Parallel Universe

• Sachini Perera, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

The hallway is crowded with students talking and giggling. Nothing is empty, everything is full of life. The strong smell of floor polish is spreading around the hallway. Year 7 students are opening their purple lockers. The black screen projector hanging from the ceiling is on. Nothing is dead, everything is alive. Every single light in the ceiling are lighten up making everything bright. Exit signs are very bright and green. In front of the exit sign, there is a sensor door. Every time someone walk near it, the doors open. Walking further down the hallway, everything is changing. It's getting dark and the noises of the students are reducing. Suddenly, everything is empty. No sound. No light. Everything is dead. I look back, but the students are gone, lockers are closed and lights are off. Then, I realised something. I just arrive to a parallel universe. I can see someone. A girl, alone looking at a classroom. All around me is dark and gloomy. It's going to rain soon or might have rained. I can smell the rain. I can smell Petrichor. The cold wind blowing outside is welcomed inside through the sensor doors. The freezing wind is carrying quite a huge amount of dried leaves which they drop inside. The black carpet floor is covered with dried leaves. As I walk on it, it produces 'crunch' sound. I stare at the girl while stepping toward her. Her skin is tanned. Her hair is black, straight and reaches her knees. She looks curious about something. She doesn't notice me, even though I am making amount of noise. She's at the dead end of the hallway. I can't quite see her face. Her face is covered by her hair. But I am pretty sure she is beautiful. I am couple of meters away from her and I want to talk to her. Ask if she's alright. I open my mouth to create some words. She starts screaming and falls to the ground, unconscious. Red dark blood starts dripping from her mouth. She's dead. Who killed the girl? Why is this parallel universe is so gloomy and dark? How can I get out of this mysterious place? Questions are running through my head. But I know one thing. It's a mystery and I am going to find out about it. There is no one around. Just empty space. There is no one to help. The dead girl is still lying on the floor. Blood dripping down from her mouth like a waterfall. It's getting darker and colder. After few minutes it's going to be pitch black and freezing cold. I smell something. Not rain or wind but something more tastier and edible. Spaghetti! I can smell spaghetti. There is only one way to find someone for help. Follow the smell! There must be someone who is cooking them. I follow the smell and ended up on the kitchen. There is no spaghetti but another dead body lying on the floor.