8X3 English: September 2013

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Continue the opening of the story below:

When my parents told me that we were hosting a family from Earth, I didn’t know whether to be glad, or to sulk or just lose my temper.

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Talmar looked out of the tiny arrow slit at the top of the castle tower, watching the

Besiegers far below finishing the trebuchet - a giant catapult. It would not be long now.

The siege had turned Talmar into a watcher. She had watched her mother and her

little sister being locked into the safe room. Talmar was terrified of enclosed spaces.

She had bitten someone and run to the top of the tower. Fast.

Talmar had watched her father patrol the battlements. She had watched the arrow

that flew in a perfect arc towards her father. She had watched her father topple

backwards and fall on the wrong side of the castle: the outside. She had heard the

rest. The Besiegers made a particular noise when they ate their prey.

Now something was watching Talmar: her baby dragon sat in the palm of her hand

watching a tear run down her cheek.

Talmar held her hand up to the arrow slit. ‘Fly free.’

Talmar watched her dragon fly high. She saw it settle on top of the trebuchet, and

then she heard it call: skreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Talmar saw a dark shape appear on the horizon.

She watched it coming towards the castle. She watched the mother dragon swoop

down to pick up her baby, flames roaring, talons grabbing.

She watched the Besiegers flee in terror.

Talmar watched the castle gates open, the people pour out and the celebrations

begin. Soon she would stop watching. Soon, but not yet.

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