Prompt: Write a short story about a man who discovers a magical portal
Response:

Samuel poked his head out of the doorway to the workshop and cursed under his breath. It was too dark to work and he had a lot of wood to cut. He was about to head back inside when he saw a flicker of light in the distance. He walked over to the window and peered out. What he saw made his heart race. There was a lighted portal just beyond the tree line. The portal was opening and closing continually. Samuel knew he had to find out what was behind it.

He quickly grabbed his old fashioned hat and went outside. The portal was just beyond the tree line and Samuel could see figures entering and exiting the portal. He didn’t want to be seen so he darted behind a tree. He was crouched down so he could stay hidden when he heard a voice say, “Who are you?”

Samuel quickly stood up and saw a man step out of the portal. He was dressed in a long, flowing cloak and he had a wand in his hand. Samuel could see the excitement in the man’s eyes and he knew he had found his true purpose in life. The man called out, “Come through my portal and discover the magic of the world!”

Samuel knew he had to go through the portal. He had always been interested in magic and this was his chance to learn more. He quickly walked through the portal and found himself in a different world. There were buildings all around him and the sky was filled with stars. The man who had welcomed him earlier was standing next to a glowing portal. He said, “Come through and explore this new world!”

Samuel stepped through the portal and found himself in a huge garden. There were flowers and trees everywhere and the air was filled with the smell of rain. He could see people walking around the garden and they were all looking happy. Samuel knew he had found his new home. The man who had welcomed him earlier called out, “Welcome to the magical world of Oz!”