It is a photo prompt challenge, where you have to write a horror piece to a set word count.
When she returned to the seating he was gone; only his empty
juice box remained. Maggie ran her hand through her hair as her eyes scoured the
platform. He couldn’t have gone far.
Most mother’s would worry someone had snatched their kid, but not Maggie. She knew better. He’d been encouraged to play hide and seek again. She’d tried to teach him that he needed to keep control in public places, but he was still too young, Jake would get the better of him. She sighed and bit her lip. People didn’t take kindly to Jake’s games – they hurt. She’d lost count of the amount of times they’d ended up in the police station.
She caught a glimpse of blond hair as a woman leapt forward suddenly clutching the back of her leg. Maggie moved in that direction, taking her time, acting nonchalant. If Jake thought he had been spotted it could get dangerous. Then she heard a ‘Hey!’ shouted from the other end of the platform.
People were starting to look round, nervous expressions on their faces.
“Where ARE you?” Maggie muttered under her breath. She stood still and saw movement in her peripheral vision. She stuck out an arm behind her and grabbed, catching material. Then she heard a rip and her hand was empty. Damn!
A woman screamed and she heard shouting from a guard. Christ, he was escalating; this could get really bad.
Then the rumble of an approaching train began and people started moving forward to the edge of the platform. Maggie moved backwards even though this was their train. Jake would be weaving through people; it’s what he liked doing best. She would get a better view from behind.
She saw what appeared to be jostling to the right and moved in fast. She needed to grab him now. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if someone ended up pushed onto the platform.
She lunged between two people, startling them, and caught the collar of a coat, yanking a wriggling child back. As she dragged Jake back she ignored the judgmental looks, only registering his eyes rolling, and the dark irises. He turned and bared his teeth at her, snapping at her hands as she firmly took hold of his face and crouched down in front of him.
“Alfie? Come back right now. Do you hear me? I need you back right now!” She held the shaking head steady, ignoring the growls, and waited. “Alfie! We need to go now!”
Movement reduced as blue returned to the irises and the eyes stopped rolling. They focused on her. He smiled. “Hey mummy.”
“Hey baby, time to go.”
“Do we have to? Jake likes it here.”
“I can see he does, but Alfie, Jake has to stay hidden you know that.”
“But why mummy?”
“I told you. People don’t like Demons, they’re scared of them.”
“Oh, okay.”
Alfie took his mum’s hand as they climbed onto the train.
Most mother’s would worry someone had snatched their kid, but not Maggie. She knew better. He’d been encouraged to play hide and seek again. She’d tried to teach him that he needed to keep control in public places, but he was still too young, Jake would get the better of him. She sighed and bit her lip. People didn’t take kindly to Jake’s games – they hurt. She’d lost count of the amount of times they’d ended up in the police station.
She caught a glimpse of blond hair as a woman leapt forward suddenly clutching the back of her leg. Maggie moved in that direction, taking her time, acting nonchalant. If Jake thought he had been spotted it could get dangerous. Then she heard a ‘Hey!’ shouted from the other end of the platform.
People were starting to look round, nervous expressions on their faces.
“Where ARE you?” Maggie muttered under her breath. She stood still and saw movement in her peripheral vision. She stuck out an arm behind her and grabbed, catching material. Then she heard a rip and her hand was empty. Damn!
A woman screamed and she heard shouting from a guard. Christ, he was escalating; this could get really bad.
Then the rumble of an approaching train began and people started moving forward to the edge of the platform. Maggie moved backwards even though this was their train. Jake would be weaving through people; it’s what he liked doing best. She would get a better view from behind.
She saw what appeared to be jostling to the right and moved in fast. She needed to grab him now. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if someone ended up pushed onto the platform.
She lunged between two people, startling them, and caught the collar of a coat, yanking a wriggling child back. As she dragged Jake back she ignored the judgmental looks, only registering his eyes rolling, and the dark irises. He turned and bared his teeth at her, snapping at her hands as she firmly took hold of his face and crouched down in front of him.
“Alfie? Come back right now. Do you hear me? I need you back right now!” She held the shaking head steady, ignoring the growls, and waited. “Alfie! We need to go now!”
Movement reduced as blue returned to the irises and the eyes stopped rolling. They focused on her. He smiled. “Hey mummy.”
“Hey baby, time to go.”
“Do we have to? Jake likes it here.”
“I can see he does, but Alfie, Jake has to stay hidden you know that.”
“But why mummy?”
“I told you. People don’t like Demons, they’re scared of them.”
“Oh, okay.”
Alfie took his mum’s hand as they climbed onto the train.
Word Count: 495
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