Into the forest... Again

          Chapter 2 Into The Forest... Again.

  The Stars shown brightly through the large bay window above the reading nook where the twins spent a lot of their free time. As the starlight faded, Sunshine crept through the window and lit up the twins sleeping faces. Their freckles appeared to turn gold where it landed on their skin. The warmth of the day was enough to cause them both to stir in their sleep but not quite wake them. The birds chirped outside while the smell of bacon filled the whole house. As the delicious scent flowed through the twins room Todd awoke from his slumber. The smell of bacon was enough to get Todd to rise from the dead. He looked below him towards the bottom bunk to see his sister still asleep. Her hair was ratted like she had been tossing and turning all night and even the skin below her eyes looked dark and exhausted. He slowly and quietly crawled out of bed as to not wake her. He crept out of the bedroom and walked towards the kitchen where his mother was at the stove making breakfast. "Hey Mom." Todd said as his mother whirled around to face him. She stepped close to her son and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Goodmorning my little Toddy! Are you hungry baby?" Todd groaned at the baby nickname that his mother had given him when he was 2 years old. "Oh..mom.." he twisted out of her tight grasp, cleared his throat and stood up extra straight. He ran his hands down his shirt as if to iron out any wrinkles just in case his mom had ruffled him up. "Now Mom. Yes I am hungry. what are you making? "I'm making biscuits eggs and bacon for my special angels. where is your sister?" She asked as she peeked down the hallway looking for her daughter. Usually Todd and his sister woke up at the same time. She rarely seen one without the other. "She's still asleep mom, I didn't want to wake her because she looked really tired and I don't think she slept well." Todd responded. His mother's porcelain features crinkled up in worry. She rarely looked her age, but when she was worried it definitely added a year or two to her features. Todd seen this and said "Don't worry Mom she's all right just tired. We went on a long walk yesterday." His mother didn't say anything as she made his plate and sat it down at the table for him to eat. She made another plate and put it in the microwave and then she made her own plate and sat down next to Todd at the table. His mother didn't touch her food but instead sat and watched Todd eat. "What are your plans for today Toddy?" She asked eagerly. He knew what she was thinking. She was thinking about the forest. "Oh Em and I thought maybe we would go throw knifes at each other on a tight rope above a moat of Crocs.. you know.. in the forest." He teased his mother playfully. His mother did not seem to appreciate his sense of humor this morning. "Honestly Todd tell me what you guys have planned today. I do not want to go to work wondering what you guys are going to be up to so please share your schedule before I ground you!" As he could see that she was serious he quickly came up with something to tell her. "Well Mom we don't really have much planned honestly but I suppose we'll just take it easy today and stick around the house. Maybe just clean the place up a bit for you." To this she smiled brightly and seemed to be appeased. "Now that sounds like a great idea Todd. And if you want to go really crazy maybe you and Emily can cook dinner for me for a change and have it ready for me when I get home?" She giggled. "Yea... Just make sure you're not home late.." Todd muttered under his breath. His mother put her perfectly manicured hand on his. " Todd I can't be your friend all the time I am, after all, your mother. Please don't hold that against me." Seeing that her son had finished his breakfast she pushed her untouched plate towards him "will you eat this for me love? I have to run or else I'm going to be late. Let your sister know I love her and her plate is in the microwave." " Ok mom have a good day love you." Todd said as he finished a second plate of breakfast. He watched his professional looking mother briskly walk out the front door. He sat and listened as his mother's oldsmobile started up and pulled out of the driveway. 

     Todd waited only one minute more to make sure his mother was completely gone before he jumped up, grabbed Emily's plate out of the microwave, and ran into the bedroom where his sister was still asleep. He grabbed a bookmark from the table and slowly started tickling Emily's nose with it. He watched her try to bat it away from her face until she was finally awake. "Todd what's going on? Ugh! You couldn't just let me sleep in for once?!" The cranky twin grabbed her pillow from underneath her and threw it at her irritating brother. Even more irritating to her was the fact that her brother dodged the pillow completely. Todd held out the plate of breakfast as if it was a peace offering. "Emily calm down. We have a big day ahead of us and you need to eat!" She was confused as she watched her brother's face break out into a mischievous smile. "What do you mean we have a big day today Todd?? What are you talking about?" She asked him, still irritated by the rude awakening. "Well before we can go and explore that forest some more we have some chores around the house that need to be done. I kind of promised Mom..." "Todd are you crazy? You know what else we kind of promised Mom? To stay away from that place! let's just go over to a friend's house today or something. We don't always have to go against what mom says you know." Todd wanted to make his sister feel better but at the same time he was dead set on going into the forest later today. His plan was to just clean up the house and then go exploring a little bit. So he started to execute that plan. He left his sister alone so that she could eat and walked off to the kitchen. He cleaned the kitchen in record time. Emily finished her breakfast and walked to the kitchen as well. She was shocked to see the dishes done and the floor was swept and mopped. She threw her plate away quietly and walked back to the bedroom so that she could get dressed. She closed and latched the door, picked out her outfit and started to undress herself in front of the sink mirror. She admired herself while doing so. Her redish curly hair fell softly down to the middle of her back. Aside from her freckles, her skin was fair and blemish free. Her piercing green eyes were somehow light and deep at the same time. They were the same piercing eyes that she looked into every day of her life. "Ugh.." she groaned as the thought of her brother popped into her private moment, ending it abruptly. She finished dressing herself and opened the bedroom door. "Todd!" She hollered through the hallway. "What Em??" He hollered back, his head peeking around the wall at the end of the hallway. 

