JOURNEY BACK HOME by Edie Holdgrafer June 2001

A LITTLE ANT NAMED CHRIS WAS WORKING WITH HIS FAMILY ONE DAY AND AS HE WAS GOING ABOUT HIS TRAVEL FROM THE BASE OF A TALL PINE TREE, HE STOPPED A SHORT MINUTE TO REST AND UNKNOWINGLY, HE WAS STANDING UPON A PIECE OF COTTON FROM A MULBERRY TREE. IT HAD BEEN A LONG JOURNEY FROM THE ROOT OF THE TREE TO THE TOP OF THE TREE WHERE HIS COLONY FAMILY WERE PERFORMING THEIR DAILY TASK GATHERING FOOD FOR STORAGE TO HELP THEM ALL THROUGH THE FOLLOWING DAYS AHEAD. SOMETIMES IT WOULD RAIN, AND IT WOULD DELAY ALL THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FOR THEY WOULD STAY SHELTERED AND EAT UP THE RESERVES, SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS LONG TO MAKE UP FOR ANY SHORTAGES TO MAKE THE RESERVES LARGE ENOUGH TO CARRY THEM THROUGH THE RAINY DAYS AHEAD OF THEM. HE WORKED EXTRA HARD TO MAKE HIS FAMILY HAPPY AND HE WAS ALWAYS READY THERE FOR ANY THING THAT WAS NEEDED OF HIM TO MAKE THEM PROUD OF HIM. AS HE RESTED AND CAUGHT HIS BREATH AND WAS JUST ABOUT TO START HIS TREK ONCE MORE, ALL OF A SUDDEN HE FOUND HIMSELF HANGING ON TO THE VERY COTTON HE HAD RESTED UPON, AND SUDDENLY LOOKING ABOUT HIM SAW THINGS AROUND HIM FLYING BY, ONLY IT WAS HIM THAT WAS FLYING, FOR A BREEZE HAD PICKED UP THE PIECE OF COTTONWOOD THAT HE WAS STANDING ON AND ROSE HIM HIGH INTO THE SKY, AS CHRIS GAINED HIS GRIP, HE FELT SUDDENLY WONDERFUL, AND LOOKING OUT AS THE BREEZE CARRIED HIM UP AND DOWN AND UP AND AROUND AND WOULD SLOW GENTLY TO FLOAT ALONG AND SEE EVERYTHING FROM A DIFFERENT VIEW THAN HE HAD EVER IMAGINED; HE FOUND HIMSELF IN A WONDERFUL UNKNOWN TRIP TO SOMEWHERE THAT HE NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED BEFORE NOW. HE WATCHED ALL IN FRONT OF HIM AS HE PROCEEDED IN A WAVY THRILL OF A RIDE. HE SAW TREES ALL AROUND AND WHAT WAS ALL THAT WATER BELOW HIM? HE HAD HEARD HIS ELDERS TALK OF TRIPS THEY HAD MADE MENTIONING BODIES OF WATER NAMED RIVERS AND LAKES. HE KNEW THIS MUST BE ONE OF THOSE TWO. AS HE FLOATED SLOWLY DOWN TOWARDS THIS WATER, SUDDENLY A BREEZE TOOK HIM HIGH AGAIN AND AS HE CAUGHT HIS BREATH AND GAINED HIS BALANCE , A SUDDEN THUD BROUGHT SOMETHING ELSE ONTO THE COTTON. WHATEVER THIS OBJECT WAS, THERE WAS SUDDENLY THIS DISTRESS CRY THAT MADE CHRIS LOOK CLOSELY, TO SEE A CREATURE, OBVIOUSLY CAUGHT IN A VERY AWKWARD POSITION THAT HAD HIS LEGS STRAIGHT UP AND KICKING. THE CREATURE SAID TO CHRIS. “HELP ME FRIEND, PLEASE” AS CHRIS USED ONE HAND HOLDING HIMSELF SECURELY LEAVING HIS OTHER HAND FREE TO TRY TO HELP. JUST THEN THE TWO OF THEM SETTLED INTO THE TOP OF A TREE, AND AS CHRIS GAINED HIS BALANCE, HE PROCEEDED TO THE SIDE OF THIS NEW FRIEND HE KNEW HE HAD TO HELP. HE PULLED THE COTTON AWAY AND LITTLE BY LITTLE CLEARED THE BACKSIDE OF THIS CRITTER . IT TURNED OUT TO BE SOME KIND OF WING.


