The Green Guardian

Chapter 3: Portal to Another World

Evie peered over her shoulder at her. "It's just all my camp stuff."

Her mother got down on her knees. She pulled cute tops, makeup bottles, and hair-styling objects out of the suitcase. "All you have here is makeup."

"Exactly!" Evie did a belly flop onto her bed. To get a better look at Charlotte, she crawled to the edge of it and propped up her head. "I also packed hair stuff and jewelry."

Incidents like these reminded Charlotte that her daughter was almost a teenager. She glanced at her and asked, "You understand you're going to the Paperblank Forest to learn how to be a ranger, right? That means you don't need all this. You're not going to be spending your days going to the mall and getting makeovers with your friends."

"Aw, but, Mom!" Evie was slightly embarrassed. To cut her some slack, though, the camp was going to be her first stay away.

Charlotte gave her a gentle smile. "It's okay. You're still learning. Why don't you get some breakfast, and I'll repack for you?"

"Yes, Mom. Sorry."

Evie changed into a white, short-sleeved shirt, jean shorts, and blue sneakers. The clothes suited her hairstyle. She left her mother in her room and went downstairs for breakfast.

The dining room was in front of a screen-in porch that overlooked Evie's backyard. Her father's woodworking shack took up a whole corner of it.

The dining room was not far from the Madison family's kitchen. Unlike Mateo's, it was not messy. Then again, older adults lived in the house. One of them was Ms. Gilbert, the family's next-door neighbor. She sat at the warmest, brightest end of the dining table. Ms. Gilbert was an old lady who suffered from dementia. She was eighty years old. Her husband died ten years ago from illness, so Evie's family decided to take her in. Since Evie was only a year old when that happened, she saw Ms. Gilbert as her grandmother.

Despite her age, Ms. Gilbert was a pretty lady. Silver earrings dangled from her ears, and she wore a denim shirt with some khaki pants. Her gray and white hair went all the way down her back.

She worked on a crossword puzzle. Next to her was Keegan, Evie's dad. His hair was brown, and he wore a pair of work clothes: blue pants, a collared shirt, leather shoes, and a belt. While his hair may have been a little different, he shared Evie and Charlotte's blueberry-blue eyes. A steaming cup of hot coffee rested next to his hand, and he flipped through the Pinta Times.

The family's blonde tabby, Angus, entered the dining room. He rubbed up against Keegan's leg, purring soundly.

Evie skipped the last step of the staircase. "I'm here!" she said.

"Evie, good morning," said Keegan.

Evie ignored him and went straight to Ms. Gilbert. She plopped down in a chair next to her. "Good morning, Grandma Gilbert."

"What about me?" Keegan mumbled.

Ms. Gilbert lowered her pen. She smiled at Evie and asked in a soft but sweet voice, "How are you, Evie?"

"I'm terrific! I didn't sleep at all last night. Grandma Gilbert, today's the day I'm going to the Paperblank Forest." Evie made sure not to yell around her.

Ms. Gilbert looked a little perplexed. "What's the Paperblank Forest?" she asked.

Evie told her the day before, but it was normal for Ms. Gilbert to forget things easily. She pushed her glass of orange juice off to the side and took the old woman's wrinkled hands. "The Paperblank Forest is the largest, most mysterious forest in all of Pinta Country. It's near the Pintaloon Ocean."