Facing Demons

• Melody Rothery, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

I crept down the long damp hallway from the bathroom. Moonlight beamed through the old dirty window revealing dust particles. I tiptoed slowly down the hallway. It seemed to grow longer with each step. Scratch, scratch, fear rushed through me like a raging bull. I could hear something. I peered into the empty abyss of darkness. A small feral looking mouse rushed down the hallway. I noticed its overgrown long talon like nails that sounded like heavy chains being dragged across the wooden floor. Phew, I thought. They’re not here. I paused for a second. Something didn’t seem right. I listened carefully, I wasn’t the only one breathing! I could hear heavy breaths that sounded like a heavy snarl. A loud gasp escaped my mouth and echoed down the hallway. The breathing stopped. It heard me! It knows I'm here now! I thought with pure shock. I raced down the hallway into my bedroom. As I shut the door, I saw the darkness move. A large figure emerged from the darkness and came crashing down the hallway like a wave. I shut my door and locked it. My hands were shaking hard. I felt as if heavy weights were weighing me down. I collapsed onto my small wooden bed. That was too close, I thought. That night I had a dream. When I woke up in the middle of the night, I had this strange feeling that ate me up inside. I couldn’t sleep without finding out what it was. I had to find out what it was. I tore off my large itchy woollen blanket only to find my bedroom door wide open. The lock looked like a sharp knife had been stabbed harshly into it. A sharp pain occurred in my chest. I had to shut my door ASAP. As I stood, a raspy hand gripped tight on my legs and viciously wrenched me under my bed. I woke up in pure sweat with my messy midnight black hair falling out of my bun. I sighed in relief. BANG, someone was pounding hard on my door! This time I screamed. A low chuckle came from the other side. “Someone has been having nightmares”, my older brother teased. I didn’t give him a response. Instead, I walked out of my small cold room. My parents died in a fire at work so now it’s just me and my older brother who’s twenty. I used to have my best friend…until she joined that group of girls. I remember the dare they gave me, dig a hole in someone’s grave. The demons started to show up after that. I sat at home while my brother went to work. I couldn’t sleep that night. BANG, a loud crashing noise came from my door making it burst open. I woke up with a gasp. I couldn’t take this anymore. I opened my door and came face to face with glowing eyes. It was time to face my demons.