Holly

Mabel

Vicky

Shop Owner

The brand new supermarket had opened that very day, and it was the fanciest place Holly and Mabel had ever seen. The shelves were completely dust-free and gleaming under the bright lights. Everything was modern and sleek, with shiny metallic colours and vibrant displays of fresh food that looked like they belonged in a painting. Holly, in her purpley-blue zip-up hoodie, and Mabel, in her sparkly unicorn dress, walked through the aisles with their parents, admiring how grand and shiny everything was on its first evening.

Suddenly, the evening air grew still. *Poof!* Every single light in the supermarket went out at once. Pitch darkness swallowed the shiny aisles and the colourful fruit. As the girls reached out for their parents, they realised the supermarket had gone silent. The workers had finished their shifts and left, locking up for the night without ever seeing Holly and Mabel. Most terrifying of all, their parents had vanished into the shadows the moment the lights vanished. They were all alone in the dark.

They wandered through the silent aisles, trying to decide what to do. The supermarket felt like a metallic maze in the gloom. Suddenly, a bright light flashed in a far corner, cutting through the darkness like a blade. Mabel’s heart began pounding like a drum against her ribs. She gripped the fabric of her unicorn dress, her eyes wide with fear as the mysterious light flickered again. Holly, being the brave one, stared toward the flash, her curiosity over-powering her fright.

‘I think I saw a ghost!’ Mabel whispered, her voice trembling. Holly tried to stay calm and told her she was just bluffing, but then Holly saw it too. A pale, shifting shape moved between the shelves in the distance. Panic started to rise in their chests like a cold tide. The two girls stood frozen among the silent rows of food, wondering if the supermarket was haunted by something that had taken their parents away. They were really starting to panic now.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the store, making them jump out of their skins. Their hearts raced even faster as they heard voices shouting their names at the top of their lungs. ‘Holly! Mabel! Are you there, children?’ The voices were desperate and terrified. Holly and Mabel were horrified, thinking the ghost might be after someone else. Despite their fear, they knew they had to find a way to see what was happening in the pitch-black store.

‘We need light,’ Holly decided firmly. She navigated them through the dark towards the electrical aisle, moving carefully past the fancy displays. After some frantic searching, they found exactly what they needed: a sturdy torch and a pack of batteries. Holly fumbled with the packaging, clicked the batteries into place, and switched it on. A beam of bright white light cut through the shadows, making the metallic shelves sparkle once again. They finally had a tool to fight the darkness.

Holly and Mabel used the torch to find the exit, but when they finally reached the glass doors, they found they were firmly locked. They were trapped inside. They pushed with all their strength, but the doors wouldn't budge even an inch. Mabel started to get really upset and terrified, so Holly made sure she was okay, comforting her as they retreated to hide in a corner. They had no clue what to do next, and the silence of the locked store felt heavier than ever.

The voices screamed their names again, and this time, Mabel realised she knew them. ‘That’s Mum and Dad!’ she exclaimed, running toward the sound. They found their parents in the gloom; the 'ghosts' had just been their worried family looking for them! After a massive, tearful hug, Dad took charge. He ran to the electrical and weapon aisle and returned with a huge hammer. He didn't care about the fancy store anymore—he was going to get his family out of there.

As Dad smashed through the doors with the hammer, a piercing, loud alarm began to blare throughout the shopping centre. Mabel was terrified by the noise, and her mum, Vicky, held her close to comfort her. They managed to scramble out safely, but they immediately bumped into the shop owner, who had rushed over to see why his alarm was sounding. He looked absolutely mad. He didn't care about their adventure; he decided to fine the family fifty thousand pounds for the damage!

Feeling downhearted, the family began the long walk home, wondering how they would ever pay the fine. Suddenly, Mabel spotted something on the pavement—a lottery ticket! She picked it up and scratched it off right there. They had won one million pounds! They paid off the fine immediately and decided to live in luxury for the rest of their lives. Through their scary night, Holly and Mabel learned to be brave and persevere, no matter how dark things seemed.

Trapped in the Midnight Market

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