2001 School Magazine

e 4. : original works

Ladders

She knelt in the darkness, wary and afraid. Moving silently and keeping low, she positioned herself so she could leap to her feet in an instant She was vaguely aware of the figures that moved all around her. How was it that she had come to be here? As she clutched the knife, she forced her eyes to adjust to the dark of the night, straining until she could see. Never again would she come here - not to a place of such cruelty Scanning her surroundings, she rose and, bedraggled wisps dangling from her shoulder, breathed deeply and made for the fence The blare of a high-pitched siren rang relentlessly in her ears. Vibrations radiated from a slamming car door, seeming to shake even the tufts of yellow grass which sprouted from cracks in the pavement, and whipped her feet as she fled High fences whirled past;trees; buildings His footsteps pounded behind her. She could sense his shadow, sharply cut onto the ground beneath the street lamp's brilliance. She was conscious of her eyes glazing over. They couldn't cope with such brightness Turn right! Her bare feet were used to the gravel texture of the road, but still she faltered as she rounded the corner The lights of the highway were quickly fading into nothing more than a dim memory. But this was not a side street. She spun round. As the knife slipped from her fingers and dropped to the ground, the full realisation of her mistake struck her like a blow She had run into a dead end alley Mind a blur of fear and panic, she frantically searched the walls for an escape - for one last chance. Desperately, terrified, she searched - for something, anything But wait! Submerged in the deep of the shadows not far away - a ladder She found her feet ascending the first rungs of the rotting structure The drumming of heary boots closed in, their paceintensifying. The whole wall seemed to shake. She dared to look back She could see her pursuer's blue shirt and checkered black cap, closer than she'd thought. Another step. She slid her hands over the splintery wood, and brought her eyes level with the nat roof of the building. She could makeit, surely! All at once, the ladder began to quiver and strain. He was climbing, reaching for her ankles, climbing up, up The beam snapped beneath her foot. Her mind swirled in desperation She stifled a gasp, and scrambled, clinging with all her might to the roof One arm, two - she hoisted up her left leg, hoisted up the right - the n - the right - she felt the hand, the cold, strong fingers firmly grasping her ankle Don't. .. don't scream. His heary breathing padysed her. He was clutching, pulling Backwards, she flung her arm to hit him, force him to loose his grip But she missed. An ear piercing but involuntary sound passed through her lips as she fell down; down into the inky blackness of the hard street below She awoke to find herself laid on one side, her body throbbing painfuly She knew where she was. The uniformed man had won What she saw was enough to send her insane. An all too familiar place Cruel bars ,,,**, So she ran

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Ruih MCConchie 9 Gibson

focinto Pou!! 12 Woolcod

A torturing voice in her mind whispered it, over and over again "Ladders ... ladders ... ladders ."

Ladders all around the prison cell

Anne Hamson I 1800nlond Winner of the MIChoelMosseyRobinson Prize for Excellence in meshortStoryGenre ^000)