Highly Commended Story - A Miraculous Place

“A Miraculous Place” by Kashvi Shah, Rustomjee Cambridge International School, India, is the Highly Commended story in the junior category of the second biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

A Miraculous Place

A bright light pierced through what looked like an interminable gridiron. The light stretched and ended where there was no end. Through the bright mist a person was sauntering as if he was adrift. What a deviant place with not even a single soul present there. The boy’s name was Brandon. He shambled through the floor which seemed as slippery as an eel and gazed through each and every sight he could admire. The brunette boy had dashing personality with honed cheekbones and scintillating cerulean eyes. The light which looked like sunrays never going to vanish suddenly cleared off into nothingness, divulging an enthralling scenery. No place on earth looked like this, “Where am I?” he wondered.

The mesmerizing scenery of the foliage was really captivating. Multitudinous rainbows encircled the baronial panorama enticing its beauty. The dew drops reflected this beauty into the ambient, begetting thousands of rays which kissed the frangible surfaces of the water that was rushing with hastiness like a person running to grab a bus. Brandon called out, “Is anyone there?” but instead this voice echoed off and perambulated to his ears. On hearing his voice the birds started tweeting uncontrollably in an alarmed way and the water roared with fierceness as if a famished lion lost his prey. Suddenly, a figure materialized in the smog across the river that was dancing with the gentle spray of water enthusiastically.

“Who are you?” the person asked with curiosity, “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Brandon exclaimed in a questioning way. “Okay….that was rude! But anyways, I am the custodian of this place and if anyone messes with it I transform into a savage dog and rip the person into pieces that can be eaten by a snail!” the peculiar person said with sudden fierceness in his eyes. Brandon was dumbfounded and couldn’t decide what expression he should give. Looking at his face, the unusual guard smirked and said, “Just kidding, but I agree that my fierce face was alarming!” “By the way I am Brandon and I have no clue what this place is but, I would be extremely chuffed if you could abet me with that”, he said with an unexpected petitioned tone. Unexpectedly, the guy became really sober and replied, “Come with me and you can call me Mr.G”

Like Mr.G was reading Brandon’s mind, he did some sort of diablerie, making a boat appear in front of Brandon and resolving his problem of crossing the river. The watercraft was achingly blazing in colour giving the effect of a sun which has given half its light and it had only space for one person, it was ideal for him. He vigilantly stepped into the boat and sat down. After he reached the other end of the river, Mr.G made a deafening whistle which made goosebumbs erupt in Brandon’s hand.

The scenery in front of Brandon was extremely mesmerizing. Two snow-white horses’ immersed from behind the bunch of luscious green bushes, no creature on Earth looked like this. They had sharp emerald coloured eyes which were worth drowning into, shiny blond hair and the most eye –catching, humungous wings which embraced the horses’ body like a mother does to its new born baby. He was really curious to have seat on the horse and then the horse suddenly bowed down. “What is he doing or maybe she?” he inquired Mr.G but he instantly replied, “Its bowing down to you so that you can sit on it and by the way it’s a she and this one is a he”, pointing at the horse standing in the vicinity. Brandon was flabbergasted at the allowance to sit on the imperial horse but he was behaving like how a charmed baby does when he plays with its favourite toy. He climbed the horse being really wary like the horse was a fragile piece of glass but Mr.G said shortly, “Nothing will happen to her just climb it fast!”

Within seconds we were racing with the air like Olympic runners, Brandon screamed and widespread his arms hugging the cool and crispy air. They landed on an acre of grassland in front of a cave. They entered the cave cautiously and then Mr.G lit a candle which looked like a diamond abandoned in a dark forest. He asked Brandon, “Do you remember anything about your past?” “Well…no, but I don’t even know why I can’t remember anything” Brandon replied. Mr.G pulled out a crystal ball from the ancient pocket book he was carrying and he said some sort of jumbled words. The crystal turned bright blue and the fog present inside swirled around in a globular motion. Mr.G commanded, “Now listen to me carefully! Do not interrupt me while I tell you your past and if you do, I swear I will kill you!”

He started speaking; “Once there was a young boy…do not interrupt me!” he said to Brandon as he opened his mouth to ask something. “This young boy was really adorable and was loved by both his parents lovingly. He was extremely kind and honourable, he did good deeds such as offering food to a famished beggar even though he was hungry himself, then give his brand new clothes to orphanages and many more things. As he grew up he bloomed into a handsome young gentleman. Once he was walking on a road and he caught sight of a poor lady carrying her toddler in her arms but sadly she was in no capability to walk due to her weakness. That boy saw a truck rolling towards that woman, he shoved her aside but her baby slipped from her hand. Hence he went after it and at the end moment he was able to save the baby but unfortunately he died himself.” “Oh my god, but why are you telling me this?” Brandon asked. Mr.G simply replied, “Because the boy was you!” Brandon gasped with awe, “So where am I?” Mr.G replied intensely, “In heaven.”