This Way!

I kicked the little gray, mossy stone into the forest, mumbling things about this stupid trail we’re lost on under my breath.

“It’s this way.” Molly switched her direction, away from the creek that would lead to civilization.

Molly, my best friend, and I were lost in the woods. We were trying to go to this super cool tree ziplining thing, but on the way there, we sorta got lost. I told Molly we needed to stay near the river because that would lead to civilization. But, I guess she really didn’t want to agree with me.

“Molly, come on. We need to get back home before the sun sets.” I said, pointing to the red orange fiery ball of sun. But I wasn’t sure she could hear me over my stomach rumbling. I hadn’t had food since we left for the ziplines, and that was just a measly bite of a granola bar. I was so hungry!

“I know. But, I think we still have a chance of finding the zip lines.” She replied. I knew this was going to take a lot of convincing to get her back on my side.

“Even if we do, the ziplining is going to be over.” I countered, crossing my arms.

“Yeah, but we’ll still find the people who were supposed to zipline with us. Please, Audrey.” She begged.

I begrudgingly stalked behind her, kicking more mossy rocks in frustration to the thicket of  lush, prickly bushes.

“Ahhh!” Molly screamed and I jumped back, waiting for the worst to happen. I even reached in my back jean pocket, ready to take out my pocket knife.

I pushed her behind me to take a look at what she was screaming about. A spider. A harmless, brownish grayish, tarantula. It reminded me of my pet tarantula I have at home. Sweet little innocent Terry.

I pushed back my brown curly hair out of my face and picked up the spider. I tucked him under a rock where he could peacefully stay.

“Are you crazy?” Molly thundered. “That thing could pounce on my foot and bite it! Maybe even bite it clean off!”

Molly had a fear of spiders which I recently looked up and learned that it was called Hippopotomonstreussesquippeddaliphobia. 

“Stop your Hippopotomonstreussesquippeddaliphobia!” It sounded so weird coming out of my mouth, but I think it made me sound smart.

Molly stared, trying to make sense of the word, and then spoke. “I won’t. Spiders are gross. And I’m right. We’ll go my way. Stay on the trail and stay behind me.”

Molly was my best friend, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes she was so annoying.

Molly kept her pace along the trail that would surely lead nowhere. I stayed by the creek though. I needed to get to civilization.

“Come on! Look, through those trees!” Molly called from a few yards on the trail. Reluctantly, I followed.

She pushed back the trees and there was another path. Boring. I thought to myself.

“We can take this path to the town.” Molly decided.

“You know this is clearly wrong, right?” I asked her, heading back to the creek.

“Follow me or else. It’s this way!” Molly was getting angry now, and I really didn’t want to be on her bad side.

She walked over to where I was sitting on a wet, mossy log and dragged me by the hands along the trail. I rolled my eyes.

“OW!” I was kind of getting used to that ‘Drag Audrey along the trail’ thing, I wasn’t prepared for when she dropped me onto my back.

I stood up, but immediately stumbled over, with one hand clutched to a wobbly tree. The tree couldn’t hold any more weight, so it flung me into the air, and onto my back on a hard stone.

“Should’ve kicked that stone when I had a chance.” I mumbled under my breath.

I stood up again and stubbornly followed Molly into the lush, green forest.

“AHH!” Molly yelped again, stumbling backwards and knocking me off my feet.

This time I chose to stay, lying on the cold, hard, dirty, rocky ground. Last time, Molly made such a big deal of a tarantula. I decided this was probably going to be even less scary.

“S-s-s-” Molly stuttered.

“You sound like a snake,” I teased, making slithering sounds with my mouth and tongue.

“Snake.” She said and then bolted away into the forest. When I looked up, a snake was about to pounce on me and call me dinner. Not gonna happen. I’m too young to die!

I bolted after her, and trees scratched me along the way, tearing away at my yellow tank top.

By the time I got to a lush, green grassy clearing, I just toppled over because I was so tired of running.

 I could never be more thankful for the cool luscious grass. It soothed my cuts and scratches and it felt so good. In fact, I think I may have dozed off in the process because next thing I know, I was awoken by a colony of ants.

“Um, ow!” I flicked the ants away so they would stop biting. It reminded me of the time I stepped in a fire ants’ ant hill and they bit all up my legs.

I hopped up, groaning from the pain the running caused me. I ran so fast, I stubbed my toes multiple times and I cut through my clothes.

I was about to go about my day through the forest to try and find civilization, when I remembered Molly.

I ran into the forest calling “MOLLY!” until I heard somebody echo back my name. “AUDREY! COME HERE!”

I followed the voice into a fork in the road and decided to go right. Right would always be right!

I sprinted back into the forest where I locked arms with Molly and gave her the tightest hug ever. Even if she could be mean sometimes, she would always be my friend. And that would never change.