The Journalism Team is very proud to present our first writing submission from Amelia:
The Dragon
My cabin glimmered white with frost. Winter had closed in like a fox to a mouse. Slowly, carefully at first, then pouncing when you least expect it. Outside, the air was gently blowing the leafless branches of the willow forest, snowdrifts slowly covered the ground in a blanket of white. Inside, however, it was like a heater in the frozen landscape. The fireplace burned in the corner eating away at the wood.
I was sitting at my birch desk on an ivory chair, staring out my window. I wiped at the glass and stared at a large white bird, which stared back at me with an emotionless gaze. Suddenly, I saw a black shape run through the woods. It couldn’t have been a panther, it was about the size of a bus. The thing galloped impetuously towards my friend’s house. I quickly gathered my things on a sudden impulse to make sure my friend was going to be okay. I hurriedly gathered my copper sword, my deerskin coat, and my bow and poisoned arrows, just to be safe. I opened the door and sped through the woods like a gazelle, barely remembering to close the door.
Five long minutes later, I arrived at the now annihilated cabin. The supports were all that was left and they were charred and black at the ends. I walked closer, only to see a few bleeding remains of what had been my friend and shattered glass and pottery. “Who could have caused this mess?” I mumbled to myself, staring at his favorite porcelain vase, an azure and white heirloom, shattered on the floor. I stumbled, clumsily through the minefield of shards covering the floor. From a small cave, fifteen feet up the cliffside around a hundred yards from me, a rumbling noise, like snoring but deeper, spread across the valley. I felt a whim to see what could create such noises.
I took the risk, climbing was easier than I thought, and managed to get to the cave with ease. The acrid smell of brimstone lingered on the small snowy ledge and made me feel a bit faint. I walked in and lit my torch. I saw what it was and I dropped my weapons, making a loud ‘clink!’ when they hit the ground. It was sleeping on the floor gently until the noise. It woke up and spread its mighty black wings which gleamed in the moonlight that shone through a wispy cloud.
It was a dragon. And it was awake. And it was glaring at me. I fell onto the ground in fright. It got up and growled a low, eerie grumble. I was frozen with terror. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. The dragon came barreling towards me, it’s dark shadow closing in on me like a vulture to its dinner. I reached for my sword. As it came closer, I realized there was no use. I lay prostrate on the ground waiting for it to strike me dead with its claws. I waited for it to scratch me but nothing came. I stared up at it.
It’s claws stopped just inches before it hit me. I flipped over and saw the expression on its face go slowly from furious to sad. Its orange eyes fell upon me as a translucent tear dribbled down its cheek. “I’m so sorry,” it said. It´s face was completely devoid of anger now.
I lay aghast on the floor of the cave.
“Y-you won’t hurt me, r-right?” I said, frightened out of my mind.
“I can’t! I don’t want to eat people anymore!” it whimpered, “I want lemmings and rabbits and fish but I can’t catch anything because they are too fast so I have to eat people!”
“Look, I will catch your fish and your rabbits and your lemmings if you stop eating my friends,” I reasoned, hoping it would work.
“Agreed!” it replied, wiping a tear gently from its eye with a claw.
And it has kept its word since.
The Dragon
My cabin glimmered white with frost. Winter had closed in like a fox to a mouse. Slowly, carefully at first, then pouncing when you least expect it. Outside, the air was gently blowing the leafless branches of the willow forest, snowdrifts slowly covered the ground in a blanket of white. Inside, however, it was like a heater in the frozen landscape. The fireplace burned in the corner eating away at the wood.
I was sitting at my birch desk on an ivory chair, staring out my window. I wiped at the glass and stared at a large white bird, which stared back at me with an emotionless gaze. Suddenly, I saw a black shape run through the woods. It couldn’t have been a panther, it was about the size of a bus. The thing galloped impetuously towards my friend’s house. I quickly gathered my things on a sudden impulse to make sure my friend was going to be okay. I hurriedly gathered my copper sword, my deerskin coat, and my bow and poisoned arrows, just to be safe. I opened the door and sped through the woods like a gazelle, barely remembering to close the door.
Five long minutes later, I arrived at the now annihilated cabin. The supports were all that was left and they were charred and black at the ends. I walked closer, only to see a few bleeding remains of what had been my friend and shattered glass and pottery. “Who could have caused this mess?” I mumbled to myself, staring at his favorite porcelain vase, an azure and white heirloom, shattered on the floor. I stumbled, clumsily through the minefield of shards covering the floor. From a small cave, fifteen feet up the cliffside around a hundred yards from me, a rumbling noise, like snoring but deeper, spread across the valley. I felt a whim to see what could create such noises.
I took the risk, climbing was easier than I thought, and managed to get to the cave with ease. The acrid smell of brimstone lingered on the small snowy ledge and made me feel a bit faint. I walked in and lit my torch. I saw what it was and I dropped my weapons, making a loud ‘clink!’ when they hit the ground. It was sleeping on the floor gently until the noise. It woke up and spread its mighty black wings which gleamed in the moonlight that shone through a wispy cloud.
It was a dragon. And it was awake. And it was glaring at me. I fell onto the ground in fright. It got up and growled a low, eerie grumble. I was frozen with terror. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. The dragon came barreling towards me, it’s dark shadow closing in on me like a vulture to its dinner. I reached for my sword. As it came closer, I realized there was no use. I lay prostrate on the ground waiting for it to strike me dead with its claws. I waited for it to scratch me but nothing came. I stared up at it.
It’s claws stopped just inches before it hit me. I flipped over and saw the expression on its face go slowly from furious to sad. Its orange eyes fell upon me as a translucent tear dribbled down its cheek. “I’m so sorry,” it said. It´s face was completely devoid of anger now.
I lay aghast on the floor of the cave.
“Y-you won’t hurt me, r-right?” I said, frightened out of my mind.
“I can’t! I don’t want to eat people anymore!” it whimpered, “I want lemmings and rabbits and fish but I can’t catch anything because they are too fast so I have to eat people!”
“Look, I will catch your fish and your rabbits and your lemmings if you stop eating my friends,” I reasoned, hoping it would work.
“Agreed!” it replied, wiping a tear gently from its eye with a claw.
And it has kept its word since.