2017 Inklings Book Contest finalist: Natalie Sharp
Today we are featuring Inklings Book Contest 2017 finalist, Natalie Sharp! Natalie finished 5th grade this past school year. The story she submitted is called “Golden Fields” We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did!
Leave a comment below on what you thought!
Golden Fields
by Natalie Sharp
Long ago, when the Earth was new and just created, there were colorful gods who roamed the heavens above the clouds. After the gods were created, there came life after it. Almost suddenly, trees sprung from the ground, the sun started to shine, and humans started to walk the Earth. Sometimes, an occasional god flew down from the clouds and created plants or animals or even advice. There was one fun-loving, light-hearted, keen goddess who thought that the heavens were endless and the pink clouds stretched on and on, never anything new or exciting. So she was popular among the people since she walked on land the most. Her name was Golden Fields, god of agriculture and farming. Her hair was wild as a lion’s mane, and her eyes as bright and as blue as blue jay wings. When she floated down to land, she was happy to create vast fields of golden grain and wheat. That’s where she got her name. Occasionally, her friends Shining Sun and Running River, gods of light and water would come down with her and help the field grow. But they wouldn’t stay long, for water and light were needed all around the world. Since Golden Fields provided food (but also work) to the humans, they worshipped her as one of the major goddesses. She enjoyed their trust, but Golden Fields was mischievous as well as curious, so she loved to play tricks on the humans. The humans wouldn’t dare admit to Mother Earth that one of the most supplying gods teased them day and night. They needed her.
Once, mischievous Golden Fields and playful Blazing Fire decided to create. Blazing Fire scampered off to craft flames for a warming fire. Golden Fields ran off to make a substantial field of corn. She crafted exquisite honey-colored corn stalks, reaching toward the sky. Soon enough, humans will come here and harvest these delicious stalks. Best savor them, though. Winter is coming, making it harder and harder to plant, she thought. And with that, she set out to find Blazing Fire. They met, sitting in a high tree.
“Look at those beautiful crops I made. Wouldn’t it be a pity if they were destroyed,” she told him, addressing the rolling hills filled with specks of corn, making the hill look like it was plated with gold. “It would be a pity. That golden corn is the best I’ve ever seen. Let’s go look at them!” The impulsive decision sent Blazing Fire down the tree, with Golden Fields tailing behind. “Didn’t you hear what I said?” she called, as she sped after him at god speed. Apparently, he had not.
Even though Blazing Fire was the god of fire and could destroy the crops in an instant, everything seemed fine with him around. He held a corn delicately in his hands. “I’m being very careful,” he assured her. So Golden Fields relaxed and took on a conceited attitude.
“See the whole field glistening with golden specks! They are so beautiful.”
“Beautiful indeed.” was the answer.
Suddenly, Golden Fields laughed and grabbed Blazing Fire’s hand. They ran through the corn, flashy mustard colored corn whizzing past them as they sprinted through the crops. But as you know, Blazing Fire is the god of fire and could destroy the crops in an instant. Blazing Fire’s fingers skimmed across the stalks, making them start to singe. Then the whole stalk caught on fire. Then it started to spread. With Blazing Fire behind her, Golden Fields didn’t notice the burning corn. It turned from golden to black as it started to smolder, and soon enough, Golden Fields reached the end of the field. They lay panting there for a minute, then Golden Fields started to laugh.
“That was so much fun! Let’s do it again.”
“Okay, but after that, we go home,” panted Blazing Fire.
So they clasped hands and turned back, only to find the beautiful crops burning. They were struck with terror. “I’ll call Running River. We need to clear the flames and make new corn before a human finds out!” cried Golden Fields. They flew into the air, but not before a human rushed out of his wooden barn.
“The fields are on fire!” he shrieked.
Golden Fields frantically turned to Blazing Fire and said, “You find Running River. I’ll deal with the human.”
So Blazing Fire went up, Golden Fields went down.
“Don’t worry,” she assured him, as she guided him out of the flames. “Help is on the way.”
