NESSIE

• Jorjia Adams, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2013

From his chair on the porch he could just see the lake. Bryce Rubbed his hands against the small notebook on his lap and told himself that today would go down in history.
It was a chilly spring morning in the highlands of Scotland. The fog had swallowed the lake and mountains surrounding his little cottage. He stepped onto frosty ground. The grass crunched beneath his boots like glass. He followed the lake’s edge until he came across a rickety old shed. There was smoke coming out of the chimney and Bryce new that Roy was awake. He knocked on the door, the handle turned slowly and the door creaked open. “What do you think you are doing out in the cold!” snapped Ro, still wrapped in a blanket like a cocoon, his wild red hair and moustache still not brushed. “I think that today is the day,” boasted Bryce as he walked through the door. “You, mean that we might catch Nessie?” Roy questioned with fear in his voice. “Go get the boat and I’ll meet you out on the edge,” ordered Bryce.
They rowed out to the middle of the lake in a dodgy old row-boat with Roy rowing and Bryce looking at sketches he had drawn of this mystical creature. Small waves lapped against the boat as the wind picked up. A crashing sound came from the distance but neither of them could tell what it was because of the fog. A huge wave hit the boat causing it to sway violently. Bryce held on tight but his notebook fell into the icy water. All of his drawings and plans about the infamous Lochness monster were gone.
A deep moan came from behind the boat and the two terrified men looked slowly behind them. There it was! This was the moment they had been waiting for! The mythical creature was real! They stared with amazement at its long neck: like a periscope. The monster turned its head and glared at them. It submerged back into the water. Everything was quiet; too quiet. Roy looked at Bryce. “I told you it was real!”
The Lochness monster came up from under the boat and the two men fell into the frigid lake. They immediately went into shock. The creature latched onto Bryce’s arm and dragged him under. He took him down as deep as the monster could go. Roy was motionless and just able to keep himself afloat. His only friend was gone and he had little hope of surviving if the creature came for him.
A memorial service was held the next week in the local town hall. There was an empty coffin with the flag of Britain draped over it, wreaths of flowers were placed under his picture. “We did it Bryce,” Roy whispered. It’s our little secret.”