A Chase

• Prabin Ojha, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2021

There was a tickling sensation on my feet, then on the face of my palms.

“Hey...stop that,” I grunted; why was I sweating in the middle of the night?

As if to reply, my mind produced a high-pitched scream, muffled by the sound of sirens.

'It’s just a dream.'

But I knew better.

Jumping out of the cover of my blankets, I could feel my heart racing, being hit with the first dose of adrenaline.

Barely seeing the path ahead of me, I rushed out of my room, immediately feeling the warmth penetrate me. I fell to the floor; my vision blurry, and my energy gone. Staying upright with the aid of my sore hands, I saw it.

Like a flash of lightning, it moved through the flight of steps, devouring all that was in its path. It was coming down, faster than I could’ve imagined. My flesh burned, and my heart ached. I could almost hear it crackle.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I knew it was now or never. I stumbled to my feet, beginning a descent down a flight of stairs illuminated by the fire. I only looked back when I had reached the floor beneath, my feet aching, and my heart racing. As if in chase, the fire was only meters away, blazing furiously.

I came to a sudden realisation: this was the end; the end of my life.

I fell again, coughing as the smoke engulfed my lungs, taking me by surprise. With my mind empty, and my vision gone, I felt vulnerable. It was coming closer, only meters away. But I couldn’t get up. There was nothing left to do. I could feel my flesh burn as it crept closer.

'Run! Run!'

“I can’t!”

My desperate plea came out as a deafening roar of defeat, echoing throughout the burning apartment. I lay on the floor, arms rested on my chest as I tried to embrace the last moments of my life.

I closed my eyes as all parts of my body were painfully stung by my pursuer.

'You caught me.'

I could feel my chest throbbing, and my ears ringing. So this was like what it felt to die. I absorbed the agony, knowing that it would be gone once I reached heaven. In my dreary state of consciousness, I could hear footsteps approaching.

“Where? Where is he?” the voice of a man frantically cried.

Who were these people? I didn’t know.

“Here!” Using what remained of my energy, I called for help.

The footsteps grew louder, confirming that they’d heard me.

“There he is!” they yelled after what felt like an eternity of suffering.

For the first time in several excruciating minutes, I was able to open my eyes. My skin was torn and covered in black dust. All parts of my body stung painfully as I was picked up by the men wearing bright yellow uniforms, helmets, and gas masks.

“You’re safe. We’ll take care of you” one of them said after seeing the confusion in my eyes.

Carried safely down flights of stairs and out of the apartment, I sighed with relief. The chase had ended, and I’d miraculously escaped from the grasps of the predator.