Tales Of Applegate Orchids

• Jessica O'brien, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2011

As I walked across the courtyard which sparkled in the midday sun I came across an orchid that I hadn’t seemed to notice before. The leaves on the trees were as dead as mist on a cold snowy winter’s day yet the vast landscape was still one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. So I decided to explore this new environment.
I walked along a wonky path which was scattered with a particular flower that intrigued me very much, I stared at it for a while and then moved on until I came to an old cottage that had a strange looking door knocker, I did not touch it, instead I pushed the door open. I walked cautiously through this cottage, when I got stopped by the meow of a hungry cat. This cat told me it was hungry so I gave it some meat I found in the fridge of the cottage and also some water to drink. Then a polite yet upset looking ferret came up to me and told me that its paw hurt. I looked at it; there was a thorn sticking out of it so I took it out; the creature thanked me then scuttled of.
I left the cottage. I took nothing.
I found myself in a field where there were lots of horses. I gazed into the distance, and that’s when I saw a sign on a lamppost that looked forgotten. I ran towards it. The sign simply said “Snowy Forest”. I decided on which direction it was in, but then a strange thought struck me, “if I turn back now I will make it home very safely, but if I keep going then I will be on an adventure where unexplainable things may happen”, so I decided to keep going.
As I entered into snowy forest I noticed the same pink and white flowers I had seen before, then it started to snow. The forest now look magical and enlighting, soon after I had that thought I heard the medieval yet harmonized sounds of a violin. I followed this sound and came to the lady who was playing it. This lady told me she needed a songbird to chirp along to the soft tunes of the violin, so I found one that chirped along beautifully to it, I then gave it to her.
I walked along and that was when I found a stone that shone immensely in the sunlight. I had heard about these stones. If you have been a nice caring person within the last 24 hours then when you hold this stone it will take you to the most beautiful place you have ever seen. I decided to take a leap of faith and hold this stone. I did it.
And to my surprise I found myself back at Applegate Orchids where I had started my journey.
“So this is my most beautiful place on earth” I thought to myself.