Not Tonight, Monsters! (Soft g)
Practice Words
Words where the letter 'g' makes the soft /dΚ/ sound, typically before e, i, or y.
Ned had made a good life for himself. With the help of his magic book, he had built a house and farm. A sign by the door read "Ned's House," and a warm lantern glowed above. But there was always one thing on the edge of his mind. Every night, the dark brought monsters, and every night Ned hid inside. Not tonight. Tonight, Ned gripped his sword and stood at the door, feeling brave.
Ned stepped outside onto the dirt path. He did not have to wait long for trouble. A giant zombie lurched out of the darkness, groaning and moaning. It barged toward Ned with its arms stretched out wide, ready to attack!
Ned dodged the zombie's attack and struck back with his sword. The blade glowed with a strange magic light, and in one smooth cut, the zombie was no more. 'Take that!' Ned shouted. He stood at the edge of the dark field, his sword still glowing. He was ready for whatever came next.
The zombie had left behind a lump of strange, rotten flesh. Ned picked it up by the edges and held it in his free hand. "This might be useful," he said. But Ned did not notice the danger creeping up behind him. A gentle click of bones came from the shadows, getting closer and closer.
A skeleton stepped out of the shadows, and it had a bow! An arrow flew past Ned and stuck in the grass right by his feet. Ned took a giant leap to the side just in time. He needed to find a place to hide, and the trees nearby were his best chance.
Ned found a safe spot behind a large birch tree and crouched low against the trunk. The skeleton searched near the house, its bony head turning from side to side. A gentle breeze was the only sound. Ned did not budge. He waited, gripping his sword, until the skeleton nudged right up against his tree.
This was his chance! Ned charged out from behind the tree with his magic sword raised high. The skeleton reached for its bow, but it was too late. Ned swung with all his might, and the skeleton broke apart into a pile of bones. "One more monster down!" Ned grinned.
Ned picked up a bone and waved it around, feeling proud. "Soon I will have a huge pile of these, you just wait!" he yelled into the darkness. But Ned was not paying attention to the danger behind him. A giant group of monsters had crept up close. By the time Ned heard their groaning, they were almost on top of him!
Ned was brave, but not that brave. He could not fight so many monsters at once! You did not have to be a genius to know that. Sometimes the smartest thing to do is run. Ned sprinted across the grass, dodging and weaving, with the monsters surging right behind him!
Ned dashed up to his house, just ahead of the monster mob. He was about to grab the door handle when he saw what was blocking his way. A giant, ugly spider crouched right in front of the door! It waved its huge red legs at him angrily. 'Get out of the way!' Ned shouted.
There was no time to be scared. Ned charged at the giant spider with his sword glowing bright. One big swing, and the spider was no more. With shaking hands, Ned grabbed the door handle and rushed inside his house!
Ned leaned against the wooden wall, breathing hard. The gentle torchlight flickered on the walls, and outside he could hear the monsters trudging away. Something on the floor caught his eye. A tiny gold gem was glowing in the warm light. Ned picked it up and grinned. 'Same time tomorrow, monsters,' he said.