Keep Running

• Chad Lieu, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

'Creak!' went the floorboards in Jack's house as if someone was creeping inside. That is preposterous Jack thought, as he lived in the country with his sister, mother and father, far away from society. Shaking off the unpleasant feeling as if something was lurking inside, he continued to read his book. But as he was close to finishing, he heard strange, heavy, raspy breathing right outside his door, feeling terrified he quickly hid under his bed, and not a moment too soon as a dark, ghostly entity opened his door, "JACK! Why won’t you come out to play" it yelled as it stumbled in nearing him, the entity ran its fingers along his wooden bed leaving dark stains in the hardwood oak. As the entity was about to lift his bed he ran out from underneath, right out of his room, shutting his door with a loud slam he locked the door from the outside, finally appreciating the lock being on the opposite side of his door. As he was looking around trying to find an escape, he saw walls streaked with fresh blood as if something or someone was trying to get away, horrified he ran trying to find an escape. However, during his panic, he soon realized that the house was different like an endless maze with no beginning and no end, constantly shifting so he couldn’t escape. He tried to ignore it but the smell from the blood was turning the air stale, making it seem like death was right over his shoulder. As he continued to try to find a way out, he heard a sudden thudding from his room 'thud!…thud!…thud!…' the entity was trying to break out, stumbling back in fear he accidentally stepped in what appeared to be red paint. Frozen with fear he stood following the trail of red to the open closet, there inside watching him with lifeless eyes was his sister. Lips trembling, he could feel the stinging in his eyes as his tears streamed down his face dripping into the red, mixing in and disappearing forever into what suddenly felt like a sea of red blood. 'Thud!…CRACK!', his bedroom door split open revealing the dark entity, terrified he looked to get away, somewhere safe. Looking around the darkroom he spotted a ray of light, hope, but suddenly it was blocked by another figure. However, there was something about this figure that was almost familiar, it was his mother. As she opened the door, he ran into her arms, eyes shut tight, he wrapped his arms around his mother hugging her tight, not wanting to ever let her go. “It is okay sweetheart, you will never have to see it again.” Knowing that he was safe with her, he looked around seeing people in blue taking the dark entity away forever.