Legends- Astoria And The Beast Of Death

• Nadia Brownrigg, Grade 4, Charlestown South Public School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

“Okay everyone, today's homework is to research a legend and present the legend in any format,” Ms Montgomery informed.
Anna headed home and hopped on the computer. “What are you doing dear?” her grandmother asked. “Researching a legend for school,” she answered. “Now dear, legends are old you don't find them on a computer. Try looking here,” her grandmother pointed. She pulled out an old dusty book and handed it to Anna and left.
Anna opened it and scanned the contents, A ghostly night... Platform 9... Flower Ghost... Astoria and the Beast of Death....
“Ah ha! The beast of death!” Anna cried. She turned to page ninety-seven and began to read.
Astoria and the Beast of Death
The market was busy. A boy ran past and laughed, “Hey Astoria, a new legend, are you going to prove the legend's not true again?”
“Why not?” she smirked.
“Oh Astoria,” he sneered.
She turned away and muttered, “I'll prove it's not true.”
A legend teller was walking by, “The beast of death is a beast seen never before, you will only see the silhouette then it will strike and you will be killed!” the legend teller said.
The next day, Astoria took a map, food, water and a book and set off to the Cave of Demons. A few hours later, she arrived. She paused then put down her things and ventured into the cave warily. As if on cue, a mountainous net fell down trapping her. The net was made of thick, dirty, yellow rope. It was about as thick as an elephants toe! She grabbed her army knife from her pocket and cut the rope.
Down, down, down, “Ouch” she hit the bottom. Astoria looked up and saw a dark silhouette coming towards her. “So that parts true but is the rest?” she wondered. The silhouette jumped onto her and tried to kill Astoria, but she grabbed her knife and opened the saw blade and cut the beast of death.
Blood didn't spurt out as Astoria thought, instead bolts and nuts rolled out onto the floor and a little man from inside the beast shouted angrily, “You You...”
Astoria asked, “Who are you?”
“I'm the greatest inventor of all time!” he screamed.
“Really?”
“YES and I will get you!”
“What did I do wrong?”
“Everything!”
“Such as...” Astoria queried.
“Destroying my invention, venturing into the Cave of Demons and questioning the legends,” he answered.
“What?” Astoria asked.
The little man charged. Astoria didn't wait for an answer and turned and ran swearing to herself that she would never enter the Cave of Demons again.
THE END
“That is fabulous, I'll do my report on it,” Anna grinned.
Next Monday, “... swearing to herself that she would never enter the Cave of Demons again but she did,” Anna finished and everyone applauded. “A plus for your puppet show Astoria and the beast of death Anna,” Ms Montgomery cheered.