AS THE CRITTER SHOOK ITSELF FREE AND COULD HELP ITSELF STAND UP STRAIGHT, SAYING; “ I THANK YOU MUCH MY FRIEND.” AS CHRIS LOOKED AT THIS GENTLE FACE THANKING HIM, HE SMILED AND REALIZED , THIS WAS A NICE FRIEND AS THE FRIEND SAT HIMSELF DOWN BESIDE CHRIS AND SECURED HIMSELF, LIKE CHRIS. THE CREATURE LOOKED AT CHRIS AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF. “MY NAME IS FLASH, MY GOOD MAN AND I AM A DRAGON FLY. WHAT HAPPENED HERE MY MAN?, I WAS FLYING ALONG AND MINDING MY BUSINESS AND SOMETHING GRABBED ME. WAS IT YOU?” “MY, MY, NO!” SAID CHRIS “I WAS TAKING A BREATH FROM MY WORK FOR A MOMENT AND THIS COTTON THING CAUGHT ME TOO AND I HAVE BEEN SEEING THINGS I HAVE NEVER BEFORE SEEN!” AS FLASH LOOKED ABOUT AND FINALLY REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED HERE, HE LOOKED AT CHRIS AND SAID “OH, MY; I SEE YOU DO NOT HAVE WINGS TO FLY, LIKE ME. WHAT KIND OF DRAGON ARE YOU?” CHRIS LAUGHED WITH RELIEF AND SAID TO FLASH; “OH NO, I AM AN ANT AND MY NAME IS CHRIS, AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN UP SO HIGH EVER BEFORE!” THERE THEY SAT TALKING AND BRINGING EACH OTHER UP TO DATE ON EACH OTHERS LIVING CONDITIONS, AND THEY SHOOK HANDS AND BOTH AGREED THEY WERE INDEED HAPPY TO HAVE A NEW FRIEND IN EACH OTHER. SUDDENLY ANOTHER GUST OF WIND PICKED THEM UP ONCE AGAIN AND THEY GRABBED HOLD AND BOTH DID NOT SEEM TO BE SO AFRAID NOW. THEY WERE GENTLY FLOATING TOWARDS THE GROUND. JUST BEFORE THEY TOUCHED THE GROUND ANOTHER CREATURE GOT CAUGHT IN THE COTTON AND THEY ALL LANDED WITH A BIG SUDDEN BUMP. IT WASN’T TOO BAD, THROUGH , AND THEY WERE GIGGLING AS THEY GOT UP AND WENT OVER TO THIS NEW CREATURE, AND SET IT UP RIGHT AND FREE OF ANY TANGLES OF COTTON. IT WAS FRIGHTENED, BUT HEARING THE LAUGHTER, LOOKED AT BOTH THE CRITTERS THAT HAD HELPED HER UP AND SHE TOO, STARTED LAUGHING ALONG WITH CHRIS AND FLASH. FLASH INTRODUCED HIMSELF AND POINTED TO CHRIS AND INTRODUCED HIM. THE CREATURE SAID; “I AM A LADYBUG AND MY NAME IS LILA. I AM SO HAPPY TO MEET YOU.” IMMEDIATELY; CHRIS STOPPED GIGGLING AND SAID, “ WE ARE VERY GLAD TO MEET YOU TOO! THIS IS A REAL GOOD ADVENTURE I AM HAVING AND I AM ENJOYING IT, BUT FRANKLY, I AM WORRIED TOO, FOR I AM AFRAID I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND MY WAY TO MY HOME AGAIN!” “OH, MY MAN, DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT,’ SAID FLASH, “ I WILL HELP YOU FIND YOUR HOME AGAIN.” AND JUST THEN LILA TOO, SAID, “OH YES! I CAN SEE THAT YOU CAN NOT FLY, BUT YOUR FRIEND HERE AND I CAN, AND I TOO, WILL HELP IN ANY WAY ” WITH THAT ASSURANCE, THEY ALL STARTED THEIR LAUGHTER ONCE AGAIN WITH GREAT BIG SMILES ON EACH OF THEIR FACES.


