The Quiet Earth

Junction City, Kansas, July 15th of 2085.

It was dark as the rain was falling from the sky. No one was around for miles as expected. There wasn’t anything alive in sight. All I could do is keep digging. I had to finish this project which is about death. I was digging a really deep hole when I heard something from under the gravel. I froze, trying to think about what it could have been before starting to dig again. Seconds later, I hit something hard. It was hard and I couldn’t get through it. I dug off the gravel that was on top of this hard object.

Once I got all the dirt off, there revealed a coffin. I was really anxious now but I couldn’t stop myself. I had to open it to see what there was. As research said, there should not be a cemetery here, or anywhere around. I grabbed the side and opened it to be shocked beyond belief. There wasn’t anything dead, instead it was alive. It looked rotten but then again healthy. I stared at it for what seemed like forever until I saw a finger move. The creature's eyes opened as it jolted up, dragging me into the coffin with it. The creature grew bigger before pushing me to lay down in the coffin. I struggled to get out and to push the creature off of me but failed.

The shovel I was digging with fell into the hole and hit me on the top of my head which made me go unconscious. The creature stood up and closed the coffin and put all the gravel back in the hole before leaving me there to rot.
 Ten Years Later 
“Shhh. Everyone is quiet as we walk outside. Then everyone loads the buses quietly so we can take you all home,” I exclaimed, as all of the children became quiet. I opened the doors to the school quietly and made sure the coast was clear before sending the kids out so they could get on their designated bus. I slowly walked down the steps as all the children followed behind me. I walked to each of the buses, little by little, they became full. Before I got onto the first bus, I looked down the street to see the thing that everyone fears. I watched it as it was walking closer. The closer it got, the louder its steps I heard. The children on the bus started to make a little too much noise so I got on the bus before closing the door of the bus and locking it. I pressed the button on the dash of the bus, making it so it will become sound-proof so the creature will not hear any of the children.

“Everyone! It's alright now! Nothing can get to you! You are all safe!” I yelled over the loud cries of the children.

“Mrs.Caswell, wh-what if it's out there when we get home?” the little boy who was hiding behind the seat cried out. The question made all of the children get loud again. “Shhh. Everyone listens to me. When we get you home, it will not be there. You don’t have to worry. I will help you all get to your doors safely and soundly,” I exclaimed and watched as all of the children calmed down and started to talk amongst themselves.

I sat in one of my front seats as the bus started to move slowly down the road. I kept my eyes on the creature as we passed and its eyes were only on me. It stayed stationary when we finally went past it. “You caused enough death in my life. You are not taking these kids,” I quietly whispered to myself. I will take care of all of these kids no matter what. They are the last thing that I have to call myself as I am right now. I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes, remembering the horrible sight of the creature ending the lives of my loved ones.
 Flash Back - Ten Years Ago 
“Get to your room now!” Father screamed as he ran to the kitchen to get any sort of weapon he could find. I listened as tears streamed down my face. I ran into my room and locked the door before running and hiding in my closet with my favorite stuffed animal. I am only nine years old. I don’t want to die and the same feeling goes for my parents.

I heard a loud bang echo through the house before hearing screams of people nearby. I clutched my stuffed animal more harshly as the screams got louder. Seconds later, I heard the screams of my father before hearing a loud bang, as if something got thrown against the wall. I slowly opened the closet door to hear another bang on the walls. I tried to be as silent as I could as I snuck out and to the door of my room. Turning the knob was the scariest thing that I could think of at the moment because if it made a loud noise, it would attract whatever thing was in my house at that moment. Once it was open enough for me to sneak out of the room, I squeezed out of the crack in the door and made my way silently through the hallway. Bang! Bang! Nonstop growls and bangs on the walls. The scariest sounds that I thought I could ever hear.
I made it to the end of the hall that leads into the living room, where the sounds were coming from. Anxiety was all that I could have felt as my heart rate increased more and more. I slowly looked around the corner before freezing from the sight. It changed me. It took away my innocence. Terrified. My life, I knew, would be changed for the rest of my life. In front of me, through the thin wall that separated me from the scene, was the creature that everyone was warned about that had killed my parents. Blood. Scratches. Sadly I could say, death. My parents were on the ground, lifeless and the creature was eating away at them as they lay in the puddle of their own blood.
 
I hid behind the wall and covered my face, trying not to cry. To not make a sound. I know if I did, the creature would do the same to me. How I just want to run to my parents and hug them. Say my last goodbye. I ran to my room as quietly as I could and closed the door without a sound. I crawled back into the closet and covered myself with the blankets and clothing that were on the ground. I silently cried as the image never left my head. Nothing will be the same. Ever.
 Back to the Present 
I caught myself thinking about nothing but the trauma that had been left with me. I shook my head as I remembered where I was. I wiped the single tear that had drifted down my cheek and looked over my shoulder to see the children play games, singing, laughing, and having fun. They all reminded me of myself when I was very young. Yeah I might be nineteen but I am the only teacher that they could have at this time. I smiled at their words and actions before the bus slowed to a stop. I looked out to see that we stopped at one of the children's houses. As I stood up, so did a little boy. “Come to the front. I expect everyone in this bus to be quiet until I come back,” I exclaimed loudly for every child to hear. They all quieted down so I pressed the button on the dash of the bus which opened the door. Silence. Once again.
Something seemed off. The wind quickly shifted but everything was still silent. I looked on the porch of the boy's house to see the creature. It was staring right back at me. I pushed the boy gently back to his seat before I walked off of the bus and closed the door behind me.

“You killed my parents… Ruined my childhood… I am not going to let you ruin these kids' lives as well,” I whispered quietly as some tears reached my eyes. The creature slowly made my way towards me. Boom. Boom. The closer it got, the louder the straps made, the faster it started to come. I grabbed the dagger that I use to protect myself from my pocket and brought it in front of me. It started to glow. Bright green came from the edges of the blade, I personally did not know that this happened. I never took my eyes off of the creature and it was a good thing. Once the blade was visible, it let out a dark growl before charging at me.

I ran towards the creature and slashed through its skin. It moved back holding its abdomen before charging once again. I kept protecting myself, hearing him scream after all of the children in the bus watching this all go down. I was done with fighting so I jabbed the blade in the side of the creature's skull. It froze as its limbs became limp. Blue blood came out of its head and splattered all over my clothes.

“Don’t mess with me. Or anyone ever again,” I whispered through gritted teeth. It dropped to the ground, taking its last breath. I watched it crash to the ground before falling onto my knees. Looking over the creature, it had this pocket on its side. I took the dagger that was no longer glowing and cut into the pocket. I froze once I saw the item.
 
My mom’s charm necklace. It had charms of herself, my father, and myself. Once I realised what it was, I started crying. Tears streamed down my face as I gripped the necklace in the pad of my palms and held it against my chest. I looked up into the sky. “I did it guys. I did it for you,” I exclaimed and smiled. Behind me, the bus doors opened and children ran up to me, hugging me and thanking me for this. I hugged them back as the door of the house opened. Out comes the little boy's parents, running out with a first aid kit.

“You did it, Mrs. Caswell!” “Are you ok?” “Good job!” non stop cheering and gratitude was being spread around. Being light-headed, I said thank you to everyone before everything went silent. I looked around not being able to hear anyone talking. I saw them talking but didn’t hear them. I looked back up to the sky before everything went black.

“To this day, everyone will remember this one person. Her bravery had helped kill the creature that killed thousands. Now here we bury our world hero, Marie Caswell,”

 

Mackenzie Velishek

MN

18 years old