Exploration

Gail Allen
Editor, Ravenclaw

"Oh come on, can't you just tell me at least how far it'll be yet?" They had already been walking for what seemed like hours, but was in reality probably only about twenty minutes.
"I don't want to be rolled into another of your misadventures. My mother says you're a bad influence, just so you know."
He just grinned again. "Then why are you here?" he asked teasingly. And she knew he had her. If she wasn't curious, she could just have refused to go, but the urge to explore overcame all her better judgements, and she followed after him.

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Gail Allen
Editor, Ravenclaw

Anía put her ear to the door very slowly.
"We need to explore other options" the woman said. "It's not enough any more." There was a long pause.
"I know" he said, "I just don't like it. Are you sure there isn't another way? I don't want to put her in danger."
"We have tried all other things" the woman said again, "You need to let her go. She can get into places neither you or I can. We need to know what's inside"
Basir sighed and Anía walked away just as silently as she'd come; she'd get to go.

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Maxim Trevelyan
Writer, Ravenclaw

“Come on, I want to see the monkeys,” Rachel tried to drag me by my hand to one of the main paths through the zoo.

“Sweetling, the birds are the first…” I trailed off when it became obvious she was not listening.

A hand settled on my shoulders, squeezing lightly. “You worry too much about proper schedule and paths to take, let the girl see the monkeys first.”

Huffing gently, I replied, “Nothing wrong with exploring the zoo in a systematic manner.”

“No, but there is nothing systematic about children.”

I chuckled, shaking my head as I jogged after Rachel.

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Maxim Trevelyan
Writer, Ravenclaw

It was a rather cold day for a September. I am used to the sweltering heat that still does not let up well into October. But it was worth it to visit more of Europe. We had an overnight stop in Budapest, so we only had hours to see the many sights the city has to offer.

Danube, Buda Castle, Parliament, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Fisherman’s Bastion, Heroes’ Square and so many more sights to see. I was just sad we did not have the opportunity to explore further, but at least we stopped at a chocolate shop at the end.

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Sky Alton
Writer, Gryffindor

The Unknown

“Come on, just take the leap.”
“I’ve gone this long without needing to.” His eyes were fixed ahead of him.
“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
“Know what?”
“Whether you like it.”
“I’m happy not knowing.”
“You can’t go through your life like this. Never giving new experiences a go.”
”Yes I can.”
“Well, maybe but if you do, who knows what you might miss? There could be whole worlds out there that you’ll never explore because you’re too stubborn to make one choice.”
“Fine…” Stretching out a hand, he very slowly used his fork to stab an olive.

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Sky Alton
Writer, Gryffindor

Disembarking

The corridor hummed around her. She set a hand against the slick wall to her left, feeling the tingle of vibrations zipping along her arm. Lights flashed on the door ahead of her: red to blue to green.
She’d done this countless times, but it was still a thrill. The whir built to a climax, then there was a click. The hatch glided down and air gusted in. There was light too, greyish and full of moisture. The world beyond was rich with water and promise. She strode to the top of the ramp, pausing to survey her new domain.

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Shiloh Adlar
Writer, Ravenclaw

I had always wanted to go on an underwater expedition, and this was now my chance as an underwater archaeologist extraordinaire. We were in Egypt ready to discover treasure that had been hidden for over 1200 years. As we began to dig and sift through the sea bed, we found such beautiful ancient treasure we once had thought lost for centuries. Our explorations led us to discover a part of history that had disappeared so long ago. This was why I did what I did. Seeing history unfold before my eyes gave me something to live for. This was it.

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Shiloh Adlar
Writer, Ravenclaw

I decided to go on a hunt for my favorite flower, the elusive bleeding heart. Making my way through the woodlands, the tiny trails nearly hidden by the main path, my eyes set on their beautiful bulbs. The sun barely showed through the foliage around me and I sat to marvel at its beauty on a bench that had someone had decided to place nearby. I heard the water from the stream in front of me and closed my eyes breathing in the scents and listening to the sounds. The woodlands were a beautiful area to explore. I'd come again.

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