Writing stories with The Word Artist Website

He pressed the knife against the man’s neck, the runes on the blade glowing.

“This is your last chance, Dr. Jerydonn.” He growled. “Where is it?”

Dr. Jerydonn smiled, but quickly stopped when his kidnapper pressed the knife harder, sending a single drop of blood trickling down his neck. 

“Alright, stop! I’ll tell you.” Dr. Jerydonn finally relented. His kidnapper narrowed his eyes and released the man from his knife’s grasp, but still kept a firm hand on him.

He muttered some coordinates and a location to the kidnapper, who hurriedly scribbled them on a sheet of paper. He folded the paper neatly and said, “If you are lying, hmm…… prepare to see how strong you really are.”

“Oh, brawn is not an issue. I only need my wits.” Dr. Jerydonn replied. “Also……I wish you the best of luck.” He added sarcastically.

His kidnapper waved a dismissive hand at him and smirked. “I won’t need it.” 

After following the coordinates, the kidnapper finally reached where the supposed serum was being hidden. It looked exactly as he had pictured, run-down building, sixteen-digit code lock……

He simply keyed in the numbers that Dr. Jerydonn had given him. His eyes followed the ‘enter’ button, which had quickly changed into an aquamarine dot, before outlining a large square, leaving a glowing trail in its wake. The outline glowed even brighter, before dimming and moving forwards slightly. The kidnapper gave a quick glance to his surroundings before pushing the wall-turned-pivot door. The second he entered the room, he turned back only to see the door retracted back inside.

His sharp eyes scanned the room anxiously. Cell samples and diagrams plastered the walls of the room. A microscope and some other laboratory equipment were lined up in a row on a countertop. A large glass container sat at the far end of the room, with several test tubes and a few small bottles inside.

He tilted his head slightly and took out a small metal disk. The top of the disk was clear and a purple cell could be seen. Pressing the sides of the disk, he activated a laser that scanned the surroundings before landing on a stand on the table. 

The kidnapper walked towards the table with bold and confident steps. He held up the bottle, carefully unscrewed the cap, and lifted it up to eye level.

This was it.

He tipped the bottle over.

Nothing came out.

Nothing.

5 rough, desperate years of searching…… all lead to one conclusion.

There was no more serum. Not even a drop.

He threw the bottle onto the floor. The resounding crash that followed echoed off the laboratory’s walls as the bottle broke into pieces. His body shook in an uncontrollable rage, like a bomb due to explode any moment.

His glare fell onto a monitor on the table. Five pictures of five teenagers were on the screen. No names, no addresses, no data……only the bold words.

DOSE TAKEN

It was all he needed.

He picked up a shard and gripped it tightly, causing his palm and thumb to bleed. He would come for them. He would make them pay, and nothing could stop him.

“Ring!” The lunch bell rang. Edward sat next to Jessie as she had brought a lunchbox too so they could exchange snacks.

“Hey Jess, some apple slices for some carrot sticks?” asked Edward as he opened his lunchbox.

“Deal,” said Jessie, and the duo made a swap.

“Ooh, Edward just found himself a new friend! It must be so hard to make friends in this class!” a sarcastic, drawling voice came from behind. A sleek black-haired boy had noticed Jessie with her newly found friend. 

“Go away, Thomas! Go back to your table or I’m telling Madam Ng!” said another voice nearby. It was a Prefect.

“Oh sorry, Prefect Jacob. I was just passing by. I’ll be on my way now.” Thomas replied, snickering. “See you soon, Edward and Jessica,” he added before leaving with his bully goons.

Edward thanked Jacob and invited him to sit at the table. “ That Thomas guy is just too much for me to handle.” Eddy remarked angrily. Jacob checked his watch. “I need to go. I’m on duty for the stalls today. Just watch out for Thomas and you’ll be alright,” he said, getting off the bench. Jessie turned to Edward.

