The Land Of The Lost by Bronwyn Schulzeck (i am malala young readers edition .TXT) 📕

I sit here in this dark, damp room with no feeling. My whole body slouched against the wall, it was like all my strength has been drained out of me. I am Triston and I’m an orphan. This orphanage is more like a prison. It's cold with the smell of mould in every corner. There is frightful screams coming from down the hallway. Now I wonder what harm I did to deserve this. I wish I could see the light. The only chance I get to see anything is when the so called food comes sliding through the door flap. I thought this orphanage would feel a bit more like home. I wonder what that warm feeling inside feels like. Someday I’ll get the chance to feel like I’m really at home.

Suddenly I hear steps coming down the hall. They stopped outside the door. My heart was racing, was this my release. My final chance to escape. The door opened. The light blazed through the door like the sun. I struggled to pull my hand up in front of my face to block the light out my eyes.

“Triston” boomed a voice.

I finally looked up to find myself facing a man with dark eyes, brown, tousled hair and an ugly smirk across his face.

“time to get moving Triston” said the deep voice,”the boss wants to see you.”

I struggled to my feet. It feel good to finally stand up. My feet feel fuzzy and weird. I took a few steps towards the man. I imagined what the boss would look like. An old man with a bald patch on his head, wearing a brown, scratchy coat with a blue stripped tie.

“come on mate” boomed the voice,”i don't have forever.”

I stept outside the door into the hallway. It was more peaceful in the hallway than in there. No screams. Maybe it was just in my head. The hallway was long with continuous lines of doors. The doors were silver and they had a huge latch across them. Every door had a number on them. I wonder if they have any more children in here. This place is like torture. The guard started to walk up the hall so i decided to follow him. I continued to look at the numbers on the doors go past, 19,20,21,22.

"Help me, please help."

I turned and faced door number 22. There was someone in there. I looked back at the guard who was turning round a corner.

"Please get me out of here."

"How" i said,"the latch is huge, i'll need something to lift it."

"Just try."

I placed both my hands on the latch and gave it a harsh tug. Nothing moved. I tried again but it was no use. The latch would not budge.

"It wont move" i said frantically.

"Try something else."

I looked all over the door. There was a latch, a key hole and a door nob. A key hole!

"There's a key hole" i said in surprise,"now where is the key."

"TRISTON" boomed a voice, it was the guard,"get back here now."

I turned and stared at the guard in surprise. The gusrd pointed a strict finger to the ground telling me to stand by him. I cautiously crepted up next to him.

"Now you stay by my side at all times" he said angrily,"or i'll drag you up the hallway by your ankles."

"Yes sir" i said assuringly.

He marched off ahead of me gaining alot of lead. I stumbled up beside him so he wouldn't notice. It was suddenly quiet. Except for the silent tinging noise coming from the guards belt. It was keys.

"What doors do the keys open" I asked cautiously,"the ones round your belt."

"All the doors down the hall your room was in" he said unexpectantly.

"Oh"I said in curiousity. How will I get the keys off his belt. I searched the hall for an idea. There it was. My chance. On the wall next to the guard I saw a emergency fire axe. How will I get to it. It was atleast as high as the guard. I can use the guard to get it. I ran up his back and kicked off him so i was heading towards the axe. I busted open the glass cabinet and grabbed the handle. I fell to the floor and landed on my feet. I looked up to find the guard looking down at me with anger. The fire alarm bursted through my head.

"Get back"I said threatening him with the axe,"Get back now!"

The guard started to laugh."Any second now heaps of men with weapons will be marching down the hallway" He said with satisfaction,"what are you and that tiny axe going to do about that."

"This"I said as I bashed the axe withall my might onto his head. He fell slowly to the ground. He wasn't dead. The axe was blunt. What idiot put a blunt axe in the emergency cabinet. I began to hear footsteps marching down the hall. I had to hurry. I snatched the keys off his belt and ran for door 22. Why did I do that. What was I thinking nocking out a guard. How will I escape the other guards. I reached door 22 and began to fiddle with the keys.

"Who's there"said the voice from inside the door.

"It's me" I said,"i've got the keys."

"What's that noise" said the voice,"what's going on out there."

"The guards are after me" I said, still struggling with the keys,"they're catching up."

"You got the guards on to you" said the voice in irritation,"we'll never get away now."

"What key is it" I said,"There's too many of them."

"Hurry up"

"Got it" I said. I lifted the latch and turned the door nob. The door flung open, the room was pitch black. In the middle of the doorway stood a girl about the same height as me. Her clothes were a stained brown. Her eyes were the colour of the ocean and her hair was a flame red. She stared at me like she's never seen another imprisoned child like herself.

"There're coming" she said,"we've gotta hurry." She ran off down the hallway with me tagged behind her.

"There they are" yelled a voice behind us,"get them."

"Hurry they're coming" I yelled. I sprinted up to her and grabbed her arm."Follow me" I told her. I saw light coming from round the corner up ahead."There's an exit up ahead I think."

Publication Date: 05-19-2012

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