Legend of the Woods

Episode 3, Mysteries and the Garden Gnome.

This Episode was inspired of course, by the previous episodes and by the writing prompts at the following link by Christine Graves and Ravyne Hawke

Weekly Prompts Feb 26-March 4, 2022

Your weekly dose of writing prompts

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“Abs, wait. You are going to wake mother. I don’t think we should go.”

“What, Claree, of course, we are going. Just leave a note for Papa; he and Mr. V will come to get us if they think there is trouble.” Abby looked at her sister intently, “Please.”

“Abs? Ok, but pants, boots, a jacket, gloves, and a scarf. It might get cold. Bring your day pack so we can put some food and water in it.”

“Yes!”

“And be quiet; you will wake mother.”

“Claree, do you think they know they are ghosts?”

“I suppose they do.”

“Silly Girls, I am a creature of the Mystic Realm, and Heydrick is not dead. He has just chosen to join us in the Mist,” Halpus, the fluorescent glowing, green millipede-like creature, said, walking through the bedroom door. “Hurry now, meet us in the barn.” He then disappeared in a wisp of green mist.

“Wow,” Abby said.

In the kitchen, Clarisa took two quart-sized mason jars down from the cabinet, found the lids in the drawer, and filled them with water. Then in another drawer, she grabbed two matchbooks and gave one to her sister. Then they got some snack bars, some crackers, and a couple of apples from the pantry.

“What’s this for?” Abby asked.

“The Garden Gnome at the edge of the yard will ask us to light a candle to show we are friendly. So I have to light one, and you will need to light one.”

“Wow, a real-life Garden Gnome?”

“Yes, Abs. They can be grumpy if you don’t light their candles, so don’t lose those. Understand.”

“Wow, yes, I understand.”

The girls exited the house and went to the barn.

The kitchen glowed with a pale green light. Heydrick Merkers stood at the counter, writing a note.

“Poddarius, we have your girls. We need your help. I will meet you Saturday, at 10 am, at the Middle of Nowhere. Don’t be late. Your brother is in need.”

Heydrick vanished from the kitchen; the strange green glow slowly faded, and he reappeared in the barn next to Halpus. The girls were asking questions. He interrupted.

“Ok, Clarisa, get you and Abby a walking stick from the office and two headlamps from the third drawer in the filing cabinet,” The green translucent apparition said.

Clarisa went to the office; Abby followed, “Mr. Halpus, how will we know where to go? Are you coming with us to show us the way?” Abby asked.

“No, silly girl, I must get to a party with the Garden Gnomes. Get the map from the back of the book; it will show you the way.”

“There’s a map! Wow.”

Abby took the book from the book bag and opened it to the last page. There, in a pocket, was a folded piece of paper. She took it from the book, closed it, and put it back in the book bag.

As Abby unfolded the map, Clarisa came over with the walking sticks and headlamps. Each walking stick's handle was a creature; one was a horse head, the other the head of a lion.

“Here, put this on,” Clarisa handed a headlamp to Abby.

“Wow, Claree look at this map.”

Clarisa took the map. It showed the house, barn, and surrounding yard. “How will this help us, Heydrick?”

“It is a Mystical map, girl. Ask it to show you to the Garden Gnomes.”

“Oh, let me, let me,” Abby bumped Clarisa to the side, looked at the map, and said, “Show me the way to the Garden Gnomes.”

The illustrations shrunk, zoomed in, then out, and then black footprints from the barn to the yard’s edge appeared. The barn was labeled, “You are here.” At the edge of the yard where the prints ended, it was labeled “Here be Gnomes.”

“Wow,” Abs said.

“From the garden, ask the map to lead you to the Great Oak. I will meet you there,” Heydrick said. Then he was gone, a faint glow in the air where he had been.

“Halpus, I’m still unsure how the map will help us. what if I don’t follow the footprints exactly?” Clarisa asked.

“Follow me, silly girls; I will show you,” Halpus slithered toward the barn door. A faint green trail slowly faded and then disappeared behind him. His footsteps sounded like raindrops.

Clarisa and Abby followed the green bug and watched the map. Soon a set of red prints was shown, diverging from the original black ones.

“You see, girl, just make sure to keep your feet on the map’s feet, and you will get where you are going,” Halpus vanished, leaving a whispy greenish trail that dissipated and then faded out.

“Wow.”

The girls followed the map to the edge of the yard. Clarisa said to the map, “Lead us to the Great Oak,” They watched as the maps’ drawings zoomed in, twisted, and turned, then zoomed out. The house and barn were gone, and the black footprints led across the garden, then across to the wheat field, along its edge, and finally to the great oak tree at the edge of the woods.

“This is so cool,” Abby said.

“Let’s go,” Clarisa said and stepped into the garden.

“Whos goes der,” a gruff voice with a New York accent came from the garden.

The girls turned, following the sound of the voice. There stood a Garden Gnome. He wore a red hat, white robe, black calf-high boots, and blue boxing gloves.

