2017 Inklings Book Contest finalist: Larrabee Mitchell
Today we are featuring Inklings Book Contest 2017 finalist, Larrabee Mitchell! Larrabee finished 2nd grade this past school year. The story he submitted is called “THE LEGEND OF CANIS LATRANS” We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did!
Leave a comment below on what you thought!
THE LEGEND OF CANIS LATRANS
by Larrabee Mitchell
Chapter One: The Crime
Zack Stewart woke up on a sunny day. He had a plan to rob the house across the street. He had been a criminal ever since the government turned him into one. Years ago, he was imprisoned for criticizing the government. He made a deal where he spent all his money to buy his freedom. Now he had to steal money.
He packed his bag and got ready to commit the crime. With a rope, he lowered himself out of his window so as not to be seen. He crept through the bushes quietly and climbed up the wall of his neighbor’s house until he got to the window. He pried open the window and jumped inside. He tossed a beanie over the security camera and moved on.
He took out a silent bomb and placed it on the wall. It blew the wall open, and there was the stash of money he was looking for. He unzipped his bag. And filled it with money. He jumped back out the window and climbed the rope into his house.
He examined the money and flopped onto his bed. It was barely enough money. He plugged earbuds into his phone and started to listen to music.
He was disturbed half way through a song by the sound of sirens. The police had found him. He slid down the rope with the bag of money and ran into the forest. He could hear the police as he crawled through the undergrowth.
He reached a fence and hopped it. He was at the airport. He looked around and then saw a plane carrying cargo that was just about to leave. He ran towards it and dived through the door just as it closed. He hid himself, and the plane lifted off into the sky.
He slowly fell asleep on the plane. He was on the run. He couldn’t get caught. He didn’t want to go back to prison. Then his whole life would be wasted.
Chapter Two: The Stowaway
Zack didn’t do well on planes. He got so sick and for some reason also very thirsty. He could drink anything. Then he saw an open cargo box that held some sort of black formula.
He took one of the test tubes from the box and examined it. It looked edible to him, but he decided to leave it, despite his thirst.
Both his curiosity and his thirst grew. Finally, he couldn’t resist it anymore. He picked up the test tube and drank down the whole thing. It was thirst quenching and tasted much like coffee.
Zack settled back down into a resting position.
“Hey, how much longer till we get to our destination,” said Zack, forgetting that he was a stowaway.
The startled pilot looked back and saw Zack. He said, “What are you doing here?”
The pilot turned on the autopilot while he dealt with Zack.
He marched towards Zack, but Zack had been in many fights as a criminal. Zack brought his knee up and hit the pilot’s stomach, sending him spiraling backward into the floor.
In the middle of the battle, Zack figured out he could turn into a coyote. Then it dawned on him. The black formula had made it so he could shape shift into a coyote.
Zack, in his coyote form, darted around the plane. He opened a window and slashed at the pilot with his claws. The pilot fell backward and out of the plane.
Then Zack put the plane into a dive. Soon he could see an airport and landed the plane there. He turned into a coyote because coyotes can run 15 miles per hour faster than a human.
Chapter Three: The Car Chase
Zack turned back into his human self and checked into a hotel. He opened the door to his room. He flopped onto the bed and dozed off. He only slept for a few minutes.
He woke up and looked out his window only to see police cars in the parking lot. Zack jumped out the window just as the police burst into his room. The police looked out the window and saw him.
Zack broke a car’s window and opened it. He made a key out of the things he could find in the car. He started up the engine and hit the gas pedal. Now the police had gotten into their cars too.
Zack swerved out of the parking lot with the police on his tail. He made the car so it was on its back wheels. He used another car like a ramp and he was launched into the air.
The police caught up with him. A police car bumped him from behind, but that only made Zack’s car go faster.
Just as he drove past a fruit stand, Zack opened his car door and rolled out behind it. The police saw the car was empty but didn’t know where Zack had gone.
Zack grabbed a newspaper and ran into the forest. He looked down at the newspaper. It read: Zack Stewart stole over three million dollars in cash from a house just across the street from his house. He then hid in a plane to get away from the police. It is believed that he can turn into a coyote and has now gathered the name Canis Latrans. Canis Latrans is the Latin and scientific name for coyote.
Zack was surprised that the police knew his real name because his fake identity was Charles Anderson. He was in more danger than he thought. He turned into a coyote so he would be a forest animal and the police wouldn’t find him. He also hoped they wouldn’t find the money. The money was hidden underground near the airport.
