Young Storykeeper Volume III

122 | STORYKEEPERS VOLUME III AGE NINE | 123
THE LIGHTHOUSE
I’m Jack and ever since my dad died, I have been
guarding the lighthouse. It’s not just about telling
boats where to go, there’s a secret that my dad and
his dad before him and his dad before him kept. I’m
about to tell you.
A lighthouse was not originally made to show
boats where they’re going, it was made to show where
the wall between the underworld and our worlds is
weakest. It just so happens that I saw a monster
escape and I have to track it down. I’m bringing my
friend Calum because he guards a lighthouse too.
“Calum, why are you bringing your dog?”
“She helps me sleep.”
“Leave Lou-Lou here, Calum.”
“Fine. Jack, how do you plan on following this
monster anyway?”
“I put a tracker on it of course.”
“Jack, I’m not going if we don’t have weapons.”
“I’ve got a hunting knife, a machete and two
shotguns. We’re taking the next plane to Skellig
Michael because that’s where the second portal is.
The monsters are heading there now to let the other
monsters out.”
We got to Skellig Michael and found the monster
opening the portal. It lashed out with its sword and
caught Calum in the hip. I jumped in as the monster
sent two strikes that I batted down. I sent three strikes
of my own that the monster blocked with ease and
then it disarmed me. Just as it was going to kill Calum,
there was a loud bang as the monster fell.
Calum had shot it in the head. They thought
they had won but then they saw the other monsters
seeping out of the portal and realised the fight had
just begun.
Leo Ward
Co Dublin
HARRY FINDS A LIGHT
A BEACON OF LIGHT
Emily Chambers
Co Kilkenny
HOWTH LIGHTHOUSE
I like to visit Howth Lighthouse
It’s wide and tall
And makes me feel very small
It has a red door
And a very high floor
I bet it can view the whole sea
Oh! how I wish that were me.
Sam Dunne Donnelly
Co Kilkenny
Sad, depressed, forgotten - any of these three words
could describe how Harry O’Brien was feeling right
now. He had been kicked out of his hurling team and
was too small for rugby. Everything had changed when
school started because that was when his parents got
divorced. Now, he lived with his mom, Jane, and his
brother lived with his dad, Patrick. It wasn’t very nice
with only his ma at home, so Harry was usually sad.
One day Harry’s mother tried to cheer him up with a
story.
“Do you know the lighthouse in Howth?” she
asked.
Harry nodded, remembering going there when
he was six.
“Well... legend says that a fairy lives there!” she
explained.
“Really?” asked Harry.
“That’s what they say.”
“Wow!!” he said.
“Hope you’re happier!” she said, as she left the
room.
She was right, Harry was happier.... but he was
also curious. Harry had an idea, He would go to the
Howth lighthouse and borrow his father’s boat, named
Láidir. Harry knew it meant ‘strong’ because his father
told him the day they named it.
Harry ran across town and saw the boat docked
at his father’s house.
As Láidir drew further from town the sail swelled out
and a wave splashed under Láidir’s prow and she
was alive again! Harry docked the boat at the Howth
lighthouse and felt a strange feeling because the sun
was setting, and it was beautiful! But he also had a
strange feeling because he felt as if someone was
watching him! He turned around and saw a fairy flying
above his head.
“Hello, you must be Harry O’Brien!”
“How did you know?” asked Harry.
“I know a lot of things,” she said. The fairy
paused. “Did you know that your ma came here when
she was little?”
“Why did she come here?” asked Harry.
“Well, she loved collecting the seashells that
washed ashore,” said the fairy. “But she left when she
had you.”
The fairy and the boy became very close friends
and the fairy glowed with happiness. Harry loved
the lighthouse and the lighthouse loved him. Many
forgot the name of the town Harry lived in, but if you
remember and go to the Howth lighthouse you might
find a boy at the rocks of the lighthouse dipping his
feet in the cold water.
His name is Harry.... and he finally found a home.
Eva Forde
Vancouver, Canada