Sare's Adventure

• Nathan Wrench, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2008

Sare lay down…she had had a great day at the beach. Her two best friends had just gone back home. Sare had made up her mind to stay around for a while.
When it got darker Sare started to leave. She loved this beach. The big, black towering cliffs at the back at the beach. The lovely golden sand, and the crashing crystal blue waves. She trudged up the sand to the stairs that were carved into the cliff. Just as she started to climb the stairs she noticed a largish hole in the cliff face. Caves had always fascinated her. Sare went back onto the beach and headed for the cave. At the mouth of the cave she hesitated. She saw a sign. The only letters she could make out were ‘M I N….W A R N…’. Her two friends had gone, and the beach was now deserted. Sare took a few cautious steps into the dark cave. Behind her on the horizon the evening star began to twinkle.
She started to use her hands to feel her way into the cave. Something glistened in the dim light. As she reached out to touch the strange object her elbow brushed against a rotted timber beam. CREAK! The beam collapsed and a sickening groan came from the top of cave. Just as the rocks started to fall Sare lost consciousness…
Sare woke up with a start. She had no idea where she was, or what time it was. All she could feel was a dull ache in the back of her head. She was very cold. Her electric blue eyes began to adjust to the darkness. There was nothing much to see, but then something caught her eye. It was bright. Very bright. Sare slowly stood up and began to walk down a gentle slope towards the light. As she got closer to the light she noticed a man standing beside the light. “H-H-Hello,” she stuttered out loud. “H-Hello,” she repeated, but the man did not answer her. She walked over to one side of a sort of cavern where there was an old coffee-stained mine map.
Then she felt someone grip her shoulder …she screamed and looked around and saw that it was the man who had been near the fire. Now that she saw him up close she found his face quite familiar. He had a neat black beard, and rough face. Then the man spoke. "You’re lost," he said in a deep voice. "H-How did you know?" she stammered. "Come this way," growled the man. Sare followed the man, desperately trying to remember who he was. The man seemed to step through a section of the wall, and suddenly she found herself, by some sort of magic she thought, at the base of the cliff. The salty sea breeze mixed in the cold night air. She smiled. She looked around to thank the man who had just helped her, but no one was there……………………………….