Semi-finalist #10

Name: Laura Josephsen

Wen stood outside the dragon’s cave,his shield on one arm and a small glass bottle of invincibility potion clutched in his fist. The full moon shone brightly down on him and he looked up at it,trying to judge if it was at the right position. The contents of the glass bottle were starting to glow, so he supposed it was.

Mindful of the instructions the witch had given him, he uncorked the lid with his teeth, turned the bottle three times clockwise, once counterclockwise, and downed it in three swallows while jumping up and down on his right leg. Nothing happened, and he had a brief moment of panic that he had missed a step.

No, no, he was positive he had done everything correctly.

Wen’s skin began to glow ever so faintly, and he let out a soft, “Ha!” as he pocketed the bottle and cork. He drew his sword with a quiet schnick of metal on scabbard,cleared his throat, and called, “Come forth, you monst—”

Someone darted past him in clothes that clanged and clattered. Wen’s mouth snapped closed as a tiny knight ran straight toward the cave. Where the blazes had he come from? The knight wore only half a suit of armor—maybe less than half. He had a breastplate and a helmet; his legs were covered only in loose trousers and long boots. A wide sheath hung from his belt and he held a short club aloft.

As the knight disappeared into the cave, Wen hastily ran forward, shouting, “Hey! Hey! That’s my dragon!”