TSP Draft Three - Ch5

Overview: https://kaylinrosealexande.wixsite.com/kaylinalexanderbooks/post/draft-three-of-the-secret-portal

Read-aloud, pt1: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaylinrosealexander/video/7187034325077003566?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7168171927235937835

Previous: https://kaylinrosealexande.wixsite.com/kaylinalexanderbooks/post/tsp-draft-three-ch4

I've highlighted what was exclusive to the first version of this draft and underlined what was exclusive to the second version.

Chapter Five

Date: November 22nd, 2024 Time: 1:40ish

Place: Forest

Alexia

Hello to the Baxters, Including Bobby

This may be my last chapter.

I wasn’t kidding about the dragon. He was about ten times our size, was bright red, and had big blue eyes. I ran as fast as I could with Aurora’s hand in mine. She was still weak, but running as fast as she could.

I ran through the forest, supporting Aurora’s weight. Adrenaline was rushing, and if it was, we’d be dead. Thank you for adrenaline.

I didn’t know if I was running deeper into the forest, or out of it. I guess we ran deeper into the forest, because I just wanted to get back to Carla Baxter’s house. At least she was nice.

At least seemed nice. She was a stranger. But what choice did I have? I mean, she did lead me to Aurora, right? Plus, she was the only person I’d seen here, so where else should I go?

I ran behind a tree, with Aurora close behind me. She closed her eyes. Aurora closed her eyes. “Who’s Carla?” she asked, panting.

Maybe I’d muttered her name under my breath as we were running. I really need to pay attention to what I said more often. “She’s the one who told me where you were,” I panted. “She seemed nice enough, and we’ll need all the friends we can get while we’re here.”

Aurora nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “Wherever here is.”

I knew she was right. We had to find out where we were. It was somewhere with clouds, gold, diamonds, dragons…. It didn’t match anywhere on the planet as far as I knew.

But it might be Heaven. Had we died?

I decided Heaven probably didn’t have dragons, so I scratched that out. Plus, I could hear my heartbeat loud and clear, so I wasn’t dead.

I closed my eyes in exhaustion. I prayed the dragon would soon stop the chase, and kept my mind on the destination: Carla Baxter’s house. She was from here. Maybe she would help us.

When I heard the roar, my eyes flew open. I don’t know how, but we weren’t in the forest anymore. The tree we were leaning against was in the middle of the yard. I looked around and recognized Carla Baxter’s house.

“Come on!” I said, pulling Aurora to the door. I began to knock rapidly.

Carla Baxter opened the door and I ran in, Aurora close behind me. I spun around and saw the dragon flying toward us. I thought Carla would close the door, but she just stood there.

“Are you crazy!?” I shouted, but the dragon landed in the yard and Carla tossed him a rope. He jumped at it and started playing with it like a little dog. “Good boy, Bobby!”

Aurora and I looked at each other. I shrugged, and she shook her head. After being grabbed by sentient vines and falling through rainbows, a dragon as a pet wasn’t the most unimaginable thing. She turned to Carla. “Where’s the nearest couch?” she asked, still woozy from the vines.

Carla pointed down a hallway. “Go all the way down and to the right.”

Aurora ran staggered down the hall with me close behind her. We turned right and entered the living room. Well, what I assumed was the living room. There was a few skid marks on the wooden floor, and the couches were big enough for two people to lay down without touching each other. Aurora plopped down face-first on to one with a loud grunt. I sat down beside her, leaned back, and closed my eyes. “What’s happening?” I whispered.

“What’s supposed to happen,” said a voice. I opened my eyes to see two figures standing next to the giant TV. The boy was really tall, and the girl looked familiar.

“Hannah!”

Aurora sat up, stood up, and ran to her sister. They hugged. “We have a problem,” Hannah said. I noticed her eyes were red and full of guilt. “I was with Mikey, Madison, and her friend Kelsey and…”

Aurora backed up. “What?”

Hannah sighed hung her head. “Everyone was so trusting. I thought I could….” The boy spoke up. “Don’t blame yourself, Hannah. You didn’t know.” He turned to us. “My name is George. Carla’s my older sister.”

Older sister? Carla looked fifteen and George looked eighteen. Well, maybe she’s just short and he’s just tall. It was a little strange, but who am I to say?

“Hannah visited us three years ago,” George continued. “She was confused, but we helped her. She was around our age, and we knew what it felt like.”

I didn’t know what “it” was, but George and Hannah knew exactly what he was talking about.

Carla walked in. “Right now, it doesn’t matter what ‘it’ is, but you will learn in time. But first, we need to find Mikey, Kelsey, and Madison. And you two,” she looked at Aurora and me, “need to be filled in.” She looked at Hannah. “And you should be updated.”

Hannah nodded. She looked down at her feet, ashamed of whatever she had done. I felt sorry for her. Almost as sorry as I did for Aurora and myself.

George sat down on the seat in front of us. “This wasn’t supposed to happen, but I guess it’s better now than never.”

“You’re in more danger than you realize,” said Carla.

I sat up. “How?” I asked. “What kind of danger? Is it your pet dragon? Because he seems dangerous enough from where we come from.”

I sat up. “Why?”

Before Carla could answer, there was a knock at the door. George got up and turned down the long hallway. Five seconds later, he returned, though that couldn’t be possible, since the hallway is pretty long, but I was just chased by a dragon, so my brain didn’t process it very well.

“It’s for Aurora and Alexia,” he answered, looking confused.

I slowly got up. It was weird, since I didn’t know anybody here. Also. l how did he know my name? And, as far as I knew, neither did Aurora. I looked at Hannah, who just shrugged.

Aurora and I walked down the long hall to the door. We weren’t sure what to expect when we opened the door, but there was a man dressed in all grey standing in the doorframe. “Hello girls,” he said. “Now, where do you have the treasure?

Aurora and I went to the door, where walked down the long hall to the door. We weren’t sure what to expect when we opened the door, but there was a man dressed in all grey standing in the doorframe. “Hello girls,” he said. “Now, where do you have the treasure?

Well, this was fun. And a little weirdly phrased. But I'm glad that Lexi and Aurora are more freaked out than their predecessors.