Haunted Fright

• Scarlett Macgowan, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

It was a full moon, shining on an old rusty wonky house hanging off the cliff in the middle of nowhere. As I pulled up to the house the dark grey clouds reminded me of angry demons. People were screaming as the the big thunderbolt struck the huge gum trees falling onto the crooked path. There were creepy looking men walking down the side street. But that didn’t really bother me because mum said that if anything is wrong call me or maybe even dad because he is coming over tomorrow. I could definitely tell I wasn't so familiar with this part of town. Although I went ahead with it, since I was getting paid 300 dollars for babysitting.

Leading up to the doorway the pavers were all dark and cracked and the humongous old house reminded me of the haunted house in Disneyland when we went there before mum and dad’s divorce. As I slowly walked into the house, my eyes dropped terrifyingly, bulging down at the stained carpet and the thick spider webs all down the long hallway. As I walked down the hallway the kids were sitting on the dinning table with their legs trembling and their faces red like they had been terribly mistreated. I went to go sit down on the table, but before I could even think about it I heard a strange noise, bang! Crackle! tap! Tap! The noise was coming from up above my head, I held my breath until my head started shaking and my teeth started chattering so loud I had to look up. My heart dropped as If it was the end of the world but it was only a poster of a clown, well that’s what I thought it was…

It was about two hours later when I saw that the poster wasn’t there but it was moving on the other side of the room. That strange, fearful sense of danger terrified me as I ran as fast as I could out of the house calling the two children from behind. My legs started quivering as the neighbourhood could almost hear us screaming that loud, they started screaming even louder. But it was good to know that all three of us were safe for once. We all lived happily ever, bang!Bang! The ground rumbled like thunder in the distance. My body all shaken up, as I ran across the windy road my fingers shaking as people screamed earthquake! My heart fell in disbelief as we sat there watching the girl’s house fall off the cliff. That was the end of the haunted house. As I turned around I saw a car that I recognised…

Dad! He had come to save me I ran up to the car and hugged him as tears ran down the side of my rosy cheeks, I couldn't believe it. How did you know there was an earthquake I said ? He didn't answer he just said he wanted to see me.