SUMMER TRIP!
The only thing that has been ringing in Tanya's ears since summer began.
Tanya rolled her eyes as her little brother, the latest terrorist terrorizing her screamed SUMMER, WOO-HOO! at the top of his lungs.
Someone should really tell Jace to shut up.
Tanya thought with a frown.
Summer trips, ugh. So lame.
She walked into the bathroom to prepare before her mom came upstairs to drag her out for taking too long in front of her mirror.
"Tanya baby," Mrs Shae, Tanya's mom knocked.
"I'm in the shower mom! I'll be out soon!"
Tanya called out from the bathroom.
"Don't take too long darling, we'll leave for the park in an hour," Mrs Shae called out as she went back downstairs.
"Jace put that down!"
Tanya heard her mother scold her brother and groaned out loud.
Today is going to be a bad day.
She thought gloomily.
"I'm ready," Tanya said in a dry tone.
Mrs Shae looked up from the backpacks she was putting together.
"C'mon now Tanya, you'll love it."
Tanya raised her eyebrows in mock delight.
"Yes mom, I mean who needs to go on boring summer trips," She said as she got herself a glass of milk and some cookies.
"Hurry up, we'll leave in twenty minutes. Jace!"
Mrs Shae stormed upstairs ready to drag Tanya's brother from whatever hole he's crawled into.
"Kaapoosh!" Jace shouted as he pointed his toy gun at Tanya.
"You're dead!" He said and ran away just in time to avoid getting a bump on the head from Tanya who looked like she'd burn the toy gun to ashes at the moment.
"Jace, your sister is not dead. Don't say that to her," Mrs Shae said as she held him by the hand and dragged him to the car.
"Shucks! But I shot her and stuff," Jace argued.
Mrs Shae merely rolled her eyes.
"All set Tanya?"
She called out.
"Yes mom!" Tanya replied and rushed upstairs to get her headphones. She was going to need it to successfully ignore her brother and his annoying toys.
"You should be happy about this trip Tanya, kids your age are always happy about things like this," Mrs Shae said as she sped down the highway.
"I'm not a kid," Tanya muttered.
"You're just eleven kiddo. Still a kid,"
Ugh.
Tanya rolled her eyes and looked out the window.
Up ahead was a large billboard tagged HILLSON PARK in red capital letters.
"We're here," Mrs Shae said in a sing-song voice.
"Wait here while I get us tickets." Mrs Shae said and walked to the ticket booth.
"Ugh, the car's boring," Jace whined.
"Mom said to stay in and we're gonna stay in," Tanya said and put on her headphone turning the volume up to drown out her brother's whines.
"Tanya where's Jace?"
Mrs Shae said and removed the headphone from Tanya's head.
"Mom!" Tanya protested.
"I told you to watch your brother, where is he?"
Tanya looked at the empty back seat and her heart began to beat a very fast beat.
Where did he go?
"Jace!" Tanya called out as she ran around the park.
It was a very big park with lots of rolling hills and there was a thick cluster of trees directly opposite the park with a sign that read DO NOT ENTER
She ran to the different fun sections the park had and yet no sign of her brother.
Where is he?
She felt the sting of tears as she struggled not to cry. She had to be strong in order to find him.
Something flashed green on the ground as she walked out of the park's main gate.
It was Jace's toy gun and it was directly at the foot of the sign that said not to enter.
She looked around to see if her mom followed her out but her mom was nowhere to be found.
She's probably calling the cops.
Tanya took a deep breath and walked into the thick cluster of trees. Her heart in her throat, she walked on carefully and quietly trying not to make too much noise in case there was a predator nearby.
A twig snapped in the quiet and she let out a gasp because it didn't snap under her feet.
"Jace?" Tanya called out softly.
She got no answer only the quiet of the woods.
"Jace is that you? Mom is worried," Tanya continued in a harsh whisper.
"You seek a little boy?" A deep male voice said suddenly and Tanya almost jumped out of her skin.
She looked around trying to find who spoke but she saw nothing but dim light and lots of trees.
"Don't be scared," The voice said.
"He's safe."
"W-who are you?" Tanya asked with a shaky voice.
As soon as the question left her lips, the forest was illuminated in light, brilliant bright light.
Tanya could only gasp in shock.
A figure walked out of the light. A figure with four legs with golden hooves.
As the figure approached, she saw the figure divide in two. It was a horse and it's rider.
So she thought.
Finally her eyes adjusted to the brilliant light and she saw the most beautiful being she had ever seen in her entire life, a centaur.
A golden centaur with a golden spear and hooves plated in gold.
His eyes shone like the sun and Tanya felt he could see right into her soul.
His hair flowed like snow down his head and billowed softly around his broad shoulders.
He's so tall.
Tanya thought as she stood awestruck at the magnificent centaur with golden eyes.
"I am the keeper of this magical land," His voice boomed in her ears in a baritone that no human can ever possess.
"I..uhh.." Tanya struggled to speak.
"Your brother will return with you. Goodbye little human,"
The golden centaur said and the last thing she saw was his golden eyes which seemed to gleam and twinkle as he spoke.
"Tanya! Jace! My babies!" Mrs Shae cried out as she saw them both unconscious on the park grounds.
Jace stirred.
"Mom?" He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Jace!" She hugged him tight. "Are you hurt?"
Jace shook his head and poked Tanya in the belly.
Tanya stirred a little and then suddenly shot up like a bullet.
"Where's he?" She asked and looked around.
"Where's who?" Mrs Shae asked.
"The Golden Man!"
Jace and Tanya said at the same time and looked at each other in surprise.
"You saw him too?" Jace asked in shock.
"Yeah!" Tanya nodded in delight.
Mrs Shae looked at them as if they'd lost their minds.
Kids and their imaginations
She thought as she led them to the car.