Magic Toothpaste

• Brandon Riley, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

Magic toothpaste? Seriously!? I couldn’t believe mum would drive all the way to the shops when we live right next to a humongous forest, to get me some toothpaste hoping that I’d like it. I don’t like toothpaste. When will she learn?
I kept thinking how babyish the toothpaste was whilst brushing my teeth, but at the time, I had no idea how different it was.
It was so nice! The toothpaste tasted just like rich chocolate. Soon I realised I didn’t need to spit into the basin, I was swallowing everything instead.
When I finally finished, I suddenly noticed something bright red at the bottom of the toothpaste container. It read: WARNING! DO NOT SWALLOW!
Suddenly everything went fuzzy.
I knew I was in the hospital when I woke up. Curtains surrounded my bed.
My parents suddenly walked in, sobbing.
‘What’s going on?’ I asked confused.
A doctor handed me a mirror. When I looked, I couldn’t speak.
My face was gone. Completely. I could still feel it, but I couldn’t see it.
‘Whatever you have consumed…’ The doctor explained, ‘it’s slowly turning you invisible. Unfortunately you’re going to be stuck like this until we find you a cure. I’m sorry.’
That day I went back home again. My parents tried not to look at me. It was too horrible, having a son with no head.
A few days later, my dad was on the phone. Suddenly he dropped it. His face turned pale.
‘What is it?’ I asked.
‘A scientist.’ Dad stuttered. ‘He says… when you turn fully invisible… you’ll disintegrate. You’ll die.’
‘What do I do?’ I asked.
‘Trust that scientist with your life.’ Dad said. ‘He’ll come up with a cure. I know it.’
The second he walked away, I picked up the phone.
‘What’s delaying you from making the cure?’ I asked.
‘I’m missing one thing.’ The scientist replied. ‘ The Dioscorea Villosa. The wild yam. But they’re extraordinarily rare and can only be found deep in the heart of rainforests or jungles. It can’t just spring up in somebody’s backyard.’
By then, I was already searching up how the plant looked.
There I was trekking the forest. I was walking so long I felt like collapsing.
Suddenly something caught my eye. Something I recognized. I picked it up.
‘YES!’ I screamed. ‘I’ve finally found the plant!’
My heart started racing when I suddenly saw something move in the bush. It jumped and started chasing me.
I instantly sprinted back home.
There! Home. I was nearly there.
Oh no! The plant!
It flew straight out of my hands and the wolves started ripping it apart.
I dashed inside and slammed the door.
The plant… it’s gone… forever. I was doomed.
‘Daniel!’ I heard a voice call. ‘The scientist! He’s found the plant!’
I saw my dad rush in. I was shocked. Had he really found the plant?
‘He’s making the cure now.’ He said excitedly. ‘He said he found it in his backyard.’