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Lost and Alone in a Hidden Train Tunnel

by Ruthie Alekseeva  
7/26/2024 / Short Stories

Chapter One

Aiden scowls. “It’s not fair!” he shouts.

Mum raises her hands in the air. “Well, Aidan, what can I tell you? Life isn’t always fair.”

Aiden crosses his arms, then crosses his eyebrows. “But Dad promised!”

Mum nods. “He did, but you know what Mr Dodds is like. Sometimes he asks Dad to work back late. Dad tried to get out of it. But Mr Dodds really needs Dad tonight. Not only that, it’s raining right now.”

Aiden stares out the window. In fact, the rain stopped a while ago. But the driveway is still wet. And droplets of water still cling to the glass on the window pane. He spies a round, dark patch on the cement from where a puddle has almost dried completely up.

“I think it has stopped,” Aiden says.

Mum sighs. “Only for now. You know very well it’s been raining on and off all day. Everything is still muddy and wet. And it will be dark soon anyway. We can’t hike in the dark. That’s dangerous.”

“What about my new torch? I want to try it out.”

Mum stops ironing.  She places her hands on her hips. “Aiden!” she says. “We’re not going. We’ll go tomorrow instead, if it’s sunny.”

Aiden finally gives up. Arguing with Mum isn’t getting me anywhere, he thinks. We’re not going to the tunnel today.

Aiden stares at his light blue torch. Dad bought it for my birthday. That was last week. But I still haven’t tried it out.

Aiden unscrews the bottom of the torch. It springs off. Then, two heavy, round batteries slide out. BANG! BANG! They hit the floor.  

My new torch doesn’t use double A batteries, like my walkie-talkie does. It uses D batteries! Awesome!

Aiden picks the heavy, round D batteries up off the floor. They have white writing along their sides. He reads the writing: LONG LIFE POWER!

“Cool!” he shouts.

That’s it! he thinks. I can’t wait until tomorrow. I’m trekking to the hidden tunnel today.

 

Chapter Two

Aiden creeps up the stairs to his bedroom. Quiet! he thinks. I don’t want Mum finding out.

Aiden slips his khaki rain jacket over his long-sleeved shirt. It has a hoodie. It should keep me dry.

Then, Aiden pulls his backpack out from under his bed. He dumps his torch inside. Then, he creeps down the stairs to the kitchen.

 He grabs a Milo bar and a packet of Cheezels from the pantry. He places them inside his backpack.

The packets crackle as he drops them inside. Aiden stops stock still. Did Mum hear that?

Aiden hears Mum humming a tune in the laundry. She’s humming a song from church. Nope. So far, so good.

Then, Aiden opens the side door. CREAK! The hinges squeak as he swings the door open.

“Who’s that?” Mum says. “Is that you Aiden? Where are you going?”

Aiden gulps. Then, he runs his fingers through his hair. “I’m going to the tree fort.  I can try my new birthday torch out in there.”

“Okay,” Mum says.

Aiden realises he’s holding his breath. He lets out a long, deep sigh. That was close.

Then, Aiden steps through the doorway. But he doesn’t trudge over to the tree fort in his back yard. Instead, he tramps down the side of the house to the front yard.

RUFF! RUFF! RUFF! Sam, his sheepdog, barks. But Aiden doesn’t stop.

Instead, he walks down the clay pavers of the driveway. The lilacs growing along it bob up and down. “Are you doing the right thing?” they seem to say.

Aiden nods. Yes, I am, he thinks. Dad promised to take me to the hidden tunnel today. It’s not my fault Mr Dodds asked him to work back late today.

But as Aiden continues down the driveway, he feels a tweak inside his chest. Hmm, he thinks. Am I doing the right thing? I’ve already told Mum a lie. Now, I’m going to the old train tunnel without her. That’s not right.

But Aiden stiffens his chin. Ignore these feelings, he thinks. Then, he marches onwards.

 

Chapter Three

Aiden reaches the main road. Cool! Trucks! he thinks, as a truck roars past him.

As the trucks barrel past, their tires stir up the fallen rain drops.

The rain drops look like puffs of mist. They steam out from under the truck carriages. “You’re free! You’re free!” they seem to shout. “Just like us!”

