Tag
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Sally Black, Grade 8, Bellarine Secondary College - Ocean Grove Campus
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Short Story
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2014
Excellence Award in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition
I ran. My legs felt as if they could fall off at any moment. My lungs were burning inside my chest. I hadn't run this hard or fast ever, but I pressed on. Fuelled by adrenaline and fear, I sprinted through the forest. Thorns and twigs scratched against my body, and I could soon feel trickles of blood on my face. It stung, but I knew that this pain was nothing compared to what I’d get if I slowed down.
I could hear the footsteps behind me. I could hear the ragged gasps of my pursuer. I could feel hot breath on the back of my neck. Fear was constantly shooting through my body.
I was terrified.
I ran and ran, not daring to close my eyes for one moment, as that could be the one moment I was caught. The tears leaking out of my eyes were keeping them stable, but even so I could feel the itch as they began to dry out.
I could hear the loud noise of the road just up ahead, on the outskirts of the forest. Just a bit further and I’d be there. Safe.
I put on my last spurt of speed, and made towards the road.
I blinked.
I tripped.
I fell.
I landed hard on my stomach, my foot caught in a thorn bush. I twisted round, and the thorns scratched my ankle. I let out a cry of pain, which was soon silenced as I saw the sight before me.
My pursuer was standing over me; its shadow blocking the sun. The air became icy, and I shivered in both cold and fear. There was no hope for me now.
The dark shadow which had been chasing me tipped its head back and let out a psychotic laugh.
It reached down, one hand outstretched towards me. I tried to scramble backwards, but my foot was still stuck.
The hand was centimetres away from my chest.
It came closer…
“Tag! You’re it!” It prodded my chest. I groaned and leaned back onto the ground, cursing under my breath. The shadow helped me remove my foot from the tree root.
“Start counting!” He chuckled, scampering off. I sighed and counted slowly to ten seconds.
“Ready or not, here I come.”