The Weekly Muse #21
Chapter Two: Into the Unknown! Even Though We Don't Like Nature!
A word before we continue our read-through of my long-lost first novel, Quest for the Lost Island: if you are a fan of the sitcom Frasier, watch the reboot. My wife and I have seen the first episode and it made both of us laugh, not to mention cry. While on one sense I would’ve preferred them to leave it where it ended (Frasier had such a beautiful ending), since they did decide to go ahead with this, the first episode was wonderful, with good lines, humor, and surprises neither of us saw coming.
That said, to the business at hand. Last week we read Chapter One, in which we met the three kid main characters, Sean, Lucy, and Conrad. This week: Chapter Two:
"Well, class, that concludes our lesson on fraction division. Are there any questions?"
Mr. Redmond was near the end of one of his typically boring math lessons. As usual, most of the class was asleep. Only Sean and Conrad were still awake and paying attention. Mr. Redmond shook his head hopelessly. He picked up a large dictionary and abruptly dropped it on the floor, jolting most of the class awake. "Now that you are all wide awake, I have an announcement to make. As most of you know, the 5th and 6th grades are going on a field trip next week to McPherson Park. I have spoken to Principal Canfield, and he has agreed to include the 7th grade on that trip. I have been assigned to act as chaperone for this class."
The students weren't sure whether to cheer because they were going on a field trip or moan because Mr. Redmond would be accompanying them. The question was resolved when Mr. Redmond stated, "The day after the field trip, I want a report on the park's various species of flora and fauna, and an essay on the history of the park." As the other students groaned aloud, Conrad slipped a note to Sean. It read, So, are you going to go on the field trip?
As Mr. Redmond began to give a brief overview of the next lesson, Sean slipped a note back that said, Yeah, unfortunately. I don't want to, but it's not as if I have a choice.
Conrad wrote back, Hey, it’s not all bad. At least you'll learn about the history of the place.
Sean wrote, I already know about the history. I can have that essay done by tomorrow. Besides, I hate nature. I'd rather be sitting inside a comfortable air-conditioned school learning about Math, than running around outside, getting all hot and sweaty just to see a bunch of plants and bugs. We can talk later. I want to hear what he's saying.
Conrad shook his head in amazement. Sean was probably the first kid in the history of the school to enjoy Mr. Redmond's lectures.
A week later, the 5th , 6th , and 7th grades were assembled outside the school. It was a scene of chaos, with kids running around everywhere and teachers waving clipboards and trying to get their classes organized. Eventually everyone was lined up correctly and loaded on board the proper bus. Conrad managed to get a seat next to Sean. As the bus pulled away, Mr. Redmond called for their attention. "Now, since we are not having our math lesson today, we're going to use our spare time to discuss a few highlights of last week's lessons on fractions."
The class groaned in unison. Most of them started talking with each other, ignoring Mr. Redmond. At last, Mr. Redmond gave up in despair and pulled a science fiction novel he'd been trying to read for weeks out of his briefcase. "Oh, well," he said to himself, "I'll just assign extra homework tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Conrad was talking quietly to Sean. "Oh, come on," Conrad said exasperatedly, "can't you enjoy this for a moment? It's not the end of the world."
Sean emitted a frustrated sigh. "Conrad, we've been over this. I don't like nature, okay? If you like running around outside, subjecting yourself to bees, wasps, snakes, rats, bugs, spiders, poison ivy, and who knows what else, besides the possibility of rain, snow, sleet, hail, thunderstorms, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods..."
"Yeah, and don't forget Martian invaders," Conrad quipped. "Look, don't you think you're exaggerating just a little? I've been outside a thousand times, and, last time I checked, I'm still alive."
Sean was not amused. Just then, Lucy popped up from the seat behind the two.
"Hi, guys, what's up?"
Immediately, Sean whipped around to face her. Within five minutes, they were deeply into their usual incredibly witty and brilliant debate.
"Are not!"
"Are too!”
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
Conrad shook his head wearily. "Here we go again," he sighed.
They arrived at McPherson Park about a half-hour later. The park was a wonderful place, a picturesque blend of trees and fields, revolving around the centerpiece of the park, McPherson Falls. The waterfall was nearly eighteen feet high. It cascaded joyously down a rocky precipice and into a small pool known as Crystal Pond, because of its extraordinary clearness.
McPherson Park was an incredible place, that is, if you liked nature. For someone like Sean Christopher, the park was an unsanitary wilderness, filled with wild animals lurking behind every bush, all manner of poisonous plants concealed in every innocent- looking glade, and the ever-present possibility that a raging thunderstorm could sweep down out of nowhere and unleash a swarm of tornadoes, just waiting to carry Sean off into the sky. Needless to say, Sean was just a little nervous.
Conrad, on the other hand, was full of excitement. He loved the outdoors, and especially McPherson Park. He kept running away from the rest of the class to catch a glimpse of a squirrel or rabbit, and to get a closer look at a beautiful flower. As the class approached the center of the park, a thrill of anticipation ran through him. When they rounded the last bend and saw the Falls and Crystal Pond, Conrad was almost speechless with wonder and awe.
Mr. Redmond allowed the class to look around the area by themselves for a while, as long as they didn't go too far. Sean and Lucy resumed their constant quarreling. Conrad, meanwhile, walked closer to the falls. He loved to watch the endless cataract, pouring over the rocky walls.
