Tracy found herself daydreaming again, the light from the afternoon sun streaming through her window was making her feel lazy and tired. She started yawning then nodding and before she knew it she was asleep.
She felt herself falling through colour, a mass of spinning colour, when she looked down there was no end to it. It felt like she would fall forever so much so that Tracy stopped wondering when it would end. Until finally she realized she was in front of a door. A door just like
a rainbow.
Tracy Knocked and then listened to the echo from the tunnel she had just fallen from. She knocked again and the door swung open to reveal a little man her size on the other side.
“Hello she said. Who are you?”
“Pardon me, I am Sobo, a Belly Button person and welcome to Belly button Island. You must have been sucked through the Belly Button vortex to get here, that sometimes happens to children who play with their belly buttons or stare at them too long. We are not used to having guests, in fact your coming was for told by the great rumble maker nearly 200 Belly Button years ago, we have been waiting for you arrival since that time.”
“You see everything here in Belly Button land isn't going as well as it should be, for the past 300 years we have been fighting an ever growing evil that has slowly started moving across the islands. If this evil isn't checked our entire island group will be forever lost to the sea, all because the great Rumble maker will erupt if put under pressure for much longer. We only have a short time to stop the evil Damaseth, a giant snake. You must fight him as it has been for told.”
The trees were swaying in the wind and the sand under her feet felt dry and warm as she stood looking up at the great big volcano peak that appeared to be in the centre of an otherwise normal island. Well normal except for the fact that everything was huge! From the flowers to the trees to the rocks (which balanced on top of each other).
“ How am I going to ever defeat this Damaseth?” she worried. If he is as big as everything else here I should be scared. I don't even have a sword or anything, I'm just a little girl, the shortest in my class.
Well, she mused, at least I have Sobo to help me. Looking at him, he looked like he would know something about how to defeat this Damaseth. With his headdress of colourful feathers, and his belt with all sorts of knives.
“Do come with me” Sobo said snapping her out of her mind wander.
And with that he turned and walked away.
“But wait!” cried Tracey
As he was quite fast for being so short.
“I don't think I can do it!”
Soho looked back and sighed
“I was hoping you would have faith.”
“You see Tracy, everyone has the power inside them to defeat evil. Whether it is a little evil or a big one. It makes no difference as long as you believe in yourself.”
“On this Island no one sleeps as the sun never sets and for as long as you are a belly button person you don't age. When it is your time the great Shempa takes you to the clouds.”That is the way we have always lived in peace and harmony. But these days things are changing and that is why I am glad you have come. Will you help us?
Tracy looked at Sobo with his funny clothes made of animal skin , his headdress and thought that he didn't look like he needed any help at all.
“I will do what I can.”, she said finally.
She followed Sobo up the green path that seemed to run all the way up to the top of the volcano. Past palm trees blowing in the warm soft wind, the island seemed to welcome her here as if she was revisiting some lost dream.
“What is up there?”, Tracy asked the wind folding round her clothes and dusting her face with her hair. She brushed it away.
“It is the sacred home of the Shempa our keeper.” exclaimed Sobo.
They walked for many hours and only stopped to drink sweet water and eat what tasted like apricots but looked like a honey comb. Every time she rested she felt a little more tired when they started walking again.
“ I cant go on much further Sobo, I feel so tired!”, she sighed.
“ It is not much further now, we are almost there.”, said Sobo.
Finally when they got to the foot of the ancient stairway to the temple at the top she looked back on the way they had come and felt giddy at the shear height she and Sobo had climbed.
Up above them she saw the entrance of the temple and this small old wizardly man in a long flowing yellow robe holding what appeared to be a long walking stick.
“Welcome my child”, he said.
“Your coming is the fulfilment of a ancient prophecy, but I am sure Sobo told you all about that.” He said smiling at them both.
“But I don't understand!”
“How can I, a small girl help you at all?”
“I don't know how to defeat the great Damaseth! I don't even know how big he is and I'm scared of snakes.”
Shempa turned towards a stone alter in the centre of the round room.
