I walked outside into the bright sunlight. The sun shown warmly on my face, as if I was sitting in front on a heater. The sweet smell of roses filled my nose as well as the sent of widflowers, in every varity. I walked down the dirt road, past my mother and my flower garden where the sents originated. As I headed tward the river, I ran over my brother's words last night.               

"Shouldn't get to close to the river, Sarah, or the river monsters will get you!"     

"Will not!"    

"Then prove it, unless you're chicken." he dared me. 

"Fine!  I'll spend the whole day down near the river! That'll show you!" 

"You're on!"

    Soon, I sighted the river. Crouching on the banks, I watched the deep blue depts with caution. Something just didn't feel right. I had expected something to jump out at me. This is supid, I thought. I noticed that the water rushed by faster than normal. I was just about to chicken out and head home, when I slipped on a rock and fell in. The water engulfed my body, pushing me this way and that. All I could see was dark blue and a small bit of sun as my body took in more water. I tried to swim up, but the current was too strong.  Just as I had given up and was about to let myself die, something pushed me up. Then with all of my strength, I swam up. I looked around for the side of the river. To my right stood an old woman holding out her arms to me. This force pushed me to her. As soon as I got out onto the bank, she walked away. I stumbled after her, clothes soaked and head dizzy. She lead me down a winding path lined with trees.  When we got to the end, she pointed forward. She had led me home. When I turned to thank her, she was gone. I came home and my grandma asked where I had been, I told her my story. 

"Oh my god! You could have died! Don't ever do that again!"

My brother heard us and came downstairs, asking what was going on.  

"Sorry, Sarah. I was just joking. You never had to do anything"

    I forgave him and changed clothes. Grandma handed me some hot soup and made me sit down. Then, I noticed something that I haddn't before. There was a picture of Grandma standing withe old woman from earlier. 

"Grandma! There's the lady that led me home!" I said, surprised. 

"Old Betty? Couldn't be. Old Betty was a friend of mine. She fell into the river and died ten years ago today.