16 – The Portal

Did you miss the beginning of the story? Then start here:

The Portal – The Path Out of the Painted Forest

The portal flickers before them, shimmering like a surface of water illuminated from within. A gentle pull emanates from it, not forceful, but noticeable. A moment of decision hangs in the air.

“What is it?” Milo asks quietly.

Nia examines the symbols on the ground. “A gate. A path to something new.”
“But where does it lead?” Sienna narrows her eyes skeptically. “And how do we know that we can come back?”

Zuri smiles softly. “You can’t know. Sometimes the only way to find out is to walk it.”

Taro nods. “You’ve been seeking answers. Maybe you’ll find them there. Or perhaps even more questions.”

Leo gazes into the shimmering light. “Every journey has a point of no return. I think this is ours.”

Milo is the first to take the step. His ears twitch nervously, yet his eyes glow with curiosity. “I must know what’s there!” Without further hesitation, he steps into the portal and dissolves into shimmering light.

Jasper giggles excitedly. “A blank canvas awaits to be painted!” With a graceful leap, he too disappears into the light.

Luna tilts her head. She observes the portal’s shimmer, seeking signs. But sometimes, you have to jump to see where you land. Silently, she glides through.

Leo pauses. He looks at Nia, who silently contemplates the patterns on the ground. Then he looks to Zuri and Taro, who have helped them up to this point. He takes a deep breath and recites quietly:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Then he looks at Nia. “You’ll help the next seeker, won’t you?”

Nia nods. “There are always seekers.”

Leo bids farewell just before he goes through the portal.

Baxter scratches behind his ear with a paw and sighs. “Alright. But if there’s no cozy place to lie on the other side, I’ll protest!” He looks at Nia, Zuri, and Taro. “Take good care of our forest, okay?” Then he trots through the light.

Only Sienna remains standing. Her gaze wanders between Nia, Taro, and Zuri. “What if it’s a trap? Or a mistake?” She scrutinizes the portal as if she could decipher it by sheer thinking.

Nia looks at her calmly. “You must decide for yourself.”

Sienna clenches her fists. Her mind screams for security, for facts. But then she feels it: The only way to the truth is to walk it.

“Damn,” she mutters.

She turns to Zuri and Taro. “Perhaps we’ll see each other again.”

Taro grins. “Perhaps.”

Zuri slightly inclines her head. “Go, Sienna. The answer lies on the other side.”
With one last backward glance, she too steps through the portal.

And then it’s quiet. Nia, Zuri, and Taro remain, the symbols in the ground reflecting in their eyes. They know it won’t be the last time someone seeks answers.

The painted forest endures. But for those who have left it, nothing will ever be the same again.