Nicky stared. "So that's who your parent is, Rider!" she said, swiftly brushing off her initial surprise. "I'm surprised it's someone with magic. I thought your parents died in a hole. It's what you should have done, with your brains. The dragon grinned, its red tongue flicking out over its scaly green lips. "I thought you needed a ride, little insolent one." "Drop the act, Rider. Regardless over whether this dragon is you or controlled by you or simply helping you, I need it to do what I say. I am in charge of this little excursion." The dragon folded its dappled green wings, making room for her to climb on. "Ok, dragon. I know we're supposed to look for the fugitives, but Mistress Scarlett needs to see this." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They flew through the night, landing in the courtyard of Scarlett's fortress. "Mistress!" Nicky called as she dismounted. "Look!" Scarlett walked in, her twisted sneer morphing to a triumphant grin as she beheld the scene in front of her.
"It's Rider, Mistress. He can call up a dragon at will, just by singing his little song." "Oh, Nicky, you were right to com back. Finding the prisoners will be so much easier once all of us can become dragons. "Sorry, what?" "You didn't realize? After this breakthrough, I will find magic strong enough to turn us all into dragons! Meet me inside. We have work to do!"
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“That’s what might have been,” Amber explained.
The friends were safe in a field a couple of miles from Scarlett’s fearsome fortress. Amber had just finished showing them an alternate scene of what might have happened to them had they not knocked the villainess unconscious before distributing the shoes. Miranda had helped her project the scene, using a magic bubble. Their aim was to warn the rest what they were up against, what they all had to lose. As soon as the bubble popped, signifying the vision’s end, Aric turned away, white-faced. Evie’s hand found his and squeezed. “What we just saw will NEVER happen,” she whispered, “We’re going to fight the wretch together…and win.” “Together,” he echoed. The others were not any less disturbed. The possibility of a life that belonged to Scarlett seemed too real. They’d been so close to not being able to escape it. Willow turned to Hope, Ally, and Jack (who was holding his loved one close as if to protect her), “If I ever become a slave to Scarlett, or any of her parent’s disgusting spawn, for that matter, kill me.” A few feet away, Rose was confused, “Tina and Jane were in that vision, but they’re not here.” “where even are Jane and Tina?” Velvet interjected. Ellie spun on Amanda, pointing an accusing finger, “Hey! Didn’t YOU say that your sister was going to rescue them three days ago? She’s back. Where are they?” The sisters shared a look. It was Miranda who answered, “It is true that I went to save your friends from where they were imprisoned in the East Forest. However, there was an element I wasn’t expecting. One of the boys trapped Jane in a mirror and Tina apparently went in after her. There is nothing I can do about that. Now they’re on their own…And to answer your question, Rose…Looking Glass – or Mirrorland, as some know it – is an alternate universe. So was that scene Amber and I had just simulated for you. Alternate Magic (the magic fueling both) is like that. Sometimes, it gets confused and links two things that aren’t supposed to be. ” “Poor Tina and Jane.” Velvet said, quietly. Rose lightly touched her shoulder, “They’ll find a way back. They always do.” “Alright, ” Amber addressed, bringing the spotlight back on her, “If there are no more questions, we need to get moving on the battle plan. Scarlett’s knocked out, but she won’t stay that way for much longer. Soon enough she’ll be back on her feet and assembling a powerful army against us. Prepare for some bloodshed.” To that, the Nevers cheered, until they realized it could go both ways; they could be the ones shedding blood. “How do you know this stuff? We only just met you,” Hope pointed out. Amber gestured to her feet, “Shoes of sight.” As Amber and the sisters went over the strategies for combat, Marigold wasn’t paying any attention. In fact, she had walked away to try and gather her thoughts. “Mari, is something wrong?” Snowy had come up beside her. Having no scarf to twist, Mari began to play with her hair, ” No…I’m fine…Well, maybe…Actually…Yes.” “You’re thinking about Rider, aren’t you?” Snowy surmised. The expression on her friend’s face told Snowy her suspicions were right. “I don’t know what to think anymore,” Marigold said, avoiding eye contact, “I don’t know if I love him. I don’t know if I want to see him dead. I just don’t know…” Snowy nodded sadly, “I understand…” and she did. Snowy had been in love once, with Tobias -the worst of the worst – and she’d been just as clueless. But in the end, Snowy had to make a decision, and she made the one that she felt most necessary. NO one else [except possibly Amber] knew it, but Rider wasn’t the only thing Marigold was worried about. She was also afraid of herself, and what she might do out of madness, when the temporary magic of her shoes wore off. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… While the friends were not far away from Scarlett’s dark castle, Rider and Nicky were. “I thought you said she would turn up.” the white-haired witch complained. Rider was wear from walking and tired of hearing Nicky whine, “Maybe we’ll cover more ground from the sky.” His querulous companion stopped walking, “that would be nice,” she spat, “If either one of us had wings. But. We. Don’t. ” “You’re right, but I know someone who does.” Rider replied cooly. “WHO?” The ginger prince suddenly broke out into song, “Puff the Magic Dragon lived down by the sea, and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Hona Lee…” Nicky was dumbstruck, “What? Is this a musical now? You may be an Ever, but I’m not. I think you should shut your mouth and keep going so that we can find the little runaway before nightfall. Scarlett won’t be pleased if we take too long.” Yet Rider did not stop, “…and little Jackie Paper loved that rascal, Puff, and gave him strings and sealing wax and all that kind of stuff…” “Jackie Paper? What kind of dimwit would go by the name Jack Paper?” Nicky snorted, folding her arms. Rider turned his head to look back at her, but his eyes had changed color. Now they were an unsettling shade of yellow, “My father.” With that, the witch watched the prince’s skin become green and scaly. He grew to new hights, tearing out of his clothes. At last, he stood before her, a full-fledged dragon. “Rider?” Nicky asked. The beast blew a jet of flames from his mouth, “Who’s Rider? I’m Puff. Hop on my back. We have a mission to fulfil.