Lakeline Kids Story Corner Story

My Backyard Adventure
By Haylie Gregory

I could hear the swing squeaking under the oak tree just outside my bedroom window. A light breeze made the lovely green leaves dance to the ground. The wind chimes sang a merry little tune. I headed outside with my book in hand, ready to go on an adventure. I wonder where I'll go today.

As I sat down in the old white swing, I looked around my backyard. The pink azaleas and the marigolds were playing as the Spanish moss swung from tree to tree. The smell of jasmine surrounded me. I could almost taste its sweet, delightful smell. The St. Augustine grass was freshly cut and felt so good under my bare feet.

I opened my book to examine the pages. The cover was smooth but the pages were rough like parchment. They were full of the magic of Christopher Paolini. As I was ready to go on my adventure, I heard a distraction. I looked up and saw a woodpecker hammering away at his future home. I smiled, knowing that there would soon be a family there.

As the wind blew again, a smell sweeter than the jasmine caressed my nose. The orange blossoms were in bloom. There beautiful white colored petals popped against the lavish green leaves. Soon enough I would be eating a delicious orange.

I turned my attention back to my book. Nothing would distract me from my adventure now. The words started to come to life as I read. Right before my eyes, a mountain range grew tall and majestic with peaks and valleys. The grass was soon replaced with a river that flowed smoothly through the valley. Overhead, in the crystal blue sky, was one of the most amazing sights ever. A sapphire blue dragon was flying towards the sun.

The dragon was a good bit bigger than a sixteen hand horse. Her scales looked like a sea of crystal gems. You could tell that her wings were powerful by the sound they made as she flew. Her tail was long and full of strength. Ivory colored spikes ran down her back and tail. Her eyes were fierce, yet kind as well. Riding on her back was a boy. He was a dragon rider. His name was Eragon. I knew in that moment that this dragon was Saphira. They rode as one. You could tell as clear as day that Eragon and Saphira were meant for each other.

They had traveled for a long while. I believe it was about three months. Gil'ead was a long ways away from Eragon's home in Carvahall. Eragon was seeking revenge after Urgals destroyed his home and had killed his uncle. Urgals were creatures with twisted horns and small ears. They walked around with round shields with black symbols that looked like men with big arms. They also carried short swords. They wanted to kill Eragon because he was a Rider. Eragon carried Zar'roc, his sword, at his side at all times. He was ready for another attack whenever it was ready to come.

Murtagh had now joined him on this voyage after saving Eragon, Brom and Saphira from the Urgals. Murtagh was a hooded swordsman who was also seeking revenge in Gil'ead. Murtagh also made sure that Eragon was okay because Brom had died and Eragon was still badly injured.

Eragon rode on his horse, as did Murtagh. Saphira followed after them in the sky to keep look out. The forest was dark and hard to see in. You could here random sounds coming form the forest. Sometimes it was an owl and other times it was a toad. The ground was hard and the horse's hooves could have been heard from a ways away because of the branches and twigs they had to go over. There was no such thing was silence in this forest.

All of a sudden, Murtagh raised his sword. Eragon followed him, raising Zar'roc. They were watching in every direction. Saphira was on her way down. She knew that the Urgals were coming. As she was flying towards them, my mother called me. All has stopped. I closed my book and looked up. The mountains, the river, Eragon, Saphira and Murtagh, all, were gone. They had gone back inside the rough parchment pages and I was looking at my own backyard again. I got off of the swing and headed inside with a smile on my face. I could not wait until the next day when I got to finish my adventure in my backyard.