2nd prize - the keeper of the door by cadyn morgan-mcgregor

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Tke Keeper

of~he Door

Cadyn Morgan-McGregor



Thirty-one years ago in a small town .....

"Why can't you be normal like other mothers?" cried John bitterly.

"Why do you have to be so different? I think you're just making up this door keeper

rubbish." ,

"It takes a brave person to stand up for what they believe in, John. Just

because we believe in something that many people think couldn't possibly be real, it

doesn't mean that we have to pretend not to believe," John's mother said calmly.

"You don't seem to understand that I don't believe what you believe, so there is

no WE believe, there is only YOU believe!" screamed John.



Present-day, in the same smell town ......

Tom quietly closed the door and snuck into the kitchen. It was well past his

bedtime, but he had been So absorbed in what his grandmother, Isabel, had been

telling him, that he had completely forgotten the time. He slowly crept towards his

room. Just as he opened the door, a booming voice called out, "Just where do you

think you are going?" Tom froze and turned around. His father, John, was standing

there in his nightclothes. "Where have you been?" he demanded.

"I went out for a walk," said Tom.

"Don't lie to me, you've been at your grandmother's house, haven't you?" John

said. "I thought I told you not to visit her. She'll fill your head with complete

nonsense."

"She does not," Tom said indignantly. "She tells the most amazing stories about

dragons. I don't think they're nonsense at all."

"So, you've been to see her before tonight?" John Sighed. "I guess there'S no

point telling you otherwise then, is there? Go to bed, and mind you don't go visiting

my mother again."

Tom undressed and clambered into bed. He was eleven and smell for his age,

with fair hair and dark brown eyes. Tom was not the most talkative of boys, and he

did not really have any friends. When he was not at school he preferred to read or



spend time with Isabel. As he lay in bed that night, he resolved to disobey his father

and keep visiting his grandmother.

The next day he woke up especially early and went to see Isabel. When they

were sitting by the fire with warm mugs of cocoa, Tom told Isabel what had happened

the night before.

"Well, I suppose I will have to tell you everything now." Isabel said. Your

father always was a stubborn child, and that is where you two, I think, are rather

similar. After your grandfather died, your father became quiet and preoccupied. He

virtually stopped talking. It wasn't until much later that Ifound out that he was

being teased at school. Children can be so mean," Isabel said, tilting her head as she

looked at Tom. "I have a bit of a reputution around here, you know." She smiled and

leant in closer to Tom, "You see, I believe in Dragons."

"You believe in dragons?"

"Yes, Ido. When Iasked your father why he hadn't told me he was being

bullied at school . we had an argument and he told me he didn't believe in dragons. He

said that everything I'd ever taught him was just silly fairy tales."

"How do you know dragons are rea)?" Tom asked.

"I used to be Keeper of the Door," Isabel replied. "Before your father was, o f

course."

"Keeper of the what?" said Tom.



"The Keeper of the Door looks after the Door that separates our world from

the Dragon's realm," Isabel explained. I was Keeper until John turned twelve. For

hundreds of years now, the first-born child in my family, upon their twelfth birthday r

inherits the job of Keeper of the Door. The Keeper's task is to keep the Door open.

This can only be done by believing in it. The morning of John's twelfth birthday, the

door between the two worlds closed. Itshut tight and has been closed ever since

because John no longer believed it existed. Unless we can find a way to make him

believe again before you turn twelve, it will never, ever reopen."

"Hang on," said Tom, trying to keep up. "Are you saying that if we can somehow

persuade Father to believe in dragons again that I'm going to be the next Keeper of

the Door? But if we don't, then the door will stay closed forever?

"Exactly," said Isabel grimly.

"But it's my twelfth birthday tomorrow!" Tom exclaimed.

The pair sat quietly looking at each other until finally Tom said, "Isabel, where

is the door?"

"Only the Dragons know that. Itwas always kept secret for their protection.

I met with them, in the heart of the forest by a big rock face."

Tom continued to stare at her, his mouth slightly open, his eyes wide. \\ I'm

going for a walk," he said suddenly.



Tom headed into the forest, his mind whirling with thoughts of his father,

dragons, and the door. He walked without thinking where he was going. When he

looked up, he realized he had no idea where he was.

It began to rain, lightly at first, and then much heavier. He scrambled for

some shelter, drawing back some bracken and fern, unearthing what appeared to be

the entrance to a huge cave in a rock face. Curious, he entered the cave. Itwas

dark, damp, and smelly. Once his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he ventured down a

passageway. The tunnel was tall enough for him to stand upright and the rock was

smooth, and cool to his fingertips as he found his way along in the dim. Suddenly he

rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks.

A fiery-coloured dragon was lying, apparently asleep, just a few feet away.

Tom gasped. When he saw the dragon stir, he turned and ran back up the tunnel. He

did not stop running until he reached the edge of the woods where he finally slowed

down to get his breath back. Then, half walking, half running, he returned to his

grandmother's house.

"Isabel" he cried panting. 1\ I just saw a dragon."