“This stone has the all the power you will need to defeat Damaseth, you need to learn to use the power of your mind. We will help you learn to master your thoughts. the Belly Button world is a place of balance but now that balance has been shifted . You will bring peace to our turbulent world.”
“We don't have long to teach you but when the sun is directly above the temple it will be time.”
“How long do we have before then?” Tracy asked.
“Well, my child that gives us exactly a week in Earth time to prepare you for Damaseth.”
That week passed with Tracy learning to master Belly Button world weapons and their different powers. For instance there was the bark sword from the everlasting tree that always grew back if broken, and the shield of igneous rock that was as light as a feather but as strong as iron. She felt herself getting stronger and stronger as the week wore on, realizing she was capable of doing many things she would never imagined herself doing.
Finally the big day arrived and she stood in the centre of the temple facing Damaseth. The Belly Button people had gathered from all over the islands to see the great battle between them.
Shempa looked at her and smiled..
“Shempa don't worry about me. You have taught me well. I believe I have the power to defeat Damaseth. I will remember your words.” She said taking his hand in hers.
“I know you can defeat Damaseth, and we the Belly Button people will be most grateful if you succeed.”
For the first time she looked at Damaseth with his hissing tongue and shifting eyes, his body a immense coil of muscle flexing as he slithered side to side. He was a dark green colour that seemed to catch the light in florescent purples, golds and blues. He was beautiful yet deadly and she saw that she would need every ounce of her training to defeat him.
She walked into the fighting circle and faced him.
Immediately a great dome of light encircled them both, shutting out everything outside their circle.
Tracy looked around not sure what had just happened. While Damaseth laughed at her.
“Not so brave now are we Tracy?”, Damaseth jeered at her.
She looked at the great Shempa and he nodded that all was well. Turning back to Damaseth she knew she could beat him if she overcame her fear.
“I am Tracy and I have come to defeat you Oh great Damaseth. To be rid of your evil plans to unbalance Belly Button land. If I defeat you you must be banished to the far ends of this earth. If you defeat me I will be your slave forever, and never return to Earth. As this is how it has been foretold!”
Their swords clashed sounding the metal on metal.. He was stronger than Tracy so it took all her skill just to keep from being hurt too badly. He slithered and glided out of her range and she had to keep from being trapped in his great body of muscle because that would spell immediate defeat. Instead she hurled great balls of light from her hands at his exposed bulk and could hide behind her shield. Its an advantage being small Tracy thought.
As the battle raged on into the night Shempa could see her getting weaker and weaker. If she didn't deliver the death blow like he had shown her it would all be over and Damaseth would be victorious. But in order to be victorious she had to hurl the flame ball directly at his eyes blinding him.
They circled each other endlessly each looking for a weakness to exploit in the other. On and on they fought until it seemed that there would be no end to the fight. At last Tracy saw her opening and hurled her fire ball but it missed bouncing off Damaseths armour, she hurled again and this time her aim was true. His great bulk swayed and fell as a great cry went up from the Belly Button people.
“ Tracy is victorious!” they shouted.
The light dome went down and she walked out the circle to the Shempa.
“ Now the Belly Button people wont ever have to be scared again.”, she whispered in his ear.
When she finally broke free from his arms she saw that he was crying.
She looked around at everyone so happy and free. She was so exhausted but she had to do one final thing.
She stood before Damaseth and said.
“You have no hold over the Belly Button people, from now on you will leave them in peace, you will be sent away to the ends of this earth to live out your days, all of your wealth will be given to the Shempa and temple to give to the people you have wronged.
“Go now.” Insisted Tracey.
And with that Damaseth was gone, led away by his kind into oblivion.
“We can never repay you for what you have done! It is now time for you to go back to your world.”, Shempa said And with that he waved his hand over her head.
Waking up in her room it was dark and her mum was calling her to tea.
“Dinner is ready Tracy!” Have you finished your homework yet?
She looked up from her bed and smiled. She realized her hand was resting on her Belly Button. Had she done her homework? It didn't matter, she would do it later.