The Thing

Chapter 7

The Thing real?

Beasts like that really exist? I mean I still had doubts about it, I guess that part of me still wanted there to be a reasonable explanation, not one that included mythical black beasts with yellow slits for eyes…

As I’d let my head fall into my hands, I’d tried to think back to that horrible moment, the one where the beast had tried to get me, and probably kill me too. I’d tried to think, there must be something I’d seen or heard that may help me make sense to what had just happened, that may leave room for a more realistic explanation.

Nothing.

All i had been able to remember were those horrible yellow eyes, staring at me, the tap of its paws as it had chased after me, its growl and horrid bark, its teeth snapping together.

There really wasn’t more to be said, there was nothing pointing to any other explanation, I’d seen the Thing with my own eyes, and it had definitely sounded real, there was no way I’d imagined it, so really the only conclusion that I had been able to come to was:

The Thing was real

And with that realisation had come another  fit of uncontrollable shaking, I’d hated this; being so scared, but nothing could come close to the fear I had felt in that alleyway, not even public speaking, which until now, was probably the most terrifying  thing I’d ever had to experience.

Hopelessness had filled me next, how was I ever going to rescue Veronica? Or any of the others if they were still alive? What could I possibly do against this beast? I was just me, plain ordinary Hazel, a year 11 student trying desperately not to fail school. What did I have that could help me?

Hazel! I’d mentally slapped myself, now was not the time to give up! If the Thing had come after me it must be because I’m getting close, what other reason is there? It targets W.A.Ts not people like me who try to stay as far away from them as possible, and if I’m getting close than now is definitely not the time to give up.

I had slowly gotten up and dragged myself to my computer where I’d added the following names to the list of victims:

PAIGE DALTON 2004

LEA MORRISON 2008

And had then added:

IT IS CONFIRMED THAT THE THING IS TARGETING W.A.T STUDENTS, REASON STILL UNKNOWN, IT MOVES EXTREMELY FAST…

At that moment I’d heard the front door open, I’d immediately jumped and fear had coursed through me, I’d automatically imagined the Thing slinking in, it yellow eyes scanning the room, its massive body filling up the doorway…

“Hazel?” a familiar female voice had called out, which had chased my visions of the Thing away.

“Mum!” I’d cried out, as I’d come out of my room, practically fallen down the stairs and jumped into her arms, never had I been so happy to see her mop of curly brown hair and those caring green eyes which always seemed to say “it’ll be okay”.

Only I had known that with everything that had been going on it wasn’t okay.

“Hazel! What’s going on?”

“Nothing…why do you ask?”

“Well it’s just you seem to be extremely happy to see me… not that I’m complaining, but just happier than usual”

“I’m just really happy to see you, that’s not a crime”

“If you say so” she laughed, then suddenly her voice had turned serious “Is there anything you want to talk about? Like what happened at your school?”