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Tina. Tina had been calling her name. She’d heard it in a dream…but when Jane opened her eyes, Tina was no where in sight. Neither were the caves. Jane had awoken in the back of a small, horse-drawn buggy. Upon discovering the new surrounding, Jane’s first instinct was to try and stand up. She found out the hard way that she couldn’t. Both her hands and feet were bound with thick, coarse rope. Looking to her left, Jane noticed Etta was there too. “What’s going on?” she cried to her new friend, in a panic. Etta only shook her head, giving a distant expression, “I told you. Mirrorland doesn’t like newcomers.” Heaving a sigh, Jane slumped against the side of the carriage, ad out of the corner of her eye, got a glimpse of her captor – the blonde woman driving the vehicle. “Hey!!!” Jane shouted at the driver, “Who are you and where are you taking us?” The woman turned to face her prisoners with an evil grin, and Jane could have fainted. Their kidnapper was…Jane? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Scarlett’s eyes snapped open. She took in her surroundings: a gray room with gray walls, and a gray bed. She was on the floor. She’d lost again. With a growl, she pulled herself to her feet and stormed into the marble hall. Evie. Ally. Jack. Hope. Willow. Rose. Velvet. Ellie. Amber. Marigold. She’d make them pay. She’d make them all pay. One of her brother’s servants, a bumbling boy by the name of Danny came rushing up to her, “Mistress, are you okay? Should I assemble the troops?” Scarlett pushed him aside, “No.” She watched him skitter away. Scarlett didn’t need a war to get what she wanted. She had something better, a spell – a spell that would send her enemies far away. As soon as night fell, she would cast it, and watch her problems literally disappear. She would get her vengeance this time. She would steal back the object of her desire. She would take over the world. As she stood in her palace, lips as red as blood, Scarlett was certain she would win… Scarlett snatched up the shoes and smirked at the Evergirls.”If you were going to have something so precious, you could have kept it a bit more, I don’t know, secretive?” She smirked, trying to contain her smugness. “But, whatever. Makes no difference to me. Just means I get what I want. But, when have I not gotten what I wanted? That’s right. I’m smarter. I know how to outwit a bunch of naïve girls with boyfriends. Especially you, Evie. Perhaps I’ll perhaps bring my brother back to life and let him marry you, now that I have your-”
“Shut, up,” Evie whispered. Scarlett looked at her mockingly. “Excuse me?” “I said, shut, up,” Evie repeated. “In a way, you’re just like your brother. You talk way too much, act like a puffed up windbag, and have the intelligence of an ant. Now, what your going to do now is you are going to leave Aric alone with me, and get out of here, you prat. On the order of Princess Evie Winter Cheshire-White of Wonderland. Scarlett cocked an eyebrow at Evie. Not an ‘I don’t get what your saying’ eyebrow. An ‘Oh, you think you can make me do that’ eyebrow. Evie wasn’t daunted, though. She stood up straighter, waiting for Scarlett to pounce, to attack her, or to just say something snarky. She just laughed. “Oh, Evie. You make m smile. You talk like Aric is yours. Well, guess what? You can’t. Why, you may ask? Because now, he’s mine. He’s my Aric. Did you ever even think about how I felt when Aric proposed to you when the Ball invites came out, when you guys went on a date? When you kissed at the Never party? Well,my ou weren’t the only one with feelings for him. I loved him, I loved him as well. Now that Nevers could love, I wanted to a wrapped in his arms, knowing he’d love me. But no, on the day they threw the black roses, you caught it. You caught his rose. You were the one with a future with him. And did you ever even think to ask me how I felt? No, you didn’t Evie. Now, I want you to taste what it feels like to be in my position, watching your roommate and crush love each other.” “There was a difference between me and you, though,” Evie told her. “Is that, while you just had a crush, I loved. I doubted, I made up, I kissed, I worked hard, I didn’t betray. You did. If you truly loved, you wouldn’t have tried to kill him. He agreed to marry you to save me. There will never be true feelings between you two. You’ll be like Vanessa, Dean Sophie’s mother. He will always love someone else and that will panic you, and you will not continue to live, and you’ll die, alone.” Scarlett eyes opened wide, like she understood what Evie was saying. Evie, instead of getting warmer, creased her face into an intimidating scowl, and kept a tight grip on her sword. She waited for Scarlett to say something, but out of the blue, she swung a knife at Evie, right in the area where she could get her sword. Right at her abdomen. It never hit, though. Something stopped it mid way and it flung into the air. It was Ally. She had taken her knife and flicked it right out of her hand, which sent Scarlett somehow flying backwards. “Ally,” Evie gasped, hugging her friend. Ally hugged back. “We might have boyfriends, and we’ll spend our lives with them, but friendship is the one thing stronger. There was once rules against Evil loving, but no rule against friendships. You can’t stop friendship, it’s truly made of black swan gold.” Ally turned to the Evers. “Or, white swan gold, you know.” “OH WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?” Evie yelled at the Evers. “Oh, you guys and your- LOOK OUT EVIE!” Rose replied. Evie head spun around, and Scarlett was standing up, with a tighter grip on Aric. She grabbed his arms and twirled the,most they were slung around her shoulders. “Oh, you guys. You think you can stop me. Well, you can’t. I’m marrying Aric, wether you like it or not. Now, I’m off to the ceremony, and you’re all not invited. But, you’ll come along anyways. A Queen does need servants, and you seem like a good lot! And as for Aric, well, I have plans to keep him.” She held up a little bottle of sparkling pink liquid, and from Evie’s knowledge of potions, she immediately recognized it. It was a long lasting love potion. “NO!” Too late, Scarlett had already poured it in Aric’s mouth, and held him tight. With that, the world started to spin around them, and suddenly, Evie, Ally, Willow, Jack Jane, Rose, Amber, Etta, and the rest were in a dungeon. It stank worse than Evil’s. A hunky looking man stepped towards them. “You must be the new slaves. Get ready, Queen Scarlett and her fiancée need you upstairs.” “That’s not possible,” Tina stuttered, inching backwards. “It has to be another trick”.
