Legend of the Woods

Episode 7, Twisted Paths

Thank you, Christine Graves and Ravyne Hawke, for the Writing Prompts that inspired this story. Promptly Written is a wonderful publication.

“Mr. Peal, Mr. Peal.”

“Yes, Little Ms. Abby.”

Abby ran to Mr. Peal, hope in her eyes; Clarisa was a few steps behind her.

“Mr. Peal, sir, we have decided to give you the note to Mort and head home. But, I wonder, may I get a ride on your horse before we part ways.”

“Abs, really? All of the important things going on, and you are asking for a ride on a horse?” Clarisa asked.

“Well, Little Ms. Abby, you couldn’t call it an adventure without a little ride on a horse, now could you?” the green mist spoke. He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled.

His horse stopped its grazing in the shadow of a large tree and trotted over to them.

Mr. Peal lifted Abby up and placed her on the ghostly horse. From her view atop the horse, she saw splinters of the earth below her masked in a wispy green haze. Abby smiled big.

“Wow, Claree look, look.”

“I see Abs, I see. Thank you, Mr. Peal. Can you give me any instructions on getting home?”

Harry Peal held the reins out at arm’s length and slowly turned as he did this; the horse and Abby moved out away from him and walked in circles. Abby sat smiling, looking about.

“Well, Ms., don’t go back the way you came; we don’t exit through the in door here in the Mystic Realms. If I were you, I would take the Twisted Paths. They are probably the most direct path back to the Gnomes.”

“Are you sure? It doesn’t sound very direct, Twisted Paths and all? Why is everything so complicated here. Entrances and exits that can’t be both. It is just silly.”

The Cowboy smiled, removed the toothpick from his mouth, turned away from Clarisa, and spat, “Often in the Mystic Realm, things are very different from the name they are called by and how they appear compared to the visions their names conjure. The Twisted Paths are a perfect example of both. Let’s have the letter Ms. And get the map out; we will have a look together.”

“Great, thanks.” Clarisa took the day pack off her back and began to look through it.

Mr. Peal slowly reeled in the horse and Abby. “How was that, Little Ms.?” Mr. Peal said, smiling.

“It was wonderful. Thank you so much. Oh, how I wish I could come with you to see Mort. But mother will be quite worried, so we need to go. Thank you for everything, sir.”

The Cowboy lifted Abby off the horse and set her on the ground next to her sister. Abby was all grins. Clarisa stood and handed Mr. Peal the letter. He put it in a saddlebag on his horse and turned to the girls. Who looked at the map.

“Ok,” he said, taking one knee so his head was level with Clarisa. “So, map, show me the Twisted Path to the Gnomes of the Garden,” Mr. Peal said.

The map illustrations blurred, faded, zoomed out, spun, then zoomed in and focused.

“Wow. That is so cool.”

Before them, on the map, many trails weaved in and out of each other, around stands of trees, hills, and rocky mounds. Often, a trail would diverge from the knot, and the braid would thin until only one course remained. Finally, the path they needed to take was highlighted with footprints. It began at the clearing near the oversized chair and ended at the edge of the Garden of the Gnomes.

“Wow, that looks confusing,” Clarisa said.

“Oh my,” Abby said.

The Cowboy and Clarisa looked at Abby. She was not looking at the map. Instead, her attention was on the Lion headed walking stick that she had left at the breakfast table with her day pack. It had morphed into a cat-sized lion and was now walking over to them with her day pack in its mouth.

“It is called a walking stick, Little Ms.,”

Abby looked to the Cowboy, nodded then looked back to the walking stick; its tail was adorned with the knife tip. It set the pack down at her feet, then, with a loud pop, morphed back into an actual walking stick.

“Wow,” Abby said and began to giggle.

Clarisa and the Cowboy smiled and looked back at the map.

“As you begin to walk, the map will zoom in and show you the portion of the trail you are on and a bit ahead of you. You will see that the trails are not as close to each other as they seem. Keep your feet on the maps, feet, and you will be fine.” The Cowboy turned his head and spat.

“Cow biscuits, how did that happen?” Harry Peal stood and walked to the edge of the clearing.

Far off in the distance, a gray haze clouded the horizon, its fingers stretching out in all directions. Lightning flashed, and later the distant rumble of thunder touched their eardrums.

“What is it, Mr. Peal?” Clarisa asked.

“It could be several things, each presenting their own set of consequences for us and our plans. You girls best get your jackets on. I will have Willie walk with you. He will carry a tent. If the storm catches you and gets too wild, stop walking, set the tent up, get inside and wait for the storm to pass. Understand?” The big Cowboy was more animated now than the girls had ever before witnessed. Abby looked scared.

“Maybe we all should just stay here and wait out the storm,” Abby said.

“I can’t little Ms. Abby. Mort needs the calculations from the note.”

“We need to get back to the house, Abs. Mama will be worried, and papa, I’m afraid, will be very upset.” Clarisa said.

“Willie, Willie,” the Cowboy hollered, then whistled through his fingers. Soon a misty green ghost of a goat ran up; it carried a large package on its back. It came straight to Abby and nuzzled her with its snout.

“Wow. Hello Willie, aren’t you a wonderful sight.”

“You best get a move on Ms., If you keep a good pace, you will make a great deal of progress before the storm catches you. I have to go now. I need to see if there is something I can do to stop it.” The Cowboy stood, mounted his horse, and rode off up the trail.

“Let’s go,” Clarisa said and started walking, her focus on the map. As they walked, the map gradually zoomed in, and it became clear which trail they needed to take. The gray tendrils of the storm reached out and expanded in all directions. Willie bleated and nuzzled Abby’s hand. Abby smiled, and the fear that welled up inside subsided a little.

