Magicians Crystal

• Stephanie Yakimov, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2011

“Quick you must hurry! They’ll be coming any time soon. Pack only the necessities and the globe. Do not speak to anyone.” She spoke in hushed tones. Her eyes swam with false tears as she looked at her son. “I’m sorry that I brought you to this dangerous city.” She stroked his hair. His eyes bore into her. He didn’t believe her. It was all an act so that she could pretend to be the good mother and be forgiven by her God. She didn’t want to be executed like him. The only way for her not to die was to send the cursed son she never wanted, away. She had purposefully moved to this city for this exact reason, so he would be gone and she would still look godly in front of her newly found friends. The guards would believe her story she made because they saw the way she had been treating her son in the market place. Her false tears had disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared. He could hear the thoughts of the guards coming. He looked at his mother and although he had made the decision to never listen to her thoughts from early on, he chose to do it this one time.
Look at him. He has no idea that they will hunt him forever and I will help them. The child will be caught and then executed without me. She thought with satisfaction.
She had no idea that he could read thoughts, but it really never mattered around her. The guards were getting closer and their thoughts became more exited. He left through the back window. Then he ran.

The shadows crawled across the ground covering any visible land or animal. The creatures ran from the shadows but they were consumed by darkness. As the shadows came so did the thunder and lightning. It shone so bright in the darkness and was heard thousands of miles away. The crack of thunder was unbearable. Lightning pierced the land like an arrow. No sooner had the darkness come, it now was gone. In its place a young man of sixteen staggered. He was alone and wore no armour or weapons just a small bag. In his hand he held a small crystal globe that swam with mist. Regaining his balance the young man hid the globe into his travel worn bag. The creatures came out of darkness and peered at the young man in curiosity. Their eyes red and raw from the blinding light casted by the lightening in the shadows, they stared at the man. He ignored their eyes and instead listened to their thoughts. They were terrified and very cautious to approach the new comer.
He smells different.
What’s that cloudy ball?
Where’d he come from?
He watched each one as they thought. They were intelligent creatures unlike the many animals that lived at home; they used one word to describe how they felt. He was near.