Part 2 - The Ditch My head span ferociously as I forced my eyelids open. Jumbled thoughts and memories danced through my brain, fuzzy and distorted. I slowly forced myself up from lying down, as I tried my best to make sense of the pain searing through my veins, and images flashing through my mind. Then I remembered, Hannah and Brent, me getting scared, angry. Then there was unclear running, shouting, panic, a great thud. Then just...nothingness. As I slowly sat up, I realised I was in a ditch. Except....there was no roof. So where was I? Underground? In a cave? Where? Panic started to kick in as these worried thoughts dashed through my bamboozled brain. My breath quickened and I felt a huge lump forming in my throat. I desperately gulped it down and closed my eyes. I tried those breathing techniques that my therapist had shown me for my anxiety, and slowly but surely, my heartbeat bounced back to normal. Then I opened my eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up. At first I was a little dizzy, but it stopped quickly. As I looked around, I took in everything. It seemed like I was underground, in a very dark place. It wasn't pitch black, but very poorly lit, with dying candles, or flickering, hazy lights, which sent an eerie glow around the place. I cautiously called out " Hello? " No one answered. Swallowing another lump in my throat, I grabbed my backpack which I was now very glad my mum had made me bring, grabbed a dim lantern which was lying on the floor a meter away from me, and began to walk slowly. It seemed to be like an underground corridor, with sharp twists and turns and dead ends. After I had been walking for what seemed like ages, I spotted a suspicious light coming from a corner. Now suddenly panicky again, I held my breath, clutching my lanterns which was now holding on to its #life, and tip toed round the corner. It was.... Nothing. Just more broken lights. I sighed and slumped down against the wall. But all of a sudden, sending my heartbeat into super speed once again, I heard a noise. Sort of like footsteps. My heart raced as I turned my head and perspiration formed quickly on on my forehead and palms. What was that?

Hello! This was meant to be my first Opuss, but I decided to just upload 2 short story things that I'd already written on my notes. I'm completely new to this, so I don't really know what I'm doing... But I know there are some people who have had this app a lot longer than 15 minutes, so if you are one of those people, or if your like me and also have no clue what to do, please leave advice down below because I'm in desperate need for help. Thanks! - M

My Antique Chair The antique chair stood, or rather, sat amongst many others, but was determined to stand out. It was beige, beige with mysterious stains of mysterious things, dotted around, printed on the material. It's once vibrant floral pattern was now just meaningless, cosy scribbles of pastel. It was moth-eaten, and smelt damp, like it had been sleeping in a leaking attic for years on end. The smelly, boring chair was smothered in a thick layer of dust, so thick that if you were to run a finger along it, it would come off covered in grey speckles. The chair had been used, clearly, many a time. Whether for grandad and his morning cuppa, grandma for her knitting session, mum for her only rest of the day, or the baby boy, about to enjoy his episode of Thomas the tank with fish fingers and smiley faces with ketchup. The chair had hidden many objects in the past, collecting torches, Spider-Man action figures, grans cookery book, dads glasses, and the dogs bone. But it's absolute favourite snack? The remote. It would hide it as mum went to make tea, stuffing it under its arm, or whilst everyone was about to settle down to watch telly, for a laugh. The chair's springs were a kind of mystery. Not perfect, by all means, but not completely broken either. Just..... Worn out. A little squeaky here and there. And the chair had stories behind it too, the time where Ben's birthday cake had other plans, leaving a greasy, slightly faded blue mark on the arm. Or the time when the dog wanted a change of scenery whilst weeing, leaving a mysterious mark on the bottom which was often describe to guests as, " That? Oh, that's nothing " Now you may be thinking, who would want a battered, ancient, antique, half broken chair when I could easily get a brand new, real leather, squeaky clean chair? Well, although, it may be a little broken, and no perfect chair, that antique chair has lived. Lived through, Ben's birth, Mum's successful job interview, Rover's...accident, and grandads passing. That antique chair has been there for Kate when she needed a shoulder to cry on(quite literally), when the family needed a backdrop for the annual ugly Christmas jumper picture. That antique chair had been there.

