The Depths Of Song

• Erin Kenworthy, Grade 4, Stonnington Primary School
• Short Story
• 2013

Excellence Award in the 'Dream Big 2013' competition

In this century something will happen that will change somebody forever. And that person may never find sanctuary within themselves.
Avery was born like any baby. She was raised like any child. But she always stood out immensely from any other person. She always knew she was different. Let’s say that she had an unusual talent, though she didn’t discover it until she turned sixteen.
"Who will go next?" Asked Mr Philips, the music teacher. Everyone had had a go except Charlotte Buclone and Avery Johnson. Charlotte was bursting to get a go, her hand up so high it was almost touching the ceiling. "How about you Avery?" Asked the teacher.
Charlotte gave Avery a look of deepest loathing, as she had done for the past eleven years. Avery answered "No thank you Mr Philips, I can’t sing." "Avery, it is only fair that you all have a turn." Mr Philips firmly replied. "OK then." Sighed Avery, gloomily getting up from her desk and timidly walking to the front of the class.
She opened her mouth and started singing the saddest, sweetest melody anyone had ever heard.
"Through the mountains and forests of old
Stories carved and need to be told
The blackbird cries, the end is near
Hold me close, wipe away my tears…"
While she continued to sing, a lonely shadow slowly devoured the earth, turning everything into darkness.Just when the shadow was about to swallow her, she stopped singing and everything went back to normal. Everyone stared at her, faces white with terror. Their mouths were open in shock.
Avery, just as shocked, raced for the door and fled down the hall, out of the school and kept on running until she came to her favourite park. Then she climbed a tree and cried in its branches. Suddenly, for some reason she started singing furiously, louder, quicker.
The darkness swept under her and she fell into its depths. She landed with a thump onto a hard cold floor. A cold hand grasped her and she turned to see two bloodshot eyes stare back at her. She turned and saw more of the creatures surround her. They grabbed her limbs and dragged her to a dark room. They threw her in and locked the iron door and left her terrified and motionless.
After two days of confusion and despair Avery sat up and sang a song of sweetness and hope.
"I follow the rivers to get to the sea
I follow the path to get what I need
I am willing to suffer to find what I seek.
I’ll walk up the mountains to the top of their peaks."
And with that she was whisked up into the air by a burst of light. She shot out of the ground and landed in the tree from which she had fallen. She jumped out of the tree, too dazed for words, and wandered home, trying to take in what had happened.