Hollow Sight

• Andy Leung, Grade 6, North Rocks Public School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Word Zone 2016' competition

I clutch the torch close to my chest, making eeeeeextra-sure that I won’t be a klutz and drop the bloody candle again; I am NOT prepared to mingle with those creeps. Baby hobblejacks may be blind, but that are quite capable of hearing.
Gone are the lush fields, and the gorgeous villagers, who offered me bread and a place to sleep. I accepted the loaf of bread but declined the offer of turning in for the night, as I thought it was unnecessary but I couldn’t be anymore wrong; the forest is WAY more frightening at night: eerie sounds, uneasy feelings and THOSE EYES!
Towering pine trees infect the area, casting the entire forest in shadows and darkness. On a windy midnight such as this, my torch threatens to blow out and deprive me of the only warmth and comfort for miles as far as I know. The howling winds are messing with my hearing, disabling me from distinguishing between gales and danger. The torch provided a limited range of sight, but through all the pines and flying debris, I could spot a clearing.
My eyes lit up at the thought of that hoping that there would be a village to provide shelter and food for the night, and in the turmoil of the thought, I totally forgot about my current situation and ran, half -stumbling, half-running through the wind’s assault. What greeted me wasn’t the welcoming hands of people or the warmness of home but instead, the foul stench of dead animals (At least I hope that’s all there is) came rushing towards me and assaulted my nose, causing me to double over and vomit all over the gravelly ground before me. Through watery eyes, I could see my distinguished torch lying on the dirt next to me.
After regaining enough control of myself to stand up, I nearly puke again at the horrific sight. A large pile of deer, easily high enough to tower before me, is placed in the middle of the clearing. The stench urges me to vomit, as if wriggling a finger down my throat and back out. Though my torch has become useless, it isn’t needed as the clearing has no shade for it to hide from moonlight.
I fall down once again on the ground, legs feeling like jelly and my arms like twigs. The grotesque sight made my mind blank and void of thoughts. Though the ‘snap’ of a twig shake me back to reality, I turn around, expecting a squirrel or rabbit but standing there, silent and still, is a humanoid -looking thing, it it resembled a human but it walks on four legs and it is a pile of bones and skin, its spine protruding out in a jaggedly manner and rib cage clearly visible, its pinkish skin shows a vast network of veins, but the thing that really shook me to the core was its eyes, hollow and captivating, as if it’s a pair of black holes.
I want to back away, but my whole body can not move and before I know it, the creature lunge towards my face. I scream, as loud as I can, until it is the last thing I hear. Maybe it’s destiny...
Maybe you’re next.