It is dark and dim in the hallway, like the shallow depths of the ocean. I could not see through the darkness. What disrupted my sleep? I squint and realize what it was. I do not want to look further because I see what seems to be the piercing red eyes similar to those of Medusa looking at me. It can abruptly jump out of the darkness to show itself and take me. I shift and bury myself under the sheets, but the layers like grass trying to protect my soil body will not hold back the beast. The hallway is cursed. Twas damned by the underworld and Lucifer. Mother is clueless about what lures in the hallway at night. She is a slave to slumber in her room across the darkness. I wish for the suns’ light to reveal what is stalking me from the shadows, but I made it upon myself to conquer this damned hallway.

I stand in front of the door, before the dark shadows that seclude the body of the towering hellfire eyes. No flashlight, no weapon, just my lumbered mind, and body. I look away from the eyes and blindly went for a tackle, but its swiftness dodges me. I have fallen in the dark hallway, far away from the door. It’s behind me! The beast makes noise with its great poise.

It makes a shriek similar to a bat that is echoing in the darkness. Suddenly there is a flash of light. 

Mother turns on the light, and from the blind fight, she pulls me out from the grips of…

She showed me that I was fighting with the fire alarm. We laughed and joked about this 

for I thought I was the victim of this abyss.

I will never forget the beast secluded in the swallowing darkness of our hallway,

for there is more to just the fire alarm,

and its two red apple colored lights,

In the Damned Hallway…

We will meet again, beast.

Written by Tony Tanakanyan

This is a fictional short story he wrote called “The Damned Hallway”. The story is viewed from the imagination of a little boy and it is full of suspense. This story was first a poem for his honors literature class but then it was made into a short story when he realized the potential it had. He is 17 years old and is a person who loves to write. 

If you are interested in being published in our creative corner, please send your work to [email protected] or see Ms. Coe in the library. We can’t wait to hear from you!