped our lives for better or worse.