Questions And Answers

• Layla Little, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2022

I breath slowly and quietly, not loosing contact with the nearby police man. He looks worried, like he made a mistake. Little insects crawl up and down on my legs and feet, but I don't flinch. I can't get found. They will take me back to the orphanage and I will live an appalling, depressing life. Lights shine through the bush into my eyes, I squint and try to see what it is. Police car. Butterfly's emerge in my stomach, I don't think and scramble out of the back of the bush. Tripping on stones and rocks. I run into a murky looking forest, having no second thoughts. But right away I see a school, no a house? What was this? Why was it here? But no one could answer those questions.

I trot over, looking back every five seconds. When I got closer a heard laughing and giggling, were there kids? Questions were unfolding in my head but by the time I was going to think another question the door slowly opened. "Hello?" I shout? No answer. But someone did hear, a silhouette of a boy appeared next to the door. I got closer and saw he was my age, a suspicious smirk appeared on his face. "Oh you silly girl, you are in terrible danger," he said laughing. "I saw you hiding from the police men, but don't worry! You came to the right place," he said. I was very confused, did he want me to join some skimpy gang? I stepped in cautiously, but all I saw were candles and names engraved in the wall. "Welcome to my world" he said loud and clear. "It looks like the devils lair." I said laughing at my joke, but he didn't. The boy just stopped smiling and stared at me creepily. "Maybe it is." He said grinning. I paused and thought, was this one big mistake?

My eyes watered as I thought of something terrible, did he want to... kill me? We were saying nothing just staring. He stepped closer and I stepped back. "Now girl, I want something off you that you will need to sacrifice." He whispered. I burst out in tears running out of the house. I didn't want to have my soul sucked out of my body! I ran to the police man, he turned to me in shock, pulling out his weapon. "Don't shoot! There's a kid he was going to kill me, just follow me and I will show you!" I said spilling out my words. "I know.." He said with a guilty look. "It was all part of the plan, we paid him." Said the police man. The boy walked out of the bush staring at the police man. "Where's my money?" He yells, the man walked over and hands him a envelope. I stand their in shock looking back and fourth. If he was just pretending, who where the kids laughing and was that lair actually real? That question stayed unanswered.