You Can’t Run From Your Fears

• Ashlee Cook, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2016

The golden rays of the setting sun beamed through the open windows, making the room feel a lot more open than usual.
But this room still was dark; every corner was dark, like an endless black void. Ever growing more and more as each beam of light faded.
The sun was going down quicker than I liked it. I hated this, every day was the same. When the sun was out, I was free! But when the sun went down; it was a completely different story.
Fear, anxiety, panic formed in my chest or the pit of my stomach. Heart racing, I watched the final light of the beautiful sun finally disappear under the horizon.
This left me in utter darkness, my mind was gone. I could not think straight, my body was numb.
I was paralysed.
I was vulnerable like prey, sitting out in the open, just waiting for whatever to come and kill me.
I sat myself at a small wooden table, only meant for two. An empty chair sat opposite of me. I kept my eyes on that chair; everything around me was too dark to see.
A minute past, a long minute and my heart was still going, as if it trying to jump out my chest.
Suddenly a wave of emotion crashed against me like waves against rocks. Sadness clouded my mind; I felt empty, depressed and even heartbroken.
Tears blocked my vision, as quickly as I could. I closed my eyes shut.
I can do this, I’m an adult. I can’t run away from my fears.
The first stage is easy, come on. I can do this.
As I predicted, stage one (what I call it) began. Heavy knocks banged on the wall behind me.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
I sighed in relief, stage one was over. But as soon as it ended, another had started.
Stage two, the scratching began. A felt the table vibrate from whatever was scratching the table.
5 seconds after it stopped. I was confused; it should have gone on for longer than that. I studied the pattern too well for it to confuse me.
So out of completely interest, I opened my eyes. The chair in front of me was gone. I was confused. I stood up, even though I couldn’t see a thing in this room. I looked around, looking for the missing chair.
After looking at every corner, I finally spotted the fine outline of the chair on the overside of the room. I slowly walked up to the chair, as I got closer. I started to notice someone sitting in it.
I started to get scared. I step slowly to the chair; when I finally got to the wooden chair. I saw more and more of the person who sat on it.
I made my way around, finally getting a good look at the person.
That person, my fear all along… was me?