WINNER (12 – 15 yrs): Lilly Stephens Yr 8, John O’Gaunt School

The Mist Was Rising. I was Lost.

The mist was rising. I was lost. I felt for my knife, but it wasn’t there. I stood up frantically, and the mist curled around me, wanting to lock me up, forever, behind its foggy curtains. I saw something glinting in the distance. Slowly, it moved towards me. Without a second thought, I lunged at it, but missed, and tumbled into a hollow tree. I knuckled my eyes fiercely, and sat up. I looked down. A ghostly hand was clutching my knife, and rubbing the blade gently on my kneecap.

*

Arana slumped on her stool grumpily.

“Now, eat your berries, pet! They’ll make you grow big and strong!” urged Misty, flexing her muscles.

“They’re poisonous, Misty.” Arana replied, with a surprised look on her face.

“No, I picked them from the bush outside, Arana,” Misty frowned. “They’re not and anyway what about…”

Arana chose not to listen, so she let Misty trail on, whilst she thought about the strange encounter that morning. She remembered the boy with the dark hair, staring at her hand, and then casually wandering off, forgetting his knife. She fingered the blade under the table. When she reached the tip, she felt a sudden pinch of pain at the end of her finger. She peered at the small blue beads on her palm.

“Ow.” Arana, said out loud.

“What’s wrong?” Misty gasped, hovering over.

“Nothing.” Arana muttered, wiping the specks of blood away.

*

“What’s that on your head?” Jessica asked.

“Nothing, quit peering at me Jess, it’s just a small cut. That’s all” I gabbled, attempting to cover my face with my hair and failing. I thought about the hand and shivered. I’d lost my best knife in the woods, and was quite upset about it. I had gone back to retrieve it, but it was gone. There was a pale lady waiting for me. I must’ve fainted, and Jess had found me, because I woke up at her house. I don’t know how I got the cut. She raised an eyebrow.

“Oh Ry. You fainted. Did you see something?”

“I saw a white girl.” I squirmed.

“What? Ryan……”

“She had my knife. I have to go back!!!” I yelled at her.

Jess opened her mouth to say something, and then stopped herself. I pushed past her, hurriedly and set off to the misty woods.

*

 Arana sat on a log and combed the tangles of her white hair, carefully, with her fingers.

“I can’t believe it,” She whispered “Who was that boy?” She sighed, knowing her question wasn’t going to be answered. Then to her absolute shock and horror, he appeared once again.

*

That girl was there. I picked up a stone and aimed.

“Don’t throw!” she cried, in a silvery voice, covering her face with her ghostly hands.

“Who are you?” I demanded, lowering the stone slightly.

“Arana.”

“Arana……” I trailed off. That was my best friend’s name, before she went missing in the mist…..

“Who are you?” she asked.

I sighed, she didn’t remember……