Marfia

• Sophie Clutterbuck, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

The wind whistled in the hollow branches of the trees. It was dawn and the sky was dark overhead, you could hear the soft crackle of the leaves as footsteps hurried along them. The trees hid the moon from view so only small glints of its light spilled through their long limb like branches. The mission had started. The mission that would change three tweens lives forever.

It all started with a vision. In one of Jacobs visions stood a tall lifeless fortress and the towering gates of the forbidden forest. A man was also in it and was holding a map. He cackled and an evil smile grew on his face. "Jacob," Sarah said with worry in her eyes as she shook him wanting him to wake from his vision. She was in a small, homely bedroom with another boy named Tom standing over Jacob. Jacob's eyes fluttered open and he sat up with a fearful expression on his face, "What is it?" Sarah asked with a weary tone in her voice.
"Marfia's back, and is living in the forbidden forest. He's discovered a map that will take him to the stone of power," whispered Jacob.
"Oh no!" exclaimed Tom. " If he gets a hold of that stone there's no telling what he might do!"
Sarah shivered. "We must take it from him before its too late!"

The following night Sarah, Tom and Jacob met at the edge of the forbidden forest. The sky was bright with stars and a full moon was out and shining. When they journeyed into the forest everything turned dark. Jacob was leading the way seeming to know where he was going. Their footsteps could be heard from miles around because the forest was silent as though it was holding its breath. They had only been walking for about ten minutes when Jacob suddenly stopped in front of a large clearing. He looked around the way you would if you lost something. "But I was certain it was here," he mumbled. "This is where Marfia should be," he said louder and more clearly. Suddenly a huge lightning bolt struck down in front of them and a man in a midnight black cloak with pure white hair tied up in a small neat bun appeared right where Jacob was just standing.
"Well I thought I was expecting guests," he snickered.
"We don't want any trouble Marfia," Sarah said. " Just give us the map and we will leave without a fight."
"You really think I would give up that easily?" Then Marfia pointed his finger at Tom and he fell to the ground. Sarah ran up to him and punched him in the face and snatched the map out of his hands. She grabbed Tom and Jacob and they ran!

When they came out of the forest Sarah tore the map up and buried it under a large tree hoping that the stone of power was safe for now.