Magic

• Ella Finnegan, Grade 5, Toowoomba East State School
• Short Story
• 2017

Excellence Award in the 'Write Here Write Now 2017' competition

Astrid had a creature in her hand; it made a weird buzzing noise. She couldn't quite make it out yet but she was determined to find out and she would keep it a secret forever. So, she looked curiously at the creature. Is it magic? It must be! she thought.
Astrid looked around to find a home but all she could see was lots of trees around her. Maybe that's her home, she thought again. So, she put the creature on the ground then she turned to not be able to see it. It moved and it made another sound. Astrid turned around looking at the mysterious creature. The sound got louder but it wasn't talking, it was just mumbling.
It wouldn't stop. Astrid moved closer and it got brighter, it was blinding her sight. A gust of wind blew Astrid's hair like there was magic waiting for her. She took a step forward. Then, suddenly the object grew wings. Was it a dragon?
Questions filled her head, wanting to know the answers to. Then before her eyes the creature was growing a shell around it. She wondered to herself, maybe I could crack it open with a stick, but she didn't want to hurt it... I KNOW! I could wait until it stopped and then break it apart. If it ever stopped? Then suddenly it stopped, it didn't even move a centimetre or an inch it was as still as a statue. Astrid pushed it a little bit and it didn't move but if she pushed it hard it would make a little wobble.
Astrid tried to break it but it was as hard as stone. Maybe if she was a little gentler, she would succeed. So, Astrid tried that and it worked, she finally broke the shell. She was so full of joy, but the little cute creature was quite the opposite. Then the creature started to grow legs but not just two legs but four legs.
I wonder what it was called. Maybe I should name it myself, Astrid thought. "I'll call you flitter if you're a girl and draggy if you are a boy." She said. But personally, Astrid hoped it was a girl. Anyway, let's get back to finding out what this creature is. I think its half dragon and half horse or something like that.
Then the creature started to talk in words that she could understand. It said "You have showed me that you are worthy of magic, because you pasted my test. I will now give you all the powers I know of, if you'll accept them.
"Astrid" said to the creature, "Only if you wouldn't mind telling me what you are, where you came from and what your name is." The little creature pondered it, then it looks at her curiously and says "OK." Astrid smiled. Astrid knew there was a long journey ahead...