Creature Of The Night

• Justin Pollard, Grade 12, Trinity Bay State High School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Read Write Repeat 2015' competition

Rays of moonlight filtered through the wispy clouds that dotted the starry night sky. A young man skittered in between the gnarled, twisted trees, contrasting a thin dark shadow against the eerie white glow of the moon.
An ear-splitting howl rang through the silent night air, and he froze. The sounds of twigs snapping were a chorus of eerie chirps, a terrifying sound.
The man skidded and fell, face down in the damp long grass. He hesitated before rolling behind a fallen tree, hiss sharp shallow breaths crystallising in the air before it. He froze again as the rustle of fallen leaves and the snapping of twigs grew louder. Footsteps.
A deafening howl filled the air, causing him to cover his ears. A massive shadow loomed over the ground before the man, and he whimpered in fright. It walked in front of the man, seeming to not notice him. A cold sweat beaded on his forehead, amplified by the cold night air. It walked past and the man sighed. Relieved, he slumped against the tree and breathed heavily. Then he heard the dreaded panting sound of the creature above him.
He slowly turned his head up to see the creature standing over the fallen tree, looking in all directions. A pair of red eyes gleamed from its wrinkled face, a horrifying sight. The young man waited in suspense for what seemed like hours before the creature gave up and trotted off.
Not waiting any longer, he bolted from the safety of the log, fright propelling him forward like a jet engine. A howl rose up and the man looked behind his shoulder to see the creature giving chase. His eyes ran over his surroundings and locked onto a light in the distance. Relief flooded him and he ran toward it.
The light slowly grew bigger, and the man could make out the outline of a few houses dotting the landscape. Body aching, he progressed rapidly toward safety. The panting grew louder as the creature gained on him. Terror spiked his body and he stumbled a little.
Finally, after an agonising few minutes, he reached a small brick house lined with others. A fenced blocked his path and he jumped it with ease, separating him and the creature. He located the back door and banged hysterically with his fists, yelling for help. Slumping to the ground, hopelessness weighed down upon him. A chill ran down his back and he turned to see the creature leap the fence and advance on him.
Fear gripped the man with icy tendrils, immobilising him. The creature lumbered toward him, snarling and baring its long, needle-like teeth.
The door opened and a warm yellow glow lit up the back yard. “Hello?” a voice answered.
Alleviated, he saw a woman in her forties looking at him in concern.
Anger rose up inside him as he stood up and pointed at the whimpering creature, its tail between its legs. “Mum, I told you I didn’t want a dog!”