“Please,” Other Tina said, and rolled her eyes. “I thought I was smarter than this.” Real Tina huffed. “I’m listening. But I still don’t believe you’re me”. “Suit yourself. But I know a way out of here, and some things that could interest you. First of all, Looking-Glass isn’t actually a reflection of your world. It has all the same people, and places, but not the same things happening. Mirrors can be used as portals to get here, but they don’t show what’s going on.” Tina raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Most folks don’t ever come here and meet their doubles; it’s just too disturbing. In my world, Tobias is alive and best buddies with Aric.” “How do you know what my world is like? You said mirrors don’t show reality!” “That’s in your world. We call it Dimension Alpha, because Looking-Glass was created by a scientist from your Endless Woods. Our world is Dimension Omega, because it was his last and only successful try at creating an alternate universe.” “Oh. But what does this have to do with getting home?” “You’re not going to like it,” grimaced Omega Tina. “But it’s our only chance,” the girls said together. Alpha Tina grinned. “See? Not so different,” her double replied, bearing an identical smile. “Anyway, you and I are the same. Both of us are not supposed to be in this dimension; it has to be one in each. To send one of us to Alpha, we just have to hold hands and the magic will operate.” “That’s too easy!” Tina exclaimed. “Where’s the catch?” “Yeah.. There are two. First, one of us must be in each dimension. So maybe you’ll stay in Looking-Glass and I’ll go to Alpha.” “What?” cried Tina. “That can’t happen!” “I know. Second, your friend Jane also needs to get back to Alpha. But her double… Well, she’s one of the bad guys.” ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Three days before… Amber stayed in the bushes for a while, watching “Mari” talk to herself. ‘And here I thought she was normal’ Amber muttered, and sighed. ‘Oh well. If she doesn’t try to kill me, we can still be friends.’ After about half an hour, she walked out, carrying berries. Mari stopped her monologue. “Mari?” Amber asked. “Yes?” “You do realize that you were talking to thin air.” Mari averted her eyes and mumbled “No I wasn’t.” “Well, that’s what it looked like. And according to what you told your imaginary friend, Scarlet wanted to make you loose your mind and probably kill you.” The poor girl. Amber could only imagine what she had been through; and from the way she gazed at the snowy sky, Amber guessed love was involved. Crystal tears started sliding down Mari’s cheeks, awoken by the memories. How she had wished to get out! And there she was, on the top of the mountain with a leprechaun, without half her mind but still running, running way from people who wanted her dead. “My mother is Mary Poppins,” she confessed. “But I’ve probably already been disinherited, since I’m acting like a horrible failure.” “We can discuss that later. Put these on,” Amber ordered, giving Marigold green slippers. As soon as they were on her feet, the fog in Marigold’s head dissolved. “Amber?” Mari asked in shock. “What did you do?” “Well, I too have a confession to make.” Amber said sheepishly. “My mother wasn’t really Karen, the heroine of The Red Shoes. The shoemakers that made her the cursed shoes are my parents.” Marigold had a surprised jump. Then her eyes narrowed. “They made cursed shoes? How do I know you’re not one of Scarlet’s cronies?” “You don’t. But I inherited the talent of making enchanted shoes from my parents. That’s how you can think clearly; you’re wearing the Shoes of Serenity. They clear your mind and give you incredible knowledge, but the spell will only last till tomorrow night. Then I’ll have to make you another pair.” “That still doesn’t explain Karen’s cursed shoes. If you’re parents were Nevers, you wouldn’t have gone to the School for Good. Did they curse the shoes?” “No, but they too had the talent of making magic footwear. That’s why the whole village tried to murder them after poor Karen died. But that girl only got what she deserved.” Marigold was struck by the harshness of Amber’s tone. Then she remembered that the village the shoemakers came from tried to kill them. “My friends are in danger,” Mari said. “Will you help me find them?” “Of course. What’s the plan?” “I don’t know; they could be anywhere.” With a triumphant look, Amber produced identical shoes to those of Serenity. “And that, my friend, is why I always carry 20 different pairs of shoes. One never knows when she must locate and save people. By the way, these are the Shoes of Sight.” Looking at the peculiar green-clad girl surrounded by shoes, Marigold smiled and felt a spark of hope. Maybe they could find a happy ending to their story after all! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Three days later… “Really, you’re a rather naïve lot,” Scarlet sneered, slinking through the enlaced arms of Evie and Aric. “I never did understand why my dear brother loved you… Such a nasty temper, and not even that pretty. But I won’t make his mistakes. I have my eye on someone more… worthy,” she said to Evie. “Leave her alone!” said Aric, stepping in front of Evie protectively. For once, the Nevergirl didn’t object. Aric tried to shoot her with his glowing finger, but Scarlet merely deflected it with Tobias’ scepter. Great. The villainess was invincible. A few feet away, Ellie, Snowy, Velvet, and Rose were huddled together, their eyes big with terror. Miranda and Amanda seemed petrified, and to make sure they wouldn’t interfere, Scarlet shot them with a stun spell. “What will you do to us?” Velvet demanded bravely. “Oh, it depends. Snowy and Evie, for instance, will die.” The future victims in question turned pale. “The ones called Allison and Jack will be kept for entertainment. I think I shall have them tortured one at a time, in front of each other.” “No!” Ally screamed. Imagining the heartbreaking screams of her loved one. The villainess was good, very good at inflicting pain. Two of Scarlet’s henchmen came worth to contain the not-so-happy couple. “The Evergirls will either be my personal servants, or hunted by wolves. Their choice.” It wasn’t much of a choice. Who in their right mind wanted eternal servitude to a girl who’d coat her furniture in their blood, sweat, tears, and other fluids? Being killed by wolves wasn’t very appealing either. “And finally..” she cooed. “Aric.” “Such a nasty piece of work, aren’t you? But fiercely loyal to your witch, and devilishly handsome,” Scarlet added with a wink. “You, Neverboy, will marry me.” “WHAT?!” Evie exploded. “I don’t think so, you overgrown deceitful insane murderous pathetic PRINCESS!” The Evergirls gasped in indignation, but it seemed that Evie had finally gotten under the villainess’ thick skin. Scarlet lunged forward, tackled Evie and held a knife to her throat. “Change of plans. You will die now, unless Aric agrees to marry me. Aric?” The Neverboy hung his head. “If you spare Evie.. Yes, Scarlet. I’ll marry you.” The villainess smirked, and released Evie. “Aric!” she cried. “What have you done?” “I’m sorry, Evie. I couldn’t let you die.” Tears flooded the lovers eyes, but Scarlet was steering Aric away. “I’ll never forget y-” Evie started mournfully, then stopped in surprise as Scarlet fell to the ground. Behind the fallen villainess floated two girls: one seemingly a leprechaun, and the other.. “Mari!” Ellie exclaimed as she rushed over to her friend. “Hi guys,” Marigold replied, managing a smile. “I’m fine, thanks to a new friend,” she said, gesturing at Green Girl. “This is Amber.” “What happened?” Snowy asked. “It’s quite a long story,” Amber replied, turning pale. “However, I think we have bigger priorities.” And across the courtyard, Scarlet stood. “Hurry!” Amber ordered. “Grab a pair of magic shoes. It’s time for war!” And with that, Amber and Marigold charged. “Why do you always have to ruin everything?” Nikki chided, her voice ringing through the crisp air.
