Fears

• Bella Howlett, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2019

What if you were much older than you looked, what if you were confused and you didn’t know where you were or what you were, what if you were frozen in time and you had many, many fears…
I blinked. The eerie blue roof swam in and out of view. I flexed my legs and arms, I couldn’t remember. Who was I? What was I? Why was I here? A bloodcurdling scream broke the cold silence. Where was it coming from? I jolted upright and a tingle went down my spine. This wasn’t my room…
I felt rough scratchy material rub against my skin. There it was again, the scream. A metallic scent wafted under my nostrils. I walked to the door and the smell got stronger, what was it? I tugged at the handle twisting and turning. Nothing. I looked around the room, there wasn’t much there, A linen couch with pillows, a pot plant and a bed, the one I was sleeping in. Without thinking I dug all the soil out of the pot plant and sifted through it. A key. I slid it into the door and turned, a world of pain greeted me.
Screams, like banshees they rattled the window panes and shook the doors. I ran as fast as I could, Suddenly I stopped something unraveled inside of me. Pain, hurt, fear…
I wanted to keep on running but no matter how hard I tried all that would come out was a sluggish trudge. I stared down the hallway, there was a figure blocking my way. “Outbreak!” he shouted. I didn’t run away but I ran at him but this time it was fast. I closed my eyes waiting for him to hit me but… nothing happened. I opened my eyes to see him on the floor, I muttered in disbelief “How did I?...” I felt a cold hand grab me then, darkness
I opened my eyes and screamed. I didn’t know where I was. I could fell fear easing up my body choking me, I couldn’t breathe. I felt a bag being pulled off my head, I heard a tough voice speak to me as a bright light blinded me. “ Ey’ kid we aren’t outbreaking till tonight!” the voice said. A young teenage boys face came into view. There was stubble on his face. “ What? Where am I?” I questioned. “ Ye don’t know yet? We’re in the future June..”.
We crawled under the barbwire fence as it scratched and scraped us. Us 80 prisoners escaping, Roan the boy told me that they had frozen us in time and that my name was June Rose, that we need to escape. I could again feel my fears but this time stronger, they were squeezing my throat. We were almost out then I paused I couldn’t move. A coldness overwhelmed me, I couldn’t feel myself, the last thing I heard was Roan saying“ Fears power her but they also hurt her…”