Through the Doorway...

Wanted

The other girls looked at me, uncomprehendingly. Ala was the first to understand.

"You mean we're stuck here until we're able to find another way out?"

"What do you mean 'stuck here?' This place is awesome! I never want to go back!" Viv said.

Ala sighed. "You can't stay here. None of us can. This isn't like moving to a different state, it's like moving to a different world."

"Plus," I added. "You'd have to go back to the real world if you wanted all your stuff."

Viv thought about this for a second, then nodded. "All right. I'll help you find the way back. But then, I'm entering the portal again, with all my stuff."

I nodded. This was the best I was gonna get. Ala took the lead as we walked down the terminal. Viv and Lee followed, still bickering about who found it first. At the end of the terminal, Ala led our little group out into the sun. The outside world was nothing like inside. Sure it was still made of food, but that's where the similarities ended. The girls and I were in a small town or village. Cute little cottage cheese cottages with bread roofs lined a crushed oreo road. Further down the oreo path, little shops were situated. One was made out of Graham Crackers, another, hardened pie pastry. Ala gasped when she saw the museum. It was old and the bread walls were falling apart. She rushed inside, forcing us to follow. I have to admit, I was glad Ala pulled us into the cool museum. I needed a break from the heat. Taffy tapestries hung from the wall. Potato sculptures and pepperoni papers lined the halls. After scouring the halls and corridors, I forced Ala out of the building. We walked down the path. after about 100 yards, it changed from oreo dust to almond cobble. Little cottages grew into towering asparagus buildings with candy glass windows. My neck hurt from looking up so much. Ala, who was walking next to me, poked me in the ribs. I turned to her.

"Where's Viv?" she asked, a look of worry plastered on her face.

I turned around. Where Viv once stood, empty cobble took her place. I sighed. This was exactly what I wanted to prevent.

* * * * *

Okay. Let me catch you up. Since I last wrote, Ala, Lee and I have searched all of Chocolate Train Station, the village and the big city. Lee and Viv were no where to be found. After 3 hours of pointless searching, the three of us collapsed on a pretzel bench. We bought salted pretzels ( I know, ironic, right?) and planned what to do next. We thought in silence for a couple minutes, then Ala excitedly tapped my shoulder.

"Why don't we just call them. I got cell service a couple minutes ago."

I realized how dumb it was that I hadn't thought of that. I pulled out my phone and dialed Viv's number. It rang a couple times, then I got voicemail. I tried again. It went straight to voicemail. I threw up my hands, frustrated.

"This place is huge. The chances of us finding her is like 1,000,000 to 1. It would be like find a needle made of hay in a haystack." Ala said.

"Thanks for the support. We have to try. We can't just leave them here." I replied.

"Why not?" Ala asked. "She did it to us."

"Yes, and we need to be bigger and rise above it."

"Fine." Ala and Lee said, simultaneously.

The three of us walked further down the road. Ala stopped by a vendor's stand. The sign above the stand boasted red juicy apples and bright orange oranges, but Ala wasn't looking at the merchandise. She stared at a paper fluttering in the breeze. It was nailed to the post of the vendor's cart. It was a Wanted Poster. At first, I didn't know what Ala was looking at. Then, as I got a closer look, I realized why she had stopped. Next to me, Lee gasped. On the Wanted Poster was a picture of Viv.