Then, Aiden spots a green and white sign. It says: Boorara National Park 1 kilometre.

Perfect!

Now, a car flies past. As it zooms by, Aiden notices the cars have fog on their windows. Cool! I love this kind of weather. It’s fun writing secret messages on foggy car windows!

Then, a car splatters sticky brown mud on Aiden’s grey cargo pants. Oh no! Mum thinks I’m playing in the tree fort. How will I explain this mud?

But Aiden doesn’t turn back. He’s determined. I will see the old, hidden train tunnel today!

Aiden clenches his fist. He walks faster. Then, finally he arrives.

BOORARA NATIONAL PARK a timber sign says. Then, Aiden spies another sign. Aiden’s mouth frowns. This sign is blue. It has a map of the forest on it. But that’s not why Aiden is frowning. PLANNED BURN IN BOORARA NATIONAL PARK, the blue sign says.

Fire? he thinks. The forest rangers are going to set this place on fire? But why?

Aiden reads further. “The parks and wildlife service will burn a section of Boorara National Park in the next few weeks. Or as soon as the weather allows it. The burn will stop real bush fires, which can burn nearby houses.

Oh, Aiden thinks. Then, he remembers something his mother said.

“Sometimes forest rangers burn forests to kill weeds and insects. Also, some trees have seeds that won’t grow unless they are burnt.”

Aiden looks at the gum trees. Then, he looks at the brown gum leaves on the ground. They’re wet. Wet trees can’t catch fire. I think I’ll be all right.

Aiden hitches his backpack higher up his shoulders. Then, he squelches into the soggy, gloomy forest.

 

Chapter Four

Squish. Squish. Squish. Aiden’s feet sink into the sand-coloured mud of the forest path.  This is so cool! he thinks.

But then a drop of rain splatters on his head. Then, another and then another.

Aiden looks at the sky. Grey with zero patches of friendly blue in it.

Aiden zips his khaki rain jacket up. Then, he pulls the hoodie over his head.

It’s only light rain, he thinks.  I should be okay.

Every so often, there is a red wooden post. The posts are covered in white graffiti.

But then, the path Aiden tramps along divides into two. He spots more timber signs. The sign on the right says: TUNNEL TRACK 3 km. The sign on the left says: CONNECTION TRACK 4 km.

Aiden frowns. Huh? he thinks. I thought Dad said this old tunnel is a hidden tunnel. A secret one that only him and his dad know about.

Aiden shakes his head. I hate it when Dad treats me like I’m a baby. Oh well, at least this tunnel will be easy to find. But I was looking forward to searching for it in the bushes.

As Aiden walks, he notices how pretty everything looks. The forest trees are tall and lean. Their green leaves look shiny in the wet. And there are rain drops on the tip of each leaf. The rain drops look like sparkling white pirate diamonds!

Then, Aiden notices that the rain makes his bladder feel fuller faster. I hadn’t counted on that.

SWISH!

Aiden yells in fright. Then, another spray of mud splatters over his pants.

“Whoops!” a jolly man laughs as he rides his bike past. “I’m not the only silly one out here in the rain!”

Aiden grins but he still feels a little shaken. I was so busy looking at the view, I didn’t see him. Time to focus.

But as Aiden centres on his goal, he realises that his canvas sneakers are soaking wet and muddy. My toes are freezing! It’s making my body shake.

The wet gum trees glare. “You shouldn’t have come here alone,” they seem to say.

 

Chapter Five

WOOOO-WHIP! Aiden hears a whip bird calling in the distance.

Then, a tall wire fence comes into view. It separates the walking path from the new railway line. It was built after the old train tunnel was closed.

A black-and-white sign sits on the wire fence. It says: DANGER! OVERHEAD ELECTRIC WIRES.

CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP! Tiny birds also perch on the wire fence. They are brown with red faces. SWOOSH! They flitter away as Aiden walks past them.

Then, SWOOSH! Aiden flitters away also as an old man and woman buzz past.  They are also riding bikes. The old woman’s face looks pale. She grips her handle bars tightly. She and the old man don’t seem to notice Aiden.

