An Obstacle or Two

Author Bio: Rowan is 13 she loves her mom and she owns a Alpacacorn

Blurb: It is a fantasy story that has a fun twist, it goes deep into the woods and deep into friendships.

West Bridge Prep looked more haunted than the most haunted hotel in the world. There were dark grayish green vines growing up the walls. Some of the bricks in the wall were crumbling away, and the front door looked like it was from a horror movie. I don’t know why my parents want me to go here but I’m here now, and for a whole year too. Watching my parents drive away through the wall that our divides the two worlds was a feeling that I had never felt before. A feeling of sadness and loneliness. The wall is not an ordinary wall, it makes the humans think they did something that they didn't do so that they don't come into our world.

“Welcome,” said a voice from behind me, “to West Bridge Prep. I am your principle, Ms. Snitch. Please follow me.”

We entered the school and went into a huge room. Ms. Snitch said to me, “This is the grand hall where you will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Veronica here will be your tour guide.” She looked at Veronica and left.

Veronica looked like that popular girl that squirts mustard on your clothing just to make her friends like her.

“Follow me. Here are the dorms, the classrooms, physical education room, music room, the main office, and detention,” she pointed out.

“Who is that?” I asked.

A boy my age was the only one in the room. He looked so sad and alone. He had dark brown eyes and jet black hair.

“Harold Jankins, you don’t want to talk to him. He is… well weird. Come on, I’ll show you to your room.”

I felt bad for Harold. Right as I looked back Ms. Snitch sounded on the intercom. Her high pitched voice boomed through the stone halls.

“Report to the courtyard IMMEDIATELY! This is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill!"

We all made our way through the crowded hall and into the big open courtyard.

"I was just informed that the whole witching and wizarding world could be exposed," acknowledged Ms. Snitch. “I have also been informed that if someone can not stop the exposure within three days, we will be exposed. We will have to go in hiding and school will end until it is safe to come out and we can build a new wall." Her voice echoed all through the courtyard and up, into the air.

"I know that this is a lot to take in at once, so I want you all to go to the great hall for dinner, please exit in an orderly fashion."

We all left the courtyard and the second I opened the doors a waft of roasted potatoes, hot cider, steak, and freshly baked pie blew through my nose. It was savory and sweet at the same time. I sat down, looking in awe at all the food. The food tasted just as good as it smelled. The flavoring of rosemary and mapley goodness was even better than what was at home. When the pie came out all that was in my mouth was a heaping pile of apple, cinnamon, sugar, and buttery crust. So sweet. So good. Even in such a traumatic time, I was able to enjoy myself. Sadly, dinner ended and we had to go to our rooms but on the way, I bumped into the kid that was in detention.

"Harold, right?" I asked him.

He whipped his head around and looked at me, perplexed.

"And who are you?"

"I'm Hazel Goodwin, I'm new," I stated.

" Yeah, I can tell. Hey, if you need someone to show you around some more I am more than willing to," he offered.

I was so confused with why he wanted to do this but I was glad I wouldn't have to be alone and lost. Also, he could become a friend.

"Sure, why not."

The next few weeks where long and boring and I had been bullied a few times by Veronica. I was not all that surprised. Harold and I became best friends and were both growing tired of the annoying classes and people.

On a Thursday night, he asked me, " Do you want to escape with me tonight? I know we both hate this place, other than the food, so why not leave? It's not like anyone will care."

This startled me, but I did want to go and have a better life, so I said yes.

" I will meet you outside your room. We can then escape through the back entrance. Oh, and I will be there at 8 o'clock."

I got to my room and packed up my stuff. The clock struck eight and I went outside my room and there he was, with a bag full of things. We sneaked down the hall and down the stairs.

He stopped outside the kitchen and whispered, " We will need food. Come on, they’ve some good stuff in here."

I followed him carefully and quietly. When we reached the fridge and the pantry we grabbed all the food we could and put it into two potato sacks. We didn’t get caught until we reached the exit.

It was not a teacher or Ms. Snitch, but, "Veronica!" Harold shouted.

" Shhhhhh," Veronica had a large smirk on her face and started to talk to us.

" I overheard you two talking about escaping in the halls. I took it upon myself to find you and bring you to Ms. Snitch."

I knew something like this would happen, but I'm surprised it was Veronica that found us.

"Why would you want to rat us out? We haven't done anything to you."

"All I have ever wanted was to be noticed and to have friends, and if rating you guys out and gaining the favor of Ms. Snitch is the only way to do that, I will."

I felt bad for Veronica.

