We are eagerly awaiting next Wednesday when the winners of the national Write4Fun competition are announced. Hugh Reynolds entered a story called “The Pass to Dan-ma Ru” that had to be 500 words or under and has been notified that he has made it through to the final round of judging. Congratulations and Good Luck Hugh!

Following is Hugh's writing piece:

The Pass to Dan-ma Ru

Bracing himself against the torrent of icy wind that rushed towards him, down the narrow pass, the small, lone figure prepared himself for the challenge ahead. Wei’s heart pounded in his chest. He remembered his father's words as if it was yesterday.

“Go Wei, find the city of Dan-ma Ru, live there, live happily.” 

Dan-ma Ru was somewhere in those mountains, his home was there. Wei began the trek, sticking to the path. He tasted his frigid lips and trembled in the cold. He noticed the jagged rocks on either side of him, growing more frozen and menacing, as he ventured on. Danger hung like mist in these mountains. Every noise echoed a threat to him. But Wei kept his pace. In the distance wolves howled a deadly chorus, which echoed throughout the mountains. Wei noticed the vegetation growing more sparse, in juts of stone. He was getting higher into the sky, and he felt his body shiver violently. The boy sat down and looked about, his gloves were covered with frost, oh how he wished he was sitting in front of a wood fire. 

Wei awoke covered in snow, the charred remains of his fire smoked wearily, it’s puffs getting smaller and smaller as if it was falling into a slumber. He had fallen asleep the day before and his body was engulfed in ice. Wei took out his measly breakfast. It consisted of a slice of bread, turnip and pork. He gulped it down, famished and continued upward feeling debilitated and numb with cold. 

Wei’s joints ached from the glacial weather and he sniffed at his freezing snot. He thirstily picked up a handful of ice and sucked at it to keep him hydrated. Wei was scared as a more closer pack of wolves howled in the rocky pass. The path suddenly frightened, stopped. Wei reminded himself that Dan-ma Ru would be close, he could feel it. His imagination soared as he pictured it’s golden gates and people awaiting for his arrival. Another cluster of fierce howling broke his concentration, he had to be more wary from now on, he decided. Wei followed an almost frozen stream determined to continue. His legs screamed at him to rest, Wei tried ignoring it but he gave in and rested. So he sat down to start a fire when all of a sudden a pack of howling wolves raced down the side of one of the cliffs. He kept trying to light his fire. The wolves were advancing toward him, then the alpha leaped for him. In a flash, Wei’s torch ignited and Wei fought the wolf off with the glaring light. Another leaped at him, and he fought it off with the torch. All of a sudden Wei slipped and fell into the icy stream. Afterwards he saw nothing.       

Wei lay frozen, dying beside the stream. Golden gates ahead opened and their inhabitants came out, and took him into the city walls. Wei was home, in Dan-ma Ru at last.