The Book With No Cover

• Selma Smith, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

“Ready? Action!”

“It was Christmas day 2016, and mum had just handed me the biggest present I’ve ever gotten. As she handed it to me she explained, “I know you love reading, so you’ll make it through Eloise.” I unraveled the Santa Claus wrapping paper as carefully as I could, trying not to rush through my only present. I finally got through the wrapping, and knew what my mum was talking about instantly. It was the biggest book ever! Exactly 523 pages including the author's notes. The weird thing was, it didn’t have a cover.
I loved reading as a kid, mum claimed that I was the smartest kid that she’d ever met. But now I’m traumatized, even by the sight of books.
The day after Christmas, I was so excited to get through the book and finish it as fast as I could. I was aiming to finish it in 2 months. Looking back now, it was most definitely impossible.
I was already a quarter of the way through the book and it had only been 1 month! I was so proud of myself.
However, one night I had the most unusual dream, it seemed to match the book that I was reading! I didn’t care much about it, because I usually have dreams about what was in my life. These dreams turned into nightmares that happened almost every night for at least two weeks. They were so terrifying that I got barely any sleep each night.
It was Sunday January 16th, and I was so tired with how much sleep I had missed, so I fell asleep with my playlist playing into my headphones. Without a surprise I had the same nightmare again, this time I was in a rainforest, it was pitch black. I could hear my mum calling my name, but I couldn’t make out whether it was in the dream or not. I started shouting “Mum! Mum?” she replied with what sounded like a big cry.
Her voice echoed through the rainforest over and over. It was terrifying. I tried everything to figure out where I was and if I was in a dream or not.
I pinched myself until my arm went red. This definitely wasn’t a dream.
I remember searching all night until it was day time. I didn't sleep. I walked and walked through the desired path. Eventually I came across something I hadn’t seen before. It was glistening under a humongous leaf. At this point I didn’t know whether to touch it or not. But I did anyway, what else could go wrong? It was a key! A key? I knew this was going to take a while.
2 months later and I was STILL stuck in this weird world! I was surviving off wild blackberries and eggs from bird nests. I was exhausted and sick. One particular day I found a waterfall! I took some water from it and as I was about to leave, I came across a beautiful chest! The key fit perfectly. As soon as I opened the chest, a big gush of light rushed out and I was back where I left off! My mum was so delighted to see me. My gosh, she was emotional. But yeah that was my life in the weird world.”

“Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Eloise. What have you learnt from your traumatizing moment?”

“Easy! Not to read a book with no cover!”

“Cut!”