Prompt: Write a short story about a man who discovers a magical portal
Response:
John had always been interested in the mystical. As a child, he would explore every nook and cranny in his parents’ house, marveling at the strange symbols and carvings on the walls. As an adult, he continued to explore the world around him, but a void remained. That is, until one day, when he stumbled across a portal in his backyard.
As he stepped through, he found himself in a world unlike any he had ever seen. The landscape was lush and green, the sky a bright blue. In the distance, he could see a large water tank, and to his left, a small house. He approached the house and peered in through the windows, but saw only bare walls.
Curious, John stepped through the portal again and found himself in the water tank. This time, he saw a large, magical creature swimming around inside. As he watched, the creature suddenly stopped swimming and submerged beneath the water. John was puzzled, but decided to explore the tank further.
He found another portal leading to a different part of the tank, and soon discovered that he could swim to any destination he wanted by using the portals. He explored every nook and cranny, and even explored the creature’s den, which was hidden behind a large rock.
As he was nearing the den, he heard a noise from inside. It sounded like someone was crying. John decided to check it out, and discovered a small girl hiding behind the rock. The girl was scared, and John felt guilty for frightening her.
He explained to her that he was just exploring, and offered to take her home. The girl hesitated at first, but then agreed. As they returned through the portal, John couldn’t help but feel happy and at peace. He knew that he had found something special, and he vowed to return to the portal often.