“Well, I guess we need to watch out for Thomas,” she said and Eddy nodded.

~

After lunch, Edward forgot all about the Thomas incident since during Physical Education Class they were to complete an obstacle course which included hurdles, cones, and the school rock wall. The class was excited as they never had been on the school rock wall before and were chatting all about it during Science.

“Now class, where are your Plant Growth projects?” Ms Lim asked the class as she entered the classroom.

“On the school rock wall!” replied Max, an athletic student.

Ms Lim stopped in her tracks. Her pupils had left their homework on the school rock wall? Luckily, Jessie took control of the matter.

“Umm… Ms Lim, I’m a new student. The name’s Jessica, and the class definitely did not put their Plant Growth projects on the rock wall, as they have never been on it before and that’s why they’re a little too excited,” she explained to the Science teacher.

“Oh, thank you, Jessica. Right, class, please hand up your projects as they are not on the rock wall any longer,” Ms Lim said.

~

Finally, when PE came, the class was even more elated than ever before. Not about the fact that the course was quite long, though.

“Huff…puff…” panted Max.

“How much longer?” asked Mary, who was at the gym mats section doing forward rolls.

“Can I take a rest?” asked Percy.

The rest of the class had similar reactions. All except one.

“Wheee!” cheered Lucas, as he climbed up the rock wall. When Lucas finished, he even ran to the start and went again effortlessly.

“Do you think that Lucas, you and I have something weird in common?” asked Eddy when he and Jessie were drinking water.

“Maybe,” replied Jess as they watched Lucas go for his third round. Mr Tang, the PE teacher was trying to keep the equipment into the PE shed but Lucas had insisted on going one more round.

“You could try to make that shield again at home today,” suggested Jess.

~

At home, Edward shut the door of his room and turned to a pile of old newspapers. He took a deep breath and yelled like he did earlier, “DON’T!” at the newspapers. 

Nothing happened.

Edward sighed and slumped onto his desk chair.

“ I can’t do the shield again,” Eddy thought sadly. “Why?”

“Because you do not need the shield,” a small voice in his head said. Edward sighed again and took out the novel he had not finished reading and read it.

~ 

Meanwhile, in another household, Jessie was having problems too.

POOF! One moment she was a table.

POOF! The next she was a penguin from the South Pole.

POOF! Then she was a potted plant.

POOF! Suddenly she had turned back into a human, but a different one.

“Why am I wearing that chunky necklace? It looks familiar. What is that jacket brand again? Who wears this torn dress? Oh, yeah, my sister does. WAIT! I’m my own sister???” asked Jessie, sounding completely baffled. Just then, the door opened.

“Jessie, Mum’s looking for you!” came Jane Lee’s voice. “Jessie?” she asked again.

Jessie was nowhere to be found. Actually, she was, just that Jane could not see her. On the ceiling, the tiniest dot heaved a tiny sigh of relief. Yes, you guessed it. Jessie had turned into an ant!

~

The next day was a Saturday, and Saturday meant the weekly trip to the library again. Edward was looking forward to the trip as he had arranged a meeting with Jessie that afternoon to discuss what they (with Lucas too) had in common. Edward was so excited that he had rushed to the library half an hour early. After borrowing some more novels to read, he settled down in a comfy chair and read one of the books. 

“Hey Eddy!” said Lucas, running towards him. 

“Hi there, Lucas!” replied Edward, pulling out a chair for his friend to sit down on.

“Where’s J?” asked Lucas.

“It’s Jessie!” cut in Eddy. “Anyway, I don’t know where she is. By the way, you should do your English Composition, as it’s due on Monday.”

“Oh. What was the theme again?” asked Lucas. Eddy sighed.

~

Jessie did come after all, she had gone for her tuition class and it overlapped with their meeting and had lost track of time while she was chatting to a friend, Madison. The trio started flipping through books and searching on the internet with Jessie’s computer. Or rather, the duo was.

