THE CAVE






My home was high in a tree Too vulnerable to strikes of I needed somewhere to go. A shelter, of sorts.
Huddling beneath the Cracked, Dented, Roof. I knew this wasn’t safe. But I couldn’t bring myself t Not yet.
I have lived here forever. Since I was nine. Six whole years.
If I left, I would be leaving forever. There was no shelter close enough. The wind was ruthless, unusual. I hid behind the main tree trunk, And, As I stood there, Hugging the place I had known for so long, I knew it was time to go. I took in every part of my life, That I was about to leave forever. As I caressed the ground with my foot. Then, Slowly, Sadly, I climbed down the ladder.
The lantern I lit was shaky, But bright.
I stumbled out into the night, Casting a faint glow on the Dark, gloomy forest. The forest I called home. Thunder rattled the sky, A sky I would barely be able to see, If not for the lantern. Lightning struck a nearby tree, and I ducked, Dove, Wove, All the time, Cradling my lantern, The source of light On this gloomy night.
My book is called Bridge of Starlight. It’s a book about a normal girl, Charlie, a bit paranoid, whose whole world is thrown into a frenzy in one afternoon. As if the people she loves being abducted isn’t enough already, she finds herself in a secret magical organization that reveals hidden information to her. And her whole life changes. Just like that. Soon, she finds herself thrown into a conflict that she didn’t know about until that one fateful afternoon. And the question is: Will she succeed alongside her friends? Or will she suffer the consequences? My book is called Bridge of Starlight. It’s a book about a normal girl, Charlie, a bit paranoid, whose whole world is thrown into a frenzy in one afternoon. As if the people she loves being abducted isn’t enough already, she finds herself in a secret magical organization that reveals hidden information to her. And her whole life changes. Just like that. Soon, she finds herself thrown into a conflict that she didn’t know about until that one fateful afternoon. And the question is: Will she succeed alongside her friends? Or will she suffer the consequences?
The rain poured down all around me, It was all I could do to keep the fire lit. The fire that was my only source of light. Menacing thunder crackled somewhere above, Where, I couldn’t tell. I could only see lightning, Striking all around me, Illuminating the forest, In flashes of terrifying light.
are thrilled to introduce you to our newest published author, Sloka Edara! Sloka recently published her book, Bridge of Starlight, through our Fresh Ink publishing program. In Fresh Ink, youth authors with a completed draft of a novel are mentored through a chapter-by-chapter revision process. At the end of the through the ink-and-paper hands and share with other readers!
As the rain splashed the river beside me, I could see that it was rising, The splashes strong, Misting me with everything they have. My hair was plastered to my face, My clothes stuck to every part of me. And, for a moment, I thought of going back home. I would never make it, of course. I would be lost in the dense woods. I inhaled. This is all I had now. Me, and a dim light. Plus a soaked piece of wood I couldn’t bear to part with, That I was hugging. My last piece of home. It was a terrifying moment, And yet, I embraced the darkness.
Running, running, running. Through the pouring, Relentless, Rain.
I saw the river crossing ahead of me, The side beyond obscured by the creeping dark. Climbing, Up, up, up. I looked back.
The journey through the trees would be risky. But, Of course, Everything was a forest. I was already taking a risk.
In a second, I had already made up my mind. Clearing the river in a few neat jumps. Rock, to rock, to rock, I crawled forwards, Under the shelter of a kind tree, Both a windbreaker, And an umbrella.
Lightning struck the tree. I was left rolling and Scrambling, scrambling, scrambling. I set my sights on where the land rose steeply, Running. No longer aimlessly. With a purpose.
I jumped the fallen logs, The singed branches.
I just knew that somewhere up here, There had to be a rock I could hide behind, A boulder I could crawl under. Something. Please let there be something.
I jumped a deep ravine, Careful not to look down. I ducked under swaying branches, Now getting lower. And denser.
Now, I was just hoping. Trusting, that there would be something.
Pushing through the falling, Enclosing, Rain.
My vision was blurry. So blurry, I barely saw the cliff. I nearly barreled over it, Then stopped myself at the last second. Looking desperately, Depressed, At the cliff. The sheer stone. The uninviting ledges That provided no kind shelter and no protective safety. I’d left so much behind, And I didn’t know what to go forward to. I was lost.
I’ve come this far already. I reached for the edge of the cliff, Hoping it wouldn’t. No. Daring it to Throw me off. My toes scraped the next ledge. Dropping desperately, Trusting the cliff to hold me steadily. The shelter from the wind. I owed it my life, right now. The wind shifted, Throwing me against the cliff. As I rolled backward, My beloved wood piece fell, The last piece I had of my old life.
There was no time to think. I launched myself after it. When I looked up, I realized how lucky I was. The ledge caught me, And I still had my piece of wood. Then, I thought of what I had done. I was sorry, But it’s time to let go. I lowered myself to the next ledge. Not waiting to hear the Horrifying, Terrifying, Thunk. The thunk of my last piece of home. There’s no ledge beyond here. I’d have to rely on the rocks that jutted out, And my climbing skills. Reaching for the next one down, I slipped.
Pebbles bounced out from under my trembling boot. Carefully, Hopefully, I eased myself across the rocks, Willing my arms not to give out just yet. Willing the storm not to be too much for them.
Trust. This part needed it. I slowly peeled off my arms, Terrified of dropping, But more so, Of finding out, I’d come all this way, Took all these risks, For a shadowy indent in the cliff.
Just as I dropped, I raked my arms across the small ledge, Only as big as one of my hands. Still, It did the job. Glancing down, All I saw was the rain. Carefully pulling myself into the hole, I gasped, Wondering if I was dreaming.
I was in a Cozy, Lit, Beautiful, Cave. Green lights twinkled, Charms against every surface. An inviting crevice on the wall, Begging me to curl up on it, One just below, Pleading to be a firepit.
It was hard to let go of my other life, But it’s not all bad. Barely a bit is bad. I had a cave now, Sheltering me, Taking care of me. I would thank fate, But that’s not how I got here. I got here, With risk, With trust, With hope. But mostly, With faith.