LOOKING NOW; ALL AROUND THEM; THEY SAW THAT THEY HAD ALL SETTLED DOWN SAFELY ON THE GROUND AND THEY ALL DECIDED THEY WOULD COUNT TO THREE SLOWLY AND ON THE COUNT OF THREE, ALL STEP OFF THE COTTON AT THE SAME TIME. ONE – TWO--- THREE------- AND THEY ALL STEPPED FREE OF THE COTTON. THEY ALL AGAIN GIGGLED. THEY ALL FELT LIKE THIS WAS AN ADVENTURE FOR SURE AFTER ALL, THEY HAD NEW FRIENDS AND GOOD ONES AT THAT!


FLASH WAS THE TALLEST OF THE THREE BUT THEY ALL DECIDED THAT LILA WAS GOING TO LEAD THE WAY. SHE HAD TRAVELED ALL AROUND HERE, AND CHRIS HAD DESCRIBED THE TREE. SHE HAD A GOOD IDEA OF WHERE IT WAS, SO SHE TOOK OFF FLYING AND SOON RETURNED AND POINTED OUT THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THEY WOULD START OUT. SHE DECIDED, THAT EACH TIME THEY RESTED IN THEIR TREK; THAT AFTER A LITTLE WHILE SHE WOULD GO UP AND FLY AROUND TO SEE WHAT, IF ANY OBSTACLES THEY MIGHT COME UPON, AND MAYBE THAT WAY, THEY COULD AVOID ANY MISHAPS. THEY ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS ONE GREAT WAY TO STAY TOGETHER AND GET MORE ACQUAINTED WITH EACH OTHER AND ONE THING WAS VERY CLEAR; THEY ALL ENJOYED EACH OTHERS COMPANY VERY MUCH.


CHRIS TOLD THEM ABOUT HIS WORK WITH THE WHOLE COLONY AND HOW DEDICATED THEY ALL WERE TO SECURE A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE WHOLE COLONY TO SURVIVE THE WINTER WITH ENOUGH STOCK TO SEE THEM SAFE AND COMFORTABLE, AND LIVE AND ENJOY LIFE TO THE FULLEST. BUT ENOUGH OF HIM; HE WANTED TO KNOW ALL ABOUT FLASH AND LILA AND WHAT THEIR LIVES WERE LIKE BEING ABLE TO FLY WITH SUCH BEAUTIFUL WINGS. OH YES, MY GOOD MAN, I AM ABLE TO FLY, AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE TO NOT BE ABLE TO FLY AND WALK EVERY WHERE I HAVE TO GO; BUT NOW WITH MY KNOWING YOU AND YOUR NEED TO FIND YOUR FAMILY HOME ONCE MORE, GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT WAY OF LIFE SO I THINK I AM TERRIBLY LUCKY TO HAVE MET YOU TOO, LILA; DEAR LADY. I FEEL SO HONORED TO MEET YOU TOO AND I ‘M ALSO, WANTING TO KNOW YOUR LIFE STORY TOO. BUT FIRST I WILL SAY THAT FLYING HAS BEEN A DUTY FOR MY FAMILY FROM THE BEGINNING. I FLY OFF IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAN MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS DO, AND WE ALL COLLECT POLLEN, AND DIFFERENT PIECES OF FOODS, SUCH AS AN APPLE THAT HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE TREE, I BREAK OFF SMALL PORTIONS AND CARRY IT BACK TO MY FAMILY.IT IS THE SAME WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SOMETIMES WE DO FLY TOGETHER AND ENJOY THE COMPANY BUT MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE TOO BUSY GATHERING MORSELS AND BUILDING MATERIALS FOR OUR HOME AND SO WE ENJOY THE QUIET TIMES, LIKE NIGHT AND BAD WEATHER, TO STAY TOGETHER AND CATCH UP ON OUR INDIVIDUAL STORIES WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT. WAIT TILL I TELL THEM ABOUT THIS JOURNEY. THEY WILL ALL BE LISTENING WITH ANTICIPATION. WHAT ABOUT YOU LILA? WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FLY AROUND? SHE HAD A BIG SMILE AND THE FIRST WORDS WERE. WOW! THAT IS THE SAME THING I DO WITH MY FAMILY. WE ALL EAT POLLEN, HONEY, SOME GRASSES AND CATCH LITTLE WEEDS. I AM SURPRISED THAT WE ALL DO MUCH THE SAME. I LOVE FLYING AND COLLECTING THINGS FOR MY FAMILY TOO. THEY ALL STARTED LAUGHING ONCE AGAIN AND STARTED THEIR TREK IN THE DIRECTION POINTED OUT BY LILA. THEY WALKED ALONG HAPPILY; TALKING OF MEMORIES AND HAPPENINGS IN THEIR LIVES AND REALLY ENJOYED IT.