Rider, who had been travelling alongside her, clenched his fists, “What do you mean by that?” The two henchmen had been trudging through the snow ever since they’d noticed Marigold was missing. The white-haired witch scowled, “First, you stop Scarlett from executing that meddling lot who murdered Tobias. Then, you come up with that dim-witted idea to imprison those disobedient schoolboys instead of letting her slay them!! Death would have been SO much more entertaining. I wanted to see blood! I wanted all the defiant bile of the world to get what they deserve – death…BUT noooooo the merciful Ever, Prince Killjoy, said to spare it.” “You’re forgetting that Tobias chose ME as his right-hand-man, not you,” Rider seethed. “Shut up!” hissed Nikki. She’d always been envious of the level of trust Tobias and his sister had for the Ever turncoat, “I wasn’t finished. And now…we have to wander across the countryside, freezing our butts off, to find your stupid girlfriend…who, may I just add, escaped because you were daft enough to leave the window open.” Rider kicked at the snow with the tip of his boot, “Marigold will turn up. She couldn’t have gotten too far.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. At the same time, the exact person they were looking for sat atop a hill in the distance, beside a green-clad stranger. “So Marigold, what fairytale family are you from?” Amber inquired, hoping to make small talk with her quiet companion, “I’m the daughter of the girl from ‘The Red Shoes.'” Marigold didn’t know Amber of Emerald Valley yet, and hoped maybe this one person would get to know her for who she was, and not her family background. Besides, she imagined she looked quite disheveled. From what she could see, her blue gown was torn in many places and strands of hair from her normally tightly coiled bun hung loose in her face. At the moment, she figured she probably looked nothing like her straitlaced mother, so she took a chance. “Oh. My father is a chimney sweep,” she said dismissively. It wasn’t a lie. Marigold never lied. It just wasn’t the complete truth. Amber forced a smile, “That’s nice. Sorry, what story is he from?” Marigold didn’t answer. She reached up to her neck for her scarf, to twist nervously in her hands. Touching nothing, she realized with a start that she must have dropped it as she was running. Who REALLY is Marigold, and what kind of horrors has she endured? Amber wondered, watching the unkempt-looking girl stare off into space. She said she’d run away from “crazies.” Could she have been describing Scarlett, the witch who’d ruined her [Amber’s] life, as well? Amber placed a gentle hand on Marigold’s shoulder, “You seem weary and famished. I know a great place to find food in the forest. Why don’t you stay here, and I’ll go get some and bring it back here?” “Are you sure you don’t want me to come?” “Positive. I’ll be right back.” With that, Amber started into the tangle of trees adjacent to the hilltop, leaving Marigold in solitude. She looked out at the beautiful, blanketed ground down below. It was a calming sight, for she thought of the snow as fallen clouds upon the grass. pat pat pat Suddenly, she noticed a boy climbing the hill, and stiffened. Her breaths became shallow and quick pants. It wasn’t until he neared her that Marigold began to relax, because she saw his hair was not Rider’s spiked red tuft, and rather came down to his shoulders in delicate black curls. “Salutations,” he greeted with a polite bow, “At last, I finally get to meet the infamous Marigold.” Uncomfortable, Marigold rose and took a step back. In a flash, the boy was behind her, “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. I’m only here to…observe. Sit down…and let me introduce myself…Edward, of Mortgrove.” “Darius’ brother?” Marigold questioned with realization. Edward nodded, “I apologize for my introduction. It seems I frightened you.” “I’m fine,” Mari insisted, “Pleased to meet you.” When Amber emerged from the forest, arms laden with nuts and berries, a voice reached her ears. From what she could see, Marigold appeared to be conversing with herself, “She seems nice, but I don’t know if I can trust her yet.” Is she talking about me? Amber wondered as she crept forward, “Marigold?” Marigold immediately went silent; her head snapped forward. “Who are you talking to?” Amber asked. “No one,” Marigold said, voice distant – as if it was a million miles away… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Evening in Mirrorland was like nothing Tina had ever experienced before. As soon as the sun went down, the sky filled itself with fiery apparitions – which bounded around in the air above as if they were alive, and legato carnival music began to play in the distance. As Jane and Etta slept, Tina couldn’t. Instead, she laid on the hard ground, watching a blazing lion chase a gazelle across the sky. “Tina.” She sat up, “Who said that?!” “Tina!” The voice seemed vaguely familiar. “Tina!!” Tina looked down at her two companions. Sure they were both fast asleep, she slowly rose and tip-toed after the voice. “Tina!!!” She followed the sound through the maze of tunnels in the caves…until she reached a dead end. Heaving a sigh, Tina turned back around to head back to her friends – BUMP Barring the end of the tunnel she’d just come from was a wall that hadn’t been there before. Tina panicked, “Jane! Etta! Help!” Her calls echoed off the cavern’s walls. “It’s no use doing that,” the same voice that had lured Tina down the passages warned, “They won’t hear you.” Tina peered into the purple darkness and saw a figure silhouetted in the shadows. “I’m sorry for my methods of getting your attention, but I just was dying to meet you. You see, we’ve got something to discuss, you and I. And I realized it would be much easier with a captive audience.” the figure explained. Tina shuddered, “Wwho are you?” she whispered. The figure stepped into the light, “You.” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Just a night ago, in the middle of an unknown wood, Miranda awoke to her blonde sister hovering over her, “Amanda! What’s wrong?” Amanda bit her lip, “Ossie just came to me – ” “Your sparrow?” Miranda interjected. Her sister nodded, “Anyway, he said Jane and Tina are in trouble!” “What?!” Miranda exclaimed, “They can’t be! They’re both with us!” “They snuck off with a couple boys who happened to be working for Scarlett.” the golden-haired sister recalled. Miranda’s dark green eyes darted around their make-shift campsite, and sure enough, the two girls weren’t there. “Where are they?” she implored. “In a prison, underneath the east forest.” Amanda directed. With no other words spoken between the sisters, Miranda’s nose became hooked, she shrunk sprouting feathers and wings in the process, and flapped off into the night. