500 Words 2023: read a finalist's story from the 8-11 category

<500 Words< Finalists< 8-11

This story was chosen as a top 50 finalist for 500 Words 2023.

Remember, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not taken into account for a 500 Words story, therefore all the top 50 stories have been published how they were submitted.

The Extraordinary Camel by Levana J.

Well, you want to know how this story starts? It's Channuka, Dennis and Rose (our two heroes) get a present from their Aunt Sbaba. It's a miniature golden camel, on it's back is a lid that opens to put things inside. They say thank you to Aunt Sbaba and rush upstairs to examine it.

When they open it, a big woosh comes out which has the sweet aroma of cinnamon. "Wow!" says Rose as they watch the woosh form into a galaxy sort of shape. Suddenly their feet leave the ground. "What's going on?!" shouts Rose as they're dragged into the glowing pool.

Then with a bump, the children's feet hit scorching sand. "Where are we?" squeals Dennis. "I think…we're in Ancient Egypt?" Rose explained in a nervous voice. Now, the reason Rose thinks they're in Ancient Egypt is that everyone around them was wearing white linen robes and she can see what looks like pyramids in the distance. "How are we going to get home?" cried Dennis.

Just then, a tall, thin Egyptian man appeared and said "boddly ucutey mloc". "Er sorry?" said Dennis. "Oh, I didn't know you don't speak hieroglyphics. My name is Borak. Now if you want to go back to modern times, you need to come with me and answer some questions." "Okay" exclaimed Rose "But you do know hieroglyphics isn't a language?" Borak chose to ignore this comment.

"First question, what do we do to dead bodies?" asked Borak "Oh I know" piped up Dennis "You mummify them". "Great" the Egyptian said. "Name one of our Pharaohs?" carried on Borak. "Cleopatra!" blurted out Rose before she could stop herself. "Correct!" said the man. The next question he asked was where do Egyptians put the brains of dead people. "In Canopic jars!" said Dennis.

And so, on and on this went until finally they walked to the Pharaoh' palace. He was balding, chubby, short and sitting in a golden throne. He handed Rose a small bottle filled with a strange blue spice, but little did they know, he had hatched a evil plan to steal their golden camel.

Rose opened the jar and a tiny bit of powder split on her hand. Immediately the youngster's feet were dragged off the ground, Dennis grabbed hold of his sister. They were pulled into a whirlpool and went flying through the air until their feet hit soft carpet.

They heard a creak, so they did what any one of us would do, they turned around and couldn't believe their eyes. The Pharaoh was standing there! "Give me the camel and I'll leave" he snarled. Just then Rose had an idea. She opened the camel's hump… the evil Pharaoh somehow shrank, Dennis carefully lifted him by his headdress and put him inside the camel, shutting the lid.

"I'm flabbergasted! I mean, first we got transported to Ancient Egypt, then an Egyptian sneaked back with us!" said Rose. "Why on earth did Aunt Sbaba give us this for Channuka?"

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