I guess that old women is too frightened. I didn’t think people that age could still ride bikes. For that matter, I didn’t think anyone at all could ride bikes in this deep mud.

But then, Aiden remembers a YouTube video his dad showed him. It was of a man riding a bike in the snow. Dad called the bike a fat bike because it had wide tires.

Maybe that’s how they’re doing it.

Aiden looks at his shoes. They’re covered in clumpy white mud. I wish I had a fat bike right now. Then, Aiden spots something else. A fresh pile of stinky, green horse manure. Or a horse, he thinks.

But those thoughts are soon forgotten. “WOW!” Aiden gasps. “I found it!”

There it sits in all its glory. The old, abandoned train tunnel! And it kind of is a little hidden and secret. Because it’s framed by tall, white gumtrees. Palm trees also grow in this area. The top fronds of the palm trees are green - healthy. But the bottom fronds are dead and wheat-coloured. Maiden-hair ferns grow along the bottom of the tunnel. The ferns near the forest path are also a strange wheat colour. But the ferns further away are green and alive.

 

Chapter Six

The tall train tunnel is made of grey cement. Dark green moss grows over its concrete archway.  A long, brown puddle of water lies in front of it.

There is a black-and-white sign on the front of the tunnel. It says: CAUTION! PHONE LINE LAID UNDER SEWER PIPE.

Yuck! Aiden thinks, holding his nose. Smelly sewerage? But that’s also kind of cool!

Aiden steps inside the tunnel. His steps are slow and careful. He looks at the inside walls of the tunnel. Someone has sprayed red-and-white graffiti all over them.

Aiden raises his eyebrows. Then, he gasps. Graffiti artists?! Are they friendly or are they mean? Whoever they are, I hope they’re not here right now.

The graffiti looks like squiggles and doesn’t make any sense. But then, he sees something he does understand. Painted in red, Aiden sees the words: Reject God.

There are also three red love-hearts. Two of them are small. But the biggest heart has the letters I + J inside it.

Yick! Aiden thinks. Why would anyone bring their girlfriend here?

Standing in the middle of the tunnel is quite beautiful. Because the front archway frames the pretty forest. And the dirt path Aiden has walked on to get here. It gives Aiden an excited feeling in the pit of his stomach. As if stepping through it would be like stepping into a new fantasy world.

Aiden breathes out deeply. So cool! he thinks.

The sand in the tunnel is mostly dry. But a black creek of water curves its way through the middle. Flecks of white twinkle in it, as the last rays of sunlight hit it.

I don’t need a fat bike in here or a horse. Inside here, I’m almost dry and cosy.

Then, Aiden pulls his torch out of his backpack. He turns it on. A circle of light reveals something the darkness had hidden. It’s a tiny, black alcove jutting into the inside wall of the tunnel.

Awesome! It’s tall enough for an adult to stand up in. And it’s wide enough for two kids to squat in.

Then, Aidens heart thuds.

 

Chapter Seven

Aiden’s torch reveals something else. A red-and-yellow apple lies in the mud. It has one bite mark taken out of it. Then, he spots a spray can lying on the ground.

Left by the graffiti artists no doubt, Aiden thinks. Litter bugs!

Lastly, Aiden spies a blue-and-orange foam bullet. He kicks it with his filthy wet shoe. Cool! NERF gun fights? I should have brought my Rapid-Fire X-Shot gun.

Then, Aiden hears something that’s not so cool. SHHHP! SHHHP! SHHHP! Then, he smells something gassy. But it’s not his older brother!

Aiden gulps. The tunnel turns a corner. Aiden can’t see what’s around the corner. He can’t tell what’s making that sound. But SHHHP!? SHHHP!? SHHHP!? That sounds like spray cans! The graffiti artists must be here right now. Just as I had feared.

Aiden crawls over to the dark alcove his torch showed him. He crouches inside it. Then, he turns his torch off.

Aiden breathes fast. His shoulders tremble. But not only because he’s cold and wet. Aiden is terrified!

Graffiti artists?!  Aiden thinks. Are they the ones who wrote: Reject God? What else do they reject? Good morals? Would they try to kill me?!

Aiden stays quiet. He stays as quiet as a kid whose plotting mischief!