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Two days later, when the sun was hidden in the slate gray sky, the gang tromped through the woods, as heavy rain pelted them from all directions. “We’ve been walking for two days straight, and this is day three,” Ally crabbed. “It would help if it wasn’t raining,” offered Jack. “No. What would help,” Aric retorted, “is if those stupid Evers stopped getting lost. That would solve all of our problems.” Willow snorted, “Yeah. It’s bad enough we’re on a rescue mission to save one person, now two more are missing. It’s like Evers are all born to be damsels in distress.” “Hey!” Rose gasped, “We’re right here, you know.” “We DO know,” Hope cackled. “It’s not like Marigold had much of a choice whether to go with Rider or not.” Velvet pointed out. Snowy backed her up,” Yeah! Don’t be so sour. If she didn’t agree to go, we would be dead.” “Scarlett lies. We would have been dead anyway.” quipped Hope. “You’re wrong,” Ellie objected, “Scarlett never actually lied.” “Oh, so now you’re on Scarlett’s side?” Willow accused. “HEY EVERYONE!!! ELLIE IS A SCARLETT SUPPORTER!” Jack announced. “Shut up and let her finish!” Rose snapped. Ellie continued, “As I was saying, before I was RUDELY interrupted (Jack raised his dukes in offense), Scarlett promised not to lay a hand on us. She didn’t. She tried to blow us up…and we made it out alive. If Marigold had refused, we might not have been so lucky.” “But what about Tina and Jane?” Ally instigated, “They snuck off in the middle of the night and got caught by traitors.” “I’m sure they had good reasons,” Velvet proclaimed. “Maybe they were trying to get some insider information on what Scarlett and her cronies are up to.” Snowy maintained. Evie rolled her eyes, taking no part in the argument. They’d been travelling together for days and always ended up fighting. The friends were supposed to be heroes, but they all bickered so often. She was sick of it. “Calm down!” Amanda shouted over her shoulder (feeling much like a teacher taking an unruly class on field trip to the museum), Our job is to find Marigold. Miranda’s got Tina and Jane covered.” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… They reached Scarlett’s fortress by noon. It was a dark and ominous castle with six high spires that seemed to impale the heavens. Velvet shuddered, “I don’t like the looks of this place.” “How do we get in?” Willow said flatly. Amanda pointed to the looming double doors ahead, “Through the front door.” “Your kidding,” Aric begged. “No,” Amanda stated, “Scarlett and her henchmen would expect us to come in through some creative passage way. I don’t think anyone’s guarding the main entrance.” Just then, an owl soared toward the crew, and transfigured into Miranda before them. Amanda saw her sister’s worried ****** expression and took her aside. “Go on ahead!” she called to the students, “We’ll be right behind you. (then to Miranda) where are the girls?” “They’re no longer in danger, but thy are not exactly safe,” Miranda confessed. Amanda’s eyes were wide, “Where did they go?” “Through the looking glass…” Amanda’s theory proved to be correct for Evie, Ellie, Jack, Rose, Ally, Velvet, Aric, Snowy, Willow, and Hope. There was no one else in sight when they crept through the fortress’ enormous front door, and it was the same when they travelled down a corridor on the left. The ten entered the first room they saw. The door was slightly ajar and when they pushed their way inside, they saw that everything was gray – the walls, the floor, even a mussed cot in the corner. The only exceptions were a small wooden chair and a long pink scarf, on the floor. “Isn’t that Marigold’s scarf?” Velvet gasped. Evie surveyed the empty room, “The real question is: Where IS Marigold?” Rose’s eyes fell on an open window in the back. The longer she looked at it, it seemed to get smaller and smaller, until POP! it melted into the wall as if the window never existed in the first place. Everyone else saw it too. “What just happened?” Snowy hissed. S L A M ! All heads turned as the door to the room slammed shut and the cruel Scarlett appeared before them. The wicked witch’s red lips were twisted into a spiteful smirk, “Tell me, do you really think I would have let you all barge into my home, if I had something to hide? The ten companions all locked eyes in fear. They were trapped. Cold, searing pain rolled through every muscle in her body. Biting at her, feasting, devouring her from the inside out. Not a sound, ears numb and refusing to work. Breathing now a forced action. She ran…
Marigold ran. ~~~~~ “Tristan?” Tina muttered. He didn’t hear her; he continued to talk to peter. “I hate them…” he snapped. “Neither of us wanted this.” Peter replied. “I HATE THOSE DAM ILLUSIONS. They come here they thrive here… Scarlet is an illusionist. She can make anything, Anyone…Even us…And we did nothing peter… WE did nothing to stop her!!” Tristan growled. “We didn’t know…” Peter replied. “WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER. When she came to school…The moment she selectively said if we didn’t join her she’d destroy us… and here we are aren’t we…in this…. prison…We refused that’s all we did and she brought us here… She doesn’t want us…no she wants THEM!!!” Tristan snarled pointing at Tina and Jane. “It’s not your fault…” Peter replied. Tristan stood up. “You’re awfully calm peter… Awfully, it’s not like you.” He sneered, leering closer. “Tristan, sit down. I’m not here to listen to your petty complains…” Peter said, his eyes open wide with realisation. “mmph…No? you’re supposed to help us get out of here!!” Tristan snarled, “Trista-“ Peter broke off. Tristan smacked him across the face. Tina gasped, glancing at Jane who from in the mirror was doing some kind of strange dance, pointing to her foot. The water was licking her knee now…Tina stared at Tristan and peter. Only something strange was happening to Peter. He was… Buffering, glancing like specks of black bubbling along his flesh, His eyes simply holes in a mask. Then his skin morphed into a cloud of black gloop… eyes red holes. He growled. Tristan ragged a chair throwing it at him. The ghoulish mess… hiss and evaporated into thin air. Tristan sighed… “Looks like I really AM alone…” Tina started to try and hit the wall. “TRISTAN LOOK DOWN HERE, TRISTAN…WE’RE HERE…I’M HERE!!!!” she screamed. Tristan just slumped on the chair. Tina without thinking scrambled to grab something and break the roof wall. Expecting the chain to yank her back…nothing did. Tina looked down, the chain was gone. She grabbed a large rock, but instead of aiming for the roof, she had a better plan. “JANE! HEADS UP! GET OUT OF THE WAY!” she yelled, throwing the chair at the mirror. Jane jumped out of the way. The glass smashed, in the mirror breaking the wall between dimensions…only it didn’t seem to have the desired effect. Rather than Jane being released… the mirror started to swallow its surroundings into its dimension. Tina opened her eyes, In a flipped up word with singing feet and flying pigs and wait…. The sky was green? No wait it was just upside down… Panic over. “Tina? I don’t like this place…” said a voice, Tina turned round to see Jane. The mirror’s gap into the flooding prison was slowly eroding away. This was it… they couldn’t go back. {but what about Tristan?