THE DEADLY ENCOUNTER

• Georgianna Botros, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2021

A murderous spine-chilling scream sounded. My blood ran cold. My heart raced like a cheetah. My sweaty palms shook vigorously. Fear washed around my mouth like thrashing waves of the ocean. As I inhaled, smoke ran through my nostrils, into my body and gripped my lungs. The daunting flames increased. A boulder-sized lump formed in my dry throat. Blood-curdling screams echoed inside me. I glimpsed through my ashen window as the village was destroyed. Soon it would be my house. My home. Me.

The dancing flames drew closer and closer. My heart skipped a beat. There was a violent knock at the front door but no one was there to open it and welcome the intruders into our grimy house. My family was dead; gone like our beloved homeland was. The defiant criminals knocked the door down. Glass shattered. Everything was smashed to smithereens. Loud footsteps stormed up the staircase advancing closer to my room. Abruptly, the doorknob started to revolve. Tension built up inside of me. I knew the fate of my life would be arriving very soon. Small teardrops slowly trickled down my cheeks.

There was a wicked cackle. I was suddenly surrounded by burglars. I knew what these delinquents wanted.
“Do you think she knows?” one of the thieves questioned.
“I don’t know, let’s just try.” another culprit exclaimed.
“Where is the stone?” The first malefactor demanded.

I yelped, knowing that help would not arrive. I was panic-stricken. Would I ever see the light of day again? My feet shuffled and I accidentally stumbled back into a little shuttle. An elevator. Suddenly, my stomach plunged to my feet and wind soared past my face, making me sick to the stomach. The next thing I knew, the doors immediately slid open as I was, instantly, in the basement.

I hurriedly searched for the significant item that could not slip into the thieve’s gluttonous, selfish hands. I unlatched the safe and snatched the Stone of Immortality, clutching it to my chest. I seized my bicycle from the foreboding wall in which it was peacefully resting upon and leapt onto it. With every ounce of energy left in my weak body, I yanked the door open and pushed as hard as I could on the pedals. I breathed in the polluted air and smelt the fumes. I felt searing pain across my feeble legs. Tormenting agony remained in my feet as I persistently travelled. My mind was a ferocious hurricane. I was not conscious of what was happening or where I was but I kept on going . . .

I ached all over as I aimlessly rode through mysterious streets, escaping the fire. I travelled for what seemed like eternity. At last, I had reached a rural area and I took a rest. I didn’t know where I was or what I should do but all I knew was that I was safe. How would I be guaranteed, though, that the Stone of Immortality was out of anyone’s grasp?