Friday January 13, 2010. When my life changed.

I was going to the park on a bright, beautiful morning. It was 11:00 when I had already caught the bus to Fifth Street and had been dropped off. When I had hopped off the bus, my surroundings were confusing, and unfamiliar. It was very strange to me because I had been to this park so many times before. And unlike any other time, the park was quiet, motionless, dull, and unexciting. When as usual, it was buzzing with noise, crowded with extravagant people ready for their daily exercise, or just there for fun. Beneath my deep, puzzling thoughts of confusion, I assumed that I had never been to this part of the park in previous visits.

I turn my head left to right, and right again observing my surroundings. When I started walking to the right, I noticed nothing that drew my attention. But as I continued on, I saw a peculiar looking dense forest. Investigating even closer, I saw that there was a small and narrow trail though the woods. When examining this trail, I made note that it’s name was Cherry Lane. I was cautious in taking this path, since it looked as if not many people had tread on it. Looked interesting to me! So I decided to do my daily jog on this newly discovered path.

I sturdily planted my first foot. Even though it was light outside, the path was dimmed with thick woods, condense branches, and long grim thorns jumping out and into my way. A cold, fearsome gust of wind blew my way. How much more creepy could this get? I quickly made my way along the path eager to get out of this horrifying trail. Roots, dead branches, and random gusts of wind kept me from getting out as fast as possible. I could see the light at the end of the path, when suddenly, I recklessly wipe out by tripping over one devil of a root!

I fly thru the air and skid face first into the awful mud covered ground. Sitting up slowly I wipe the dirt off of my face and inspect the damage done to my body. With a faulty fall like that I was sure to be injured. It took me a while to even take a look at what the deal was. I didn’t want to know how bad the damage was. Of course my face was going to be a little bruised the next day, which I could already feel the pain. Thankfully the only other injured spot was a pretty bad scrape on the leg, and boy was it disgusting! It was spurting buckets and buckets of blood, but using the FIRST-AID bandage in my purse, I patched things up fairly quickly.

I don’t know how this could ever have been possible, but after I was ready to roll again, the path seemed longer! I could no longer see the ending of the path. It was even darker, and the razor sharp, briery thorns seemed to come together and try to keep me imprisoned in these creepy woods! I cautiously used my fingers to work with the thorns and free myself from their deadly grip. When finally released, I was able to advance toward the light. After eternities I finally regained my sight of the clear outdoors.

When I stepped out of the eerie forest, it felt much warmer! It was the strangest thing, I felt as if I was isolated from the entire park. I mean, I was there with actual people, but the exit of the trail was so far away from the action. To help put a picture in your mind: I was by the isolated trail exit, far ahead and to my left was a pond, far ahead and to my right was a wide grassy path, and far ahead on the right of the grass walkway was a fence enclosing a few trees.

I started walking to where there was civilization. As soon as I got near to the pond, seven horses came rushing out of the woods. It was like the whole park was reading my mind about my love of horses. This definitely could not be possible though. While taking in my surprising experience, a elegant horse nudged me. Not thinking, I climbed voluntarily onto its back. Distracted by this unplanned circumstance, the horse and I went crashing into the pond.

Hitting the water with such a force from an animal that gigantic, sent a massive wave crashing back onto the horse and I. The sudden stirring of the water churned the whole pond up, sloshing silt and sludge all over. The other pedestrians strangely didn’t mind whatsoever. I soon found out that my horse was very strong, when it started to swim out of the pond with me on its back! As we got out, my horse started off in a gallop obviously having a destination in mind.

Bad thing was, I had no control. All of the horses, including mine, took off in a tangent leaving me, a conundrum. It was headed straight for this barn that I didn’t see at all earlier. It kind of appeared out of nowhere. I unintelligently jumped off so that I wouldn’t get carried off into this rowdy bunch of stallions. I landed just as hard as before, but on my butt. I got left feeling very idiotic while sitting on the ground, damp, dirty, and damaged. I climbed up and decided to leave.

Little did I know, there was no way out. None at all. I looked around every edge, but there was only woods, with the same old trees, same old dirt. Of course, the only way out was that horrible trail. I began to feel that this was all a trap sprung for me to plunge into. I sluggishly dragged myself back to that sinister path. When I got there I got that cold gust of wind. Not shocking me as much this time. This whole place had an mysterious mood to the atmosphere. Not a good thing...

As I start to walk, I realize that the thorns seem to get broader each time I glance at them. They were closing in to strangle me, reaching out for my soaked clothing garments. They were whispering to me, a slow chant of, “Death, Death, Death, Death.” Not a swell thing to be hearing. It was not a joke anymore. It dawns on me that it was never in my imagination that the thorn were moving! They were actually coming alive, constricting to slaughter me. The darkness blocked my vision. Beady yellow eyes peek out from around the massive old oaks. I prayed silently, “HELP, HELP.” But in the wilderness, no one could hear me. Branches crack. This was it, a creature was approaching.

I fearfully collapsed on the moist ground. There was nothing I could do now. I brace myself for the pain that never came. To my surprise, my dashing, handsome horse came and laid down next to me. I tentatively climbed on his back and he pushed though all of the haunts of the forest. Jumping over fallen logs and smashing through thorns. We broke out of the woods and into broad daylight. I hopped of his back and turned around to thank the horse. I patted its nose, and then it took off a fast gallop. It returned into the forest and back to the pond. It seemed to have disappeared.

I walked some more and suddenly felt a cool refreshed breeze. As like I had stepped out of a force field. The world became vivid and the movement and action of typical humans continued. It felt good to be in a regular place. I waited at the bus stop and hopped onto the bus when it came. Coincidentally, I got the same bus driver. I paid her and took my seat. I thought about this unbelievable, eccentric, insane, event that had happened to me on this day. Then puzzled, I wondered how much time had passed.


I asked the bus driver what time it was. She told me that it was 10:00 AM. But it didn’t make since because I got on the bus at 11:00 AM. I didn’t want to bother her but I asked what date it was. Apparently it was Thursday January 19, 2010. 6 days had passed since I was at the park. Something really wasn’t making sense. It was my turn to get off. As I passed by the driver, I was asked something unforgettable, “Did you enjoy Cherry Lane? Unlike the rest, you made it through!” I took off and ran as fast as possible.

Never in my life would I forget this….