It was a perfectly pleasant day. The endless cloudless sky was a deepest bright blue.

Approximately two months had passed since Minshee's toy wood-sword, Bowzhong, had been given magical powers by an alien donkey-head creature from Outer Space.

Already, Minshee had to use those magical powers to turn to dust three monsters that had attacked her in her mountain village-town of Chumly.

She was beginning to think the reason that donkey-head had given her sword the magical powers was for her to get rid of some of the monsters donkey-head and monkey-head had accidentally created in their fight against each other here on Earth.

What other reason could there be? The mountain village-town of Chumly where Minshee lived, had been peaceful for hundreds of years.

Now, within a few months, the two-hundred-or-so people who lived there had to fight off three horrible monsters accidentally created by those two aliens from Outer Space, and left behind when those aliens left Earth.

Everybody in the world knew the two alien animal-head creatures had created the monsters.

The people of Chumly felt they were being especially cursed.

No other place in the world was being attacked by the monsters now that the two alien animal-heads were not around anymore.

One of those aliens had killed the other and carried the corpse back into Outer Space.

Before that alien left, it had made Minshee’s toy wood sword magical for her. She had named her magical sword, Bowzhong, in honour of that alien’s daughter of whom Minshee reminded it.

Minshee was working in the family garden. She heard and felt the sword vibrating in the scabbard at her side. That was one of its powers to warn her of danger. Only she could hear the vibration.

She slowly drew Bowzhong out of its scabbard. She looked around cautiously. Was the danger another monster nearby?

She saw a girl her age walking towards her carrying a bucket of water.

"Hi, Minshee," said the girl. "Hi," replied Minshee.

She had never seen this girl before, but the girl looked like a normal Chumly girl.

Notwithstanding, Minshee knew she had to be careful because monsters could change their shapes. Minshee did not sheathe Bowzhong.

When the girl was near she put down the bucket. From the look of the girl's eyes Minshee knew the girl had been crying.

"Can I help you?" asked Minshee. The girl began to cry silently. She nodded.

"Tell me" said Minshee. "If I can help you, I will. What is your name?"

In tears, the girl slowly shook her head. The girl found it difficult to speak because she was crying.

Minshee spoke softly. “That’s alright if you would rather not tell me. These are dangerous times---.”

Through her tears the girl interrupted Minshee.

"I am a monster, Minshee. I am trying so hard to keep this shape of a girl. I don't want to be a monster. That monkey-head creature from Outer Space changed me into a monster. Please, Minshee, you have to use Bowzhong to turn me into dust."

Minshee was finding it hard to believe such a pretty and frail-looking girl could be an ugly monster.

This was the first time Minshee had spoken to a monster who was in the shape of a person. The other monsters had appeared as monsters from the beginning.

"Why not be a girl forever? Don't let yourself turn into a monster. Live here with me. We'll be sisters."

The girl said, "Minshee, I was this girl before the devil changed me. All of us monsters can change back for a short while into what we were. It is exhausting because it takes a great deal of effort. It's hard work, Minshee. Very hard work. It's painful. I didn't want to come to you as a monster because as a monster there would be a greater probability I will kill you. I don't want to risk that, Minshee. You have to live to protect Chumly from monsters. Without you and Bowzhong, monsters will kill all the people here in Chumly, first and then all over the world.

Please, Minshee, touch me with Bowzhong so that I will turn into dust and not be a monster any more. Please."

Minshee could not do it. She felt Bowzhong humming all the while. She knew there was danger. She didn't know what the danger was. She could not bring herself to believe the frail pretty girl in front of her was a humungous murdering ugly monster.

"You have to change into a monster if you want me to turn you into dust" Minshee said, sadly. "I cannot bring myself to kill a little girl. You're my age. I cannot kill you."

The girl was now crying hysterically. "Minshee, if I change into a monster I will be so much stronger and faster and bigger than you are."

"I know" said Minshee "but we have to take the risk. I will be able to swing Bowzhong at a monster; not at a girl."

The girl tightly shut her eyes. She spoke softly through her tears. "Okay. I'm so sorry, Minshee." She turned herself into a monster.

A gigantic monster that had a cavernous mouth full of fangs and tongues. Twenty-two legs with sharp claws at the ends. Seventeen stiff long ears that stuck out from its head. Fiery eyes that bulged out of their sockets. Three massive tails that curled up and ended high above its head. Long shaggy matted fur all over its body.

"Yes" thought Minshee as she raised Bowzhong in front of her. "This, definitely, is a monster. The unsightliest I have seen, so far."

The ugly monstrous thing jumped at Minshee. Minshee swung Bowzhong.

The monster was faster. It easily evaded the sword. As it ducked Minshee's swing it inadvertently bumped against her. Minshee tumbled backwards.

She could have stayed on her feet if she wanted. She had practised this maneuver many times. She twisted to the side and let herself fall to the ground.

The monster did not expect Minshee to be able to twist around like that while she was stumbling backwards to fall to the ground.

The monster jumped face down to where it thought Minshee would be on the ground. The monster took a huge bite. Instead of into Minshee, the monster bit into the ground.

The mouthful of dirt made it cough. It lost its bearings. For a second or two it did not know where Minshee was.

A second or two was all Minshee needed. In a flash she was on her feet. She swung Bowzhong at the monster. Bowzhong made contact. A second before the monster exploded into dust, it turned back into the little girl, for a second.

The girl smiled at Minshee and silently mouthed “Thank you.”

Minshee sat on the ground and watched sadly as the dust that had been the monster was whooshed away by the wind, turning into a rainbow before it vanished forever into the endless cloudless deepest bright blue heavens. __________________________________