You Run And Run

• Taniesha Cane-Wickham, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2011

You hear it, once again, the deafening sound. The heartache it brings, it’s like a stranger’s earthquake breaking
your world apart.
It kills you, once more. But you run. You run from the darkness around you. Just run and run, as far as you
possibly can.
You see it, the light, shining bright ahead.
You run faster now. You run as fast as you can. Your legs aching and your chest in pain, you run and run.
You hear it again, the lightning strikes, your body freezes.
Something about storms you hate, the fright they give you.
You remember when you were little, flying through one; you thought that the plane might go down, your ears
felt as though they might fall off.
You keep on running; you don’t stop, just run. You see the light. You can’t wait to feel the sun dancing on your
face, feel it embrace your skin.
And then it changes, you realize that you are heading back into the darkness, that the light was just where you
were.
You don’t stop, you just run faster and faster, harder and harder. You see things clearly now, better. People
are in sight. The rain only a spit, not like the hail from before, it hardly touches your skin, your running that
fast.
The light surrounds you. You spin and dance before you realize what you have to do.
You run once again, you run towards the darkness leaving the light behind.
You get there just in time, you see him standing there, the light surrounding him only. You stop and breathe,
you breathe a few deep breaths and then you run to him, you run into his arms.
You cry with happiness while you hold him tight.
And this time you run together, you run faster and harder, your legs aching and your chest in pain once again
but you run. You run hands entwined. Together you will run.
The darkness turns to light and the light stays the same. You run and run, you don’t think to stop, you just
keep going. Through the city, down the roads, you run along the beach towards the edge. You run slower and
softer, perfect and still.
The storm has calmed and the sun has broken through.
It’s these last moments that you’ll remember, you’ll live them each day. In your dreams and out, the storm will
be there and so will the light. But it’s his face you’ll remember the most.
It will stay in your mind until the day you die; his kiss will touch your lips on your very last breath.
Your hands will stay entwined even though he’s not with you. You’ll see him again standing there in that very
spot.
And you’ll know it’s real; you know that this time it’s forever and always.