“Blazing Fire . . . ” cried the human.
“It wasn’t Blazing Fire’s fault. I was showing him the crops . . . okay, maybe it was. But it was an accident. Running River is coming. Get out of the fire!” She shoved the human out of the way. Then the clouds grew dark. Rain was on the way. “Running River!” they both called. Indeed, Running River floated down from the clouds. “Out of the way,” he ordered. “Crops will always catch on fire. They will spread. Other things can catch on fire. I won’t always be there to help you. You hold in your hands the power of water. You can help others.” Running River took the human’s hand. He, with his finger, painted the symbol of water on it. Then he whispered something in the human’s ear. Golden Fields flew up to the pink clouds with Running River. “Why did you do that?” she asked Running River. “I can’t always help humans. They have always been so innocent. It’s time to change that.” Golden Fields would have liked to ask more, but she didn’t know what to say.
When they reached the heavens, Mother Earth’s voice called out to them. “Mother Earth is calling us!” gasped Golden Fields.
The voice said, “God and Goddess. You have been very foolish.”
“What, us? We . . . we didn’t do anything!” exclaimed Golden Fields.
“Stop talking!” hissed Running River.
“You both did. Golden Fields, you led a dangerous force through a weak one. Your delicate crops caught on fire and burned to the ground. You were very thoughtless. Running River, you have given a power to a human, upsetting the balance between gods and humans. You cannot take this away. If you do something like this again, I will have every reason to punish you. You have been given a warning.” Mother Earth stopped talking. Running River glowered at Golden Fields and stalked off. She scoffed back. However, she didn’t stay for long. She jumped back down to land. Golden Fields had work to do. Guiltily, she made new corn. They were not sparkling and shining in the sun like the other ones, but dull, dark yellow. They were still edible, of course, but when the humans saw them and bit into them, they felt as dull and dark as the corn was.
In a few days, light hearted Golden Fields had healed, and so she set to work. But her powers didn’t work as well on account of Soft Snow’s arrival. The hard, frosty ground made it hard to plant. Soon, snow would fall and she would not even be able to grow. Of course, this didn’t slow her down, so she traveled to another part of the world where it was dry and hot. She looked day and night for soil that was good for planting. But of course, the sand, red and hot, was not fit for corn or wheat. Golden Fields was determined to plant something, so when she saw a human walking across the desert, she thought about what Running Water did. “Hey! You!” she cried. The human turned her way, with a frantic look on his face. “Yes, come forward!” she said. “A goddess!” the human gasped. “I am dying of hunger and thirst. Please, create cacti so that I will cut it open with my knife and drink the juice. Please! I am dying!”
“Oh, I don’t have to do it.” replied Golden Fields.
“Please! Don’t be cruel!” he cried.
“How about I give you the power of agriculture. You will be able to grow your own food in seconds!”
“Yes, thank you! Thank you!”
Golden Fields, with her finger, drew the symbol of agriculture on the back of the human’s hand. He instantly created all that he wished, and was never hungry again. Golden Fields flew back up to the clouds, looking at the little green spark of cacti among the scorching red sands of the desert.
In minutes she flew back to the heart of the earth, where the heavens rested. As she began to fly up, she realized what she could do now. She could give! As she landed back on the other cold, wintery side of the world, Golden Fields remembered what Mother Earth said to her and Running River: ‘If you do something like this again, I will have every reason to punish you.’
Uh oh . . . she thought. Mother Earth sees all. She undoubtedly saw me give instead of create. What will she do to me? Then she sighed and shook it off. Mother Earth could only see one at a time. She probably didn’t see Golden Fields right at that moment. So she went off happily to tell her friends what she could do. Suddenly a brown wolf whizzed past. “Running Wolf!” she cried, recognizing her friend. The wolf stopped, looked at her, and shifted into a human-like figure. “Golden Fields!” he laughed. “How is everything going?” “Great!” In fact, I have something to tell you. I can give!” “You can give?” “Yes, let me show you!” They ran together to a small village. There was a little girl walking across the road. “You have been chosen,” Golden Fields told the girl instantly. “Me?” “Yes, you!” Golden Fields ignored the puzzled look on her face. “Give me your hand.” The girl held it out, for she was taught to obey the gods’ every command. Golden Fields took it in her own and drew the symbol of agriculture on it.