Lisa Frilarium

The thunder boomed as Lisa Frilarium entered the barn, ran to the office, and entered. She began at the desk looking for the candles and some matches. She was on the third drawer of the filing cabinet when the ground shook from thunder, and the light that filtered through the window was extinguished. Panicked, she opened the bottom drawer. No candles, but luckily a headlamp. She turned it on and put it on and sighed with relief. A book of matches she put it in the front pocket of her pants. She stood and looked around for another container.

“Where are those candles,” she asked herself.

“There in the globe, and you best take the old master’s jacket and umbrella,”

“Thank you,” Lisa replied, then realized someone else was in the room. She turned, and there standing on the desk was Halpus. The florescent wisps of his ghostly interior lit the room a bit. “Oh my. Um, thank you. Who and what are you?” She asked. Crossing to the large globe and opening the hinged top.

“Pleasure to meet you, my dear. Formalities later, Candles to the Gnomes, quick, quick, please.” Halpus disappeared, then reappeared floating next to the globe holding the jacket and umbrella.

“Oh my,” Lisa said as she reached into the globe and grabbed five candles, ensuring to pick a red and green one. She dawned the jacket and took the umbrella from the millipede. “Thank you,” She said, turned, and walked to the doorway. Another flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder. The torrents of rain created a curtain just outside the large double doors of the Barn’s entrance. “That was quick.”

“Use the umbrella, Mrs. Frilarium. I will meet you in the garden,” Halpus directed, then disappeared.

Lisa opened the umbrella and raised it above her. As she did, a pinkish haze enveloped her. Mrs. Frilarium stepped out into the storm leaning to the side in anticipation of the wind. She quickly realized that the pinkish haze of the umbrella shielded her from the storm. She ran to the garden.

“Woo hoo Missey goods Ideas, I loves me that umberella thingey,” Al said.

“Hurry, Lisa, Hurry,” Rosie said. She stood atop the wall and reached out for the umbrella, “Here, let me hold that for you while you light the candles.

“Thank you, Rosie,” Lisa said, handing the umbrella to her and lighting the first candle, a white one. She quickly made a pool of melted wax, set another candle up, and then did it three more times. Setting the red and green candle last.

“Well, aint’s yous an arteest at da candles. Bravo, bravo,” Al said.

A gust of wind blew through the garden. A tree limb crashed down to the ground from the large tree, and Al had to grab hold of the brick wall to keep from being blown away. Luckily for the ladies, the pink mist enveloped them and the candles.

“Lights em, lights em, allredies!” He screamed.

Lisa lit the four candles, three white and the red.

“Woot woot,” Al hooted as she lit the red candle.

Then the green. The wind subsided.

“Yous the gal,” Al said, dancing around punching the air. “Takes dat and dat and dat.” He said.

Making a pool of wax, she set the fifth and final candle. Lightning struck, but the thunder began and then faded to a low rumble. It was still raining. Al continued to dance, punching upwards at the clouds saying, “dat and dat and dat.”

Lisa took a deep breath looking at Rosie, “Are they safe now.”

“As safe as you and I can make them dear. There are always consequences for entering without paying.”

Halpus materialized within the pink haze, “Beautifully done, Ma’dam, beautifully done. I am Halpus, Long time aid to Mort and instructor of the Mystic ways. I retrieved these from the kitchen; I think they will help.” Halpus handed a sleeve of salty crackers to Lisa.

“Thank you, but I don’t believe I could stomach even a cracker right now.”

“Silly lady, they are for the Gnome. Breakfast is awaiting us in the house.”

“Hey, is dem crackers for me?” Al said.

“Oh my,” Lisa jumped; she had not noticed that Al was no longer dancing around punching the air.

“I loves me some crackers missey, thems be my most favorits kind.”

“Yes, yes, Al. All of them are for you. Mr. Halpus retrieved them from the house for you.”

“Thanks, a billions wiggley worm. Yous might be ok afters all.” Al said.

AL split open the package of crackers, sniffed, sighed, and popped a cracker in his mouth. Every muscle on his face smiled as he chewed, swallowed, then flipped another cracker in his mouth. With each cracker, a ray of sunshine burst through the clouds.

“He will always beg for crackers. So make sure you save them for emergencies. There is great magic in the joy of the Garden Gnome.” Halpus said.

“Of course, there is,” Lisa said, and the three observers laughed as another ray of sunshine split the darkened sky.

“Will you join us for coffee and breakfast, Rosie?” Halpus asked.

“Sure.” She said, handing the umbrella back to Lisa, who stowed it and joined the odd couple as they danced their way back to the house.

To Be Continued

Next up is Episode 8, Wind and Rain.

Legend of the Woods

Episode 8, Wind and Rain

medium.com

You can find Episode 6, The Trail Less Traveled, here.

Legend of the Woods

Episode 6, The Trail Less Traveled

medium.com

Start your adventure in the Mystic Realm here with Episode 1, Frilarium Farms.

Legends of the Woods

Inspired by the writing prompts at the following link by Christine Graves

medium.com

I am T. Mark Mangum. From an early age, I was hooked, and addicted to the imagined, unfathomable worlds of Star Wars, Star Trek, Conan, the Lord of the Rings, and many others. I love writing fiction tales. I love writing in multiple genres. However, my favorites are Sci-fi and Fantasy fiction. I am a father of six; we have two cats and two dogs. Tabletop gaming is a passion.

Thank you all for reading and being a fan of, “Legend of the Woods” if you do not wish to be tagged, please let me know. Consider subscribing to my profile so you will receive an E-Mail when I publish new stories.