Into the Darkling Woods

Sean Chung

Age 10

Into the Darkling Woods

Introduction

I, Severus Ulysses Secralius, was a happy snake. I hoped my life would be joyful, but my hopes were very limited. Soon, my life would change, but not quite.

Chapter 1: Captured

“Be careful of the hawk, Severus.”

“I know, Mom, you told me a million times!” I replied. I headed off looking for somewhere to bask. My mom told me to come back in about thirty minutes, but us snakes don’t have watches like humans do, so I’ll travel back when I want to. But a few minutes later, I saw a bird soaring over me. “That’s strange, birds don’t usually fly near the Orchard,” I muttered to myself, “except for hawks.” Then it hit me! The bird was a hawk! Flying toward my nest . . .

My mom told me hawks hunt snakes. I slithered toward my nest with all my speed. When I came back, it was far too late. My mom was struggling to avoid being captured, but the hawk took hold of my mom with their razor-sharp talons and flew away. I was devastated. What would I do?

Chapter 2: The Map

The hawk headed northwest. I had to get the map that my mom found in a forest in Corian’s Land, which was infested with wolves. I went inside my nest and scavenged for the map. I searched under my bed, in cabinets, on bookshelves, but I found it in a sports magazine.

When I opened the map, I realized the hawk was taking my mom to Darkling Woods! I was worried, yet relieved, because the Darkling Woods houses a prison my mom told me about. In the Darkling Woods, random snakes are captured and kept in the prison. My grandfather was the only one to fully escape the prison and says that nobody other than him lived to tell the tale.

He said that they make the snakes hunt food for the hawks. I was determined to save my mom, and maybe others if I had the time. First, I’d have to travel through Hen’s Teeth, cross the Burnt River to Umber’s Tears, and then finally cross the Great Salt River.

Chapter 3: The Unfortunate Climb

I packed up the map and headed out to Hen’s Teeth. The hike across the mountain range was treacherous. Filled with landslides, avalanches, and worst of all, the mountain lions. I was about to reach the peak of the mountain when I saw two hawks.

“I told you it was dumb idea,” said one hawk.

“It’s not my fault you joined in,” the other hawk replied.

“Actually, you told me if it works, you would give me twenty bags of worms!”

“If it works . . . wait, what’s that?!”

“Where!?”

I’ve been spotted! I slithered across the mountain, trying to find a place to hide.

“Get it!” yelled one hawk as they swooped down and grabbed me by the neck.

“Maybe we’ll turn in this little worm, and they’ll let us in again.”

“You finally thought of something that would work.”

They prepared to bring me to the Darkling Forest, which gave me a brief moment of celebration, until I remembered my Grandfather’s words: “No one escapes the Darkling Forest alive.”

Chapter 4: Prisoner

They brought me all the way to the prison and brought me to a steel door. The door was huge, about twice the height of the hawks that brought me here, and it was guarded by two hawks. “Halt!” said one of the guards. They were both wearing helmets of what frighteningly looked like a snake’s skull. “State your name and occupation.”

“Hey, Jimmy . . .”

“What?”

“Aren’t they the ones who tried to steal the royal fortune?”

“I think so. I’ve got a plan, I’ll do the talking.” The hawk who captured me cleared his throat, “I’m Joey, and I work for uhh, collecting wood?”

“Why are you here to speak to the king?”

“We found a snake on Hen’s Teeth” he said as he held up the bag I was stuck in.

“You may pass,” the guard said while opening the door. When the two hawks and I (trapped in a bag) walked in, the guards whispered to each other.

“Why have you come to speak to me?” the king questioned my assailants.

“We have a snake for you!”

“We’ll take that,” said a guard as he snatched the bag from his hand. “Now!” The door shuts with a big slam! The guard threw me aside. Guards surrounded the hawks with spears not afraid to jab. I took a chance and slithered into a crack in the wall.

“Throw them in the dungeons! And thanks for the present,” said the king. “That’ll teach you not to touch my treasure,” he said in a harsh voice.

“Get me the snake.”

“Your majesty, it’s gone.”

“It’s what!”

“It’s gone.”

“I heard you the first time,” he said angrily.

Chapter 5: Escape

I found a path in the wall. Across the path, about half a dozen guards were sitting at a table. I slithered underneath the table. One hawk was talking to the hawk on his left. “Did you see the newcomer?”

“You mean those two hawks?”

“No, the old snake! She’s been begging and begging. It’s just so annoying; she keeps on blabbering about her son being left at home all alone. I feel so bad for her,” he said in a sarcastic voice.

“That must be my mom!” I almost shouted. I’d have to find a way to get to my mom. Then, I saw a small door open. A hawk with a chef hat came out with a food cart for the guards. I slithered to the room, and it was the kitchen. I looked around, and I saw another door, so I opened it. I gasped. I did not expect this many snakes in such a small room. It was a room where prisoners eat and rest. I had to find my mother. I looked around for a few minutes, and then I spotted my mother sitting in the corner, weeping.

“Mom!” Then, she saw me.

“Oh my, how did you get here?” I hugged her and told her the whole story, and now we had to find the way home. The way back home is a story for another time.

The End.