Wishes

• Madisson Morley, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

I sighed as I stepped out onto the dewy grass. It was early morning, too early for anyone to be awake, but I was. As I looked back at the peaceful cottage house with the garden that has all the flowers my deceased grandmother planted, I sighed again. ‘This will probably be the last time I see it’ I thought, albeit sadly ‘I have to find it though, as it was grandmothers last wish!’
With that thought my foggy mind cleared and all my doubts disappeared, I walked out the gate, rejuvenated. The sky reflected my happiness with a rainbow of bright colours. I marched into the forest with the happy sky overhead.
It feels like I’ve been walking for hours, a quick
check of my watch confirms this. Dark grey clouds loomed overhead like a giant, angry beast.
Plip! A big, fat droplet fell on my forehead, travelling down my cheek and falling off my chin.
Countless more fell, identical to the first. They fell steadily faster, turning into lethal needles.
My bright red hair was soaked, as were my clothes.
A cavern appeared through the gloom, I ran
towards it. I reached the entrance, sighing in relief. Grabbing my soggy hair and squeezing it, the water dripped out. An old branch in the depths of the cave, swept there by forceful winds, snapped, the sound bouncing off of the rocky walls. “W-what was that?” my voice quivered, a deep, guttural growl answered my question and drove fear into my very being. I peered into the darkness, trying to see what made that awful noise. Plunk! Something bigger and slimier than the rain hit my cheek, making shivers run up my spine in disgust. Lightning illuminated the cave, giving me a fleeting glance of what I was up against. A huge thing, with completely white eyes, razor sharp teeth adorned a giant mouth dripping with blood, terrifying, elongated claws.
Matted up hair covered the beast.
My mouth opened in a silent scream, I ran back into the rain, terror overruling my senses. Blood pounded in my ears, brief flashes of lighting were my only way of sight, in the pitch black night Earth shattering thuds followed me closely, the dank smell of wet fur infiltrated my nose. My waterlogged clothes hung off my body, slowing me down. A clawed hand swung me off the squishy ground, I screeched in agony as my body was crushed.
My bruised arm somehow made it out, reaching for the hilt of the machete strapped to my backpack. I sliced two fingers off in one fluid motion , the monster roared in pain, dropping me as it clutched its wounded hand. Blood spurted out of the severed stumps, coating me, I took this chance to sprint away. I saw a significantly smaller cave, ‘that looks like the cave in the book’ I thought optimistically. I took a deep breath and ran inside.