As Conrad gazed at the Falls, his attention was drawn to just behind the waterfall, The rocky cliff looked different somehow. Conrad drew closer, walking around the edge of the pond. Behind the flowing curtain of water, there appeared to be a crack in the rocky wall. It looked about two feet wide and it ran up the entire cliff face. He called to Sean and Lucy. "Hey, guys, come look at this!"
Lucy and Sean were standing on the far side of the pond. As they approached, Sean asked, "What's up, Conrad? We were just getting started!"
Conrad motioned to the waterfall. "There's an opening in the wall! I think there's a cave back there!" he exclaimed.
Scan looked skeptical. "Uh, Conrad, I hate to break it to you, but I don't see any opening."
Conrad was amazed. "Are you crazy? It’s right there, behind the Falls! I'm seeing it as clearly as I can see you right now!"
"Are. you seeing me clearly right now? How many fingers am l holding up?"
"Sean, I'm not crazy. Look closer. The crack's right there behind the Falls. Just look!"
Sean sighed wearily. "Oh, all right! I'll look, but you owe me bigtime, Conrad." He peered closer at the waterfall. "Okay, I'm looking right at the waterfall and I don't see any... Wait a minute." Sean stared hard at the rocky wall. His mouth dropped open in disbelief "There is a crack there!"
"I told you," Conrad said. "It probably opens into a cave. Let's go explore it!"
Sean and Lucy protested vehemently against this, agreeing on something for the first time in their lives. Sean absolutely refused to explore the cave on the grounds that they would probably get soaking wet, catch pneumonia, and die. (Sean was also afraid of the dark, but he didn't say that.) Lucy's reason for her protest was that she didn't want to get her clothes dirty and wet, and she did not want to mess up her hair. Conrad argued forcefully in favor of the exploration, but it was all in vain.
Most people have limits to their patience, and Conrad finally reached his. "Fine, don't come with me. I'll just explore the cave myself!" he snapped. Conrad whirled around and stormed towards the waterfall.
Sean called after him, "Conrad, wait, come back!" But Conrad was not listening. He marched towards the crack with a furious, determined air. Sean scrambled after him, and Lucy followed him, holding up the skirt of her dress to prevent it getting wet.
Conrad walked up to the crack. As he approached, he noticed that a small rocky spur protruded from the wall. The spur created a small opening in the flowing curtain of water. He strode towards the opening and ducked in.
Sean and Lucy gasped with shock. Sean ran up to the edge of the fails and strained with all his might to see inside the opening, but the falling water obscured his view. "Conrad?" he called out. No answer came from behind the Falls. Sean picked up a rock and hurled it into the crack. Nothing happened. Sean debated with himself about what to do. He could just walk back and rejoin the rest of the class as if nothing had happened, but Sean was worried about Conrad. Was he all right?
Sean slowly came to the realization that there was only one thing he could do. He had to go into the crack and find Conrad himself. Sean's mind was practically swarming with reasons why he should not venture inside the opening, and he knew that the longer he hesitated, the harder it would be for him to explore the crack. So, he screwed up his courage and plunged into the opening, ignoring Lucy's call, "Sean, wait!" completely.
Lucy gingerly maneuvered out to the edge of the Falls. “Sean? Conrad?” she called out hopefully. No answer came. Lucy wasn't worried Sean (much) but she was anxious about Conrad. She soon realized that she had only three options.
1. Collapse into hysterics right there on the spot
2. Find Mr. Redmond and persuade him to go find the two boys
3. Go into the crack and find them herself.
Lucy didn't want to collapse into hysterics because, if it turned out that nothing was wrong, she could look kind of silly. The same went for talking to Mr. Redmond. Gradually, it dawned on Lucy that the only thing she could do was to go find the boys herself. She didn't want to go inside a dirty, slippery cave that was probably overflowing with all manner of creeping things, but she knew she had to, if she wanted to find the boys. This was why Lucy took a deep breath, stepped through the opening in the Falls, and slipped into the crack.
Lucy gasped with shock. She had been expecting a tiny crevice or niche, maybe a small tunnel. What she saw instead amazed her. The crack opened up into an immense cavern. Its walls towered up to a high ceiling, lavishly decorated with magnificent stalactites. The sun's rays shone through the crack and cast sparkling reflections on the cavern wails. Lucy saw a recessed door-like opening in the far wall.
She stepped a few feet farther into the cave, when she heard a loud rumble from behind her. She whirled around to see that the entrance into the cave was slowly closing! Lucy panicked. She lunged for the opening, but it was too late. With a resounding boom, the entryway slid shut.
Outside, the small rocky spur receded into the wall. The gap in the cascading torrent of water restored itself. All evidence of the cave had disappeared, as if it had never been.
And there it is, folks, the Team is off into their adventure, with a girl named Lucy the last to get into this world through a mysterious magical waterfall, which is completely unlike that Other Famous Story where a girl named Lucy got into another world through a mysterious magical wardrobe. You can see the differences, right? Wardrobe, waterfall, Lucy goes first, Lucy goes last, four kids, three kids…
I mean, yes, I was heavily inspired by The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Let’s just be honest, folks. I will note that I don’t really share Sean’s aversion to nature; while I prefer reading a book indoors, for example, I don’t mind a walk outside or looking out at the trees. I love trees, I really do. Except bugs. Bugs I don’t get. But anyway. Next week: Chapter Three! The adventure continues!