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Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
“I never gave much thought to magic until the day I went for a walk through the woods.” In The Unexplained by David Serra, a young man, Scott, encounters a strange magician who holds him captive when he tries to cross a woodland bridge. If he wants to be set free, he has to pass the magician’s test: to retrieve the magician’s wand and silver key located in a scary tunnel. He has half an hour to complete it. Should he refuse or fail, he will be turned into a deer. What will Scott do? And what is that loud growling noise coming from the tunnel?
Despite its short length, the story premise is intriguing and the plot is well-developed, leaving enough room for evoking fascination and a sense of adventure from readers. Set in unspecified modern times, it fits into a realistic mode but bends the rules of normal experiences. The narrative is straightforward and uncomplicated, making the unbelievable seem real while letting the action and spooky elements tickle the senses. Protagonist Scott is unassuming but quickly shines as someone with a heroic quality as he tries to complete the magician's weird, sudden test. There are obvious lessons to be learned here: being courageous, sharp-minded, and most important of all - especially in The Unexplained - being honest. All in all, this short tale by David Serra is quick, bizarre, funny, and entertaining. I look forward to reading more of his work. Note to readers: you will love the ending.
