On The Run

• Portia Rossini, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2019

Running through the unknown woods with complicated thoughts racing through my mind. My heart is pounding as I if someone was playing the drums inside my chest. My adrenaline helping me run as fast as ever. While I was trying to escape, the parasol I was holding in my shaking hand, was shielding me from the blinding light emanating from the afternoon sun that crept through the branches of dark, dim, dreary trees. Why did he do it? We were such good friends.

After running for four hours I decided to have a break, so I perch on a firm tree stump and observe my surrounding. Fortunately, I spotted a humble, old cottage hidden within tall trees layered with inadequate, green leaves and rough, copper-coloured bark. There was comforting smoke slowly, drifting out of the chimney, convincing me to knock on the door. After I caught up with my breath, a cloak of pure silence fell upon me. While I was making my way up, I was trying to predict how this conversation would go with a complete stranger. ‘Oh, Hi my name is Olivia and I was at a Japanese wedding reception last night and a really good friend of mine put an explosive in my handbag and then the police came to inspect the crime scene and they all think it’s me. And me running just makes me look guilty and I was wondering if I could live with you it until everything died down because you see, I’ve been running through the dark, scary woods with no food, water or shelter and, and, and-” Yeah, that won’t go so good. Who’s going to allow a fugitive to live with them for 3-5 years? I know I definitely wouldn't. I’m just hoping that this person has a bigger heart than I do.’

While I was cautiously walking up to the house, I alertly heard a quiet rustling coming from a nearby bush. My concerned body automatically transfers itself behind a tree trunk, hoping it was a blind spot for whatever was in the bush. Have they already found me? I wait patiently, trembling all over. I listen carefully, hoping it wasn’t them. I try and focus my eyes on the bush. It was quite difficult to do so because of how much I was trembling. As I watch like a hawk over my shoulder, I see a white, fleecy bunny jump out of the bush. I sigh with relief. ‘I’m so stupid!’ I tell myself. But then I personally remind myself, ‘What if it really was the police and I did not hide?’ Then I would feel really stupid. Better to be safe then sorry I guess.

I continue to make my way up to the comforting cottage listening to the crunch of twigs and leaves crackling beneath my high heels`. Then, just when I thought I was making the most careful, swift moments something very bad happened. I stepped onto a weird leaf that was harder than usual and then as soon as I realized why, it was too late. I was already pulled up into a roped net. A snare trap. There was only a matter of time before they found me.

I struggle trying to escape. But it’s hopeless. I feel like a useless fly caught in a sticky spider web. Time went by and then, all I could see was black… I awoke to the feeling of falling. I opened my eyes to the terrifying thought they had found me. I couldn’t see a thing. I was blinded by a brilliant, bright light. I looked up to see a man in a hunting outfit apologising. “I am so sorry you were caught by my snare trap,” the man protested, untangling me and the net. I thanked the kind sir kept going to the cottage. This person will understand. I anxiously knocked on the door and a man opened the door in confusion. I told him my story and then he excused himself for a moment and told me he would back in a moment. I heard three beeps as someone dialled a number on the telephone and the man talking softly, but secretively.

I heard sirens in the distance and got a faint glimpse of blue and red lights within the tall trees. The man returned to the wooden door with a police badge. And by the time I turned around, there were police cars parked in a circular shape and armed men pointing rifles at me. I slowly got down on my knees, and put my shaking hands up. I was innocent though. This will take a bit of explicating to do.