“Lucas! Come and help!” Edward beckoned his friend. 

“But you said we have to finish our homework!” Lucas told him.

“That was earlier! Now that Jessie’s here, you can stop your homework. Come and help with the books!” replied Edward, half reading a book called “15 Rare Things The Human Body Can Do” and half watching a video on real superpowers. Lucas shuffled over and pulled out a book called “101 Of The World’s Rarest Things” from the tottering pile of books, but ended up reading a comic book on kids who become superheroes.

“Lucas, focus!” advised Edward. Lucas, however, was still reading. Jessie took one look at the book and gasped.

“Eddy, look!” she said, pointing at one comic named In Class. “The comic’s story is very similar to what happened to us!”

“You’re right! In the comic, a boy named Mark rescues a girl named Mary from bullies, then the next day Mary turns into a dog, then Mark’s friend Carl becomes very good at PE , then Mark and Mary think something is weird in all three of them, so they proceed to the library…… WAIT! Is this story about us?” Edward realised. Jessie flipped the page. Strangely enough, the next pages were blank… at first.

“Hey look! There’s a comic about them discovering that they have powers……” Lucas exclaimed, reading.

“We have powers???” Edward and Jessie exclaimed. Just then, a librarian walked over.

“Excuse me, this is a library,” he said, putting a finger to his lips.

“Sorry sir,” Jessie apologised. “But do you know who wrote this book?” she added. 

“Actually, this book was found on the library doorstep on 3rd of January in year 2011,” replied the librarian, whose name was Mr Li. “It had no author, but I decided to just pop it in the Superhero Fiction Section,”

“3rd of January? Isn’t that your birthday, Eddy?” Lucas turned to Edward.

“It is!” Edward realised.

“Well, you never know, it might have been dedicated to you!” said Mr Li, grinning. The trio turned to each other before Jessie turned to Mr Li.

“We’d like to borrow that book, Mr Li.” said Jessie.

During lunch, Edward, Jessie, Lucas, Madison and Jacob met at the foyer to discuss what was going on to Jacob on behalf of Edward.

“So basically, we have superpowers. Yes, you heard it right, Jacob,” said Edward to the four seated people in front of him. “Apparently, someone knows about this, which I’m sure is not supposed to. Also, we just so happen to have different powers. Jessie can shape-shift, Lucas has high agility and super speed, I can make force fields, but you two,” said Edward, indicating at Madison and Jacob, “have yet to discover your powers. I already suspect Jacob can control water since he levitated water in the air. Madison, what power do you think you can do?” 

“I’m not sure actually,” Madison said.

“Maybe try to do something?” suggested Lucas.

“What’s the time?” asked Jacob suddenly.

“Ten past eleven and forty-six seconds,” replied Madison.

“How do you know the seconds?” asked Jessie and Jacob.

“Oh, I can hear the canteen clock’s second hand ticking from here,” said Madison innocently. The other four gasped.

“You must have heightened senses!” realised Edward, “Can you see in the night?” he asked.

“Yes, and I can see Thomas making his way here!” exclaimed Madison, pointing at a tiny silhouette of a boy walking towards the foyer. In a flash, Lucas and Madison were gone.

“Fancy me seeing you here!” sneered Thomas, as he sauntered towards Edward, “Shouldn’t you be in the canteen, trying your hardest to make new friends, Mr Lonely?” snickered Thomas.

“He has friends!” retorted Jacob and Jessie angrily.

“Oh, hello Jessie, Thomas, Jacob and Edward!” came a familiar voice. It was Madam Ng.

“Thomas, I just discovered that you have not finished your corrections for yesterday’s homework,” said Madam Ng suddenly. Edward, Jessie and Jacob heaved a sigh of relief when the pair made their way to the staff room.

“I think that’s enough discussion for now,” said Edward.

~

After three months of bearing with mean Thomas, the four-week June holidays were finally here. Most people had plans for the holidays and were going to travel, but Edward’s family was not.

