He Said

• Sara Patil, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2017

I shouldn’t be out at this time, but I have to. He said. The weather lady said that there would be strong winds today. I don’t care. He said. It's raining buckets on me, I don’t mind if I catch a cold or the flu. It doesn't matter. He said. I needed answers, and I want them. Now. I feel like there is a secret being kept from me, and that I don't know everything I supposed too. My mum always said to 'never talk to strangers'. She said because of my 'young age' was 'vulnerable’ and 'gullible' I didn’t know what the last word meant, but I didn’t like the sound of it. I broke the rules yesterday, and I'm proud of myself. He said I would get answers, so I listened. He told me things I never knew, about the stars, the sea and the world around me. He said there are bad people out there and I should never be like them. I said yes. That day he taught me many things. He would call me boy or son, He also tells very good stories. I like the man.
He told me I would get answers if I met him again. I asked him where and when and he said I knew. I was very confused that day, but now I know. He picked a very inconspicuous place. He taught me that word, it was hard to say. I finally see the place through the howling wind and rain. I'm soaking wet now and my hair is dripping water on my nose. It's very annoying. The place is shaded with big trees, so I'm mostly sheltered in the rain. I rub my eyes and finally get a good look of the place. It’s a small, run down building and when I get closer I can faintly see the sign hanging from the roof saying 'Carl’s Confectionary'. My mum would always talk about this place and all the mouth- watering sweets they had. The door is standing at a weird angle, so I carefully push it and it swings open. There's a loud creak as I step inside.
I'm not scared, but only a little bit. My hands are shaking, that's all. I walk in and I see thousand of ants entering and the leaving the store. It takes me by surprise, because as I step, I stop midair because of the ants, lose my balance and heavily plant my foot on a 'Welcome!’ mat. Instantly a wave of dust crashes on me and not I'm coughing like crazy. When I finally stop coughing, I open my eyes and see crazy things. Weird shapes floating the air, Mystical beings floating in the air. I also see things from the stories I've been told. Mini dragons, Horse-men, giant crabs, spirits, monsters, anything you can imagine. Then I see him. He's smiling. "How did you know where to come?" He asks me." Because ” I say "You said."