The 3×3 Short Story Competition

Winning Entry:

The Elements – The Water Quest

© Clover Alsop

“I wouldn’t open that if I were you.” The old man pointed to a box in the corner. “It might be the worst present of all.”

Perfectly harmless, said the box’s label.

Clara felt drawn towards the box like a moth towards flame and her fingers itched to feel it. She walked towards the table that the box was displayed on. On the lid was a fox’s head with its pointed snout and cunning eyes, and her fingers traced the border, a pattern of flowers and leaves.

“Why might it be the worst present of all?” she asked the old man curiously.

“That would be telling,” he replied mysteriously. “You must find that out for yourself.”

“Ah well, nothing ventured, nothing gained,” she thought, taking a deep breath and reaching for the box. But then she paused, for a voice was coming from it, and repeating over and over:

“The head, the head.”

And the air was filled with a vulpine scent that hadn’t been there before.

Clara was puzzled, then it suddenly dawned on her; it was the smell of the fox’s head on the lid. She held the box carefully and looked closely at the lid.

The fox appeared perfectly ordinary to her. Then she had a sudden thought: what if the fox’s head was hiding something? Carefully, she pushed the fox’s head…and it moved!

Underneath was a hollow space which held a glowing ball.

As soon as Clara saw the ball, she felt herself being encased with the light, and then she started spinning around and around.

To one side, she heard the old man saying “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” and to the other she heard a wolf howling…. she was half way between two worlds, the past and the present.

*

Clara woke with a start, shaken awake when she landed with a jolt on the uneven ground.

“Where am I?” she wondered. “And what am I doing here?”

Then she remembered the Voice she had heard while flying, before she had fallen asleep. It had told her that she was now the Guardian of the Box, whatever that meant. The previous Guardian, the old man in the shop, had not been able to continue, because of his arthritis.

The Voice had also told her other things, such as when you were the owner of the Box you needed to collect, every few years, the four elements–water, fire, earth, and air–from different books, for the Box controlled the weather in books so that everything could run smoothly.

This time, the Voice had said, she was to collect water from the book

The Swallows and Amazons. She knew the book well as she had read it several times.

Clara looked down at her hands, and was surprised to find that she was still holding the Box. She opened it and found that a tiny, silver flask was resting on a plain cloth lining.

“Ah,” she thought. “This is to collect the water.”

She reached for the flask, to have a closer look at it. As she lifted the flask out of the Box, it started growing bigger and bigger, until it was normal sized.

Clara looked around, and found that she was sitting on a beach, in surroundings she did not recognise. Suddenly a boat appeared, racing down the lake with the wind. Clara gasped, and then smiled – of course! It was the Amazons!

Now she knew what to do. She would ask if they could give her a lift to a quiet place where she could collect the water.

The boat was gradually getting closer to the shore, Clara stood up and waited until the boat had reached her.

“Hello, Nancy.” said Clara. “Could you and Peggy give me a lift?”

“Jibbooms and bobstays!” exclaimed Nancy “How do you know my name? I’ve never seen you before.”

“I’m Clara.” Quickly she told them all that had happened to her and they were astonished.

“What an amazing thing to happen to you!” Nancy exclaimed. “It sounds almost as good as being a pirate! Hop in. You can easily collect some water then.”

“Thanks,” said Clara. “Do you know of a harbour?”

“Yes,” replied Peggy. “Our harbour by Wildcat Island.”

“Of course,” smiled Clara. “I remember; it was your own private harbour until the Swallows found it.”

“Yes–but how do you know?” asked Nancy. “We’ve only just met you.”

“It’s a long story,” smiled Clara, hopping aboard the Amazon.

The little sailing yacht tacked up the lake again, this time with an extra passenger. Soon the boat had reached the island and its quiet harbour and Clara leaned over the side.

“Thank you,” she said. “You’ve saved me a lot of trouble.”

“That’s all right.” replied Peggy, “We –” She was interrupted by Nancy.

“Peggy, you donk!” she shouted. “Go to the port side or you’ll have us over!”

