In the garden on a hot summer day, little Alex came to play. He sat in the slightly damp grass gazing at the world around him. In the corner of his eye a flower twitched. His eyes automatically flicked over to the moving flower. On the flower j’y here seemed to be a black and yellow spot. He started reaching for it and it moved. He pulled his hand back, not sure what to think about this new little thing. He stared at it, waiting for it to more once more. The little creature then rose from the flower and flew away. Alex sat, staring in awe. Where did it go? He thought.

Alex decided he would find more.

He started searching the plants and brush around him.

When he didn’t find the creature he lay down, feeling defeated.

Then his arm tickled a little.

The tickling continued up and down his arm.

Could this be that weird little spot?! He thought getting excited.

He lifted his arm.

He lifted his arm, feeling more tickling as it moved around.

It was not the spot, but a spider.

Not sure of what to do, Alex lay there, waiting for the spider to crawl off.

Once it did, he got up again and started away.

Only he did not know where he was heading to.

So he sat back down and continued waiting.

He gradually started getting sleepier. The weight of tired weighed down on his eye lids, begging to fall and have him drift off.

As he neared sleep, he saw something land on a flower. He raced over and peered into the flower.

It was the little spot.

Yellow with black stripes.

Or is it black with yellow stripes?

He marveled.

He stuck out his hand and the bee flew up and landed in his palm.

“What are you?” He asked it

“Bzzz”

“What?”

“Beez”

“Bee’s?”

The Bees silance was taken as a yes.

“Well Bees it’s nice to meet you! I like making friends. As you see I don’t really have many.” Alex said as he gestured around him.

The buzz from the bee felt like acknowledgement, which gave Alex a warm feeling. A feeling like he’s being heard.

The bee suddenly rose into the air and lazily floated off.

“Wait! Where are you going!?” Alex stood and raced after the bee, worried he would never see it again.

The bee floated along, stopping at a small path.

The path was a dirt road, probably carved from the many feet that once walked apon it.

But the end of the path had become a overgrown wall of weeds and bushes.

Alex stopped and looked at the blockage. It seemed to go forever upwards.

Looking back behind him he saw the dirt path.

He looked down at the bee, which was standing at the center of the dirt path.

“Where are we going to go?” Alex asked the bee. “The path has been blocked.”

The bee buzzed and rose once more. It floated to the blockage and landed on a leaf.

“Are we going through there?” Alex whispered. The place beyond the block frightened him. He did not know what was over there. But he did not want to lose the bee.

Stepping forward, he reached out to touch a leaf, and the bee flew through the bushes.

Determined to follow, Alex took another step and pushed into the brush.

Taking one last look at the path behind him, he heard a voice.

A woman’s voice full of sadness calling out his name.

Alex froze.

Did someone call to me?

He wanted to go to the voice, to find that woman and stop their crying, but the bee let out another buzz so he kept going.

The wind seemed to whisper to him

“Come back”

But he had to push on.

The light ahead seemed to get brighter and Alex could feel his heart beating faster. He took another step-

And the ground vanished.