James’s Past

• Isla Krieser, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2013

Once upon a time...
In a land of fairy tales, there was a pretty little cottage at the edge of a clearing. This cottage was very peaceful and inviting. But there were some dangers too!
One day when everything was quiet, the children who lived there came out to play. Their names were Lauren, Chloe, James and Jake. Now, in their garden there was a lake covered with bridges that the children had built.
If you did fall in, you would never return. You would be taken to a secret library with stone goblins; well you would think they were stone. But if you looked into their eyes they would slowly open and hypnotise you, then eventually eat you! If you did survive you would be forced to read a book, taking you back in time to a place with dangerous problems that you would have to solve.
Later on that day the children were playing near a bridge until suddenly James fell in! The children pulled with all their might but it was no use.
James was gone. Indeed James was pulled by the current to the secret library. The goblins opened their eyes but could not hypnotise James for some reason. So he was forced to open an old and dusty book.
Unfortunately, it was a book from the time of King Arthur, the goblins' only weakness.
James found himself wearing an old fashioned knight's costume. He looked around. Everything was burnt and dusty. He was in the middle of a big war!
His body filled with pain as he heard cries, and dead bodies started to multiply. James wanted to help. So he got on a horse and went out to fight!
He found lots of fierce knights fighting a dragon! James was every angry with this aggressive dragon so he grabbed a dead knight's sword and bravely fought. He screamed and slashed for hours! With blood dripping down his face you could see he was exhausted. Suddenly he leapt up and yelled "off with your head!" and with a gigantic chop, the dragon was dead!
The kingdom rejoiced! In thanks of James's bravery, King Arthur let James go home! Suddenly! King Arthur looked into James's eyes. "Your last name is Arthur, isn't it?" "Yes," Said James "I have wondered about this for a long time. You are my family and son" announced the King. You have been taken away from the past and you have been brought into the present.
That's why the goblins can't hypnotise you!" But you have another family back in the present, so I have to let you go."
With one last goodbye James left. In James's heart he did not want to leave but he knew he had to, so he closed his eyes and started spinning back in time.
When he arrived home Lauren, Chloe, and Jake were surprised and very happy. They had a tea party for the rest of the afternoon, and they all lived happily ever after.
The end