Misfortune Means Disaster

• James Li, Grade 5, Sutherland Public School
• Short Story
• 2010

Finalist in the 'Word Express 2010' competition

The beast groped around my shivering shadow. My body numbed as if in a tempest of terror. Shuddering, I hesitated to move. Distress flooded my mind, slowly and cumbersomely like a heavy rain. One step forward - stop and breathe - another step forward - don’t look at it. After a long, long moment, I froze. I was face to face with the beast, but would I escape its fangs?

It had all started when I decided to play hide and seek with my friend. Cunningly, I hid in the shed at the back of the garden. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find me, gave up, and left. No sooner had I realised this when doom struck me like a laser zap. I was still in the shed - but I was not alone. I was stuck in the shed with a grotesque spider on the handle.
Misfortune means disaster

My thoughts gathered. Taunts, threats and encouragement poured down on me.
“Stab it! Stab it! Stab it!”
“C’mon! Its only a little beast”
“Chikkos!”
“Scaredy Cat! Scaredy Cat!
“Yer gunna have to get out sooner or later!”
“You could put it in that cup ...
...and so I could - but the cup was unnervingly close to the spider!

Horror surrounded me.
“Give up loser!” it grinned through gruesome teeth.
My body shivered; my hands trembled; my hair stuck up on the back of my neck. Remembering my predicament, I took a large gulp of bravery. With a suffocating throat and a dry mouth, I reached out to grab the cup. Poisonous fangs of terror tortured me entirely as I contemplated the challenge of trapping the cup. Arachnophobia stared me in the face, its eyes flashing cold, like fire chilled in a diamond. Sweat poured down from every pore of my being. I glanced ahead, way ahead, way way ahead at the cup apparently shrinking by the moment. Determinedly, I made my choice. It was now or never!

I was just about to lower the cup when, suddenly, the spider began to scuttle back and forth. I closed my eyes to its presence. I could hear the soft click as it scamenpered; here and there - there and here - everywhere - slowly at first - then faster, faster scurry, scurry, scurry like a crow, searching for food. Hope sparkled from a small light still burning deep within my spirit. Fight! Courage! Balance ...slowly does it ...slowly, slowly ...ever so slowly. Don’t stop. Not now, spider scuttling furiously. Raise the cup. Now lower ...down ...down ...slam! As I threw the cup outside, I struggled to raise a small smile. I had done it!