Legend of the Woods
Episode 13, Clarisa, Abby, and the unfolding of the Straight Path.
Thank you, Christine Graves and Ravyne Hawke, for the Writing Prompts that inspired this story. Promptly Written is a wonderful publication.
“Come on Girls don’t stop now. We’ve traveled a long way and we don’t have far to go,” Garr The leader of the Gremorians said.
“I remember when I led Steven Frilarium down this same path so many years ago. He was such a motivated young lad wanted to run the entire way. I had to remind him that every step puts you in a new place that is full of wonder and mystery. If you run everywhere you risk missing something fantastic.”
“Look Clarisa, Garr, it is a large Oak Tree, I wonder if a Cregal Dai-Small family lives there,” Abby said.
“Well I do believe there is a nest in this tree, but no one seems to be home. Odd, very odd,” Garr whispered looking around.
“Garr have you noticed that there aren’t very many creatures out and about today? Every other day we have been out here I would have seen twenty or so different creatures both live and of the mystic realm by now,” Clarisa said.
“Hmm. Yes. Odd, very odd,” Gar said.
“Bahh,” said Willie.
“Hmm, yes, yes, my friend.”
The quartet of travelers continued following the Twisted Path but now Garr was distracted. He would periodically stretch out a long vine into the woods, grow tall and look about, and pause to reach out to a fly, beetle, or other insect. All along, every few minutes he would say, “Hmm, Odd, very odd.”
“Oh, I feel like I’ve been walking for days. Can we stop and have a bite to eat?” Abby asked.
“How much further do we have to go, Garr?” Clarisa asked.
“Hmm, Odd, very odd.” Garr said as he continued to walk. Then, he stopped and stared into the woods. Off to the side of the trail, not far into the woods, a massive dome made of heavy, thick, vines rose above the forest canopy. “Chip?” The Gremorian yelled. “Chip, is that you young one?” Then Garr stepped off the trail walking to the dome.
“Garr wait, what about lunch?” Abby asked.
“Garr where are you going?” Clarisa asked as she followed Garr into the woods.
“Bah, Mah, Bah,” Willie said, staying close to Abby.
Abby took off her back pack and pulled her jacket out. She laid it on the path and sat, then fished through the other items in the pack looking for a snack. “Sit down here with me Willie,” Abby said.
“Mah,” Willie said, and sat next to Abby.
“I wish we had a little fire and some hot soup, and some fresh vegetables for you Willie,” Abby said.
As she finished the sentence, that was clearly a wish by any standards of wish making. Before her on the Twisted Path a small fire appeared. A small pot hung over it and from the pot the sound of boiling water. Wisps of steam floated out of the pot and made their way to Abby who knelt and moved closer to the fire. “Oh boy Willie, it is chicken soup. Oh I am so hungry.” Abby said, looking at Willie who did not respond. “Willie?”
Willie stood over a pile of fresh vegetables his mind and mouth consumed with the smorgasbord.
Garr reached the dome and placed both hands on it. “Chip, what are you doing friend. The storm is gone now, How about you help me with these toothpicks.” Nothing happened. “No, no, no, no.”
“Garr, what is going on, what is this? I have never seen anything like this. It’s amazing.”
“Yes dear, it is amazing. However, it is trouble, big trouble. This is Chip, he is a young Gremorian but he has fallen asleep. If I don’t wake him soon, he will be like this forever.”
“How can I help?” Clarisa inquired.
Garr had stuck his face and hands against the vines that were chip. Clarisa could now see that finger-thin vines growing from Garr pushed their way through the tight woven dome of forest growth. Suddenly Garr’s mouth appeared before Clarisa, “Climb high to the top of the dome, Clarisa. Call out for the Gremorians.”
So Clarisa climbed.
“Clarisa, I have chicken soup here,” Abby said loudly.