} Tina thought, remembering him slumped in the chair. Pity churned her insides. “Where now…Is there any place- “ Tina broke off and gasp, a figure drew closer along the horizon. Her heart pounded not one figure but a group. There friends. “Jane they’re here!!” she squealed. “TINA NO!!!!” Jane yelled but it was too late. Tina was running towards the figures. Only as she approached then did she realise what a twisted contraption she had been led to. Not figures…Bodies. Corpses…eight corpses. Recognisable corpses. Each corpse had a name engraved to their cheek. Two males, six females. A sandy ragged mask was on the ground…Tina picked it up. A face. An old face. Tobias. Tina screamed. The corpses moved. Slowly getting up. Until; ‘Ellie’ , ‘Evie’ , ‘Snowy’, ‘Hope’ , ‘Willow’ , ‘Ally’ , ‘Jack’ and ‘Aric’ rose to their feet, their expressions sour. They started moving…walking towards her. Then as they got closer, their faces seemed to melt away all into one…Tobias. Tina screamed at kicked, closing her eyes. She jolted awake. Darkness surrounding her. Jane sitting next to her. “J-jane…” Tina stammered her heart racing. ”The others…Tobias… Scarlet… they they..!!” “Shuuush…Tina… Calm down their fine. You walked towards the ‘Fearcrows’ like scarecrows but almost alive…taking on the form a shattered fear and dragging you into a dream without even knowing it. That’ what I tried to warn you about…We’re in a mirror world…We can’t trust anything it’s trying to play with our minds.” Jane explained. “Where are we?” Tina asked. “I the amethyst rocks, it a maze of caves…The only problem with it is…” she broke off. “Thought you could amble bout like you own everything, did ya?” Snapped a voice. Jane sighed. Tina looked around, her eyes now adjusted to the dimness and the glowing purple tinted crystal walls. Into the deeper sanctum of the Amethyst cave, A small dark brown haired child with piercing ember eyes Stared at them. She walked to them. Before Tina’s very eyes times seemed to zip by, as the girl grew older until she stood in front of them a Navy blue tall teenaged girl, in a short black and red checked skirt white ¾ sleeved top and a sleeveless jacket over it. “Listen, It don’t fair you well to wander around this place. Mirrorland doesn’t like Newcomers. That’s why we stay in here..” Said the girl. Jane pulled Tina close to whisper in her ear. ”By ‘we’ she means her and her imaginary friends and the doll.” Tina smiled at girl, politely as she was wittering on about something, it appeared her name was Etta and she’d be trapped in mirror land for about a month since some wacked out chick –Scarlet- came to the schools and picked a few students, she got caught in The chaos from the school for evil and ended up here. “Hey do you want food?” Etta asked. Tina and Jane nodded still trying to fully digest her previous words. Etta scampered out of the cave. “Scarlet…went to the schools…” Tina muttered. “It’s getting worse by the moment…we don’t even know what she wants.” Jane sighed. Etta returned with some berries. “I couldn’t find any Rions – ur rabbit lion hybrids…best meat in these parts.” She said. The berries were as big as apples and tasted like raspberries and strawberries. Jane and Tina Ate them quickly. _________ The flickering flames danced in front of her face. Marigold desired a friend…Staring down the hill she’d climbed at the smell of cookies and remanences of tea parties. Up here she was alone, out of harm…but alone. Marigold shivered. She missed her friends. Crackle. Crackle. Snap! Marigold spun round, to the forage surrounding her. She knew it had been stupid to stop but she needed to rest. Now she was scared, hoping Rider, Annie or scarlet hadn’t found her. “Hello?” she said, her voice a mere whisper. A pair of emerald green eyes stared at her. From a group of shrubs. “What are you doing up here?” said a voice. “ Who are you?” Marigold asked. “I ask first!” said the voice. “Fine… I ran away from a group of crazies and now I’m lost…” Marigold sighed. The eyes moved, seeming to vanish for a moment before a girl walked out from behind the shrubs with rosy pink cheeks, healthy looking skin wearing a fern green long sleeved dress that hugged her body and emerald green boots with mint green fur trims. She smiled. “I’m Amber, Of the Emerald Valley.” Marigold smiled. “ I’m Marigold. So what are you doing here?” she asked. Amber sat down next to her.” I’m lost too. I was at school…When this freaky chick with some sort of snaky staff came into school… she somehow got all the teachers to round everyone up and they started after these boys, Um ; Tristan, Peter, Nathan, Oliver… I think that’s what they were called. This girl um I think she was called Scarlet or something demanded that if they wanted to be spared they’d do whatever she said… They refused so she Started freakily zapping everyone and blowing things up…until one of her henchmen stepped in um…Rider or something…Gave the option to lock them up so she did…but left all these weird holes so some students still fell through…and here I am.” She explained. Marigold gaped. A lot had changed. A whole lot. In such a short time the world was tearing at its ends. Their very existences was become scissors to undo the binds of others. Drip. Drip. Drip.
It was amazing how much could change for Tina in two days. Drip. Drip. Drip. Two days ago, she and her friends had set off to find Scarlet and rescue Marigold. Along the way, they had met Peter and Tristan standing at the edge of the path, covered in grime. Ellie, Snowy, and Rose had fainted from the stench. Drip. Drip. Tina and Jane had followed the boys away to talk, only to have a trap sprung on them. Now, they were locked in a slowly flooding dungeon with no way to escape. Drip. The droplets dripping from a pipe seemed to tick down the seconds. They seemed to say, “Hurry up! There’s going to be a flood!” Drip. The drop turned into a trickle. Peter had trapped Jane in a magic mirror so that she would have to only watch, and never speak. Indeed it had worked, and two days later Jane still pounded on its shining surface from across the room. Splash! The trickle quadrupled in size and soon the water reached Tina’s ankles. The gentle waves lapped against a hard chain that was wrapped around her foot. Tina gently touched the barred and locked door, willing her friends to come. Tomorrow she’d either drown or starve. A lone teardrop splashed against Tina’s nose, but it wasn’t hers. Surprised, she looked up and realized thst the ceiling was made of a strange shimmering metal, and it looked like Tristan was sitting on the other side. She stood to hear better. He was sniffling. “This can’t be happening…” As Tina listened to him talk to Peter, she didn’t see a strange, small owl flit out of the darkness and unlock the chain around her ankle… ———————- Rider stepped from the shadows. “She’s gone,” he whispered. “Marigold is gone…” “Indeed she is,” snapped an angry voice. “And it’s your fault!” Scarlet stepped into the light with a strange staff strapped to her back. A sword was sheathed at her side, but she quickly unsheathed it and held the tip to Rider’s throat. “You disobeyed me and left her window open!” “I…I…” Rider backed into the wall. “Don’t worry about it,” said Scarlet, putting the sword away. “I’ve already separated them, and my late half brother left a set of instructions with this…” Scarlet pulled the staff from he back and held it proudly into the air. Tobias’s hypnotizing snake scepter. ” Ok, time for answers.” Evie demanded as the group shuffled into the small but cozy cottage with the owl lady.