THEY HAD WALKED QUITE A WAYS AND DECIDED TO SIT A SPELL AND MAYBE FIND SOMETHING TO EAT FOR THEY WERE ALL STARTING TO GET HUNGRY.
JUST AS THEY WERE SETTLING DOWN A VOICE CALLED OUT “HEY FLASH, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN LATELY?” FLASH LOOKED UP TO SEE HIS FRIEND JACK, THE BEE. FLASH TOLD HIM THEY WERE ABOUT TO LOOK FOR SOME THING TO EAT, AND JACK SAID, “THERE IS EXTRA HONEY JUST OVER THIS WAY, NOT FAR;” AS HE POINTED TO THE EAST. “YOU ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME AND SIT A SPELL THERE WITH ME AND MY FAMILY.” FLASH INTRODUCED HIM ALL AROUND AND BROUGHT HIM UP TO DATE ON ALL THE TRAUMA THEY HAD BEEN THROUGH AND HOW FUNNY SOME OF IT HAD BEEN, AND THEY ALL FOUR STARTED LAUGHING ONCE AGAIN. THEY PICKED THEMSELVES UP AND STARTED OFF IN THE DIRECTION JACK HAD STARTED OUT IN. LILA AND FLASH WALKED WITH CHRIS TO MAKE SURE HE FOUND THE RIGHT PATH. WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE BEE COLONY, THEY WERE GREETED BY THE HUGE SWARM AS IF THEY WERE LIFE LONG FRIENDS AND ALL SAT AROUND, ATE HONEY AND LAUGHED AND TOLD STORIES TO EACH OTHER ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEM AND HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME. BEFORE LONG THEY HAD TO THANK THEM ALL AND TAKE OFF ON THEIR TREK AGAIN. LILA HAD FLOWN ABOUT AND KNEW THE DIRECTION THEY COULD TAKE AND AFTER TALKING WITH JACK, WHICH ALSO KNEW THE AREA VERY WELL, HE HAD CONFIRMED IT AS SAFE. SO THEY ALL STARTED OUT AND THANKED THE BEE COLONY AND JACK FOR HIS WONDERFUL FOOD AND ALL SAID THEY HOPED TO MEET AGAIN SOON.


