Mia’s Jungle Adventure
The story starts with a girl named Mia, who had visited her grandparents for the weekend. She was always a girl who had interest’s in exploring and learning new things. Mia had never been one to follow the path. At six years old, her favourite activity was “Adventure Games,” and today, the dense woods behind her grandpa’s cottage seemed like the perfect place for an adventure. With her trusty magnifying glass in hand, she skipped off the worn dirt trail, a bright red ribbon tied to a tree marking her starting point.
The jungle was different than she imagined. The tall trees huddled together, blocking out the sun and making the ground dark and cool. It wasn’t full of friendly chattering monkeys like in her books, but silent and still. A strange, prickly vine caught her shoe, and when she tried to pull it off, a tiny thorn pricked her finger. Panic began to bubble in her chest. She couldn’t see her red ribbon anymore. “Hello?” she whispered. Only her own voice answered back. The familiar sounds of home—the birds singing, the distant hum of a car—were gone. All she heard was the rustling of leaves and the snap of a twig nearby. Her imagination, usually her best friend, now showed her all the scary things she had seen in movies. What if a big, slithering snake was nearby? Or worse, a giant spider with eight long legs?
She decided to be a brave explorer. She took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and started walking in what she hoped was the right direction. Every shadow seemed to move, and every sound made her jump. A low growl echoed from behind a thick bush, and Mia froze, her heart pounding like a drum. Suddenly, a small, furry creature with wide eyes scurried out from the bush. It wasn’t a monster at all, but a little baby raccoon looking for its mom. Relieved, Mia sat down against a tree, her legs feeling wobbly. She realized the jungle wasn’t trying to be scary; it was just a home for lots of creatures, big and small.
That’s when she saw it: a tiny, sparkling beetle glowing a brilliant green in the dim light. It crawled across the forest floor, its little body like a tiny flashlight. Mia, the explorer, followed the light. She watched as it scurried past a twisted root, around a thick trunk, and onto a patch of bright green moss. The moss felt soft, like a living carpet. She followed another beetle, and then another, each one leading her a little further. The glowing trail led her right back to the edge of the woods. There, hanging from a branch, was her bright red ribbon. And standing a few feet away, holding a flashlight and looking worried, was her grandpa.
She ran into his arms, relieved to be safe. “I was an explorer, Grandpa!” she said, her voice filled with pride. “The jungle was a little scary at first, but some glowing beetles helped me find my way back.” Her grandpa smiled and gave her a big hug. “You are a very brave explorer,” he said. Mia knew then that even though the jungle was big and full of unknown things, she was brave enough to face it. And her next adventure would be even better, because this time, she would know just where to look for a little bit of magic to guide her.