Into The Enchanted Forest

• Sarah Baker, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2021

Emerald green shimmering lights piercing through the undergrowth emerge as if an enchanted spell had been cast over the forest. As sweet Avery was walking, she felt a chill brush along her arms and legs, she was now wondering if going into the enchanted forest was the best idea. Avery knew she was able to come into the forest because she had a secret power which was to change into animals and was good to defend herself from anything that came along. She kept going, ready to start her mission of stealing the gem of controlling and luck, so that the world would be a more peaceful place. “Shh - Woo. Shh - Woo,'' the winds were getting stronger, the trees were moving, swaying really fast as if a giant was shaking it with all his might. In the misty distance she saw a cave. She ran for it as she knew she would be safe there or was that just what she believed?
As she kept walking into the cave, she heard a voice saying, “Daughter, I’m here for you.” When all of a sudden, she came to a halt at the sight of seeing a ghostly figure of her father who had died. As Avery was walking, she continued talking to her dad, when suddenly “Ahhh” Avery screamed as she fell down into a ravine. As she landed at the bottom she looked up and saw her dad and she heard him laugh and say, “I tricked you.” Suddenly a gigantic, big black shadow emerged from above. She realised it was the basilisk, the one with the gem. She remembered that she could change into animals, so she chose to turn into a chimera, which meant she could fly.
“Bam, boom, crash,” the battle was on. It went on for hours. When she woke up from the fight, she was in a large metal cage with one big chunky lock on the front. As Avery looked up and around, she came to the sight of seeing an orange coloured praying mantis. Then she realised that it was trying to pick the lock to set her free. “Cling,” the lock burst off the cage and swung open. Avery leaped over the basilisk and landed right next to the basilisk with the praying mantis in her hands.
As Avery was checking all the places where the gem could be, she saw a shimmering light coming from the basilisk's chest, so she tiptoed and bent over to grab the gem. “Boom,” she had gotten the gem. When Avery got it, she then noticed that the gem was the basilisk’s heart and she had defeated the basilisk once and for all. What a journey it had been. Avery had explored the unknown, battled a beast and had stolen a gem. She was going to be a hero.