“We travel, not to escape life. But for life not to escape us.”
Jenna was a highly adventurous individual who often dreamed of traveling to new and exciting places. During the scorching summers in Connecticut, she attended a survival camp in Turtle Cove. Jenna had become very familiar with the campground and its surroundings. On the final day, Jenna and her group embarked on a hike through the mountains of Eagle Range, but Jenna became separated from her group. Rather than feeling frightened, she saw this as an opportunity to explore. While navigating the muddy terrain of Crocodile Swamp, she stumbled upon an old and weathered building. Intrigued by her discovery, Jenna approached the building and was surprised to see a silhouette of a doorway illuminated by a radiant rainbow hue.
As she stepped through the doorway, she was greeted by warm, sparkling winds and a breathtaking landscape. In front of her stretched a vibrant grass field with an array of boldly-colored flowers, while to the east lay a glistening ocean where the winds were stained with a salty aroma. In the west, a majestic golden mountain range towered above her, creating a sparkling dust, carried by the warm winds from beyond the mountains. In the distance, a magnificent castle with bricks white as snow and piers sharper than knives stood surrounded by a crystal clear moat.
The scenery was truly breathtaking, but Jenna's curiosity lay with the creatures that inhabited the region. Pegasus and unicorns basked in the warm rays, their pristine fur coats gleaming brightly. Mermaids swam joyfully, their tails resembling delicate stained glass. A shadow fell upon the castle as a massive dragon emerged, peering at Jenna before retreating to its resting place. The dragon's reptile-like skin was dyed with a dark-red tint, adorned with black spikes, and its enormous wings lay tucked comfortably into its body. Through the clouds around the mountain, Jenna spotted the figures of baby gryphons dancing freely among the mountain's ridges.
Upon crossing the threshold, Jenna was immediately encapsulated by a joyful emotion. She felt as if a happy spirit had embodied her as she crossed. However, her experience was suddenly cut short as she blacked out upon entering the doorway. Jenna awoke in her cold and creaky bunk bed in the camp cabin, realizing that the enchanting world she had witnessed was merely a figment of her imagination. Determined to find the mysterious doorway again, Jenna searched for it during her hike to Eagle Range but was unable to escape the supervision of her group. As the school bus announced its arrival with a cloud of exhaust; the campers eagerly lined up to go home. Jenna boarded the bus feeling disheartened, unable to prove the reality of the world she had seen. As the bus began to move, Jenna caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a pegasus flying out of the corner of her eye, only for it to vanish when she turned her head.
Illustration by Alexis, 4th Grade
