The Book Of Mayhem

• Ranaveer Thorat, Grade 4, Warwick Farm Public School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Word Zone 2016' competition

I crept silently across the damp lawn, relying on my sense of touch to find my way around. It was one of the darkest nights, I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. Suddenly, I came to a halt, there were murmuring voices a few metres ahead. Scared to even breath, I kept on creeping towards the library. I took the advantage of a dim light shining in the distance and started speed walking towards it. When I reached the street light, I found myself in front of the library.
Running my hands across the rough wall, I found an open window and jumped through it. The sound echoed all around the library, making some birds squawk in fright. Mike, my best friend was waiting somewhere in the maze of shelves. Hoping not to get lost I started searching, but something caught my eye. It was a book, and it was glowing. Four words were written on neatly, “THE BOOK OF MAYHEM.” I took it out of the bookshelf, sat cramped in a corner and started reading.
An hour later I was still reading. I was so engrossed in the book that I didn’t even hear Mike’s calls. When he found me, Mike hauled me up and complained, “what are you doing George? We are here for talking, not reading.” “OK, OK,” I replied, too tired to argue. When I was about to put the book back, my surroundings started to change, within a blink of an eye, I was lying face first, Mike beside me.
A huge, shadow loomed over us. Curious of what it was, I shifted on the spot. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A Saber Tooth Tiger was towering over us. I got up, and started sprinting towards a nearby tree, Mike by my side. The tiger gave a blood curdling roar and started chasing us. I could feel its hot, stinky breath on the back of my neck. I knew it was about to pounce on one of us. Suddenly there was a loud thud.
The tiger had pounced on Mike. I needed to think fast, realising it could finish him of at any second. I caught sight of a tranquilliser way up in a tree. “Come and get me!” I yelled. The tiger turned its head ran towards me. I leapt up in the tree which had the tranquilliser and started climbing. I could hear the tiger panting somewhere below me. With a moment of hesitation, I looked down.
My worst nightmare was becoming a reality. I noticed that I was staring right into the face of a Saber Tooth Tiger. The wet branch made my leg slip. This was the tiger’s chance. It jumped, with its mouth open but luckily I pulled myself up just in time. Cautiously but quickly, I reloaded the tranquilliser, and shot 3 bullets. My mouth dropped, I had missed every one. My only chance to escape was to jump in the jaws of death, or fight.