Then, he hears another noise, just as terrifying. CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!

What’s that?

Then, Aiden remembers something his Dad told him. Bats live inside the old, abandoned train tunnel. Aiden sniffs the air. It smells musty like bat wee.

Yep. That’s bats all right. I hope they won’t bite me. Or give my hiding spot away.

Hiding in the dark alcove, Aiden thinks about Dad.

Dad? Where are you? Are you still at work with Mr Dodds? I wish I was at home with you right now. I wish I was reading Batman comic books with you. But, instead, I’m running from winged-mammals and graffiti artists.

 

Chapter Eight

SHHHP! SHHHP! SHHHP! The spray painting continues.

Then, “AACHOO! AACHOO!”

Oh no! Aiden thinks, still hiding in the dark alcove.

I sneezed! Not only once but twice. It’s because of the bats. They smell like moth balls! But also, I’m freezing. My feet are soaking. My pants are dripping. I’m going to get such a big cold. I’ll have to stay in bed for a week! That is, if I ever get home.

He hears an echo, from around the corner of the tunnel. “Bless you,” the echo says.

“But I didn’t sneeze,” he hears another echo say.

“You must have sneezed. No one else is in here.”

There’s a pause, then Aiden hears four frightening words. “No, Ida, I didn’t.”

Then, the SHHHP! SHHHP! SHHHP! sound stops.

For two whole minutes, Aiden hears nothing. Nothing but silence.

“Then, who did sneeze?”

Aiden hears a scream. That must be Ida.

Then, he hears a “SHHH!”

Aiden sees a beam of light. First it bounces around on the ground. Then it bounces around on the ceiling. But with every bounce, the light sneaks closer.

“Whose there?” he hears a voice say. “Come out! Come out! Wherever you are!”

“Jared! Come back!” Aiden hears Ida’s teary voice say.

Then, “ARRRRG!”

Aiden can’t take it anymore. He leaps out of the dark alcove he’s hiding in. He dashes down the tunnel, away from the bouncing light. He splashes through the black creek of water that glitters white in the light.

Then, Aiden hears foot steps behind him. They sound fast.

Ida sniffles. “I hate coming here! What if it’s a crook? This is no place to bring your girlfriend.”

“Keep quiet!” Jared says. “Do you want to give us away?”

Then, the bats come alive. But instead of chirping, they screech. “HIKING TO THE TUNNEL ALONE?” they seem to shrill. “THAT WAS A BAD IDEA!”

 

Chapter Nine

Finally, Aiden reaches the outside of the tunnel. He notices it has grown dark. Then, he sees grey boulder cliffs on either side. Moss and green plants grow out of the crevices. Aiden grabs hold of the plants. Then, he pulls himself up the cliff.

Aiden can’t see any lights above him. No stars. No moon. Nothing but pitch-black. But he can see a light bouncing around below. Jared’s bouncing yellow light.

The shiny beam slides over Aiden’s shoe. “There he is,” he hears Jared say. “Or maybe it’s a girl, I can’t tell in the dark.”

Then, Jared’s light disappears. Aiden hears plants rustling below him. Then, he hears slipping and sliding.

Oh no! Is Jared climbing up the cliff behind me? Quick! Move faster.

But Aiden slips and slides too. As Aiden climbs, his eyes adjust to the darkness. He sees a fallen tree branch right above him. I must be close to the top.

Aiden grabs the tree branch. He wraps his legs around it too, so he’s dangling like a sloth. Then he shimmies himself around, so now he’s perched on top.

Aiden squats on the upper side of the branch. Then, he leaps across a small gap between the branch and the top of the cliff. Great work! You made it.

But then, Aiden hears a CRACK! Because, as Aiden leapt off the rotted branch, it snapped.

Then, SMACK! The branch thuds on something hidden in the dark.

“OUCH!” he hears Jared yell. “I’m going to get you now!”

The tree branch must have whacked Jared’s shoulder. That means he’s right behind me.

Aiden runs like a leopard – fast and furious. As he runs, he hears another voice in the black.

“Jared! Jared! Don’t leave me here alone!” Ida shouts.

But Jared doesn’t reply.

