Eleanor And The Bear

• Laura Spencer, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2017

It was midnight when Eleanor crept out from her four poster bed. She tread along the cold grey cobblestones of her bedroom floor to her wardrobe. She opened it's grand oak door and pulled out her two favourite articles of clothing, her emerald green silk dress and cloak. Eleanor slipped on her clothes and pulled on her black boots. Eleanor walked over to her wooden chest and pushed the key that hung from her neck into the lock. She turned the key to the right and unlocked her prized possession.

Inside the chest was her shining iron sword. Encrusted into the sword's hilt was a single blue sapphire. Eleanor opened her bedroom door silently, and crept out onto the torch lit landing. The castle seemed so quiet at night without her nine siblings running all over the place.

She tip-toed down the staircase, her feet barely touching the stairs. She silently crept down the main hall. Eleanor swung open the huge, wooden castle doors and exited the castle. She sprinted along the snow-ridden path and filled her lungs with the cold night air.

The stone path lead to a dark, mysterious forest. Snow covered leaves littered the forest floor. A thick fog blanketed the ground in eeriness. Eleanor knew this forest like the back of her hand. She knew she had to be careful in the forest, dangerous creatures such as bears lurked in the forest at night. Eleanor decided she would hunt a couple of rabbits to make stew. She took out an orange carrot from her dress pocket and placed it on the forest floor. She waited about 20 mins and sure enough, two little rabbits came to nibble on the carrot.

Eleanor slowly crept out from the shadows and raised her shining sword above her head. Birds screeched overhead as Eleanor decapitated the two rabbits. She picked up the bleeding carcasses and started walking back towards the castle. Eleanor could hear growling noises behind her. She turned around and saw a massive, black, blood-thirsty bear. How could she have been so stupid? Bears are attracted to fresh blood!

Eleanor swung her sword at the bear's face. The bear recoiled, only to charge again at Eleanor with his teeth bared and claws extended. Eleanor dodged the bear's vicious attack just in time. The bear now lay on the ground, tired from the last failed attack. She clutched the sword in her hands and sprinted towards the tired bear. She raised her gleaming, blood-stained sword once again and slashed the bear's side. The bear roared in pain, his deep red blood gushing onto the forest floor.

The bear tried to stand up, but the pain in his side was too intense. Eleanor struck the bear one more time with her sword. She sliced his humongous head clean off. Eleanor picked up the bear's head and walked cheerfully back towards the castle. Eleanor had a new story to tell, she had slain a monstrous bear.