The Journey for Ever After

Enchanted Vines

I had woken up early that day with the intention of seeing the migration of the enchanted dragon flies.

My parents didn't like it much when I ventured to the Enchanted Central Forest, there wasn't a law against it, but it was seen as tabooed. I didn't care, maybe it was my rebellious teenage self. Or the fact that it was the year 2026.

All I knew was that humans were wasting their lives with technology when they could simply enjoy the wonders of magic.

I made my way down the sidewalk on third street and made a quick right on eighty-ninth. I began to jog, the mornings and days were consistently warm due to the magical elements nearby. One of the many reasons New Yorkers should embrace magic. For it gave us perfect weather year round.

A warm breeze ran through my hair, it encouraged me to continue jogging. I dodged a couple of cars and taxis, and the occasional morning jogger. I passed my high school and kept running. The lush giant trees came into view. They were magnificent in size, some as tall as any skyscraper around the city. I sped up, enjoying the view as I got closer.

"SADIE." The familiar high pitch voice of my friend Giana frightened me.

I was not able to dodge an orange cone and tripped over it.

"Darn it Giana!" I struggled to get up, the weight of my backpack swayed to the sides. I looked at my hands, blood began to trickle out of my left one. I sat on the ground and took out my water bottle and began to rinse the cut, the sting burned deeply.

Giana waited on the other side of the street for a car to pass, then ran across.

"Sadie!" She shouted again as she waved her hands in excitement.

She was glowing today, and it wasn't because her skin was a rich caramel tone. Her long curly black hair looked curlier and had extra bounce about it. She was up to something.

"I knew it! I knew it!" She hovered over me. As her black leather school bag swung on her side. Her hand rushed to her pink pastel skirt, as she griped onto the sides.

"Knew what?" I demanded as I took a small pebble out from my cut. "Ouch! Explain yourself Giana!" I exclaimed as I stood and began to wipe my jeans and blouse from the collected dust.

"Sadie, you know we are not supposed to go in there." She pointed to the forest. "I don't understand you. Your parents and our teachers tell you it isn't safe, but you still go there." She held onto the straps of her bag as she bit her lower lip.

I had a feeling that her lecture wasn't her full intention.

She then blathered out. "I'm tired of you having all the adventures and never taking me with you!" Her voice rose a few bars as she explained. I laughed. She always sounded like she had sucked helium from a balloon when she got nervous.

"Is that it?"

"Mm-hmm," her right leg began to fidget.

"Alright let's go." Without a second to waste I began to jog.

"Wait! I'm not wearing running shoes." Her voice faded behind me. I turned quickly.

"You should have thought of that before you left your house! Hurry up we are going to be late." I jogged back to her and took her arm and pulled.

"Hold up," she struggled for a while. Eventually she was able to keep up.

We got closer to the forest gate and began to run alongside it, until we found a large wooded door. I pushed it open, instantly the sound of all the creatures in the forest resonated all around me.

As I stepped deeper into the forest, a fresh breeze blew. The sounds of the city faded away behind me. I stopped and turned to Giana.

She was still standing by the entrance, playing with her hands.

"Come on. What are you waiting for?" I waved to her. She shook her head.

"No. I changed my mind," she was about to turn around, when a vine reached out to her and wrapped itself around her waist. "Wait! What? Let go of me!" She begged as she was picked up. She attempted to wiggle herself from the grasp of the enchanted vine. "Sadie! Sadie!" She shouted with fear. The vine placed her next to me, she had her eyes closed. The entrance door swung shut. "I'm I dead?" She shivered.

"Open your eyes Giana," I laughed. She opened her right eye, then her left. She released her breath as she saw me standing next to her. "See. There is nothing to be scared of, the forest actually wants our company." I began to walk towards the reservoir.

"What do you mean it wants our company?" Giana brushed up against me.

I glanced at her and giggled.

"The forest is enchanted Giana. So the trees are technically very much alive." I answered. She then wrapped her arm around mine.

"So they can hear us?"

"Yes." I said.

"Well next time you want to wrap your vines around me!" She barked to the giant trees, and then quickly added. "Please ask, you frighten me."

The canopy above us began to sway, the distant crack, snap of roots, and branches echoed all around us. "Did they hear me?" She asked in a whisper, as her grip tighten.

"I think they did," I looked up to the trees then added. "Could you give my arm back?" She cleared her throat and released my arm.

I lead her down the familiar path to the reservoir. The lake came into view. A hazy mist hug over it, as fire flies played through it. I made my way to a wooden bench that over looked the splendor of the lake.

"Why is that here?" Giana pointed to the old bench.

"Well once upon a time - even though it sounds crazy- humans used to visit the Enchanted Central Forest all the time. Humans and the enchanted lived together in harmony. How do you think all those fairy tales came to be? We have accepted them as just that, fairy tales, but they are more than just stories Giana. They are the history of humans from the past." I paused. "Many of the benches are still intact, this one here happens to be my favorite." I changed the topic and sat down.

I opened my backpack and pulled out my sketchbook and charcoal. Giana stood in front of me, bent over and cleared the bench, and sat down.

"So what happened? Why are we taught to fear the forest and to stay away from everything magical?" I looked up, her hazel eyes beheld sincerity. She was truly seeking an explanation.

"To be honest I really don't know." I began to sketch out the lake.

"So what do we do now?" She then asked.

"We wait of course." I began to add the mist over the lake. Giana began to get uneasy, "you could explore if you want." I added without looking up.

"Is it safe?"

"Of course, now go and have fun. Just don't touch the Lantern Rose, they bite." I said. She nodded her head and began to sight see.

I continued to sketch. Art in itself was my own magic. Sure you could always take a picture of something, but creating a replica of what you were seeing with your own hands was magical. I concentrated on my sktech, when a distant crack of a branch caught my attention.

"Giana is that you?" I asked. No one responded. I looked around, it was coming from behind a giant arch. I stood and began to walk towards the sound. There was a loud snap, as if something had fallen. "Who's there!" I climbed over the arch, jumped off, and landed on my feet.

"I will curse you if you get any closer!" A voice shouted from the darkness.

Thanks for reading my chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, by all means please vote ☆ and comment below.