Halloween Ghost Story Contest -- 2015
Elementary School Winners

Third Place

The Haunted Stream

by
Yessenia Guevara

I am walking on a misty, smokey night, the stars glimmer through the thick clouds. My red hair blows in the wind while my nose frosts blue because white snow crystals whip across my face. My face freezes. The sidewalks are covered in layers of cyan blue slippery sheets of crystal ice. I hear water rush down the stream I walk beside. Everything is fine. The ice is crisp. It's as slippery as a greasy fish. But in a matter of a second, I slip.

I stumble on the crystal ice and shoot like a gunshot into the below-freezing stream water. The water tugs me as I take short breaths every time my nose hits fresh, cold air. All of a sudden something pulls my foot underwater and I have not one breath. I think this is the end. The 20 degree water burns my face, freezing it. I open my green eyes and look to what is pulling my ankle. It's a hand. I swallow a load of water. I can't breathe. Everything appears blurry.

I struggle around and try to get above the stream for just one breath, just one, that's all I ask.. All I want is to live... I just want to live. I look down at the hand that is now grasping my thin ankle tightly. I squirm around like a fish out of water, but I'm in the water.

I reach down to my ankle that is freezing as if my foot were to fall straight off. I take my sharp fingernails and slice the hand. I watch as red liquid floats over the top of me. The hand won't give up. I still can't breathe. It tugs me even deeper.

I take my fingernails and slice the hand one more time like a cut up grape. My face is full of nothing but pure fear now. As I watch another hand sprout from the dirt like a fast motion flower and grab my other ankle even tighter. I sway my arms up to try and get to the top of the water. Nothing. It's too tight. I can't move anymore. My muscles fail.

I can't think right. My mind is jumping like a ranting kangaroo that has a massive sugar rush. Bubbles spit out of my mouth. I lose the last of my breath. I squirm like a worm. I take my hands and with all my might, SLASH, I dug my nail deeper than a bottomless pit. One hand let's go and pulls back under the dirt. SLASH,  I whip the other hand with my knife-like nails. It lets go.

I make my way above water. My nose touches air. I take a deep frightened, yet mellow, breath. I paddle toward the land. I pull myself to shallow water. My hair is all tangled. My clothes are soaked and drip down onto the frosty grass. I am freezing.

I sprint home as fast as a lightning bolt. My ankles are killing me. They just got choked, badly, very badly.

I glance at my ankles. They shine with a purple swollen stain across my whole anklebone.

I approach my doorstep. I reach for the knob with my pruney fingers. I open the door and see my mom. She rushes to get me a towel then squeezes me like a lemon. I don't really care if I'm hurt, I just am really happy to be home...

Continue to the 2^nd place story

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