Fallen

• Paige Slight, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

FALLEN

A soft cough echoed around a small dark hole where at the bottom on a bed of soft purple flowers lay a child about 11 years of age, with short orange hair by the name of Ivy.

Her freckled face was covered in dirt and her jumper was torn and filthy. Ivy moved her arms and opened her eyes. What she saw sent her into a panic. The little girl scrambled to the dirty walls of the pit looking up where the sun beamed down through the large hole that she had fallen into.

The hole was littered at the edges with carefully placed branches and sticks which had snapped as Ivy had stepped on them.

Too afraid to talk or yell for help, she took a few steps forward. The girl noticed that amongst the sea of purple flowers a trail was left where the flowers had turned a pulsating blue. At the end of the trail that was closest to the girl, sat a dog-like creature. Its head, adorned with two round fluffy ears reached just higher than her knees.

Behind the animal, its long tail wagged back and forth with the same excited energy that reflected in its bright eyes.

Unsure how to react, Ivy steeped back. As she did, the creature’s tail slowed and its ears drooped slightly. Ivy stepped forward and the “dog” returned to its hyperactive state.

Smiling she continued forward – the dog began to spin around playfully, its tail whipping back and forth wildly. When the girl was within a meter she crouched down offering the back of her hand.

Before Ivy could react the creature leapt at her with a menacing snarl. It dug its needle like fangs into Ivy’s cheek and sent her tumbling backwards.

Her cheek burning, Ivy grabbed at her now demonic looking attacker. She managed to toss it to the side pushing herself to her feet. Ivy looked down at the animal, it glared straight back with hollow, blackened eyes. Its fangs were bared, jaws dripping with saliva. Ivy stomped her foot sending the creature scurrying back into the darkness. Her eyes followed its departure. It disappeared into a wall of glowing white eyes.

A choir of horrible snarling echoed through the pit and filled her head. With a scream of terror Ivy staggered backwards pressing her back against the wall.

The distant wall suddenly became alive - a swarm of writhing bodies. Like a single unit they scuttled toward her.