“Eds, dear, why don’t you join a holiday workshop like your brother Elijah?” suggested Edward’s mother.

“Yeah, you can join the coding workshop with me!” exclaimed Elijah, Edward’s fourteen-year old brother excitedly.

“I’ll go to the street notice board with him,” suggested Edward’s father. Edward agreed.

At the notice board, Edward’s father had to use the restroom, so he was left alone.

“A cookery class, a science project workshop, a writing course, a coding club,” read Edward out loud, “A craft workshop, another coding club, a designing camp……A DESIGNING CLUB?” cried Edward. Apart from books and novels, Edward also liked to design floor plans of his dream house, draw buildings, and create his own skyscraper when he finishes his novels.

“You might want to join that camp, young lad,” said a passing voice. A male stranger in his thirties had seen Edward near the poster. Eddy turned.

“It’ll do you good, I promise,” added the man. Edward grinned and told his father that he wanted to join the camp. Mr Tan nodded in agreement.

~

The next day, Edward packed a couple of novels to read as well as some paper and a pencil case to the camp, as well as some superpower notes he and Jessie had made the day before early in the morning. The camp bus honked loudly and Edward raced on the pretty empty bus just when he noticed a familiar passenger.

“Jessie?” said Eddy to his bus seat partner.

“Eddy?” said the girl at the same time with just as much confusion in her voice.

“What are you doing here?” they asked in unison, before answering, “A man in his thirties told me to join the camp!”

“You guys too?” Another voice spoke up suddenly. Jacob peered out from behind Edward’s seat.

“Yeah! What a coincidence!” they replied. Just then, the bus door opened and Lucas dashed on board, taking the seat next to Edward.

“Hi guys!” he cried, and the four started talking about who could have asked all of them to join the camp when the door opened again.

“Madison!” the four said as Jessie’s friend hopped on board.

“We were just talking about who is the man in his thirties who asked us to join this camp,” explained Jessie.

“I heard you guys,” Madison said, indicating at her ears. This gave Edward an idea.

“Let’s play ‘Guess What Madison Smells’!” he suggested.

 ~

After a long bus ride, the five finally reached the campsite. Strangely enough, the five were the only ones who joined. The friends were now in a deserted campsite. 

“Where is the guide?” asked Lucas, running around the entire campsite and jumping on nearby trees. 

“Here!” said Madison, pointing at a box. “I can hear a jingling of some keys.”

“Clever girl,” a voice said. The friends turned to face their camp guide: the man in his thirties!

“Hello, I’m Mr Ong,” the man said. “Welcome to Camp Super, where you will learn how to control your superpowers!”

Mr Ong then explained that the world’s fate was arriving soon, so he magicked up some powers to be given to five random babies. He even changed the babies’ destines so they would grow up and meet each other at Milway West Primary.

“But why us?” asked Jessie, “Why not other babies?”

“I chose you guys because you may have different personality traits but one trait is the most vital: you all believe in each other! So in times of trouble, you will trust each other and work as a team!” Mr Ong explained further.

“Hmm……if you can magic up powers to be given to babies, then when the world had other fates, why didn’t you? The earth has experienced more: can your dad magic up powers too?” wondered Jacob out loud.

“You are absolutely right!” cried Mr Ong. “But for now, here are your tents; I can’t have all of you squeezed in a tent tonight!” 

 ~

Edward’s tent was between Lucas and Jessie’s tents and it sure was small! Inside the tent was a wardrobe and a cupboard. He was about to ask Mr Ong where his bed was when a note popped out of nowhere. It read “Think about what room you want this tent to be in your head (e.g. bedroom, toilet, etc) Shrugging, Edward thought of a bedroom. All of a sudden, an outline of the side of a folding chair could be seen in the tent! He grabbed the chair and it came out. Edward had not even noticed what had happened to the wardrobe. The clothes were flattened onto the back inside of the wardrobe, and turned into a bed, with the clothes merged together as sheets and a thick blanket. Edward went to put the paper on the table just when he saw another slip of paper on the table! It read: 

5 June’s Schedule

8-9: Bus Ride and arrival

9-9.30: Explaining of Camp Super’s History

9.30-10.30: Camping life introduction (please head to campsite   gathering)

10.30-11.30: Lunch break

For more updates please wait until 9.30.

