Chapter 4

They awake to February fourteenth of two thousand and twelve with great joy and expectation in their hearts. The adventure that awaits them will have a profound effect on every fiber of their beings. There is no way you can experience the beauty and wonder of the magical kingdom of Shimmering without it be a life-altering experience.

After they eat a hearty breakfast, Hope and Sarah disappear into Sarah's bedroom and start changing. When they come out, Allan's eyes flood with tears as his mind takes him back to a precious time and another little precious girl.

Then it was Sarah and now it is Hope, but they are both wearing the same adorable outfit. It is just like the one that Sarah first wore when her and Allan first found their way into the magical kingdom. Both Hope and Sarah are wearing cute pink and white-stripped shorts that have a waistband of pure pink that is the same color as the tank tops they are wearing. Along with white sandals they are precious from head to toe.

Sarah has her hair in a simple ponytail, but Hope has her hair split into two ponytails. With pink scrunchies adorning their hair it makes both Sarah and Hope true works of art. It is easy to tell they are mother and daughter. They both have the same long brunette hair. They both have the almost exact same pretty face with the same adorable nose. When they smile their faces light up to remind Allan what he has been fighting for all these years.

"Won't we get cold?" asks Hope.

"Not where we are going," answers Allan.

"Where are we going?" asks Hope again.

Sarah kneels before her daughter and her eyes flood with tears with the joy of the wonder that is about to happen. "We are going to a magical land where love, laughter and beauty are free to go beyond all known boundaries."

"That sounds great, mom, but you really didn't answer my question." Hope is very smart.

Allan laughs and kneels down next to both of his favorite people and says, "You'll see. You wouldn't believe us even if we told you. Come, my beautiful girls. It is time to set or souls free." and with that they head out the door.

As they are heading over to there, Sarah says, "I hope it is still there because I really need to ... to ... to breathe again."

Hope is sitting in the back seat and doesn't see her mom's eyes fill with tears. Allan reaches over and puts the back of his hands on the side of his baby sister's face and caresses it. "Fear not, my baby sister, I love you, Hope loves you, and Shimmering is going to adore having their favorite daughter come back for a visit."

"How far is it?" inquires Hope.

"Not far at all," answers Sarah.

Not long after Allan turns onto Sibley Street he says, "In fact we are almost there now. We will park here near this stream where your mom and I used to swim as kids, and we'll walk up those railroad tracks right there, and it will appear to us when it feels love perforating the area."

"Where we are going is in Folsom?" wonders Hope.

"The gateway is, yes."

"Where are we going again?" For the first time Hope is beginning to understand this is no ordinary adventure.

"You'll see," says her mom, letting her out of the back seat of the sixty-nine Chevelle.

As they are walking up the railroad tracks Allan asks, "How did you ever find outfits that are almost exact to the one you wore the first time we went to Shimmering?"

"I was just walking through Sunrise Mall and there they were in a window display. I couldn't believe my eyes. I smiled for the rest of the day."

"How many times have you guys been to this magical kingdom of Shimmering?"

"Seven, I believe it was. From the time your mom was seven to thirteen we made the yearly journey. Every time we skipped school so we could go. Finally, we moved away and couldn't make it back again. Not until now."

As they continue to walk along the railroad tracks, Sarah comes over and takes her big brother's hand and leans her head on his shoulder. Hope is skipping happily out in front of them.

Finally they come to a familiar place and Allan says, "I think this is it."

Sarah takes in a deep breath hoping beyond all hope that the gateway can still be found. Allan takes Hope's hand and they start to make their way into what is left of the rock piles and trees. They squeeze through the path that used to lead up into the Enchanted Forest that was no more than connecting hills of rock piles that had collected a pond of water. It was serene and natural and beautiful, and Sarah and Allan had spent many days wandering through the majesty of it all.