Shortcut

The rain poured heavily and out of nowhere. Kayla looked out the window and pouted.

“Oh no!” she cried. “I didn’t even bring my umbrella today.” The morning to school was so clear that the sun could drain the earth without burning it. Kayla had plans to play outside after she finished her homework after school. The weatherman insisted there would be sunshine all day. Kayla cursed herself as she knew that she listened to her mother.

“You can’t trust the TV,” she told the young girl earlier that morning. “Take an umbrella with you today! Nature isn’t always predictable.” Kayla waved her mother off as she walked out the door.

“It’ll be fine,” she said. “Today’s going to be beautiful.” Kayla hated to know that she would be eating her own words. Still, she had to get home and start on her homework. However, there was still a problem on her hands.

“Why does home have to be so far away?!” Kayla whined a lot. She looked to see some of her classmates staring at her with umbrellas over her hands as they walked by. She waved them off and shoved her hands into her pockets. She would be soaked through and through if she took the dirt road home. Her mother would worry over her by the time she got home. Kayla groaned and rubbed her forehead. It looked like she would have only one option.

Kayla turned and headed towards the glass doors. She took a quick look around before slowly pushed them open. The back of the school was surrounded by an old wooden fence. Kayla puffed up her cheeks.

It’s a good thing I wore shorts today, she thought. Kayla crutched down into running position and raced towards the fence. She took a second to look at the fence. The wood looked like it could fall apart with just one finger of pressure. In this situation, it wouldn’t matter if she wanted to get home. Kayla took her right foot and rested it on the bottom part of the fence. It helped that she had long legs. With no trouble, she crawled over the fence. The woods behind the school had a huge mouth open and waiting to swallow up any sign of life standing before it. Still, this was the fastest way to get home. Kayla tried to draw a map in her head. If she followed the trail as she remembered, she would be further up the dirt road and closer to home. Kayla nodded and headed straight into the woods.

The trees were so tall that she couldn’t see the sky. She could feel drops on her body. Something about the woods behind the school gave her English class a sense of peace. Kayla breathed in the fresh air around her. She began to think back to earlier today when Mrs. Allen had them read Wordsworth today. Even the two class clowns sat and took listen as the teacher spoke. Kayla smiled and shook her head. Powerful stuff, Wordsworth was.

It was lucky that it wasn’t cold today. Kayla shoved her hands into her pockets and walked further into the woods. She would rely on the sounds around her to guide her to the dirt road. The young guessed that she would be home before sundown if she stayed on the right path. Too bad the birds weren’t out singing in the rain this afternoon. They were out this morning in full chorus. Kayla gave into humming as she kept walking. There was something about rain in the woods that gave it such an earthy feel. Part of her felt happy that it rained today. Usually, Kayla had no reason to walk through the woods after school. Her lips curved into a smile as she realized that.

Maybe I might have to change that, she thought. She had always loved the outdoors anyway, so why not? Kayla didn’t even dare to look at her watch as she felt herself enjoying the walk more and more. Her mother had raised her to love nature and spend as much time with it as she could. The teachers seemed to feel the same. They always insisted that the classes be held outside when the temperature was warmer. In fact, the school required its students to take a least one or two nature courses. Kayla couldn’t wait to take the farming classes next year. This town didn’t need to rely on modern technology all of the time. Nature would still be around no matter what with this generation learning how to live and work with it.

Around four o’clock, Kayla finally came to the road. She felt a little sad when she saw the light up ahead. She sighed and dropped her shoulders.

“I wanted to stay in the woods little bit longer,” she said to herself. “Oh well. I guess I can walk through the woods again tomorrow.” Kayla made it out to the road and resumed her walk home. Suddenly, the rain didn’t seem so bad anymore.

Walking Through the Woods in the Rain