The Last Of Their Kind

• Nadya Kassam Santana, Grade 7, Ballajura Community College -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

The small town of Forks stood at the edge of a vast forest, there in a small cottage lived Jonathan and his sister Crystella. They barely spoke to each other and when they did the conversations never lasted long. Crystella was a bubbly, bright and independent 15-year-old girl with a loving personality and lots of friends within their small community. Jonathan on the other hand was the complete opposite, he was quiet, withdrawn and preferred solitude to the company of others. He kept to himself and was almost a stranger to the towns’ folk.
Two years ago, their adopted parents had disappeared, leaving the two youngsters to fend for themselves. Although older than his sister Jonathan did nothing to help. Instead, he walked around the town in the shadows or locked himself in his room during the day, leaving his sister to worry about everything.
The last few months the town had been in chaos, people were mysteriously disappearing and others were turning up dead. Everyone was in a panic, they didn't trust each other and nobody wanted to venture out.
One night, Crystella heard footsteps outside their house, quietly she went to the window and was surprised to discover it was her brother heading into town, confused and concerned for his welfare she followed him. After walking in silence, trying to find where her brother had gone, she was startled by a sharp cry. She ran towards the sound turned the corner and froze, there at the far end of the dark alleyway stood her brother, a small girl in his grasp and his teeth sunk deep into her neck. Horrified by the scene, she bolted all the way back to their cottage, rushing inside she sought the safety of her bedroom. She was unprepared for what awaited her, spirits floated everywhere in her room.
"What on earth is going on here?" she screeched.
"She's here, it's her," they whispered.
"Silence!" shouted a small spirit.
"I know you, you're the little girl Jonathan killed a few minutes ago."
"How can you see us?”
"I don't know?"
"I believe you are the one."
"The one... the one what?
"The last one of your kind, you are an angel."
"What!!!"
"You're the daughter of an angel and your brother is a demon, we must begin your training," She clapped her hands and suddenly they were in an arena
"This is not happening."
"This is sacred ground, here's where demons are banished away."
"But I can't do this."
"Yes, you can. We shall begin tomorrow." she closed Crystella's hands and with a flash of light, they were home.
The next morning, she checked on her brother and he seemed perfectly normal. "I must have dreamed all that," but as she turned, the small ghost whispered, "Your training begins."
After endless days of training, Crystella grew stronger and more confident till the small spirit told her, "You are ready, go forth and defeat him."
"Yes, I shall."