Over the Eternal Garden Wall and Into the Unknown

Chapter 21: To Be Dismal and Dreary

Chapter 21: To Be Dismal and Dreary

Wirt woke up to the bright light of day, blinking the grogginess from his eyes and sitting up in bed slowly, groaning quietly. His mind felt strangely weightless, not bogged down by the memories of a complicated dream. Around him, the animal students did their own thing, either sleeping or staring mindlessly at the ceiling or at one another. It was a peaceful morning in comparison to the night before, filled with a calming stillness that put a small smile on Wirt's lips. That wasn't enough to erase his worries, though, and he felt himself start to be bothered once more by what lay ahead in the Unknown's future.

Glancing over to his brother, who was still resting beside him, the teen let his grin fall, knowing of the dangers that their path would definitely traverse over if they went and found the map like planned, leaving for home immediately. He then cast his gaze to Beatrice, whose red hair draped messily upon their pillow as she slept, reminded of the urgency of returning the peace in the forest before the Beast became too powerful. It seemed to be one or the other and he had hardly the heart to choose. If he could choose.

What can I do to help anyway? he brooded, unable to decide between the options. It's not like I can go and get rid of the Beast myself, can I? Not to mention the last time I saw him he tried to turn Greg into an Edelwood tree and make me carry his lantern. That would be terrible if it happened again. But then . . . I don't think anyone else is going to do anything about it with their fears and this weather. The Woodsman is obviously not willing to help. Now the Unknown's magic is crumbling slowly away, the pieces falling into the gaping mouth of darkness, feeding his predatory hunger for power at every coming storm.

Wirt took a deep breath, steadying himself. If only life could be simple.

But it isn't, and we have to do what we think is right, the teen concluded, shaking Greg's shoulder gently in attempt to awaken him. Large eyes opened to peer up at Wirt, sleepy and joyously innocent. Greg let loose a soft yawn that made the teen doubt himself even more. What is right, though?

It seemed that he would never know.

o-o-o-o

The group left the schoolhouse soon after waking up, saying their goodbyes to the Langtrees and Jimmy Brown, wishing them well. Beatrice had led them on their way for most of the morning, effortlessly carrying the supply sack as she took them on the long path to the tavern. The sun's rays reflected off of the white blankets of fresh snow, near-blinding at times. Empty branches reached for the sky, leafless and dark in contrast to their brighter surroundings.

The trees bunched more closely together. The dirt path was almost unidentifiable with the frosty leftovers of the storm and by the way it twisted wildly in front of them, going in many different directions to avoid parts of the forest. Wirt found that terrifyingly mysterious. If any sort of potentially dangerous monster or creature lived there then he wasn't looking to discover what might happen if they had an encounter with it. Especially if it could endure the failing enchantments in the Unknown and keep its ferocity sharp enough that they had to walk around its territory. Then again, the path had been made long before the storms began, showing no sign of being re-enforced. Maybe it wasn't as treacherous in the forest as he had thought. But . . . maybe it was. He didn't want to find out which was right.

"I'm cold," Greg complained, puffing his breath out into his hands in attempt to warm them up. It didn't do much, so the boy shivered, tucking them into his shirt sleeves instead.

Above him, sitting upon Greg's tea kettle, Jason Funderburker seemed to do just as well, eyes closing as if he were about to fall asleep then shooting open again. The frog shook himself every once in a while, seemingly trying to stay active enough not to fall into hibernation.