“You now hold in your hand the power of agriculture. You will never grow hungry again. Now go!” she said. The girl scampered off, maybe a little bit scared. She ran home to her mother and showed her powers to her family.
“So?” asked Golden Fields. “Um . . . ” Running Wolf hesitated. It seemed wrong to turn humans into demigods. But then he realized humans were mostly helpless and didn’t live forever. They needed resources from Mother Earth to survive. “Good idea!” he answered. “Let’s do some more. I’ll spread the word!” Golden Fields giggled in excitement. Soon, the humans wouldn’t be so helpless.
By sunset, all the gods knew the power to give and half the world had powers of their own. Golden Fields had forgotten Mother Earth’s threat. She didn’t think about how Mother Earth sees all. She would have likely seen the gods breaking the rules. Through the eyes of an eagle, Mother Earth saw the humans creating trees, animals, turning into birds, capturing shooting stars, flying, and so much more. She knew it was all the work of the gods when she saw one draw a symbol on one’s hand. Instantly Mother Earth flew down and said to the goddess (Heavy Rain) “How did you manage to give to this human?”
“Oh, Golden Fields did it all, wise eagle. She invented the power to give,” she said.
“And what of Running River? I heard he was giving long before Golden Fields gave her first power.”
“Maybe Golden Fields learned it from him.”
“Hmm.” thought Mother Earth. And flew off. So Golden Fields didn’t listen to my warning! I must find her. As a cheetah she ran over the earth, searching in every forest and looking in every village until she found the mischievous goddess. Golden Fields was laughing as she grew a field of wheat. Mother Earth turned into regular form and scolded, “Did you not listen to my warning?” Golden Fields jumped in surprise as she turned around. “M-mother Earth?” “Yes, it is me. We need to have a talk.” Mother Earth grabbed her hand and led her up above the clouds. “Have you told all the gods about the power to give?” “Uh . . . yes . . . ” Golden Fields said, barely above a whisper. “Do you not recall my warning you?” Mother Earth’s voice was raised. “No, ma’am.” was the answer.
“ALL THE HUMANS HAVE MAGICAL POWERS!”
“I know, but- ”
“THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN TAKE THOSE BACK! THE EARTH IS FALLING APART AT ITS ALREADY VERY YOUNG AGE!”
Golden Fields sighed. The goddess of agriculture was not only mischievous but also clever and smart. “I know how we can take them back.”
She glimpsed a wall of cloud and put her hand on it.
“Well?” asked Mother Earth.
“Turn us – all of us – into a . . . a mask and hang us up on this wall. We won’t do any harm and our powers will be reduced to a minimum.”
“A mask? Why would you think that?”
“Because they resemble our faces and powers. Since no one will be wearing the mask, the powers won’t get out of control. . . . But they’ll still be there.”
“Ah.” Mother Earth didn’t show it, but she did.
So, on January 1st, the start of a new year, the gods and goddesses gathered in one spot – in front of the cloud wall. Mother Earth started them off. “You all know why you’re here. To be punished. Because of you, there are no humans anymore. Just peasants and demigods. But there is a way we can bring back balance. I will turn you all into masks, hanging on this wall. No one will be able to wear them, and therefore no one will have your powers.” Before Mother Earth could lift her hand, Golden Fields thought, You brought this upon yourself. As though Mother Earth agreed, she softly looked at Golden Fields.
This day is known as the start of a new year, yet there is also another forgotten meaning. It is the day the Earth was reborn. As soon as the gods and goddesses turned into masks, the demigods finally turned back into humans, and the Earth became rebalanced. If you’re lucky enough, in an old forgotten place, you just might see a faded carving of how the Earth used to be, and the forgotten history of Earth will come back.
