Key Catastrophe

• Sarah Mackintosh, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2021

"And remember, don't lose those keys!" The dreaded words echoed endlessly in my head as I spun around my room. Sweat was pouring down my face and my heart felt like it was going to explode. Every draw, hidden crack and cupboard seemed to have nothing but an invisible ghost smirking back at me. After searching forever, I realized that the most important thing in the world, was forever, lost.
After 20 years of working, I had finally achieved my dream job. A banker. The opportunity was dangling in front of me for years but I could never seem to reach it. But now, with years of advanced training and endless studying, I had broken the most known rule. Losing the bank keys. Disappointment was everywhere as I shakenly stumbled to the bank. My arms and legs felt like a wobbly pair of shaking maracas, sweat was running down me like a never-ending waterfall and the words “You are fired” wouldn’t stop repeating. If I couldn’t get in the bank, all of my hard work would fail. I tried every door and hidden window hoping desperately for a miracle, but only reality hit me. Now the world was truly breaking.
Panting from stress, I noticed a desperate final option, a window low enough to reach but hidden from the shadow of a cracked acorn tree. Temptation was creeping upon me. Get in Get in. The words floated everywhere. I closed my eyes and imaged my parents’ proud faces when they realized I had gotten the job, an excited crowd praising me, my bosses look of approval. It was all too much to lose. Get in. Get in. Without hesitation, I snatched a branch off the tree. The trees cry wailed as I hopelessly lunged the branch into the window. Glass snowflakes sprayed around me and the angry remaining glass shards stood pointed on the metal window frame. Reality returned to me as I tripped on one of the tree’s roots. It felt like a dream. A horrible nightmare. I closed my eyes wishing it all to just fade away but when I reopened my eyes I was met with the worst possible sight. A recognizable man with his face burning crimson red and his steps filled my ears as the sight of him was replaced with an outraged giant looking for his poor slave. Standing hopelessly, my mind dashed around for an excuse. But nothing could make up for the damage I had caused.
Just when the world seemed to be ending, I noticed something strange item in his ripped pocket, a shining gold sensation that seemed to fill me up with relief, relief something I thought I could never feel again. Once again, I began searching for an answer. But my mind was already clogged with cobwebs, it couldn’t take anything else. However, it did look familiar, like I had been searching endlessly for it all day. Like something was finally found...