Terror's One Enemy...

• Tayla Craig, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2008

Grimacing in pain, the man groped wildly through the trashing forest of rain and wind surrounding him. Hand fixed around the groaning, bent wooden planks, once a master helm, and now a thing of the past, the man screamed in agony as he stood to his feet. His face etched with anger and frustration, his hand swatting the rain in front of him as a child does with a fly buzzing annoyingly, he thrust his body forward, stumbling in the blizzard laughing around him. Cursing loudly, he brandished his sword blindly in front of him, lunging at his opponents face and crashing to the ground as his weight gave him away from beneath. In front of him, his challenger smiled triumphantly at the poor man, as he watched him struggle to his feet. Taking no notice of the maelstrom swirling around them, he strode forward quickly until he stood less than two inches in front of the wretched man. Surveying his face with a look of one in deep pleasure, he spoke in a deep, rich voice.

“So, we meet for the last time James Bonnie” the man said, looking scathingly into the scared grey eyes before him.
“Any last words Captain?”He said softly. James Bonnie remained silent, staring at the man who was holding his life in his hands. Refusing to show any signs of defeat, he waited with bated teeth.
“I tire of you easily Bonnie. If that is your wish then so is it. “The cruel man spoke, plunging his sword into the victim before him.

…………………………………………………………………….

Gasping, Hayley propelled herself 5 feet in the air and landed with a soft creak onto the mattress below. Breathing rapidly she waited for the shock to subside before sitting up and turning on her lamp. Shielding her eyes from the warm glow residing over her, she looked at her bedside clock. It was 10:59 pm and all was quiet. Groaning, she tried to remember what had waked her up. It came to her instantly filling her mind. Her father….. He was injured; his leg had a sword in it and his breathing was shallow. A man……. he had injured her father and then he had said something to him as he……..killed him. She shuddered. A boat…….full of wreckage from the many cannons fired into it by the opposing ship. A storm, oh she could remember that storm, she felt it sliding down her face. And a weapon-her father was holding it, he was talking to it as if it had been human…. She stopped. She didn’t know any further. But oh, that dream had been so real. She felt there was something, some meaning in it-but what? Oh the curiosity! She longed to go and dive into the moments thick marshes once again but somehow she knew she would not……….
No. Something was wrong. She had to go. But where? Only time would answer that. Jumping out of bed she found her feet leading her to her window, to the sea………