Quickly Peggy moved and then they both watched while Clara opened the Box, and then reached down to collect the water.

“There,” Clara said, holding the flask above the Box, waiting for it to shrink. “All done! Now I can go on to the next element.”

“Gosh, don’t I wish the Swallows could meet you!” Nancy exclaimed. “They would have been thrilled.”

“Yes,” said Clara, “and I would’ve loved to meet them.”

“I hope that you find the other elements without any trouble,” Nancy remarked, steering skillfully up to the beach where they had picked her up from. “Here, you can get out now.”

Clara stepped out of the boat and waved goodbye. Nancy and Peggy waved back. Then taking a deep breath, she pushed the fox’s head and was swept into another book….

© 2020 – Sophia

The dragon scrambled down the chimney and gazed about the room. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Did you think I was Santa?” he asked, as he watched the small child who looked about seven or eight.

The child had her brown hair in pigtails and was wearing a pink old-fashioned nightgown and holding a teddy bear. She reached a hand toward the dragon. He looked at her hand and let her pick him up. She smiled and headed to the kitchen to get him a snack.

The dragon looked at the girl. “What’s your name?” he asked, as she set him on the kitchen table.

“Amanda. What’s yours?” She grabbed some of the extra cookies and gave him a couple.

The dragon ate the cookies before he responded. “I am known as King. I’m an ice dragon.”

Amanda picked King up and headed to her room. She grabbed an extra pillow from her bed and set it on the floor before setting King on it and getting into her bed.

In the morning, Amanda woke up and yawned softly before she went over to King. When she saw he was still asleep she went downstairs. Her dad was making breakfast. The scent of chocolate chip pancakes made her even hungrier. She took a seat at the table.

“Good morning, honey,” he said, as he put a plate of pancakes on the table in front of her, with syrup of course, and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you,” she mumbled as she took a bite of her pancakes.

 “You wouldn’t know anything about the missing cookies would you?” Dad asked.

She gave him an innocent look. “Me? Of course not!” That was sort of true. She hadn’t been the one who ate them.

King woke up and looked at the bed. Not finding Amanda, he decided to go downstairs.

Amanda saw him and motioned for him to go back upstairs. King, being a stubborn dragon, jumped onto the counter. Thankfully, her dad hadn’t heard him. Amanda got up and picked up her plate. She started heading toward the sink, and on the way she quickly picked King up before setting her plate in the sink.

As she ran upstairs she whispered “you have to stay up here.”

He huffed and whined, “It’s boring up here!”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re exaggerating.”

He pouted and curled up on his blanket.

She then ran downstairs. “Father, can I walk in the garden?”

Her dad nodded. “I have some housework that needs to get done anyway. But remember don’t go into the woods.”

She hugged him and replied, “I won’t! I promise!”

She ran upstairs and grabbed King, then hurried outside. She set him on a small concrete bench and sat next to him.

 He jumped off the bench and went over to the edge of the woods. He glanced back at her before he disappeared into the shadows of the trees. As she watched him go, she knew she shouldn’t go after him, but she wanted to. She took a few steps to where he disappeared before hearing her father calling her back inside. She looked toward the woods one last time as she headed inside.

“You need to clean your room.”

She nodded as she hugged her father then headed to her room. She started cleaning. She couldn’t stop thinking about King. Where was he? Was he ok? She put the last book on her shelf and went downstairs.

 She sat down at the dining table and waited for her tutor to get there. When she heard someone knocking she went to check. When she saw it was her tutor she opened the door and hugged him.

“Hello!” He patted her on the head and came inside. “What subject first?” He asked as he sat down.

She thought for a moment. “History!” That was her favorite subject.

He got her history book from his bag and gave it to her as he got his copy of it. “Do you remember what you were learning?”

She nodded and started reading along. As she listened, her mind started wandering back to King. She looked out the window. She hoped King was alright.

