Story time
Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a town full of caves. Her parents always told her that if she went into the caves, she would be lost forever in the catacombs underneath the city. For this reason, she stayed away from the cave entrances, and urged her friends to do the same.
One day, this girl -- let's call her Kris -- was walking her dog Jenny. Jenny was strong, too strong for little Kris, and when Jenny pulled Kris to run after a squirrel, Kris dropped the leash. Jenny got away, and chased the squirrel right into one of the caves.
Although Kris wanted to run after her dog, she was stuck with a decision to make: should she disobey her parents, at the risk of her life, to save Jenny; or should she stay where it was safe, out in the sunshine, away from the damp walls and dripping ceiling of the menacing cave?
She finally decided that if she didn't go after Jenny, she would never be able to live with herself. Kris returned to her house, and loaded up her backpack with what she thought she would need: two flashlights, three eight-packs of batteries, three peanut butter sandwiches, and two bottles of water. Being seven, Kris didn't understand the mammoth task that she was about to undertake, but she went ahead with it anyways.
Kris left her house and walked back to the door of the cave. I am prepared, she thought to herself. I can do this ... I can save my dog.
Deep down, Kris knew she was lying to herself. She would never be able to maneuver through all of the catacombs without some sort of guide. Before she went into the cave, she said a small prayer, hoping that God would lead her in the right direction.
After taking a deep breath, Kris turned on her flashlight and proceeded to walk into the cave. It was dark, and there was a smell of rank water that permeated every pore in her body.
She walked for about ten minutes, then stopped to truly survey her surroundings. She could feel the floor of the cave sloping farther down into the earth, and looking back, the light had turned to nothing but a pinprick. The day was growing late as it was, but being this far down in the cave certainly didn't help.
When Kris arrived at the first crossing, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.
"Do you need assistance?"
As the decidedly feminine voice began to speak, Kris's eyes sprang open and she swung the beam of her flashlight to her right, where she thought she heard the voice. There was nothing there. She tried to tell herself it was just her imagination, when, suddenly, the voice spoke again.
"If you need assistance, then I am the person to ask."
Kris was raised to be polite, and so replied, "And what person would you be? I am sorry, I cannot see you, and would believe more to trust your advice were I able to catch a glimpse."
At that, Kris hearded the very clear sound of a guffaw.
"Do you really believe," the voice inquired, "that if you saw me, it would make any difference to you? How should I appear to make my advice acceptable? As a human? And would a toad disappoint you so? I am sure a snail providing directions would be a great liar now, wouldn't he?"
Kris paused, and retorted, "If you do not wish to show yourself, then that is your decision. In the same turn, it may also be my decision to believe you or not as I please."
There was silence for a moment, and then, "If it is the dog and the rat that you seek, then turn to your right and proceed along to the next crossing, where you will turn left. You will follow that until you find the dog. She is weary with running, and has stopped for the moment. I would move along, were I you."
Kris turned and began to sprint in the direction that the voice had provided, when she heard from directly beside her, "Unless, that is, you're interested in the treasure."
TBC.
One day, this girl -- let's call her Kris -- was walking her dog Jenny. Jenny was strong, too strong for little Kris, and when Jenny pulled Kris to run after a squirrel, Kris dropped the leash. Jenny got away, and chased the squirrel right into one of the caves.
Although Kris wanted to run after her dog, she was stuck with a decision to make: should she disobey her parents, at the risk of her life, to save Jenny; or should she stay where it was safe, out in the sunshine, away from the damp walls and dripping ceiling of the menacing cave?
She finally decided that if she didn't go after Jenny, she would never be able to live with herself. Kris returned to her house, and loaded up her backpack with what she thought she would need: two flashlights, three eight-packs of batteries, three peanut butter sandwiches, and two bottles of water. Being seven, Kris didn't understand the mammoth task that she was about to undertake, but she went ahead with it anyways.
Kris left her house and walked back to the door of the cave. I am prepared, she thought to herself. I can do this ... I can save my dog.
Deep down, Kris knew she was lying to herself. She would never be able to maneuver through all of the catacombs without some sort of guide. Before she went into the cave, she said a small prayer, hoping that God would lead her in the right direction.
After taking a deep breath, Kris turned on her flashlight and proceeded to walk into the cave. It was dark, and there was a smell of rank water that permeated every pore in her body.
She walked for about ten minutes, then stopped to truly survey her surroundings. She could feel the floor of the cave sloping farther down into the earth, and looking back, the light had turned to nothing but a pinprick. The day was growing late as it was, but being this far down in the cave certainly didn't help.
When Kris arrived at the first crossing, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.
"Do you need assistance?"
As the decidedly feminine voice began to speak, Kris's eyes sprang open and she swung the beam of her flashlight to her right, where she thought she heard the voice. There was nothing there. She tried to tell herself it was just her imagination, when, suddenly, the voice spoke again.
"If you need assistance, then I am the person to ask."
Kris was raised to be polite, and so replied, "And what person would you be? I am sorry, I cannot see you, and would believe more to trust your advice were I able to catch a glimpse."
At that, Kris hearded the very clear sound of a guffaw.
"Do you really believe," the voice inquired, "that if you saw me, it would make any difference to you? How should I appear to make my advice acceptable? As a human? And would a toad disappoint you so? I am sure a snail providing directions would be a great liar now, wouldn't he?"
Kris paused, and retorted, "If you do not wish to show yourself, then that is your decision. In the same turn, it may also be my decision to believe you or not as I please."
There was silence for a moment, and then, "If it is the dog and the rat that you seek, then turn to your right and proceed along to the next crossing, where you will turn left. You will follow that until you find the dog. She is weary with running, and has stopped for the moment. I would move along, were I you."
Kris turned and began to sprint in the direction that the voice had provided, when she heard from directly beside her, "Unless, that is, you're interested in the treasure."
TBC.