POWER: a short story by Minhal Junaid

The full moon bright up in the night sky was comforting as I stepped out of my house to welcome the cool fall air. I zipped up my parka and started walking, with the moon guiding me with its light.

At first, I didn’t know where I was heading or why was I out of my house in the first place. After all, it was almost midnight. Well, I wasn’t a normal thirteen year old girl to begin with. Then, I realized I had something important to do.

The leaves crumpled as I walked on them, making a crunching noise. The crunching noise got louder and louder as I picked up my speed. Suddenly, I was running. Now, I was in middle of a forest, lost and confused. Then, I realized I was supposed to see the old woman who lived here, in this forest.

As I got closer to her house, I started feeling nervous and shaky. This was the place where my troubles had begun. I knocked on her door. No reply. I tried again and this time she opened the door.

“Come on in. I have been waiting,” she greeted me in a low voice. As I stepped into her house I adjusted my eyes to the dim light. “Why are you doing this to me?” I asked suddenly. She stared at me, almost piercing my eyes and replied, “You know you wanted this.” “Yes, but having magical powers is proving to be dangerous for me and my family.” “Well, you wished for it. Now you have to give me what I want.”

“Never!” I exclaimed. Then a thought occurred to me. If I had magical powers I could freeze this woman and then get that magic ball of her and wish myself to normal. “Don’t try anything, dear,” she said interrupting my thought. “I suggest you have a look at yourself at the mirror first.” I turned around facing the mirror and let out a blood-curling scream of horror. I was a beast. “I think you forgot that I can see through the future. After all, you’re not the only one with magic power.”

(NOTE: Mihal entered this story in the Young Writers of Canada Writing Competition this year. It will be publishes in the 2010 anthology of short stories entitled: Grandmother's Attic.)