THEY WALKED AGAIN AND MADE A GAME OF SKIPPING, HOPPING AND LAUGHING AS THEY WENT ALONG THEIR WAY AND AFTER A LITTLE WHILE THEY STARTED SMELLING SWEET, WONDERFUL ODORS OF FLOWERS OR PLANTS. VERY SHORTLY THEY ARRIVED AT A WONDERFUL VIEW OF PURPLE VIOLETS AND WILD POPPIES AND DECIDED TO SIT AGAIN FOR A SHORT RESPITE. AS THEY DID SO, A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY CAME NEAR AND LANDED ON A FLOWER AND CHRIS POINTED AND SAID “OH LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL CREATURE!” AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BUTTERFLY WAS SO STARTLED THAT IT SCREAMED OUT AND ANOTHER BUTTERFLY CAME TO ITS SIDE AS IT LANDED ON THE GROUND AND ASK IT IF IT WERE ALRIGHT? FLASH, CHRIS AND LILA ALSO RUSHED TO IT’S SIDE TO APOLOGIZE FOR SCARING IT THAT WAY. THE BUTTERFLIES LOOKED AT THE THREE OF THEM AND IMMEDIATELY SETTLED DOWN, REALIZING THEY WERE NOT IN ANY DANGER HERE. FLASH INTRODUCED THE THREE TO THE BUTTERFLIES, AND THE MALE BUTTERFLY INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS CALVIN AND HIS LADY BUTTERFLY WAS NAMED BUBBLES. AS THEY ALL SETTLED DOWN AND TOLD OF THEIR JOURNEY TO GET CHRIS BACK HOME, THE BUTTERFLIES ALSO FELT THEY WERE LUCKY TO HAVE MET THESE NICE ONES AND LEARN OF THE DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME THINGS IN ALL OF THEIR LIVES. THEY ALL ATE MUCH THE SAME FOODS AND TOLD OF THE GATHERINGS FOR ALL THEIR FAMILIES AND REALLY ENJOYED ALL THE STORIES THAT ONCE MORE WERE BEING REVEALED WITH THE FRIGHTS AND THE LAUGHTER AND THE JOURNEY THAT WAS BEFORE THEM TO HELP CHRIS. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE AMONG THEM; THAT DID NOT HAVE WINGS TO FLY. THEY WELCOMED ALL THEY COULD HEAR ABOUT THIS CUTE AND NICE CREATURE. THEY ALL HAD A SMILE ON THEIR FACES. THEY WERE HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THEY COULD ALL DO TO HELP IN ANY WAY THEY COULD.
AS EVENING WAS APPROACHING THE BUTTERFLIES PROMISED TO COME BACK TO HELP THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY IN THE MORNING AND THEY WERE FLYING HOME TO DO THEIR DUTIES AND INFORM THEIR FAMILY TO EXPECT THEIR ABSENCE FOR AWHILE. THEY SAID GOODBYE AND FLEW OFF. LILA, CHRIS AND FLASH SETTLED INTO A BIG BUSH FOR THE NIGHT AND ALL STAYED CLOSE TO PROTECT EACH OTHER. THEY HEARD CRICKETS AND SETTLINGS OF OTHER CREATURES, BUT THEY FELT SAFE ALL TOGETHER AND SOON ALL WENT OFF TO SLEEP.


AS CALVIN AND BUBBLES WERE FLYING TOWARD THEIR HOME, THEY TALKED AND CALVIN SAID, “I WONDER IF THIS LAKE BENEATH THEM WILL BE IN DIRECT ROOT OF WHERE THEY ALL PLAN TO TRAVEL. YOU KNOW, THAT ONE NAMED CHRIS HAS NO WINGS AND NONE OF US ARE BIG ENOUGH OR STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY HIM.” THEY WERE ALMOST HOME WHEN THEY SAW ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS DOWN UPON THE WATER THAT WAS HIS HOME. HIS NAME WAS DARBY. “HEY DARBY!” THEY HOLLERED DOWN TO HIM;” HAVE YOU GOT A MINUTE, FOR US?” AS THEY CAME NEAR, HE RESPONDED TO THEM, SAYING “YES, I SURE DO!” CALVIN SPOTTED ANOTHER FRIEND NEAR BY THE SHORE, AS HE WAS SETTLING DOWN ON THE BANK TO AWAIT DARBY. IT WAS THEIR FRIEND, FROGGY; WHO ONCE VISITED THEM