Best Gateway

Lucky and Cutie were home for the vacations after several years in the US. They loved the ancestral home and its surroundings, where they had spent a childhood with grandparents. It was in the countryside with a small wood to its north. The teenagers cherished touring the village with their only friend Tia and her grandfather.

One morning the trio decided to explore the woods, so they set out without informing anybody at home. They walked in the direction of the woods into the emptiness with the winds bashing behind their ears. As they walked further leaving the road behind into a path less taken heard the chirping of birds. Although it was late morning the cold breeze made them shiver. They saw the signboard indicating the beginning of the woods. It had layers of moss on it and creepers hugged it making it unnoticeable from distance. As they walked further huge trees towered above them. Cutie and Tia seemed apprehensive without any elders company, but Lucky was confident. He broke a twig from a branch and swung it on the bushes. The sun rays filtered through the trees yet darkness was evident in the wood. What they were seeing now was relatively similar to what was portrayed to them by the elders. The friends trod carefully and gathered pace as they had to return home for breakfast. Dry leaves rattled under their feet. Propelled by fear Tia urged her friends to leave, while Lucky was adamant to explore further. While they were arguing a little squirrel disturbed by their intrusion climbed on one of the branches. Fright clenched Tia as she saw a snake coiled up on the same branch, hearing their footsteps it rose its fangs and hissed in self-defense. Tia directed the twin's attention towards the snake and the three raced towards the main road. Soaked in sweat when they reached the road their hearts were pounding still they smiled as this was the best Gateway.