The Storm - A Creative Writing Mini-Story

   I stirred as the blinding summer light filtered through my makeshift home. My eyes sprung open the moment I felt the warmth and I jumped to my feet, already on the move.

   Untangling my straggly hair through my nimble fingers I scanned my surroundings with perfect clarity, making sure no one had their eyes on me. Once I was positive I was alone, I stepped into the growing sunlight and tilted my head to face the shining sun.

   The bright light brought an inescapable flashback and I gasped softly, losing myself in the memory… Lightning flashed through the trees, illuminating the swaying branches and dark bushes. My mother and I stopped to a sudden halt, gasping for air. But we barely stopped. Stopping could mean the end. Darkness was piling up faster and faster and it almost swallowed us whole. But we kept running. And running. And running until my lungs felt like they were going to collapse. I stopped to take a huge gulp of air, which turned out to be a fatal mistake. I was too young and tired to hear the scraping claws of darkness pushing on either side of me. My mother cried out in warning and when I didn’t move, she succumbed to the darkness instead….

   Light flashed behind my eyes, giving me a blinding headache.
   Deep breaths, everything was okay.

   I was okay. I survived the nasty storm that arose. The wind and darkness had retreated as soon as it swallowed my mother and her shrieks. I had fallen to my knees in defeat, fighting back the screams that tore at my throat. But I still couldn’t stop. I still couldn’t…

   I narrowed my eyes and pulled myself free from the tugging grip of my mind. Pushing any other venomous thoughts, I walked deeper into the woods that I now called my home.

By Ellsie Kolb, 6th grade student.