From: Lydia, Pri 6, Methodist Girls’ School Primary
As Antain crept into the forest, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His heart was beating fast and his palms were cold and clammy. Antain continued on into the depths of the forest, the moonlight illuminating his way. Suddenly, the misty presence of a girl, no older than twelve wearing a long flowing blue dress and brown leather boots, appeared. She had tanned skin, curls of long black hair, and silver eyes, eyes the colour of the moon.
“You have come at a most unfortunate time — after midnight on a full moon. Alas, I now have no choice but to take you with me and train you in the ways of the Magicals, the Moon Sorcery of my people,” she said, before taking hold of Antain’s hand. Antain gulped and closed his eyes tight before he felt himself disappear and reappear in a new place. There were huts and houses, streams and rivers, shopping malls and schools, libraries, and bookstores. Dozens of children and several adults were exercising in the gym or cooking food in their homes.
Antain noticed that the girl in front of him was laughing. Was she the witch? But witches were tall bony women with beady eyes and thin lips. They wore a tall hat and carried a wand. They were evil. This girl was short like a child. Her eyes were warm and her lips were creased into a smile.
Still laughing at his befuddled and bewildered expression, the girl gestured for him to sit. “My name is Azalea Lillian Silvanus. Call me Lea. I was the first child lost in the forest. This is my story.”
“One day I ventured into the forest but ended up getting lost. Scared and unsure, I started screaming. But you can’t scream in the Witches Forest. I swallowed the moon and became the first ever Moon Sorceress. The moon made me immortal. I never age and cannot conceive. But, I needed children, heirs. I decided to take several children. I never kidnapped them, merely borrowed them for a while. When they turned seven, I was prepared to let them go, but none wanted to. So, I kept them. With their consent, it was not kidnapping, especially when most of the kids had been abandoned by their family, by their village. I saved them, gave them a better life. So, what do you say? Will you stay here and let me train you too?”
Without a moment of hesitation, Antain agreed with a wide smile on his face. Lea clapped her hands in delight before gesturing for him to go with her. Unknown to Antain, Lea had cast a charm on him to make him agree to stay, just like she had every child. After all, appearances can deceive, and one should never judge a book by its cover.
Once alone, Lea burst into mad peals of laughter. She was not only immortal but also on the way to world domination. A silly fool like Antain could not stop her. Muahahaha!