The Decision
Recently, Years 7 & 8 wrote for the National Short Story Young Writer competition. The winners will be announced in April. The remit was to write a short story entitled ‘The Decision’.
Work, work, work. All I ever do is work and it isn’t very pleasant. I just sit down and open up the annoyingly slow computer that is practically ancient! I can feel my stomach rumbling as I take a sip out of the disgusting, cold, watery coffee. But then I hear the heavenly sound of the lunch bell and I immediately pack up my handbag and leave the office.
I walk into town which fortunately for me is just around the hidden corner which only I and my three best friends know about. My mother taught me when I was little and I trusted my friends with the unknown secret too.
*
“Come on guys, let’s go to into town! I know a secret shortcut!” I look through the deep, dark, corner slightly scared that mother might disapprove of me telling my best friends about the secret that not even policemen know about! What if she gets mad and never speaks to me again… There is nothing I can do now. I have told them.
*
I pause for a moment as I remember mother being completely fine with me trusting Becky and Hannah with the secret shortcut. I guess telling is a good thing.
I walk in to the bakery and grab a fresh vegetarian sandwich. I buy a drink and sit down to enjoy my well-earned meal.
As I leave to go back to work, suddenly to girls jumped out of nowhere. They had dark black masks on with only their eyes peeping out. Their worn out trainers were about to break. Their clothes were old and raggedy and they were way too skinny. They looked dodgy and homeless and untrustworthy.
They grab onto my expensive hand bag. I am tugging with all my might and they are pulling with all their might but I think I know what is going to happen. It’s two against one. They’re going to keep the expensive handbag with my purse and my work information.
I am barely concentrating on anything apart from what is on my mind. I can’t call the police because my phone is in there and the keys to my apartment are in there so I can’t use the home phone. What am I going to do?
*
“Now Emma, remember to keep all your belongings safely with you all the time so nothing gets lost.”
“Yes mother. I will never forget.”
*
I never forgot but that won’t help in this situation. But just as I was thinking of just letting go. The girls examine my face and let go. As soon as I feel the pulling stop, I take my chance and pull my handbag to my chest. The girls run off quickly and leave me there in shock.
I walk back to the office and get back to work although I am slightly late because of the incident but I straight away get to work. I try hard to concentrate but my mind is far, far away. Why did those girls just leave? I guess I will never know, but an idea is started to develop in my mind. I try to push it away but it is stuck there.
A take a taxi and lie down on my bed in my apartment. I can’t help but think about what happened. I try to just go to sleep but I don’t think I will ever get to sleep.
As I enter into my office and get to work on the computer, I try to forget about the past and look to the future. And I find myself hard at work, frantically typing the reports.
I hear the lunch bell, but this time I am not hungry. Not yet anyway but I will grab a quick sandwich from the bakery and leave it for later to enjoy.
I pay the baker for my sandwich and leave the bakery, heading straight back to the office via the secret short cut but I spot the thing I was most dreading…
The same two girls ran down the street followed by two police men. As they come closer, I see a lady’s purse with a £20 note peeping out. They stole bag and it looks like they are going keep it.
Immediately, I hide behind a large bush and watch through the holes of the bush. The two girls zoom past and disappear. The policemen look around confused but there is only one place they could have disappeared to.
I move to a different hiding spot to get a better view of what lied before me. Only two people could have known that secret shortcut and I now know that the thought became true. I knew them my whole life and I feel like I have been betrayed. My heart is pounding as I see them take their dark masks off. All is now revealed and the hope has disappeared. My best friends have committed a serious crime that I have witnessed. My best friends, my sisters….Thieves.
There are a million things going on in my head. Should I tell the police or should I keep it a secret. Should I let my best friends find out that I know or should it be hidden from them? What is the right thing to do?
I can’t think about anything else then what I should do. If I phone the police, our friendship would be over. If I do nothing, I will be guilty for the rest of my life but our friendship will be the same as it always was. Should I take the risk? Should I take the chance? Should I take the freedom? It all comes down to my decision.
I look into my handbag and it never seemed so big and deep. My eyes are fixated on the phone of dread. What if they go to court and they see me there? What if they go to jail? What if they get away with it?
I reach in, grab my phone and press three numbers. 9…9…9…
All is out. This is my decision.
