Malicious Intentions

Things hadn’t always been this way. There had been a time when Jamie lived an ordinary life. School, annoying siblings, unremarkable pets, all that sort of thing. Just your everyday life in mainstream suburbia. Sometimes, on days like today, that old life almost seemed attractive.

Jamie lifted his hoodie and watched as strands of hair drifted towards the ground, he slowly lifted his head and faced the tall, melancholic man. The man was slumped beside a streetlamp, a yellow light surrounded him. Jamie noticed the man had a gaunt figure which was wrapped in a vintage charcoal suit. Deep lines were etched in his face and a long scar ran around his neck. Slowly the man cocked his head, and for a second their eyes met. The crimson eyes of the stranger petrified Jamie with overwhelming fear.

Jamie started to run. The stranger clambered up and raced towards Jamie, his skeletal face contorted into a demonic grin, displaying knifelike teeth. Jamie ran as fast as he could, his legs pounded the concrete floor, weaving himself through the buildings as quick as possible. He ran through the city block but gradually his breath became sluggish and heavy. He could feel the acids building up in the back of his legs and he was slowing down dramatically. He looked around his shoulder and caught a glimpse of the man in the suit, who was striding swiftly and comfortably.

Almost out of breath, Jamie stumbled into an alley and heaved himself through an open window. He crouched under the window sill and waited for his eyes to focus itself into the darkness. His breath was heavy, his leg was trembling uncontrollably and troubling thoughts raced around his mind. The stench of smoke and sulphur chocked him, his eyes began to water and through the blurriness he could see stained fridges and coolers, stacked upon each other around the room. In a stream of moonlight he could see a rusted cage left in the far corner of the room. He crawled to the side of the room, and pulled himself up onto his feet, his fingers brushing against the corroded refrigerators.

Suddenly he heard footsteps. He pressed his body onto the solid wall and trembled. The wooden door slowly creaked open, and a murky, yellow light devoured the room. In the doorway stood the man, an elongated shadow stretched out behind him. His blazing ruby eyes focused on Jamie, and a malevolent smile came into view. An ebony tongue ran across the man’s jagged teeth, a droplet of raven saliva trickled down the man’s jaw and fell onto the concrete floor, creating a tiny black flower upon its impact.

Jamie impulsively loped towards the unfastened window hoping to escape; however, before he could make the distance, he felt the man’s scrawny fingers dig into his leg. The pain was excruciating and Jamie fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. “Know what’s in these coolers, son?” the man whispered, “meat…beautiful, human meat…” Jamie screamed.

Git Garm (Jimmy) Choy, Year 7 (Male), Balwyn High School