Butterflies

• Ashlee Bayne, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2016

I didn't understand where I was, I could see dull lights through the mist. A deafening shriek cleared a path at my face. The shriek faded I feel something breathing behind me, its cold. I felt paralyzed, like a lightning bolt had struck through my chest! I hear screams from down stairs. I reached for my glasses; I rushed down stairs, as I reach the bottom step I feel a scaly thing rub past my ankle. Amanda screams Ahhhhh "get it away”. I reach down to pick it up, it was Lucky my pet Python, " Thank heavens you caught it” Amanda is my elder sister, she is 16,she isn't a drama queen she is a DRAMA GODESS,I take lucky back upstairs and began my morning routine. I see a black figure staring at me. I take off my glasses to wipe them thinking it was a smudge. I looked again, it grabbed me! I scream but no sound, before I knew it I was looking through an old mirror. What had happened? Tears began gushing down my face. Where was I? Something fluttered down landed on my hand. I thought it was an illusion but it was real! A butterfly with wings unusually large and the colour of the ocean. I hear a loud bang with that the butterfly flies away, I could see mum on the other side of the mirror. I cry out. I panic realizing she couldn't hear me. A black figure appeared behind me it was a women, , her face gaunt and grey like an army of clouds!
Her withered hand reaches for me I hold the mirror keeping my guard! She spoke to me in a shallow voice’ Don't be afraid of me child”. I stare at her. She speaks again" you must get out of here” I was terrified, desperate. There are things in here that will come for you, they are horrendous like you worst fears". Do you know how I can get home? I asked in a desperate voice. She began explaining. Have you seen any butterflies? I responded with a confident" yes"

" They are very rare" she explained. They are passageways to other dimensions. If you find more they will guide you back home. You will need to be careful other creatures will be on the lookout for you to stop you returning home. Just find the butterflies and you'll get home" her voice started fading then she vanished. Who was she?

Time had passed I had to find the butterflies. I began taking steps through this nightmare. I could hear a pin in the silence. I take a moment to rest, I think about mum and how I missed her. I open my eyes to see a butterfly! my head starts spinning, without warning I loose consciousness. I wake to find myself back in my bedroom. Was it all a dream? over on my window sill was the butterfly then it escaped out the open window.