You Could Call It A Consolation Prize

• Angelique Maloney-ray, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2015

Twin eyes stared out at him from under the canopy. Each eye was a blazing ruby, piercing through his soul with every blink. He was closer now. Close enough that he could see the saliva dripping off the yellowed fangs. He encircled the ravenous creature which lusted for his demise.
But he would not falter, there was far too much at stake. Weeks had he spent mapping the area, learning the legends from suspicious locals and locating that grain of truth hidden amongst the rabble.
He knew now that his quest had almost come to an end, with the treasure guarded by a horde of malevolent beings, each with its own set of challenges and strengths to combat almost found.
He stared down the malicious faze as the final monster prepared itself to pounce. His hand creeped to the sheathed sword at his side and...
"Larry Geoffrey Stevenson! How many times have I told you, you are not to play video games before dinner!" Larry's mum chastised as she firmly grasped the plug connecting the xBox to the TV, swiftly parting the two to confiscate the console.
Larry blinked blankly at what remained of his work, a static screen repeating "error" in malachite block letters in the left corner. He had spent countless hours of his valuable free time ploughing through the campaign to complete the final adversary, and it was all for naught. So he exited the lounge to undertake the two tasks he did best; engorging sustenance and lamenting.