SHORT STORY

Jessica and Stella are best friends from Flamingo High School. They are in the same class and of the same age. Bored with the Halloween event at their school, Jessica and Stella planned to escape. When everyone was busy with their work, they quietly escaped from the campus, moving stealthily like cats. They entered a restaurant and had a great meal. Then they decided to go to a park, gossiping about their friends as they walked. They played a lot in the park.

Suddenly, Jessica noticed a boy playing with a weird diary. She stared at him. After playing with the diary, he hid it under the sand pit. Eagerly, Jessica went into the sand pit, dug it up, and took the diary out. The diary was beautiful, with intricate designs. There was also a pen stuck to it. Blowing off the sand, Jessica called Stella over to see the diary. Stella was mesmerized by it. She said, “The pen looks interesting, I will take it.” Jessica replied, “Fine, I will take the diary.” They placed the pen and diary in their bags and returned home.

Jessica rushed back home, eager to open the diary. She wished her mom a good evening and climbed the stairs with a bun stuffed in her mouth. She entered her room, opened her bag, and took out the diary. She examined the classic designs on it. All the pages were empty except the first one, which said, “I will show your future.” Jessica could hardly understand it, but she said, “Whatever it shows, I am so happy to have such a beautiful diary. This diary is mine.”

Suddenly, a light appeared from the diary and stopped. Then the name “Jessica” was stamped on the diary. The pen that Stella had taken came flying and got stuck to the diary. Jessica couldn’t believe her eyes. Suddenly, the first page of the diary opened and showed, “You will be hated by your best friend tomorrow.”

Jessica wondered how Stella could hate her. Then her mother called Jessica for dinner. Thinking about the sentence, Jessica had her dinner and went to bed. The next morning, she packed the diary in her backpack, still pondering over the sentence, and headed to school.

In her classroom, Jessica found Stella sitting peacefully. When Jessica talked to her, she realized that there was nothing wrong with Stella’s behavior. During recess, Jessica went to the canteen to buy a milkshake. Meanwhile, Stella noticed something shiny in Jessica’s bag. Stella realized it was the diary and pulled it out to take a look. She also noticed the pen stuck to it.

As Jessica entered the classroom, sipping her milkshake, she looked at Stella’s flushed face and asked what had happened. Stella yelled at her, “So you are the thief! You stole my pen. Even though it’s just a small thing, you took it without informing me. You’re a cheater. Don’t talk to me!” Everyone stared at them. Before Jessica could explain about the diary, Stella hurriedly left the school.

Embarrassed in front of everyone, Jessica rushed to the hall to apologize, but she couldn’t find Stella. Holding the diary in her hand, Jessica walked to the same park. There was no one around. She slowly walked to a bench and sat down, feeling a sense of loneliness. There was no one to share her emotions with. She said, “This diary caused so many quarrels between me and Stella and separated us. What’s the mystery behind this diary? It’s unbelievable! But why didn’t Stella understand me? It wasn’t my fault. This diary is responsible for everything. I don’t need this diary. I’ll leave it here.”

Jessica placed the diary on the bench and walked toward the park entrance. Suddenly, a beam of light passed through the sky and onto the bench. A beautiful fairy appeared, astonishing Jessica. She stood still, watching the fairy. The fairy took the diary and approached Jessica. Jessica asked, “Is this your diary?” The fairy replied, “Yes, this is my diary. When I was flying from the land to the sky, this diary slipped out of my backpack.

I didn’t notice where the diary had landed. I had been searching for this diary for a week. I received information that I had left the diary in this park. But when I came to search for it, the diary wasn’t here. Next thing I know, you found the diary. But why are you leaving this diary here?” Jessica replied, “This diary created many quarrels between me and my friend. She took the pen, and I took the diary. But suddenly, the pen came flying and stuck to the diary. I didn’t know why. Then my friend thought that I stole the pen and started to hate me. It was all because of the diary.”

The fairy exclaimed, “Did the pen stick to the diary?” Jessica replied, “Yes.” Then the fairy told Jessica, “You might have chanted the mantras.” The fairy continued, “Yes, mantras. There are two mantras. If you say ‘This diary is mine,’ that means you have adopted the diary. The person who adopts the diary should also have the pen. If the diary is with you, it will automatically attract the pen. That’s why the pen came flying and stuck to your diary. If you say ‘I don’t need this diary,’ then the diary won’t be yours. That means you’re giving the diary back.” Jessica remembered that she had said these two sentences. Jessica replied, “Yes, I have said those words.”

The fairy said, “That’s it. You adopted the diary and also gave it back. Actually, this diary shows the future of the adopter. Thank you for returning my diary back.”

Saranya

Class IX

Written in October 2022