A Boy's Thoughts Of An Adventure

• Sohpie Jones, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2018

I was on a park bench back-to-back with another and this boy sat down behind me and all his thoughts were about this portal. First I thought he was going on about something fiction or something possible in theory but I’ve learnt how to tell the difference between when something’s fiction and when something is either true or the person believes it is. This portal is either true or this guy has complete utter faith.

I can’t
help it I’m intrigued I’m hanging on every thought, I think he’s running
through where it is, how to get there and worrying about something. He nearly seems
afraid of what? The portal? The other side? Where it goes? How does he not know
where it goes, he could be stepping in the middle of a warzone for all he knows.



It’s been a
week I can’t get it out of my head, if it’s total nonsense I’ll find nothing bu
have gone on an adventure, if it’s something well I just don’t really think
I’ll find something. I’m writing down what I can remember which I’m pretty sure
is everything that was important. Taken the turns I should have, followed the
path and I find myself at a cellar door it’s not breaking and entering when the
doors unlocked, I hope. Inside there’s a tale of stairs all stone, spider webs
everywhere, vines growing between the cracks and from here I can’t see the
bottom but everything’s so echoey. Thwack!

The door slammed I jumped so much I nearly
fell, I was scared it was like in those movies now I’m inside the door
magically shuts and locks itself. I turn around and find that boy from the
park, we just looked at each other for a while, until with a confused look he
said “I knew you could hear my thoughts but that’s impossible right?”
I sighed
and said “portal’s aren’t real, are they?”

We wandered
down the stairwell without a word, our only guide his flashlight but as we
reached closer to the bottom it seemed as if it was sunlight lighting up
whatever was down there but we’re going down, not up. We’ve reached the bottom
of the stairs but now it looks like we’re just in an empty room, how could I
have been fooled by some strangers thought, did he really believe what he was
thinking?

I turn
around, ready to lose my cool when he insisted I imagine a portal on one of
those four walls. I’m down here it’s worth a try so I try and try but nothing’s
happened and I’m really frustrated now. He asked if I was angry and I just gave
him a look that screamed yes so he told me to put all my anger into the portal
I’m imagining and truly believe in what I’m doing. This time I’m persistent for
hours when I heard the boy scream “yes!” I opened my eyes and found I wasn’t
there anymore.