ESL Blogs

I chose # 61. I hope you’ll enjoy the story.

Character            :              a warrior

Place                  :              a ghost town

Situation             :              finding a secret passage

Object                :              a silver door

Title                   :                  The Secret Passage to Happiness

                 Once there was a blissful town in the mountainous province of Ide. The town was known for its jolly and grateful dwellers. Every Saturday, the town people gathered a feast to give thanks to their almighty one for having a happy life. One Saturday, while the people were celebrating in the town’s hall, a strange lady came. She wore a red cape and held a silver rod on her right hand. People were astonished by her presence. They felt terrified upon staring at the lady. They were more stunned when the lady tapped her rod to the ground and popped out a silver door from nowhere. She smirked and opened the door. As it opened, a strong wind came out, struck the town and absorbed the dwellers happiness. All the happiness in the town was absorbed by the door and soon shut itself. The lady then warned them that if they continue to live in the town they would live in fear and misery. Many people tried to open the door but every time they attempt to open it as their finger touched the its cold silver coat, they would feel extremely frightened and powerless that stop them from opening it. The people lose hope and decided to leave the town. The town was left empty and soon became a ghost town.

                Many years had passed yet nobody wanted to live in ghost town. The town remained empty. People believed it was cursed which therefore forbidden to dwell in. Not too far from the ghost town was a small town where lived a young warrior named Abhay. Abhay like his name was a fearless and a noble warrior. One day the king of the small town asked Abhay to find and bring the silver door which was prophesied as the secret passage to happiness of whom ever enters it. The problem was, the door was the same door located in the hall of ghost town. But Abhay undauntedly accepted the quest. He started his mission immediately. He had passed the hazy forest and crossed two rivers until he reached his destination, the ghost town. The ghost town upon its labelled was really seemed to be haunted unlike before. As Abhay walked to the filthy road, he could hear wind moaned out of the houses. At last he made his way to the hall. He searched and found the silver door, firmly standing in the middle of the hall covered with thorny vines and full of dust. He cut the vines and he reached the door knob. And as he held the knob, he felt the fear that he haven’t felt for a long time. Terrible images sunk in to his mind. Little by little he felt powerless. He was taunted by his fear. He cried and lied on the ground. He was losing hope until he saw a gleam (uncovered of dust part) from silver door and had an epiphany. He remembered his grandfather as he forged a gleaming silver sword he would always say “While you are in fear, happiness will be very elusive”. Finally Abhay woke up his mind. He courageously faced his fear and opened the door. At last, the door was opened. The absorbed happiness spread out the door and immensely changed the town’s ambience. The ghost town returned to its vigorous state. The news about its transformation rapidly spread. The old dwellers of the town heard the good news and eventually returned to their old houses. Abhay was honored by his town and by the old dwellers of ghost town which now called Abhay town in honor of his name. They learned that the secret passage to happiness was not really entering the silver door but to face their utmost fear just like what Abhay did. 

Special thanks to Marissa Constantinides for introducing this Great Storymaking Tool, to Tara for sharing and selecting it as this month's  Writing Challenge and to Lucius Annaeus Seneca for his quote "Where fear is, happiness is not".