The Mystic Door

• Oscar Taylor, Grade 6, St Francis of Assisi School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

In the densest part of the jungle north of the mountains and west of the plains, there is a door made of only the finest wood in all of the land. The moss ridden steps that lead up to the door are in deep need of replacement. Through the door is an extremely long tunnel, and at the end of the tunnel is a kingdom constructed entirely of gold, but it is protected by the four tiki guardians, water, fire, earth and air as well as mazes and magic...

One day a kid named jack was walking in a jungle, north of the snow-capped mountains and west of the plains. He rolled down a hill. When he reached the bottom he hit his head on something cold and hard. When he came to his senses he realized it was a step. He followed the steps to a door in the middle of a hill. The door was made of beautiful wood. As he ran his finger down the surprisingly smooth wood he realized it must be at least 1000 years old. The door opened to a tunnel, a very, very long tunnel, which led to another door. On the other side of the door there was a cliff. As he peered over the side of the cliff he saw a kingdom made entirely of gold. He was so stunned by all the riches that he didn’t notice the door behind him turning to stone. When he turned around all he saw was stone. No way out, no way in. Was this his destiny? To be stuck down in an over-sized cave all his life? Maybe, but at least he would try to find his way out. He spotted a stairway leading down to the floor level. As he slowly crept down the stairs he suddenly heard a crumbling sound behind him. He looked back to see the stairs falling away behind him.” I must have stepped on a pressure plate that made the stars fall away”, he thought. He felt the stair beneath him shake. “It’s going to fall away any moment now!” He thought. He made a decision and jumped right as the stair beneath his feet fell away into the abyss below. He landed with a thud on the stairs then he got up and ran as fast as he could the rest of the way.

About an hour later he was walking through a maze with his new found friend Lizzie. After he reached the bottom of the stairs he found her camping at the entrance of a maze. He offered to help her get through the maze and out of the cavern. Now he was in the middle of a blasted maze that he thought had no exit until Lizzie had put her hand through the wall and found the secret exit. After about an hour of walking down the tunnel they saw four statues, and one was moving.

TO BE CONTINUED…