"Come on, Rose!" my best friend (and next-door neighbor) Alex called. "You promised you'd check out that path in the woods with us today."

"Okay, okay. I'm coming." I set down my book. "Just let me tell my parents."

After alerting Mom and Dad about my excursion, I grabbed my water bottle and joined Alex and the Scott twins.

"Took you long enough," Travis teased. "We thought you'd gotten sucked into your book world."

I sighed. "I wish. Well, I'm here now. Are we going to check out that path or not?"

We set off toward the woods, a short walk from my home. The wind picked up, causing a shiver to spread throughout my body.

I'm glad I decided to wear my flannel shirt. Otherwise, I'd be freezing.

After about ten minutes, we reached the edge of the woods.

"So, where's the path, Alex?" Julianna, Travis' twin sister, asked.

"Just follow me, okay?" she replied. "Please. I'm bad at giving directions."

I smiled at that comment. I could testify to her lack of properly explaining directions. The four of us, not counting Alex, trailed after her. Soon, the worn path appeared.

"Here it is," she announced.

We stepped onto the path. All was silent and still except for the crunch of the dirt under our feet. I paused for a moment to gather a few pinecones for Evie. As we went deeper into the woods, I heard more birdsong.

"Look! A deer!" Travis pointed.

Sure enough, a well-fed buck watched us from behind a patch of oak trees. Seeing we meant no harm, he returned to munching on his feast of fallen acorns.

All too soon, it was time to turn back. We'd promised our parents we'd only be away an hour. Half an hour was up, and we had to make the return trek.

This has been such a fun adventure. I can't wait to tell Evie all about it when I get back home.