At the End of the Rainbow
-Chapter One-
A Walk in the Forest
The sun was dancing on the forest canopy high above Amanda as she clambered through the underbrush of the forest. She loved the sun, but at the moment she wished it weren't so bright-it was just one more distraction in her struggle through the stickers and branches. There was a trail here once, I am sure of it, she fumed silently. It had been ten years since she was last in this forest as a child. Countless hours were spent here, in this very forest, building forts, trails and playing a game called Imagine. Amanda laughed to herself. Imagine.
"Imagine me finding my way out of this mess", she muttered.
All she wanted was to find that meadow, that opening in the middle of the woods where she could sit down and eat the picnic she had packed in her backpack earlier that day. It had been years since she dared venture off like this-all alone. It was all a part of her "Ten Step-Self-Improvement Plan". This was only the first step. Stupid Self-Help books, she thought, why I must go back to my so- called roots to know myself better I'll never begin to fathom!
Offering a deep sigh of resolution she continued forward, blocking the glare of the sun with her hand. It was so bright! Amanda winced as she examined the sun-lit canopy for a moment. She did admire the way the sun brought out the various shades of green in the forest. Green, light green, pea green, dark green, shining orb of light . . .what the…
In that next moment, Amanda gasped as she felt herself falling face-forward onto the forest floor. She sat up, rubbed her aching head and looked around to see what made her fall. Brushing some twigs out of her hair, she moaned as the pain shot through from her ankle to her leg. Her ankle! Her foot! Her foot, of course, it was just her luck that a hole would happen to be right where she stepped. She couldn't help but laugh and wonder what kind of hole-dwelling critter suffered the sudden arrival of a foot through their front door. Carefully pulling her foot away from the hole, she inspected her ankle for any serious injuries. It was fine. Good, she thought, the last thing I need is a broken ankle.
She took her back-pack off her shoulder and checked inside briefly to make sure that her food was still intact. Pausing before returning to her feet she vaguely remembered seeing something which alarmed her a moment ago. She stood up and studied her surroundings. What was I looking at? Amanda quickly glanced up towards the canopy struggling to recall her last moments before her unceremonious plunge to the ground. That's right, she remembered, light….too much bright light!
She pushed herself forward through the undergrowth, limping a bit but more insistent than ever on finding that meadow.
Up above the forest canopy a shining orb of light twinkled in anticipation. It is only a matter of time before the girl will learn to appreciate color as much as the light that accompanies the variety of shades she admires so, the Orb glimmered in confidence.
Floating upwards towards the sun the Orb mused silently, but they must meet first, I can see that now. Yes, she must meet Rainbow Brite.