Dark Secrets

• William Li, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2014

I'm lying down on the green grass feeling the warm breeze of Summer, smelling the morning dew and watching the clouds move slowly, forming shapes.
"Nox" I hear something in the distance, but it's muffled.
"Nox" it's closer now like a whisper.
"Nox!" finally the voice has broken through my thoughts.
I sit up cross legged and look to my right, I see an old man dressed in a half red, half golden robe, frowning at me. I say
"Sorry Master Genshu, I was daydreaming".
I turn towards him and bow down on the soft grass.
"Nox follow me, I have something special to show you" he says,
I look up and see him smiling with his white teeth, wrinkles forming around his fore head; I stand up and follow him.
We walk for a while and go up the stairs leading to the top of the dark mountain. I wonder what we are doing around here, this place is forbidden and only a few are allowed to cross. Master Genshu says it's okay for me, so I continue walking. We reach the top and I see a huge red painted structure, it looks old but is still standing tall; strong like the mountain it was built on.
"Nox, this temple is a sacred temple, full of dark secrets" he says,
I look in awe and start walking towards it. He stops me "Nox, you shall become the guardian of this temple, and protect its secrets".
I look at Master Genshu, "Of course Master, with my life" I bow down, he smiles again.
"Good, now let's head back, it's getting cold" he says.
I nod and we walk back together, as we walk I smile; finally, I have a purpose.
Weeks of training past by and I have become an awesome guardian. It is night time and drizzling, I walk to Master Genshu's house when I notice the lanterns are out. I ran to the door, rain pouring over me, I open it straight away and I see a figure lying on the floor. Lightning flashed and horror fills my eyes, I run to the body.
"MASTER GENSHU, MASTER GENSHU" I cry. He was bleeding through his stomach.
I bury the body. Filled with rage I set off to the temple. I don't know why, but my body moved on its own will. The rain gets heavier as I go; when I reached the temple, I'm soaked in rain. I go inside, I see nothing but total darkness; I couldn't see anything. It was as if there was something was blocking the light from outside. I march forward and reach a circular object, I believe to be a well. It seems darker than the rest of the room.
I look inside the depths of the well and next thing I knew I was drowning. I tried swimming up but the well seemed like it went on forever. I couldn't hold my breath any longer and everything around me went black.