The Creeping Dark
Gina ran full pelt up the lane that lead from the wasteground to her back gate, rammed it open with both arms outstretched and hid behind the shed, catching a thread from her cheesecloth smock on the rough planks.
As she crouched in the tiny space between the shed and the high brick wall,she tried to slow her breathing, aware that it was heavy and loud and fearing that the You Know
What would be able to track her.
The air was heavy with the scents of summer- sickly sweet honeysuckle, rotting mown grass, overflowing bins and warm dog pee and she wished she had found a nicer place to hide. But it was too late to move now. Behind the shed was a pile of cuttings from the forsythia bush, all dried out and crispy and she knew that one giveaway crack of a twig would mean certain death.
Gina began to wonder how far up the lane it had followed her. She was tempted to peep over the wall but caution prevented her. 'Not yet...not yet. I don't want it to see me. I can't let it see me!'
She put her head down on her knees and sighed gently.
Mum was going to kill her when she saw what she'd done to her top. She knew she'd be getting the 'It's time you acted more like a lady' telling off again. Only the second time this week though and it was far preferable to the fate that lurked outside.
How long would she have to stay here? She knew it moved fast but that also meant it could return quickly once she thought the danger had passed. It wasn't worth the risk yet. Gina settled in for a long stay.
She pulled her last two sticky spangles out of the pocket of her cut down jeans. It wasn't much of a picnic but it would keep her going.
A large wasp appeared, attracted by the sugary cola scent. Gina sat wide eyed, perfectly still as her mum had taught her. She was more scared that it would show the Thing where she was than she was of it stinging her, although she wasn't keen on that either.
She knew she had to get rid of the creature urgently. She took the sweet out of her mouth and threw it into next door's garden, making sure it landed softly on the lawn. The wasp followed its prize.
An angry voice shouted 'Who threw that?'
Mr Price had been weeding his borders and had seen the sweet missile fly past him and onto his pride and joy.
'Shh! Shhh!' thought Gina as the old man grumbled loudly about kids having no respect and what was the world coming to and the holidays being too long...
Gina cowered even lower. If Mr Price caught her he'd probably hand her straight over to the monster.
She couldn't stay out here. She had to try and make it to the house and tell mum. Also it was very hot and after all that running she really needed a drink.
Dad's gardening coat was draped over the fork handle, like a headless scarecrow. Gina reached out slowly with her foot and used the heel of her green flash dap to scrape at the sleeve until the jacket fell off the fork and she dragged it slowly towards herself.
She climbed under the coat and,on her front, began to creep inch by inch towards the house. Her face was beetroot red - an unwashed, muddy beetroot- and the heat inside the coat was unbearable. She pressed her face into the grass and dandelions for some relief.
The garden had never been so long. She could skip end to end in eight strides but today it felt like she was crossing a vast desert with no oasis for another 30 miles.
Gina risked a glance out from under the collar. The pear tree! If she could make it that far there was shade and the chance of attracting mum's attention.
She slowly altered course, inching along caterpillar style, her fringe matted to her forehead and rivulets of sweat and tears meandering across her muddy cheeks. This was exhausting work but she was driven on by the fear.
As she reached the old pear tree she felt a new surge of energy. She listened carefully for any signs of The Creature and, deciding it was now or never, crept out from the coat and quickly jumped upright to conceal herself behind the trunk.
She stood pressed up against the old tree, trying to almost become part of it. She felt the gnarled bark against her back and wondered if it had always been so wrinkly or, if like the pictures of her grandad her mum kept on the piano, it had once been quite handsome.
She had a pang of guilt. She wasn't supposed to leave things on the floor. With her heart racing, Gina grabbed the jacket and hurriedly hung it on one of the low branches.
'Oh no!' Gina realised she had made a flag advertising her hiding place. She might as well have hung up a big arrow saying 'Food Here!'.
She could hear the dishes clanking as mum washed up. She probably had the radio on. Gina hoped there would be some kind of emergency announcement.
It seemed that the word had not yet reached the authorities since mum started to sing 'Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep'. Gina thought that would be an unlikely reaction to such serious news.
She decided to quietly try to attract mum's attention by throwing gravel at the window.
'Gina! Is that you throwing stones?'
'No, mum! No! No!'
Why didn't she understand?
Panic took over. Gina ran the last few yards to the back door and hammered on it, screaming 'Let me in! Let me in now! Mum!'
Mum struggled to open the door with her soapy hands but she gave it a hard push to get it past that bit that always catches on the doorframe and Gina dived into the kitchen, sobbing.
Mum pulled her into a big soft soapy hug, saying nothing for now about the state of Gina's clothes but already mentally soaking them in bleach.
'Whatever is the matter, sweetheart?'
'It's out there, mum! It's huge! It's coming for me!'
'It's all right, love. Don't worry. You're safe now.'
Mum smelled of Fairy Liquid and the perfume she always bought from the Avon Lady. She smelled safe and warm and Gina's wracking sobs subsided as mum stroked her sweaty hair.
'Come on, treasure. I don't think it will be coming back today. Let's get you into the bath and you can have a nice soak. Would you like a sprinkle of my bath salts?'
Mum always knew the right thing to say. Gina nodded and held tightly onto mum's hand.
'You go and get undressed in your bedroom and put those filthy clothes in the basket. Honestly I do wish you'd be a bit more ladylike...'
Gina allowed herself a bit of a smile.
Mum went to fetch Gina's favourite fluffy pink towel from the airing cupboard.
Before she had found it she heard a single shrill scream from the bathroom and the unmistakable sound of Gina crumpling to the floor.
Mum raced in, to see Gina in a #lifeless heap in front of the toilet. In the bath was a giant black spider. It seemed to be laughing.
Mum screamed for help, just once. Dad didn't hear as he was watching Grandstand in the lounge.
The dark monster crept downstairs...
