Father and son embraced, and Mary realized that she would’ve risked her life in the Amazon a hundred times over for this moment.
Helen’s parents arrived soon thereafter, and the ritual of crying, hugging, and expressions of disbelief played out once again.
“So, is this how you always used to travel?” Dad asked Grandpa, gesturing toward the globe, which now sat on the kitchen counter.
Grandpa approached it in silence. He gently picked it up, his eyes never leaving the object in his hands.
“Yes. For twenty years, I used this globe nearly every single day,” Grandpa answered. “I was able to see every corner of the earth thanks to this thing.”
“As impossible as it still seems, this really explains a lot,” said Dad. “But why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“It’s a long story,” Grandpa replied. “I know now that I shouldn’t have kept it from you. But at the time, I did my best to keep it a secret from everybody. The only other person who I ever told was your mother, and she was the most adamant that nobody learn about it. To her, the risk of somebody using it for terrible things was just too great.”
“She was right,” Helen’s father cut in without hesitation. “Something like this in the wrong hands could devastate the world.”
Everybody nodded in agreement.
“I think,” Mom said, “that we all need to make a solemn promise never to tell a soul about this globe.”
Again, everybody readily agreed.
“Grandpa, I get why we can’t tell others about the globe,” Mary said. “But now that we all know, will you tell us about how it works? I have a million questions.”
“I guess we all have a lot of catching up to do,” Dad said, putting his arm around Grandpa. “But I wonder if we should save it for another time. Maybe we could let our lives get back to normal first?”
“Lewis is right,” Grandpa said, a tear forming in his eye and enhancing its natural twinkle. “But don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time to share.”
As Mom, Dad, and Ike said goodbye to Helen and her family, Mary caught Grandpa by the arm and quickly pulled him aside.
“Grandpa, Anatoly tracked us down in the rainforest,” she whispered. “He almost got the globe, and was ready to kill us for it!”
“What?” Grandpa said. “Mary, I’m so sorry! This is all my fault! How’d you get away?”
“A little bit of luck, and a little bit of magic,” Mary said quickly. “I’ll explain more later. He’s still out there, though, and he swore he’d find a way to get the globe. I don’t think we’ll ever be safe as long as he’s after it.”
Mary pulled away as Mom crossed the room.
Grandpa nodded in understanding, but the troubled look on his face didn’t go away.
“I’ll need to figure out what to do with you now,” Mary heard him say to himself as he studied the globe thoughtfully. “He’ll be back, that’s for sure.”
Mary wanted to help take Grandpa’s mind off her revelation about Anatoly. She reached into his backpack, and found the leather-bound journal that Grandma had given him.
“I found this,” she said. “It was from Grandma.”
She held out the book to Grandpa, who stared for a moment, his eyes glistening.
“I haven’t seen this in a long time,” Grandpa said, gently taking it.
He held it momentarily without saying anything, then offered it back to Mary.
“I want you to keep it,” he determined. “The most recent adventure is yours. Why don’t you write about it?”
Mary felt like she’d been handed the greatest treasure in the world.
“I will, Grandpa,” she promised with reverence.
Despite the fact that they were all tired, the emotion of the reunion kept everybody up for another hour. Finally, at Dad’s urging, Mary was sent to bed. She said goodbye to Grandpa, who departed, globe in hand. Mom insisted on tucking her into bed, and refused to stop hugging her, as if she never dared to let go again. At long last, though very reluctantly, she kissed Mary on the forehead and wished her a good night.
“I love you,” she said, before exiting Mary’s room.
As soon as Mom had closed the door, Mary switched on her lamp and sat up in bed. She took a long look around. It still felt so strange. Just as she’d felt in the backyard, something about her room seemed so different, despite being familiar. What had changed?
At that moment, it dawned on her. Nothing had changed in her house, her backyard, or her room. It was her. In just a few days, she’d become a different person. She’d lived her dream, not only visiting the Amazon, but surviving against all odds. She’d never be the same.
As she tried to fall asleep, she couldn’t help but wonder how so many people just went about their daily lives, only living in the bubble into which they were born. Didn’t they realize what a wide world was out there, just waiting to be explored?
A few days ago, Mary had been a normal girl, living a normal life. Now, she felt like her life was extraordinary. She was an adventurer!
A strange feeling bubbled somewhere deep inside. She could feel new dreams forming, just waiting to be born. Mary smiled as she thought about the possibilities that awaited her. Where would she go next? The real adventure was only beginning!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book, first and foremost, wouldn’t have been possible if not for the wonderful people of the Amazon Rainforest, who share their home and culture with many, while getting relatively little in return. I give special thanks to the people of Leticia and Puerto Nariño, Colombia.
As this is the first book I’ve ever completed, it no doubt would have been much worse if not for the insight of many great people who gave of their time and candid opinions freely, including Katrina Anderson O’Hara, Rory O’Hara, Toby O’Hara, Linda Skinner, Ellie Webb, Janet Radford Bergeson, Catie Bergeson Wohan, and Emily O’Hara Bergeson, among others.
A special thanks to the insightful and honest Jessica Ball, who provided a wonderful set of recommendations on how to improve the story and my own writing.
I not only am fortunate to have one of the most talented editors in the business, but she also happens to be a long-time friend. Without the help of Tara Creel, both personally and professionally, I’d still be sitting behind a computer screen, scratching my head, trying to figure out what to do next.
To all those who dream about seeing the world, do whatever you can to make it happen. Not only will it fill your life with bright spots, memories, and experiences, it is the efforts you make to expand your horizons that will literally change the world for the better.
N. R. BERGESON
N. R. Bergeson has been fascinated with the wider world since the dawn of his memory. An insatiable case of wanderlust pushed him to early experiences abroad, and he’s spent the better part of his adult life living all over the place, including Russia, Romania, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and now Indonesia. His day job as a Foreign Service officer has given him chances to work all over the globe, and to date he’s traveled to more than 60 countries with his wife, Emily, and their three young children. His love for family and travel is interdependent with his love for writing, and his dream is to instill a desire in his readers to take advantage of modern opportunities to see the world, learn new languages, and expand their cultural experiences. We live in a wonderful world, and it’s just waiting for us to get out and see it.
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Table of Contents
&nbs
p; Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Acknowledgements
About the Author
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