Adventures of the Mischievous Ben

Previously

…He scrambled across the shallow water, his shoes getting soaked, and plunged into the deeper shadows. He didn’t dare look back, but he could hear Mr. Grumbles’ frustrated grumbling fading behind him, his search for the phantom noise proving fruitless. He had done it. He had outsmarted the grumpy groundskeeper. A wave of exhilaration washed over him, chasing away the last vestiges of fear. The map had led him past the first guardian, and the real adventure, he knew, was just beginning. He paused for a moment, catching his breath, the scent of pine needles filling his lungs. The woods loomed ahead, a silent, beckoning mystery.