Week 5 Story: The Pen of Life

At his father's request, E.B. was cleaning out the barn. He typically resented such a chore, and had rather stay inside reading or writing than be outside getting dirty. Today, however, the barn was cool and peaceful, and E.B. found he didn't mind sifting through old junk. So far, he had come across broken furniture, collections of knick-knacks, and a whole pile of rotten wood. Next, he planned to clean out his great-grandfather's ancient writing desk.

E.B.'s dusty, old barn

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E.B. rolled back the top of the desk, and was astounded by what he found there. Lying amongst torn paper and dried pots of ink was the most beautiful pen he had ever seen. It was iridescent, shimmering gold and silver despite the dim light of the dusty barn. The pen was encrusted with rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, yet somehow did not appear gaudy. Despite its being made of precious metals and stones, E.B. knew that when he picked it up, the pen would be light in his hand, and easy to maneuver.

E.B.'s fingers trembled as he reached for the instrument, but as soon as he made contact, the pen seemed to come alive, warming in his palm. E.B. grabbed a piece of paper, and gently touched the pen's tip to the paper's edge. He was not surprised to find that the pen naturally held the darkest, richest ink imaginable. E.B. began to write.
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Without thinking of what he was doing, E.B found himself forming his great-grandfather's name in beautiful script: Allan. Suddenly, Allan's image appeared next to E.B. in the barn. Startled, E.B almost dropped the beautiful pen.

"Peace, E.B.," said Allan. "You have discovered your birthright. This pen is imbued with tremendous history and power. It descends from a great pen of lost times, a pen which wrote the future and the past. While the pen in your hand does not have the same power, it holds great potential. Anything you choose to write in its ink will vividly become life, as sure as I am standing in front in front of you now."

E.B. spluttered, unable to form words in his shock.

"Worry not," said Allan. "The desk contains hidden manuscripts and instructions for the pen's use. You will learn to use it carefully and thoughtfully. You will write, and write well."

As the ink of his name dried, Allan's image faded away. E.B. immediately tore from the barn and into the house; he knew the first story he must write.



Author's Note: "The Pen of Life" is a rethinking of the Moslem legend of the pen of Allah, with which he wrote the future and the past on the Tablet of Destiny. I began to imagine the power such a pen might hold today, and the beginning of E.B.'s story is the result.