The Girl From Beyond The Stars

• Sascha Staley, Grade 6, Ashby Primary School
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Write Along 2018' competition

In this town, the king wanted to make everyone his slaves, and he almost succeeded. His father was the only one who knew of his plan. He tried to stop him but died trying. Hera then came along. The town was destroyed. Unknown to anyone, Hera was responsible.
Somehow the city regained some control with little groups everywhere. Some groups ran away and some were taken over by the king. Hera had a group and they were fighting back. The town was a war zone.
“Do you think you can beat the king?” One of the king’s men screamed across the rubble. “Yes I do. Why else would I try?” Hera asked. “Because you’re an idiot Hera.” He laughed hysterically. Hera launched at him. The next thing she knew, there was a dying man in front of her and she was surrounded by many others. “Oh Hera, troublesome as ever. Take her to the arena. I want to fight her. Wait for me there,” one of the men surrounding Hera said. It was the king.
“Ok Hera,” the king said as he tossed her a sword. “You can surrender at any time, but you will be surrendering the rebellion, and your life.” “Sure” Hera replied with no worry. The king threw his sword at Hera like it was a javelin. Within a split second Hera calculated her move. She ducked like she was plying limbo and reached her hand up and grasped the sword’s handle. She looked up and grinned. “Try me.” The king threw a punch aimed at Hera’s nose. His hand hit a hard surface, but not Hera’s face. The king was in shock. “I was a king!” He bellowed and spat at Hera’s feet. “And I…” Hera began. “Was a silly girl who knew no better!” The king finished Hera’s sentence. “No” Hera replied with a little laugh. She stared at the king, looking sad, but full of mischief, vulnerable, but powerful, worried, but confident, scared, but brave. “And I” Hera repeated. “Was a good girl.” The king was startled. “It’s all your fault! Isn’t it?” He yelled. “Maybe.” Hera ran toward him and kicked. He fell on the ground. “You were a good fighter” Hera said. She raised her sword and pierced his chest. The king’s body fell limp.
Hera dragged the king’s body, his sword still deeply stuck in his chest cavity, to the well at the town’s centre, where battles took place. “Stop!” Hera yelled, only silencing a few people. “Stop!” Hera repeated, but this time at a volume no human could match. “The king is dead” Hera said as she kicked his lifeless body toward them. She turned to the well and with her sword, she cut her arm and let it bleed into the water. This had a magical effect and fixed the town almost instantly. With this, Hera fell into the well. People ran to try and get her out of the blood stained water, but her body was never found.