The Mysterious Message

• Harry Lambert, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2020

“Crash”, “Bang”. The sound of nearby thunder rings throughout my eardrum. The rain on top of the bus shelter is getting me slightly wet as I wait for my bus home. “Ba-Ding,” My phone rings it’s a message from an unknown number it reads, “I can see you”. I get a shiver down my spine; I’m now hoping the bus comes quicker. In the far distance I hear the old beaten up bus squeaking it’s way down the street. Thank god I tell myself. The bus parks in front of me and the driver yells, “Main street.” “Yep,” I yell back. I go to step up onto the bus and it disappears out of under my feet. “Splash,” I fall face first into the puddle the bus was parked on top of.

I start walking home even though my apartment is half-way across town and its late and cold. As I’m halfway home I get another message. It reads, “I still see you.” I look around there are no cars in sight and every house has there lights off. Even though there’s no one in sight I still turn my walk into a jog. Once I finally get home, I quickly rush inside lock every door and window and close every blind. Then because I’m freezing, I turn on the hot water and have a shower.

Once I get out of the shower, I look at my phone there’s another messages this time it says, “Did you have a nice shower.” After that I get changed and get into bed. I’m about to fall asleep when I hear big heavy footsteps coming down the hallway. The door creaks open and a silhouette of a big muscly man is standing there. He has what looks like a baseball bat in hand.

And that’s all I remember before waking up here with a broken nose, cut lip and three cracked ribs. I finish telling the Doctor.