Stolen
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Orlaith Wall, Grade 5, Bangalow Public School
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Short Story
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2019
Excellence Award in the 'Just Keep Writing 2019' competition
I’ve always had a fear of something, something I never thought would happen. But it did and it happened to me. I was asleep as usual in my warm, comfy bed. But this time it wasn’t a dream, it was a horrifying nightmare.
My eyes popped open and I felt a strangeness. A cold sharp breeze passed over my motionless body. I looked up and the window was wide open. I saw a shadow of a hooded man. I screamed. I pinched myself and repeated over and over again “Go back to sleep, this is just a nightmare. Go back to sleep, go to sleep.”
I hear footsteps outside my room. My doorknob slowly starts to turn, tears well up in my tightly closed eyes as I cover my head. As the door opens, I see my mum’s messy morning hair as she whispers “Why did you scream? Are you ok?” She asks, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’m okay. I just had a bad dream.” She nods her head, “That’s okay, sweetie.” She walks to my window, closes and locks it tight saying “Don’t worry, you’re safe.”
The next morning, I woke up to the bright, hot sun blinding my eyes. My curtains were blowing in the wind. ‘Wait’ I thought ‘didn’t mum lock my window last night?’
I got up and dressed, grabbed my school bag and I shouted “MUM! C'mon, we’re gonna be late.”
The next thing I know I’m waking up again, but this time in blackness. “Where am I?” I shouted. What’s going on? Suddenly a black and white TV appeared on the wall. It was my family they were crying, calling the police, looking for me. I shouted, “I’m here, please come find me somebody, anybody, please HELP.” I lay there terrified, just listening to my mother crying and sobbing.
A tall hooded man came in with a brown sack. He grabbed me and forced the sack over my head. Again, I’m in darkness.
I woke up tied to a wooden chair in front of a small TV. I watched as the presenter shared the shocking story of a missing child, a 10-year-old girl named Danielle. “Oh my god, that’s me!” I screamed. “I’m here!” I shouted at the TV, “It’s me, I’m here!”
The man spoke for the first time. “Shut up they probably think you’re dead!” He shouted angrily. I sat in silence. “Wait” I said to myself. “I recognise that voice! Dad?” I screamed.
The hooded man pulls out a gun and all I hear is a loud crack. I can then see a silver object coming towards me. I try to untie myself by frantically pulling at the ropes with my teeth. I loosen the ties and begin to run. But it’s too late.
I feel something cold, sharp and strong dig into the side of my neck. I slowly fall to the ground and scream. My eyes begin to close. “Am I dying?” As I drift into darkness everything goes quiet.
“Danielle? You’re still in bed? Get up. Quickly.”
Am I alive or dead? It’s cosy and warm. I look at the window it’s locked shut. Just like mum had done last night.