Where Are All the Villagers? Jolly Phonics · Step 3, Unit 3: soft g as in giant
Practice Words
I am a very brave quester. I roam in dark caves. I cross rivers at night. No monster can stop me. So when I come to a town under the full moon, I march in. Lanterns glow by each hut, and little green lights line the street. But each hut is dark inside. Strange. 'Who is here?' I call. No reply. Not one.
Each town has a giant. A huge keeper that keeps the town safe. I meet this one in the street, and my chest sinks. It has cracks all down its body. Vines creep up its legs, like the trees will take it back. Its gaze is dark. This giant is from a past age. 'I am brave,' I say. A little too loud.
A thing slips by the huts. A cat! Just a cat, coming to me. But this cat is strange. Its body is like frozen mist. A chill creeps down my back. 'Gee,' I say. 'A ghost cat. That is fine. Very fine. I am still a very brave quester.'
I check each hut in town. I peek under benches and inside chests. Not one man. Not one kid. No one at all. Torches still glow on the walls. Flowers still bloom in boxes by the huts. Did they all just run away? Is this some strange magic? Where did they all go?
Rain rushes down, and the sky turns black. The storm rages. Then a huge serpent rises up by a hut, tall as a tree, with a grim green glow on its face. It is larger than any beast in this land. Much larger than I like. 'Still brave,' I say. But my legs step back and back on their own.
I slip past the serpent, and then I stop. A Zombie Villager stands on the path. Its red gaze glows in the rain as it comes at me with its arms out. But I am still a very brave quester. A surge of energy runs up my arms. I pull out my bow and take aim. 'Step back, pal,' I yell. 'This is a very bad day for a zombie.'
One shot. The zombie drops. I jump and punch the sky. 'Ha! The very brave quester strikes!' Then a thing rises out of the body. A ghost! A Ghost Villager floats up by the hut and gazes at me with a green glow of rage. 'Come on!' I yell. 'It will not stay down!'
I spin and stand stiff. Ghost Villagers! A huge crowd in the white flowers, all with stern faces. Now I know. They did not run away. They are all ghosts now. Ghost Cat sits at my feet and gazes up at me, like I am not so wise. I have a huge urge to run. 'The very brave quester in all the land,' I say, 'runs!'
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