You Can Run, But You Can't Hide.

• Rose Kerr, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2015

A twig snapped behind me, I turned and looked around, my whole body shaking with fear… nothing is there but I’m still terrified, I keep running. I don’t remember where I am or how I got here. My dress is dirty and my legs are bruised, I start to slow my pace, I stop suddenly dropping to the ground I can’t keep going, I’m tired and sore, I need to sleep but I need to get out of this place, I lay me head on a rock telling myself I’m just resting for a while, I close my eyes and everything is silent, I fall asleep.
I wake to the sound of twigs snapping ‘Snap, snap, snap, snap’ I’m so scared I can’t move from where I am, I know I need to, what if whoever it is finds me, what would they do. Everything goes silent again, it scares me more, how close are they? I slowly get up and look around…
There a shadow behind a tree, I freeze turning, searching for a place to run and hide, I can’t find anywhere, I take a chance and run towards the shadow, praying that whatever it is won’t hurt me. ‘BANG’ I fall to the ground, blood stains the bottom of my dress and runs down my leg, I can’t move it, I’m into much pain. I touch the hole in my leg and scream out, I know I need to be quiet or they will find me, I can hear murmurs of people talking.
I try to move, trying to get up and run away, but I can’t move, the voices are getting louder, closer, I’m paralysed to the spot, not moving a muscle, hoping, praying that they won’t find me… I feel the presence of someone behind me, I turn slowly, but before I can’t get a look at who it is they grab my shoulders I try to scream, but I now feel the pressure of someone’s hand on my mouth, muffling my cries. I try to bite down on the hand covering my mouth, but it’s gone, my hands are tied behind my back, I thrash trying to get the hands off me, I shudder at the sound of something growl, I scream.
My dad is by my side trying to wake me up, I can hear myself screaming and dad telling me to wake up, telling me everything's okay, I open my eyes and see him sitting next to me, he pulls me into his arms, whispering ‘Shhh, everything is okay, it’s just a dream.’ It isn’t just a dream, it’s THE dream, and I’ve been having it for over 2 weeks now. Once I’m calm dad tucks me in kissing my forehead, leaving he closes the door behind him. I turn over to face my window, and standing right there inside my bedroom is the men, one step’s closer “Daddy can’t help you now” he says and I scream.