The Sword

By Robinson Tong

M

To Clumsy: One of my best imaginary friends.
Thanks for all the great memories.
R.I.P., old friend.

ost kids my age wanted a sword. Especially a enchanted one. But me, I hated mine. I wanted to forget that those things happened. I tried throwing it away, or even crushing it with a rock, but it just. Came. Back. To. Me. Every time! It’s been a year already. Scrounging for scraps. Most nights I prayed that this was all fake, that this was only a nightmare, that I would wake up, covered in sweat, but safe. Safe in my house, with my family lovingly embracing me, saying: “it was just a dream. You’re ok.”

But no. Apparently, SOMEone up there hates me. They made me like this! Only with that cursed sword to keep me company. I even tried jumping off a cliff, but I just landed, alive, but with pain that lasted for weeks. They’re probably watching, with bags of popcorn, laughing at everything I do. “Welcome to ‘Clumsy’s miserable life!’” I hope it ends soon.

M

ost kids my age wanted a sword. Especially a enchanted one. But me, I hated mine. I wanted to forget that those things happened. I tried throwing it away, or even crushing it with a rock, but it just. Came. Back. To. Me. Every time! It’s been a year already. Scrounging for scraps. Most nights I prayed that this was all fake, that this was only a nightmare, that I would wake up, covered in sweat, but safe. Safe in my house, with my family lovingly embracing me, saying: “it was just a dream. You’re ok.”

But no. Apparently, SOMEone up there hates me. They made me like this! Only with that cursed sword to keep me company. I even tried jumping off a cliff, but I just landed, alive, but with pain that lasted for weeks. They’re probably watching, with bags of popcorn, laughing at everything I do. “Welcome to ‘Clumsy’s miserable life!’” I hope it ends soon.

Loading...

I was Walking around the ruins one day when my sword began to glow.

“What is it this time?” I asked, rolling my eyes. I sighed and kept on walking. But then the sword glowed brighter.

“What the-”

The ground began to rumble. Pebbles began to rise from the ground, and there was a shrieking sound that made me cover my ears. My sword dropped to the ground.

I leaned down to pick up the sword, but when I touched it, It was smoking hot. I immediately pulled away, stumbled, and fell on my back. I looked up, and saw them.

They came back.

Run!

Loading...

I shuffled to my feet and started sprinting for the nearest building. I was almost there when I heard the wings flap. As i was running, I saw my sword appear in front of me, and quickly picked it up. A few meters from the house, leapt for cover.

The claws gripped my waist, talons ripping off my feathers. I gasped for air as the strong wings lifted me hundreds of meters in the air.

Loading...

I shuffled to my feet and started sprinting for the nearest building. I was almost there when I heard the wings flap. As i was running, I saw my sword appear in front of me, and quickly picked it up. A few meters from the house, leapt for cover.

The claws gripped my waist, talons ripping off my feathers. I gasped for air as the strong wings lifted me hundreds of meters in the air.

Part 1: Status Quo

here’s not a care in the world when you’re a kid. You just play, eat, sleep, and play. That’s exactly what we did. Me and my brothers, Rumsy and Humsy, played all day. We lived near the ruins, left behind by the eagle-bird war. We lived with our parents, my father, a warrior that fought in the war, and my loving mother. We were very happy penguins, living in a small hut by the sea.

We would occasionally go for a swim and hunt for salmon. Whoever caught the biggest salmon got to decide what we were going to eat. Rumsy liked salmon flambé, Humsy liked frozen sushi. I personally liked both, but that didn’t matter, because i never caught the biggest fish. I was the clumsy one. I was Clumsy.

T

We were home-schooled, my mom taught us math, science and humanities, and our father taught us battling. He said that if we trained hard enough, we could get an enchanted weapon. Humsy was to get an axe, Rumsy was to get a spear. And I was to get a sword.




But, of course, everything had to change.

We were home-schooled, my mom taught us math, science and humanities, and our father taught us battling. He said that if we trained hard enough, we could get an enchanted weapon. Humsy was to get an axe, Rumsy was to get a spear. And I was to get a sword.




But, of course, everything had to change.

Part 2: Call to Action

T

he eagles, thirsty for power, struck the owl kingdom first. The owls called upon the penguins to help them in battle. The penguins, unified from two tribes, answered and counter attacked the eagles. After 134 devastating years, the penguins and owls finally won. They forced the eagle emperor to sign a treaty that restrained them to a fraction of their land before the war, the rest given to the penguins and owls. The eagles have since lied in wait, looking for the chance to strike once again and reclaim their land.

Clumsy’s father was a general for the army, one of the best. For that, he was granted a portion of the land, right next to the eagles’ borders.

Unfortunately, that was the eagles’ first target.

We were playing when the sky darkened. Me and my brothers were called inside by our mother, and we quickly obliged. Frightened, she locked all the doors and windows, and hurried us down to the cellar. My father was nowhere to be seen.

Mother hugged us as we held our breaths and hoped that the cellar door was strong enough.

It wasn’t.

Mother hid me in a chest, because i was the smallest. Before she locked the chest, she gave me the sword.

“Protect it with all your life,” she said, tears in her eyes, “swear to me!”

I don’t remember anything that happened next. I just have faint memories of my mom sobbing, my brothers yelling as the eagles’ caws drowned them out...

We were playing when the sky darkened. Me and my brothers were called inside by our mother, and we quickly obliged. Frightened, she locked all the doors and windows, and hurried us down to the cellar. My father was nowhere to be seen.

Mother hugged us as we held our breaths and hoped that the cellar door was strong enough.

It wasn’t.

Mother hid me in a chest, because i was the smallest. Before she locked the chest, she gave me the sword.

“Protect it with all your life,” she said, tears in her eyes, “swear to me!”

I don’t remember anything that happened next. I just have faint memories of my mom sobbing, my brothers yelling as the eagles’ caws drowned them out...

Part 3: Refusal

M

y house was a new addition to the ruins.

I managed to get out of the chest, cold and hungry, but alive.

I helped a bit.

“Mom? Dad? Rumsy? Humsy?” I called.

Nothing.

I picked up my sword and walked up the stairs. I felt a drop of water, looked up, and saw...

Nothing. The roof was gone. Another raindrop fell onto my face, washing away the tears that were flowing down my cheeks.

“Mom?” I called again, “Dad?”

I walked under a doorframe that was cut and cracked, rested against a wall with holes and slashes. Rain started to pour down. Washing away the dust and rubble. Fog hazed my view. I heard something collapse behind me, muffled by the rain and fog.

But i could hear my crying loud and clear.