Nightmare

• Jabari Butler, Grade 6, North Arm State School
• Short Story
• 2018

Finalist in the 'Write Along 2018' competition

Drip! Drip! Drip! The sound of falling water was echoing through the passageway as a dark shadow flitted ahead of the boy. The boy followed, nerves on edge, as the torches in brackets on the wall cast an uncertain flickering light on the walls. This caused the shadows to leap out at him, making him jump and quiver with fear. The boy was of average height, with short sandy hair and a nervous personality. He was 12 years old and his name was Luke. He had only just begun grade 7. Thump! Thump!... Thump! Thump!... Thump! Thump! The sound of the boy’s heart was like a big bass drum in his chest, echoing out along the passageway. The shadow stopped abruptly. It turned and looked at the boy. “We have arrived,” it hissed.
The tunnel suddenly widened and became flooded with light. The sudden brightness made Luke turn and shade his eyes. When he had become accustomed to the light, he turned back and saw the most amazing thing he had ever seen. A city of shadows. All the shadows of the dead woven together to make a gargantuan city. But it was deserted. Everything was still. Nothing moved or spoke. It was an empty, desolate place. As they walked among the vacant houses Luke noticed marks on the door of each house. A black cross. The symbol of death.
As they reached the end of the street, the shadow turned and spoke. “A wraith did this. A wraith draws crosses on the doors of buildings and anyone inside is frozen in place. Their life instantly goes to the wraith and makes it stronger,” it said in a chilling voice. “The only thing that can stop it once it is at full power, is--- Screeeeech!!! The sound echoed through the cavern like a chainsaw cutting metal. The heart-wrenching sound drilled into Luke’s brain. Luke screamed and clapped his hands to his head, willing the horrible sound to stop. And then it did. Suddenly all he saw was blackness. He opened his eyes and, BAM! He was back in his own bedroom. Alive. Safe. It had just been a nightmare. He looked over to the calendar and realised that it was Monday. He realised that he had to go to school today. Great, another day in paradise, he thought glumly. And to top it off, a horrible teacher. Yay me. He got up and got dressed and had breakfast. Then he thought about his nightmare.
It had seemed real enough, and it had scared the living daylights out of him. He was going to have a look in his deciphering nightmares book. When he thought, ‘Why do it now when I’ve got all afternoon to do it?’ He got all his stuff and went out the front door. As he was locking the door behind him, he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and looked at the opposing wall and saw the shadow.