Leinad's Story

• Daniel Payne, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

Let me tell you my story. My name is Leinad. I live in a small town called Enocs. It is a peaceful town in the middle of nowhere, on the Retnuh River.
I went to Enocs School for Basic Learning. It was an old mudbrick building that used to be a warehouse. Even 300 years on, it still smelt like dead fish. On the first day of term, I heard a voice. A creepy sort of voice, which said, “Gozagolb shall rise again”.
If I had paid attention in History, I would have known that Gozagolb was the Dark Spirit trapped in Smatlin Prison, on top of Mount Murdos. But, as I didn’t, I did some research and found out that anyone who sets Gozagolb free shall be granted one wish. The book also said, “If you wish to set Gozagolb free, you will have to place in the keyhole: one hair from your head, a piece of your skin and a drop of your blood.” So I set out for Smatlin Prison that night.
The book had said there was a clear path up the mountain, but I couldn’t see one. Then I spotted a post leaning to one side. When I reached it, I noticed in one of the cracks in the wood, was a little bottle. I drank its contents without thinking much of it. When I finished it, I felt different. Then it hit me, I could see in the dark!
I continued along the path up the mountain until sunrise, when the effects of the potion appeared to have worn off. As I trudged onwards, I could feel the prickling feeling of hunger.
By about 10am I started thinking I wouldn’t make it. It must be the after effect of that potion. By the time I reached the top of the mountain, I was nearly dead of hunger. I crawled to the keyhole and crammed all the things needed inside.
Everything went quiet for a moment, and then came a massive BANG! Out came Gozagolb in all his evil glory. He said to me “Thank you for setting me free. You have 1 hour to use your wish while I destroy the world; starting with your village.”
And soon enough, there was nothing left, except for Gozagolb and me. “There is no way you can win,” he laughed, “and your wish expires in 5 minutes.” The wish. That’s it! “I wish for a weapon; something that will defeat you”, I stammered.
I grabbed the weapon, and we fought. He was using all of his tendrils and was pushing on me, but with one slash of the weapon, I cut him in half and with another slash Gozagolb the Dark Spirit was no more. I jumped high in the air in celebration.
After a while I heard a deep rumbling sound and everything he had consumed, oozed out of his body, and went back to the way it was before. Unfortunately, including the fishy smell.