Save Yourself

• Harry George, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

A full moon hovers over my mates and I as we walk down the street in the depths of Melbourne’s city. Reminiscing about the horror movie we’d just seen sent shivers down our spines. A shrill cry echoes down the misty laneway catching my attention as if drawn by invisible hands. Wandering along the uneven road with fear, the wind whistles through the gloomy air.

As I turn around I was grabbed from behind and pushed against the wall. Screaming for help my friends rush into action producing light from their phones. One by one, the figure shoots them down bringing tears to my eyes. The light now gone, still pinned to the wall, I struggle as my strength is useless against the figure. Silence fills the laneway once again and the uncertainty about what the masked figure would do next messed with my brain.

Just as I thought the figure had gone a bag was placed over my head and a knife was put through my shoulder. I felt blood pour all over the ground. Howling for my life the grip on my arms was released and I took my chance to bolt for freedom. The figure was hot on my tail as I pumped my arms, drawn to the light in the distance. As I expand the gap between the figure and myself the darkness masked my view of Josh’s head lying in the middle of the laneway. The skull sent me flying head first and knocked me out.

I woke up several minutes later to a familiar area, the misty laneway. I’m tied up and can now see the figure due to the rising sun. In the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a pocket knife abandoned 10 cm from my right hand. I reach for it. “Don’t move”! A recognizable voice demands but it’s too late.

Standing in agony, I prepare for the fight of my life with only fists as weapons. I slowly but sneakily caught the figure off guard striking him across the left cheek exposing his gun. I soon knew that I was gone, it was all a mistake. I ran for my life as misfired gun shots echoed in the distance although one bullet accurately hit me on the leg and sent me plunging down.

The figure caught up and grabbed me by the shirt with dark menacing eyes and a mask covering his face. I flicked the mask off… “D-D-D-a-ad-d”?!? I questioned with tears welling up in my eyes. The figure froze, turned and ran off towards the laneway tripping over out in the open. Motionless, I’m tempted to feel for a pulse but questions tumbled, twirled and danced in my head that jumped to impossible conclusions.

That’s when I saw my father wearing Jake’s Rolex, Finn’s hoodie and Josh’s shoes. It all hit me like a train on a collision course.