My name is Linda, a sixteen year old Chinese-Canadian who, just like other teenagers my age, had their problems. What to wear, what movies to see, homework, even guys.
But never did I think that I was anything really special. Ever since my family and I moved from China to Canada seven months ago, my life was getting worse everyday. Even though my best friends Joanne and Sabrina tried to help me, people were always making fun of me, or picking on me, or do other mean things to me just because I'm Chinese.
One day during summer holidays, I was feeling really depressed, so Joanne and Sabrina decided to take me on a picnic in the woods, knowing that I loved nature.
"Look you guys, you do not have to do this. I'm fine, really."
"You are going to have a good, wonderful, peaceful time whether you like it or not. Now come on!" Joanne said as she started into a run, pulling me along.
"Hey, maybe we'll even find a ghost in the Valley!"
"Wait! You know were not allowed in there, after... after what happened!" I replied. "You heard the rumors!"
"Look what you did now Beanie!" Joanne whined. "She will never stop now! You know there are no such things as ghosts and that rumor was made up by some lunatic old man who escaped from jail. Who knows if that was really true. Now come on. Let's have some fun!" Joanne said as we walked into the thick forest to our secret hiding spot.
As we walked deeper and deeper, I remembered the legend that I heard when I was really little back in China. It was about a mystical valley outside of Hong Kong that apparently moved from place to place. I never really thought much about it because there were always old rumors and legends that abounded everywhere you went in China. But for some reason as we walked, the words started forming in my mind.
True of heart and friends are near,
When whistles blow there shall be no fear.
Through the forests beyond time,
A path unveiled will shine,
Under the mountains tall,
Where three doors know all,
Three of a kind shall show the way,
Three of a kind shall rule the day.
When we reached an open place with a huge half-cut log with smaller logs around it to make a circle I just pushed the old legend out my mind. In the circle is a tree with a tire swing hanging off a branch and a couch-like bush with a blanket over it. An ideal getaway Joanne and Sabrina found while exploring the forest last summer.
"So, what should we do now?"
"Come on, let's go to Craman's Peak. I won't tell your parents, if you don't tell mine. Come on it will be fun. Then I'll help you with your homework." Joanne stated.
"No! First of all, we are not allowed there, and second we have lots of homework to do first." I remarked, trying to slow them down.
"Lin, didn't your parents say they didn't want to 'catch' you there? All we have to do is keep a look out for any people that would tell them, and they will never know. Besides, I heard there is a great hot spring there under the volcano."
"I hear it's even better than the hot tub at the spa. Come on!" Sabrina exclaimed as she picked up the pace.
"Fine, we'll take one dip then do our work. Good thing we left our swimsuits in our backpacks after swim class today."
As we walked toward Craman's Peak, we stopped when we saw three lights right under the mountain. "Wow" Joanne whispered. "What are those? Come on, let's take a look!" As we got closer, we saw that the lights were really doors. Three glowing doors. Puzzled, we just stared at the them. I then remembered the legend that heard years ago.
"Under the mountain tall, where three doors know all." I mumbled to myself.
"What are you talking about?" Joanne asked. I told them about the legend that my parents told me when I was little back in China.
"Long ago in Ancient China, a great war was happening. All of China was at war. Even the most peaceful city, Shanghai. At that time, China was thought to be the center of the world. So there would be fights over civilized land. One evil king, King Mitaku, was the ruthless of all. He and another king, King Kimis, had each conquered half of China. And they were the only two kingdoms at war. Of course there were small groups of rebels who attacked each side, but the kings paid most of their attention to each other.
One day, King Kimis' best sorcerer, Avendar made what was thought to be a spell to wipe out King Mitaku and his empire. But when King Kimis tried to use it on King Mitaku, it froze time, causing the two kings to repeat their fight for eternity. And every year at the same date they would repeat the day that froze them. But not only did they get frozen in time, but they got transported to another place. Across the sea, trees and valleys till it reached a place so far off that no one could find it. Not only that, but they say it moves, changing with the wind. The people that were left behind were giving the ability to see into the future. They predicted that one day three strangers whose blood was born from all over the world will come and stop the fight. As the predictions passed through the ages, they became known as the Great War legends. One goes like this:
True of heart and friends are near,
When whistles blow there shall be no fear.
Through the forests beyond time,
A path unveiled will shine,
Under the mountains tall,
Where three doors know all.
Three of a kind shall show the way,
Three of a kind shall rule the day.
"What does that mean?" asked Joanne. "I mean, can you get anymore cryptic?"
"It is kinda complicated. Roughly each line or two is a clue as to where this place is. This legend means if you are true of heart, you pass unharmed through the doors. When three whistles blow at the same time, tone, and place, all who hear it will have their fears disappear. Through a great old forest the path will open and the light with shine the way. Under a tall mountain are three doors, both coming and going in between times. You will have to answer a riddle before you can even enter. But be careful. If you answer it wrong, or are not true of heart, you will be vaporized. Three stones will show you the right way to go when you get lost. And if all goes well, the three strangers will become heroes to everyone." By the time I finished I was out of breath.
"So, do you think that all this stuff is real?" Sabrina asked.
"Well that isn't just a pretty painting," Joanne said, pointing at the doors. I started walking up to them.
"Wait! Where you going?" Sabrina exclaimed when she saw me moving towards the doors.
"Didn't you hear me? Three strangers with blood from around the world. That's us! You, me, and Joanne. I'm from China. Joanne, didn't you say your grandparents came from Europe? And Sabrina, you have a Native American great uncle, don't you?"
"Yeah, I think so. But are you sure? What if he married in?"
"No chance, just look at your mother."
"Okay, okay. But what if it doesn't work and we get fried?" Sabrina meekly replied.
"I doubt it. We can at least take a look. And what if it is true?"
"She's right. We could change history! Be part of history! Come on Beanie! We need your help!" Joanne said as she ran up to me.
"You're not thinking of doing this without me are you? The legend said three strangers, not two!" Sabrina said in a sarcastic voice as she joined us in our walk up to the glowing doors.
"All right! Let's do it!" I exclaimed.
"So what's this dumb riddle anyway?" sneered Sabrina.
"Silence" a female voice boomed.
"For what does thou have in name?" replied another voice, this time male, which came from inside the middle door. It seemed like the doors were talking.
"We wish to see the Great War." I replied to the voice.
"Go to thy left and answer thine riddle or be cast into eternity."
"So it's door number three I guess." Joanne said a bit sarcastically. We walked over to the door on our left.
"Do you wish to see the past?" said the same female voice as before.
"Yes." I stated.
"Very well. But you must answer this: I can be lost but never created. I can fly without wings. I exist everywhere but only matter in the moment. If I already was past, I can not change, but if I am yet to come I am never certain. What am I? Choose wisely." the voice in the door warned.
"What? What kind of question is that?" scoffed Sabrina.
"Okay, let's think. Lost but not made, can fly without wings, only matters in the moment, can not change but is never certain. Hmmm…."
"Hey guys, this is gonna take forever! My dad's gonna kill me if I'm late again coming home. What time is it anyway?"
"Joanne, you're a genius!" I remarked. "That's it! Time! You can loose track of time but can never create more of it, time defiantly can seem like it flies by when you're not paying attention-"
"And what time it is really only matters the moment that you are in. You can't change the past nor can you predict it!" said Sabrina, cutting me off.
"Time!" Joanne said to the voice. "Man, I am a genius!"
"Correct. Please pass through the door." As we stepped through the glowing door, we each wondered what we would meet on the other side.