In a small cottage, that even if you were looking right at it you wouldn’t be able to see it unless it allowed you to see it, sat a girl who looked about twenty but was actually older. Much older. She was staring into the fire with King on her lap. She picked him up before standing up and looking out the window. She whispered something to King and gave him a small vial of a potion. It would only make them sleep for a couple hours. Nothing too serious. She set King down and opened the door. “Go back to the girl and pour some of what I gave you into her and her father’s food.”

As King flew back to Amanda, the girl sat back down. King flew through an open window. He stayed silent as he looked around and hid under a table. He then silently went to Amanda’s room and jumped onto the bed. He curled up next to her and cuddled into her, slowly falling asleep.

In the morning when Amanda woke up and saw King, she poked him making sure it wasn’t a dream. When she poked him, King sleepily opened his eyes and looked at her.

“Hello.” She smiled and hugged him tightly.

He wiggled around. “Can’t breathe.”

She set him down. “Are you hungry?” she asked as she got up and stretched. King nodded before flying and landing on her shoulder. “Dad is at work. You don’t have to be quiet. Just don’t be too loud.”

She headed downstairs and set him on the dining table before pulling a chair over to the counter and climbing onto it to open the cabinets and get them something to eat. She grabbed some peanut butter and bread and got off the chair. 

…

© 2020 – Jack Irvine

“I wouldn’t open that if I were you.” The old man pointed to a box in the corner. “It might be the worst present of all.”

Perfectly harmless, said the box’s label

Just then a rodent scampered into the ally way, it scampered to the box and gave the large decorated box a sniff, at the same instant a hand reached out, snatching the grey furry body. The rodent squealed before disappearing. A bright light started flickering as the box slowly opened,

Clarence slowly backed away. A tall lean pale figure leapt out. blood dripping down the creatures’ hairless chin, it turned to face Clarence and growled in an oily voice “no survivors will be left”

The old man spoke up from the shadow, he wheezed “I see you have returned again to try and destroy the world, by the way how was your exile stay in the Banished Canyon of Doom”

The creature hissed at the words, then dashed at the old man. Clarence yelled in horror as the old man was flung roughly into the dark shadowy depths of the long ally, followed by a long screech, then silence.

Clarence turned on his heels and ran, looking over his shoulder to see if the vile beast was following him, the only sight he saw was the bloody splatter on the wall and a limp motionless body.

Later at night while at home, Clarence thinks about what happened he wondered if the creature was far away or really close, or if it was even real. it had been so scary Clarence had not slept. He just kept thinking about the face he had seen, and the old man.

The next day started the same as always, Clarence left for Eberry College feeling down as he was always failing at his subjects.

However this day was sure to be different if he could get it all right. As Clarence walked down the dim corridor to his maths room he heard the oily voice of the creature repeating “no survivors will be left”

Clarence quickened his pace and then sprinted the rest of the corridors length until he headed the sunlight. without looking back he ran home.

Once Clarence reached home he turned the TV on. The news reporter is talking of local disappearances. People being taken in the night and all that is left of them is their head!

Just then the lights flickered and went out. Clarence heard a cat hissing, he jumps up thinking of his fluffy childhood companion Snuggles. Opening the front door he finds the creature from the Banished Canyon of Doom holding Snuggle’s limp lifeless body. Stunned, Clarence ran inside and grabbed his pistol, it was an old revolver, a display item from his grandfather. Clarence had kept some of the few remaining bullets in a case nearby. He hastily loaded the gun before running back through the house and onto the front lawn. With the gun cocked and loaded Clarence aimed and shot twice at the creature. the bullets didn’t seem to effect it, however on the third shot it fell. Clarence ran to his lime scooter, trying to get it moving, he realises its not charged……..

Clarence looks around and sees the creature stir, he drags a crate from the shed across the grass and dumps it over the creature.

The creature looked like a wild caged monkey, screaming and hissing as it struggled in the tight space. Clarence was quickly placing large concrete blocks on the top to secure it as a voice he recognised spoke up from behind him.

“Leave this to me”

Clarence stepped aside to see the old man. The old man then put his finger to his lips showing to be quiet. He starts a chant in a strange language using powerful commanding words. In a flash of blinding light the creature is replaced by a larger parcel, labeled “perfectly harmless”.