Some boyfriend, Aiden thinks, as he makes his way through the sloshy, sploshy, misty forest.

Chapter Nine

Soon, Aiden stops running. I’m exhausted, he thinks. Plus, when I run, the maiden-hair ferns rustle. That gives me away.

Aiden realises he hasn’t seen Jared’s bouncy yellow light in a while. Is it safe to turn my light on?

Aiden takes a risk. He switches his torch on. He sees a tree stump. He thinks about sitting on the stump and eating his Milo bar. But as he gets near, he sees the outside is covered in green moss and fungus. And when he looks inside, the centre is all rotted away. The centre of the stump is also covered in moss and fungus. Brown gum leaves sit at the bottom.

“Yuck!” Aiden says. “This part of the forest smells like wet fungus and gunk.”

Then, YIPES! Aiden sees a bouncing yellow light. Aiden turns his torch off.

He slithers down a leafy bank and lies flat against the ground. He lays there for a time listening to the rain. At first it rains in drops, sounding like a tinkling waterfall.

But then, the rain falls with more urgency making an insistent RAH! RAH! RAH! sound.

Great! Aiden thinks. More rain. Now my full bladder feels like trickling.

Soon, the bouncing yellow light is gone. Aiden sits up and eats his Cheezels. As he bites them, he thinks, “These taste good. But I wish I’d brought noodles instead.”

Aiden shakes his head. “Silly! You can’t cook noodles in a forest. Especially, not in the rain.”

Aiden thinks about Mum. He remembers something he sniffed as he snuck out the side door. Lasagna and garlic bread! Mum had made them for dinner. They were baking in the oven when I left. What I wouldn’t do for a slice of Mum’s lasagna right now.

Aiden also thinks about the graffiti he saw in the tunnel. The graffiti that said: Reject God.

How could anyone reject God, Aiden thinks. Especially, when sometimes God is all we have to rely on. Like right now.

Then, Aiden hears a noise. What’s that?

 

Chapter Ten

Sniffle. Sniffle. Sniffle.

Someone’s crying. Could that be Ida?

Aiden flattens himself against the ground again. Keep quiet! Stay low!

But as Aiden lays in the mud, shivering, he says, “No. I must find out who it is.”

Ida’s a girl, Aiden thinks. If I was a girl, I wouldn’t want to be out here. Yikes! I’m a boy. And even I don’t want to be here. It’s icy and spooky.

Then, Aiden takes another risk. “Ida?” he whispers. “Is that you?”

There’s silence for a long time.

Then, Aiden tries again. “Ida?” he says louder.

Again, there is no reply. So, Aiden turns his torch light on.

“Ida, I’m the one who was in the old train tunnel. I’m sorry I disturbed you and Jared. I didn’t mean too. I don’t want to hurt you. Walk towards the light, and I will help you.”

Tshh. Tshh. Tssh. Aiden hears footsteps. They walk towards him. And across the gravel that lays in the mud in this area.

“Who are you?” Ida says, as she gets closer.

“My name’s Aiden Mallinson. I live around here. And I’m the best centre square Aussie Rules player around”

Before reaching Aiden’s light, Ida stops. She hesitates. “How old are you?” she says.

Aiden doesn’t think Ida can see him in the dark. But Aiden draws himself up to his full height anyway. Then, he says, “Ten.”

Ida steps out of the shadows and into Aiden’s torch beam. Ida hugs Aiden in a massive bear hug. “I’m fifteen,” she says. “And I’m so glad I’m not alone anymore!”

Aiden’s arms shoot out from his sides. They hang stiffly in the air like an awkward scarecrow. Then, Aiden’s eyebrows shoot to the top of his brow. Eeep! A girl is hugging me, he thinks. What would the boys at school say?

Then, Ida lets go. They pass a few moments in silence. Then, Aiden takes a big breath. He says, “Ida? Are you the one who wrote: Reject God, in the old train tunnel?”

 

Chapter Eleven

Ida shakes her head. “That was Jared.”

Aiden speaks in a low voice. “Yikes! Why would anyone reject God? Right now, God’s the only one we’ve got.”

Ida sighs. “Jared’s had a painful life. He thinks it means that God doesn’t love Him. So, if God doesn’t want Jared, Jared doesn’t want God.”