Edward realised that it was already 9.30, so he hurried to the campsite gathering, which was outside the tents.

  Whoosh! The toilet tap was turned on, and a bunch of excited kids lined up, carrying Nerf guns while being led by Madam Ng.

Meanwhile, Madison was riding on Eagle Jessie, who claimed that flying so high in the sky made her dizzy.

And Lucas was helping Mr Tang to make some secret water sprayers in hidden places like in a bush. Edward was nearby, trying to make a water shield around the whole school.

~

Later, Madison alerted the others. “They’ve triggered the alarm!” she told Lucas, who installed a few more water hoses that were to be controlled by the teachers, while he himself ran to just outside the school building and raced to fetch Edward, who was dangerously at the edge of the school grounds.

“Okay, here’s the plan……” started Mr Ang, unrolling a blueprint with a image of the school on it……  

 ~

ROAR! The fire lions roared as instructed by Ashes. He cackled loudly.

“My fire lions are way too powerful! The school stands no chance against me!” he laughed. The lions pounced towards Milway West street as fast as lightning. Meanwhile, Jessie ran as fast as she could, trying to move faster than the others so she could follow the plan. Disguised as a fire lion, she was not yet suspected.

Further in front, Madison spoke to Mr Ang, “Jessie is coming,” 

Mr Ang then told Lucas, “All set,”

“Noted,” replied Lucas. He then contacted Madam Ng, “Madam Ng, prepare the Lower Primary students!”

To their utmost astonishment, Ashes created a shield around his lions so the water shield was destroyed!

Jessie quickly told Madison what had happened, who told Mr Ang, who told, Lucas, who told Madam Ng, who prepared the hoses.

The hoses did not work either! One by one, all the school’s protection was being destroyed by Ashes. 

“Ha!” laughed a proud Ashes. “No one will stop me, let alone manage to speak to me!” He added, indicating at a captured Mr Ang, Madam Ng, Mr Tang, and the school’s pupils, in a shield. The five (Jessie had turned back into a human) were watching from behind a seat anxiously.

“Goodness!” cried Jessie, “Ashes is more powerful than we thought!”

“What do we do now?” asked Lucas, glancing at Ashes worriedly.

“We can’t even leave this seat, for the lions will see us!” realised Madison.

Suddenly, what Ashes had said flickered a light bulb on in Edward’s mind. “That’s it!” he cried, before climbing over the stadium seat.

“Eddy!” Everyone tried to warn him. But it was too late. Edward had already started walking towards Ashes.

“I don’t think you will like this, my friend Ashes,” started Edward. The lions were about to pounce on him, but proud Ashes told them not to, at least for a while.

 “Like what?” said Ashes amiably.

“The fact that you are alone,” said Edward calmly.

“What do you mean?” asked Ashes.

“You stand alone here, with your charmed lions; they are not your friends. I, on they other hand,” started Edward, motioning for his friends to come, “have friends who believe in me. They trust me. If you destroy me, they will take over from me. You, will stand alone,”

Ashes looked at Edward like the boy had just told him a Christmas joke found in a cracker.

“You really think you can beat me by shouting?” laughed Ashes.

“Yes,” replied Edward calmly.

“You can’t,” said Ashes.

“I can,” said Edward.

“Can’t,”

“Can,”

“Can’t,” 

“I CAN!!!” yelled Edward suddenly , and his famous shield he had stopped Mark and John with came out of his mouth.

And it hit Ashes and his lions.