Page 13 - Horizon 18 Online

HORIZON
13
Rave
Once upon a time, there was a king, a queen, and their daughter. They lived a wonderful life until, one day, the mother and daughter got into a fight. “I wish you’d just fly away like a raven with all your squawk- ing!” shouted the mother. She got her wish. Horrified, she watched her daughter morph into a dark, feathered creature and escape through the castle window.
Stunned and afraid, the daughter crashed through an orchard and landed into a large nest. She screeched for help until a flock of doves descended into the same nest. She told them of the short but harrow- ing ordeal. The doves enlisted the help of other woodland animals, and eventually reached the farmhouse dog who persuaded the farmer to see the Raven.
She explained to him, in great detail, what must be done to break the spell.
“On the first day of the month, you must make the long trek to the river, but you may not drink from it. Afterwords, you must go to the path: four white horses will pass with a carriage in tow. The following day, you must repeat this, but you’ll await four brown horses. On the final day, you must repeat this, waiting on four black horses. Only this will break the spell. Will you help me?” The farmer agreed and set out.
The first day, he went to the river. He had gotten thirsty from the journey and thought to himself, “it’s only one sip, what harm could it do?” so he took a sip from the river. He then went to the path, but the journey tired him out and he soon fell asleep before the carriage could pass him. The birds had noticed this and told the Raven. “It’s alright,” she said. “I’ve given him two more chances.”
The second day, he went back to the river. He was thirsty and thought, “what harm could it do?” but as he went to take a sip, he found the water had all dried up. The birds had enlisted elephants from the travel- ling circus to drain the river so that he may not drink. He went to the path, tired once again. As he lay down, birds and squirrels pelted him
with acorns. Nonetheless, he fell asleep. The birds noticed this and told the Raven. “It’s alright,” she said. “He has one more chance.”
On the final day, he went to the river. He was thirsty and thought, “it’s only
one sip...” but as he leaned in, a snake jumped out and scared him off. He arrived at the path and, as he lay down, a pack of wolves attempted to rouse him, but it was all in vain. The birds noticed this and solemnly told the Raven.
“Everything is alright,” she chirped. “For I now know that I have friends among those which man has called beasts.” And so she was content and spent the rest of her life ruling the animals of the orchard.
The end.
Amelia Melcher ’18
The Destroyer
A figure loomed in the darkness with arms branching out to encompass the tree trunk. The skin cracked and moaned against the strain of the burden now being carried, and leaves rustled against leaves as a great groan was heard from the oak being forced from its home. The creature opened a wooden mouth to devour what could be considered a distant cousin. Splinters sounded along the base of the trunk when the wooded creature’s mouth began to squeeze its prey. Growing bigger by the bite, the creature seemingly absorbed the massive tree through a silently screaming hole. Cracks and creaks drowned out the cries of birds and critters who had made the archaic oak their home; some were cast to the ground while others scampered for their lives in the climaxing chaos. The apathetic creature paid no heed as the woodland creatures cried and fled from their uprooted abode.
Val Jarvis ’18