Telling Stories

• Shauna Clarke, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Once upon a time, there was an old man who loved telling stories. He would make a new one up every day. He would tell them to his granddaughter Grace, and grandson John who loved his stories just as much as they loved him. See when Grace was 2 and John was 5, their parents were killed in a car crash and they have been living with their grandfather for the past 10 years. One day the old man told a story to just Grace for John had gone to bed. He told told a story about older Grace and John moving to the big city to find jobs and start a new life. Grace didn’t want to leave her grandfather and said she will never go to the big city. “Come on now,” her grandfather said and led her to bed. The next morning the old man woke up and made himself a cup of tea, he went into Grace’s bedroom to wake her up and then into John's. “That's funny,” he thought, “John’s bed is empty.” He went back to the kitchen to hopefully see John tucking into his breakfast, but he wasn't. “Where's John?” asked Grace. Her grandfather let out a worried sigh, “I don't know.” “We have to go find him,” said Grace. They looked all around the house, but they couldn’t find him so they took the bus to the big city and set out to find John. After a short time, they found John selling shoes at a big market. “What are you doing here!” yelled the old man, his beard shaking. John just looked at him as if he was crazy. “Do you want a pair of shoes?” he asked. The old man stared at him, why was John acting so weird? “Ohhh!” said Grace, “remember you were telling me that story last night about me and John leaving home and getting a job in the big city.” “Yeah,” said the old man, “what has that got to do with anything?” “Well it came true!” squealed Grace. “John left to go to the big city to find a job!” “But why didn’t you?” asked the old man. “Because I said I didn’t want to leave you. But John was asleep so he never got to say anything.” “My story came true?” shivered the old man. John was just staring at them like a pack of wierdos. “We’ll tell you later John,” said Grace, noticing the look on his face. They decided to all go home and discuss the whole thing over and they did. And from now on, the old man was a little bit more careful about the telling of his stories!