I was nervous and cautious about muggers and stalkers as I remembered an occasion when I was seven years old when my mum and I were followed on a similar night. My memories of my mum feeling very frightened, telling me to speed up, but at the same time reassuring me that everything would be ok has stayed with me ever since. I will never forget it though I’ve never asked my mum about it since, despite the fact that she is very uneasy talking about people being followed or attacked.
I had been walking for about ten minutes and there was now a chill in the air, my misty breath appearing before me every step of the way. I thought about having asked my friend Steve to walk home with me and laughed when I remembered his response. ‘No I’ll leave ya on ya own… YA NOT SCARED R YA!’ Scared a little, embarrassed a lot, I’d prove Steve and my laughing team mate’s wrong, so I decided to jog all the way and get home before it was pitch black. Getting home more quickly would also give me the chance to brag about being a great runner - I would be the one laughing this time ha, ha, ha!
I crossed the first field wet and muddy still feeling rather uneasy but happier for knowing if I kept jogging I’d only got around 10 minutes until I was home. Isn’t it funny who becomes your friend when it’s dark and you’re on your own? The herd of cows that had gathered at the exit of the field had just become my best friends they were company at the least, I’d now reached the lane, which didn’t make me feel any better as it ‘was darker than the field. The overhanging trees cast huge shadows and seemed to want to reach out and grab me. I heard a snapping sound, what had caused it? My mind ran wild like a pack of dogs. Then another sound an owl maybe or a voice, whatever it was it was unnervingly close. This cast an uneasy shadow on my mind, I knew I was close to home but it felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. If I got into trouble who would hear me so I started to sprint. The rustling of trees continued and seemed to get louder. Another sound triggered my mind, I looked to my left and there was a stray dog, it must have been following me since I joined the lane. I called it over it had no collar or any type of identification; it looked like a German shepherd. I know quite a bit about dogs as I work part time at my uncle’s pet shop. I could hear foot steps someone running towards me I panicked and ran for my life my heart pounding like a jack hammer. The dog had replaced the cows as my new best friend and was now running alongside. I wasn’t alone anymore or was I? I came to the end of the lane where it joined a main road - my main road; my house was now only a matter of 200 metres away, lights, people, cars SANCTUARY. and it was a t junction I recognised it sort of but not completely because of the poor light, the dog was extremely well behaved I decided to call him Goldie because he had a golden coat. I Started to sprint as the fast as I could, but as I speeded up the steps were did and seemed to get closer, I daren’t turn around. I could see it! My house MY HOUSE thank god I ran and leaped over my gate, the dog followed. I was just had about to shut my door and then I heard Steve’s voice bellow ‘I enjoyed the run see ya tomorrow!’ When I see him tomorrow I’m gunna kill him!
I now had a new dog, I decided to call him Goldie as he had a golden coloured coat, I managed to convince my mum to keep him after extreme begging.
“Goldie was a real mate, unlike Steve”
The end
