I love living by the shores, for I can go to the beach anytime I want. Every time I visit the shorelines my mind magically transports to a state of quietude.
It was a tiring day at school. I finished my lunch quickly and headed to the beach.
“Come back soon, we are going out for dinner tonight,” announced my mother in an authoritative voice.
I sat on the sand, enjoying the captivating sunset. The skies were a mix of a turquoise hue blended with the pewter gray of the scattered clouds and together it created a splendid picture of nature. I sat there until the sun disappeared somewhere far away on the horizon. My shadow on the sand became longer and then slowly started to fade away. My mother’s words suddenly flashed in my mind. As I stood up to go home, I spotted something conspicuous a little further away from me. At first, I thought it was a figment of my imagination, but soon I realized the object was all too real.
I cautiously stepped forward and noticed it was a dilapidated boat. With some hesitation, I stepped onto it. It was getting dark, and the visibility was poor. Then my foot stumbled upon something. I looked down and found a bottle with a paper inside. I was getting late, so I tucked the bottle inside my jacket and ran back home.
My mother scowled at me when I entered but I simply smiled innocently. After we came back from dinner, I rushed to my room. I was extremely curious as I took out the dirty bottle. It was a strenuous job to open the cork, and after a few tries, I succeeded. I carefully pulled out the paper. The paper said the following:
“The answers you seek are hidden in the creek”
I looked at it confused, unsure what to do. Then I decided to consult my friends.
The next day, my best friends, Jeulz and Zayne came over. As always, Juelz wore a basketball jersey. She was an avid basketball fan. Zayne was the smartest kid I had ever come across. She was known for her problem-solving skills.
I told them about my last night adventure.
“Well, are there any creeks around here?” Zayne asked.
“Not that I know of,” I responded.
“How about we do some research?” Juelz suggested.
“Great idea!” I exclaimed. We searched the web looking for clues.
“Look what I found!” Zayne cried. Apparently, there used to be a river that ran through our town. But it had dried up. We looked more into it and found the river image. We studied the
picture but were unable to find anything substantial. Both my friends looked frustrated, but I didn’t because I knew what to do next.
“Follow me,” I instructed and led my friends towards the beach. We searched through the boat, this time in daylight. Soon, we found another mysterious bottle, and this one contained a map inside. We studied the map closely but couldn’t conclude anything.
Disappointed, I sat on the beach in silence, wondering who drew the map. Zayne flipped the map over and we saw few scribbles. Because of sheer excitement, we completely missed looking at the back of the map. Zayne read it aloud.
“Hello. If you are reading this, I am no more. I have a box in the boat’s cabin behind the aft. I would like you to take the box to my granddaughter. She lives on an island and the address is below. I am sure you will not disappoint me.”
Excited, we went back to the boat. The box was exactly where the letter said. We opened the box and found an old compass, a necklace, and a letter inside.
“I don’t think we should open the letter,” I said.
“Why?” Juelz asked.
“It’s for the old man’s granddaughter.”
The next day, I told my parents about our findings. My father agreed to drive all of us to the address.
It was a beautiful drive by the ocean.
“What was the map for?” Juelz curiously asked.
“I’m not sure,” I replied vaguely.
Soon we were at the place. It was an old colonial house. We rang the bell and waited for the door to open. A girl in her mid-twenties came outside. We told her the reason why we were there.
She was awestruck. With trembling hands, she opened the box. As she read the letter teardrops rolled down her golden cheeks.
“Did you find a map on the boat?”
I handed over the map to her. She profusely thanked us, and we left wondering what hidden mysteries the map would hold. It was something we might never know.
Given your age it is really impressive to possess the kind of imaginative streak you do. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the post and was ever so excited and curious to reach the concluding part. The best part was the ease of flow and constant excitement that was never broken. I wish you good luck and happy exploration in the world of writing 🙂 .
Amazing !
Such a beautiful write-up on the picture prompt. It is full of engaging emotions that arouse interest and forms connection yet leaves a mysterious bend. Be it the narrator and his friends or the old man and the gramd daughter….
This surely stirs-up imagination!
Well Done, Shaurya.
Amazing!! you’ve penned down your imagination so beautifully 😊
Lovely story teller!!
Its a brilliant exposition based on the visual prompt. I love the way you have knitted a story which arouses the excitement and keeps us engaged until the very end. The story has a clearly defined structure and well-defined characters. Well done, Shaurya.
This was a very good read! The story kept my attention to see what would come next. For a kid your age, you write very good! You must get that from your father!
Beautiful write-up….
Wow! Well written! I really enjoyed and felt like if I was actually there in the story! Lol I’m eager to see where this continues! You have such a beautiful talent given to you by the true and living God. Blessings to you! Keep writing! 🙂
What a lovely story. It shows the grit and determination the young writer himself possesses.
Nicely penned. A gripping tale. Wishing Shaurya my best wishes.
You did a very good job in narrating the story. It stirred my curiosity to read more. I am impressed by how the story unfolded with still the mystery hanging at the end, something that can be continued to form another story. Well done Shaurya!
You did a very good job in narrating the story. It stirred my curiosity to read more. I am impressed by how the story unfolded with still the mystery hanging at the end, something that can be continued to form another story. Well done Shaurya!
Bahut hi khubsurat,rahasya aur romanch se bhari kahani……etne chhote bachche men aisi soch kaabiletaarif hai………sach kahen to ham us nakshe men ulajh gaye…..akhir kyaa tha usmen.
Beautiful story and a lovely imagination!! Enjoyed reading the story
God bless you sourya keep writing
This is brilliant.Keep writing and let your imagination fly!
Such creativity and so articulate! At this age is very rare.
Simply amazing! Such great imagination! Beautiful story!
Its a very interesting story .Very good shourya .At this age and writing with such an imagination its really a god gift.God bless you beta.
Amazing….
I know Shaurya personally but it’s unbelievable that only 12 years old wrote this story. God bless you Shaurya. Keep it up….
Phew! Left me wanting more. Looks like with mystery left behind, now thousands of us who read this will start imagining their own climax.
Great imaginative plot and narration – should also write part-2 of this
Beautiful imagination and outstanding rendering of it. It felt like I am seeing the movie. Keep writing
You continue to find your voice as an author. Please continue to explore the world of your imagination.
Wow! Shaurya I didn’t know you could write like that. It was an amazing short story.
Shaurya, I am so proud of you. Your imagination is so deviant. You captured the moments so beautifully. It was riveting and I am amazed how you meticulously built up the suspense. The twist and turns, the treasure hunt, all so intricately defined. And the way you ended the story left me agape wanting to learn more. Bravo 👏