Lamplight

• Alex Zymaris, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2011

All is quiet

The silence is broken by echoing footsteps. A lonely individual walks through the lamplight. He is taking hurried steps and breathing fast. A dark form emerges from the shadows, its eyes are blood red and cold. The hooded figure is completely silent as it advances. The person walks into the light again and you can see it's a young man, with total fear etched in his expression. The hooded figure is following faster now, slipping in and out of the shadows with inhuman strength and agility. The young man turns his head as he senses he is not alone. He knows this is the end but his panic-stricken mind thinks otherwise, he starts to run. The wind flicks his hair as he stumbles down alleyways and across fallen rubbish bins. Down a dark street he stops. He sighs with relief, believing that he had out run his fate. But the sound of hoarse ragged breathing stops his heart. He looks up.

A blood curdling scream rips the silence.

All is quiet.