Birchwood Appartment

“Birchwood Appartment” is one of the outstanding stories of the first biannual International Short Story Contest 2018 written by Darshwine Nair, SK Bukit Sentosa, Malaysia.

Birchwood Appartment

Last school holiday, my family and I went for a vacation at Cameron Highlands. It was really a cold place with natural environment. My brothers Vishwaa, Vishu and I enjoyed ourselves at the place. We visited Strawberry Park, Tea plantation and lavender farm. It was really great that we got a chance to pick strawberries and taste it. After we visited all the places, we went to have our dinner at seafood restaurant. Dad always orders our favourite butter prawn and fish sweet sour. We enjoyed our food. Then we went to the apartment that my father booked. We stayed at the Birchwood apartment. The apartment was big with 3 rooms. My mom and dad slept at the master bedroom, my brothers Vishwaa and Vishu slept at the second room while I choose the room near the balcony which is third room.

When we were sleeping, I heard the sound of footsteps at the room above my room. So I called my brothers to come with me to go and see the above apartment second floor without our parents’ permission. We went out quietly steps on stairs and saw the apartment door were opened and the lights on. When we went into the house, suddenly the door closed by itself and one of the room light off itself. We screamed a loud but no one hear it. We started to cry and regret to get out of the house without our parents’ permission.

Suddenly, we heard a horrible voice from the dark room. It was just a shadow. It asked us “Do you want to get out from this house?” Then my brother Vishu said “Yes, please let us out from this house.” Then the voice replied “If I want to let you all go out, can. But only if you all win this game.” We have no choice so we agreed for the game.

Then the dark black Shadow threw 3 keys from the dark room. The horrible voice said “You have to choose one of the key from this three keys, make sure you have to choose right key and use the key you choose to get out from this house. If you choose wrong key, you can’t get out from this house forever. You have to stay here forever!!!!” We discussed with each other. Then my brother Vishwaa asked me to take the 2nd key. I was so nervous I have to save my brothers too. When I picked up the 2nd key and tried to open the door, unfortunately the door didn’t open because it was wrong key.

The shadow came out from the dark room. It’s was big and horrible with long hair. The voice laughed loudly and said “hahaha!! It is the wrong key. Today is my lucky day. Looks like 3 of you have to stay here forever!!” Then three Shadows came out from the dark room. It pulled our legs to the room. We shouted as loud as we can for help but no used, no one heard it. It’s was terrible we cried we want to met our mom and dad.

Suddenly I heard someone is knocking on the door. Then I opened my eyes and realised it was just a dream. Then I opened the door and hug my mom, said “I will not going anywhere without your permission Mom.” My mom asked me what happened why did I screamed. I told my mom about my scared nightmare. She just hugged me and told “nothing will happen, mom and dad always with you dear.”

The next day we packed our things to going home, I told about my dream to my brothers. Then one of my brothers Vishu said that “lucky it was just a dream or not....?” I really feel grateful because it’s just dream.