"What!"cried Isabel.

"I found a hidden cave in a rock face and inside it was a dragon the colour of

fire," said Tom earnestly.

"No!" gasped Isabel. "Show me!"



Tom guided his grandmother into the forest. When they reached the spot

where the cave was, Tom pushed back the thick bushes, revealing the entrance.

Isabel shook her head in bewilderment, "All these years, and I never knew this was

here. We must be quiet," she whispered in Tom's ear. "Otherwise it might hear us."

They crept into the cave and along the tunnel. When they rounded the corner,

there was the dragon still, except this time it was awake.

"Hello," said Isabel slowly. "It's Flame isn't it?"

The dragon answered in a deep, gravelly voice, "How do you know my name?"

"I used to be the Dragon Keeper," said Isabel. "Don't you remember?"

"Yes," said Flame in surprise. "Forgive me. I did not recognize you, Tscbel."

Tom said, "I didn't know you knew him."

"Oh yes, we're old friends. Flame, this is my grandson, Tom." Isabel said

introducing the pair.

"Hello," said Flame.

"Hi Flame," said Tom cheerfully. "Did you know I've never met a dragon

before?"

"Well, there's always a first time for everything," said Flame smiling.

"Flame, I thought the dragons were all on the other side of the door?" said

Isabel, looking puzzled.



"They are. All except for me," explained Flame, "Years ago, I was out flying

when suddenly the door closed. When I tried to get through it, I just hit a blank

wall."

"Oh, dear," said Isabel. "Have you been here all this time then?"

"Yes," said the Dragon.

"But then the only way for Flame to go back is if Father believes again," cried

Tom.

"Yes," said Isabel. "We really need to make John believe."

"John, is Keeper of the Door?" asked Flame.

"Yes," Tom replied. "He's my father." He turned to Isabel and said, "How are

we going to make Father believe again?"

"I don't know," said Isabel thoughtfully.

"I do," cried Flame. "All you have to do is bring him to this cave and then when

he sees me, surely he will believe again."

"Or we could go and see him?" said Tom.

"Sure, I would look great walking through the town," said Flame, and they all

laughed.

Tom ran all the way home. John, who was gardening, looked up in surprise.

"Father, will you come for a walk with me in the forest?" panted Tom. "I want

to show you something."



"Of course," said John, looking slightly puzzled.

As they set off towards the forest, Tom wondered how John would react

whenhe saw Flame. "Father, why don't you believe in Dragons?" he asked.

"Becausethey are just siJlymyths. Tom, where exactly are we going?"

"Ycu"!l see," said Tom.

When they reached the cave, Tom drew back the bracken and said, "Wait until

you see what's inside."

"Tom, I'm not sure we should. Itmight not be safe," John said warily.

"Oh, please come," Tom pleaded, and John reluctantly followed him into the

cave. Tom kept glancing back at his father to makesure that he wasstill following

him. When they turned the corner, Tom saw Flametalking to IsabeL John cried out

in shock. He stood frozen to the ground, and when he finally spoke, it was in a

whisper, "Tom, am I dreaming?"

I\No,John," said Isabel, firmly. "This is real. If you don't believe me,then

comeand touch Flame."

John approached Flameand cautiously raised his hand in the air. Flame tilted

his head, allowing John to touch the softer scales on the underside of his neck. John

turned to look at his mother and his son. There were tears in his eyes. When he

spoke, his voice wasalmost as gruff as Flame's.\II have been such a fool" he said.

"How could I not believe in dragons?"



"You had a right not to believe" said Isabel, tears in her eyes also, "I never

took you to see one."

"I am so sorry," John said to both of them, when suddenly, a noise made them

all turn around. A huge ornately carved door had appeared in the wail, and they were

just in time to see Flame's tail disappear through the door.

"Can we follow him?" asked John

"No, we can't," said Isabel. "Dragons can visit our world, but we cannot visit

there's."

"How do you know all this?" said John.

"When I met the Dragons, they taught me everything. Everything, that is, that

my mother had not taught me,"

"We should go home then" said Tom, and he turned around and began to walk

back up the tunnel. They walked through the forest without speaking, all of them

deep in their own thoughts.

The next morning, Tom awoke early. He dressed hurriedly, and set out for the

cave, wondering what he would find there. For now, he was Keeper of the Door.

When he reached the cave, more than twenty dragons were there to greet him,

including Flame.

A silvery Dragon stepped forward, "Thank you for releasing us," she said. l iMy

name is Storm, I am the Leader of the Dragons, Now that you are Keeper of the



Door there are a few thing you must agree to. The most important are that you visit

us as often as you can, you may never share what we teach you with anyone but your

first-born child, and you must always believe," she said with a smile.

Throughout Tom's life, he never stopped believing in the Dragons. When his

daughter, Rose, was born, he taught her everything he knew. When Rose turned

twelve and became Keeper of the Door, Tom was happy, knowing that she would

continue to care for the Dragons just as he had.

2nd prize - the keeper of the door by cadyn morgan-mcgregor

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