Artwork by Amr Elshamy

The Wishing Map is a full-length fantasy that is being posted episodically at this site. To read the previous episode, click here. To read the entire novel, begin here.

In an attempt break free from the naims (gnomes) who’d chosen him as their Storysmith, Zack picked twenty naim semi-finalists, from whom he planned to announce a new Storysmith—before making his escape.

Zack walked out to the middle of the field. He was terrified. He loved to pretend, but this was different. He’d been unsympathetic the night his sister froze up at the Middleton Middle School Promotion Ceremony, but now he understood. Twenty thousand naims shouted,

“Hey-fah, Master Zaggy!”

Zack took a deep breath. “Hey-fah! And welcome to the Greaty-est Storysmith Contest!” At his signal, sixty Root Naims entered the field carrying ten planks of virgin rainbowwood. They squeezed past Bulgy and his thugs. Were those spears they were holding?

Root Naims of all ages cheered, and then, unseen by Leaf Naims on the opposite side of the field, Zack slipped his greatcoat off one shoulder, exposing his red root patch. The Root Naims went wild. Master Zaggyzim was on their side!

The Leaf Naims were confused. But then Zack directed their attention to the sixty beaming Leaf Naims striding in past a disdainful Lyffwin and her pike-wielding centurions, carrying ten more planks. Zack roused the Leaf Naims to an even greater frenzy when he slipped the greatcoat off his other shoulder, revealing a blue leaf patch! Cheers rattled the foliage—Master Zaggyzim was on their side!

Once the planks had arrived, the Semi-Finalists entered and each was stationed at a plank. “I have discovered twenty new storysmiths!” Zack announced.

The crowd was confused. How could there be more than one storysmith? “Look deep and find the story in the wood!” Zack commanded, as he circled the panic-stricken Semi-Finalists, whispering into each upturned ear, “Remember, you have starheart. You can’t fail!”

Silence engulfed the clearing.

Tuber suddenly cried out with joyful astonishment: “I…I sees the story!”

The crowd on both sides gasped.

“Yes?” asked Zack. “And what do you see, Storysmith Tuber?”

“I sees a star falling from the sky.”

Zack looked at the spot. There was a knot of white spiraling across a dark blue background that indeed seemed as though it could be nothing else. “Yes! Tuber speaks traith!”

The crowd exploded with excitement.

Tuber went on, “An’ a GarKellish Sorcerer is trying ter change its path, but is not able.” Laughter erupted as the crowd envisioned the vain GarKellish Sorcerer trying move the heavens. Tuber grinned—this was the most attention the humble old root-hair inspector had ever gotten. But then his expression changed. “Tis a story a’ pride, pride as kills an’ makes all ter suffer in th’ end.”

A wiry middle-aged naim ran onto the field, assuming the role of the Sorcerer, commanding the heavens to do his bidding. And then two dozen naims raced forward and encircled him as falling stars. Others turned into wind, spinning him round and round. Still more naims, both Root and Leaf, began pouring onto the field…

Pretending the story to life!

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Thoughts: Have you ever watched something you created take on a life of its own?

To read the next episode, click here.