Magic Potion

• Cindy Yuan, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2009

tried hard to breath but I couldn’t. I fell to the floor and closed my eyes. I opened my eyes again. How good to find it was only a dream. I rushed down stairs and made myself breakfast. My little brother had already had his breakfast. “Sakura!” my mum called. “Today is a great day; maybe go out for a walk after breakfast.” It was a sunny day, so I agreed.

After breakfast I went outside for a walk. I wore a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I walked halfway when I heard a voice shout “move out of the way! QUICK!” I turned around and saw a boy on a bike coming towards me. I moved out of the way. The boy lost his balance and fell to the ground. “Sorry” I said “don’t worry” he smiled to me.

Oh I never see this face before I thought “Where do you live?” I asked. “In that house over there” he pointed to the house next door to me. How can that be? That house was empty last night! How can he move into it without me knowing it? I changed my question. “Witch school do you go to?” “Mountain Cross Primary School” What! That’s the school I go to! “What grade are you in?” “Grade six in 6JK” he replied. I was shocked. All the details are same as mine.

Is he a ghost? I had that thought in my head.

At dinner I told my mum about Joey. “A boy called Joey moved next door to us,” have you seen him move last night?” “No, I didn’t” my mum replied. Over the next few days I seemed to be great friends with Joey until one day. That day I decided to ask Joey to play. So I went to his house in the afternoon. I saw his mum. I don’t think so Joey was home.

I knocked on the door. His mum did not come to open the door. I knocked harder. Still no one opened the door. “Hello…, is anyone there?” why she can’t hear me? Maybe…maybe she’s a ghost. That’s why she couldn’t hear me. Joey and his mum are all ghosts. The next day I saw Joey on the street. “Hi Sakura” he called to me.

I ran to catch up with him “Yesterday I went to your house,” “but no matter how hard I knocked, your mum still didn’t open the door, why?” I waited for the answer that proved he that was a ghost. But it didn’t go well as I planned. He said “did you come in the afternoon?” “Yes, what’s wrong with that? “In the afternoon, when my mum was doing the housework, she always wear the handset to listen to the music.” He replied. No. He is lying. Even wearing the handsets still can hear the sound I thought. He just doesn’t want to prove that he is a ghost. I am very sure at that time.

One day when we were playing the soccer. Joey got tripped over the ball. “Help me up” I went over to him and reached my hand for him and my hands went right though him! I try it again. I found I can not touch him. I turned around and started to run towards my house. “Hey!” I can hear him yelling. I didn’t care. Why have you lied to me? You are the ghost. What are you doing near my house?

He is a ghost. He must be a ghost.

I went back to my house when I heard Mrs. Conan say something. I hid behind the bushes to listen. “What do you think about this house?” she said to other women pointing to my house. “I think it is too small.” said the other women “Who lived here?” “It was a family. They were having dinner 5 years ago. When they drank the orange juice, they died because it was a magic potion.” It was my dream. My dream is true!

Now I know everything, Joey was not a ghost. I am the ghost. I went back to my house to check. As I knew, my house was empty. I am certainly the ghost. Joey moved in between the 5 years I have died. It wasn’t last night. It was 5 years ago. Now I can find clues for all the things I can not understand. I should say farewell to Joey. We can not be friends any more.

I found Joey in the forest “Do you want a fresh cup of orange juice?” asked a witch. “Yes, thanks.” said Joey. No. Don’t drink it! That potion made me die! I wanted to yell the words out but it got stuck in my throat. I needed to stop him. But how? Suddenly I remembered something. I’m a ghost. I already died. I can’t die again. But other thought went through my mind; I can not touch him. How can I help him without touching him? Give it a try, Sakura, maybe it will work. I told myself. Joey’s life is under your hands.

I jumped out and grabbed Joey by hand and started to run. Yes I did it! I can touch him! Maybe it’s the last time. I didn’t know. “What’s going on?” Joey asked “No time to explain” I said. The witch came chasing us. Quick! I told myself. I can see the exit of forest. Yes! I nearly made it! I jumped through the exit but the witch got my leg. I closed my eyes, I knew I’m doomed. I opened them again. The witch had vanished.

I saw Joey. “Why do we have to run away?” “It’s a long story.” “I was eating dinner 5 years ago, on July the 17th. It was my last dinner I can have. I drank the orange juice, well not exactly orange juice; it was some kind of potion that made me die. Not just I, whoever drinks it will die. That’s why I tried that to stop you drinking. That witch made me die.” “You mean what I was about to drink was a harmful potion?” Joey asked. “yes” I replied. “And I’m a ghost...” I saw Joey stood in terror.

He didn’t speak. In his face I can saw that he wanted to say “No! You’re not a GHOST!! You’re joking!!” I heard a voice behind me. Mum! I realised I can no longer t ouch the ground. I started to float. I look one last look at earth and Joey. So I came to earth again to save Joey away from the witch. “Sakura!” “Bye Joey…” I said “remember me! Remember I will see you again one day! I believe I will if you remember me!” “I will! Forever! You saved my life!” Joey yelled back. Will he drink the orange juice to come and play with me in peace? I mean, Magic potion.

Someday.

Maybe.



By Cindy Yuan – 24/2/09