Soft Echoes

• Louise Furniss, Grade 8, Narangba Valley High School
• Short Story
• 2013

Finalist in the 'Written in the Stars 2013' competition

The wind’s soft echoes whispered through her ears. Brianna was sitting, silently, in a meadow overlooking the ocean as the sun, a bright ball of fire, set. As the sun set, the golden flames reflected in her blue eyes which were as dark as the ocean. The wind’s voice grew stronger and Brianna felt worried, she was never worried, the sound of the ocean always soothed her but the wind was strong, stronger than before and it whispered, “Help.” As Brianna stood up and the wind rushed by a strong, mighty bird swooped by and passed a cave, Brianna knew exactly what it meant. As Brianna stumbled down the cliff she walked upon a cave, hidden in the shadows of the cliff. As Brianna entered the cave she placed a right hand on the wall and whispered, “A hidden cave, so many hidden stories hidden within the depths of the shadows.” Brianna stumbled her way to the end of the cave, drawing in her surroundings, to come up to a pool, with a little girl. This little girl was muttering and whispering; as Brianna leaned down to shake her, the girl turned on Brianna with claws and snake like features and dragged Brianna into the depths of the pool. Brianna’s screams were muffled from the hand that was clasped on her mouth. She was going to die and she knew it as well. The cave, so many untold stories, although hidden within it a grotesque creature. The little girl, once beautiful, was now snake like and attacked Brianna with outstretched claws. Brianna tried to run but it was no use, the girl was too strong. Once Brianna relaxed and took in her surroundings she saw a man. He was not dead and he started whispering something that sounded like, “Help.” He had a glazed look in his brown eyes, maybe Brianna could escape but the girl was too strong. If a man who looked rather strong couldn’t escape then neither could she. If only Brianna was not always curious then that would never have happened. Brianna jolted back into reality as she saw the girl tear the man’s face off to silence him and look at her with a hungry glint in her eyes. 'What is this creature,' Brianna thought. It certainly looked like a mermaid but not how it was described in children books; this was a monster, an untold story happening to her. Soon the mermaid attacked Brianna with outstretched claws. Brianna was no more.
So many untold stories and not only in that cave but all around the world, different creatures hiding within the shadows. There were mermaids but not like the ones we were told as children but monsters with grotesque features, not singing calming songs to lost sailors but luring them down into the shadows of the ocean and keeping them captive until the fear was so overwhelming they had to go. Everything we were told as a child was unreal, Brianna had learnt that.