" What happened that made you this way?" I asked her

" When I was a little girl my parents were always on business trips or going to fancy parties, I always had a nanny and eventually they sent me here. I have been here for 3 years and have never gotten a postcard, call, or anything from them. I just want to have what I never had."

What she said made me realize that we are more alike than we thought. We both want the same thing, to be loved and have friends.

" You know that if you are yourself and not acting like someone else then people will like you and you will have all the friends in the world. People will love you just the way you are."

What I just said was not something that was only meant for her, but also for me. I knew that by being myself I would be all I ever wanted and more.

"Do you really think so?" Veronica said shakily.

"Absolutely."

As Harold and I walked away I realized how good it felt to help people and, from what I said, Veronica will now be a new better person.

We got out of school and entered the woods. As we walked I grew tired and cold.

"Hey Harold, can we stop for tonight. I'm getting a little tired."

" No problem Hazel, we can continue tomorrow."

We set our sleeping bags and I started a fire.

" What are you doing?!" yelled Harold.

"I'm building a fire. So we don't get cold during the night."

"Can you put it out? I hate fire."

I never would have thought that a guy brave enough to go out in the middle of the woods and sleep with the animals would be afraid of fire.

"Do you want to freeze? No, you don't, but I will keep an eye on the fire."

I think Harold got mad at what I said because he took a bucket of water and put the fire out.

"Really? Here I will light a torch and keep it by me so that I can stay warm."

Harold didn't seem to like that idea either because once the torch was lit he took it and swung it around trying to extinguish it.

"Oops," Harold said from behind me.

"What now?" As I looked back Harold had accidentally let go of the torch and it had landed in a pile of dried pine needles. It blew up in flames and started to spread.

After two minutes of trying to put the fire out, we had nothing accomplished and the fire department had arrived.

" Stand back!" a firefighter yelled.

After the fire was out and the firefighters had talked to us, they left. I found Harold curled up in his sleeping bag. It was obvious that he was not comfortable talking to strangers. The next day we traveled deep into the woods and Harold and I talked about our lives back home.

“I was an outcast, both my older brother and sister had great grades and both graduated early from the highest school for witches and wizards. I, on the other hand, had to go to this pit. This place is worse than my great aunt, and she lives with ten cats that barf at least every week.”

I could relate to Harold so well, and it was like we were meant to find each other.

“ I know how it feels, my mom is this big time council member and my dad is part of the board that builds the walls. I have all this pressure to live up to them. Sometimes, I just can't take the pressure." I dug deep and told him what I felt, I had never done that before, not even to my parents

We talked and talked and told each other things we would never say to anyone else. I even did something I now regret, I told him the secrets to the wall. Weaknesses, how it was built, and how it can be destroyed. The day passed and we stopped to set up camp. We fell into a deep sleep and rested quietly for the night.

I woke up to find that Harold was gone. I assumed that he went to the bathroom or to find more firewood, so I myself went to the bathroom and when I came back he was there!

" Where were you?" I asked.

"I was just looking for firewood. I got nothing. It's all wet," Harold confessed.

"It's no problem, thanks for looking though." I turned around to get my toothbrush from my bag but as I stood up I heard a bang!

Then the ground began to shake and the brilliantly colored wall melted away.

"Thank you for the tips. I used them to destroy the wall." It was Harold all along.

The criminal was right in front of me the entire time.

"Why did you do this?" I asked.

"As I said, I was an outcast back home and everywhere else. I wanted to get back at all of those who have caused me pain. This was the only way I could do so. To get them all hard and at the same time."

I didn't understand.

"Why couldn't have just talked to them? By doing this you are harming more people than just them, you are hurting me, Veronica, your family."

He didn’t understand.

"I had no other way."

"Stop the exposure! I will help you with your pain and I can make you feel better, or I can do it the hard way.” I didn't want to do it the hard way, I didn't want to hurt him, but either way, he didn't care.

"No, I will do it the hard way."

I went to say something but as I did I heard another bang and everything went black.

I don't remember much from the day but I do remember being rushed to the hospital and hearing you will be alright, but other than that, nothing.

I was saved that day by the person that nearly killed me. I now have a scar on my right shoulder, from where the bullet hit me. I also have the fear of being in the woods at dawn. Harold is in jail now. For how long, I don't know, but it will be a long, long time.

When I woke up, the wall was back! I was told that when I wiped out, something came out of me and the wall was fixed. Veronica is now volunteering and being more true to herself than ever. My life has been a series of ups and downs but I manage to work my way through it. I love my life and I am thankful for everything in life, living like any day could be my last.