Me and my sister were playing a game, where we tell each other two topics and we have to make up a story about them. Rules were: no going back and changing your story, and you have to make it up as you go, no thinking about what happens next. So she gave me the topic: snail shell and trumpet. So heres the story:
The story begins in a world not unlike our own. The streets, the cars, the houses all look exactly as if they came straight out of our world. It’s nighttime, midnight, nearly one in the morning and there are no cars driving. The only noise is a distant police siren that could be miles off. Suddenly there are footsteps. A boy around the age of fifteen to sixteen, with dark hair and cloths, is walking in the street near the curb. His shoulders are tense and he fiddles with something in his pocket. He reaches a street lamp and stands under it. He looks side to side and then carefully scopes the area, listening for any suspicious noises. He then checks his watch, looks around again and shuffles with the thing in his pocket impatiently. Ten minutes go by of him constantly looking from side to side when suddenly there is a loud noise a tense banging and shaking. The kid jumps and turns around quickly only to sigh in relief to see a kid his age, with light hair and freckles, struggling to climb over the wooden fence behind him.
“What are you doing, Sean? You’re going wake up every one!” said the kid under the lamp.
“Sorry, Jared, I got stuck. Where’s Ellie?” said Sean.
“I don’t know she should be here.”
There was a long quiet silence as the two sat under the light waiting.
“What if she got caught?” said Sean.
“I hope not.”
“We should look for her.”
“We don’t have enough time; I’m, giving her ten more minutes, if she doesn’t make it soon then we’re leaving without her.”
Again there was a silent pause and they both thought the worse for their friend.
“You still got that thing?” asked Sean, feeling like changing the subject.
“Yeah,” Jared replied as he fiddled with it in his pocket.
Jared checked his watch again, almost fifteen minutes had passed. He desperately wanted to leave but he held himself back to wait just a little bit longer.
“Hey guys!” someone said behind them, breaking the silence and causing the boys to jump.
“What took you so long, Ellie?!” said Jared, now frustrated, turning to a girl his age with blonde hair.
“Sorry, I saw two tall figures walking and I didn’t want to take the risk so I had to take a long detour, I knew you guys would wait for me though,” she answered.
“You got the-?”
“Yup, got it right here,” she interrupted, holding up a golden instrument similar to a small trumpet.
“Cool, let’s go now,” said Sean.
They quickly set off, walking at a fast pace, not speaking at all. They stayed as close as they could to the darkest shadows, and as the lamp posts lights turned off, they even began to breathe quietly. They heard a distant train whistle far off and they all glanced at each other quickly. They were right about to break out into run when suddenly they saw two tall, dark figures ahead of them. The kids stopped in their tracks, scared stiff.
“It’s them,” whispered Ellie.
“What do we do?” asked Sean.
“Why are they coming towards that direction?” said Jared, as he squinted his eyes to see the distant figures better.
“I don’t know should we turn back?” asked Ellie.
“What are you crazy?! There has to be hundreds of them waiting for us back there! We have to get past these two and then we’ll be safe.”
“Okay, don’t move a muscle; don’t even breathe when they get close because they can feel the movement in the air.”
They stood stock still as the figures moved at a dreadfully slow pace. They were tall as three grown men, and their skin seemed to be made of some kind of dark liquid material. It created small moving ripples every time they took a step. The kids were holding their breath as the things walked by.
“Is it safe to move yet?” whispered Sean, but just as he said that the creatures turned around quickly.
“RUN!!” yelled Jared, and they quickly sprinted as fast as they could up the street and into a neighborhood.
“They’re gaining on us!!” Sean yelled as he looked over his shoulders and saw the creatures chasing them.
They were running towards a fork in the road, but just in time Jared heard a distant train whistle again.
“This way!” He yelled as he turned into one of the paths.
They followed, hearing only their sneakers hitting the asphalt under their feet. They constantly looked behind them to see how far they were from the creatures, but each time it looked like they were just getting closer. Up ahead was a tall brick wall covered in thin vines. They didn’t slow down as they ran straight towards it; there was no stopping now and no turning back. They jumped up at the wall and tried to climb the vines but the plants were as thin as grass and ripped immediately.
