I am Goldilocks, and I would like to tell you the story of the day I got lost in the woods. This is how it goes:
    Three years ago, I was walking through the magical woods near my cottage like I always do. It was getting late and I realized that I should probably head home, because Mother would be waiting for me, so I turned around and started heading the way I thought was home. After almost an hour of walking, I noticed that this didn’t look like the way I always went home. I looked around. Nothing looked familiar. I was lost.
    The woods continued to get darker as I walked. I began to feel scared. I hated the dark. A wolf howled in the distance. I shivered and walked farther into the forest.
    Then, I saw a light shining through the trees. I walked faster. I walked around a tree, and then, up ahead, was a house. It was small and made of bricks, and I had never seen it before.
    I walked quietly up to the front door and rang the doorbell. No one answered. I decided to peek in one of the windows. The lights were on inside, but the room was deserted.
    I reached out, grasped the doorknob, and turned it. The door swung open with a creak. I stepped cautiously inside. It smelled of spices and wood. I looked around. There was a table surrounded by three chairs in the middle of the room, and on the table were three bowls of delicious looking porridge. The sight made my mouth water and my stomach growl, and I realized just how hungry I was.
    I walked forward and grabbed the biggest bowl of porridge and the nearest spoon. I took a massive spoonful and shoved it into my mouth, but instantly regretted it as the hot porridge burned my mouth. I spit it out and reached for a glass of water that I wished would be there but wasn’t.
    Once my mouth stopped burning and I could taste again, I reached for the second bowl of porridge, because I was still very hungry. I took another huge spoonful of the porridge, and once again spit it out, because this time it was cold and mushy. Ewww, cold porridge, I thought.
    My stomach then began to growl louder than before. I still hadn’t eaten anything. I reached for the last, and smallest bowl. I took a bite, a smaller one this time, and, to my surprise, it wasn’t porridge at all! It was curry! I t was definitely not what I expected, but it was good so I ate it anyway. Once I was finished, I headed up the stairs at the back of the room.
    When I reached the top, I sighed in relief because in the middle of the room there were three comfortable-looking rocking chairs. There was a large stack of books sitting in the middle of the circle of chairs.
    I walked up to the biggest chair and sat down in it. It was so hard it felt like stone, and was quite uncomfortable. I got out and moved over to the next chair. I sat down in it. This time, the chair was so squishy that I immediately sank nearly a foot into the cushion. Not comfortable at all, I thought, and got out. I walked over to the third, and smallest chair and sat down in it. It was perfect, not too hard, yet not too soft. I grabbed a book and began to read.
    I had barely finished the third page, when I heard a loud CRACK, and I fell to the ground. Surprised, I got up, dusted myself off, and looked at the sad pile of rubble that was once the small rocking chair. I didn’t know what to do, so, slightly bewildered, I walked up the stairs at the back of the room.
    Upstairs was a large bedroom with fuzzy carpets and three cozy looking beds in the middle of the room. I yawned, so I looked at my watch. I groaned. 10:30 PM, it said. This has been one long day, I thought. I walked up to the largest bed and climbed in. It was all scratchy and not cozy at all. I got out at once. I yawned again. I walked to the next bed and climbed in. It was so fuzzy that it felt like a shag carpet was turned into a blanket and the draped over the bed. I got out.
    I sighed in exasperation. Jeez, could this day get any worse? I thought to myself. I walked over to the last bed. Tired, I got in. It was perfect, not too scratchy, but not too fuzzy. I fell asleep quickly.
    What seemed like minutes later, I was awaken to someone shaking me and roaring loudly in my ear. This isnt the way Mother usually wakes me up… I thought, but then it all came rushing back to me.
    My eyes snapped open and I screamed, because staring right at me was a huge bear. I screamed again as the bear lifted me out of the bed aand set me on the ground. I tried to get up and run, but I quickly rethought that, because standing in the doorway were two more bears, one big and one small.
    This was starting to sound like one of my nightmares, I thought. Then I realized that the bears were all looking at me in sympathy, and that the big bear in the doorway was holding out a phone to me. I hesitantly reached out and took the phone from the bear’s paw and as I took it, a small folded paper fell to the ground. On the paper was the word “Open.”
    I looked up at the bear, and it nodded. I reached down and grabbed the paper. “I must be losing my mind,” I mumbled under my breath as I unfolded the paper. Inside, the paper read:
    “We are sorry you are lost, and we wish to help you. Call your mother with the phone and tell her that you are safe. Here is a map so you can find your way home:” below was a intricately drawn map of the forest with a large red “X” on a house. Above the X were the words “You are here.” I looked up at the bears with my mouth wide open in astonishment. The big bear made a sound that somehow sounded like it was laughing.
    I looked back down at the note. There were more words below the map. They said:
    “We cannot speak your language, but we can write and understand it. We are sorry if this is a problem. If you need anything, please just ask one of us, as we are glad to help. Signed, Peter, Lisa, and Johnny Bearr.”
    I opened my mouth but no sound came out, so I closed it so I wouldn’t look like a complete idiot. “Thank you!” I finally managed to say. It came out as a squeak. The largest bear, Peter, I expected, gave me a big beary grin and nodded.
    I looked at the phone in my hand and began to dial Mother’s phone number. I put the phone to my ear. It rang and then Mother picked up the phone.
    “Hello?” Mother said.
    “Mother!” I exclaimed
    “Goldilocks? I have been looking everywhere for you! Where are you?”
    “I got lost in the forest and now I am at the Bearrs’ house and—” Mother cut me off mid-sentence.
    “The Bearrs’ house? Oh my… Are you okay? Is it safe there?” She rushed.
    “Yes, yes, it is safe! The Bearrs are quite nice actually, and I am going to come home soon.” I said to her. I could tell she was quite nervous. “They gave me a map and I think I can find my way. I should be home by dinner.” I told her.
    “Oh my.’ Mother said again. “Be safe, and tell them that I said thank you.” Mother told me. I agreed. “I love you.”
    “I love you too. See you soon.” I said back, and hung up. I handed the phone back to the bear who had first given it to me and said thank you.
    The bears led me downstairs to the bottom floor where I had first entered the house. The medium bear, Lisa, most likely, held out a chair next to the table for me. I thanked her and sat down. On the table were all sorts of foods. There was fruit, granola, porridge, wich I eyed warily, remembering the night before, and orange juice, among other things.
    I reached for a bowl of what I hoped was the curry from the night before. I took a bite. I was dissapointed to find that it wasn’t the same, but once again, it was really good. After I had eaten my fill, I thanked the bears again and got up. I headed for the door, but on the ground was another note. I picked it up. It read:
    “Please visit again,” and below was a drawing of a little house with a bear standing outside. I smiled and put the note in my pocket as I walked out.
    I walked through the forest, following the map the bears had given me, and I soon reached my house. Mother was waiting for me like I thought she would be, sitting on the porch. I ran up to her and hugged her. She questiond me about what happened and as I told her the story, I reminded myself to remember to visit the kind bears living in the little house in the woods.
    And three years later, here I am telling you that same story.