Exticntion

• Reginald Dugan, Grade 5, Brunswick East Primary School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Read Write Repeat 2015' competition

Exinction
By Reginald Dugan

When Jack was leaving his house the sun was starting to come up. He walked, bathing in the sunlight, until he got to the bridge on the outskirts of town.
“About time”, called Daniel as Jack rounded a bend.
“Good to see you. Should we go?” asked Jack.
“Sure”, answered Daniel.
They walked in silence as usual. They went through town and into the forest. They were just rounding a bend in the track, when they heard an enormous BOOM!
“What was that?” asked Jack.
“I don’t know”, replied Daniel.
They walked in the direction it came from. When they reached the clearing they found a massive crater taking up most of the area. There was a constant plume of smoke coming from the center of the crater.
“Who’s there?” asked Jack.
No one answered.
“Who’s there?” repeated Jack.
Again no one answered.
Daniel was about to mutter something to Jack when there was an inhuman screech.
“Run!” roared Daniel as he saw something move in the smoke.
Daniel started moving back the way they came but Jack stayed rooted to the spot.
“Come on Jack”, yelled Daniel.
He was about to go grab him when the thing in the crater went towards Jack. That was when they finally got a good look at the beast. It was enormous compared to anything he had ever seen! It had legs made of titanium with gold talons instead of feet. It had a heavily muscled torso with a bloodied tunic and wings that looked like they were made of obsidian or a substance like it. Its arms were like they were made of dried blood but it was solid so that they looked like they could crush boulders and instead of hands he had claws made of what looked like iron. But his face was by far the most gruesome part of his body.
It was like its face kept changing to the scariest things that could be thought of. Sometimes it had fangs with bloodshot eyes then the next second it had pincers and eyes like a spider’s.
The beast landed next to Jack. Suddenly it reared back and sank its fangs into his heart.
“No!” yelled Daniel but it was too late. The beast turned to face Daniel. Daniel ran. He ran past the bridge, past his house and past Jack’s house. He didn’t stop running until he got to the local Police Station. When he started to recall what had happened to Jack, the whole horror of the incident again overwhelmed him.

When the police went to investigate there was no evidence of the beast or Jack’s body or the crater that had once taken up a vast area of the clearing. It remained a mystery but certainly a memory that Daniel would never forget.

The end
By Reginald Dugan