Tower of Guilt

It felt like a piercing hot poker, slowly being forced through her chest, compared with the lashings of branches across her face, they felt like gentle tickles from a feather as she bolted through the dense woodland. The searing hot pain began to pulse throughout the rest of her body, but she could not bear to slow down or turn around until she reached a main road.

A loud crack pierced the air around them as they opened the rusty door to the old towers basement stairwell.

“I have a bad feeling about this Jenny”, said Tom almost convincingly.

“I’m not that easily scared Tom, unless there is a giant flesh eating clown down there, I won’t wet myself like you do when the circus is in town” Jenny said teasingly.

“Yeah whatever, I was like 4 years old and you made me watch “It” the night before” Tom tried to act like it didn't bother him, but he hoped she would slip a bit as they descended the mossy staircase.

“Torch Tom??!” Jenny said impatiently

“Hold on! Geez why are you such a grump?” Tom snapped.

“Just give me the torch Tom or I’ll call “Funzo the clown” to come and visit.” Jenny retorted.

Tom spun the backpack to his front and searched for the torch. Just as it came to his grasp, a gust of wind slammed the tower door shut like a tank being dropped on concrete. Tom got a huge fright and stumbled and slipped. Jenny gasped and reached for him but could only hear his muffled yelps, seeing flashes of him as the torch bounded behind him spinning like a wheel.

Silence filled the stairwell.

The torch slowly rolled to light up Tom’s lifeless body. Guilt washed over Jenny as she made for the door



Word Count : 300