Black Prison

• Nicolas Tout, Grade 5, Rochedale State School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Read Write Repeat 2015' competition

All it took was one word, “DIE.” I struggle to open the brass door blocking our path to freedom as the cloaked monster glides effortlessly through the hallway towards us. “Nic,” my little brother says “you’ll protect us right?” “Troy, everything will be fine.” I lie. The door finally gives a reassuring click that signals it’s unlocked. “RUN!” Troy and me sprint as hard as possible through the doorway and out into…another grey, dreary hallway? The woman in the stocks lied! “DIE.” The Reaper whispers as it reaches out its bony, black hands and grabs Troy and me. “Do you not understand the meaning of His presence?” It adds. I can feel my soul being slowly dragged out of my body. I can feel myself falling slowly out of consciousness. Then, blackness.
Thud, thud, thud, “AAAAAAHHHHHH!” I hear screams. “KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL!!!” Rattling fences. “DEEEEEEEAAAAAAATH!” I’m being dragged along concrete. There are men everywhere, all in prison black, all screaming. All scared of what will happen if they don’t mock me. Scared of what will happen if they don’t act in the way Death wants them to. A hard pull snaps me into full consciousness. I’m being dragged to the Execution Platform. The sky’s grey, the sky’s always grey and cold. The reapers shove me onto the platform. The men are already there with the execution spears. Troy gets dragged up beside me. “DIE.” Says Death. The spears soar towards us then… “Death, you have killed too many, now you will die” says a holy voice as a fiery shield flies through the space in between me and the spears, deflecting them back towards the men, causing them to explode in roses of blood red. I shudder to think that’s what would have happened to me if that shield hadn’t been there. Then a scream so terrorizing, so raw and agonizing rings out in the courtyard, a scream that could only come from Death. We are saved!
We are all racing out of the prison now. This is amazing; I can’t believe we’ve been saved! We can get back to our families! Then something grabs me and I’m suddenly in a dark room. “Ha, ha, ha, the only thing that can escape Death is Death itself.” Death’s voice rings out in the room like a gunshot.