Chances and Changes: My Journey with Molly

Molly commands us all to run. So we do, as fast as we can through the gloomy, overgrown woods. I lead as we slalom around thick tree trunks, dodge low branches, and slip on pine needles. Through the woods, we hear the relentless footsteps pursue us as we stumble along.

On and on we run. I wish I had never heard the stupid ghost story about Soggy Sam. And why did I have to remind Linda and Molly about it at lunch? We’re more and more spooked with every step we take, and we’re more and more lost, too. We’re just crashing aimlessly through the woods, driven by our fear.

We scramble up a rocky hill, and when I get to the top, I’m so out of breath that I think my lungs will burst. But as I run along the ridgeline, I hear something that makes me stop short. Linda and Molly run into me and tell me to keep going or else Soggy Sam will get us. But I tell them to listen. We bend over, hands on our knees, to catch our breath and listen, but it’s hard to do with us panting so hard. We don’t hear anything. I tell them that whatever was chasing us is gone now.

I stand straight and look out over the horizon that wraps around me. I’m walloped by a sense of déjà vu so powerful that it knocks me over. I recognize this view. I’ve seen the same cleft in the hills and the slope gentled by low-lying clouds before. These are my hills. This is Seneca Forest Preserve, seventy years before Gem and our family. The view makes me long for home. I am awash in homesickness. But I can’t just disappear with Molly and Linda watching. It would scare them so much. I also want to make sure they’re safe before I leave.

My voice is wavery, and I ask them which pond we’re supposed to hike to. They respond it’s called Opal Pond. I tell them I know exactly where that is. I’ve been in these hills before.

I lead the three of us with confidence, putting to good use all that Gem has taught me about finding my way in the woods. It’s not hard to be decisive when you know what you’re doing. Soon, I’ve led us to the path to Bea’s house. Opal Pond is just below Bea’s family farm, at the base of Seneca Falls.

Molly and Linda trustingly follow me, and we sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” as we go. Molly even makes up new lyrics:

  Run, run, run along,
  Faster if you can,
  Stupidly, stooge-ily,
  Stupidly, stooge-ily,
  Spooked by Soggy Sam.

When we get to Opal Pond, it glitters us welcomingly. We rush toward it and sit on the bank, ripping off our shoes and socks. We’re all too worn out to talk, so we sit in silence until…

“Hey!” Shirley bounds through the bushes toward us. She yells for Judy and Barbara to come fast. The three of us all stand up sheepishly, but our smiles fade when we see Barbara and Judy. They look serious, along with all the other girls. Barbara asks if we’re all right, and we nod. Barbara then steps aside to call camp on her walkie-talkie. Judy puts her hands on her hips and asks us what the first rule of hiking is.

Molly, Linda, and I all answer together, “Stick together.”

Judy says we broke that rule. They’ve been so worried and we have caused so much trouble. Camp was about to send out a search party, and now Barbara has to tell them not to bother. Molly bursts out that we fell behind by mistake, and then we lost the group at the fork in the path. And then we got lost ourselves.

Linda admits that something spooked us and followed us through the woods. We know it’s dumb, but we thought it was Soggy Sam. Judy shakes her head. We shouldn’t have let the ghost story make us hysterical. She asks if we’ve learned our lesson, and we nod, our heads downcast.

Barbara comes back and says Miss Butternut is going to have some words with us when we get back to camp. But then her head tilts, and she asks how we found Opal Pond. Molly jostles me and says I found it. I knew the way from the hilltop that “Soggy Sam” chased us to because I’ve been in the woods before.

Barbara looks at me curiously, but then Marie speaks up and asks if we can all go swimming. Barbara hesitates, but then says we can. We all need to cool off.

Soon, everyone has changed into bathing suits and is in Opal Pond, splashing and playing. I’m wearing the suit from the Lost and Found. Its thick cotton sags when it’s wet, but I don’t care. Being at Opal Pond is like being home again, but with a bunch of new friends. Even Judy and Barbara are splashing and laughing, as if they’ve forgiven us for the trouble we’ve caused.

I miss Bea, but I’m glad I didn’t miss this experience. I had no idea that picking up that pin in the woods would lead to such a great adventure. I think of music camp, and I hear Gem’s words, “This isn’t the sort of opportunity that comes along every day.”

I know she’s right. I want to go to music camp. Now that I’ve been at Camp Gowonagin, I know that for sure. But I’m not sure how to tell Bea. But as I lie back and float on the water, the sun warming my face, I know I’ll figure it out. No more maybes this time.