I stood on the abandoned gravel pathway, shivering immensely next to my two best friends, Hannah and Brent. The stench of the air flew into my nostrils, making me quiver. I peered around, and chewed my lip as strange, unreadable sounds danced into my ears, coming from nowhere and having no meaning. " Are you okay Laura?" asked Brent seeming concerned. " Yeah you look like one of those dead people. " Hannah leaped onto a gravestone behind a bush then jumped out, making me squeal. " Stop it! You know I hate graveyards. They creep me out. We should've never come here. Come on, let's go. " I started to walk the opposite way, my feet crunching loudly against the sea of autumn leaves, dead and eerie like the people lying underneath the earth I was stepping on. " Laura? Come back!" Brent called anxiously, starting to edge towards where I was walking. " Yeah come on Laura it was just a joke! " Hannah replied in her usual, cool, casual manner. I stopped walking and turned around. " Guys come on, it's not safe here! " I exclaimed, my arms gesturing at the creepy tall dark trees with lots of thin twirling branches, like gnarled hands ready to snatch me at any moment. " Sure it is! And anyway, my video won't take long to film, honest, " Hannah pleaded. I spun round to face her. As I turned I noticed something. Hannah wasn't there. Brent was there all right, perched gingerly on a tree stump, running his long fingers round and round the rings of the inside. My heart started to beat a little faster, my cheeks became a little bit rosier and my eyes a little beadier. Where was Hannah? I soon found out as I turned round, something swung down from an overhanging tree, shaped like a creepy arch, and whacked me smack bang in the face, sending me tumbling backwards. I screamed at the top of my lungs and gasped in fright. It was..... Hannah. " Y-Your fa face Laura!!!! Oh my god " she gasped between uncontrollable laughter. Brent, who had got up in the process, helped me up and began picking the leaves and dirt that was now sticking to my cream fur denim jacket. Hannah sat down on the stump Brent had been sitting on and continued to giggle every now and then. " Oh leave it Brent, little ickle Laura will be fine. After all, it's just dirt, it'll wash off. " Brent sighed at Hannah in his grown up way and continued to brush down my brand-new jacket. " It was just a joke" Hannah replied, poking her tongue out and throwing a rock in the air, then catching it. I stepped away from Brent, and took a step towards Hannah angrily. I glared at her through my raging eyes and clenched my fists by my side. " Well that's just it Hannah. I am sick and tired of your jokes. Actually, I AM the joke. " I said furiously, my voice getting louder and louder. Hannah looked a little shocked. Nobody spoke to Hannah, THE Hannah Stroy that way. " Wow, okay Laura the roarer!! Calm it jeez, you look like a tomato right now! " Hannah replied coolly, laughing slightly at the tomato part. That's when I HAD it. Something inside me just snapped. " WELL YOU CAN FILM YOUR STUPID VIDEO WITHOUT ME IF THATS HOW YOUR GOING TO ACT!!!!!! " I yelled at the top of my voice. I began stamping my way back to the gothic, iron gates my pulse thudding as loud as a million elephants trampeding. Tears trickled down my hot cheeks, warm and salty like boiling sea water. I paused and turned round. " You know I really thought you were the fun, loving person I met in year 1. I suppose that's just not the case with you Hannah Stroy. " I gulped. Then I turned on my heel and continued. " Laura! Come back come on.. Laura please don't go please!? Laura? Laura! " Brent called beginning to walk after me. " Leave her Brent. Let her go if she wants. " said a very very shocked and surprised Hannah. I walked on, faster and faster until I was sprinting. I didn't even know which direction I was going anymore, I just wanted to get away. Away from Hannah, away from Brent's anxious calls, away from the stress, the worry. Then my foot got caught. I let out an ear - piercingly loud cry for help before I realised what was happening. The last thing I remember was the sudden sound of my feetfriends' footsteps racing after me, calling my name in terror. Then before I could think, I hit the floor with a thud.