The day started out bright and beautiful, yet I was terrified. No more than an hour ago, I was sightseeing with my family. Now I am lost in New York all alone.
My name is Jenna. I am only fourteen years old. I live with my mom, dad, and younger brother. This weekend was supposed to be a wonderful family vacation.
It was my first time being in a big city and I had so much to see. I was just taking pictures of a black crow that seemed to be posing perfectly just for me when my phone died. I turned to go back to the group when I noticed they were nowhere in sight. I didn’t know what to do. There were people everywhere. I felt like the tiniest fish in the biggest sea. I panicked and started walking, hoping and praying that I would somehow find my family. I was having no luck and of course, should have turned around, but even with the little bit of common sense I had, I was too scared to think. As time passed, it started to get dark, I could smell rain in the air and hear the distant rumble of thunder.
As night drew closer, I started to get the feeling that something was watching me. As I got further away from the city the sense grew stronger. I felt like a mouse being stalked by a cat. I picked up my pace. That’s when I spotted another black crow, sitting on the sidewalk watching me. It looked like the same one I had taken a picture of, but that was impossible. I had been walking for hours and there was no it way it could have followed me. It was getting late and the streets were getting less and less crowded. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a strange looking man staring at me. The thing that scared me the most about him was that I had seen him somewhere before, in a nightmare I had only a couple of nights ago.
In the dream the man had never talked and never done anything to harm me, he was always just part of the background. He wore black jeans, a black shirt, and a black feather scarf. In the dream, I was out in the middle of the woods with my friend named Kayla. We were lost and had no way to get out.
“How did we end up here?” Kayla had asked me.
“I have no idea,” I whispered back. When I turned around to talk to her again, she was gone. I was all alone except for the strange man who was still standing there, staring at me, waiting like he was going to pounce at any second. The only sound that I heard was a whispering voice mumbling “I will get you.” After that the dream ended.
After a while of more walking, I turned around and saw him again. Now I was freaking out. I picked up my pace and I could hear his footsteps off in the distance. I started running. I didn’t pay attention as to where I was going. All I could think about was outrunning the strange figure. I took off turning down street after street and into alleyways until I turned into an alleyway that had a dead end. I had nowhere to go and knew that I was in big trouble. I ran down the alleyway to the wall that blocked me from escape. The only thing I could do was hide behind the dumpster that was parked in the damp, dark alley. As I sat there, I could smell the rancid, slimy dumpster and my own fear. I could hear the sounds of the flickering street lamp above me and the street life in the distance. Safety so close, yet so far. I could see the shadow of my destiny creeping closer. I was frozen with fear. The last thing I remember was hearing my screams being cut off by the caw of a black crow.
When I woke up, I found myself in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by trees, just like in my dream. The only thing that was different was the trees were all dead and everything looked like a shade of gray or black. There was no one else in sight. I tried standing up and noticed that I had shackles on. I looked around for anyone or anything that might be able to help me. I saw nothing until my gaze landed on one particular tree. Perched on one of it’s branches was a crow. The same crow that I had been seeing all day. It stared at me with it’s piercing black eyes. That’s when the man appeared through the mist.
“You thought you could escape me,” he said. “You really put up an impressive fight, but when I want something, I get it. My name is Death,” he said. I knew now what this all meant, I was dying.
“But, you are different than what I had expected.” he continued. “Courageous, and full of life. Death does not become you yet, your heart is not ready. Therefore you have escaped Death’s grasps. Remember, Death is around every corner, watching your every move. Choose wisely and live your life to the fullest.
I looked Death in the face and said,”I am not afraid of you.”
“Very well,” he whispered with almost a sad look on his face. “I look forward to running into you again,” he said with a wink. With that single sentence whispered, everything went black.
I woke up in an extremely bright room. “She’s awake,” I heard a familiar voice exclaim. I saw my mother and father rush over to the hospital bed I was laying in. My head was very sore, but other than that, I felt fine.”What happened?” they asked.
“I don’t remember,” I lied. It was clear what had happened, but I thought it would be best if the past days’ events were kept to myself. Knowing that nobody would believe me, this story was to stay between only me and Death himself.The nightmare I had lived was over. I was back with my family, and I knew that I was safe from death’s grasps for now.
I had learned to never take a single second for granted and spend life how I find enjoyable. You never know when Death could come calling.
By Anna Combs