Clarence turns to the old man who is looking tired. he asks “where has it gone?

The old man sighs “he has returned to the Banished Canyon of Doom, I’m not sure for how long though as its power is growing.

THE END

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear © 2020 – Willow Brooke

Silvery voices drifted in through the open door, yet only a small stag stood on the moonlit path. Its antlers glittered with ice, and the look in its eyes seemed to say, “Come, there’s something I must show you.”

I took a step towards the deer, moving slowly so as not frighten it. But the flash of a mirror from the house behind me in the moonlight startled it. It turned and dashed into the forest. Dismayed, I stared after it. I had wanted to get closer, to stroke it.

I went to where the deer had stood and knelt to touch the delicate hoofprints. Something glittered in the snow beside me, and I paused to see what it was. To my surprise, a snow globe lay half-buried, close to one of the deer’s hoofprints.

Gently I picked it up and brushed the snow off it, interested to see what was inside it. A beautiful Nativity scene was enclosed in the glass, complete with Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, two shepherds and a shepherd boy with a lamb, three Magi, each with a gift, and a donkey.

I gazed at it cupped in my hands, full of wonder and joy. It was – and still is – the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and I wondered where it could have come from. Surely such a lovely thing must have been dropped by a queen or princess. But no… suddenly I remembered who had been here last.

“The deer!” I said aloud. “But how…”

It didn’t matter. I knew that whoever had dropped the snow globe must have meant the finder to have it. Concealing it in my coat pocket, I hurried into the house, hoping I could get up to my bedroom without being noticed. Fortunately, there was no-one about as I stumbled up the stairs and into my room. Once in there I closed and locked the door and settled down to thoroughly explore both the inside and outside of my new – found treasure.

I felt the glass until I was satisfied that it was strong, and ran my fingers over the base. Compared to what the glass enclosed, this was rather plain, decorated only with alternate stars and scrolls. I fingered these for a moment and then turned it over to look at the base. Often snow globes could be wound up to play music.

Secretly, I was disappointed when I saw only a plain wooden base with a door in the centre, probably made to add glitter to the water. But even if it was made only for that, I still wanted to see inside, so I got a hairpin and levered it open. It moved easily, and underneath I saw a cavity containing a piece of paper.

Excitedly I dropped the hairpin, and carefully pulled the paper out. I unfolded it and read the following words.

“Dear Finder,

This snow globe is something to treasure all your life, for it is very special. On Christmas Eve, at the stroke of midnight, something wondrous will happen. I won’t say what – just you wait and see!”

I stared at it in amazement and impatience. How could I possibly wait the few days till Christmas Eve? But there was nothing to do except that, so I put the paper back in the cavity and pressed the lid down. Then I turned the snow globe the right way up, set it on my bedside table, and settled down to wait.

*

Three days later, on the night of Christmas Eve, I jumped into my bed. It was 9:00 p.m. and I had forgotten all about the snow globe. It was not until I awoke later on that I remembered.

I flicked on my clock’s light, and saw it was 11:55 p.m. In a flash I remembered the snow globe and reached out for it. I brought it back to my bed and snuggled down under the covers with it, watching for anything unusual.

At last, my patience was rewarded. I saw a pinprick of light start at the place where the star was, soon spreading over the whole scene. As I watched in wonder, the people began moving. The three Magi knelt and held out their gifts to Jesus, who was beaming in the manger. Mary, His mother, smiled down at Him, and the shepherds bowed their heads. Above an angel appeared, smiling joyously, and I was reminded of the silvery voices I had heard when I first saw the deer.

Suddenly, Mary looked up. As if the veil of time had been moved apart for the briefest of seconds, she saw me – and smiled. I stared at the beautiful scene before me, but all too soon the light dimmed and faded out. I was left in darkness, the smile Mary had given me lingering in my mind.

But, by a strange twist of Fate, my last thought before I went to sleep was not of Mary’s smile, nor of the Baby Jesus, but simply, “I wonder where the deer is?”

THE END

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