A Dark, Dark Tale

• Renee Bennell, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2011

In a place in the middle of nowhere, I was surrounded by trees tall and slender like a pencil and standing like soldiers. The forest was dark and spooky, I felt isolated. All I could hear was the rustle of the trees and the owls and crows flapping their wings, flying low to the ground. Wolves were howling. As I’m walking around, I could hear the gravel crunching beneath my feet. Through the trees, I saw an old ugly mansion. I anxiously went to have a look.

Step by step, I slowly walk towards the big brown wooden door. I walked up the first few steps..... I squealed. There was a huge web that caught my face and I thought the web on the door looked even worse. On the side rails there were overgrown vines and big thorns. Everything was lathered in dust. I thought my next move was stupid but I stood in front of the door and went to open it. The door creaked really loud, I wasn’t sure that what I had done was the right thing.

I peeked inside to see a dark long narrow staircase and cracked walls. A black cat meowed and ran upstairs. When I stepped inside the cold tiles immediately froze my feet. Curious, I ran upstairs and opened the curtain to have a look at what was behind it.

From what it looked like, I thought it was a bedroom that just collected dust. The sunlight shone through the window and dust was floating around everywhere. In one of the corners in the room I saw a rocking horse which reminded me of one I had when I was younger. But the first thing that caught my eye was the old cupboard standing right in front of me with one door slightly open. I noticed the cat on its two back legs as if it’s trying to get in and something is there. I felt bad luck was coming my way.

Underneath the left cupboard door it looked to be a stain, it smelt all mouldy. I also happened to realise the cupboard was on four claws to hold it up, but along with that there were three people’s faces, but I couldn’t work out whose they were. I decided to stop looking around and open the cupboard door.

The door creaked open and straight away, I turned to the box in the corner. I thought it looked like an old antique with flowers. I was tempted to see what was inside the box. I saw light shining in from the box and it fascinated me. The suspense was frustrating so I immediately reached and open the wooden box. Inside was..... a bunch of flowers with a note that read ‘BEWARE! YOU WILL BE HUNTED DOWN FOR ENTERING MY HOUSE, YOU BAD PERSON!’ My heart was pounding and I immediately ran away to a place called fairyland, where I hid for the rest of my life so I wasn’t found.