Kid's Shouldn't Wander

• Peter Coad, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2015

Today was a warm and clear day. On days like today, The two friends Jake and Sarah like to go out and do fun and different things. Today while walking along an old, abandoned street, they found what seemed to be an old warehouse building. The place felt cold and unwelcoming. The seemingly ancient building, however, beckoned them to enter. The two friends had heard of this place. It was, apparently, an old factory where animatronic robots and animal costumes were manufactured for entertainment purposes. Supposedly some workers suffered an “Unfortunate” accident which ended their lives 30 years ago.
Knowing this Sarah and Jake suddenly stiffened. They looked at each-other so as to ask if the other would go inside. They eventually decided to go inside, they thought it to be their biggest adventure yet. The two friends took shaky steps forward as they entered the old building. Worn, decrepit decorations adorned the walls, which themselves, were old and coated in peeling paint. Overall the entire place really felt scary and sent shivers down the two friends spines. Despite each others fear they strode on through the many darkened hallways.
As they turned the corner they were greeted by a decaying body in what seemed to be an animal costume. It was rusted and slightly damaged, covered in crimson red blood. The appalling image before them caused the two friends to gag and look away. This made no sense, if the deaths happened so long ago then why would the body seem brand new, also why wasn’t the body moved, and why was this man in an animal suit. Something clearly wasn’t right.
Sarah was gesturing towards Jake that they should leave, He nodded his head in disapproval. The two refused to speak out of fear that someone had been watching them. The two traveled onward throughout the building to try and find a reason why this man was here, and why he seemed to only have died recently. They had left the decorated area they had assumed to be a sort of lobby or office area and walked into the production area. The sight they saw before them was horrifying.
Alone in the centre of the room was a man, a single man adorned in a red shirt and black pants. In his left hand he held a pure white mask stained by a single splash of red. In his right hand he held a large knife still dripping what Jake and Sarah assumed was the dead mans blood.

Sarah squeaked loudly as Jake gasped. The man before them turned to face them, He was skinny with a defined face, a large foreboding grin adorned his face.

“Kid’s shouldn’t Wander alone in place like this…” The man said in a shrill tone, “KID’S SHOULD MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS!” He swung his weapon barely missing Jake’s chest

“RUN!” Jake Screamed sprinting for the door