The Farewell

• Rachael Elliott, Grade 7, Cleveland District State High School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

I look up into the large moonlike eyes, tears welling up inside me. My voice is barely a whisper.
“You cannot go, you must not go”, there is no response. A cold wind bites into my frozen skin, and sea sprays onto my ragged dress. But I do not move. The dark shape in front of me lets out a deep sound. It agrees. I tremble and shake, clutching on to the creature’s cool, rough skin. Dawn will soon be upon us, we do not have long. I can hear the high-pitched screams and laughter from the water faeries already, and can see their small wispy figures darting in and out of the waves. If life was as simple as it was for them for me, I would be happy. I sit down on the damp sand, wriggling my toes into the soft grains. The tears come back, and I shove my head into my arms. It’s too much to take. A cold scaly snout pushes its way through my arms and I look up. The eyes. They look sad, but they will not change their mind. They want me to be happy, and I want to be happy too, but I can’t be. Not without them anyway.
The wind whips my hair across my face, making me shiver after the cold sea sprays onto me again. I want to stand up, run along the beach like I usually do, playing with the faeries and Moondrake, laughing and screaming, running in the waves. Instead, I sit with Moondrake for hours, trying sadly to cherish our last night for many moons together.

When the orange sun finally rises, staining the sky with yellows and pinks do I wake. Having fallen asleep in the warmth of Moondrake’s body, I hadn’t noticed how quickly the night had gone. The water faeries are still playing when I hear one of them give out a high-pitched scream in fear. All of their laughter dies away, and they dive into the cover of the overhanging bushes by the beach. In the distance, the dark silhouette of an air-breathing serpent surfacing up above the water glides gracefully back under small waves, and the faeries peek cautiously out of the coarse bushes.

Moondrake lifts his head sleepily, waking up. The time has come. There is no need for words. He spreads his massive wings, sparks flaring in his nostrils. With one last look into my eyes, he heaves himself off the sandy beach, beating his massive wings. The water faeries come out of the bushes, and run over to me. They understand my sadness, and gently stoke their fingers through my hair. They whisper soothing words, and wipe away the salty tears falling down my face. The dragon is far off in the distance, a small speck already on the horizon. I make a promise to myself. This will not be the last time I see my friend.