The Cloud Castle

The Silver Gate

"Is that a SIGN up ahead?" Paulina asked, pointing.
   "It is!" Colette said happily as we got closer. "It's pointing the way to the Land of Clouds!"
   "We must be close," said Violet, and she shivered with excitement. "I wonder what we will find there!"
   Nicky was at the rear of the line. She looked behind her, and suddenly cried out.
   "The clouds behind us are disappearing!"
   "Then we'd better get MOVING," I said. We picked up our pace toward the sign along the path of fluffy clouds.
   I cast a glance behind me. It made me a little nervous to see the clouds vanishing. 
   "Is there another SIGN up there?" Colette asked anxiously.
   Then Will spotted something else. Look!"
   Just ahead, we could see a tall SILVER GATE attached to two columns. It shone like a piece of jewelry and was decorated with birds on top of the posts.
   We approached the gate, admiring its beauty.
   "This must be the entrance," Will said.
   "But it's locked, and we don't have a key," Paulina pointed out. 
   Nicky gave the doors a PUSH, but they didn't budge.
   "Now what?" violet asked.
   "Where there's a gate, there must be a gatekeeper," I said. Then I called out, "Hello! Is anyone there? Can you please open the gate for us?"
   I got no reply at first. Then, amazingly, the two columns holding up the gate began to spin around. And a winged creature flew out of each column!