The Hanger

• Eloise Volker-Craigen, Grade 6, Beaconsfield Primary School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

The Hanger
I was lying in bed thinking about nothing in particular or anything that popped in my head so I could keep my mind off the story that my friend had told me earlier that day. It was about this weird guy she calls ‘the hanger’ but it’s just a joke it means nothing. Anyway I’ve got to get some sleep I’ve got to get up for school tomorrow morning.
Bump!
“What was that? Who’s there?” I whispered.
I hear heavy breathing getting closer and closer, then suddenly my music box started playing. I pulled the blankets up over my head as if it’s going to save me. I’m sweating, it’s so hot but I’m afraid that if I take the blankets off whatever’s out there will get me.
“Ahh!”
I hear someone scream. I jump up to see what was wrong and I ran out of the room and found… a trail of blood. I ran into my parents room to find they were both gone. With dread I followed the trail of blood outside.
I was running down the street when I realize how long the trail of blood actually is so I decide to run back inside to get some food and water and go back to following it. While I was walking I started noticing the trail getting smaller and smaller I kept following it until I found myself standing in front of a slaughter house that looked abandoned and the blood trail leading straight to the door but there were chains hanging all around it.
I push at the door and it comes flying open and I suddenly get this putrid smell in my nostrils it smelt like rotting animal I hold my breath and walk in the first thing I see startled me I jump backwards I go back to see if it was what I thought it was yes it is. There were dead bodies hanging from the sealing off hooks and I see my parents hanging up there but I have no time to get them down because just at this moment I hear the creaking of the big stainless steel door opening, the moon light shining in. I quickly duck behind a rack with glass bottles opposite the bodies this dark shape sharply slithers over his snake type tongue sticking out of his mouth he pulls down a body from one of the hooks and stares skinning it. I almost throw up. I leaned forward a bit too far and knock one of the glass bottles off the track. Smash! His head quickly sprung around and stared at me the door was still open so I took my chance and ran outside and ducked behind a tree I hope he didn’t see me he wasn’t stand at the door. My heart was pounding at about 100km I keep looking at the door to make sure nothing happens then I turn around to find a face staring back at me. Ahh! I scream and start funning it was the hanger. I’m running as fast as my feet can carry me. Whack! He hit me I wake up in the air my arms tied at the wrists and rope hooked up in the ceiling and my ankles strapped to the ground. The hanger slowly appears out of the shadows sharpening his teeth he runs as fast as he can towards my stomach crack!
I suddenly wake up it was all a dream.