The Green Guardian

Chapter 5: The Pebble Masters

"I see." Mr. Cornelius rubbed his chin. "Nice observation, kid."

"What are they talking about?" Evie asked. "Ashlynn? Whoo-hoo." She waved her hand in front of her new friend's face.

Ashlynn smiled stupidly. She stared at Mateo like a creepy old man. "Isn't he just the most beautiful man you've ever laid eyes on?" she asked in a dreamlike voice.

Evie chuckled. Good, she wasn't the only one who thought Mateo was good-looking.

He slipped his device into his pocket and returned to his seat.

Ashlynn nudged Evie. "Rumor has it he's the youngest counselor," she added.

"But he definitely has a secret of some sort," Evie admitted. "I just wish I knew what it was."

***

Mateo's hypothesis was correct. Mr. Cornelius got on the highway, and they lost the monster. It disappeared from Mateo's map. Whew, that was too close. Mr. Cornelius didn't think the camp director would be too happy if he delivered a bunch of petrified children to Paperblank Village.

What started as a tense situation was now a peaceful drive through Pinta Country. The bus passed gorgeous farmland and woods. Each farm had green, rolling hills with hay bales on them. The trees were tall, but nothing like Paperblank's. The journey took about four hours.

Evie and Ashlynn took the time to learn more about each other.

"So, your family has some secrets, yeah?" Ashlynn asked while she and Evie played with Annabelle.

Evie adjusted the hat on her doll's head. She slipped the pebble back into her pocket. "They sure do, Ashlynn, but they never tell me."

"Don't you just hate those stubborn family members?" Ashlynn challenged. She brushed Annabelle's hair with a small, red brush.

Aside from them, the other children also chatted with one another. New friendships rose out of the earth everywhere.

Mateo, though, tried to take a nap. The back of his head hit his seat, and he shut his eyes.

"So, have you ever been to the Paperblank Forest?" Evie asked Ashlynn.

She shook her head. "No, this is going to be my first time."

"Me, too." Evie enjoyed that they had so much in common. Glancing at Mateo, she winked at her new friend. The young girl cleared her throat. "What about you, Mr. Mateo? Have you ever been to the Paperblank Forest?"

"Ugh." Mateo opened his eyes, but he gave Evie a friendly smile. "I have, Evie."

"Eek!" the girls squeaked.

"Wha-what's it like?" Evie stammered. Nervous, she grabbed Ashlynn's hand. Her other hand tugged at her seat's leather. She did not want Mateo's sexy, Spanish-like accent to go away.

He didn't know what it was, but the little girl was starting to grow on him. He glanced at her with his deep brown eyes and explained, "The Paperblank Forest is beautiful. I have never seen such a variety of plants and animals. And the trees. Oh, the trees. You feel them watching over you." He seemed to enter a dreamward.

Evie sighed. "You're so beautiful, Mr. Mateo." She then realized what she just said. "Oh, I'm sorry!" The girl hid behind her hands.

Mateo chuckled. Now that he was thinking about the forest, an eleven-year-old hitting on him was the least of his worries. "The Paperblank Forest is also mysterious," he added. "After all, there's an old legend that a little boy disappeared from it sixty years ago."