Late

• Wilson Cen, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2009

As I sat down on the graffiti, dark green seat I could feel the sweat running down my cold stiff spine. I motioned around and saw a young man wearing long, drab pants and wore a long colossal cloak with punctures standing not very far away. The man looked very fatigued and barbaric, as if he was a thief. I kept glancing at him, taking a peek every few seconds to check if he moved from his position. He realised I was staring at him and he returned me with very guilty eyes. Then he suspiciously shifts closer to me. My heart pumps fast with panic, I slowly glimpsed around the dim train station, there was no one left except for a solemn security guard.

I looked down to check my sweat stained watch it read 11:30 my friends was much delayed. There was nothing for me to do except wait for my friends, I kept hearing muted sound of trains temporarily coming. Then suddenly a gust of wind blew my cap off onto the train tracks, luckily there was no train coming by. I had no idea how to retrieve my hat back. I tried to ask the security guard but he was very lazy and mumbled to me “I can’t help you.” I walked back and forth on the yellow line, not knowing what to do. All the while I was staying alert for the suspicious man behind me I took glances at him, making sure he remained stationary.

The man saw that I was troubled, without a hint of haste he strolled towards me. I panicked and tripped over the as I tried to walk away. He came closer and closer, his footsteps echoed the hollow station and I froze. As I got back on my feet I swiftly walked further away but the man did not stop, he followed me. I quickened my pace. But he also quickened, I walked on, but stopped dead when I suddenly realised that I was out of the security guards sight. I looked around and the man was still following. A sense of terror washed over me, I walked further upwards. I looked around again and saw that he stopped dead but when I looked in front of myself, it was a dead end and the only way to run was on the train tracks. He slowly approached me. I tried to scream but only a squeak came out.

Suddenly the constant muted train tracks became a soft rattle then a loud clatter and then I saw a large bright train approaching the platform. At that time the man stopped dead. The train screeched loudly as it stopped when the doors slid open, a crowd of tired people hopped off the train. I walked onto the trains hoping to find my friends. When the train started to move again, the doors to the other carriage opened and the shady man walked out to give me an evil toothy grin…