” Well first off, call me Miranda.” The lady said calmly as she sat in a chair ” Ok, Miranda, why are we here!!!” Ally snapped ” It’s it because a Mari?” Snowy whispered wistfully as she fiddled with the necklace she wore ” Part of it is.” Miranda responded ” Your friend is not in any harm….. Yet” Miranda muttered the last part under her breath so quietly that you could hardly hear it. ” What do you mean yet??!!!!” Velvet cried ” I assure she is safe now.” Miranda began before Rose cut her off ” What are Rider and Scarlet doing to her!!!?????” Rose cried ” Nothing.” Miranda replied ” Then what’s she doing?” Evie asked ” well let’s see.” Miranda said as she got up, opened a cupboard, pulled out a glass ball, and sat back down ” You know magic???!!!!!!!!” Ellie squealed ” Yes indeed, I my self went to the school for good and evil.” Miranda nodded her head as she brushed the dust off the ball ” Duh,…. How else would she have turned into an owl!!!” Evie remarked ” Well sorry I wasn’t here!!!” Ellie shot ” Guys stop fighting!!!!!” Jane demanded. ” Now where was I?” Miranda asked to silence the bickering girls. ” Mari.” Velvet reminded her, eyeing a ruby necklace in the table ” Ah yes.” Miranda sighed as she blew the dust of the glass ball. ” Show us the one called Marigold.” She whispered into the ball. Instantly the ball sprang to life. Inside it was a tornado of colors. Swirling and spinning, searching for Marigold. And image finally appeared. It was fuzzy but it finally cleared. Marigold sniffling back tears while sitting at a table with Annie, the mad psychopath, who was dancing around on the table. ” MARI!!!!” Tina cried out at the ball, as if trying to reach her poor friend through the glass. ” That’s it.” Evie said clasping her hands together and standing up. ” What?” They all looked from the ball ” We’re going after her, and that sick Jafar descendant.” No on objected, for this was for Marigold, one way or the other. From the looks of the magical carriage’s interior, Willow had expected the blonde woman to live in a palace – complete with towers, turrets, spires, the whole deal. Instead, the first thing she saw when she stepped out of the black coach was a tiny, ramshackle cottage. It was an old-looking house with a thatched roof and weathered walls that were practically begging for repairs. Not to mention, the humble shack was located in a wooded area in the middle of who-knows-where. Willow was thoroughly disappointed, “THIS is it?” she grumbled.
The storybook- esque, golden-haired stranger nodded proudly, “Home, sweet home.” “This cottage is sooo cute!” Rose exclaimed. “Is if magic inside, like the carriage?” Ellie asked innocently. The blonde woman replied with a slight giggle, “No, I’m afraid not.” She led the Evers and Nevers up the dirt walkway that brought them to her front door. “My sister will help you, I’m sure,” she announced, knocking softly. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. All through the carriage ride, Evie; Ellie; Ally; Aric; Rose; Snowy; Jack; Willow; Hope; Jane; Velvet; and Tina had all taken turns trying to elicit information from the mysterious blonde woman. However, she wouldn’t tell them anything. “Let’s get down to business,” Hope had hissed as soon as the friends were all settled in the vehicle, “Who are you and what do you need to say to us?!” The blonde woman had answered in a calm voice, “All in good time. I cannot tell you anything yet, not until we get to my house. There, you will meet my sister, and she will know how to help you.” “All in good time?!!!” Ally exclaimed. “We don’t have any time!” Jane agreed, “Scarlet and Rider have Marigold! Who knows what they’re doing to torture her?” To that, Jack rolled his eyes, “She’s with that lovesick Everboy, RIder. If anything, Marigold’s probably showered in gifts and kisses. She’s probably in no danger at all.” “She saved us, now we need to save her,” Snowy spat. “Besides,” Tina added, “This woman would have never come to us if Marigold wasn’t in trouble.” Velvet turned to the tight-lipped stranger, “What are they doing to Mari?” she asked. “We’ll discuss this all once we get to my sister,” the blonde woman replied, gazing out the window. For once, Aric didn’t say anything, but deep in his mind, he didn’t know whether or not he should trust her. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. “Hello sis!” a sangfroid voice called from inside, “I presume you’ve brought the children with you…” As the rickety door creaked open, a tall woman with dark brown hair and glimmering green eyes appeared in the doorway. Snowy and Evie shared a look. They’d seen this woman before. She had been an owl whenthey first had met her; She had saved them from Tobias, up in the mountains of Wonderland. Both girls locked eyes with the owl woman, “You…” ______________________________________________________________________________________ “Oh Marigold, guess what time it is…TEA TIME!!!!!!!!!!!” Somewhere far away Annie rushed across a marble palace, pulling Mary Poppins’ daughter along with her. It was always tea time for Marigold, nowadays, it seemed. As soon as they reached the tea room, Annie would release Marigold’s hand and lock the door. Then, the tea party would begin. The ‘tea room’ wasn’t cheerful, white and flower-strewn as one would imagine. Rather, the room’s furniture consisted of a long table, decorated haphazardly with various place settings, cakes and tea pots galore; and several chairs with purple cushions that stained cloth atop the table. The walls were blacker than night, and the lights were of every color in the rainbow. As always, Annie would resume her role as the mad host and would pour tea on the floor, dance idiotically on the table, and (of course) giggle uncontrollably at every chance she could get. Marigold, though, went through the motions of sitting down rigidly in her chair and staring straight ahead. She was beginning to find that she could no longer concentrate. On some days she imagined rusty bars before her eyes. They were the bars of a prison, she was sure. However, Marigold couldn’t tell if she was looking into a jail cell or looking out from one. Onter days, she was visited by a thin, gaunt man in a red cloak. The first time she had met him, he’d introduced himself, saying, “Poor, poor child. You are noble. I admire you for what you have sacrificed. I am Darius, and I come from an eternal land at the end of all lives, a land where everything is tranquil and one can dream forever. I can’t stand to see you suffer the way you are, dear Marigold. If it was up to me, I would take you home to my land. Unfortunately, though, it is not solely up to me to decide who we can take. My siblings feel it is not your time to go with us yet. They believe you have not struggled enough to be and exception. I will continue to come see you for a couple more weeks or so. Then, my brother; Edward, and my sisters: Arabella, Theodora; and Helena will come observe you . Only after they’re convinced, can I take you with me.” And sometimes Marigold saw nothing in her mind and could only hear Annie’s giggling, which clouded and obscured her thoughts. BY the end of the week, Marigold had barred herself in her own room to keep Annie from coming to bring her to tea. She thought Rider had loved her. There was no