Well, hello there. I’ve been waiting for you. Yes! You! “Who am I, you ask?” That’s not important, I’m just the narrator. You’re the important one. You know why you’re the important one don’t you? That’s right! You’re the important one because without you, this book would never be read. And what good is a book if it’s never read?
I knew you were a smart one the minute you picked up this book. And when you started to read, it only confirmed it. We are going to have so much fun together, you and I.
What? You want me to get on with it? You’re ready for the story? Well, OK. Let’s go.
Twice upon a time ago, twice upon a time, because all the really great adventure stories and fairy tales need to be told more than once. Most of them are told over and over again as this story should be. So, in preparation for more than one telling, twice upon a time ago there were two brothers named Zach and Nate. These two brothers didn’t possess any extraordinary powers. They weren’t invisible and couldn’t levitate. Neither one of them had any magical ability. They were just ordinary brothers who liked to play together, occasionally had squabbles but loved each other and were always polite and obedient. (You are aren’t you?)
That might sound a little boring to some and the word ordinary might not be the best word to describe these two young men. They came from a very nice family. Mom and Dad loved them deeply and provided as much attention as any Mom and Dad can do and still do all the things Moms and Dads need to do to raise three little boys.
Yes, dear reader, there were three boys, but Evan the youngest was still an infant when these adventures began. And in one sense, Evan was the cause behind Zach and Nate discovering these adventures. But we’re getting ahead of the story.
As is the case when there are more than one or two children in a family, it is hard for Mom and Dad to spend the amount of time a child really wants to spend with Mom and Dad. It is even harder when there is a third child in the house. And that is how Zach and Nate began their adventure.
One summer day Dad was at work and Mom was at home with all three boys. Zach and Nate were being typical boys and playing loud and laughing and having a great time. But because they were loud and noisy, laughing and having a good time, little Evan couldn’t get to sleep. So Mom sent the older boys out into the back yard to play.
When Zach and Nate stepped outside, it was one of those perfect summer days, not too hot, just enough clouds to break the heat and just enough deep blue clear sky to make the day beautiful.
At first everything seemed normal but then Nate noticed that there was a hole in the fence between their house and the neighbor’s. It wasn’t the hint of a hole. It wasn’t a partial hole. It was a whole hole. “Hey Zach, look at that.” Then he pointed to the eight foot gap in the fence.
Zach turned and looked and couldn’t believe his eyes. “Where did that come from? What happened?” What he was seeing wasn’t just the neighbor’s back yard. The neighbor’s yard had all but disappeared. What the boys were looking at through the whole hole which was the gap in the fence happened to be an open field beyond which was a river or very large creek. And on the other side of the creek was a deep woods. Not quite a forest but a very deep and dense woods.
A thousand questions ran through their minds. As they stood gazing at the scene before them, they both could feel the woods inviting them to explore. The longer they stared, the longer they looked the stronger that feeling became.
Zach and Nate pondered what they should do. Zach suggested that they go exploring. They just had to. Nate agreed but he suggested they needed to get their backpacks with some water and maybe a snack or two. They didn’t know exactly how long they would be exploring. Zach agreed. “That is a really good idea, Nate.”
Nate loved it when his big brother told him how good his ideas were. (Way to go Zach). So, together, they very quietly entered the house. They quietly retrieved their backpacks and a few supplies. They loaded the backpacks with water bottles and snacks and then quietly went back outside.
As Zach opened the door to go outside, he closed his eyes and held his breath. He wouldn’t have been surprised if the whole hole was gone and everything was back to normal. As Zach opened his eyes, he let out a sigh of relief as he saw the field and the creek and the deep woods.
Nate shut the back door quietly and then asked: “Is it really real or is this just make believe?”
Zach raised his eyebrows, shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t know. Let’s go find out.”
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