The Book Traveler Part 4

June and I stole horses from the stables behind the little cottage. We would return them shortly after midnight, but we needed to get to the far away castle. As we rode, I took in every detail. I might never see this place again, and we also might need a quick escape from the castle. It is such a quiet town. I’m gonna miss it when we leave.

It was about seven PM when we arrived at the castle. I was still only waring shorts and a t-shirt, so I would stay outside and wait until midnight to leave. I tied the horses to a tree as June straightened her dress.

“You look so beautiful,” I whispered quietly.

“CJ?” June asked quietly. “Can I ask you something?”

“Um… Sure,” I replied.

“Well… What if I told you that I don’t like boys?” June blurted.

“I would say that makes sense,” I responded. “Sometimes I don’t enjoy their company either.”

“It’s not like that,” June muttered. “I really like girls. Like, a lot. That’s why I don’t want to marry the prince. They… just aren’t for me.”

“You’re so brave.” I mused. “I didn’t know that you felt that way, and I was not planning on saying that to anyone for years.”

“You too?” June whispered.

“Yeah,” I muttered.

“I should get in there, but for the record, I like you more than any prince.” June whispered. We both turned away, blushing. It was nice to finally admit how we felt. While June was in the castle partying, I would be finding a way out of this fairy tale. Hours passed. Then, the clock struck twelve and out rushed June. We leaped onto our stolen horses and fled. But as we passed by a pond, my horse tripped. The book flew out of my hands and landed in the lake with a splash.

“Oh no, no, no!” I cried as our only link to home flew into the water of the pond. That was our only hope on how to get home. The horses, who were often mistreated by their owner, ran away as soon as their riders had dismounted. In defeat, I fell onto the soft sand beside the pond and wept. We were stuck here forever with no way of knowing what to do without the book. I was so disappointed that I didn’t see the pond begin to glow.

“CJ?” June said quietly. “Look at the pond.” I took a look and gasped. The pond water was glowing with a soft golden hue and words from the story swirled through the water. I stared at June. She stared back.

“I’m going in,” I announced. I had almost put my toe in the water when something slipped into my hand. I looked back. June had taken my hand.

“We’re going in,” she said. “Together.”

We jumped into the water, expecting to hear a splash, but nothing but a warm swirling sensation met us. I squeezed June. June squeezed back. Then, she let go and I was sitting on the floor of the library again, the book of fairytales in my lap.

“All right, class,” Ms. Qwerty bellowed. “It is time to go!”

As I was lining up, something slammed into me. It was June. She was hugging me.

“We made it!” She exclaimed.

“Shhh!” I whispered. “Nobody needs to know what just happened. This was some weird magic, and nobody needs to think we’re crazy!”

“Right,” June whispered. “So, are you free Wednesday?”

The End,

Or should I say,

The Beginning!