Necklace

• Hattie Silvia, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

I wake up from yet another nightmare. I hear the usual screams and gunshots coming from outside. I look around the room, hoping that someone else is awake, but everyone is sound asleep. “I don't understand how they can sleep.” I whisper to myself. Every time I shut my eyes, all I can think about is the war going on around me, like the bomb that blew up my home, and my family who I lost when trying to get away.
I head towards the kitchen, hoping that I can find some water. I look around the fridge and finally find the jug. The water looks disgusting, but it’s not like there’s anything better. As I'm pouring my water, I hear glass shatter, probably coming from people fighting outside. I jump and spill water all over my pants. “Dang it.” I say to myself.
I push open the door to the bathroom and switch on the lights. My heart skips a beat. There is glass all over the floor. I carefully tip toe through the bathroom, carefully avoiding the glass. I hear a noise behind me. “ARGH!” I scream and quickly turn around but there’s no one there. I’m sure I heard something. “Laura, what’s wrong?” My best friend Kate walks into the room, looking half asleep. “Oh God, what did you do?” She says looking around at the glass on the floor. “I didn't do anything. I heard a noise and - KATE WATCH OUT!” I scream as someone grabs Kate and runs off. She tries to call for help but the kidnapper has put his hand over her mouth. I run after her.
People have woken up from the noise and are watching me run through the room and out the door, with confused expressions. I follow the kidnapper through the city. People are shouting, fighting, shooting and hiding from each other. I haven't been out in a while, but it seems like things have gotten worse. Some people run after me. I push them away, trying not to lose track of Kate.
Eventually, we end up at the top of a half destroyed building overlooking the city. “Put her down” I say, my voice shaking. The kidnapper hesitates, then looks at my neck. She puts Kate down, and starts to come towards me. “Kate run!” I shout. “But-but” she stammers. “Just go!” Kate gets up and runs away. The kidnapper watches her run, then grabs me by the collar and drags me towards the edge of the building.
“I'll spare your life if you hand over your necklace” she says. I realise why she let Kate go. My necklace is probably worth a lot. But it was a present from my parents, and it’s all I have left of them. I can't let her have it. “No” I say. “Don't say I didn't warn you.” She pushes me forward and I fall of the edge going down, down, down, down…and then everything goes black.