Just an Ordinary Fairytale

Sound in the Dark

Night was approaching and amazingly, Owen had not brought a torch in his huge bag. Shadows crept behind the trees, causing Owen to squeeze the green rabbit tighter. Every nerve in his body stood on edge.

Alex felt fine. They had soon discovered that the compass didn't work, but that did little to sway Alex's spirit. He saw the darkness as a challenge, and Alex found enjoyment in navigating with only his other senses. It was fun until they heard a screech in the distance.
The roar shook the trees to their very roots. Immediately, Owen fell to the ground and hugged the earth. He hadn't realized that Alex had wandered off until the fact that he was now alone, in the dark, set in.

With his back to a tree, he tried to listen above the sound of his own heart pounding. Seconds later, another screech tore through the forest. Owen hadn't realized that he had jumped until he was falling. He couldn't even scream as he fell into an animal hole dug under the roots. It was a small hole, big enough for a small boy, which he was, to tumble in.

Owen trembled in fear. He was stuck lying face up like a upside down turtle, with his huge backpack strapped to his back.  Owen squeezed his eyes shut and held his stuffed rabbit, hoping someone would come.

It seemed like after forever, when he finally heard a voice from above. He cracked his eyes open, in time for a bit of rotted tree to fall in his eye. Owen screamed in pain and rubbed the rot from his eye.

"Owen!? What are you doing down there?" Alex crouched by the tree his poor friend was under. All he could see was Owen's feet sticking out from the animal hole. Alex heard him sniffling, and immediately felt bad for leaving Owen behind.

Alex grabbed Owen by his feet and pulled him out of the hole. Dirt and tears were streaming from his eyes. Alex could do nothing as he watched his friend clean his face of snot and dirt.

It wasn't until Owen's vision was clear, that he noticed the floating light bobbing above their heads. He almost fell back in the hole. "WHAT IS THAT?!" Owen screamed as he scrambled back. The light followed his movements and it only made Owen more afraid.

Before Owen could run off like a cat with a burning branch tied to its tail, Alex snatched the glowing orb out of the air. He held it in his hands and laughed at his friend, "Just calm down and let me explain. But first, let's set up camp for the night."

It look them longer than expected to get settled. Owen would dodge away from the floating light every time it came near, and the light would follow. Alex had to set up camp in the dark while Owen ran around trying to get away from the insistent orb.

Once they sat around a small fire, Alex approached the light and said "off". The light immediately dimmed and fell into his hand.
"How did you do that?" Owen surprised himself with his own curiosity.

The glass orb that now sat in Alex's hand felt smooth, and mysteriously warm. "I don't know," Alex answered . "I only know that it will do what I want and follow wherever I go." He paused, and set the orb on the ground.

"Remember that loud noise we heard earlier?" Owen nodded his head. "Well, I followed it and found a dragon stuck in a trap."

Owen hadn't realized he was holding his breath, until he started to feel light-headed. "A-a...  d-d-dragon?" He shivered, holding his green stuffed rabbit closer. Lamby, he had called it. Owen had the rabbit since he was little, and for reasons unknown, named the rabbit Lamby. He wrung its wilted ears around his fingers.

"Yea, and a big one too. Wait till you hear the rest!"  Alex smiled in excitement.