Who's there?

"What could have started that fire?" she asked.

A skinny tall young boy looked at his friend, "I don't know. Do you think the story of the dragon living in the cave is true? If it is, the dragon could have started it."

"My brother is a soldier and he says there is no such things as dragons. He has been to the forest and the cave over there. If there was a dragon, he would have seen it." The little girl was sure her big brother would have seen it.

Almost five miles north of the children talking, the mouth of a cave sat. No one knew what was in the cave. Almost any one that entered, never returned. Those who did had such far out strange stories that no one really believed them. Some stories included: A dragon lives in there and eats any who enter. A wizard lives in there and turns trespassers invisible. There is a big hole in the floor that you fall through and are trapped forever.

"Let's go see if the stories are true," said the little girl.

"Sally, we cannot just go running off. What will we do when it is suppertime."

"Oh Charn, you worry to much. Please go with me. We can both go home and tell our parents that we are staying at the others house. Pleeeaase."

Charn had a hard time telling Sally no. He really liked her, which was wierd since he thought girls had cooties. "OK, but just because I don't want you to go by yourself."

Sally smiled and took off at a run. She could not wait to get started. "Meet back here."

Charn also ran back to his house.

They both packed a backpack. Sally packed some clothes, her favorite toy, a sharp knife that she snuck from the kitchen, and some bread that she also snuck out of the kitchen. Charn pack one pair of clothes, a notebook and pen, some crackers and dried meat, and his slingshot. He was about to leave his house when he realized that he had forgotten his blanket. He always took his blanket when he went somewhere for the night and his mom would be suspicious if he did not have it. He was a little embarrassed to admit he had it, but he took it anyways.

An hour later the two met back up and started towards the edge of town. A few people stopped them and asked where they were going, but did not stop them when they said they were going to the strawberry patch at the edge of town to pick strawberries for their parents. Many kids did this and they often took backpacks to put the strawberries in.

Once out of town, the two ran as far and as fast as they could so no one would see and question them. They made it. They both stopped and put their hands on their knees panting. Sally looked up at Charn and smiled. She grabbed his hand and they walked in silence. They stayed towards the tall grass on the path so when someone came down the path, they could hide in the grass. They walked and walked. Neither of them thought they had walked so long in their lives. They stopped when the sun was high in the sky and ate some lunch. They talked and laughed until they were both full and ready to continue.

Again, they walked and walked. Five miles was a good distance for anyone walking, but for a 7 year old and an 8 year old, it was really long.

Finally they made it to the cave. All of the stories had some truth to them. When they entered the cave, a dragon circled behind them and blocked the mouth to the cave. It came closer and closer. The kids turned and ran into the cave, hoping to escape the dragon. Neither of them saw the big hole in the floor because the cave was so dark. They both fell into it. Instead of falling, they both gently floated down until they landed in front of a wizard.

"Welcome to your new home."

Word count: 696