Tiny Tales of Terror - The Chalkboard

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Hey, Marlon, did you write on my board again? I told you it's only for groceries.' 

'No, Mum.'

I rubbed it out, certain that Marlon was lying. The chalkboard hung high on the wall by the fridge, and I didn't want him to keep climbing on the barstool to reach it. I rubbed out the stupid message—"GET OUT"—and thought no more about it—at least until the next day, when I saw another message written—"Get out now!"

'Marlon,' I said. 'I told you. If you keep on scrawling on it, I'll take away your PlayStation. It's not your board.'

I hid the chalk in the back of the kitchen drawer, but I thought Marlon must have found it and hung it back up because, on the third day, the message said, "Beware—it will kill you." Only this time, the writing was all flowery and ornate, nothing like my Marlon's. I tore the board down and threw it in the trash can.

I thought that would be the end of it, but when I came into the kitchen on the fifth day, I found the board fixed up on the wall again, this time showing just one word—"Run."

That night, we left the flat to stay at my mum's house, and in the early hours of the following morning, our block of flats burnt down, killing three families. I guess I'll never know why we were spared. But one thing I do know - if you ever get a warning like Marlon and me, make sure you listen. 

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