Entrance to the Song (completed)

Chapter 1- Doors of Entry

The stars gaze down on earth and weep for their loss

The big black truck rammed us for the second time. "Daddy," I screamed from the back seat. My head swung forward and back. The seatbelt cut into my neck when it tightened around me.

"Penny, sweetheart. I just need you to be a brave little explorer for Daddy." His sorrowful blue eyes watched me in the small mirror as he drove.

Tears ran down my cheeks. My knees shook with fear. My head bobbed in reply as I clutched the purple bunny in my arms.

Daddy turned his attention back to the road; he sat up off the back of the seat and gripped the steering wheel. The dirt road dipped and turned. Our small car hugged the road, speeding toward the coordinates on the map in the car's GPS.

The book I found bounced on the passenger seat, the title, Book of Entry, glinted silver in the morning light. The earth gave it to me one week ago when I was playing in my garden. Daddy followed the coordinates on the map found in the pocket of the front cover.

The big truck swerved to cut us off, almost flipping in the process and causing it to stall.

The distance between our vehicles spread. Please-Please, let us get away! I tried not to whimper. Daddy needed me to be brave.

The bad man shot mommy when he came looking for me. Daddy picked me up and ran, but not before I witnessed her drop on the floor. Confusion for why they wanted to take me from my parents muddled my mind. My parents said I was special, but all I did was grow plants.

My heart raced when Daddy stopped the car. A small pond blocked the entrance to the thick woods.

"Okay, Penny, we walk from here," Daddy said as he pulled out the emergency bag we always kept in the trunk. He stuffed the book inside the green bag and entered the coordinates into his phone.

My eyes were sticky and dry and I rubbed them, but the tears had stopped.

Daddy scooped me out of the car and held me in his arms. My head rested on his shoulder as he hurried toward the small bridge.

Chunks of ice floated in the pond, and a thin blanket of snow covered the ground.

I scanned the woods. "Put me down please," I asked.

"We'll move faster if I carry you," Daddy said, sprinting across the rickety bridge. One of the boards fell into the water when his foot lifted.

"Please, Daddy," I said, putting my gloved hand on his face feeling his square jaw clench beneath my fingers. Protectiveness radiated from his body language. "The Earth is calling me to the door." Reluctantly he allowed me to slide out of his arms. I hit the ground running, my cap bounced on top of my head.

The Earth churned beneath my feet giving my flight strength. The subtle pull of the entrance grew stronger as I ran.

Daddy's footsteps fell in a rhythmic pattern behind me.

The earth softened beneath my steps and my breath misted in the cold afternoon air.

We came upon an entangled thicket of vegetation. I stopped and examined the wall of plants and trees.

"What is it Penny?" Daddy said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"It's through there," I said pointing at the tangled thicket.

Daddy frowned and gazed at the mess of trees. "Okay, but how do we get through?"

I turned to him and extended a hand. He took my hand, and I marched right in the middle of the vegetation. The plants were an illusion within a small doorway—a person only needed to sense where to step and I could feel it as sure as I could running water over my hands when I turned on a faucet.