The warm afternoon sunlight shone through the tall trees as Wendy and Robin raced each other through the woods. They finally had time to themselves that wasn’t already scheduled out by the camp. Wendy climbed up on a fallen tree, and took in a deep breath. “Which way should we go first?” she asked.
“Anywhere,” Robin said, joining Wendy on the fallen tree.
The two girls looked out over their kingdom. The river below them babbled and turned, rushing down to the lake. Birds chirped in the branches, while the summer breeze shook the leaves on the trees.
Wendy and Robin giggled and jumped off the trees, charging into the forest, pine needles and leaves crunching under their muddy sneakers. They raced past a pile of boulders stacked as tall as their cabin. They rolled down a grassy hill, and stopped in a flowery meadow. Robin picked yellow daisies and turned them into a flower crown, while Wendy braided Robin’s long brown hair into two braids.
Robin carefully set one of the flower crowns on Wendy’s head. “There you go,” she said. “Perfect for an adventurer like you.”
They burst into laughter and laid back onto the grassy field, watching the clouds lazily drift in the sky
.
The girls got to their feet, collecting a bouquet of red, blue, and purple flowers. Robin added more and more flowers to her crown, while Wendy kept her eye on the old desire path. Birds took flight above them as the girls continued their adventure through the forest, getting further and further away from the camp.
They abandoned the set path and followed the river instead. The water turned and spun, creating tiny rapids. Wendy made a little boat out of fallen leaves and twigs. She set it down in the water, watching the little boat sail down the rough waters.
“Safe travels back to camp,” Wendy whispered.
Robin and Wendy continued down their own trail, until Wendy stopped in her tracks. “Look over there."
Several smaller trees bent forward, creating a tunnel through the middle of the forest. The path led toward the trees and over a larger part of the river. Wendy and Robin followed the path over the makeshift bridge, water splashing up onto their shoes. Wendy slipped on a puddle of water, but Robin reached out and caught her before she could fall into the fast moving river below.
Safely on the other side, Robin and Wendy stopped just outside the tunnel. Light shone through the holes of the branches, creating a speckled light show on the forest floor below. Leaves rustled as little birds and squirrels hopped from one branch to the other. At the very end of the tunnel was an old round door, slightly hidden by vines and branches.
Together, Wendy and Robin made their way down the tunnel. They walked slowly and quietly, as if to not disturb the magic they felt all around them. The air around them grew cooler as the branches blocked out more of the sun. Wendy reached out and knocked on the door, the rough wood scraping her knuckles. She pulled her hand away, and Robin leaned in, putting her ear on the door.
“It's a portal to another world!” Robin said.
"Where do you think it'll take us?" Wendy asked.
“To an enchanted forest?”
“Or to a magical land far away from here.” Wendy grinned.
Robin smiled too. “Do you think they’re waiting for a pair of unlikely heroes from another world to save them from a certain doom?”
“Absolutely,” Wendy said. She reached for the doorknob and wiggled it. The doorknob shook a bit, and Wendy gasped. “I think we can open it!” She looked at Robin. “Together?”
“Together!”
Wendy and Robin pushed open the door, and took a step back. The door opened with a slow and low creak. The girls gasped, looking at the opening inside. It didn’t lead to another world, but to both Wendy and Robin, it was like another world. A huge part of the river greeted them on the other side of the door, with a small waterfall gently pouring over an overhang. A canopy of trees covered a makeshift fort inside.
The girls tumbled inside the door, running around looking at their newest discovery. Wendy climbed up the tree, while Robin stared at the waterfall in wonder.
Wendy climbed to the highest part of the tree. She could see over the tops of trees, and all the way down to the camp grounds.
Robin pushed aside a few branches, discovering a secret cave behind low hanging vines. “Come check this out!” she called up to Wendy.
Wendy climbed back down from the tree, and jumped down onto the soft grass. They crawled into the space, looking all around at the big opening inside the cave. Carvings of names covered the walls and a small spot for candles and other lights were nailed into the wall. Hidden behind a wall was a small treasure chest with a rusted lock.
Robin searched around for a key, while Wendy peered up through the small opening above them. The sun shone down onto the wall, illuminating a chalk drawing of a sundial on the wall. “I’ve got it!” Robin shouted, holding up a small key. She brought over the key, and fit it inside the lock.
The lock broke open, and Wendy opened up the treasure chest. Inside they picked up the crinkly books and hidden marbles. The girls looked over it all, and grinned.
“We should add something to the chest,” Robin said.
“Are we claiming a new hangout spot at camp?” Wendy suggested. She grinned.
“Absolutely!”
The girls laughed, and ran around their new hideout, looking for more secrets until the horn rang to end the camper’s free time. Robin and Wendy left their hiding place, closing the door in the woods behind them. They raced each other back through the forest, reaching the campground just in time for their afternoon meeting before dinner.
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