other explanation for catching his rose. But, she only ever saw him in the evenings, now, when he wanted to dance. For the rest of the time, he let Annie do her worst. She knew she was just a pawn in whatever game Scarlett was playing. Overwhelmed, she sat down on her squeaky metal cot, and played with her pink scarf, tears rolling down her cheeks. “What’s wrong, child?” a voice asked from across the room. Startled, Marigold looked up, but no one was there. “Over here!” the voice directed. Marigold followed the sound to its source…a chair. How? she wondered. It had no face – no eyes, mouth or ears. This wasn’t possible. Yet, she was lonely, and longed to have a sensible conversation, so she responded, “I believe I’m going mad.” “And why is that?” the chair asked. “This girl, Annie, she hosts these horrible tea parties and forces me to attend. All she does is giggle. I can’t even think straight anymore.” Marigold explained, a melancholy tone consistent in her honeyed voice, “And sometimes I have to remind myself the reason I even came here at all.” “Why DID you come here?’ the chair inquired curiously. “It was part of the deal. Scarlett agreed not to kill my friends if I went with Rider,” Marigold cried. “How heroic of you,” remarked the chair. Marigold twisted her scarf, “I try to do the right thing, I really do, but it never seems to be enough. My mother is famous for being the calmest, sweetest, kindest hero of children. How can I live up to that standard? I know dear Mom will be proud of me for anything I do, cut still, I feel like everybody expects me to be ‘practically perfect.’ Even among my friends, I feel like a sidekick – just an excess person, a Poppins along for the ride to keep everyone jolly. No one can see me for who I am. I can’t even do that. I feel like everyone wants me to be just like my mom and follow in her footsteps. When people look at me, no one sees Marigold, only Mary.” “oh,” the chair began to say. Marigold interrupted the wooden piece of furniture, “Sometimes (and I know this is wrong to say, but it’s true) I can’t help but wonder if coming here was worth it. On our way to this place, Rider told me Scarlett didn’t mean her promise. My friends are probably dead…and if they ARE alive, I’m not sure that’s any better. If they survived, they’ll either brand me as a traitor or they’ll come to rescue me. When- if they come, I’ll fade into the background again. I’ll be just another silly Ever that they’ll occasionally have to babysit, because I’m no longer right in the head.” Now Marigold was lying on her cot, sobbing. “Calm down, sweetheart. Dry your eyes,” the chair comforted,” Things will get better. I know they will.” Marigold didn’t reply. She turned on her side to face the wall, and let a large tear fall from her pooling blue eyes. The chair said nothing more, and the longer Marigold lay silently, the more she knew in her heart that wood cannot talk , and the chair had never said anything at all… Marigold knew she was going insane. Being confined with Annie was corroding her reason and dissolving her mind. It had been three days since the phantom ball with Rider and the gorgeous villainess Scarlett, and now the laughing voice in her head was almost all she heard. When she managed to fall asleep, her dreams where shifty and chaotic. Mad tea parties every day didn’t help. After another in which Annie had chattered endlessly with nonexistent guests, but said nothing to Marigold who sat placidly in a seat beside her, broke five saucers and apologized to them, and poured tea into every cup except her own, then emptied them all into the one that sat in front of her, Marigold curled up on the hard cot in her room, shivering uncontrollably. Eventually, she either fell asleep or began to hallucinate, because vivid illusions began to dance in front of her eyes. First, she was dancing at a ball with Rider, wearing a magnificent white gown trimmed with shimmering crystals. Then all of the decorations turned red and Rider turned into Tobias, who turned into Scarlett, who began to laugh menacingly. Then a huge pit opened beneath her feet and she fell in. She landed on the plush grass of Wonderland. Annie was there in a plush blue dress and giggling, as always. She grabbed Marigolds hand and skipped off into the woods. They finally arrived at a sunlit clearing, and Marigold stared in horror at her friends, who stood bound together in the middle of the glade. Then the ropes that bound them turned into an enormous snake, who coiled, hissing, around them, tighter and tighter. “Help us,” Snowy moaned. The others took up the chant. “Help us, Marigold… Help us…” Marigold stood, frozen, as the snake turned white and grew bigger and bigger, covering her friends until it finally hardened to ice. She could see her friends, frozen inside a perfect sphere of ice. A snow globe, she realized, as bits of white powder rained down. Marigold screamed, a high, shrill sound that echoed around the clearing and woke her up.
——————————————————————————————– Evie, Ally, Aric, Jack, Hope, Willow, Jane, Ellie, Snowy, Tina, and Velvet stood frozen, listening. Then it came again. The distant sound of hoof beats. “I didn’t imagine that, right?” Tina whispered. “Nope,” Snowy whispered back. “That was definitely hoof beats.” “Why are we whispering?” Evie complained. “Shhh!” The others scolded her. “I’m just saying,” she grumbled. Eventually they all relaxed and Evie hit Aric on the arm. “Ow! What was that for?” He asked. “No ones going to be coming to save us!” She yelled. “Stop hoping and start thinking of solutions to get us out of here!” But at that very moment, a coach rumbled through the woods, pulled by a single brown horse. It stopped right in front of them. The door opened and out stepped a person wearing a hooded black cloak. “Come with me,” the person said, and all at once it became very apparent that it was a woman. The voice was sweet and clear, and much higher than any man’s. “We’re not going anywhere with you!” Ally shouted, backing away. “I might,” Velvet said. Ally shot her a venomous glare. “Not till you show us who you are,” Evie said. The woman pushed back her hood to reveal a sweet, pretty face with curly blond hair, big blue eyes, and full red lips. “I’m not here to attack you,” the woman promised. “My sparrow told me that a friend of yours was in danger. Marigold, was it? I can help you save her.” Ally and Evie glanced at each other. “Still probably a trap,” Evie warned. “Who cares?” Jane replied, striding forward. “If she can help us save Marigold and get us out of these woods, I’m going with her. Good luck getting another ride.” Slowly, Evie, Ally, Jack, Aric, Hope, Willow, Ellie, Snowy, Tina, and Velvet followed Jane. The stranger opened the door of the small black coach. Jane was the first inside. Her jaw dropped. Outside, the coach was small and shabby. But the inside was at least twice as large as the outside looked, with two rows of plush satin seats and plenty of legroom. “How—-how is this possible?” Jane stammered. “Magic,” the woman said with a smile. The Evers and Nevers seated themselves, the pretty woman leapt inside, and the brown horse started to trot. “Who are you?” Snowy asked. “We’ll get to that later,” the woman said. “I have a lot to say to you, and not much time to say it in.” |