Leaf

• Noah Weston-Cole, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2020

There I was, fighting in a war with my friend by my side. “Don't die!” he told me. I hoped we’d win this battle. We had been out here for days, the relentless attacks drilling into us. The navy were about to play their final trump card. Twenty or so of their men ran back to the trucks and unlatched three metal crates. Roars escaped out of the boxes like dragons that had just been awakened. Three ruthless beasts emerged from the boxes, blood dripping from their teeth. The monsters strode over to me, teeth bared. Their claws pounded at the ground. Surrounding me, they leaped straight towards me.

Blood dripped to the ground, darkness creeping up on me. I couldn’t die now, I tried to prevent the blood from pouring out of my forehead. A razorlike claw slashed across my chest. I was pinned to the ground, unable to move. Just as claws were about to sink into my spine, I erupted with anger, “I’m better than this!!!!” I screamed. The beasts looked as scared as I did when I was being battered by them. The anger consumed me, my fists burning, teeth clenched, I exploded with power. I shot my fist into the ground, sending the beasts flying out of the atmosphere. Blue wasn’t having the same luck.

The war was nearing its conclusion and only Blue and I remained. There were four enemies still left and Blue had hit his limit. Blood poured down his face, sweat appearing everywhere on his body. He couldn’t fight anymore. I walked over to him, patted him on his shoulder and told him, “Well done, friend, you’ve done all you can. Now it’s time for me to do my part,” reluctantly I whispered, “take care of my family, will you.”
“Huh?” he sighed as he exhaustedly fell to the ground. I walked over to the officers, my tattered cloak scraping across the ground.

I stood trembling, a strange aura escaping from within my body. Goodbye. I destroyed everything in my radius, including the officers leaving a large crater dented into the jungle floor. Blue scrambled over to the large hole, devastated. “NO!!!!” He screamed, “What will I tell your family?”

In Germany
2 Days Later

I slowly shifted into a new form, a form with red hair, and fire powers. These powers of shapeshifting were awakened within me the day I was first born, over the years I have become rather used to them. I walked into a cafe that looked quite modern, decorated with quartz and tech. I approached the counter cautiously as was my habit and ordered a coffee, “Einen Kaffee bitte.” I told the cashier in German.

“Kommt gleich hoch.” he replied. I sat at the table furthest from the window and waited for my order to come.It felt like an eternity, waiting for that coffee. It was bitter, just how I liked it. I savored it, down to the very last sip. My destiny awaited.