The Jewellery Box

• Elouise Percy , Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2020

“One ticket please.”

As I entered the dark cinema, the smell of hot, greasy and buttery popcorn teased my nose. The cinema was cold and appeared empty. The lights dimmed to pitch black. I excitedly pinched the skin on my hand with my sharp nails as I sat back in the chair.

“Attention, please turn off your devices. The movie is about to start.”

The opening scene featured a baby pink jewellery box. The lower compartment was a tangle of necklaces and bracelets. Above the mess of jewellery was a beautiful ballerina. She was breathtaking and had a light pink tutu and astonishing blonde hair. She was singing to peaceful and calming music.

Suddenly the music turned from soothing to threatening. Her elegant body melted and became unsteady. The movie screen slowly crept closer and closer to me. The ballerina reached down and scooped me up with her snot coloured arms. That’s when I realised she had turned into a ZOMBIE!

I looked around and everything appeared different. I wasn’t in the cinema, I had been dropped into the jewellery box!

“HELP!” I shrieked.

A zombie limped towards me. I grasped my hair in fright and ran my hand down my cheek, scraping my skin a little. The zombie picked me up and threw me into the mess of necklaces and bracelets. They formed a sturdy cage that trapped me.

The zombie whispered “You have one hour to get out, otherwise you are our next meal”.

“What could I do? How could I escape?”

I started to cry. A tear ran down my cheek. I felt a stinging sensation. I raised my hand to feel what it was. It was the cut I had made with my nails.

DING! An idea rushed through my head. I could now cut the strings of the tangled necklaces with my sharp nails! I cut furiously. Eventually, the necklace wall came crashing down. I snatched a necklace off the floor hoping it might come in handy.

I looked around and found a mirror that felt like it was calling me. I didn’t know why, but I knew I had to get to that mirror fast.

“There it is, the way out!” I thought, for a split second.

The threatening music and the zombie ballerina lowered her arms from fifth position to a karate stance. I knew I had to fight her or else I’d be her dinner. I carefully reached my hand into my pocket and gripped the necklace from my earlier escape. I snatched it out and without hesitation, I wrapped the necklace around her, pinning her arms to her waist. I had to act quickly, she was wriggling out fast.

I bolted towards the mirror and with a sudden explosion of ruby red sparkles I jumped through the mirror. I was suddenly in the cinema again.

I went to get up from my seat, but a man stopped me.

“Hey, you look like the girl from the movie called ‘The Jewellery Box’”