The Chase

• Amelia Demyane, Grade 5, Our Lady Of The Rosary Primary School
• Short Story
• 2014

Finalist in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition

I’m confused, I don’t get it. As Mamma pulls me by the arm while we are running full speed, I ask her in a curious and scared tone, “What’s happening mamma?”
She looks at me with her face that is as pale as a ghost and says nothing but, “Don’t look back!” I can’t stop the curiosity, foolishly I look back.
As my eyes realise what is behind us, a cold shiver runs down my spine. Two men who look like they work at the harbour, just down the road, are running after us, running also at full speed.
As I look back, one of the men see me and give an ugly and scary snarl. I run even faster seeing this. Mamma swooped into the alley, still clutching onto my arm. “I think we lost them” said Mamma, which was a big surprise because she hadn’t said anything to me for that whole time except for those three words… ‘Don’t look back’.
A thought jumps in my worried mind, ‘Why are the boatmen chasing after us? What have we ever done to them?’ Another thought races into my mind like a racing car, ‘Why do the men have a ginormous net, as big enough to fit me in it? Wait a minute!!! They’re after me!!!’
We rapidly stop in front of a huge, empty barrel. Mamma picks me up a drops me gently in to the barrel. By now she’s sobbing uncontrollably, she softly kisses me on the fore head and hugs me tightly with our heads on each other’s shoulders. Tears start to swell up in my eyes. Then she is gone, out of sight. It is pitching black and very quiet, too quiet actually. The only sound I can hear is the sound of my breathing. Fortunately, there is a big enough slit in the barrel for me to look through it. As I peek through the slit I see the two boatmen are back and are holding Mamma by the shirt and they are all shouting at each other.
I knew I had to make a distraction to get Mamma out of this petrifying situation and then to safety. I sit in the barrel motionless trying so hard to think up a distraction. Suddenly I see a pair of beady eyes looking at me, it’s a rat. I can tell it wants freedom, so I cautiously pick it up and chuck it at the men. The men let go of Mamma and scramble trying to get away from the rat like little girls. I run and grab Mamma.
“Mamma!” I say, sprinting towards safety. “Don’t look back!”