Jason's Battle Charge

• Bradley Cartwright, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2021

Jason Ashford was a 12 year old, athletic teenager, completely regretting the fact that he came on this camp. He found himself standing by the edge of a lake, where students would have to jump to platforms to reach the other side - a concept Jason found totally pointless, but he rolled with it anyway. Jason wasn’t ready for his turn. He leapt on go and heard a silent WHOOSH! through the air. Before he could figure out what was going on, something sharp pierced his neck, straight through the skin. His eyes rolled up in his head and he plunged cold into the lake. pain was unbearable, But he had some BIG problems on his hands now:
1. He was paralysed and probably drowning right now
2. Someone is an evil maniac who has evil tranquilizer darts.
Suddenly, he woke with a start, as if someone had just put jumper cables into his body. He gasped like a fish, incredulous that he had air. He found himself in a dark, circular stone chamber. His first gaze met an assortment of dangerous weapons carefully hung on the wall. Something made him feel uneasy about this place...
And in one swift movement a spiked crossbow appeared from nowhere and fired.
Jason leapt to the side, spiralling in the air. He didn’t know where the skills were coming from, he was pretty sure he hadn’t taken any special jujitsu classes in advance.
Jason, in panic, as he didn’t know who he was facing, lunged for a long legionnaires’ sword and ripped it from the wall. Growing in confidence, he advanced just as Invisible-Crossbow-Dude fired his next shot, which skimmed Jason’s head, making a kind of rebellious streak in his long, thick hair. Mr. Invisible drew a sword too, and charged Jason. Jason yelled defiantly and advanced to meet him in battle. Their swords clinked and clanked in combat as Jason sidestepped and then jabbed. Again, he had no idea where the skills were coming from, but he was a bit preoccupied at the moment. Mr. Invisible ducked and rolled, barely missing Jason’s next strike. For minutes they slashed and parried, but Jason was tired. He needed a plan. He scanned the room and noticed an unstable ceiling. Of course! He thought. He ran at Mr. Invisible, swinging his sword wildly. He feinted and jumped at him, his hand raking of the spikes of the crossbow at his back, but he managed to take hold of it. Desperate and bleeding, his bloody hands managed to crank the handle of the crossbow and fire at the ceiling.
Nothing happened. Jason had given up all hope. He collapsed in a cold heap. Mr. Invisible laughed maniacally and raised his sword, ready to strike. He could barely hear a rumble in the distance, and the chamber collapsed. The last thing he heard was the guttural cry of the invisible man and the sound of a sword clattering to the floor.