I used to think that school holidays were just free time where we spend

our time doing activities we like but sometimes it is a bit boring. Like nothing
interesting ever happened during the school holidays except for those homework
and daily routine. But not anymore, after strange things happened to my friends
and I during last school holidays and I know that it is true because I was there.

Ghostly greetings! I am Victoria Alyn. I have three best friends named

Mary Joyce, Sherry Gonzalez Vazques and Cika Eibbyine. Mary is very intelligent
and she loves to read books. We call her Miss Know-It-All because she knows
everything, I mean she has knowledge about things such as planets and
historical buildings. Sherry and Cika are both really cheerful and easy-going
people but they are always inquisitive.

Anyway, back to my story. My life had always been so peaceful and

nothing weird or spooky ever happened until one early morning at Marys place.
Marys mother came in to her room where we were busy surfing the internet.
She wanted us to get some things at the shopping mall. But mum, she
groaned, Its too early. The shops would not be open yet. That new shopping
mall is supposed to open early, her mother told Mary, thrusting her list and
some money into her hand.

We arrived outside the new shopping mall a few minutes later. The lights
were on, and the door unlocked. We stepped inside and it was cool. But soon it
got chilly. Well, I got chilly and I will tell you why. I was looking around and said:
Hey, we are the only people here. I have never seen an empty shopping mall
before. It is kind of, well, spooky. Yes, agreed Sherry. Shopping malls are
always full of people, she frowned. Well, lets get the stuff for mum and get
out, Mary said, grabbing a shopping cart.

I pointed to where the lift was and we walked into it. How could I have
known that we were in danger? If only we had taken the stairs, it might have
saved us a whole lot of terror! I turned to press the button for the 4 th floor, my
finger in mid air It was not there! There was no number 4. In fact, there were
no numbers at all. There was only one button to press, and it had the number
100 on it! Mary, something is weird! I told her. Are we in the right lift?
Marys eyes widened. You mean this will be like a ghost story? Dont be silly!
See for yourself, I snapped. Theres only one button number 100, but I dont
think this mall has 100 floors, dont you think?

Sheery got annoyed and said, So what? Let us find out what is on the
100th floor then. She pressed the button, the lift door closed and I could hear
the motor start. We went up and up. I tried to stop myself trembling with fear.
It seemed like we were going to vanish forever. At last, the lift stopped. The
door opened while I gave a loud scream. All we could see was a dazzling white
light! We took a step towards the light. We all started shouting, Hello, is
anyone there? Can you hear us?

Nobody answered. Cika was so scared that she started crying. Suddenly,
the light flashed even brighter than before! Unexpectedly, we saw a wonderful
scenery in front of us. The place turned to be like heaven. There were waterfall,
various types of flora and chirping of birds. We were so amused by that place.
Guys, I like this place! Sherry grinned. I want to stay here forever.

I was still in fear and now I knew what had worried me. My hands were
trembling. Dont say that! Please dont! Why not? they asked. Before I got
to answer them, someone was shuffling his way across to us. I had never seen
someone so creepy in my life. An old man with white bones poking out through
gaps in his flesh. The remains of his face clung to his skull like moss. One eye
was missing and a gaping hole had been smashed through his chest. His
decayed lips leered open, and he pointed at us. You guys really wanted to see a
ghost, now here I am!

My heart felt like it was in my tummy. We could not do anything except

run away from him. We started running as fast as we could even though our
muscles ached with every step. We have to find ways! What we have to do is
get out of here! Mary told us. Guys, I shrieked. Wed better find the lift real
fast! Our gaze flashed around the dazzling light. Suddenly, excitement blazed
in our eyes. The lift was just right in front of us! We jumped into the lift that
could save us. Thankfully, all the buttons were there and we pressed the button
for the ground floor. Everything looked normal at the shopping mall. We looked
at the clock and realised we were going to be late for lunch!

Where have you been? Why did you guys take so long? demanded
Marys mother. We had some problems Mary panted. With the malls lift
I added. Her mother was furious with us but how could we explain to her?

That night, after dinner, Mary, Sherry and Cika asked me Victoria, do you
think that was all a dream? About what happened in the lift, and the old creepy
man? I looked up from my computer game and shivered. I I dont know, I
told them. I hope it was! We ended up keeping that spooky incident as our
secret.

Written by: Jacquelyn Jelly (5PKA2)

[First prize,
English Story Writing
Competition 2016]