Hi, I’m Josh. As you can see, I’m sleeping right now and probably dreaming about all the wonderful things I will wake up to today, since it is my 13th birthday. See, in my world, when a child reaches 13, they awake with an understanding of what profession they should begin training for. The ancient spirits are said to visit us in our dreams and plant the seeds of success.

Well, unfortunately for me, that didn’t happen. When I wake up, it’s just like every other day. I don’t feel anything different and I have no urges to study anything in particular. Actually, it’s just the opposite, I now seem to be interested in everything. I want to know how everything works and why everything is the way it is. This is very confusing and frustrating for me, my parents, and my teachers.

All of my friends had moved into their new classrooms to start learning their future professions and I was still here with Miss Sally. One day, Miss Sally, gives me a book and says she thinks I might be able to relate to the main character. So I head outside to my favorite quiet place to read by the big tree in the schoolyard.

The book was about some of the first humans on Earth. This one family had a boy who was about to turn 13 and his father was telling him about the quest to manhood he would have to take. See back then, when a boy turned 13 he was on the verge of becoming a man so he had to prove to the rest of the village and his family he was ready to take on those responsibilities. The boy was sent off alone and had to stay out alone for 3 moons. When he returned, showing he could survive on his own, he was considered a man. This gave me an idea! I could go into the forest and camp out for a few days and then I know the ancients will guide me through and I will return with a new profession to begin learning.

So I set off and walked through the woods, it was beautiful and I really enjoyed the scenery. I was so excited I could hardly keep from running from tree, to rock, to bush, to stream, to whatever else I saw next. After a while though, it started to get dark and I was tired and then the forest went from beautiful to scary. There were strange sounds all around me and it was cold, honestly, I was lost and had no idea which way home was. Suddenly, I saw a flickering light up ahead and decided to check it out hoping someone else was camping and had a nice campfire going with some S’mores ready.

Once I got there, all I saw was a cave with a dim flickering light and a lot of trees. Disappointed, scared, cold, and hungry, I began to cry. Then I heard a voice. “Are you lost little boy?” the voice asked. I looked around but didn’t didn’t see anyone but I was so scared and tired I couldn’t run away. The voice said again “I say, are you lost little boy?”

Ya ya ya yes, sir. Where are you…I don’t see you.

Look up

Oh there you are…wait, you’re an owl…owl’s don’t talk.

Well little boys shouldn’t be out in the forest at night but here we both are.

I guess you’re right. I was just…

No need to explain, I know everything.

But how can you, I haven’t told you a thing.

I am the guardian of the truth and this is the entrance to the cave of the Ancient Spirits. You have come because you are lost, right?

Well, yes, I turned 13 nearly a month ago and I…

Say no more, you may enter the cave and receive the gift of the Ancient Spirits knowledge.

O o o o o o kay,

I walked toward the cave and the light just got brighter and brighter until I couldn’t see and then I heard a buzzing sound and then…

There I was back in bed. The ancients had come to me and given me the knowledge, I am now to study to be a story writer.