Abby looked about, she could not see Garr or Clarisa anywhere, “Garr, Clarisa, where did you go?” Abby began to stand, but the wisps of steam came to her again and the bountiful scent of the chicken stew caused her stomach to ache. “How am I supposed to eat this, I need a bowl, spoon, and a ladle,” she said aloud.
“Mah,” Willie said.
Abby looked over and there at the edge of her jacket, were a bowl, spoon, and ladle, “Wow,” she said, then took the items and served herself some stew.
Willie laid down next to her satisfied with his meal. “How is this happening Willie? It’s like magic. I wish Clarisa was here to enjoy the stew,” Soon Clarisa appeared kneeling in the path yelling. A whirlwind of green wisps surrounding her, “Gremorians Garr needs your help come hear!”
Clarisa looked about. Seeing Abby, the fire, and the food, “Abs what did you do?”
“Clarisa look, Chicken Stew come get a bowl.”
“Wait, how? No, I have to help Garr. Gremorians we need your help. Garr needs you come here!” Clarisa screamed.
Abby took another bite of stew, then said, “I will help. I wish Mossey and his other Gremorian friends were here right now.”
In just a few minutes time Mossey, Shrum, and Sap appeared in a whirlwind of green, misty, tendrils, in the middle of the Twisted Path. High above, Brevlodar flew over the Twisted Path from the Garden of the Gnomes to the Camp looking for the Frilarium girls. Seeing that they had three Gremorians accompanying them he flew off to deliver the note to Mort.
“How did you do that?” Clarisa asked.
Mossey, Sap and Shrum looked at Clarisa, “Was that you calling to us?”
“Yes. Garr needs your help over there. Chip is in trouble,” Clarisa pointed. The three Gremorians seeing the dome that was Chip left the trail, “Garr, Garr, Garr, Chip, Chip, Chip,” They echoed one another as they went.
Clarisa looked to Abby, “Abs, how did you do that, what is going on?”
“It isn’t me, whatever is doing it is listening to me though,” Abby said.
Meanwhile at the Wheat-field the jittering cackle echoed in the breeze as the unfolding of the Straight Path continued. The Moochers in the dark whispered their evil tidings to one another getting all worked up and anxious. They followed the drips and drops looking for the week spot where the water would break through and allow them to escape their dungeon. Near the path, the moochers who were following Garr and the Frilarium Girls watched as the Gremorians left the girls alone. The Moochers headed to the Twisted Path. They drooled, rubbing their hands together thinking about the valuable, unguarded, prize, the daughters of Poddarius, all alone.
“When I wish it happens, earlier I wished for something to eat and a fire, here it is. Then I wished you were here, so you could eat some of this wonderful stew, and you saw when I wished for Mossy and his friends to be here.” Abby said.
“That is so wonderful, why don’t you wish for us to be back at the Garden of the Gnomes? We can make sure Mama and Papa are OK and not worrying too dreadfully about us,” Clarisa said.
“What about Willie,” Abby asked.
“Send him back to the camp,” Clarisa said.
“I wish that Willie were safe back at camp and that Clarisa and I were back at the Garden of the Gnomes,” Abby said.
The two girls held hands, waiting for something to happen. The moochers crept up out of the woods onto the Twisted Path. The Gremorians spoke, hummed, poked, prodded, and nudged their sleeping brother. Willie disappeared in a whirlwind of green misty wisps. The Moochers attacked. The girls screamed as the moochers approached and a green haze clouded their ability to see what was happening.
“What’s yooos all screamin at?” Al said.
Clarisa and Abby opened their eyes and stopped screaming. “It worked, it worked,” they cheered.
“Yae yae, it worked, nows go aways ya buggin me. Disturbin my peace and alls dat.”
The girls hugged Al, “It is so good to see you Al,” Abby said.
“Mmma,” Clarisa kissed Al on the cheek and the two girls took off running for the house screaming “Mama, Papa we are back.”
To Be Continued
You can find Episode 12, Lisa and the untold tale. Here.
© 2022, T. Mark Mangum
I am T.Mark Mangum. From an early age, I was hooked, 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.
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