Chapter Four: An Ally
Zack woke up and turned into his human self. He stretched and then he started a fire. The fire crackled as the sun rose up into the sky.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” said a voice behind Zack.
Zack turned around ready to fight. He pinned the woman who had been speaking against a tree and raised his fist.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell the police I found you,” said the woman.
“Who are you?” said Zack, still pinning her to the tree.
“I’m Jessica, and I’m here to help you run away from the police,” said the woman.
Zack motioned for Jessica to sit down. They both sat down by the fire. Zack eyed Jessica suspiciously.
Then Zack spoke, “So you say you’re here to help me?”
“I am here to help you,’ said Jessica. “I hear you can turn into a coyote. Is it true?”
“Yes, it’s true, but it hasn’t always been so,” said Zack.
“What do you mean?” asked Jessica.
“I drank this black formula, and ever since, I’ve been able to turn into a coyote,” said Zack.
“Can I see?” asked Jessica.
“Yes, but then we must rest,” said Zack.
He turned into a coyote and scampered around the campsite. Jessica watched in awe as he did it.
After that, they lay down by the fire and slept.
Chapter Five: Out of the Forest
Zack woke up to the sound of voices. He shook Jessica awake and she rubbed her eyes.
“I heard voices over here last night. I’m going to go check right now,” said a voice.
“Don’t worry,” whispered Jessica. “I brought stunning guns.”
Zack took one and turned it around in his hand. He shoved it in his waistband and climbed up a tree. Zack trained his stunning gun on the entrance to a clearing. One guy came walking through and Zack fired. A clean shot. Zack heard footsteps coming towards the clearing.
Zack dropped from the tree. He started to run and motioned for Jessica to follow him. They ran through the forest and every once in a while turned to shoot behind them.
They reached a sidewalk where two motorcycles were parked. Zack started one up with the key he had made. He tossed the key to Jessica and she did the same. They sped off on their motorcycles in search of a hiding spot.
They finally found the ruins of an old building where they could hide. Zack and Jessica crawled into what used to be an elevator. They curled up and uncomfortably they slept.
Chapter Six: Captured and Rescued
Zack woke up and heard a helicopter in the sky. Its headlights shone down on the ruins of the fallen building.
Jessica woke up and then she said, “We’d better run.”
They ran in different directions. Zack crawled across the ground, trying not to be seen in the darkness of night.
Then, suddenly, the headlights were trained on him. He jumped into some nearby bushes. It was too late. The helicopter had seen him.
Five people jumped out of the helicopter and moved in on Zack. He desperately turned into a coyote, but the men caught him and forced him back to human form.
They handcuffed Zack, and then ropes dropped down from the helicopter and the men climbed up them. One man was holding Zack.
Zack thought this was the end. He would surely be sentenced to death. The government would never let him get away twice. But it wasn’t the end.
Jessica had seen Zack get captured. She was already forming a plan.
She climbed up a tree and bent a branch. She jumped onto the branch just as she let go of it. The branch catapulted her into the sky. She caught hold of the helicopter, broke the window and jumped inside.
She stunned everyone and then took the controls.
“Thank-,” started Zack.
“Thank me later, we got to move,” said Jessica.
Chapter Seven: New News
Zack heard a movement in the helicopter. Then, suddenly, a man popped up from behind a seat and tried to disarm him. Zack put him in a headlock. He then let the man fall to the floor and stunned him.
“We’ve got company,” said Jessica, looking at the radar.
“There are more police helicopters behind us,” said Zack. “Can you get behind that mountain before they spot us?”
“No problem,” said Jessica. “By the way, there’s something I need to show you.”
She turned on the headlights. Zack looked down, and at the foot of the mountain was a huge army of animals.
“They can all be human too,” said Jessica. “That man can turn into a golden eagle.”
“Say what?” Zack asked. “I’m not the only shape shifter?”
“No,” said Jessica. “There are many.”
“Why did you really come to find me?” asked Zack.
“You’re a legend,” said Jessica. “I need your help.”
“What do you mean?” asked Zack.
“I was with a criminal gang. We intercepted a plane carrying the same black liquid you found. I gave it to the others and they all gained the ability to shape shift into different animals. We formed an army,” said Jessica.
“Why do you need me?” asked Zack.
“A coyote is the only animal we’re missing. You are the missing piece. With you, we will be able take control of the whole state,” said Jessica.
“I’m in,” said Zack.
