Creative Writing Service

Lava Adventure

I regretted it almost instantly. The kids had begged and pleaded until I had to just give in. They wanted to see the volcanoes, to check out the lava, but I told them that we needed to wait for their father. I told them it’d be better with him here. Now, here we are, surrounded by the boiling liquid with no hope for escape.

“Mommy, watch out!” my 5 year old, Lacey, shouted. I hopped up on a rock quickly just as the semi-solid liquid was inching its way to where my feet stood just seconds ago. The heat was suffocating and we were quickly running out of places to go, to try to find a way out of this mess.

My 7 year old, Sophia, had climbed a tree and was sitting up on one of the high branches, safe for now. She was sweating, but secure. I hopped onto another rock to try and get closer to Lacey. I needed to help her get to safer spot. We both needed to get to higher ground, and quick.

The lava was now lapping at the tree Sophia was sitting in and you could look at it and see that it wouldn’t be standing much longer. I instructed her to head down and calmly make her way somewhere safer. As she was climbing down to a lower branch, the one she was holding on to snapped and she ended up swinging down to the lower one and barely making it. I really thought she was a goner.

Luckily, Lacey had found herself a spot high up where she’d be safe and I was trying to make it over to her carefully. As I was adjusting to jump onto another rock to get to Lacey, my foot slipped at the last second and I felt the tip of my shoe touch the lava. The pain on my toes was instant and excruciating. I was able to quickly pull off my shoe, but I could see that the damage was already done.

Both of the kids saw what had happened and shouted to me, but I let them know that I was fine. I was now surrounded by lava and stranded with only one good shoe. Things were not looking good for us.

The sweltering heat was intense and I was almost to the point of passing out when I heard my husband coming in from the garage. All of a sudden the lava became carpet again, the rocks transformed back into pillows and couch cushions, and the spell was broken.

“Hey, Hon!” he called out to me.

“Hey! How was work?” I asked, as I lay on the floor pretending to be writhing in pain from my toes being torched by lava.

“It was great. They’re flying us all out to Hawaii next week for the big meeting. It’s so great they’re letting me bring you guys.” He said with a genuine smile.

“Oh, yeah, we’re all super excited. I was just teaching the kids about volcanoes and lava.” I told him.

“Is that what you were doing?” He asked surveying the living room and the mess we’d made with our pretend play.

“Yep! And dinner’s almost ready.” I said as I headed into the kitchen to stir the spaghetti sauce that was simmering on the stove, giving him a quick peck on the cheek as I passed.

“Well, it smells great. I’ll go help them put the couch back together.” And with that the lava was gone and my family was at home, happy and healthy, ready to sit down to a big family dinner.