Young Author Series: Lily in Wonderland

Second installment of the Tradewinds “Young Authors” series. Interested in being featured as the next young author, please email stjohntradewinds@gmail.com.

Chapter 2
By Scout
Age: 14

Author’s Note: This is my second installment of Lily in Wonderland. I hope you enjoy it!

I cannot believe that I even accepted to embark on such a ridiculous journey. I’ve been walking for many hours to get on a train to Tulgey Wood, where it is a three mile walk to Corbath’s cave, which will be my final destination according to the map that Collin gave to me earlier.
I saw a train approaching steadily.

“All aboard! All aboard! Tickets! Tickets!” shouted the conductor.

The train came to an abrupt halt right in front of me. I did not have a ticket, so while he wasn’t looking, I jumped onto the train and ran to the back compartment. Inside there was a man wearing clothes made out of newspaper. He appeared to be asleep. A waiter came along after a while and offered me some food and beverages. I could have used some tea, but I did not have any money so the waiter left. The man in the paper woke up a few minutes later.

“Ahhh… Young girl,” he said. “And where are you off to?”
“ I am on a quest to help my friend Collin.”
“ How do you know how to help him?”
“ Well, he told me.”
“ If he knows how, then why does he need your help? Was he incapable of doing it? Was he not in the correct state of health?”
“ No, he was perfectly capable of it.” I answered.
“ Well then…” he said, and drifted off to sleep.

For the remainder of the ride I pondered what he had said. Why was I even on this crazy quest to begin with? Collin might have been lying, and then this whole journey will have been for nothing. I stared out the window for the rest of the ride.

When the train stopped, I got off. I saw a thick forest with a dilapidated sign that read “Tulgey Wood.” I guess this was it. I entered the woods.

The woods were beautiful. I could smell the pine trees, and heard a babbling waterfall flowing into a stream. Then this mystical music started. It made me want to dance and sing. I forgot all of my worries. Why should I go on this quest anyway? If Collin wants to break his curse so much, then he should just do it himself, and not tell girls like me to do it for him.

Then these beautiful nymphs appeared from the trees. They all started dancing along with the music.They beckoned for me to join them. I quickly skipped over to them and danced. They showed me food and drink, which I took heartily.

The music became faster, and the nymphs started dancing along with it. I couldn’t keep up, and I lost my footing. When I tried to get back up, it felt as if a heavy weight was descending upon me. The music was getting faster. The world was slowly dimming. Soon the music did too. Then all I saw was a glittering, and malicious smile in a shroud of darkness.

The next installment will be posted in a week.