Chapter 1
Evan was not going to play the part of a fool again. For two days he had been led astray by the rabbit. “Follow me,” the rabbit had challenged him. “I will show you the way through the mountains and into the valley beyond.” He had chased the rabbit all afternoon and Evan was thoroughly exhausted. Every time that he slowed in his pursuit, the animal would call out and promise to lead him to the passage he was trying so very hard to discover. He knew that he had been close to the hidden path. It should have been near the point where he left the trail that came from the family’s farm and turned left at the large rocks. From somewhere near those rocks was the footpath that meandered through the mountainside. Evan was certain that his father was aware of the exact location of the pass between the rocks. He had only gotten as far as he had because of the times that he had secretly but unsuccessfully tried to follow his father to the opening. There were many people in the land of the Grand Forest that did not give any credence to the existence of the Valley that reportedly lay on the other side of the Violet Mountains. This range of steep inclines and dangerous cliffs was covered much of the time by a light purple haze that had given the area its name. Over countless years various adventurers had tried to cross beyond the mountains and find out what was on the other side. There had been some deaths, and numerous others had eventually simply given up the quest. A few had almost made it to the top of the mountains only to finally be rebuffed by the staggering heights. Many had searched for a pass that would carry them through the hills but had been unable to find any workable route. Generally it had been deemed a hopeless dream. For many years Evan knew that his father had somehow gone beyond the mountains and reached the other side. No matter how careful Evan had been in attempting to follow Silas, his father had always been able to evade Evan and leave him stranded on this side of the hidden passage. Evan knew that somewhere nearby were the two rocks that marked the way leading to the other side of the mountain range. Evan had spoken to his mother, Fiona, about his father’s frequent trips beyond the mountains. She had explained to Evan that it had not only been his father who went on those excursions. Silas’s father, Simeon, had done the same thing for numerous years. It was only in Simeon’s old age that he had taught his son the way to the valley. From that time on Silas had taken over for his father. Simeon had died over twenty years ago. Recently, Silas had taken ill with a mysterious malady. He had been confined to bed for weeks. He had a high fever and regularly lapsed in and out of consciousness. Fiona had eventually asked Silas’s mother, Ruby, to see if she could determine what should be done for Silas. It only took Ruby a few moments examining Silas to declare that he was suffering from an uncommon ailment known as Valley Fever. Somehow Ruby connected the illness with her own family history. There was a cure but the remedy required was not easily obtained. In fact, the only way to get what Silas needed was for someone to go to the valley that lay beyond the Violet Mountains. The cure, Ruby assured them, could be found in the Valley. Unfortunately, Silas was in no condition to tell Evan how to cross the mountains. Ruby and Fiona explained to Evan that his grandfather and later his father had been required to make regular missions to the other side of the range to fulfill some undertaking for which their family was responsible. Under the circumstances, that responsibility was now falling upon Evan to perform. Neither Ruby nor Fiona provided much information that would describe precisely why Evan’s father and grandfather had regularly gone beyond the Violet Mountains. Neither could Evan understand why his people knew of a hidden means of access that most of the neighboring people only whispered about. The necessity for Evan to find the passage was now more pressing because of his father’s illness. Ruby had stated that Silas might be spontaneously cured or could linger indefinitely in his present condition. However, the malady was unusual and there was also the possibility that Silas’s health could further deteriorate and they could lose him. Evan must find the way and return with the medicine that would heal his father. The day after his grandmother had outlined the situation to him and Fiona, Evan gathered together all of the items that he believed he would need. He secured material to erect a makeshift shelter so that he could remain on the mountainside while he searched for a route. Evan took as much food as he could carry and a number of tools. In addition, he included some rope in case he needed it to help him climb or descend the hillside. Evan assured Fiona that he would do everything that could possibly be done to find the source of the medicine that his father required and return with it quickly. After a three hour walk through the forest that lay at the base of the Violet Mountains, he finally came into some open areas. He picked out a place that he believed would be most convenient and set up a base camp. Here he would leave his makeshift shelter and whatever materials he did not need to carry with him as he set out to find the passageway. On the first two days of his quest he was misled by the eloquent but verbose white rabbit. He meandered around in circles chasing the rabbit that kept urging him onward.
|