Windy Woods

A girl falls into a hole in the middle of the woods

The wind circled all around me, making my vision blurry. My family was out camping in the middle of the woods. My mom had sent me out to get wood for the fire but I doubt she knew how windy these woods really were. My eyes stung from the rush of the air. "Mom!?" I called into the hazy mist. My voice sounded pathetic against the loud screeching of the wind.

 

I walked on and on into the unknown. Next thing I knew, I was falling down, down, down. I screamed, and was relieved when I finally felt earth underneath my dark boots. It didn't hurt too badly when I landed.  My eyes flashed upward with a grim expression on my face. I was approximately 7 feet below the ground I was previously standing on.

 

I brushed my hand alongside the wall. I figured it wouldn't help me to try and climb it. The dirt would just come tumbling down. There was nothing I could grab hold on to hoist myself up. I went frantic trying to look for something that my hands could grip to haul myself up. After awhile I gave up out of pure exhaustion. I curled up into a ball and drifted off to sleep.

 

I woke up to the sound of barking. I glanced up to the glow of the moon and saw Pebbles, the family Dalmatian, at the edge of the hole, looking down at me. I figured Pebbles discovered me gone and decided to sniff me out. I wondered if my family noticed my disappearance. “Shh,” I quieted her down.

 

I realized how hungry I was. I didn’t eat dinner because I had to gather wood, and you know the rest. “Go Pebbles. You have to lead mom, dad, and Susie towards me. Go, girl!” Pebbles took off running with her long pink tongue hanging at the side of her mouth. I hoped she knew what I said. I reckoned the only words she knew was her name and go. I dug deep down my dirty jean pockets and pulled out a melted Hershey’s chocolate bar. I took a bite, and another, and another, until the whole candy bar was resting safely in my stomach. My hunger was eased a bit.

 

The wind picked up. I heard the intense roaring of it. A face peered down at me. “Susie!” I exclaimed. I saw two bright lights flashing in my face and looked away. “Lay off the lights, please.”

 

“Oh, sorry Hun,” my mom said and she and my dad flicked the flashlights off. I saw a long brown rope drop down into the hole and I grabbed hold of it. In an instant, I was yanked up and out of the hole. When my feet were planted solidly on the ground I rushed to hug my parents, Susie, and Pebbles.

 

“Now, which way leads us back to the tent?” asked my mom. We all shrugged then laughed and walked off into the darkness of the night, Pebbles leading the way silently.