One Terrifying Night

• Natasha Nichols, Grade 8, Emerald Secondary College
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

Kya walked speedily past me, eager to get there faster. I on the other hand was trying to distract myself from the uneasy feeling in my stomach as I quickened my pace to catch up to Kya. We were almost there and it was unnerving. When we rounded a corner, the mansion came into view. The way the tall iron gates were covered in ivory and how the rotting wood that has been there for decades sent chills down my spine. The house was abandoned and the windows had been smashed in, with jagged glass sticking out of the window frame. Sometimes people reported seeing ghostly figures gliding past the window and lights flickering on and off even though the power was cut after a few years of abandonment. My breathing quickened once we stopped in front of the iron gates. “Give me a boost, will you?” Kya asked in a far too eager voice. I held out my hands and lifted her small frame up and over the gates. Being a tall girl, I climbed over easily but that didn't stop the fearful feeling in my stomach. We walked along the overgrown grass that hadn't been cut for years and the once sunny, blue sky was clouded with dark grey storm clouds just waiting to rain heavily. We reached the bottom of the stairs and as we ascended the stairs each step painfully creaked. Once we reached the door, Kya opened it slowly, teasing my fear of anything remotely scary. After a few seconds she decided she was done teasing and swung it open fully, and the creaking noise echoed through the eerily quiet house. A big grin on her face, Kya waltzed in leaving me standing in front of the humongous 2 story house. I looked around, hoping to make an excuse not to go in, but when I found nothing I gave in and stepped in the house behind Kya. Once I was fully in the door slammed shut making me squeeze my eyes closed with immense pressure. Once I opened the again I was met with nothing but complete darkness surrounding me. “Kya. Where are you?” I screamed but was greeted with silence. My chest tightened and I got out my phone, clutching it tight and turned the flash-light. In front of me was a decaying staircase that had chiselled features that had been delicately carved by hand. I slowly held my hand in front of me and traced the intricately carved patterns with fingers, forgetting the house I was in and getting lost in the beautiful piece of wood. I had started to ascend the staircase but stopped dead in my tracks when I felt cold, unnerving breath on my neck and a presence behind me. My eyes widened and my breathing stopped and suddenly my phone clattered to the ground. “You really should've kept walking.” Someone whispered in my ear before I stumbled to the ground in a pool of dark, red blood.