Aiden pauses. “Oh, I see.”

Ida continues. “I actually love God, but I don’t know Him.”

Aiden raises his eyebrows. “Huh? What do you mean?”

Ida looks at the ground. “Well, I can sense that God is out there. But I’ve never gone to church. So, I don’t know anything about Him.”

Aiden falls silent. He thinks about all the times God has helped him. And all the good things God has given him. Wow! Imagine not knowing anything about Jesus. That’s so sad.”

Ida stands up. “Well, anyway, we can’t sit here all night in the rain. We must get home.”

As they walk, Aiden tells Ida everything he’s learnt at Kids’ Church. Ida nods and smiles and asks questions along the way.

Then, SNORT! SNORT! SNORT! Ida screams. “What was that?!”

Aiden grins. “Koalas make that noise when they’re looking for a girlfriend.”

Ida sniffs the air. It smells like koalas - mouldy. “Cool! Koalas are in the area. Well, it’s nighttime. So, I guess, they’re not sleeping either.”

There’s a pause, then Aiden takes a deep breath. “Speaking of girlfriends, I think you should get a new boyfriend. Jared isn’t nice.”

Ida’s cheeks blush bright red. Then, she laughs. “You know? I think you’re right.”

“Also, you shouldn’t spray paint train tunnels anymore. Spraying graffiti is against the law.”

Ida laughs again, then she tousles Aiden’s hair. “Wow! Imagine getting told off by a ten-year-old.” Then her face becomes serious. “You’re very wise for a ten-year-old. If we get out of here, I’ll get a new boyfriend. And I’ll stop spray painting.”

Aiden shoots her a look. Then, he says, “You promise?”

 

Chapter Twelve

Ida holds out her little finger. She wiggles it at him, then she grins. “Pinky promise.”

Then, WOO-WOO! WOO-WOO!, they hear a train whistle.

Ida gasps. “We’re near the new train line.”

They see a flicker of light, then a train goes thundering by. The lights on the train reveal something that fills Aiden with hope. It reveals the tall wire fence, he trudged past earlier that day. The one with the white sign that says: DANGER! OVERHEAD ELECTRIC WIRES.  

Neither Ida nor Aiden dare shout. I mean, what if Jared is in the area? So, they jump up and down, waving their arms frantically. But no one on the train seems to notice.

HA! HA! HA! the train’s chugger-chugger engine seems to say.

“Don’t worry,” Aiden says. “Let’s climb the fence. We can follow the new train line. It will take us to the city. Then, we’ll be saved.”

Ida clamps her hand on his shoulder. She points at the sign. “Are you crazy? You’ll get electrified.”

Aiden’s shoulder’s slump. Now, his full bladder feels like bursting. And his freezing body shakes like a washing machine.

“Do you think anyone knows that we’re here?” he says.

Ida shakes her head. “Not likely. I mean, I’ve told Mum that I’m at Jared’s house. And Jared told his mum that he was going to mine.”

“I said I was playing in my tree fort in the backyard.”

Ida looks at Aiden out of the corner of her eye. “Oh really? So, it isn’t only me and Jared who are the bad guys? It sounds like you haven’t behaved yourself tonight either.”

Aiden’s cheeks burn. That’s true, he thinks.

Then, Aiden hears a noise that fills him with joy. “Aiden? Aiden?” the voice shouts. “Are you in here?”

“That sounds like my brother, Simon! He delivers pizzas. He must have finished his shift.”

Aiden sees a yellow light zooming towards him. It reminds him of a Bible verse he learned. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

 

Chapter Thirteen

Aiden runs. As he runs, he imagines the zooming light is God’s word. The Bible. Guiding him back to the right path.

Soon Simon’s arms are around Aiden. They squeeze him tight. As if he’s never ever going to let Aiden go.

Simon’s smiling but he’s also shouting. “Aiden, you crazy guy!  What are you doing in the forest all by yourself? And in the pouring rain too?”

Aiden doesn’t answer. Instead, he simply smiles back, saying, “How’d you know I was here?”

Simon pretend punches Aiden’s chin with his fist. “Where else would a guy with a new birthday torch go?

