Night Fright

• Alex Ottolini, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

Connor woke to an unknown sound. There was a dim streetlight outside his bedroom window but the surrounding darkness was a coal cloak shielding the night. “Why am I not asleep” he mumbled to himself, sighing. Crash, bang and a smashing sound came again from out of the darkness. It seemed to come from across the road. Connor heaved himself out of his bed and pulled aside the curtains enough to see clearly form his upstairs window which looked over the tree lined street. The old lady’s house opposite, seemed to be glaring at him ominously. The windows were the dark eyes and the door a mouth shut tight. A soft light came from the house and he could hear a single voice. That house had always fascinated him ever since they moved in last year. He had heard stories, but he had never seen any sign of life.
Connor tiptoes down the stairway making sure not to make a sound to wake his parents. The wooden front door squeaked a little as he slowly opened it. A cold night wind hit his face and whispered through his hair. He peered through the darkness to the house across the street which seemed to beckon him. Connor crossed the road and stepped forward. In front of him the door suddenly started to slowly open, and he could make out the vague outline of someone. Connor took a gasp of air, stepping back and breathing as silently as possible. But leaves suddenly crackled and the sound of footfall broke the silence. A small creature ran past him and then he felt hands on his shoulders. Connor was terrified but the hands on him were gentle and frail.
As the door closed behind him, Connor peered around the room. The old hunchbacked woman welcomed him in. The room was full of interesting things. Model ships and planes hung from the roof and a grandfather clock ticked loudly. Photographs covered the walls and the shelves were crammed with old books and maps. The old woman smiled warmly at him. He recognised the lady to be the evil woman’ from the ‘bad’ house everyone had told him about. The lady had kind blue eyes and grey long hair. She did not look like his friends had said and not scary at all.
“What were you doing outside my house in the middle of the night?” She asked him in a kind voice.
He stuttered “I, I, I heard a noise and I was curious.”
“Oh, that was just one of my cats breaking my best teapot, so I can’t offer you a cup of tea I’m afraid. You met him outside I believe, that was Zeus, my mischief maker. But I can offer you a midnight snack. Sit down and have an Anzac Biscuit. I’ve just baked a batch.”
“All of the kids at school and in the street tell stories about you and say you are scary, trapping children in your basement and eating frogs and toads!” Connor blurted out, sitting down.
“That’s what I want everyone to think!” she chuckled. That way no one disturbs my cats and me too much.”
Connor grinned in surprise, looking at her gentle old face and smile lines around her eyes, and imagines what interesting stories she has to tell…