Outside Night

The children's story

Once there was a boy named Jason who lived in South America with his Dad. One day when they went shopping Jason lost sight of his Dad. A stranger drove up in a black BMW and said: "Would you like to see my kittens?" "No thank you," said Jason, but the man put him in the car anyway.

The man drove Jason to the jungle and threw him out. "Say goodbye, little one," said the man and nearly poked his eye out with a stick. Jason picked up a thorn and stabbed the kidnapper in the heart. The man fell to the ground with a bump, dead. Jason screamed. He was lost in the jungle. He tried to find the gate but it was no use. It was dark. Leaves started grabbing him, the earth started softening in the storm and his feet sank into the soil. Oh how he wished he was back beside the fire.

At home his Dad was very worried. He cried. He phoned the police but the lines had gone dead. "This is a serious task. I must do it by myself," he said. He went outside. The same thing happened as in the jungle. The trees bent over. The leaves grabbed him. The earth was softening. He tried to move back but the wind was stinging his face.

In the jungle the boy was having a worse time. He had snakes at his feet. Birds pulled his hair. Tigers were growling and frogs were making a ribbety noise. "Help! Help! Help! Help!" Just then, when he was least expecting it, an apple fell on his head. "Ouch! What was that?"

At home, Jason's Dad was still very worried. The wind was pulling his clothes off. He sank down in the mud. The trees bent over.

In the jungle the boy had a piece of luck. A pig started to snort. It was a disgusting noise. The animals started backing out. When they had run for their lives the pig stopped snorting. Jason thanked him. The pig directed him to the gate out of the jungle. The boy set off but when he had gone 100 yards he got lost again.

At home his Dad was in the car. His feet stank because of the mud. The car would not start. "Oh no!" He got out and found a bus.

Next to the jungle the Dad said: "That's far enough". He saw Jason sinking into the soil. He ran up and caught him just in time. They ran back to the bus stop and caught the bus home.

Oskar Jack McCarthy, aged 6.

London

The Children's Story is open to stories of up to 400 words written by children up to the age of 15 which have not been previously published. Send stories with a stamped, self-addressed envelope large enough for return of original work to Wendy Berliner, the Children's Story, Section Two, the Independent, One Canada Square, London, E14 5DL.