Sumedha Nirakh, Class 7, Chirec International School, Hyderabad
I was running in the woods,
My mind racing with different moods
I was questioning how I ended up here
And I was overcome with fear
These are cursed, or so perceived
But not ever, have I believed
Then I remembered flashes of the memory,
I was having a picnic with my family
That’s when I felt a voice pulling me
And it was slowly lulling me
I don’t know how much time passed
Before I stopped being entranced
Suddenly, I felt a sharp blow upon my head
And for a moment, I was filled with dread
A strange smell made me weak and dizzy
My eyelids heavy, feeling extremely drowsy
I slowly fell into unconscious slumber
Lost to darkness I could not number
When I woke, my vision hazy, blurry
My heart began to pound with worry
In the distance, three figures sat
Unmoving shadows on a tattered mat
It struck me then everything was quiet
No creature stirred, no sound would dare defy it
I thought I’d found my dear family
But wait- the more I ran with all my might
The more they drifted farther into the night
Is my mind playing tricks on me
Or was some force at play that I couldn’t see?
My legs grew weak, but I still had to try
Though on the inside, I knew the reason why
These woods are known for spirits who’ve grieved
The warning I never once believed
November, 2025