Heart Of The City

• Angus Mclean, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2013

One crisp winter day in the harsh city of Rome, there was a young boy in ragged clothes, slowly being vandalised by the days of the year that rip into his skull trying to destroy his most cherished memories. As the boy slept in his only friend’s horse stable, the boy’s friend was a poor old man who cares for the boy, the man’s name was Verdick Biona. Verdick was a strict man but with a clear heart, willing to take in poor people. Verdick named the boy Bastion after his father. Bastion was a curious boy with a high average intelligence, so that he could out smart his enemies.
Today, at the stables Verdick was preparing to take a trip to Florence to sell his stock. He was at the moment in the stables brushing his horse waiting for the stock to arrive. Suddenly, he heard a loud bang on the front door of his house next to his stable. He opened the door to see little Bastion dragging a big sack of pocket watches and rings. “I guess you had a good catch today!” Whispered Verdick, as Bastion saw the golden glint in his eye.”Yes, I did as a matter of fact, some real high class British tourists.”After two hours Verdick was on the road to Florence. Bastion closed the stable doors and locked them up and entered the streets of Rome. He found an old map in the mud. Bastion turned around to enter Verdick’s house and lit a candle and read the writing that says, “The main city’s daughter.” Bastion instantly thought of the inn called ‘The Roman’s Daughter’. Exploding with the urge for adventure, Bastion runs onto to the street and jumps on to the first cart to Venice.
The next day, Bastion wakes up and jumps off the cart in Venice at the inn. He saw a crack in the wall and a glint of gold leaf on the end of the scroll. He reached in and pulled out a scroll. Saying ‘Hidden in a pot in merchant’s haven’ Again Bastion jumps on a cart towards Florence.
The next day, Bastion jumped of the cart onto the streets of Florence he straight away went towards a pot merchant and peeked inside each pot and decided to steal the one with the golden shine and he ran and jumped onto the carriage back to Rome. He arrived at his house and entered and started to have a little peek inside the pot he was waiting for Verdick to return with another pile of gold to help to them to have a better, shining future. He heard a knock on the door and opened it up to see a big sack of gold and Verdick’s face lighting up with glee. He entered and looked at the pot and put his hand in to feel a little statue of pure gold and he leapt at Bastion to give him a big hug.