Island of the magical herb

Rajbir Singh
AIS Gurugram 43, XII S

Dr Cordell knew he had to run -  and run fast. ‘It’ was following him and, if it caught up, he would not survive another minute. He had to get back to the camp at any cost. Suddenly, he felt something pounce on him, and he let out a terrified scream. Surprisingly, he could not feel the sharp claws tearing his back, or any hot breath burning up his skin, something he had fully anticipated. Confused, he let out another scream and fainted.
When he woke up, he saw the familiar faces of Dr Mathers, Dr Kelly, Dr Jackson, Dr Youngs, Dr Broadus, and Dr Wallace. They were all looking equally horrified. They had been experiencing similar nerve-wracking incidents in different ways. Dr Mathers had felt a creature pounce on him while he was tending the fire. Dr Broadus got hysterical as he narrated that something ghastly had been stalking him. Dr Kelly and Dr Youngs had seen it while hunting a boar.
These doctors had come to the island in search of a special herb which was believed to reverse aging and grant immortality. And though they had been here for six months, they hadn’t found the herb. Worse, they had run out of food supply three months ago. They were surviving on indigenous fruits and tubers, and sometimes, on birds and small animals for protein. Adding to all their misery was the horror unleashed by this strange creature. However, the team did not want to give up. They knew the discovery of the herb would win them unprecedented fame and riches.
They spoke in whispers about how they would confront the creature if it attacked them again. Little did they know, this moment was not too far. The same night, Dr Wallace heard a chewing noise. He grabbed his rifle and followed the sound to the kitchen. He froze in fright. A dark, towering figure was hungrily chomping at a piece of meat. The creature turned, and Dr Wallace screamed. It was grotesque - a black head, red, bulging eyes, furry limbs, and fangs dripping with blood. Behind it lay the writhing
figure of Dr Jackson. Dr Wallace let out another shriek, and the last thing he saw before fainting was the figure lunging at him with a wicked grin on his face.
When Dr Wallace woke up, he found he had a few scratches. He saw Dr Jackson preparing food, while others were planning their next search operation. Dr Wallace went numb. Not being able to comprehend the previous night’s horror, he broke down completely. Dr Jackson knew right away they could not prolong their stay any further. Devastated by failure, but willing to risk their lives, they called for rescue.
The next day, a rescue ship arrived to take the doctors home. A medical team assessed that extreme starvation had led to this mass hysteria and the creature was merely a hallucination. As the ship sailed away, a deafening roar filled up the skies. Dr Wallace murmured, “What if it was never a hallucination? What if this creature was the protector of the magical herb? After all, how much can we take away from nature without giving anything in return?”

Beneath The bed

Surya Arora
AIS Gurugram 43, IX A

Beneath my bed, shadows creep
A dark world, where nobody sleeps
A hidden realm of dust and dread
Where terrors live, lost socks tread

The dust bunny, big and brown
A silent guardian of the ground
It floats and drifts without a sound
In a fluffy yet very dusty mound

The midnight monster, huge and sly
With dreadful eyes that hypnotise
It whispers, haunts, tells no lies
But thrives on bedtime lullabies

Each crumb of the day tumbles by
Scattered stars in the gloomy night
They gather, conspire, and then lie
A meal for ants that are passing by

And oh, the dust, in its supreme
A powdery cloak on every dream
It swirls and twirls in moonlit gleam
A silent endless, greyish stream

So, if you are brave to take a peek
And venture where floorboards creak
You’ll find a realm that’s quite unique
Where shadows, dust & dreams speak.