Abby giggled at the sight of the little fellow. Clarisa elbowed her.

“We wish to travel across the Garden, please,” Clarisa said.

“Well, this ain’ts no free-range, watch yous gots to trade for safe passage? Girlly girl and sista too,” the gnome said looking at Abby.

Abby smiled big.

“It’s a little dark here. Could we light a couple of candles for you?” Clarisa asked.

Abby laughed as the little Gnomes’ eyes brightened and grew wide.

“Yea, dats’ll do da trick,” he said.

The girls crossed into the garden to a small brick wall where many candles and melted candle wax dripped down either side of the wall. Clarisa took out her matchbook and showed it to Abby, who retrieved the book of matches from her pocket.

“What’s your name, sir? I’m Abby; this is my sister Clarisa.”

The Little Gnome watched Clarisa intently, “I’m Albert sees, I’m da champ. I’s is nevers been beat, not once.”

Abby laughed as Clarisa’s match flared, and she held it to a tall blue candle.

“Hey, watch yous laughing at girly girl, yous don’ts believe me? You wants ta fight, I’ll shows yas whos boss.”

“Oh no, no, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ve never seen a real live Gnome before. I’m just delighted,” Abby said.

She struck her match; it flared, and Albert’s eyes lit up with excitement. “The red one, the red one,” he said.

Abby lit the red one.

“Hurray,” a hundred voices said in unison from within the garden.

“Okays, yous all cans go trew da gahden. Hey, dos yous have any crackers? I loves me some crackers,” Albert said.

“I only brought a few. I can spare a couple; I don’t know how long my journey will be,” Abby said.

Albert smiled big, “Nah, peeps, yous needs it more dans I. Just remembers for da next time, I loves me some crackers.”

At the outer edge of the garden, Halpus was doing the Jig with a little brunette Gnome; they laughed together and halted their dance as the girls approached. Then, Halpus snapped his fingers, and a pipe appeared in his hand; he took a pull off the pipe and handed it to his dance partner.

“Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, watts, I’ve told you about getting too close to dis glow-worm.”

“Hey Al, looking like a winner; who are your friends,” Rosie asked.

“Ah, don’t I feels like a jerk? Didn’t even ask who dae is.”

Abby opened her mouth to tell Al they had given their names at the candles. As she did. Halpus began speaking. She closed her mouth and stared at him. As he spoke, florescent green smoke rolled out of his mouth. His words formed in the smoke and floated off into the sky.

“My dear friends, these young ladies are Clarisa and Abby Frilarium, daughters of Poddarius Frilarium the Seventh.”

“That’s spelled vee eye eye,” Abby blurted out.

“Well, Clarisa and Abby, I’m Rosie; I’m honored to make your acquaintance,” Rosie said, stretching out her little gnome arm for a handshake.

Both Carisa and Abby shook her hand.

“So old numbers sevens back in da house is hes. Never thought I’d sees him again. Not after the Moochers snatched his broder.” Albert said.

“I don’t believe they know that story, Albert. There isn’t any time for it now, girls. You must get moving. Heydrick is waiting at the Great Oak.”

Clarisa was still trying to process what Albert had just said as the three strange friends pushed them toward the Great Oak. Abby felt wonderful as she was touched by a ghost worm named Halpus, who could talk, and his two Garden Gnome friends, Albert and Rosie.

“But, wait, what did you say? What are Moochers?”

“Off with you now, ladies; Heydrick will answer all your questions at the Great Oak. That message for Mort is extremely important. You shouldn’t dawdle around here with the common folk. Off you go.”

The girls turned, looked at the map, and set off for the Great Oak.

“Heys who yous calling calmin, wormy,” Albert said.

“Shush now, Al, there are important things to do, shush,” Rosie said.

“Well, I never. Gitten shushed by a dame,” Albert said and headed back toward the candles.

“Brevlodar, my friend, keep an eye on them for us. Keep them safe and help them to Mort. He must get the message they carry,” Halpus said.

As Brevlodar moved from the background where he had stood silent and still. A faint outline of a three-foot-tall winged Gnome appeared, his skin and feathers taking on the colors and pattern of his surroundings. Brevlodar was thin and chiseled as if carved from rock, unlike the Gnomes.

“You and Heydrick risk the master’s daughters for a simple message I could deliver in an hour. I hope you know what you are doing.” Brevlodar’s voice sounded like a harp.

“Oh my,” Rosie swooned.

“Heydrick’s vision is clear. This must be done if we wish to save Steven Frilarium from the Moocher; trust my old friend, trust.” Halpus said.

“As you say,” with that, Brevlodar took flight. Nothing could be seen, only the sound of the wind, like a slight breeze through the canopy of the trees.

“Oh my, he is such a man, isn’t he?” Rosie asked.

“Actually, I’m not sure what he is, but I know he can’t do this,” Halpus said and snapped his fingers.

The garden lit up, stringed lanterns hung overhead, music played, and all the Gnomes with a great “hooray!” Even Al started dancing and drinking.

You can find Episode 4 here