Her Only Kingdom
By: Anna Denisch
My name is Hannah. I met Ashley when we were both ten. I moved to her town in the summer. I had gotten into a lot of fights over my overactive imagination. My parents said that moving there would help me. I could meet other friends like me. But it's not my story that's important.
I was sitting outside the school thinking about what my schoolmates would be like when I saw them.
Two kids walked past me and went straight into the woods behind the school.
One was a boy about a year older than me. He had black hair and walked as if there was nothing in the world that could scare him.
The other was a girl around my age. She had long brown hair and seemed a little nervous.
Everyone had said that those woods were haunted. I was never afraid of ghosts so I followed them.
When I entered the woods I saw, instead of dark forest land, a bright kingdom.
The trees had formed some kind of canopy around it. There were tall walls and magnificent towers. Houses of all kinds of colors were scattered about.
As I walked, most of the kingdom was covered in a brilliant light that not even the sun could produce. I also couldn't help but notice that there were some parts that were so dark it made a night with no moon seem like daytime.
It was the most marvelous thing ever. I tried to find the two kids among the hustle and bustle, but failed.
It was when I was walking through a part with fewer houses when I tripped. My head fell right in front of a pair of feet.
They were huge and elephant like. The hands of the person grabbed me and pulled me to my feet.
"I.D?" he asked in a gruffly voice. His face looked human enough if not for the long trunk coming out at me where his nose should have been.
"Excuse me what?" I asked.
"I.D?" he repeated.
"I don't…I don't have one," I told him.
His face hardened and he lifted me off the ground and carried me away.
When he finally stopped, we were in a square.
Bricks lined the floor and two marvelous thrones sat side by side on the right.
Other than that it seemed to be deserted, save for the two kids I had seen earlier.
"Excuse me my queen," the man said. He bowed forcing me to do the same.
"Yes Jeff?" the girl asked turning towards us. Her eyes were huge and brown.
"I found this girl. She didn't have an I.D." he replied.
I looked up at the two. The boy had green eyes.
"Who are you girl?" He asked me.
"I'm new in town," I told them a little afraid.
"Oh! I know you! She's okay Jeff," The girl asked.
The boy interjected. "Don't be so close to trust her," he moved closer. "she could be a servant of Dark Shadow!"
"How can you say that!? I saw her earlier. She's fine! Jeff you may leave now," the girl said.
The man left and I was able to stand up and face them.
"Hi!" The girl greeted. "My name is Ashley! I'm the queen of this kingdom. This is Shawn and he's my knight."
"That's right!" Shawn said. "I make sure that Dark Shadow doesn't get to her."
"Who's Dark Shadow?" I asked.
"Dark Shadow is an evil man who's trying to take my kingdom from me," Ashley answered. Shawn cleared his throat and she said, "I mean he's trying to take our kingdom from us."
"Is that what all the dark spots were?" I asked them.
"Yep! He might have some of it, but he won't get it all!" Shawn shouted.
"Do you want to help us defeat him?" Ashley asked me.
I couldn't say no to her hopeful expression. Plus, if they could create this whole kingdom, than there were the kinds of friends my parents want me to hang out with.
"I could do that, but I can't be a knight," I told her.
"That's okay! You can be out grand wizard!" Ashley said.
"What's a grand wizard?" I asked.
"That's the person in charge of warning us of an attack from Dark Shadow!" Shawn answered.
"I can do that!" I said excitedly.
"Great!" Ashley said.
So for a few weeks we had fun. We played in our kingdom and fought against Dark Shadow.
It wasn't until school started and the air was just getting nippy when it happened. We had always protected each other from the other kids. But once I talked to my mom, that all changed.
I was on my way to go meet Ashley and Shawn when my mom stopped me.
"Yeah mom?" I asked.
"Honey I was just on the phone with Ashley's mom. I think there's something you should know." She gestured to a chair. "Sit down."
I sat down next to her. "What's wrong mom?" I asked.
"Well, they have this disease," She began.
"Is it bad?"
