Onomatopeia: Short Story Writing Challenge

Day 4: Hide And Seek

Alice, Reeves, Lizzie and me all went to the forest one day, though Reeves was the only one who actually wanted to go.

"This is boring." Lizzie complained for the 30th time.

"Ditto." Alice said.

"Shut it." Reeves said. "I'm the leader, so I decide."

"We're not six, we're ten." Alice replied. "Nobody's forced to do what you say just cause you think you'll be some hotshot, uh..."

"Do you even know what that means?" Reeves said scornfully. "And I'm going to be a singer."

"Singers are all stupid."

I really, really wanted to tell them both to shut up. But I kept quiet.

"I better not get in trouble thanks to you." Lizzie muttered. "Can't believe we snuck out just for a stupid game of hide and seek."

"Wait, we're playing hide and seek?" Alice protested. "I hate hide and seek!"

"Should've said something before."

Alice grumbled for the rest of the trip to the clearing.

"Okay, who's the seeker?" Alice asked loudly. Now Reeves was the one grumbling.

"Can I play?"

Everybody, obviously, was startled. A girl stood there.

"Can I play?" She repeated.

"Sure." I huffed, speaking for the first time since we'd entered the forest. I had a bad habit of doing that.

"I'll be the seeker, then." The girl said smoothly.

"Sure, sure!" Alice practically shouted. "Let's just get this stupid thing over with!"

The girl turned and started counting out loud.

It took a few seconds for it to register, then we were off.

Lizzie went to the right, Reeves went straight and Alice went to the left. I followed Alice.

We were deep into the woods when I realized this probably wasn't the best idea. I mean, hide and seek in the woods? The weird seeker girl would be lucky if she found us before nightfall.

Suddenly, a scream tore the air like a cleaver to a piece of meat.

A second scream. And a third one.

I turned and ran, but only made it a few feet before the girl from before was behind me.

I turned to look and the last thing I saw was a hand reaching out.

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