Hey guys! Winter here. I know I usually write a story then forget about it, but I won't about this one. Updates might take a little while, as I am in the worst situation possible - I HAVE ENTERED THE EIGHTH GRADE! I know, I know. Harsh. Welp, without further ado, I present to you... THIS STORY THING!
~Winterleaf123

CHAPTER ONE (Melody)

The afternoon air was cold. Fallen leaves, twigs, and dead plants crinkled and broke under our feet as we ran through the forest. I looked around at my classmates. Some ran in silence, whilst others complained because of the early November chill.

"They should have brought coats to gym," I think.

Even as we ran, we seemed to be divided into groups. The popular/athletic kids, the boys, the sorta-popular kids, the rejects, then, of course, Rachel and Seraphina. There were some who didn't have an official 'label', yet, who just ran wherever. I ran with the sorta-popular kids, with my friends Carla, Kayla, and Ruby.

Just then, behind me, I heard someone - Rachel, most likely - yelp in surprise, which was followed by the sound of a body hitting the forest floor. Waving Carla, Kayla, and Ruby on, I stopped and turned around.

Rachel was getting up, dusting off her pants. Seraphina had stopped too, concerned for our friend. I walked over to the pair.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tripped over my shoelaces. Never learned how to tie them correctly in the first place," Rachel replied as she sat back down to tie the blue, floppy laces.

"You two can keep going," She continued, flicking her hand in the general direction the forest trail led in.

"I'll stay," I decided, after a brief moment's hesitation. "You go on, Seraphina. Tell the teacher that we got held up if he asks,"

Seraphina's emotions couldn't have been more obvious if she shouted them out. Confusion, concern, and a bit of anger were all warring inside her head. Eventually, she sighed, a clear sign of resignation.

"Alright, I'll go. See you soon, Rachel,"

"See ya," Rachel went back to tying her shoes.

A few moments passed silently, the sounds of nature surrounding us both.

"Why did you want to stay?" I was startled at the question.

"What do you mean?" I inquired, confused.

"You know what I mean. We've been becoming more distant from each other, barely conversing, and now suddenly, it's like you want to become friends all over again!" She threw up her hands in exasperation. Catching the expression on my face, she sighed. "Sorry. That was harsh. But still, why did you decide to stay?"

"Because that's what friends do," I sat down next to Rachel. I was about to continue with a little speech about how long we had been friends (Almost 6 years, if not longer), and how nothing would ever change that, when Rachel silenced me.

"Did you hear that?" Her voice was low and quiet.

"No, what?" I whispered back, as a loud snap made both of us jump up.

"It came from over there!" Rachel whisper-yelled, pointing over to where there was a large, cave-like opening in the hill. Without a second thought, Rachel ran over to it, her half-tied shoelaces flopping. "Look!" She cried excitedly. Without waiting for me, she charged, recklessly, into the entrance.

I ran after her, and when I was near the entrance, I saw what had made Rachel so excited. A white, misty vapor was swirling around the entrance, being blown by an imaginary wind.

"Hey, Melody, doesn't this misty stuff seem kind of familiar?" Rachel's voice echoed from inside.

I thought for a moment. "Yeah, it kind of reminds me of the mist that Gregor fell into in the Underland Chronicles!"

"You should - "

Rachel let out a shriek, which rapidly faded.

"Rachel, are you okay? Rachel?" I called out, only to hear nothing but the echo. Concerned, I walked tentatively into the cave.

"Rachel?" I called once again.

I stumbled over something. A sharp rock. I picked it up, in case I needed to defend myself from whatever was inside. I started walking a bit faster now. Suddenly, the ground opened up beneath me, and I fell, screaming, into the suffocating darkness of a very deep hole.

It took me a few moments to realize that I wasn't in a free-fall, but drifting down slowly. Well, not exactly slowly, but slower than I would've thought.

"Okay," I thought. "This can't be a coincidence. This hole has to lead to the Underland!"

Whilst I contemplated this, another thought popped into my head.

"What if the mist ends before I reach the - "

I was cut off as suddenly the mist disappeared, and my slow descent turned into a free-fall.

Well? Did you like it? If so, leave a review! If you didn't like it, leave a review! If you couldn't care less, leave a review! Thank you!

~Winterleaf123