The white paper lay there on my light colored wooden desk in my silent bedroom, mocking me. I sat there until the


outside world grew dark and the crickets began their night song. My mind had drawn a blank for my symbolic English


assignment for school. Not a single thought could flow from my mind to the pencil. I sensed my eyelids growing heavy. I didn’t want to chance dozing but against my better judgment, I couldn’t help but lay my cheek against the cold desk just for a second. I shut my eyes for a couple seconds or so, when I smelt something strange. I peered out from under my eyelids just in time to see a leaf, green but with a tip of orange, fall on the desktop beside me.



I was puzzled by this, so I sat up. I gasped at what I saw before me. I sat in the middle of a beautiful forest. I was in the


woods! Just my confused self and my solitary desk sat there in the middle of a clearing. I was scared , but yet I was curious as to how I had gotten here. I slowly inched myself up from my seat and tried to take in my whole situation. I could feel soft grass beneath my feet and I realized I could still smell the smell from before. Pine trees, bushes, and even flowers lay scattered around.


I looked towards the woods and something strange made me feel the need to explore into it. It seemed to call for me. I clambered through the trees, branches brushing my cheeks. I trudged along for some time until I heard the sound of fresh water. I paused, listening carefully and put my hand against the bark of a tree. A faint sound was just ahead but just barely. I pushed forward and found myself tumbling until I came across a small pond. Before I knew, my feet carried me to the waters edge and I was starring at my reflection in the water. The water was still and calming. Then, something caught my attention. I heard a rustle and lifted my head to see a figure on the other side of the pond. As my eyes adjusted, I realized that the figure was a beautiful deer. It was looking at me but it couldn’t be explained as just a look, for it looked into me. It’s feet disturbed the serenity of the once still face of the water. When it got close enough, I lifted my hand. It was weary at first, but then took one last step, placing it’s soft snout to my palm. After stroking its sleek body, I decided it was time to find my way home. I began to walk away but as I took a step, the deer’s attitude changed rapidly. Its strong herbivore teeth clamped to the back of my black hoodie and yanked me fiercely back onto my butt into the water with a splash! This force was much too powerful for a normal deer. Then, before I could react, it pushed me under water!


I held my breath but the water never came. I opened my eyes to find myself lying under a tree that shaded over me. I was laying in dirt so I got up and brushed it off my clothes, leaving a cloud. I looked around me and realized I was now in an African desert. The radiant sun baked the speckled sand like a cake in the oven. I turned around and jumped as well as let out a yelp as I saw the deer, munching off the dark green leaves of the tree. When I yelped, the deer looked at me. A little twitch of agitation remained from our earlier encounter, but it soon passed. I decided to try to find my home once more.


As I walked, the deer would follow close behind like Mary’s little lamb, but I didn’t mind because I enjoyed the company. As we trailed on, we could start to feel the sun beating down on us so we stopped to rest. I sat on a dusty rock that sat under a tree for shade. The deer laid down to rest as well. Behind the tree was a field of grass as tall as my chest. A minute or two passed when I heard a rustle from the grass. I stared toward the direction of the sound and held completely still. I could sense something watching us. I stared deep into the grass for what seemed like hours, when I finally starred long enough to reveal two gleaming eyes staring out from the abyss. They were golden like the sun and swirled and shimmered like pools. Sensing it had been discovered the creature leapt from its hiding spot. It jumped ot but didn’t pounce on us. Its fur shimmered under the golden sun. A proud and fierce lion stood there with a majestic mane and paws as big as boulders. Its stare resembled the one given to me by the deer. The deer remained completely calm through the whole situation. It seemed like the lion could read my mind and could smell my emotions.


The lion seemed to speak inside me and beckoned me to follow. I could feel my feet moving without my intent. It lured me forward. We, the deer and myself, began to follow the lion. It took us on a journey through its land. The lion eventually led us to a cave. It was completely dark and I could see nothing inside. I had no idea what it was that the lion wanted me to do. The lion then let out a mighty roar that didn’t feel from this world. It startled me so much, I lunged forward, frightened, into the cave. I could see nothing inside. When I turned, the opening of the cave had vanished. I blindly inched to the side of the wall and tried to feel my way along it. Finally I turned around a bend and on the other side of it was a distant light. I ran as fast as I could towards the light. As I approached the opeming, I skid to an abrupt stop!