AT THEIR HOME AND CAME AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP IN TOUCH. “WELL, HELLO THERE FROGGY, HOW ARE YOU DOING?” AND GOT A GENTLE SMILE FROM HIM AS HE JUMPED OFF THE LILLY PAD INTO THE WATER AND SWAM OVER TO TALK WITH THEM ON THE SHORE. THERE THEY AWAITED DARBY TO JOIN THEM. WHEN DARBY ARRIVED THEY TOLD HIM ABOUT THEIR MEETING WITH CHRIS, FLASH, AND LILA AND DARBY LISTENED WITH ENTHUSIASM AS THEY EXPLAINED THE HAPPENINGS OF CHRIS’ FLIGHT ON THE COTTONWOOD AND THE EXCITEMENT THEY ALL WENT THROUGH AND ENDED UP WHERE THEY WERE ALL GIGGLING AND ENJOYING THE THOUGHT OF BEING OF HELP TO SOMEONE, AS CALVIN WAS ASKING IF DARBY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE CHRIS ACROSS THE LAKE. “OF COURSE!” SAID DARBY; “IT WILL BE AN HONOR TO BE OF HELP TO ONE WHO HAS NO FLIGHT OR FLOATING ABILITIES.” THERE THEY ALL SETTLED DOWN; AS NIGHT WAS FINALLY UPON THEM. THE FOUR OF THEM WERE TOGETHER IN SOME BRUSH AROUND THE BOTTOM OF A BIG PINE TREE. THEY TALKED AND LAUGHED AND HAD A GOOD TIME, UNTIL THEY FELL ASLEEP. EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, CALVIN AND BUBBLES TOOK FLIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME AND PREPARE THEIR FAMILY FOR THEIR ABSENCE AND TELL THEM ABOUT THEIR TASK. CHRIS AWOKE FIRST AND STAYED QUIET MUNCHING ON HIS BREAKFAST HONEY UNTIL THE OTHERS AWOKE FOR THE DAYS TRAVEL TOGETHER. AS THEY WAITED FOR CALVIN AND BUBBLES TO RETURN, THEY HAPPILY CHATTED TOGETHER AND REALLY ENJOYED THEIR NEW FRIENDSHIPS. IT WAS NOT TOO MUCH OF A WAIT WHEN CALVIN AND BUBBLES BOTH WERE IN SIGHT AND LANDING NEXT TOO THEM ON A BUSH. FROGGY ASKED IF ANY OF THEM WANTED TO HOP UPON HIS BACK, BUT THEY ALL AGREED IT WAS AN ADVENTURE TO WALK ALONGSIDE CHRIS AND LOOKED AT IT AS A REAL ADVENTURE. THEY WALKED AND TALKED AND SLOWED DOWN THEIR PACE AS THEY NEEDED TO FOR CHRIS TO KEEP UP WITH THEM. THEY RESTED ALONG THE WAY AS THE TWO BUTTERFLIES GUIDED THEM WITH THEIR FLIGHT FROM BUSH TO BUSH, AS THEY COULDN’T WALK ALONG THE GROUND LIKE THE FOUR OF THEM. WHEN THEY REACHED THE SIDE OF THE LAKE THEY ALL RESTED AND GOT AQUAINTED WITH DARBY, THE DUCK. THEY ALL ENJOYED SO MUCH TO HEAR OF EACH ONES WAY OF LIFE AND MARVELED THAT THEY WERE ALL MUCH THE SAME OBJECTIVES IN LIFE. TO WORK, TO GATHER FOOD, AND PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES AND ENJOY EACH OTHER’S COMPANY. DARBY SETTLED INTO THE WATER NEXT TO THE SHORE, AND ONE BY ONE THEY HELPED CHRIS AND THEN THEMSELVES ONTO DARBY’S BACKSIDE. THEY THEN, HAD ANOTHER ADVENTURE AS DARBY STARTED FLOATING AND SWIMMING LIKE A BOAT TO THEM; AND THEY REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME ON THEIR TREK TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE. THEY KNEW THIS WAS ONE JOURNEY AND AN ADVENTURE THEY WOULD NEVER FORGET.


FOR THE REST OF THE JOURNEY TO THE TREE WHERE CHRIS LIVED, THEY ALL STAYED TOGETHER AND KNEW THAT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, THEY HAD MADE AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY AND MADE SOME UNFORGETTABLE FRIENDS AND KNEW THERE WERE STILL AHEAD OF THEM, MANY MORE FRIENDS TO MEET ALONG THAT ROAD CALLED LIFE.

THE END