Kino's Adventure

• Lachlan Chau, Grade 9E
• Short Story
• 2018

There once was a girl called Kino. Isolated from the world, Kino only had her parents and her pet dragon. Her family was too poor to afford school fees. So, Kino would always devote time playing with her pet dragon. The two bonded extremely well and have known each other since, but despite all this, Kino wanted to drift to another land where she could be free. This all happened one day when…
It was 9:30pm, the usual time I sleep, after an ordinary day, doing ordinary things. Working on the farm was tiring, but I can’t say much since I’ve done this for a decade. I’m Kino Takahashi, the most isolated 14-year-old girl on Planet Earth. What have I got - no education, no money, not even a single friend? I sigh as I make myself sleep on the straw mat, until I noticed something bizarre.
A glowing gem, like a lantern lit in the dark, was hidden near the vegetable patch. What was it? Eager to explore, I cautiously make my way towards the foreign material. At last, I pick it up and was astounded. It said, “Throw me as far as you can and you will be teleported to another realm…” Nani? Another realm? What could this be? All I wanted is to go away from this place and without thinking…I threw the gem far, far away, before a star instantly struck my eye.
Kino had entered the land. The land of Azurio.
“Yaaaargh!” I screamed as I kerplunked towards the floor. What was this? Hundreds of people gathered around me, totally shocked. How did I get here? All this confusion and drowsiness partially faded when someone grabbed my hand and took me away.
The boy kept on running and I was forced to catch-up, or risk falling. We went to a small cottage, far from sight.
“Who are you?” I screamed, “What are you doing to me?”
“Fear not, young lady. I’m Haruki, the hero that saved you from the crowd. Who knows what could’ve happened to you? You could have been trampled on, or badly injured.”
As many months passed by, I saw Haruki was a caring man. He introduced me to many of his friends. Not only that, but I longer felt naïve and became his best friend. The only problem was that I missed my pet dragon. It would’ve missed me as well.
My pet dragon needed me. It had no other friends to be entertained by, whilst Haruki was so popular. So what do I do? Stay with Haruki or go back to take care of my dragon?
It was a hard decision, but I decided to go back to planet Earth. Haruki’s heart sunk when he heard the news, but he understood. He gave me a farewell gift, before I threw the stone as hard as I could and returned back to Planet Earth.
Although, I miss Haruki very much, he will always be the one never forgotten in my heart.