Fearful Wolves

DEEP red eyes penetrated through the darkness. I scrambled back in fear and confusion.

“What? Where am

I?”

The last thought broke through the mess in my mind but dissipated when a soft, cautionary growl began to build up in the pitch-black darkness. This was all too real to be a dream.

A gray figure crept out into the dim pool of light that appeared out of nowhere. I froze and a hysterical memory flashed through my mind.

Earlier, my teacher had praised my writing on the topic, wolves.

I had written that wolves have teeth as sharp as knives. Their dark, piercing eyes, glaring at their prey, watch every move they make. Snarling and hissing with contempt, they bare their yellow fangs, which are extremely deadly. Their gray pelts shimmer under the bright moon and their silhouettes are outstanding under the silver rays of moonlight.

However, when they stalk their prey, their existence is concealed extremely well. They are as cunning as foxes and as quiet as mice. They have long, pointed claws like swords and blades that can rip an animal apart in short moments.

They are bullets when they leap on unfortunate animals, monsters when relishing their kills. Their howls send animals scurrying away in fright. The last thing victims commit into memory before they are devoured are the wolves’ keen, hungry eyes and their gnashing, razor-sharp teeth sinking into them and tearing them apart.

That thought released me from the iron jaws of fear that gripped me in place.

I screamed until the air in my lungs ran out, sucked in a ragged breath and screamed again.

I opened my eyes. I saw a sheet of white – my bedroom ceiling.

Relief washed over me. It was just a dream. – By Hazel Lim Zhan, 12

Write away!

We welcome original contributions (of not more than 600 words) from children aged 12 and below. The topic can be anything you fancy. Please include your full name, age, gender, address and phone number. E-mail your stories to star2@thestar.com.my.

We have Maslinda Md Nor’s Puteri Gunung Ledang, Tun Teja and Hang Li Po (worth RM50.70) for the writer who sends in the best contribution for August. Prizes are sponsored by MPH Distributors.