Kelsey's Adventure: A New World

Finally…I See the Light!

Chirping birds woke Kelsey early Saturday morning.  Kelsey shot out of bed, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair, putting it in a ponytail, ate a quick breakfast, grabbed her hiking backpack, and ran out the door.  Her feet barely touched the ground as she ran towards the forest and the hidden door. 

As she got to the edge of the woods she slowed down, walking to make sure that she didn’t trip over anything.  It was easier to spot her pink ribbon also, if she wasn’t running.  She surveyed the forested area, but did not see any vines or her ribbon.

Taking out her cell phone she flipped through the photos she had taken of the forest.

Looking back and forth between her phone and the forest, she finally recognized a spot and began walking in that direction.

As she came around a tree she saw the vines with her ribbon tied onto them.

Her first instinct was to run, but she knew that she was a klutz.  The last thing I want to do today is fall on my face, get hurt, and have to go home without ever even getting to the door. 

She walked…but briskly, reaching the vines quickly.  She pulled the vines back as far as she could, stepped into the tree, and placed the key into the lock.

For one second the key didn’t turn.

Kelsey wiggled it, and heard the clink as it pushed all the way into the lock.  She turned the key, pulled the door, and stared into the dark tunnel for the second time.

Kelsey could barely breath.  This is it.  Today I finally find out where this door leads.  She takes her flashlight out of her backpack.  The flashlights beam pierces the blackness of the tunnel for thirty feet and then is consumed by the darkness.

In that thirty feet Kelsey sees only the wood walls, with moss spotting it every so often.  Watching her step, she begins her journey into the tunnel.  Every step further into the tunnel only revealing more tunnel and darkness.

Stepping over a large root, she glances up again to see where she is going and spots the orange light far off in the distance.

It pulses like a heartbeat, but stays completely still right in the middle of the tunnel.  Kelsey shines her flashlight in that direction, but the light doesn’t even come close to reaching that far.  Even so, the orange light disappears further into the tunnel.  Kelsey follows suite, watching where she steps as she goes.

At one point she looks back at the light from the door, now a small square of light no bigger than her thumb.  For a moment Kelsey fears how deep the tunnel goes.

What if I get lost down here?  She takes out her cell phone, noting that she still gets a signal.  Okay…that’s good.  

She slides it back in her backpack and continues down the tunnel.  It is amazingly straight, no curves or bends, just straight. 

The orange light appears again, a little closer than last time.  Hovering in the middle of the tunnel, pulsing, it makes no sound.

As Kelsey gets closer and the light hasn’t moved, she thinks maybe she’ll actually get close enough to see what the light is.  Just as this thought finishes in her head, the orange light moves away and then turns to bright white light.

Wait…that light is getting bigger.  That’s the end!  That’s the end!  Kelsey picks up her pace, not running, but going as quickly as she could, making sure she didn’t face plant.

The light was so bright she could not tell what lay beyond the tunnel.  After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the opening, the end of the tunnel.  She squinted, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the bright light.  What she saw was beautiful.

Find out what new wonders Kelsey sees next week!