Don't Follow Me

• Addison Conyers, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2023

The glistening heat of the fire burnt my hands as I tried to retrieve the marshmallow from the red-hot flames. A rustling sound embedded itself into my eardrums. My head shot around to see who was there. The forest was quiet. Nothing to be seen. The darkness of the night reflected itself off the flames, a tall shadow revealed itself from behind the tree. Was there someone here? Whose shadow was that? Was it just a tree twitching with my imagination? My brain was full of questions I had no answers to.
I was afraid. For once in my life, I was afraid. I didn’t tell Lauren, I couldn’t. She would have wanted to go home. The disdainful air made my spine shiver. I crept down in my sleeping bag, hiding myself from the world, and whoever was watching my every move. My mind kept playing that dreadful image in my head while I was trying to sleep. My eyes opened. Where was Lauren? Had they taken her?
“Sarah, I’m going to get some firewood, ok?” I heard a voice echo from outside the tent. It was Lauren. I let out a sigh of relief. She was ok. She left before I could apprise her. What had I done? I had just let my best friend roam around the very place I encountered the shadow.
Hours and hours evaporate from thin air. Where was she? Abominable thoughts flew through my mind. She’d been out for about 4 hours now. Was she lost? Was she taken? It was too hard to tell. I needed to find her. I left the campsite, dragging my rickety old shoes along the minuscule particles of dirt, leaving a trail so I don’t get lost. About an hour passed, and I was positive I was just walking in circles. A scream broke through the thick air. My head spun, darting towards where the scream was coming from. My breathing became tumultuous, as a tear fled my eye.
I thought I would have never found her, and to be honest I wish I hadn’t. She was dead. I should have seen it coming. It was too late now. My body froze, my heart skipped a beat. I stared down at her, not moving, not breathing.
I heard a small rustle from the bushes. I knew I needed to run, but I couldn’t. My legs were quivering, I could hardly breath. I knew it was the end, but I couldn’t move. She was already dead, and it was my fault. I leisurely bent down, next to Lauren, surrendering to the shadow. The next thing I saw, was a tall, harrowing looking shadow, lunging towards me.