The Urchin And Creature

• Isabella Li, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2022

The sand was trickling through the urchin’s fingers, as he was playing with the sand. The urchin, who was unfortunately blind, lived on a pleasant island with a tribe. The tribe he lived with was always grumpy, which made the urchin want to leave.

One day, he decided to leave the island, but he didn’t have a boat to carry him. Suddenly, there was a shake on the island, and another, then there was a creature! “Um, h-h-hello.”the urchin stammered. “Hello, I’m the creature, can I help you?” he asked. “Well I’m trying to find a ride.”replied the urchin. “I could be your ride, just float on my tummy!” the creature said. The urchin knew he was going to be friends with the creature, but what he didn’t know was that the tribe was planning to catch them!

As they floated along the clear blue sea, they could smell the salty ocean and the waves crashing into each other. The generous creature with big rubbery lips started laughing and asked the urchin, “Don’t you just love the ocean?!” The sightless urchin replied, “Of course I do, it’s lovely isn’t it? But I’d really wish I could see it.” And they stopped talking for a while.

A couple of hours later, the creature finally said something, “Um, urchin, I think the tribe’s trying to capture us. “Oh no!”cried the urchin. The tribe was loudly chanting, “Capture them!” “We can only swim away .”whispered the creature. “Quickly, hop on my back.”

The creature swam as fast as he could. “Why are we going downwar…” But before he could finish his sentence the creature interrupted and cried, “We’re going down a waterfall!” “Ahhhh!” they screamed. “Mwah ha ha” the tribe cried. The urchin started sobbing and asked, “What do we do?” “I’m not quite sure.” replied the creature. He looked around and said, “I think we’re lost.” Then, the urchin kept on sobbing.

Suddenly, the urchin stopped sobbing and suggested an idea, “We could try to jump onto the waterfall.” “What a great idea!” agreed the creature. The urchin was determined to jump onto the waterfall, but disappointedly, he yelled, “It’s hopeless!”And the creature replied, “Let me try, but this time, by stretching my rubbery lips!”

He stretched and stretched until his lips were on top of the waterfall. “Hop on my back, we’re going for a bit of a ride!” explained the creature. “Yea ha!” they joyfully screamed. At last, they were on top of the waterfall! And surprisingly, the creature stretched his rubbery lips so far that they were in a different country! “We’re in Norway!” squealed the creature. “Is that a good thing?” asked the urchin. “Of course it is!” “Now we’re far away from the tribe!” replied the creature.

But the urchin kept quiet. Maybe he missed the island, maybe he missed the beautiful colour of the ocean or even maybe he missed the tribe. It’s all a mystery and no human being knows.