SOPHIE AND THE MAGIC COIN

Riya Sekeram, 10

Holy Cross Prep School, Kingston Upon Thames

Striding along the antique shop, smells crawled up Sophie's nose. Her grandpa, as old as a coin ran the Antique shop. Chandeliers glistened before her eyes, rusty chairs royally sat on the crimson carpets. Suddenly a coin dazzled like stars in the sky. Intricate carvings followed a line, one side earth and one side sea. As her skin touched the coin it felt like icy popping candy all over her skin. Slowly her grandpa approached, carefully inspecting what she was holding. All he said was "careful". These words rang in her head, what did he mean?

Now back home, as she soaked into the soft velvet chair, the coin radiated with cool air. It smelt like salty sand. Weird, normally coins have heads and tails nor do they smell like salty sand she thought to herself as she fiddled with it.

Before Sophie knew it, the coin slipped through her fingers however when it touched the ground it ended with a plop. Suddenly, water bubbled through the coin. Puddles of blue started invading her room. What was happening? Panic released into the air. Her eyes were glued to the coin. Aimlessly she reached out and received the coin as it sprayed water; she was soaked. This coin was out of the ordinary.

She was a sponge full of water. Whether or not she wanted to, she had to wash herself. Shimmering, the bronze coin dug into her hands as she clenched it tightly. She leapt into the bath but instantly she heard that familiar plop. Somehow the coin had slipped out of her hands as if it had a mind of its own.

In the blink of an eye, she saw diamonds glistening in the brilliant, blazing bright ocean all around her. Beneath her, a slightly crimson, brownish boat firmly stood. It was after a moment or two she realised what had happened. The coin had transported her onto a deserted ship. Horror lingered in her thoughts.

Walking around the ship in amazement, she stumbled across an elaborate carving with designs of sea flooding cities. People had planned this? She gasped on realising the purpose of the coin was to flood cities so they could be ruled but the plan ceased because the people could not keep the secret. There was no trace of it ever happening. Frustration clenched her fist.

Abruptly she heard the unexpected creek of the door. Someone was approaching. It was a pandemonium, her brain was wizzing in all directions. She was pacing down the room. Horror already stinging her throat. At that moment she stepped on a tile that was now sinking.

She was wildly shaken as if being in the jaw of a dog. Finally she hit the ground. Beneath her, she saw the sea of faceted dazzling diamonds all around. She noticed something strange. As she walked towards a pearl white pillar that seemed to have a missing piece, the exact size of her coin. She inserted the coin- she was home.