You Can't Catch Me

• Deijah Tabora, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2019

My sister lays silent, under an old oak tree dancing in the wind. Jayla’s traumatized soul shivers my spine when I visit. I still hear my sisters frightened screams when the wind blows.

I visit the wrinkled oak tree once again. The darkness of night covers the tall grass surrounding the oak tree. I see my dwarf house fading in to the pitch black distance. As I stumble towards the old oak tree, shivers run through my spine. Goosebumps swarm my body as I slowly approach the wrinkled oak tree. Suddenly the wind blows and my sister speaks. The words blend in with the wind but I still understand what Jayla is saying. She whispers “Jaxon, I’ve been gone for three years. I was pushed off the towering bridge. Did you try to save me?” With guilt, I reply. “No.” The second I reply, a giant gust of wind sweeps me off my feet. I land with a thump, on the cold, wet grass. I know my sister is angry. I slowly force my aching body to stand. I start to sprint as fast as lightning away from the oak tree. I run away from my tiny house. I don’t care where I run to, I just don’t want Jayla to catch me.

I am still running at a high speed. But I don’t think that my bare feet can handle the staggering rocks on the road. I know I am far away from home because I can’t recognise any of the houses. All the houses surrounding me are huge, new and modern. I start to slow down, then I stop. I look around. Darkness still covers the land. I feel the wind starting to blow my long brown hair out of my face. I feel that my sister has caught up to me. I want to run but my body is too weak to handle the pain from the road. I start to jog to get away from Jayla. I huff and puff as I slowly make my way down the dark street. Soon I start to see something big and towering in the distance. As I get closer I see that I have approached a big rusty bridge. I stop for a while to catch my breath.

As I am standing there, I see a faint silhouette in front of me. I know it is my sister. I slowly step back, almost tripping on the loose gravel beneath my feet. “You can’t catch me!” I yell as I run backwards a little. Jayla rages towards me, I step backwards as she steps forwards. When she stops, I find myself on the edge of the towering bridge. Faintly, I hear her scream “WHY ME?” I start to cry when I realise that the silhouette fading into the distance. I burst into tears and run the way I came, hoping to find home. The wind howls behind me.