"Unfortunately yes. It's a new disease. It's very rare and few people have it. A pathogen is living inside them. It can kill them."
"When?"
"They don't know yet honey. They say it can strike at any time and kill them."
"Oh. Are they going to be okay?"
"I'm not sure. It's amazing they've avoided the incident this long! I think it's because they have each other for support."
I went outside to go meet them in the kingdom and I couldn't get what she said out of my head.
"Hey Hannah, what's wrong?" Ashley asked as I made my way to them. I was climbing the latter into the tower sitting by the edge of the kingdom.
Jeff had to go somewhere so we were taking over his watch shift.
"It's nothing," I lied as I arrived at the top.
"Okay! Guess what?" Ashley asked jumping up and down.
"Okay…what?" I asked.
"He's loosing his power!" Shawn answered.
"That's soooooo cool!" I said. I really was happy, but after speaking with my mom, I would never be able to look at them the same way again.
"Yeah, we're getting ready for our final attack on him!" Ashley said.
"Awesome!"
We hung out in the fort until it was time to leave.
On our way out I saw something on the ground. I scooped down and came back up with a wand. It was the most beautiful wand I've ever seen.
"Cool! Now we can do magic!" Shawn cried in joy.
"I know! We have to learn some spells," Ashley said.
"Uh guys, I'm ecstatic about our wand, but if I'm late for dinner again, I'll get grounded," I said.
"You're right. I'll hold on to this," Ashley took the wand and zipped it up in her coat.
We walked out just as the sun was starting to set. We were walking across the field when it happened.
I felt something and turned around. Dark Shadow had just emerged from the forest and was running towards us. I yelled to warn them, but it was too late.
Dark Shadow ran up to Shawn and knocked him on the floor. He didn't move.
Ashley started to panic. Luckily a teacher was walking past and she ran over to call an ambulance.
We waited outside of Shawn's room with my parents and Ashley's mom.
Shawn's dad, Jake, came racing in and Ashley's mom stood up.
"Is he okay? Oh man! I never should have went on that business trip!" He started ranting on about what a horrible parent he was.
"Jake, it's not your fault! This would have happened whether or not you were here," Ashley's mom said.
"But I could have been there for him!" He argued.
Dr. Mike, the specilast, came out of the room. Everyone looked at him for the news, but he didn't need to say anything. We all knew what he was thinking. Shawn was dead.
Ashley started crying first. I put my arms around her and she soaked my shirt. I was crying as well, but no one was crying as much as Shawn's dad. They were all they had. It was just him and his dad.
After about an hour or so Ashley's mom suggested we go home. I didn't see any of her till the funeral.
She didn't actually show up. I figured she was too upset so I went to go find her.
I had a pretty good idea of where she was and sure enough I saw Ashley sitting on her throne.
"Ashley, you okay?" I asked her.
"No! None of it is real!" She shouted.
"What?" I asked.
"This kingdom! It's not real! They're just trees and wild animals! These thrones are just old logs and this," She held up the wand, "This is just a stick!"
As she said her words I began to see the kingdom melt around us like a painting that had gotten wet.
"No Ashley! We need to keep believeing! This kingdom is a place of safety! You once told me that Dark Shadow feeds on fear. Loosing the kingdom is like giving him ultimate power!" I argued.
"But he's already won…" She replied.
"You're still alive right. Come on. Let's go up to the tower," I led her back to the tower and we sat in silence.
She was sitting by the opening and it was getting dark, but neither of us wanted to leave.
Then another bad event happened.
Ashley fell asleep and then fell off the tower.
"Ashley!" I ran over to the opening and she was lying limp on the floor. Dark Shadow decided to take advantage of this and he stood over her.
"Get away from her!" I jumped down and Dark Shadow ran off laughing a laugh that still haunts me today.
I called my mom and she took us to the hospitale.
"I can't believe we have to be here again," I told my mom.
"I know honey. Luckily it will be the last," She answered.
"But what if he comes back?" I asked.
"Well, they're trying something right now that might make it disappear forever."
I hoped it did.
