The Clearing


I heard the sound of a stick break. I was scared. I just wanted to be home with my family curled up on the couch reading Cat and the Hat to my sister. I knew that if I just got out of this forest I would be safe, but no matter how hard I looked I couldn’t see anything in the dark. I had to get out or else I would be caught! Not knowing what to do, I started running as fast as I could. Ahh! I said to myself as I tripped landing hard on my head! I tried to get up but struggled. Everything around me was spinning. My heart was pounding, and I was so cold my toes were stinging with pain!     
It was a full moon I think, but the trees were so thick I couldn’t see. I got up and started to walk slowly, trying to shake the fall off, when I noticed some light! It was a clearing! I tried to run again but this time I heard him yelling my name! I started to run towards the clearing, but every time I took a step, the clearing seemed to get farther away. He yelled my name again! Over and over! My heart started to pound harder. I started to run faster and then I realized I was only one step away from the clearing! I took another step attempting to enter into the clearing. It was like there was a wall! I started to feel the wall all over, finally I felt something like a doorknob. I turned it, and it opened! I was home! I walked into the kitchen, set my backpack down, expecting for my parents to walk in any minute, and started to do my homework. I got to problem 13 when I noticed no one was home. I yelled for my sister, my mom, and my dad but no one answered! I ran upstairs and checked all the rooms, still no one! So I went back into the kitchen to get my phone and there he stood! The guy who was chasing me, he was in my kitchen! “Hello,” he said in a very satisfied voice. “Where’s my family!” I yelled. He just stood there in silence and started to laugh! “Good night!” He said.

The next thing I knew I was sitting up in my bed with a racing heart and both of my parents sitting next to me saying things like “it’s all okay.” “Don’t worry, It’s all over!”  And then out of nowhere my sister ran into my room and started to sing happy birthday! To me?! Was it really my birthday? Mom pinch me! It was really real! I was with my family, it was my birthday, I could finally read Cat and the Hat to my sister! I was finally home! In my house!   

After my parents finished calming me down, they said they would let me skip school that day because of how bad of a nightmare I had. But following day I went to school, whether I liked it or not. My parents didn’t care. My first class was Math, then Science, and then Art and so on. I was so excited because today would be the day Mrs.Brave came back from maternity leave. She was my favorite teacher. I had so many questions for her. All the better it was my next class–Art with Mrs.Brave! When I walked in.  It wasn’t  Mrs.Brave; It was the guy that was chasing me, it was him! He was my substitute. Apparently Mrs.Brave was going to be out for one more day because her baby got sick and her husband was on a business trip. Meaning she needed a substitute, and that substitute had to be HIM!! We all sat down to start class, we got out our pencils, and waited for instructions. He told us to draw a clearing!
 

Thetford Academy

VT

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