      "Oh nothing I'm  just really getting irritated with you already today." She said with a wrinkled nose. "Oh I'm sorry sis. I didn't mean to breathe. However I do have good news. The household chores are done and we have the whole day to do whatever we please.. now I know you are opposed to going into the forest today. However, I decided while I was cleaning, that I will be returning to the forest today. Now I know that you would never let me go in there alone. So I've decided I'm going to go into the kitchen, pack some snacks in our bag and start walking towards the forest. You can either stay, or you can come with me. But what kind of sister would you be if you chose to stay rather than to come with?" Todd said Cooley as he got up from his seat on the couch and made his way to the kitchen. Emily watched him, shocked. He was right you know, she thought hastily. She could never let him go in there alone. Especially not after what she thought she had seen the other night. She would never forgive herself if something happened to her brother. She slowly followed him into the kitchen and watched him put Capri Sun juices, apples and peanut butter into a lunch pail. Then he stuck that lunch pail inside of a backpack along with two sodas, a beef jerky and some peanuts. 

      "Well this is it Em, you're either with me or against me." Todd said. He picked up his shoes from by the front door and sat down on the couch to put them on. Emily let out a loud sigh. "I swear Todd you're such a jerk." Emily said. She rolled her eyes and bent down to pick up her own shoes. She put them on before Todd finished getting his on and was out the door before he could even get off the couch. If she was going to be guilt tripped into doing something, well then she's going to be the leader of the thing that she's doing whether her brother likes it or not! She walked out the front door in a huff. What a beautiful day she thought and she looked around. The birds were chirping the Sun was shining and not a sign of that weird rain that had came on suddenly the night before. She turned around and laughed to see her brother running after her with only one shoe on and one in his hand. "Wait up Emily! You're not getting away from me today, we're a team!" He turned around and went back to the front door to lock it. After he made sure that their home was secure he continued to run after his sister until he was right by her side. He looked ahead of them. In the not so far of distance he could see the line where trim country grass from the Farmers Open Fields met with wilderness. Such a difference between the two pieces of land. Almost like different worlds. There was a flimsy wooden gate between the farmland and Forest that seemed to be holding the later back from oozing into their village. They had entered the forest quite a few times before and they always entered in the same place right there. Where country meets wilderness at the flimsy gate. Todd felt his adrenaline rush. He didn't know why but he felt so excited for today. Something was different from the other times that they had went on this same walk towards that same gate. Maybe there was energy in the air or something. But it was definitely something. Next to him Emily rolled her eyes if she could sense her brother's eagerness. "Come on butt brain let's just get this over with." She said in a voice that still leaned towards the cranky side. As they approached the flimsy gate and crept behind It, an unnaturally large flock of birds flew over them in the skies casting the twins in shadows. Emily shuttered and tried to ignore the chills that she felt which were reflecting on her skin. Today is just not the day. She thought as she pushed away at the brush surrounding her. However, as the twins walked through the point in the trees where they always entered, Emily couldn't help feeling a thousand times better as the forest floor opened around them and the smell of pine filled her nostrils. "Ahh." She sounded with ease. Her brother looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling a little better Em. Shall we hike on and enjoy our afternoon?" "Indeed sir." Emily responded, unable to maintain her cranky morning attitude. They walked further into the forest picking up sticks and rocks or anything else that they thought was cool looking.  Todd took one of the sticks that he picked up and brandished it at Emily. "On guard!" He said as he whacked her in the knee. "You little creep Todd! That actually hurt! you just wait." Emily said menacingly. "Okay you're feeling better but still not back to your old self I see." He said. They continued on their hike. They passed berry bushes, little streams that were tricking across the rocks and earth, critters and even a few spaces in between rocks that looked like they could have been cave entrances. They steared clear of those however, thinking of their mother being concerned for their safety. They had been walking for about half an hour and decided that they needed to recharge. So they found a nice pine tree to climb up and have their lunch. With her brother in tow, Emily grabbed the lowest branch and pulled herself up with ease. She kept climbing until she couldn't see the forest floor and they were totally hidden by the tree limbs. They ate their lunch without much conversation both of them enjoying the peace of the forest. 

