Finding the Clearing

    It was a mid November afternoon. The days were getting shorter, and colder. Becca and her friend Sam decided to take their dogs for a walk on a trail they had never seen before. They left after lunch on a Sunday afternoon expecting to be gone for just an hour or two. At least that’s what they expected.

    After an hour and a half the girls decided it would probably be a good idea to start heading back for the evening. After a mile of walking they came to a four way branch in the trail. They could not remember which way they had come from. Even worse they didn’t remember this branch in the trail at all. They figured they would just continue straight because that seemed most logical not remembering turning onto a new trail.

    Ten minutes later Sam said “I think we are almost there I can feel it.” 

    “I don’t know Sam,” Becca responded, “It feels like we are going backwards again.”

    Just as Becca was saying seconds later they appeared back at the four way branch yet again. At this point it was starting to slowly get dark. They feared they would never get back home. They had come back out on the trail they had originally started on. Now they knew two of the trails that would not get them home but they still had two to choose from. 

    Thinking back they remembered not turning. One trail was straight but slightly to the right, the other one they would of had to have taken a sharp left turn to have continued. They started to regan hope to return home. They would have to hurry though it was already 3:30 and they still had at least an hour tell they were home. That is if they take the trail going slightly right and it’s the correct way. It gets dark quickly in the woods with the trees blocking all the light.

    After fifty minutes of walking they spotted a bright patch up ahead. They started running dragging tired Racer and Barley along behind them. It was the clearing just through the woods by their neighborhood park. They kept running until they reached home. The two girls were so relieved to be back and promised to never take a new trail not knowing where it went without a map ever again. They also promised to pay attention to where they were going so not to miss an important intersection.