Light

• Luke White, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2020

We all either hate or are afraid of the dark. It doesn’t matter how old we are, humanity will always fear the dark. That’s why dark is used to describe horror and evil. Sometimes we’re just a little brave.

But have you ever hated, or been afraid, of the light?

I’m hiding in the vents as they search for me. They want me trapped. They don’t want to give me a chance to escape. The darkness is my only comfort, and I’m afraid of the moment I see the light of their torches. But I know I can’t hide in the dark like this forever. ‘C’mon Jess, get moving.’ I coax myself. I begin to slowly crawl, unsure of where I am going. The knife strapped to my side and the bat on my back are my only comforts.

Suddenly, I hear voices, and realise that there is a grate just nearby. I wait until the voices are gone, before swiftly popping the grate and flipping into the room below. I know that there is an exit here somewhere, but can I reach it before the guards reach me? The only sounds I hear are my footsteps as I speed walk to the doorway I can see across the room. These people won’t be torturing me anymore. Or so I think.

It is then that I see a fuzzy green light around the corner. I start slowly, before dashing forward as my suspicion is confirmed. There it is. The exit. I rush forward to escape when I feel a sharp pain in my arm, and I collapse, a metre away from the door, and turn my head to see the hole in my arm, and the woman behind the gun. As she starts towards me, I throw my bat at her as a last resort. Somehow, it hits her in the head and she collapses. I get up and try the exit, but to my horror, it was the one thing I didn’t want it to be. Locked. I realise I need a key, and turn to the woman on the floor. No luck. I rush off to find the key. But I nearly hit somebody in the dark, and before I know it. I’m lost to the abyss of unconsciousness.

I wake up tied to a chair, with a bright lamp shining in my face.

‘Finally, you’re awake.’

I look around for the source of the voice, and find it easily sitting nearby.

‘What do you want with me?’ I shout at him. ‘Why trap me here?’

He just brushes off my anger

‘You will never understand, will you? This is no trap. This is the only place you will ever be safe from the fallout, war and plagues of the outside world, of the Dark. This is your safe place. This is where you belong, Jessica Revole. This is the Light.’