Young Writers Society

Millie, her parents and the slaves had decided to camp for the night. This decision had come after they had seen a …disturbing thing. Instead of a glittering beautiful city, they had seen a massive black cloud. They had then decided that it must be a storm, and they were going to wait for it to pass. They were sitting around a small campfire while Millie’s dad was busy telling a ghost story.

“So, as they cut of the poor man’s head, a thought went through their heads.” Millie wasn’t really listening anymore. She was sure that she was going to have a nightmare if she listened. Then, looking at the black cloud, Millie saw something strange.

* * *

Alan sat in the corner of the carriage with his eyes closed. What he had seen had almost traumatised him. He was hundreds of feet up into the air, and was busy freezing. Alan was busy praying to every god he knew. ‘Only gods and birds can fly,’ he thought to himself. ‘maybe I am becoming one of them…’ and then, just for good measure, Alan sent a prayer up to himself. Maybe he was in a magic carriage, like the legends of magic carpets. Suddenly, if Allan sensed correctly, he was falling.

* * *

Millie was seeing a big carriage being thrown by what looked like a piece of the big cloud. But what worried her, was that it looked as if the carriage was heading for their camp.

“So, forever-” Her dad was interrupted by Millie.

“Dad…I think we should move.” She said, pointing towards the carriage. Her dad stared at her, obviously confused.

“But darling, we’re comfy here.” Her mom said.

“Yes, but look behind you!” Millie said hurriedly. They turned, and then they saw.

* * *

“Make it stop…make it stop.” He said softly. Then, a seemingly pointless thought went through his head. ‘You are lighter than the carriage.’ Alan frowned. He did not think that. Or did he? Then, he came to a solemn conclusion. He had to jump out. Then he would have a bit more time to live. In terror, he started to crawl towards the back door of the carriage. After what seemed like slightly more than an age, he reached the big gaping hole, and jumped.

* * *

Millie had already jumped up and had run what was in her view far away from the camp fire. Her parents and the slaves had done the same. Millie stared as the carriage sank lower and lower to the camp. Then, while all was watching in awe, they saw a small human like form fall out of the great mass. While The carriage crashed into the campfire, the figure fell right into a tent.

* * *

Alan opened his eyes. To his utter amazement, he was lying on a small heap of straw. Underneath him lay the remains of what looked like a dull brown tent. In front of him lay the shattered and crumpled heap of the carriage. Because he had jumped he had lived. It felt as if he wanted to pat the voice in his head, and say ‘Well done.’ To it. Alan attempted to stand by lifting himself off of the straw, but to his disappointment, he couldn’t move. In the distance he could see about ten people standing and watching him.

* * *

Millie ran to the tent. If it was a person, surely he or she would need help.

“Millie! Don’t go there!” Her parents shouts were ignored. When Millie reached the tent, having tiptoed around the carriage, she saw that there was a boy, roughly her own age, lying on one of the slaves’ beds.

“A-are you alright?” Millie asked.

“Not sure.” Came the muffled reply. Millie stepped closer.

* * *

Alan had found that he could move one body part. He could move his lips and tongue. He could also move his eyes. And so, he now saw a surprisingly beautiful girl walking cautiously towards him.

* * *

“C-can you move?” Millie asked.

“No.” the reply came again. Millie was now probably two steps away from the boy. Quickly she walked to him, and felt his forehead. There was no particular reason for this, it was just what her mum always did with her when she was feeling ill.

“Do you have any pains any where?” She asked him.

“No.”

“What’s your name?”

“Alan, and yours?” He asked.

“Millie.”

“Try to stand up.” Millie said.

“Tried already, I can’t.” Alan replied.

“Just try.” She ordered.

* * *

To his amazement, Alan had lifted himself up, and was standing in front of Millie.

“How did you do that?” Alan asked.

“Do what?” Millie asked.

“I couldn’t move…then I moved… How did you do that?” He asked again.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“It’s probably time,” Millie’s mother said unexpectedly from behind them. “you were probably so terrified that you couldn’t move after you…what did you do?”

“I jumped.” Alan announced proudly.

“So, you jumped out of a flying carriage. How exactly did that happen?” Millie asked.

“What? The jumping or the flying?”

“The flying.”

“Don’t know.” Alan said.

“How did you get into the carriage?” Millie’s mom said.

“I …well, I climbed into it like any normal person.” Alan replied.

“You climbed into a flying carriage?”

“No, the carriage wasn’t flying when I got in it. It only flew when I woke up.” Alan said. Both Millie and Millie’s mom looked confused.

“We, Me and my dad, were going to move to Mesolonica,” Alan said pointing towards the great black cloud, “And that carriage was going to take us.” He continued, pointing towards the big rubble on the fire.

“We got in. Nothing special about most of that. I fell asleep. When I woke up, poof, I’m alone in the carriage. Then, the carriage started to fly. Then a voice told me that I am lighter than the carriage, and then I jumped out of the carriage. Understand?”