A Mission to Find a Key

' Evelyn! Could you please go to the supermarket and get these items, please? I know we've just moved into this house but I've heard there's one nearby, you'll probably be able to spot it in no time!' My mother shouted out to me while I was upstairs in my light, homely, warm room with the fire in the fireplace roaring like a lion, waiting to hand me the shopping list.

I agreed to go, as I also knew where the supermarket was. I grabbed the list, wore my coat, and headed outside in the fresh, tranquil air.

Not long later, I reached the supermarket. I envisioned it to be a usual, local, lively supermarket, but what I saw in my eyes was much, much different…

It was dull, eerie, dusty and looked as if no one was there. Though it looked quite lifeless , I decided to step inside.

Just as I had thought, no-one was spotted in the dilapidated shop, instead there were weak webs,derelict doors, foul food and much more. Just by looking at the shop once or twice, I felt like running back home instead of smelling the awfully rotten items, but because of my curiosity, I desperately wanted to keep discovering. I scanned my eyes around the store and saw a small letter laying in between two shelves covered in dust and dirt. I brushed off some of the dirt, picked it up and read it.

'Dear whoever is reading this,

You are now trapped in my HAUNTED supermarket. You shall NEVER escape unless you find the key to unlock the doors which will be hidden inside one of the food items. If you do not find it until two hours before midnight , then you will be stuck here FOREVER and be turned into food or a drink YOURSELF. Oh and yes, once it is seven o'clock , be careful, as all the items will start flying around the place. That is all I can say for now, my foolish victim, you should have never entered my supermarket….

Yours sincerely,

? ? ?'

Just then, all of the doors shut as loud as an elephant. Making my legs tremble hesitantly with fear, I ran to the gates as fast as the speed of light, hoping I could open them even though I doubted it.

' KNOCK! KNOCK! '

Hitting my hands against the unopenable doors, I lost hope, turned back with my head hanging. I decided to try and find the hidden key as soon as possible before 7 pm or at least 10 O'clock.

'Well..the letter did say that the key is shrouded in food and drinks aren't food! So I don't think I should look in any of the beverage sections,' I said to myself thoughtfully.

I walked a few inches and saw some worn and torn crisp packets. I stared at them in disgust then sat beside them, slowly touching one of them and carefully opening them and sticking my hand in with my head in the air and my eyes sealed shut . I did the same process again and again until all the packets were widely open. Unfortunately no key was to be found. I sighed , gave a great large yawn and continued hunting for the key. I searched the moldy cupcakes , bad-smelling bread, yucky yogurt and many more disgusting, expired food. I had almost lost hope but still, I was determined to run away from this awful area and return to my peaceful, warm home.

After digging through more food , I wiped my forehead which was covered in sweat , took a quick glance and the clock which read ,' 18:56' My eyes widened enormously, 'WHAT? 4 minutes left until all this stinky food will levitate!' I spoke to myself, 'What must my parents and twin siblings be thinking about me? Will I survive ? What if I don't find the key until ten? Oh why, just why did my foolish self enter this stupidly horrid haunted house?' I thought, worries floating in my head.

There were only a few more different kinds of food left, and I had to catch them all in the air which would be quite a challenge for me, but I knew I had too if I really wanted to go back into my cosy home which I definitely did. As soon as I was about to touch the pack of sweets I was about to open, everything started to fly around! It was seven o'clock!

'Oh great! Not this!' I moaned, I tried to jump as high as an air balloon to catch the haunting, levitating food.

Fortunately, it wasn't really a big deal to catch the food. So a while later I managed to unbox all of the packed foods, well.. at least that is what I had thought.. 

As soon as I opened everything,I accidentally spotted a bijou, pitch-black cupboard. It slowly attracted me towards it as my curiosity always convinces me to. As I approached it, I grabbed the handle, pulled it and.. perfect!

I found more food to unbox! Poor me! It was already 21:08 just then.. I had to exit this place! But how? I still hadn't found the key. So with the last bit of hope in me, I took a large step inside the room, scanned it, and got to work, jumping as high as a kite to catch the dusky-brown boxes.

'YES YES YES!' I clapped with joy once I finally found the key at the bottom of one of the tiniest boxes on the second shelf. It was as pure as gold and as shiny as a diamond, it looked very precious and very delicate but I shouldn't have wasted any more time as it was already 21:58! I started to panic so much that it felt like my heart was going at the speed of one million per hour.

I ran as fast as a cheetah, bumping my head into the floating foods and beverages, making myself a few bruises and stopping me from getting to the doors. I moaned, sighed and even felt my feet melting into some kind of cold, fizzy drink!

I reached the gates, taking a quick glance at the crooked clock. 'One minute left…' I murmured under my breath. I twisted the key at least twice or thrice and unlocked the door! I ran outside, heading towards my house with my feet solidified again. Once I was in front of my home I said

'Home sweet home, what a haunting, torturous day it was.'  

                                     - written by a 10 year old