     As they finished their lunch, Emily sat very still and listened. She could have sworn she had heard the tinkling of bells somewhere off in the distance. Which was an unnatural sound to hear in this Forest. "Todd did you hear that?" She asked in a hushed tone. Todd shook his head no and began to climb down the tree. "Hear what Emily? I didn't hear anything." "Hm" Emily hummed uncertainly. She  shook her head and decided to just let it go. After all, it sounded so far off that maybe she didn't hear anything out of the norm. After they reached the forest ground, they continued to walk through the thick trees when all of a sudden the trees weren't so thick anymore. The thick brush opened up to a site that the twins had never seen before. A large... swamp? They looked at each other with their eyes wide and full of excitement. "Wow how cool, Emily look!" Todd exclaimed. "I see it Todd, this is awesome!" They looked upon the dark, thick, slimy looking water that was covered with green moss. An out of place man-made wooden dock was by the edge of the swamp. The wood of the dock was covered in the same green moss that was atop the swamp. At the end of the dock was a very small rickety looking rowboat floating on top of the water. The boat was slowly rocking back and forth as if there was movement beneath the surface. Or perhaps it was just the wind. The twins stood still and watched the scene before them. "Wow." Emily said quietly. "This place certainly is full of surprises, huh Em?" Todd said as he broke the serenity and beelined towards the mossy dock. Emily, knowing what her brother was up to, followed closely behind. "I wonder what other secrets this Forest holds." Todd said to his sister.

     When they reached the doc they both made sure to tread carefully as to not fall on the slippery Moss. When they got to the boat they seen that the boat was tied to the dock with an old looking rope. Todd bent down carefully and grab the rope and pulled the boat towards him. Granted the boat was still afloat, it looked very old and like it could capsize if the twins tried to take it for a spin. Neither of them were scared however for they knew how to swim. Todd looked at his sister excitedly. "Here Em, grab this rope and hold the boat steady." He handed his sister the rope as she bent down and grabbed the wooden boat. She held on to it tight as her brother put one foot in and then the other and slowly sat down on one of the lumber seats. He grabbed the edge of the dock so that his sister could safely get in as well. Once they were both in the boat Todd unhooked the rope from the side so that they were no longer tethered to the dock. "Well it looks pretty rickety but it seems to be sturdy enough for us to go for a little boat ride." Emily was pleased to say. She watched as her brother grabbed the oars that were on either side of the boat. He dipped the oars into the water and the boat smoothly glided across the swamp. As Todd rowed the boat, Emily reached over the side and scooped some swampy slush into her hand. She then flung it at her brother, who tried to dodge it. "Haha" Emily exclaimed, laughing. "That's what you get for whacking me in the knee earlier." Todd, who wasn't a poor sport, laughed with his sister. Excited with their new find and just enjoying the day they both laughed for a good minute or two while the boat floated near the middle of the swamp. Emily wiped away the tears that were brought on from the laugh her and her brother shared. "Well Todd how about we call it a day and head back to the house. That way we can clean up before Mom gets home and she won't be suspicious." "That sounds good Emily. I really don't know why Mom worries so much. I mean, it's not like this place is dangerous, or at least it doesn't seem to be." Both of them shrugged at the same time. As Todd grabbed the oars and began to row back to the shore, something happened beneath them. The boat began to rock vigorously. Startled, the twins grabbed the edge of the boat and looked at each other with scared, wide eyes. "What's going on? Todd!" Emily cried. As the swamp Waters around them began to wave back and forth Emily let go of the boat sides and flung her arms around her brother. Todd kept a firm grip on the sides of the boat and looked around bewildered. "I don't know Emily!" He grabbed a hold of his sister as a  large grey claw grabbed the boat and lifted it slowly out of the water. The twins shrieked in fear. Five skinny, long fingers covered in what appeared to be boils had a hold of them. They sat very still and held on to each other as the claw brought them back down towards the water where something that could have been mistaken for a large rock was now sticking out of. Emily screamed. This creature looked upon them with dead cold eyes. He studied them for a minute and then slowly began to rise the rest of the way out of the water. He had no nose and his mouth was gaping and full of the sharp grayish fangs. If it weren't for all of those boils on top of that gray skin this creature could have easily been mistaken for a rock if it sat still. It opened its mouth as far as it could go and let out a nightmarish gurgly laugh that sounded like it came from the swamp itself. Then, to the twins horror they watched as the monster flung them into the air, boat and all. It tilted it's head back with its mouth open wide as if to catch them and devour them. The twins were still clutching each other tightly when all of a sudden they heard the sound of tinkling bells. Expecting to meet the swamp monsters razor sharp teeth upon landing, they were surprised when they didn't land at all. Instead they were snatched out of mid-air all the while hearing those bells. They were helpless as pinkish green talons curled around them, and they rose higher and higher above the forest. Todd looked at his sister who had her eyes squeezed shut. He slowly looked at the talons that were holding him and his sister, then followed them up to the legs and body of whatever had saved them from certain death. His eyes slowly took in the rest of the creature. The wings and the reptilian face. They had been snatched up by a dragon! A dragon that looks suspiciously joyous. As Todd fainted alls he could hear was the sound of tinkling bells