The Secret Door (#Wattys2016)

Chapter VIII The Fanged Cage

And Van wastes no time telling the others what Grizzlebark showed him. With an avid audiences listening to his tale, Kirsten included among them, Van is clearly enjoying himself. And when asked why Grizzlebark only spoke to him, Van is not sure what to say. Maybe Grizzlebark will only talk to someone who had the crazy idea of climbing his treacherous trunk. And Kirsten's eyes flash when Van starts to explain to them that they will win an unspecified price if they beat the time in the hourglass.

"I told you I never know," said the annoyed Van when she asked him again what that prize could be. Kirsten looks more alive now and there is a strange glint in her eyes. It's a common knowledge in school that she loves a good competition.

"Disgusting," Cara said. She just stepped on a fruit that fell from Grizzlebark.

"Grizzlebark could use a bit of clean-up," Alice muttered, for the surrounding ground is littered with fallen fruits. Van pockets some. It might come in useful as it's not every day you will find fruits that does wonders.

The forest doesn't look very far away here in their vantage point. To save them energy, Cara proposes an ingenious and somewhat outrageous plan. They could use one of Grizzlebark's leaves as a form of conveyance. The leaf will float if they squeeze some juice from Grizzlebark's fruits, and it will be sturdy enough to support them if they apply a generous amount. Cara found a leaf wide enough for all of them, around the size of a rug. This will make for a good transportation.

"How did you know it does that," Van asked Cara.

"It was by accident. After I stepped on a rotting fruit, I tried to wipe my shoes on a leaf there. The leaf then starts to levitate," Cara replied.

It's Don who prepared their leaf for them. Van sits on the front of the leaf; the rest takes the middle and Kirsten sits on the back. It's almost straightforward. They are zooming at high-speed in a single kick. They have to hold on to the edge of the leaf for support and the leaf proves to be more resilient despite being dried and cracked.

"Adjust your grip Kirsten," Don suggested for the nervous Kirsten almost got thrown off.

And it was a good thing that they chose to ride rather than to walk, for the forest is actually farther than it looks. They are moving at high-speeds but they didn't reach the forest until after fifteen minutes later. The leaf gradually loses power and slowly drops to the ground, just in time for they are now here at the edge of the woods. Like everything they saw lately, the forest looks far from normal, and somewhat distorted. The trees here are younger versions of Grizzlebark. They are grey, towering, but slightly curved as if blown by a gust of wind. The great hourglass that Van told them hovers lazily above the tree tops.

No one dares to come close to the forest. It looks more intimidating when seen here. It just occurred to Van that Grizzlebark never told him any on what might lurk there.

"I'll check if it's safe there, you stay here," Van said in a fit of gallantry.

"Not so fast Van, we will go with you," Alice replied harshly.

A small hedge separates the backwoods from them. Van puts a toe, and the hourglass comes to life. Sand begins to drain from its upper bulb.

"This is what Grizzlebark meant, if we cross the forest before the sand runs out we will win a prize," Van declared.

Kirsten's eyes are again flashing greedily.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Alice said.

They are about to charge into the forest when Don suddenly leaps sideways and pauses near a bush.

"Wait," he shouted at the rest.