Tommy and Franklin’s Epic Quest

(Authors Note: The following story contains scenes of extreme, anxiety inducing, peril and heart jolting action. The heroic adventures of Tommy and Franklin are not for the weak at heart.)

“Well Franklin, we have a job to do. None of the grownups have found Penelope and brought her home so you and I are going out into The Great Forest and we are going to find her. We will be hero’s, boy.” The steely eyed nine-year-old stood at the edge of the forest that bordered his back yard. Franklin, the Golden Retriever that had been in the family about a year longer than Tommy, stood next to him. Tommy had his bow staff, which was a limbed out sapling Dad cut when clearing a spot for Mom’s herb garden, and his trusty aluminum canteen. Even at nine and three quarters, Tommy knew that being able to hydrate was paramount to survival.

Franklin, uneasy about the trip, didn’t hesitate. It was his job to protect Tommy. Wherever Tommy went, he went; except school (which was rather bothersome to Franklin, he didn’t understand why, if he liked kids and kids liked him, he shouldn’t be able to ride the big yellow thing to school with his boy, it made perfect sense). If Tommy wanted to set out to rescue Penelope, then that is what they would do, together. If anything, or anyone tried to harm Tommy, Franklin was prepared to do whatever it took to protect him. That was his oath.

“Let’s go boy, maybe we can find her before dark. We don’t want her to be alone out there after dark.” With a deep breath for courage, Tommy and Franklin began their journey past the invisible boundary of their backyard and into The Great Forest.

The oak branches clawed at the sky, blocking out most of the sunlight. Tommy’s heart was pounding as he dodged roots the size of the Kraken’s tentacles. Vines like giant serpents tried to tangle him up but Franklin bounded ahead, forging a path through the darkness for Tommy to follow.

The first major challenge came quick. Franklin stopped short of what was locally known as The Roaring River. Tommy caught up quickly and both of them stared into the swirling, black, foaming, rapids. “We’re gonna have to ford it Franklin!” said Tommy, forced to yell over the sound of the water crashing over boulders and fallen trees. “If we ain’t careful, this could be the end of the road for us, but Penelope is counting on us so we have to do it!” Holding onto Franklin’s collar, Tommy stepped from boulder to boulder, the icy water nipped at their feet, taunting them. At one point, Tommy’s shoe slipped on a loose pebble, almost causing him to plummet into the certain death that was The Roaring River.

Once they made it to the other side, Tommy fell onto the mossy bank. “We made it boy! We did it! I couldn’t have done it without you.” Franklin, lapped up all the praise Tommy could dish out and dished out a bit of his own slobbering all over his boy. “We better get going, she may be in trouble.”

The forest deepened as they battled through the thick brush and undergrowth. The pair bravely trudged forward not knowing what may be waiting for them. Suddenly, Franklin froze. His head lowered and ears came up. Tommy sank low, next to his protector “What is it boy?” Franklin, showing his teeth, growled ferociously at the shadowy forest. That’s when Tommy heard it. Something was coming towards them. The rustle of leaves and twigs snapping became louder. Franklin let out a series of barks and lunged in the direction of the noise. The forest became quiet. They listened for a second. “Whatever that was, you scared it away, good boy.”

The next major challenge, Mount Doom, stood before Tommy and Franklin, a giant waiting to be conquered. Tommy had heard tails of others, plunging to their death or just giving up from shear exhaustion. He knew of nobody who had ever reached the summit and lived to tell the tale, but today, he and Franklin were going to do it, they had to, for Penelope.

“All we gotta do is keep going till we reach the top. After that, it’s all down hill and easy. Let’s go.” Tommy planted his bow staff in the earth, using it as a hiking pole and began the arduous trek up Mount Doom. Franklin followed, carefully selecting where to step and paying close attention to where not to step. Using roots and stones as hand and foot holds, Tommy struggled along relentlessly. At one point, a rock slipped from the loose earth and went tumbling down behind him, Tommy slid and scraped his knee but held on tight, pulling himself back to safety and kept on moving. Nothing was going to stop him from rescuing Penelope.

Finally, Tommy stood at the summit; hands on his hips, chest heaving, and surveyed the forest below like a King looking over his kingdom. “We made it, boy. I told you we could do it.” Franklin’s tail wagged as he watched a hawk circling in the distance like an ancient dragon in flight. Their triumph, unfortunately, was short lived. Both Tommy and Franklin heard a loud, guttural, growl at the base of the mountain behind them. “It’s the wild beast! He must’ve gotten reinforcements after you ran him off the first time! Run for it!”

The pair tore down the mountain as fast as they could, never looking back over their shoulders. Tommy’s heart pounded with excitement, imagining massive jaws snapping at his heals as he lept over branches and ducked under vines, dodging trees and boulders. They were lost but would keep running till they were safe or found a place to stand their ground. Franklin led the way, barking his fierce protector bark, ready to turn at any moment and tear apart whatever was chasing them.

When Tommy no longer sensed danger, his run slowed to a walk, exhausted he fell into the grass and rolled onto his back in a small clearing. “We made it boy! You got us home. We will be known as hero's forever. They will probably give us a medal.” Franklin lay across him, licking his face and wagging his tail excitedly.

“Where have you two been?” Mom asked, prying Penelope, Tommy’s little sister’s favorite doll from Franklin’s mouth.

“We went on a quest to save Penelope from the big bear in The Great Forest, Mom. You should have seen us. We forded the Roaring River! We very nearly drowned but I held on to Franklin and he pulled me across to safety! After that, we scaled Mount Doom. I had a couple real scary moments, thought I might tumble all the way down but I kept going and we made it to the top. It was epic!”

“Wow!” said Mom, “You two are lucky to be alive! Thank goodness you have Franklin to keep you safe.”

“He did, Mom, He even scared off the big bear,” said Tommy. “He barked and growled real mean like and it got chicken and ran off!” Tommy’s eyes sparkled as he told his mom about the giant snake vines and the hoard of beasts chasing them down Mount Doom.

“I think you two brave adventurers deserve a reward. Sissy is going to be so happy you found… I mean saved, Penelope.” She ruffled Tommy’s hair, “How about we go eat some cookies?” Tommy beamed as he strode into the house, still recounting his harrowing tale, Franklin trotting behind them with his tail waving proudly in the air.

Tommy continued chronicling their account, Mom listened. She gasped at the right times and cheered at the right times. When Tommy recounted the Roaring River, she pictured the trickling stream that ran through the wooded park behind their home. What he called Mount Doom, she knew he was the dirt pile the builder had left that the neighborhood kids loved to climb and play on.

Mom loved listening to Tommy, loved how wonderful his imagination was and how much fun it created for Tommy and Franklin. To Tommy, the two wooded acres behind their home was The Great Forest, a realm of endless wonders and with Franklin by his side, no peril was too great. She let him spin his yarns, let him dream, let him believe. In his mind, he and Franklin had conquered the world. And maybe, just maybe, one day, they would.