Only three feet from the opening was a cliff.I let out a huge breath as I realized I had been holding my breath. The clear sky was in front of me was as blue as the open ocean. I inched over to the ledged and peered over. I could see no end for clouds blocked my view.. A cool breeze made a wisp of my brown hair creep across my freckled forehesd. It made me shiver. I brushed it away and turned to my right. There was a samll ledge. I though I could possibly creep acrossso I slowly scooted my feet across and held on for dear life to the side of the ridged mountain. As I turned around the corner of the mountain, I came upon a nest made of twigs and other plants. The only thing strange was that the nest was huge! It must be a home to something very large. My predictions came true when I peered into the nest and found an enormous hawk inside! This was no ordinary hawk though. It was big like a small bear and as colorful as all the possible hawk colors mixed together. It didn’t act much like a normal bird though for it did not flee. It sat there; independent. Free. I gazed at it and it did the same back to me. Then the huge bird spread it’s feathered wings, caught the wind beneath them and took flight. After half a second, it was gone and all that showed evidence that it had even been there was the nest and the echo of a call it had released before it took flight. I stood there wondering what to do. Then, out of nowhere, the hawk returned, only this time, behind me! Before I could react and turn around, the hawk flew between my legs and lifted me up on its humongous wings. I had slid onto its back grasping onto its feathered neck. I could feel every powerful muscle working beneath me. The majestic animal flew straight and graceful through the clear sky. Wind rushed through my hair. The whole experience was purely amazing. Then the hawk began to fly upwards, no, not upwards! It was doing a back-flip! I was caught off guard and I reached for something to hold on to but all I got was tuffs of feathers and empty air. I lost grip and my knees slipped from it’s sides and finally gravity took a hold of me and I began to fall as I watched the beautiful bird get farther and farther away from me. I closed my eyes and the passing air whipped my hair back. I waited for the impact to come. Still waiting. Still waiting…


I opened my eyes and, as usual through this crazy journey, nothing bad happened to me, for I was up in a tree. I sat up and peered over the edge. Beneath me not only lay a tropical rain forest, but also the deer, lion and even the hawk. Each of them was staring up at me as if waiting for something. I was too high up to jump down. How could I get down? Then, my thoughts were interrupted by a tug on my hair. I looked to my left. There it was again! I peered over my right shoulder. Nothing was there. What was going on? Then, out of nowhere, something hit me on the top of my head, exploded, and dripped orange down my face. I took my finger and sampled a taste. It was mango! I looked above me and saw a monkey balancing upside down on a branch above me. How rude! It was all over m…Then I stopped. The monkey was, laughing? It was! Uncontrollably too. It’s laugh rung out as if it was human. The monkey couldn’t control itself. Finally it was too much to take and the laughter became contagious. I began to laugh too and all my anger was washed away. Finally, our giggles died away and the question of how to get down from the tree occurred at the front of my mind again. As if I had just as clearly said it, the monkey grabbed me and threw me over it’s shoulder. It began to climb down the skyscraper of a tree. It slid down the tree with ease as if it had been doing it forever. When we were safely on the ground, it set me down flat on my feet. I quickly regained my balanced and lifted my head straight ahead of me.


All four majestic creatures stood there gazing into me as if they had known me forever. I realized I could learn something from these beautiful beasts. The deer had shown me friendship and pure elegance for it stayed with me my whole journey. The lion showed me to be fierce when needed and to always hold my head up high and be proud. The hawk and me shared a magical ride and gave me a taste of pure independence and freedom. Finally, the monkey let me experience complete humor and happiness through the worst of times. All these treasures came from these beautiful spirits. As far from my house as I was, I had never felt more at home. The animals before me moved towards me. The soft deer came to my right and laid it’s beautiful face on my shoulder. The powerful yet sweet lion laid its enormous yet surprisingly light paw on my left shoulder. The graceful hawk flew over and came to a rest on my outstretched arm. Lastly, the monkey sat on the floor by my leg, it’s soft tail tapping against the top of my sneaker. All of a sudden, I lost sight and everything became dark as if we were being consumed. As if we were…nothing.


As I opened my eyes, I could feel hands and people around me. As I regained full consciousness, I awoke back at my desk in my room to see my best friend Brooke leaning on my right shoulder. My friend Chloe was placing her hand on my left shoulder. My friend Tiffany was wiggling my wrist to get me to wake up. Finally, my friend Paula was a few feet behind me. I stood up to give them all a hug ,when I started to fall! When I reached the floor with a grunt, I gazed down at the tops of my sneakers and then at Paula’s grinning face. I guess Paula had tied my shoelaces together.