The Thief In The Dark

• Steven Wang, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2022

The wind rattled the windowpanes and howled like wolves. The crescent moon hung like a cursed decoration in the dark eerie night sky. I cringed as a flash of lightning lit my room. Tonight was Halloween, and I snuggled deeper under my quilt, trying to find sleep.

Finally, feeling my mouth dry with thirst, I stumbled out of bed. Just as I was about to return to my room with a glass of water, the front door began to creak. To my uttermost horror, a green hand slipped inside!

It groped around like a spider on the wall, searching for the light switch. I watched nervously as it ventured closer, closer, closer. And just as it was about to flick it on…

As quick as a cheetah and as startled as a mouse, I darted back to the meagre safety of my room. Click! Light paraded the halls. Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

I heard footsteps and the clanking of metal. My heart boomed like TNT about to explode. It beat so loud it sounded like it was going to pop! The hair stood up on my skin like army soldiers, ready for battle. Then, I saw a shadow pass by my door. My eyes bulged to the size of plates and my knees began to shake.

As my hands poised to attack, fearing the worse. I breathed a sigh of relief as the thing passed my door. Curiously, I peered through the crack of my door.

The thing was carrying a suitcase! Maybe it was going to steal our jewellery! Now, seeing the thing, I confirmed that it was a person.

Horrified, I stared at the person. It was entering our guest room! That was where all our expensive things were! The computers, iPads, jewellery, even our souvenirs from other countries.

As the person stepped inside, I rushed to the door and locked it.

Yes!

I sprinted to our parents’ room and knocked rapidly. Drowsily, they answered the door. After I had explained impatiently what had happened, they immediately raced to the guest room.

They cautiously opened the door. The person came out of the door, and it was…

Grandma!

In the end, it turned out that she had paid a visit to us as a surprise!