Chon-Ji and Sparkles

Ch. 7: The Corn Have Ears

"Ouch! This stuff hurts!" A shriek is heard as a figure comes through the corn stalks. We jump back as we see a disheveled Cecilia. Vic groans in annoyance as Serena lets out a little shriek. Trevor and I stare at her in confusion as she huffs, "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's figure out this stupid riddle."

In the cornfield, we began. On a summer's eve, we ran until I no longer felt that I can. Under the heat, she sang as the last toll rang, finishing what was left with a bang. Ready or not, he will hang from the very roots of the clan.

Serena skips ahead of us, her hair swaying from side to side as she has a little bounce to each step. Behind her, Trevor lazily walks, his hand going up to run through his dark curls every now and then before slipping down to his neck as he turns to look at us. Vic walks right alongside me, keeping very little distance between us as he laces our hands together. It was common for him to be this touchy with me. I haven't ever seen him not be affectionate to me. Well, either of the boys for that matter. Vic's touch was protective and safe while Zahir's was more of a playful, brotherly feeling. Vic made sure to hold my hand when I was scared, to pat my head when I got excited, rub my shoulders when I was stressed. He comforted me. Like now, as we walk towards the only tree we knew of. 

"Do we even know where this tree is? Plus when is there ever a tree in the middle of a cornfield?" Cecilia complains from the back where she had been walking with her arms crossed over her chest. 

"I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure it's that old leaning, rachet tree." Vic says while pointing to the side as we all stop to look at the clearing. Serena gasps as she rushes over, grabbing the ribbons tied to it still, "Our promise ribbons!"

I pull Vic towards the tree as I go to the bright pink ribbon I had placed as a child. A promise entering my mind. 

"Bright pink? Really? What's your promise about? Unicorns?" Austin rolls his blue eyes as he laughs at my ribbon as I tie it. I glare at his perfect, chubby face before pouting, "No, it's a promise to always be true to myself. That I won't pretend to be someone I am not. Especially not to impress someone."

"What if you want to impress a boy?" Serena asks as she giggles behind her hand, her eyes dancing as she lands them on Austin who smirks a bit, "Then you better try real hard, missy. Those braces aren't impressing anyone."

"Stop being so rude, Austin!" Aureole snaps as she ties her orange tie, "I'm tying this as a sign of our friendship. To wherever we are, I hope we stay friends. Forever. No matter who we become, no matter what, we promise to be there for each other."

"That sounds beautiful, Aureole." Trevor smiles at her and she blushes softly, "Thank you."

"Just be careful what you wish for here, the corn have ears." Austin smirks before he jumps off the branch he had put his little tush on. He lands on his bum before rolling onto his feet. A naughty grin plasters itself on his face as he looks at us, "Last one to the entrance has to kiss Mr. Pickles!"

"Ewww!" The girls squeal as they all run away, leaving Trevor next to me. Smiling, I lend my hand as he smiles back, "Thanks, Ellie."

"Eh, I heard kissing frogs is better than kissing Austin." I smirk as Trevor giggles.

Trevor allows his fingers to run through the orange ribbon as I feel Vic's head land on top of mine. Cecilia places a hand on the withering tree before looking at us, "Our promises are still standing here, fresh as if we placed it yesterday. But we forgot about it."

"Just like we forgot about them," I whisper before realization dawns on me, "Guys, where did we bury the train?"

"Should be right around... Here." Trevor takes a few steps towards the right of the tree before tapping a mound of dirt. 

"What does that train have to do with anything?" Cecilia asks bored, and Serena starts to dig, "The tree leans to the left, meaning the roots must be on the right where we buried the train. In the poem, it says in the cornfield, we began which is true. Our friendship, our bond began in this very cornfield when we all got lost after the county fair."

"On a summer's eve, we ran until I no longer felt that I can," Trevor says as he smiles softly, "Our daily races to the entrance where most of the time, I would have lost if Ella Marie had not been there to cover my back."

"Under the heat, she sang until the last toll rang, finishing what was left with a bang,"  Cecilia chuckles at the memory as she says, "From when I had my first performance in elementary school. It was my first solo in the spring show, and as the grandfather clock rang for the hour, I passed out on the stage. Landed straight on my face with a loud bang. Good thing was that I finished the song before making a fool of myself."

"Ready or not, he will hang from the very roots of the clan," I sigh as I relish in the memory, "Right after our first dance in middle school, we all played hide and seek at the school yard. The weeping willow there had branches which appeared like roots of an oak tree. Austin got tangled in them as he tried to hide from Cecilia. I remember we had to pull so hard that his pants ripped apart before we got him free."

"So you're telling me, this whole riddle wasn't about a murder, but rather a way for you guys to remember memories?" Vic asks and we all glance at each other, "Guess so."

"Well, since we are here. Why not just dig up the train?" Trevor shrugs as he starts digging through the dirt only to smirk, "Oh, I think I found- HOLY SHIT!"

He jumps back, scrambling further into the corn stalks as his eyes pop out of his head. Cecilia peers into the hole before gagging and rushing to the side to throw up. Serena slowly leans down and cautiously pokes at the thing with a corn stalk. 

"What is it?" I ask and Serena sighs, "It's a hand."

"A hand?" Vic asks confused and Serena nods, "Yes, an actual hand."

"Where's the rest of it?" I ask and Serena shrugs as she manages the flip it over, "It's holding something, let me see if I can..."

She finally pulls something out and peers at it carefully, "A rock."

"Are we going to skip over the fact that you just found a hand?! A freaking hand!" Vic exclaims as Cecilia again gags and spits out more liquid from her body.

"Can I see that?" I peer over the hole and find the dirty, dainty hand slightly closed. The silver ring catches my attention and I tear off a piece of my shirt to pull off the ring carefully, "Guys, look."

"Don't touch that!" Vic shouts but I ignore him as I carefully examine it. Trevor gasps, "That's Aureole's! You girls have the same one. It's what The Glasses gave you guys after the twins' birthday party."

"Alright, I think it's time to go. Hide that hand, call the police and let's get the hell out of here." Vic says and Cecilia agrees.

"Fine, but I am coming back here tomorrow. I feel like there is more to this than we see." Serena says and I nod, "Same."