Highly Commended Story - Alphie Small

“Alphie Small” by Aarav Jha, Hiranandani Foundation International School, India, is the Highly Commended story in the sub-junior category of the second biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

Aarav Jha, is an 8 year old who stays in Mumbai with his family. He is an avid reader and loves creating stories. He has particular liking for adventure stories.

He reads any story that he can get hold of, however, his personal favorites have been Geronimos and David Williams Midnight Gang. He is currently reading Gretas Thunberg biography and Harry Potter.

He is a fun loving kid, very kind and full of life. He loves fooling around with his younger brother.

He is also a passionate football player, learns classical singing and loves watching movies.

Alphie Small

It all started with Alphie in his bedroom, thinking about what he did.

“Well! I’ll tell you what I did” said Alphie

I live in a rickety shed where the weeds are tall and the grass is long. I was always up to having an adventure. But my father and mother wanted to keep me guarded. So one day things were different.

I was coming back from an Appleyard near my house, bringing home some apples. I sensed my mother and father were worried, I over-heard them talking. The conversation went like this, mother said “you know he can’t go out there” father said “I know, but he never seems to listen, let’s keep him guarded the whole night. But how?”

“Let’s take turns” Mother said. “While one sleeps one watches”.

I had a terrible feeling about this, there was something FISHY! I thought I could sneak out at night and go out for an adventure. Next day I saw the newspapers, and I knew I had a reason to go. In the newspapers it was written

“Shadow City” : A resident of Shadow City was fishing in a nearby Beddy river when he spotted a monster like creature in the river. He said it was grey in colour with spikes around its neck. Experts say from the description it will only eat humans”. It gave goose bumps to everybody.

So out I went in that inky night, only a hooting of an owl could be heard. I jumped into the stream with swim gear on me. The current pushed me down and after three million years, (well maybe it wasn’t that long) I reached a river, I went down the river and saw a secret passage. The passage was dark and gloomy, the only light was the light of my torch. Suddenly I felt a sharp sensation on my left shoulder. The hand was slimy.

Was it the monster?!!

I quickly turned around, but I found no one, It made my blood run cold. Then I heard some rumbling and rocks started falling down from the ceiling of the cave. I had to do something quickly. That’s when I spotted about the monster, it was getting away! I saw its greyish brown tail.

The monster swept through the current and so did I. In a moment, I saw a crocodile swept from our right hand side and clasped the monster by its neck. The crocodile began to vibrate, I got frightened at this sight. My mind was empty.

In the next instant I had too many questions running in my mind. The monster could give electric shocks??? Why were the spikes around his neck looking like plastic wires?? A crocodile could die from the Shock?? Could it be an electric eel??? OH MY GOD! I took a closer look at the monster. It WAS an electric eel!! AND.

I began swimming out of the way, but if it was an eel with a plastic wire around its neck, I had to help it. So in the instant I caught a fish and waved at the eel. The electric eel began swimming towards me. I rushed towards the shore. As soon as it caught the fish, I held a stick and pulled out the wires from its neck. Phew!! It was a narrow escape. I took a breath.

A shadow city reporter saw me with the Eel. He was waiting at the shores to take pictures of the monster. He reported the whole incident to the newspaper next day.

Meanwhile, I ran away home. I was received by my angry parents. I narrated them the whole incident and they were very happy and proud.

And now I am always allowed to go out for adventures.

Everything above is true except for the last line….. I could only go out for adventures in my dreams now…..