The Portal

• Ethan Tomlinson, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2013

I will tell you a story about myself. Before I begin, let me tell you that I have done many things in my life, but I wouldn't have been able to do them if I had thrown in the towel when something went against me. I will now tell you about the time I wouldn't be here at all if I’d given up.

I was at school playing football at lunch when I felt a gush of wind against the back of my neck. I turned around and saw a humongous swirl of light. It was a misty purple and was gradually pulling me towards it. My friends didn't know it was there. I thought it would be the last time I would see my friends. I had just been sucked into a portal.

The darkness hovered over me for what seemed like hours. Finally I dropped onto a soft piece of land. I stood up and looked around. At first all I saw was ocean, then I realised I was standing in the middle of an island. I don’t know if I could call it an island, it was three metres in diameter. I turned and saw a staircase. It spiralled up into the air. I decided to climb it.

After hours of climbing, I reached the top. I was exhausted. It looked like I was inside a cloud: white and misty. I heard a click and a stranger appeared. He had a scared face and he looked happy to see me. “If you wish to get back to your world,” he said,” Then you will have to complete one challenge. If you think it will be easy, then you are wrong.” “Okay.’ I said slowly. “The challenge will now begin,” he exclaimed.

I then felt the same sensation when I was travelling through the portal: cramped and unsettling. I heard a ghostly howl before I fell and landed in a puddle of water.

I found myself in a dark cave. I saw a spider scuttle across the floor. It looked at me and started to grow miraculously. In seconds it was monstrous. It moved towards me. I braced myself as it swung its fangs in my direction. I dodged but the spider did not stop until I backed away and got caught in the spider’s web. As I struggled to escape the spider kicked me in the stomach, the force pushing me further into the web. I looked at its eight malicious eyes as it raised its fangs for the final blow. It swung and at the last second I moved and the spider’s fangs sliced the web in half, freeing me and getting itself tangled. I sprinted to the exit and saw the portal again. I jumped in.

Suddenly I found myself back at school and my friends were still playing. They hadn't noticed that I had been gone and the football we were playing with fell into my hands. They hadn't missed me at all.