We waited as the operation went on. Once we could go in, I refused to leave her side.
Dr. Mike entered as I stood over Ashley's limp body. Her eyes were swollen shut and her breathing was slow and quiet.
"What's the news?" Her mom asked.
I barley caught the answer. "Well, the operation was a success. The pathogen is gone, but her body isn't doing as well as we'd hoped. At this point, I have to say it's all up to her weather she lives or dies." Dr. Mike walked away and I heard Ashley's mom start to cry.
I wanted to comfort her, but I didn't know what to say, and I was pretty sure that if I opened my mouth, I would just choke on the tears.
"Hannah, I'm going to go talk to Jake, will you keep an eye on her?" All I could do was nod my head as she left the room.
"Oh Ashley, why did Dark Shadow have to come?" I asked aloud.
It was getting later and Ashley's mom still hadn't returned. I sat down on the chair and closed my eyes. Within a few seconds I had fallen asleep.
"ASHLEY!" A scream had woken me up, and probably about half the people in the hospital.
I opened my eyes and Dr. Mike and Ashley's mom were standing over the bed. The empty bed.
"Oh no! What happened?" I asked them.
"I don't know, we came back and she was gone!" Ashley's mom said. She was beginning to panic, and so was I, but Dr. Mike stayed cool.
"I'm sure she's alright. Do you know anywhere she might have gone? Anywhere where she feels safe?" He asked.
Ashley's mom didn't know, but I did.
I raced out of the room and ran down the hall. They were shouting after me, but I couldn't answer them, I had to save Ashley!
I road my bike till I got to the edge of the forest then I ran straight to the center of the kingdom.
On my way there were no guards to stop and ask me for I.D. The dark had come and not even the moonlight could get through the dense treetops.
I stumbled along until I found the battered up girl lying on the floor next to a log.
"Ashley!" I cried as I bent next to her. "Are you okay?"
"No," she answered in a quiet voice.
"Come on Ashley, you have to fight him," I told her.
"I can't. He's too strong."
"What? No he's not!"
"He took my kingdom, my guards, my knight, and now he's come to take me."
"He can't have taken over your whole kingdom."
"He did! Look! There's barley any light. The dark has won…"
She was right. The only little bit of light was coming from down at my feet. I moved some leaves and found our wand. "Ashley, we can fight him." I held up the wand.
"But I don't know any spells," She whined.
"Well, I happen to know a banishing spell."
"But I'm too weak."
"No you're not! Now come on," I helped her to her feet and placed her hand around the wand. I had to put mine overtop of hers' so it didn't loosen. Supporting us both, I came out from behind the log.
Dark Shadow was already waiting for us. He was standing on the other side of the square, and his laugh was ringing through the trees.
"Okay Ashley, repeat after me."
We held our hands up, and after every shout, a light flew at him.
"Dark Shadow." "Dark Shadow."
"I banish you." "I banish you."
"This is my kingdom." "This is my kingdom."
"My sanctuary." "My sanctuary."
"And you can't have it." "And you can't have it."
"I made it." "I made it."
"And I choose who lives here." "And I choose who lives here."
"And you will never win." "And you will never win."
And at that moment, we both had an idea. It was the kind of idea that two people shared. It was like we had a connection. You see, at that point we both knew what to say, how to say it, and with what force to say it with. At that point we both screamed at the top of our lungs:
"Because you…ARE INSIGNIFIGANT!"
A powerful ray of light shot out of our wand and we pointed it at Dark Shadow with tears streaming down our face. We were crying for so many reasons, but no matter how grand they were, we were mostly crying because it was finally over.
With a final screech, Dark Shadow fell to his knees and burst apart in thousands of lights, all different colors, all the spirits of those in the kingdom he had stolen.
We finally lowered our wand as the trees shifted and the moon let the light flow back to her kingdom.
Ashley suddenly fell into my arms and I knelt down.
I brushed the hair out of her face.
"Is it over?" She asked. "Is he finally gone?"
"Yeah Ashley! You did it! You banished Dark Shadow!"