The Journey Home
All three of them arrived at the frog’s side and were immediately crestfallen. Hyla lay on the ground, his eyes closed, not moving. In his small hands, the Friender’s Lamp shone brightly, no longer made invisible by the Willamax’s disappearing spell. But Hyla himself had lost his colour.
Bryn knelt down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. All three of them dropped their heads in sadness. They began to sniffle as each one fought back tears. But just as they were about to say the worst, a red eye just barely opened. “Is he gone?” asked a shaken Hyla.
Bryn, Erin, and Sean all yipped with joy.
“No,” Erin said as the frog opened both eyes. “He’s not gone, but I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him any more.” As she said this, she pointed to the big oak that had not been there before.
Hyla looked at the tree with amazement, then at his three companions. “But how…,”
“We’ll explain it later,” said Sean. “But for now let’s just get going. I’m starting to think we’ll be in trouble for being away so long.”
“I think you’re right,” agreed Erin.
The four friends took one last close-up look at the oak tree. None of them wanted to admit it, but all four were still just a little nervous about being so close to what had been a monster only moments before. From the point where the tree was on the hill, they could see very far in all directions. To their surprise, on the other side of the hill of rubble, they could see that the Forever Road started up again just as it had stopped on the side they had come up. It was indeed a forever road.
When they had had their fill of looking around, they said goodbye to the big stone house that now had no occupant, and to the Willamax that rustled in the breeze. They then made their way down the slope of the rubble hill.
At the bottom of the hill, Swift Song stood grazing in the long grass where they had left him. They each took off their ponchos and rolled them up, setting them on their laps as they mounted the great horse. In Erin’s case, she also carefully wrapped the Friender’s Lamp in hers, making sure it was safely protected on the ride home. Soon, they were flying along at an amazing speed. Only this time, it was daytime and the summer sun shone brightly. The world roared past them at what should have been a terrifying speed, but the horse’s wondrous song soothed them again, and kept them from being afraid.
They saw more people on the road now, and many at the crossroads that they passed. The people all watched as they flew by. The three companions wondered who they were and where they lived. They dressed so much differently from other people they knew. But for now, all three of them were more interested in getting home than stopping to find out.
Even at the speed that Swift Song travelled, it was late evening when the horse finally stopped. In front of them, the road was now different, rougher, and covered with fallen branches. They knew where they were.
They dismounted the giant horse, each of them patting its muzzle affectionately, then said goodbye, Erin taking a little longer than the other two.
As they began to pick their way through the fallen branches, Bryn turned to look at Hyla. “Come on, Hyla!” he said.
“But I can’t, Bryn,” said the frog, sadly. “I can’t live in that world. Only in here, in the Great Forest.”
“But I can take care of you!” Bryn pleaded.
“I’m sorry, Bryn,” said Hyla. “Come back and visit me.”
Erin put her hand on her brother’s shoulder. “We have to go home, Bryn,” she said kindly.
Bryn watched as Hyla hopped away into the forest, then turned and began to pick his way through the branches, his head bent down as he went.
Soon the path began to grow clearer, and they could lift their heads up to look at where they were going.
Amah Sampan and Gladen were standing at Amah Sampan’s little camp. Both smiled as they drew near.
“What I tell you!” said Amah Sampan, almost laughing. “I knew you could do it.”
“You should be very proud of yourselves,” said Gladen. “Everyone in the Great Forest knows what you did. You ensured that they wouldn’t live their lives in darkness.”
Erin, Bryn, and Sean also smiled. They knew they had done something great. And not just for others, but for themselves too.
“Thank you for letting us use your horse,” said Erin. Not knowing what else to say. “Oh,” she said, remembering what she was holding. She unrolled the Friender’s Lamp and passed it to Amah Sampan.
The old woman took it carefully, then passed it to Gladen. “Gladen will return it to the Stone City where it has lived for centuries.”
“Oh, and here,” said Erin as she took the tiny bell from her pocket to give back to Amah Sampan.
The other two did the same with the objects they had been given. But Amah Sampan waved them away.
“No, you take it with you,” she said. “It’s just more junk for me to carry!”
Gladen gave a little laugh. “I think what Amah Sampan is saying is that they are yours now to keep. But remember, they will not work the same in your world as they do in the Great Forest.”
The three young people all put the trinkets back in their pockets and thanked Amah Sampan. They talked for a few more minutes about everything that had happened, then they said goodbye and walked up the driveway to the house.
When they stepped inside the house, they heard voices, then someone yelled, “How was the beach you guys? You’re just in time for lunch!”
“Lunch?” said Erin to the other two. “But it’s almost dinner time.”
“Nobody’s going to believe what happened,” said Bryn.
“Nope,” said Sean. “Nobody.”
The End
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About the Author
GREGORY HANKINS is a writer and volunteer fire fighter. He has primarily worked in the television industry where he has had both careers behind the scenes and behind the camera. He lives in Canada’s Southern Gulf Islands with his wife Susan and their Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Charlie. He is currently working on Erin, Bryn, and Sean’s next adventure.
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