Faith

• Girry Nethra, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

Strike flew gradually along the Forbidden Forest as the wind brushed through his long, silky
black hair. He spotted a small, red scaled creature sprawled on the forest's leafy floor. Keen, white spikes ran down it's back. It slowly revealed four skinny legs and two emerald eyes as it woke up. Strike scooped it up from the ground and flew home with it, for he knew what it was, a dragon, a Chinese Fireball. When he arrived home, Strike's friend Flash was waiting for him.

"Aaargh! Do you know what that is? It is a Chinese Fireball!" screamed Flash. "It is too
dangerous to keep here." That filthy monster, can kill you with one extremely harmful blast.

"But it was abandoned. I couldn't leave it there. What harm can it do if I train it?" questioned
Strike.

"Alright, bring it in," accepted Flash.

Weeks went by and it started to produce two bright red wings and it became larger. The dragon was swooping swiftly every now and then but Flash only thought the trouble was getting worse. Strike trusted it to fly and send messages to close friends. Flash never trusted it though. It was extremely loyal to Flash but he never liked it. Once, he left his baby cousin sleeping in the house and went out to buy knives. The dragon was lurking in the house and was guarding the baby. A snake ventured in and tried to attack the baby. But the dragon ripped the weak snake with its keen teeth. The Fireball swooped out happily wit blood
dripping from it teeth. Terrified at this sight, Flash dropped his basket of knives on the dragon.
The dragon was now stabbed from head to toe. It was dead. "That serves you right for
attacking my cousin!" he howled.

He rushed in and saw the baby sleeping soundly but a dead snake right next to it.

"What have I done?" Flash whispered under his breath. He was speechless. Every day he was
reminded of the dragon. He always said to himself, put faith in those who have faith in you.