A Screaming Matter

• Brooke Woollams, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2018

Eyes from the painting followed him down the corridor…
Oliver stared back at the painting as a shiver ran down his back. He tiptoed through the house, looking for any clues that might have been left when his sister was kidnapped. He did it every night since and most of the time he couldn’t find anything new that was suspicious. As he was walking back to his room he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A shadow was moving and it was a shape of a person. He scurried back to the kitchen to find the person who owned that creepy shadow. To Oliver’s surprise, no one was there! He bolted to his parents room and yelled, “Mum! Dad! I saw a shadow of a person in the kitchen, but when I got there, there was no one there!” Oliver fell onto the bed as his parents looked at each other in shock.

Oliver ran into the kitchen, his parents close behind. Oliver heard them whispering to each other so he turned around but as he did they just weirdly looked around as though they said nothing. Oliver had a weird feeling that something was going on. “I’ll look around the house while you stay and look in the kitchen, ok?” Oliver wasn’t really going to look around the house, he was going to keep an eye on his parents. “ Ok, be careful” they replied as Oliver was walking off. As soon as Oliver was out of his parents sight, they grabbed a bag from there room and opened it. Oliver couldn’t believe it! His parents had his sister all along! But why would they do that to his sister, their daughter, someone in their own family! Oliver wanted to yell but knew he had to keep his mouth shut. He ran into the kitchen and hid behind the old and rusted bench. He picked up the phone and tiptoed quietly into his room. He dialled the police. “Help! You need to come quick! I found out who kidnapped my sister, well she is still here! You will find out how and why when you come!” Oliver put the phone down and ran off. The police soon came and Oliver made sure his parents didn’t escape the house.

The police ran inside and found Oliver in his parent’s room, pushing them away from the windows. The police came from behind and grabbed Oliver’s parents. Oliver took his sister out of the bag and hugged her so tight. He was shaking all over as he watched his parents being arrested. It would be for their own good and Oliver and his sisters as well. Oliver learned to take care of his sister and himself as they stayed in their house for many years after.