The Curse

• Lujain Malook, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2021

My eyes softly fastened with my head resting on the desk. After what felt like 3 seconds, the class ended and the bell made me jump when it rang. I got up straight away and opened my eyes to see my friends right in front of me.
“Do you want to come over tonight?” Asked Sarah.
“Sure, what will we do?” I uttered.
“We were thinking of playing with your parent’s Ouija board!” Replied Emily.
I stared at them and started yelling. “My parents told me to never touch it, they said they wouldn’t help me if I touched it.”
After hours of them persuading me, I finally gave in. I snuck out that same night to go to Sarah and Emily’s house. I was nervous since I had just taken something that was forbidden. I felt unusually hot and sweaty, goosebumps covered my arms, and my hands were shaking uncontrollably. We spent the rest of the night playing on the Ouija board, nothing unusual happened at the time. I walked back home and slept straight away.
I woke up the next day horrified. I had a nightmare about an evil spirit who told me he would make my life a living hell and I would regret disturbing him. My legs felt like they were paralysed and my head was heavier than the rest of my body. I couldn’t focus on anything and the dream just kept repeating in my head. I asked my friends at lunch if anything odd was happening. Sarah said her dog was going insane all morning and Emily felt like somebody or something was watching her. We were silent because we knew this was our fault.
I was walking home from school the same day when I felt the presence of something that wasn't human. The wind started rustling the leaves and I began to shiver uncontrollably. I started sprinting with fear until I felt a cold and wrinkled hand grab my arm. I looked behind me and no one was there. Birds were squawking around me. Then I heard the voice of a little girl who sounded like a younger me crying for help. My heart was pounding as the little voice led me to a path that was going into a forest with tall and dark trees.
The voice then disappeared and as I tried to get out of the forest I had realized that no matter where I went, I would always end up back where I started. I cried out for help but nobody could hear me. I stared at the sun as it gently went down, realizing this was my fate and this was the curse that the evil spirit talked about.
I have survived for two years in the forest, I have learned to live off the forest with fish from the lake and berries. I’ve tried to escape this forest many times. I have no control over this. This is a letter from me to whoever I hope will find this, please send help.