“Use the thing!” Yelled Sean desperately as the monsters came closer and closer.
There was no other choice; Jared reached in his pocket and pulled out what seemed to be a snail shell and threw it at the creatures that were now only a couple yards away. There was a loud crack, like thunder and what felt like ocean waves crashed into the kids. They shut their eyes tight at the power of the force that hit them. There was a silent pause and they slowly opened their eyes. The air around them felt stiff and there wasn’t the slightest breeze. The creatures were only feet away now but they seemed to be frozen in place.
“Wow...” Sean said his eyes wide in shock.
“Was that the last one, Jared?” Ellie asked.
“Yeah,” Jared replied disappointed. “And we were going to need it.”
There was a silent pause.
“Well? We don’t have much time let’s go!” Said Sean
They managed to help each other climb up the wall and leave the creatures behind suspended in a running position. They continued now at as fast a pace they could without getting wary. It had to be around four or five o’clock now and the sky was beginning to turn a light purple color. They were silent as they reached a sandy path that led into a fenced in riverbed. In the distance they could see what appeared to be a train station. It was still very far, but everyone felt a their hope rise.
“We’re gonna make it,” Said Sean, smiling in satisfaction. But just as he said that, they heard a loud crack like thunder and they felt a cold breeze blow at their hair.
“Oh no,” said Jared. “Hurry!”
They ran as fast as they could toward the distant station. But time was running out, if the train whistled one more time it meant that it was moving and if it left without them, and then they would be put in the fate of the monsters’ hands. They kept running though and looking back every now and then, but they knew that creatures from miles apart now knew where they were heading. Suddenly they felt their hearts sink as they heard the train whistle for the final time.
“They’re right behind us, Jared!” yelled Sean.
The kids looked back and saw the two creatures running at top speed towards them. They were so close to the train now, there was still hope, it was only just beginning to move. They began to climb the hill up toward the tracks, if they were fast enough they may just be able to jump on the last cart. But as soon as they reached the top, out of pure excitement, Ellie dropped the instrument, it clanked and tumbled down the gravel hill.
“Oh no!” She gasped as she began to climb down to get it.
Jared glanced up to see the running creatures not far off, and knowing that he was the fastest and that there was no time to lose, he pushed Ellie back and ran down the hill to grab it.
“Get on the train,” yelled Jared as he saw the last cart slowly pass them.
Sean didn’t waste any time and chased after the cart. But Ellie paused as she saw the creatures gaining on Jared who was now struggled back up the slippery gravel hill with the instrument.
“Hurry,” she panicked
“Get on the train,” Jared yelled at her.
She turned around and ran up onto the cart just as Jared reached the top of the hill. But the train was now gaining speed and heading over to the bridge, which was too narrow for a person to run alongside. The front of the train was now disappearing into the black fog which covered the bridge.
“Jared, run!!!” Yelled Ellie.
Jared ran as fast as he could, getting closer and closer to the bars surrounding the train. Sean and Ellie reached out their hands to help him but still he was a whole arms length away from them. He tried to run faster but the tracks under his feet were uneven and suddenly he tripped.
“NO!” Sean and Ellie yelled as Jared struggled to get back up. The last cart now crossed over onto the bridge, there was no hope left for Jared now. He didn’t even try to run after them.
“Take this!” he yelled at Ellie, throwing his arm pack ready to toss the instrument at her.
“No, you need it more than I do!” Ellie yelled back just as she disappeared into the black fog.
Jared put his arm down, feeling his heart sink. He turned around to see the two creatures now climbing up the gravel hill. In the distance he could see what appeared to be a whole army of them running towards him. He narrowed his eyes ready to face them.
To be continued…
I sorta got a little carried away... BUT it was fun to make up. I got the idea the train because i heard a distant train whistle. The setting was inspired by the neighborhood i was in. It was nighttime so the story was set during the night. When the ppl reach a brick wall covered in vines its cuz me and my sis reached a wall like that, and when the two dark figures were walking toward the kids its cuz i saw a dark figure walking towards us.
Im still undecided as to what im going to do with this.