Then, Ida screams. “LOOK OUT!”

Aiden turns his head. Oh no! A yelling, fast-moving bouncing yellow light!

Aiden picks up a thin branch from off the ground. It has orange fungus growing on it. He throws it to Ida, then picks up another for himself.

Aiden whacks his stick against Jared’s stomach. OOF! Jared yells. Then, Ida smacks Jared across the backside with hers. OUCH! Jared shouts again.

Next, Aiden whacks Jared on the knees. Jared’s knees buckle, then he hits the ground. Yelling like a ninja, Aiden jumps on top of Jared. They wrestle in the mud for a while. Then, Simon picks Jared up by his shirt collar.

Then, two ambulance officers arrive. They mutter something about keeping Aiden warm. Then, they wrap a crackling metallic blanket around him. They place him in the back of their ambulance. Next, they whirl him off to hospital with Simon sitting beside him.

Aiden catches a cold. Just as he thought, he stays in bed for a week. When he recovers, Mum goes off at him. “I was beside myself when I realised you were gone,” she grizzles.  

Then, Simon says, “Your face was all over the news! And SES workers scoured the forest searching for you!”

Dad acts angry, but then he smiles a sly smile. “Well,  you’ve already seen the secret tunnel. How about, next month, we go on a camping trip? I’ll teach you to fish?”

 

Chapter Fourteen

Aiden whoops!

“Cool! A fishing trip? That would be awesome!”

A month later, Aiden helps his Dad pack for their family fishing trip. He looks around his living room. It smells like cotton-fresh fabric softener.

He stares at his mother’s sheepdog clock, her sheepdog cushions and her sheepdog figurines. I’m not in love with sheepdogs like Mum. But it’s wonderful to be back home.

Then, Aiden looks out of the window. He sees a girl walking down the street. It’s Ida! A boy is walking beside her, but it’s not Jared.

Sam, Aiden’s pet sheepdog, places his paws up on the window pane. RUFF! RUFF! RUFF! Sam barks.

Ida looks over at the window. She spots Sam, then she spies Aiden. Aiden points at the new boy. Then, he gives Ida a thumbs up.

Ida’s cheeks blush pink. Then, she laughs and gives Aiden a thumbs up too.

Sam continues to bark, until Ida has walked around the corner. “GOOD CHOICE! GOOD CHOICE! he seems to say.”

Then, Aiden closes his eyes. He prays for Jared:

Dear Jesus

Please wrap your arms around Jared. And please wrap your arms around every person who is like Jared. People who feel so hurt; they no longer want You. Squeeze them tight, like Simon squeezed me. As if he was never ever going to let me go. Please bring them back to You. Help them understand why we sometimes go through hard times.

Amen

 

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

 

Gospel Invitation

Have you ever told a lie, stolen, or used God’s name as a swear word? Have you ever lusted, which Jesus said is the same as adultery; or hated, which the Bible says is the same as murder? If so, in God’s eyes you are a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterous, murderer at heart!  In other words, you are a big sinner!

 The Bible says if you sin, even just once, you can’t go to Heaven and that there is nothing you can do to earn His forgiveness. No good works, not even praying, fasting, giving money to charity, wearing special clothes or doing special stretches and breathing can erase your sins. But, there is good news! God loves you and has made a way for you to be forgiven through faith and grace!

Imagine a man is in court. He has been found guilty of murder, but the judge just forgives him and lets him go. Would that be okay? No! The judge would be corrupt and would have to be judged himself. God is not corrupt. So, this is not how God forgives us.

Now, imagine YOU are in court. You have been found guilty of serious crimes. The judge says your penalty is to pay a fine of $25,000. You don’t have the money so he sends you to jail instead. Then, someone you don’t know pays the $25,000 for you. Would you still need to go to jail? No! The fine has been paid, so in God’s court you are forgiven and freed. This is how God forgives us.

In real life, though, the penalty for sin is not money. In real life, the penalty for sin is death. 2000 years ago, Jesus died on the cross in your place paying your death penalty. Now, if you trust Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is enough to cover your sin and repent (turn from sin), you can be forgiven and receive eternal life.

Find out more at www.livingwaters.com

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