Equilibrium

• Sudaraka Pieris, Grade 3, Matthew Pearce Public School
• Poetry
• 2010

1st in the 'Word Express 2010' competition

My footsteps echoed over the wooden floor, my arms pumping against my sides. My breath was short and raspy and it hurt, but I was too scared to stop, to look back.

If I stop, he’ll kill me. The thought pounded through my head, the collapsed figures around me flashing through my mind. Tears burnt my eyes and images blurred, merging. I could not tell what was real any more.

Eventually I gave in and I crumpled, shaking. I pulled my legs up into my chest, my body raking with sobs. I focused on my hand, tracks of red illuminated by the dying glow of the sun. Blood, but not my blood.

I shuddered and pulled myself up onto my knees. I wrapped my arms around myself, fear and pain crushing me from the inside. I urged myself not to cry, bitting my lip hoping that it would hurt enough to make me wake up from this horrid dream. A metallic taste stung my mouth.

I managed to make out the hollowed sound of footsteps above me and in instinctively shrank back, away from his eyes. The figure of my brother moved down the stairs and I saw his hand reach out for the door, but before he could turn the knob, the door burst open, revealing a tall slender figure.

“You seem to have done well,” The stranger replied with a gratting voice, sending shivers down my spine. My brother did not reply. The stranger scanned the room. I pulled my legs up to my chest and tried to appear as small as possible.

Satisfied the stranger turned back to my brother. “Are they all dead?”

“Every single person, except the one you asked,” I heard my brother’s voice for the first time. It sounded calm and collected, almost like nothing had happened. Except the one you asked. I focused on the sound of my sharp breaths. How could he do this? My nails cut into my leg as the thoughts rolled through my mind.

“Of course, after all, you got what you desired” The raspy voice seemed to burn into my mind. “So is this the boy?” My breath caught sharply in my throat. My brother’s head turned in my direction and I could finally see his face. His dark and emotionless eyes revealed nothing.

My brother took a few steps towards me, terror closed around me and I plastered myself against the wall, hoping I could fade into it. Slowly he knelt in front of my shuddering figure. He bit his thumb lightly and reached towards me, I pulled away and a strangled gasp of fear escaped my throat.

He paused for a moment before placing his thumb on my burst lip, wiping away the blood. Finally I understood what he had done. A sacrifice for achievement, to strengthen the tipping cycle. I felt my fear fade away and evolve into a burning sense of hate.

He did it to create balance.