Obsidian Cure

• Keira Wadia, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2021

Dark black clouds hung low in the sky as the village settled to sleep. A young girl by the name of Ana, small and quiet, hid under the cover of her soft, warm blanket as a loud, thunderous rumble echoed throughout her bedroom. Filling every crack and crevice with fear Ana shivered for she suddenly felt as cold as ice.

Ana loved her home, however the village she lived in was not cared for. There was litter strewn all over the place and dirty pathways which were not well maintained. Tossing and turning, Ana awoke from her sleep. She peeked outside her silver window. An eerie glow covered the land like freshly fallen snow. Something wasn’t right. Groggy Green Eyes glared at her furiously through broken shrub and trees. All of the sudden, another creature emerged from behind the powdery mist. Gobbling up life from earth. Then, WHOOSH, they disappeared.

In shock with what she had seen, Ana darted out of bed. When she reached the doorway she stepped outside into the cold icy mist. Her village was dying. Only the warm smell of roasted marshmallows on a campfire remained. Desperate for a change, Ana packed her bag for the long journey ahead of her.

As she approached Mt. Obsidian, Ana stopped and stared. There was a whimsical glowing cave at the top of the mountain, similar to the mist she had seen earlier in the village. A fluttery feeling told her she was at the right place. Rope in hand, Ana began to climb the steep rocky eminence. After a while a swooping eagle soared overhead, a high pitched squawk rang through the dull stormy sky. Rain lashing down like pitchforks stabbing through your soul. When she finally reached the peak of the mountain the weather was out of control. Litter was flying everywhere, hitting light posts and houses like bulldozers and the earth was shaking.

Ana entered the glowing cave and everything instantly calmed down. She could hear muffled chattering inside and decided to have a look. Unexpectedly, a cluster of bright green eyes glared at her.
“This is Gobblers land only” blurted the nastiest one of them all.
“I’m here to tell you something really important. My village is covered in litter and dying. If you could help me clear all the litter, people will see there’s value in keeping our town neat and tidy. People will return to our village and we will have a purpose again! It’s time to make a change. Will you help me?” Ana waited as the Gobblers discussed.
After a brief moment they said “of course we will, lead the way!”

With a smile on her face Ana walked the Gobblers down Mt. Obsidian to the village. Immediately the Gobblers devoured the litter and with help of other villagers. Sparkling new, the village shone in the sunlight. Business were thriving and tourists began returning. Ana and the Gobblers had saved the village once and for all.